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JACOB LEISLER. 513

published a declaration that ‘‘as soon as the bearer of orders
from the prince of Orange ehall let us see his power, then
withont delay we do intend to obey, not the orders only, but
also the bearer thereof.”

Massachusetts and Connecticut gave countenance to his
measures, and his authority was soon generally acknowledged
by the middle and lower classes, Nicholson? the lieutenant
governor, fied to England, and Courtlandt, the mayor of New
York, Colonel Bayard, and othera of his council, ‘‘gentlemen
of figure,’? unable to brook the ascendency of s man, ‘‘mean
in his abilities, and inferior in his degree,’ retired to Albany
and seized the fort there, declaring that they held it for Wil-
liam and Mary, but would maintain no connection with Leis-
ler. Each party now professed allegiance to the same sov-
ereign, and denounced the other as rebels, Leisler sent Mil-
borne, his son-in-law, to Albany to demand the surrender
of the fort, which was refused. Afterwarda letters were re-
ceived from England, addressed to Nicholson, or, in his ab-
sence, to ‘‘such as, for the time being, take care for preserv-
ing the peace and administering the law’? in New York.
After some hesitation on the part of the messenger, occa-
sioned by the attempts of the party at Albany to obtain pos-
session of the despatches, they were delivered to Leisler.
They contained a commission to Nicholson, ‘‘to do every
thing appertaining to the office of lieutenant governor, ac-
cording to the laws and customs of New York until further
orders.’’ Nicholson having left the province, Leisler consid-

‘NicHotson, Francis. (1660-1728.) Born in England; in
early manhood was a British soldier; came to America, 1684, as
lieutenant in British army; appointed lieutenant, or deputy Gover-
uor of New York under Sir Edmund Andros, 1688; after Andros’
arrest, sole head of government, 1689-1690; driven ont by Jacob
Leisler and his rebels; Governor of Virginia, 1691-1692; Lieuten-
ant Governor of Maryland, 1694; Governor of Virginia again,
1699-1705; served in the army, 1705-1710; was Governor of Nova
Scotia, 1712-1717; of South Carolina, 1721-1725; left America for
the last time in 1725; died in London; as a colonial governor he
established schools, improved condition of the clergy and urged

vigorous poliey against Canada. (See Dictionary of National
Biography; New International Encyclopedia.)

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