corporal punishment: A woman who struck her husband was liable to the same penalties. II. COPY OF THE DETERMINATION OF ARBITRATORS FOR SETTLING THE LINE BETWEEN NEW-HAVEN AND THE DUTCH IN 1650. Articles of agreement made and concluded at Hartford, upon Connecticut, Sep. 19, 1650, betwixt the delegates of the honored commissioners of the United Englishe Colonies, and the delegates of Peter Stuyvesant, governor-generall of Newe-Netherlands. Concerning the bounds and limits betwixt the English United Collonies and the Dutch province of Newe-Netherlands, wee agree and determine as followeth. 1. That upon Long-Island, a line, run from the westermost part of Oyster-Bay, and so in a streight and direct line to the sea, shall be the bounds betweene the Englishe and Dutch there; the easterly part to belonge to the English, the westermost part to the Dutch. 2. The bounds, upon the maine, to begin upon the west side of Greenwich Bay, being about four miles from Stamford, and so to run a westerly line twenty miles up into the country, and after, as it shall be agreed by the two governments of the Dútch and Newe Haven, provided the said line run not within tenn miles of Hartford river. And it is agreed, that the Dutch shall not, at any tyme hereafter, build any house or habitation within six miles of the said line, the inhabitants of Greenwich to remain (till further consideration thereof be had) under the government of the Dutch. 3. That the Dutch shall hould and enjoy all the lands in Hartford, that they are actually in possession off, knowne or sett out by certaine merkes and boundes, and all the remainder of the said lands, on both sides of Connecticut river, to be and remaine to the English there. And it is agreed, that the aforesaid bounds and lymyts, both upon the island and maine, shall be observed and kept inviolable, both by the Englishe of the United Collonies and all the Dutch nation, without any encroachment or molestation, until a full determination be agreed upon in Europe, by mutual consent of the two states of England and Holland. And in testimony of our joint consent to the several foregoing conditions, wee have hereunto sett our hands this 19th day of 7ber, 1650. SYMON BRADSTREETE THO: WILLET III. COPY OF AN ADDRESS TO OLIVER CROMWELL IN 1654. May it please your Highness, IT hath beene no smal comfort to us poor exiles, in these utmost ends of the earth (who sometimes felt and often feared the frownes of the mighty) to have had the experience of the good hand of God, in raisinge up such, whose endeavours have not beene wantinge to our welfare: amongst whom, we have good cause to give your highness the first place: who by a continued series of favours have obliged us, not only while you moved in a lower orbe, but since the Lord hath called your highness to supreame authority, whereat we rejoice and shal pray for the continuance of your happy government, that under your shadow not only ourselves, but all the churches may find rest and peace. The assurance of your highness's endeavours for that end wee have lately received by Major Sedgwick and Captain Leveritt, for, notwithstanding the urgent and important occasions wherewith your highness is pressed, yet your goodness hath compelled you to be mindful of us, and to give such royal demonstration of your grace and favour, far beyond what we dared to expect or desire, upon intelligence of our condition presented to your highness by some private friends, whose well meaninge to us, must excuse their mistake; which hath made us confident, that our attendance to your pleasure, in furnishinge the said gentlemen with voluntiers, for your highness's service against the Dutch at the Manhatas, will be acceptable: with whom also, in complyance with our nation, ever since wee heard of the warr, wee have debarred ourselves of all commerce; and have beene exercised with serious and consci. entious thoughts of our duty in this juncture of affaires; the result whereof was in May 1653, That it was most agreeable to the gospel of peace which we profess, and safest for these colonyes, at this season, to forbeare the use of the sword; and though some of the other colonyes seemed to be of another mind, yet there wanted the concurrence of such a number of the commissioners to aet accordingly, without whose consent foregoinge (by the articles of our confederation) no warr may be undertaken. Wee have nothing to add, to what was then under consideration, to put us upon that undertaking, in reference to our own interest, which we ought to understand and should attend, equally with our friends not more concerned than our selves; wherein if wee should be mistaken, wee hope wee shall not be loosers with God or good men, by our tenderness in a case of such importance, and suspendinge our actings, till wee see cleare and satisfyinge grounds of our undertakings, so highly tendinge to the violation of our peace, the almost onely blessinge remaining to us, of all our outward comforts; the losse whereof, with the necessary consequents, would add such weight to our other sufferings as might overwhelme us in sorrow, and in that respect, render us of all men most miserable; which wee are assured is so far from your gracious intentions, that wee have no doubt, but the liberty wee have taken, of the waies proposed by your highness, to take that which is in our understandinge, the most consistent with our peace and welfare; will be most acceptable to your highness, and indeed wee cannot but acknowledge it a gracious providence of God, and a high favor and gentleness in your highness towards us, that when the object of your desire was our good, the meanes to attaine that end should no way press us: for, with all readiness, wee haue consented the said gentlemen may raise 500 voluntiers, armed and furnished for your service, within our jurisdiction, which is a large proportion out of our small numbers, especially at this season of the year, wherein the pressinge occasions of harvest doe call for all our hands to attend that service, least the following winter punish us for our neglect: Yet wee willingly run this hazzard, that wee might, in some measure, manifest our devotion to your service, in what wee may. Sir, be pleased to, beleeve us, that our harts and our affections to your highness are sincere, and that wee should account it our unhappiness, and ranke it. amongst our greatest sufferings, to incur your highness's displeasure, though wee should never feele the effects thereof. If, there |