The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

The Book of AMERICA.

CHAPTER I.

1. The people murmur at the heavy tributes to George the Treasurer confused the serial. 17. He resolves to tax America. 18. The Decree for the Stamp Tribute: 25. Stamp Masters appointed. 26. The number and names of them.

AND it came to pass in the days of George the King, (who ruled over the children of Britain, and the children of Ireland; and over those who dwell in the Isle afar off, and on the coast of the Great Land across the mighty ocean of waters, even in America.)

2. That when the war which he had waged against the Gauls, and the Iberianites, was at an end, that the people of his land were burdened with debts; and grievous were the tributes which they paid.

3. For albeit that in the war the mighty men of George the King had discomfited the enemies, both upon the land, and upon the waters, and had taken from them many cities, and strong holds; yet the debts that they owed were manifold, and the burthen thereof lay heavy upon their shoulders;

4. Even as the yoke upon the neck of the oxen that men plough withal: and behold it galled them sore.

5. And they cried unto their Rulers, saying,

6. Behold now we have toiled in the heat of the day, and we have paid our Talents, and our Shekels without grumbling; yea, we have paid tribute for what we ate, and what we drink, and the raiment wherewith we have been clad.

7. For the light of the Sun also did we pay, and for the light of the candle wherewith we see in the night;

8. and taxes have been multiplied upon us exceedingly.

9. What then remaineth unto us? and wherewith will ye find money to pay what we yet owe?

10. For we wot not that we had gained from the Gauls and the Iberianites would have been rendered back unto them, and we left to go sorrowing all the day long.

11. Now when these words came unto George the Treasurer, to him who had rule over the treasures of the King, he was exceeding sorrowful.

12. And he communed with his own heart; and he said in himself,

13. Behold now money must be raised, to pay the strong men of my Lord the King, and for his household, and to build ships to go down in the great waters, and for the common expenses of my Lord the King.

14. Yea also and to pay unto those who open their mouths unto me and cry out incessantly, Give, Give.

15. And many of the valiant men who have fought, have till their hire withheld from them: and the constant tribute of the nation is scarce more than will pay the interest of what we owe to the men of the Bank, and to the men of the Seas in the South.

16. (For there were men in those days, who were unmindful of the command of old which saith, "Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother." Although, peradventure they looked upon their brethren of the state as strangers and cleaved to another command of old, which saith, "Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury.")

17. Seeing therefore that these things are so, on what shall I lay tribute? Money I must have, and at home I cannot get it.

18. And America came into his mind, even the land across the great sea.

19. And he said behold the Americans shall be taxed anew. Are they not the children of the children of the land? And the war with the Gauls began amongst them. What then withholdeth that they should pay toward the debt that is so heavy upon us.

20. And it came to pass, that on the third month, and on the twenty second day of this month, that there went forth a Decree,

21. That all the children of America should pay a certain tribute for a Mark to be placed on the paper: that were to tell them the seasons of the year; and to tell what happeneth far and near in all the corners of the world; and on the writings upon lamb skins.

22. That this tribute must be paid from the first day of the eleventh month, and therefrom for ever, by all the Children of America, from that part called Florida even unto the Land New Found out, even of the Children of Carolina in the South and Carolina in the North: of the Children of the land of George, of the children of the land of the Virgin, of the Children of the land of Mary, of the children of the land of the Wood of Penn, of the children of the Lands of New Jersey and New York, and of the children of the Provinces of New England, even from the River of Hudson, northwards, unto the River of the Holy Cross;

23. and of the children of New-Scotia (which, being interpreted, is darkness.)

24. And of the children of the Isles.

25. And the Mark for which this tribute was to be paid was called a Stamp, and a Stamp it is called unto this day.

CHAPTER II.

1. The Lamentations of the men of America or the Tribute. 5. They burn the images of the Stamp men 13. And do great violence, 15. Wise men chosen. 17. The Speech of Francis the Ruler.

NOW tidings came to the men of America that the decree had gone forth for them to pay the Stamp tribute.

2. And they were greatly amazed thereat, and they cried with a loud voice, saying,

3. Now is fulfilled that which was spoken of the Prophet. "America Shall howl: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off."

4. In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl; weeping abundantly."

5. And many of the men of America waxed exceeding wroth, and they took unto them garments and stuffed them with stuffing, yea with filthy rags did they stuff them, and they fashioned them till they did represent Men.

6. And they called them the representations of Stamp masters, and hung them upon trees and gallowses and they were mocked by men until evening when they were taken down and burned with fire.

7. And they burned also a Jack Boot, but what they meant by that is unknown unto this day.

8. Yea and they made likewise a stuffed figure with horns to represent Satan; for they said, Go to, for surely Satan himself was the deviser of this tribute.

9. And in like manner did they act all over the whole land.

10. Nay, in many places they arose and went unto the Stamp masters that were come to sojourn amongst them, and to sell these Marked papers and lamb skins for their money.

11. Then the men of America surrounded, and great fear came upon them, and they resigned their places, and gave up the offices whereunto they were appointed.

12. Howbeit many of them ran away and appeared no more amongst the men of America.

13. Now sundry men of Belial, workers of evil, seeing that the people raged exceedingly, joined with them and broke open houses and stole the effects thereof, and burned the furniture with fire.

14. But the men of America were offended thereat, and said, Lo! it is not we who have done this evil, but the children of Belial who have crept in amongst us.

15. And the wise men among them said, let us choose men who are men of goodness, and let them assemble and consult together, and let them represent our complaints unto our Lord the King, and unto his wise men and his Councillors, and to the elders of the land of Britain; and they did so.

16. And these wise men were chosen to represent the whole of the children of America, and were appointed to meet on the first day of the tenth month at a certain place: even twenty and eight were chosen.

