until the s. 25. August that the Indians came upon sd. Plantation & most barbarously murthered John Evans John Johnson & and his three childrens. Dated Baston 20th Septemb. 1696. That the French settlers at Oxford had a minister of their own, appears from a letter, written by him to some person in authority [probably gov. Dudley,] complaining of the sale of rum to the Indians, "without order and measure," and of its baneful effects. The date is lost, with a line or two at the beginning; but is endorsed, "Mr. Dan1. Bondet's Representation referring to N. Oxford July 6th 1691." He mentions it as upon "an occasion which fills my heart with sorrow and my life of trouble, but my humble request will be at least before God, and before you a solemn protestation against the guilt of those incorrigible persons who dwell in our place. The rome [rum] is always sold to the Indians without order and measure, insomuch that according the complaint sent to me by master Dickestean with advice to present it to your honor. The 26 of the last month there was about twenti indians so furious by drunkness that they fought like bears and fell upon one called remes.... who is appointed for preaching the gospel amongst them he had been so much disfigured by his wonds that there is no hope of his recovery. If it was your pleasure to signifie to the instrumens of that evil the jalosie of your athoriti and of the publique tranquility, you would do great good maintaining the honor of God, in a Christian habitation, conforting some honest souls wich being incompatible with such abominations feel every day the burden of afflixion of their honorable perigrination aggravated. Hear us pray and so God be with you and prosper all your just undertakins and applications tis the sincere wish of your most respectuous servant ......" D. BONDET minister of the gospell in a French Congregation at newoxford." The government probably interfered, and took measures to prevent the repetition of the evil complained of. The above paper was found in the Secretary's office, and shown to me by Mr. secretary Bradford, who, at my request, searched the government papers, in aid of my inquiries. The "representation of the minister may have induced the government to appoint him a missionary to the natives in the neighborhood of Oxford; for, in another communication, Mr. Bradford informed me: "In 1695, Mr. Bondet, a French Protestant minister, preached to the Nipmug Indians... in the south of Worcester county." E. LETTERS AND PAPERS FROM THE BERNON MSS. IN THE POSSESSION OF PHILIP ALLEN, ESQ. OF PROVIDENCE. SIR, Letter from Gov. Dudley to G. Bernon, dated, "Roxbury April 6, 1715." We are now in a way to thrive at Oxford, and I particularly thank you for what you have done towards a Grist Mill in the Vitlage, by giving the mill stones and irons to Daniel Eliot, conditionally that the mill should be built to serve the town within such a perfixed time which is now past and nothing done. I desire you to write to him to go forward immediately so as to finish the mill presently to the satisfaction of the Inhabitants, or that you will order the said mill and irons to be given to such other person as will go forward in the work, that they may not be starved the next winter. I pray you to take effectual order in the matter. Superscribed J. DUDLEY." "To Mr. Gabriel Bernon Narraganset." The answer of Mr. Bernon is dated "Kingstown 30 April, 1715." He writes, that, according to the letter from his excellency, he had "ordered Mr. Daniel, Eliot to finish the Crist Mill at Oxford, or to let the town have the two mill stown to set the mill in a convenient place. It will be a great blessing to strive [thrive] after so much distorbance: And if I can but have the freinship and charity of your Excellency in my old time, with a young wife and a second family in this New World, I may be happy and blessed." In a petition, afterwards, to Gov. Shute, he says,... "being now near 80 years of age, and having several children by my first wife, and so seeing children of my children. I have since married an English woman, by whom also I have several children," &c. .. độc. By a statement of G. Bernon, intended to prove his claim upon the plantation, it appears, that he considered "the Plantation of New Oxford" indebted to him for 2500 acres of land, besides the amount of expenses laid out by him upon the place. This claim appears to have been made about the year 1717, or 1720; for on his account there is a charge of interest "for above 30 years." The statement alleges, that 500 acres of the plantation were "granted by their Excellencys Mr. Dudley and Mr. Stoughton to Isaac Bertrand Du Tuffeau and Gabriel Bernon in the year 1687," and that 250 acres were "granted since, making in all 750 aikers;" and that "their Excellencys Mr. Dudley and M. Stoughton did grant to the said M1. Bernon for his own use alone 1750 aikers more, which makes in all 2500 aikers, which Mr. Bernon justly claims, upon which he hath built a corn miln, a wash leathern miln, and a saw miln, and laid out some other considerable expences to improve the town of New Oxford, as he has made appear by the testimonys of several worthy gentlemen whose names he has hitherto subjoined. The Weidow Leveufe Jean Johnson of which her husband and three children was kil and murder by the Ingen." By a