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At a meeting of the Generall Court held at Hartford, 1687. Sundry of the Court desired that the Patent or Charter might be brought into the Court, the Secretary sent for it and informed the Governo'r and Court that he had the Charter and shewed it to the Court, and the Gov'r bid him put it into the Box again and lay it on the Table and leave the Key in the Box, which he did forthwith.* OCTOBER 31, 1687. His Excellency Sir Edmund Andross, Knt, Capt. Generall and Govn'r of his Majesties Territorie and Dominions in New England, by order from his Ma'tie James the second, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, the 31 of October, 1687, took into his own hands the Government of this Colony of Connecticott, it being by his Ma'tie annexed to the Massachusetts and other Colonys under his Excellencies Government.— Finis. |
* Although not particularly mentioned, this appears to have been the time when the Charter of Connecticut was seized, conveyed away and secreted. Sir Edmund Andross and suit, guarded by a body of regular troops having arrived in Hartford, Sir Edmund peremptorily demanded the surrender of the Charter to him. The Governor of the Colony, fearing if he surrendered it, one less liberal would be given the Colony, or rather none at all, which caused much debate and kept in suspense until evening, and lighting of candles. At a concerted signal, the lights were instantly extinguished, and Capt. William Wadsworth of Hartford, a bold and daring man, (whose posterity reside in this city) instantly seized the Charter, carried off and secreted it in the hollow of a large Oak Tree, in front of the dwelling house of the Hon Samuel Wyllys in this city. And though about 150 years has expired since this event, the Charter Oak, as it has ever since been called, is yet standing and in a flourishing condition, and is often visited, by strangers and travelers as having been the safe receptacle of the old Charter.— The premises are now owned and occupied by a Mr. Stephen Bulkley, who loving his leisure, more than to gratify the curiosity of strangers, forbids their trespasses upon his lands to view the ancient Oak. After the Charter was safe, the candles were immediately relighted, but the Charter was not to be found. Sir Edmund assumed the administration of the Government of the Colony, which he continued to administer for nearly two years in an oppressive manner, until the accession to the English Throne of William and Mary, in 1688, and the seizure and confinement of Sir Edmund and his Council by the people of Boston, which changed the complexion of affairs in the Colony. And upon the 9th day of May, 1689, Gov. Treat and the former Magistrates, resumed the Government of the Colony under the Charter, which had securely remained in the tree until this time, with no other injury than a very little discoloration —which is now in this office nearly as perfect as when first sent to the Colony, in 1662—a copy of which is hereunto annexed. 15*