17. But in the mean time Francis, who ruled over a Great Province in the King's name, assembled together the Sanhedrim of that Province, and he spoke unto them, saying,

18. Men and Brethren! Behold I have called you together to consult with you; ye well know that the Decree for the Stamp tribute has been greatly opposed, and that much violence hath been done amongst you, that the ordinary authority is not sufficient to restrain it.

19. Listen, therefore, I pray, unto me; and ponder my words in your hearts.

20. I say not that the tribute is well or ill placed, but the Decree hath gone forth, and we must submit.

21. For, alas! what availeth opposition to the will of the Decree when those who made it have power to establish the right thereof.

22. Now if you should deny that right, what do you but bring down the heavy vengeance of the Rulers of Britain upon you? and how can you abide in the day of their wrath?

23. Neither will your petition to our Lord the King avail, if you deny the power of his great council over you.

24. But while you refuse this tribute, the calamities that will fall upon you will be great; for without the marked papers and skins of lambs, your ships cannot come in nor go out of your cities, and the courts of justice will be shut, that if a man smiteth you or taketh your garment from you, you cannot make him come before the judges in the gates.

25. And now behold I advise you to restore unto those whose habitations have been torn down, and whose things have been destroyed, that which they have suffered from the violences of the men of Belial.

26. And strive ye to quiet the minds of the people, that they may be obedient unto the tribute until such time as it shall be taken off."

27. And many of the wise men were displeased at that which Francis the Ruler had said unto them.

28. And they assembled together to prepare an answer unto him.

29. But behold the Ruler, hearing thereof, ordered them to separate themselves until the 23d day of next month.

CHAPTER III.

1. The elders meet again. 3. Their answer to Francis the Ruler. 22. The twenty eight wise men assemble: 23. They argue the King, 25. The men of America refuse to buy ought from the children of Britain. 32. The lamentations of the men of London at the tidings thereof.

1. NOW in the tenth month, and on the twenty third day of the month, the wise men assembled again, according to the command of Francis the Ruler.

2. And they answered him, saying,

3. "Behold, O Francis the Ruler we have pondered in our hearts the words that thou spakest unto us on the twenty fifth day of the last month.

4. And we should have answered unto thee before this day, hadst thou not commanded us to separate and go each man to his dwelling.

5. Think not that we are unmindful of the dangers of us, and our little ones, if we disobey this Decree.

6. Howbeit, we have not that thought, that this evil will be so great as thou fearest.

7. For if many men have refused to make use of the marked paper, and the marked lamb skins, are we in Fault? Behold, we have no power to compel the minds of men.

8. Nay, the Decree itself doth not force me to the use thereof, but only ordaineth, that those who shall be so minded, shall pay the tribute for the mark thereon.

9. Neither do we think, that we shall be unable to bring those who may smite us or take our garments from us, before the rulers in the gates; for, behold, the Decree saith, that the papers or those matters shall not be marked.

10. We acknowledge also our duty to our Lord the King, and his rulers under him, and his counsellors and that it behoveth us not to spurn at the authority thereof: but we say, That when our forefathers crossed the mighty ocean of waters, to come hither, it was under the faith of certain Decrees which the kings of the children of England granted unto them.

11. And behold they granted unto them, and their children after them, yea and to their children's children for evermore.

12. That they should have their own Sanhedrim, in which they should be taxed,

13. Therefore how can we give up the rights of our forefathers?

14. More especially as it appeareth unto us, that the wise men and the elders of Britain wot not that we are poor and unable to pay this form of tribute: seeing money is required of us, and we have not wherewithal to pay in gold or in silver.

15. Howbeit, had the elders of Britain demanded the whole of the sum of this tribute of us, and have given permission unto us to have paid in writings to our brethren in Britain, we would certainly have done so.

16. For we love our Lord the King:

17. Moreover, O Francis, the ancient laws ordained, that when any man hath ought against his neighbour, that twelve upright men shall be chosen, to judge be- tween our Lord the King and his subject, and to judge between a man and his neighbour.

18. But now, behold, this Decree saith, that whosoever shall offend against this tribute, shall not be judged by twelve upright men,

19. But shall be judged by him that hath rule over the sea:

20. How then can we keep the ways of our fore- fathers

21. Neither can we restore to those, who have suffered from the men of Belial, lest, peradventure, in time to come, more of the children of riot should again do great violence, and say in their hearts, "The Sanhedrim of the province must repay it."

22. Now the wise men who were to represent the whole of the children of America, even the twenty and eight men, assembled together.
23. And they framed together a request unto our Lord the King, and unto the Rulers and Elders of Britain, against this Tribute.

24. And they sent it unto the Great City, even unto London.

25. But while those things were doing it came to pass, that the men of America said one to another,

26. Behold now we have sheep and we have oxen and asses and horses, yea, and we have corn and wheat wherewithal to eat and drink within ourselves;

27. And although we have not such cunning work men to make us fine raiment, and such garments as we were wont to be clad with.

28. Nevertheless let us spin wool and make us cloth, that we may be covered, from our own Rock and herds.

29. And let us be content with the coarseness thereof:

30. And let the merchants and those who did buy and sell agreed together,

31. That they would not send unto Britain for anything that they should eat or should drink, or that they should put on their backs until the tribute for the Stamps should be taken off, and the decree revoked.

32. And when these tidings came to the men of London; to the merchants and traders thereof, and to the men cunning in working of wool, and of silk and of iron,

33. They were exceeding sorrowful; and they said one to another,

34. Lo! now we shall not gain wherewith to feed ourselves, nor our wives, nor our little ones, since the men of America will not buy of us.

35. And their clamour was exceeding great.

The foregoing was from a London Paper.