plan of Mr. Gabriel Bernon's land in Oxford, taken in 1717, it appears, that it measured 2672 acres, "exclusive of Mr. Daniel Bondet's of 200 acres, and out of said 2672 acres must come out 172 acres of meadow in one entire piece, which M1. Dudley and Compa. give to the village." The tract of land "within this Plan" was estimated by the selectmen of Oxford "to be worth one thousand pound;" and this valuation was certified by them on the plan, 11 January 1716-17. Signed, Richard Moore, Benoni Twitchel, Isaac Larned. Another certificate was given on the same paper by the selectmen of Mendon, concerning the justness of the above valuation, adding, " that we know nothing but the said Bernon hath been in the quiet possession of said land for or nere thirty years." Signed, Thomas Sanford, Robert Evans, Jacob Aldrich. By another paper in the MS. Collection, it appears, that Mr. Bernon petitioned the king in council for certain privileges, which indicate the objects to which the enterprize of this adventurer was directed. It is entitled, "The humble Petition of Gabriel Bernon of Boston in New England." It states: "That being informed of your Majesty's pleasure, particularly in encouraging the manufactory of Rosin, Pitch, Tarr, Turpentine, &c. in New England, in which manufactory your Petitioner has spent seaven years time and labor and considerable sums of money and has attained to such knowledge and perfection, as that the said comodities made and sent over by him have beene here approved of and bought for your Majesty's stores; your Petitioner's zeal and affection to your Majesty encouraged him to leave his habitation and affairs (being a merchant) and also his family to make a voyage to England on purpose humbly to propose to your Majesty in how great a measure and cheap price the said Navall stores may be made and brought into any of your Majesty's kingdomes to the great promotion and advantage of the Trade and Commerce of your Majesty's subjects of New England, all which is most evident by the annexed paper." He prays his Majesty to take the premises into consideration, and to grant him his royal patent or order for providing and furnishing his Majesty's fleet with the said stores under the conditions his Majesty in his royal wisdom should think fit, or otherwise to except him out of any patent to be granted for the said manufactory, that he “may have liberty to go on and continue in the said manufactory in any part of New England." This paper is endorsed: "Peticon Gabriel Bernon." "Papiers qui regarde deux voyages de Londre pour les affaires a fabriques des Resme. Examne le premier Octobre 1719." In 1720, Gabriel Bernon, " of New Oxford in New England," presented a petition to his excellency governor Shute, and to his Majesty's council, and house of representatives in General Court assembled. In this petition he states, that he was "one of the most ancient families in Rochel in France; that upon the breach of the Edict of Nantes, to shun the persecution of France he fled to London; that upon his arrival, -Teffereau, Esq. treasurer of the Protestant churches of France presented him to the honorable society for propagating the gospel among the Indians in New England; that Mr. Thompson the governor [president] offered to "instal him in the said society," and offered him land in the government of the Massachusetts Bay; whereupon Isaac Bertrand Du Tuffeau desired him "to assist him to come over to New England to settle a plantation for their refuge," that he did advance him such sums, as, “with the exchange and interest from that time, would amount to above one thousand pounds; that Du Tuffeau, arriving at Boston with letters of credit from Major Thompson and himself, "delivered them to his late excellency Joseph Dudley, Esq. and the honorable William Stoughton, Esq. deceased, who granted to the said Du Tuffeau 750 acres of land for the petitioner at New Oxford, where he laid out or spent the abovesaid money." Mr. Bernon farther stated in his petition, that Du Tuffeau allured him by letters to come to Boston: that the said Du Tuffeau, "being through poverty forced to abandon the said plantation, sold his cattle and other moveables for his own particular use, went to London, and there died in an hospital." Mr. Bernon closed his statement by observing, that, excited by letters of Du Tuffeau, he shipped himself, his family, and servants, with some other families, and paid passage for above forty persons; that, on their arrival at Boston, he presented letters from Major Thompson to Dudley and Stoughton, Esquires, "who were pleased (besides the 750 acres that were granted to Bertrand Du Tuffeau and the petitioner) to grant him 1750 acres of land more; and," he adds, "for a more authentick security his late Excellency and Honour was pleased to accompany me to Oxford, to put me in possession of the said two thousand five hundred acres, which I have peaceably enjoyed for better than these thirty years last past, having spent above two thousand pounds to defend the same from the Indians, who at divers times have ruined the said Plantation, and have murdered men, women, and children." At the close of the petition he represents, that the inhabitants of New Oxford now disputed his right and title, in order to hinder him from the sale of said plantation, which would put him to the |