| OCR Text |
Show [50] [5:] his Majefly had fignified his Pleafure that thol'e they are a Free State, and do aft in all Manor: ae- Acts {hould be obferved in theMathcliufetts, they cordingly." had made Provifion by a Law of the Colony that they lhould be flrifily attended" Which Pro~ 1vifion by a Law of their own would have been referve to themfelves a Power to alter ‘t‘vade and fuperfluous, if they had admitted the Supreme Authority of Parliament. In lhort, by the fame Hifiory it appears that thofe Acts of" Parliament as-fuch were difiegarded ; and the following Reafon is given for it ; " It feems to'have been Again, " Tittle h agillra'es err-r difannul any Law or Command, not a 'Iret‘iug with their Humour or the abfol‘ite Author ry of thrir Government, acknowledgi g no Superior" 3.. d further, " He the (Governor) freely derizml to me, that the Laws made by your \"ajefly 3r»! . your Parliament. obligeth them in nothing" but I what confifls with the Interefis of thatColony. a general Opinion that Acts of Parliament had no that the Legiflattve Pom. and A\uthoriry is and' other Force,‘than what they derived from Acts abides in them folei'y." And in the lame Mr. _, Randolph's Letter to the Biihop of London, ju- made by the General Court to efiablifh and confirm them." , _'ly 14, 1682, he fays, " This Independent} in .But [lill Further to {how the Sen-{e of our Anr ceflors refpefting this Matter, we beg leave to Government, claimed and daily praiiil'ed." And ‘ your Excellency being 115m fenfible that this was recite {ome Parts of a Narrative prefented to the Lords ol" Privy Council by Edward Randolph, ,the Senfe of our Ancetlors, in a Marginal Note in the lame Collection ol‘Papers. obit-recs, that " this, viz. the Provifion made for 0;,lerving in the Year I676, which we find in your Excel- the A&s of Trade, " is very extraordinary, for lency's Co'lection of Papers lately publifhed. ' this Provifion was an Aé'c of the Colony declaring the Acts of Trade {hall be in Force there." Although Mr. Randolph was very unfriendly to the Colony, yet as his Declarations are concurrent with thole-recited from yourmExcellency's Therein it is declared to be the Senfe of the Co- lony. " that no Law is in Force or Efleem there. but fuch as are made by the General Court ; and therefore it is accounted a Breach of their Privileges, and a Betraying of the Liberties ofthcl-r Common-wealth, to urge the Obfervation of the Laws of England." "Hifiory. we think they may be admitted for the LPurpolefor which theyiare now brought. And further, " That no ' Oath {hall be urged or required to be taken by " L Thus we Tee, from your Excellency's Hitter}; any Pcrfim, but l'uch Oath as the General Court . and Publications, the Senfeour Ancel'tors had of hath confidered, allowed and required." And ‘Fllcljurifdifiion. of Parliament under the firflChara further, " there is no notice taken of the A301" : Navigation, Plantation or any otherLaws made in 16:11- Very diHEre-nt from that which your Exo ‘cellency if: your-Spare]: apprehends it to have England for the-Regulation or Trade." " That "been. the Government would make the World believe they G a It |
