renoon, there shall be preaching
from God's word." Many of the Indians were employed as servants or day
laborers. They were often defrauded of their wages. A decree was
issued, punishing with a fine those who neglected to pay these debts.

In January, 1649, Charles I., of England, was beheaded in front of his
own banqueting hall, and England became nominally a republic. The
event created the most profound sensation throughout all Christendom.
The shock, which agitated all Europe, was felt in America. The prince
of Wales and the duke of York, escaping from England, took refuge in
Holland with their brother-in-law, the stadtholder, William, prince of
Orange. A rupture between England and Holland appeared imminent. The
Puritans in America were well pleased with the establishment of a
republic in their native land. A war between the two European nations
would probably bring all the Dutch colonies under the control of
England. The West India Company, in view of these perils, urged
Stuyvesant "to live with his neighbors on the best terms possible."

On the 24th of March, of this year, the venerable Governor Winthrop,
of Massachusetts, died, at the age of sixty-one. Governor Eaton, of
New Haven, proposed to Stuyvesant a meeting of the Governors, at
Boston, to discuss the affairs of the colonies. The meeting was held
in August. It was not harmonious. The Dutch were forbidden from
trading anywhere with the Indians within the territory of the English
colonies, and Stuyvesant was very emphatically informed that the
English claimed all the territory between Cape Cod and New Haven.

Lady Stirling, widow of Lord Stirling, determined to maintain her
title to the whole of Long Island. She sent an agent, who announced
himself to the English settlers at Hempstead, on the northern portion
of the island, as governor of the whole island under the Dowager
Countess of Stirling. Intelligence of this was speedily sent to
Stuyvesant. The Dutch Governor caused his immediate arrest, ordered
him, notwithstanding his "very consequential airs," to be examined
before the council, took copies of his papers, and placed him on board
ship for Holland. The ship put in at an English port, the agent
escaped and was heard of no more.

The council, much displeased with the absolutism assumed by
Stuyvesant, resolved to send one of their number, a remarkably
energetic man, Adrien Van Der Donck, to Holland to seek redress from
the home government. The movemen