56

FRENCH EXPEDITIONS AGAINST THE MOHAWKS .

Such an unexpected misfortune obliged mee to chang the designe I had of adventuring the personof the reverend Father Bechefer, and the rest that accompanied him, & I resolv’d to send only theSieur Cousture (who had been a Prisoner among the Maques) with a letter to the Dutch Gent, ofthe 22 d July 16C6. The said Cousture having no other employ than what was in his Instructionwhich hath or might have been seene, since I gave him leave to shew it.

I had never the thought of accusing those Dutch Gent’men either directly or indirectly, nor anyother person, of holding intelligence with the Maques in so foule an action as was committed bythem; But writt onely to oblige them, and those other Gent’men who serve under yo 1 ' command atAlbany, (for we were then in peace,) to councell the Maques, as Neighbours, to deliver up into ourpower, the actors of that murder, w ch was a satisfaction that with reason I might promise myselfeon that occasion.

My L’re of the 22 d July to those Gent’men at Albany, might have informed you what the S rCousture was; ffor it had not beene prudent after the death of those Gent’men , to hazard a personof quality. And I am very sorry that you tooke the paines to leave the place of y r usual residenceto make a voyage to Albany, to have discourse with an ordinary Messenger who had nothing otTrust committed to him.

The intention you sig nif y to have of Em bracing Allwayes the Interest of Europe , against thebarbarous Indyans of America , is very commendable and befitting a person of your Quality and agood Christian : That Passion which you likewise expresse, for the interest of his Maty of GreatBrittaine, is to be esteemed, and there is no man of reason, who doth not approve y 1 ' judgnd therein,& that hath not the like for his Prince.

I returne you thanks in particular for those obliging termes you are pleas’d to use on my behalfe,as also for the assurances you give mee of a desire to hold a mutuall Correspondence of civility andrespect with mee to ye end before proposed : If I was particularly knowne to you I might feare youwould alter your opinion of mee, for that Reputacdn doth very often give us advantages which weedo not deserve.

I had the hono r to serve the King in Germany , in the most considerable commands of his Army,at the time when my son (that was hee and not mee) was knowne unto you, in those which servedin fflanders, where he commanded His Ma tieS Cavalry of Strangers : Hee had a very particular re-spect for the person, and for the great meritt of his Royal Highness, the Duke of York, who seemedto bee well pleased with his respectful carriage towards him : You have no reasons to expect lesseservices from mee, that you might have received from my son, upon all occasions where those of theKing will permit mee to render them.

It cannot bee but you must have heard from divers of your Nation that have beene in the Islands ot America , how I have done them courtesyes with passion, and with as much civility as may bee ; Ihave cause enough to complaine that the same hath not beene practised towards me ; ffor that avessell which went out of Boston , tooke in the Gulfe of St. Laurence, towards the latter end of June,or the beginning of July 1665, (near upon five months before the declaracon of the warre) a barqueof between 25 and 30 tunnes, w ch belonged to mee, being laden with a good quantity of strongWaters, and other refreshments which come from France i But as I know no other interest than thatoi the service of his Maty who bestowes many benefits upon mee, I shall easily forgett that losse,’till the conclusion of Peace, you may also believe that I am w 01 a great deale of esteeme,

S r Your thrice affectionate

and humble Serv 1 .

QuebeoApr. 30, 1667.

Tracy.