e two, both which his Majesty commands upon their allegiance to
attend, the other three or two to be such as the Counsell shall make
choice of; and if the said Mr. Bellingham be the present Governor,
another fit person is to be deputed to that office till his return, and
his Majesty will then, in person, hear all the allegations, suggestions,
or pretences to right or favour that can be made on the behalf of the
said colony, and will then make it appear how far he is from the least
thought of invading or infringing, in the least degree, the Royal
Charter granted to the said colony. And his Majesty expects the
appearance of the said persons as soon as they can possibly repair
hither after they have notice of this his Majesty's pleasure. And his
further command is, that there be no alterations with reference to the
government of the Province of Maine till his Majesty hath heard what is
alledged on all sides, but that the same continue as his Majesty's
Commissioners have left the same, until his Majesty shall further
determine. And his Majesty further expressly charges and commands the
Governor and Counsell there, that they immediately set all such persons
at liberty who have been or are imprisoned only for petitioning or
applying themselves to his Majesty's Commissioners. And for the better
prevention of all differences and disputes upon the bounds and limits of
the several colonies, his Majesty's pleasure is, that all determinations
made by his Majesty's said Commissioners with reference to the said
bounds and limits may still continue to be observed, till, upon a full
representation of all pretences, his Majesty shall make his own final
determination; and particularly the present temporary bounds set by the
Commissioners between the colonies of New Plymouth and Rhode Island,
until his Majesty shall find cause to alter the same. And his Majesty
expects that full obedience be given to this signification of his
pleasure in all particulars.

"Given at the Court at Whitehall, the 10th day of April, 1666, in the
eighteenth year of his Majesty's reign.

"WILL. MORRICE."

Before noticing the proceedings of the Massachusetts Bay Court in
reference to this letter of the King, it may be proper to pause a little
and retrospect past transactions between the two Charleses and the
Congregational rulers of Massachusetts Bay, and the correspondence of
the latter with the Royal Commissioners, so prominently referred to in
the above let