To the Earl of Arlington, by hand, Tuesday Afternoon

[John Palliser]

Before he had set out for his meeting he sat and penned his note

Quote

To the Earl of Arlington

Sir, I am newly arrived here from Massachusetts and carry a signed petition which, it is my hope, that you will agree to receive. As one of the Lords of Trade and Lord Chamberlain of the Privy Council I appeal to you directly. You are aware of Governor Leverett's positions* - which I hasten to assure are not shared by myself nor those who's names appear therein. You as well as those who sit on Lords are familiar the current circumstances in which the indians make war upon rivals and thus the English in turn are drawn into the skirmishes with the results of eight deaths being five men and three women with one but a child in the last six months. It is clear that soon there will indeed be an uprising and whilst this hinders not those in Boston it bodes ill for all of us that reside upriver and even further inland. We have petitioned to Edward Randolph the King's agent but till now he has refused our voice for much needed protection. Many of the plantations are spaced with great distances between and so not every attack is known so as a result many families are now taking to banding together for safety. This may appear a minor issue but it is now beginning to affect not only the planting but the harvesting of crops that are destined for London and beyond out of fear of attack at any time. I myself am a survivor of an attack so I can speak with good authority that the threat is indeed real. I am requesting a meeting for Wednesday in Scotland Yard Road* but will be at your convince, naturally. I remain, your humble serv't

John Palliser

The Red Lion Inn

He sanded and sealed it. Much rested upon this and he could only hope that he would be received. His skipping the usual way of going there the secretary's and directly to Arlington was a risk but well worth it if he was acknowledge. 

He gave one of the many boy runners that hung about The Red Lion two pennies to see it delivered to the address he had found.

 

* John Leverett was an English Colonial Magistrate, Merchant, Solider and Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1673-1679) He believed that the colonial government was not with in the power of the English Crown and Government. He also had angered the King in 1677 by purchasing the land claims of Sir Ferdinado Gorges to portions of Maine - a territory which King Charles had intended to acquire for his son the Duke of Monmouth. King Charles had sent his agent Edward Randolph to report back to him on the New England Colonies and it was he who said that "Leverett believed that the Colony of Massachusetts to be beyond the Crown's reach and did say to all and sundry of this and how he would not comply."

* Scotland Yard Road is in the St James area of London which in our Game time period houses government buildings and civil servants as it is close to Whitehall. Indigo Jones and Christopher Wren both had residences here. It is called Scotland Yard as it was originally the place where the Scottish Ambassadors were lodged but it was never officially acknowledged as an Embassy. The Lords of Trade had a permanent office here where they held their meetings and where all business relating to The Colonies was handled.