104
��EOYAL GOVERNORS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
��to his grandfather, came, armed with the king's writ, to claim both the soil of the Province and a seat in the Council. He did not succeed in establishing his claim to the soil. The colonial government protected the citizens and resisted his ex- actions. After the death of President Cutt, Mason found in England a lit agent for his purposes in Edward Cranfield, who was needy, greedy and ambitious. The king gave to Mason power to select and appoint the governor of the Prov- ince. This unscrupulous adventurer was chosen to wrest, by a legal fiction, their hardly-gotten earnings from the farmers, mechanics and lumbermen of New Hamp- shire. With unblushing effrontery Cran- field avowed his purpose. Mason bribed the king by a promise of one-filth of all quit-rents for the support of the gov- ernment, and mortgaged the whole Prov- ince to Cranfield for twenty-one years, as collateral security for his salary. Armed with these frightfully inquisitori- al powers, with a liberal salary and the expectation of exorbitant fines and nu- merous forfeitures, this political cormo- rant stooped to his prey. At first, the assembly attempted to gain him by a gratuity of two hundred and fifty pounds toward his salary. The greedy adven- turer received the boon without grati- tude, and remorselessly "asked for more." The "rugged" law-makers of the Province resisted his demand, and he dissolved the assembly in anger. The claims of Mason were resisted both by law and force. The "lord Proprietor" threatened to sell the houses and lands of the people for rent. They appealed to the President and Council for an in- junction. It was granted. Mason then summoned these officers to appear before the king within three months to make answer to his charges. They retaliated by a counter summons to him, and here- turned to England to prosecute his claims in that country. Cranfield, in his rage, threw "firebrands, arrows and death" in every direction. He called upon the people, by proclamation, to take new leases of Mason within one month ; and in case of refusal threat- ened to bring a ship of war into the har-
��bor of Portsmouth and quarter soldiers in their houses. He filled all the offices of state with the friends of Mason. He brought writs of ejectment against the principal land owners. The subservient courts brought in verdicts in favor of Mason. The people sent Nathaniel Weareof Hampton to England to present their case at Court and ask for the recall of Cranfield. The governor and proprie- tor became more oppressive. The min- isters of the Congregational Churches were prosecuted for not administering the sacrament according to the rites of the English Church. Mr. Moodey of Portsmouth was deposed and imprisoned for non-compliance with the governor's order. The war waxed hotter and hot- ter, and the governor left the Province in 16S5. Walter Barefoot, a rash and unprincipled intriguer, as deputy gov- ernor, reigned and robbed in Cranfield's stead. The suits of Mason were still prosecuted. In 1685 Charles II. died. James II. appointed Joseph Dudley Pres- ident of the New England Colonies. He retained his office but a few months, and was succeeded by Sir Edmund Andros as Governor-in-chief over all New England. He was empowered by the king, "with advice of Council, to make laws, impose taxes and grant lands." Andros was the most selfish and tyrannical of all the royal governors. He declared the char- ter of Massachusetts forfeited, annulled land titles granted under it, and affirmed that the Indian deeds were "no better than the scratch of a bear's paw." His rapacity spared neither friend nor foe. Not even Mason was passed by. He only escaped his exactions by death at Albany in 1688. An Indian war was added to other calamities. The English Revolu- tion came at this darkest hour of colo- nial history to relieve the people. Hear- ing that James II. was expelled, and that William III. and Mary were raised to the throne, in April, 16S9, the people of Bos- ton and the adjacent towns rebelled, im- prisoned Andros and sent him to Eng- land for trial. New Hampshire, left without responsible government, as a temporary expedient, resorted to a sec- ond union with Massachusetts.
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