patriarchs of New England began to tremble. King James was a bigoted Roman
Catholic, and was known to be of an arbitrary temper. It was feared by all
Protestants, and chiefly by the Puritians, that he would assume despotic
power, and attempt to establish Popery throughout his dominions. Our
forefathers felt that they had no security either for their religion or
their liberties.

The result proved that they had reason for their apprehensions. King James
caused the charters of all the American colonies to be taken away. The old
charter of Massachusetts, which the people regarded as a holy thing, and
as the foundation of all their liberties, was declared void. The colonists
were now no longer freemen; they were entirely dependent on the king’s
pleasure. At first, in 1685, King James appointed Joseph Dudley, a native
of Massachusetts, to be president of New England. But soon afterwards, Sir
Edmund Andros, an officer of the English army, arrived, with a commission
to be governor-general of New England and New York.

The king had given such powers to Sir Edmund Andros, that there was now no
liberty, nor scarcely any law, in the colonies over which he ruled. The
inhabitants were not allowed to choose representatives, and consequently
had no voice whatever in the government, nor control over the measures
that were adopted. The counsellors, with whom the governor consulted on
matters of state, were appointed by himself. This sort of government was
no better than an absolute despotism.

"The people suffered much wrong, while Sir Edmund Andros ruled over them,"
continued Grandfather, "and they were apprehensive of much more. He had
brought some soldiers with him from England, who took possession of the
old fortress on Castle Island, and of the fortification on Fort Hill.
Sometimes it was rumored that a general massacre of the inhabitants was to