178 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

The difficulty being laid before Governor Hunter, as soon as possible after his arrival, occasioned the following kindly and prudent communication from him to the Justices of Kings County:

“New York 15th Septr 17 10.
“Gentleman

“The Controversy between Mr freeman and Mr. Antonides concerning the Churches in your County looking now with a fairer aspect towards a Reconciliation than hitherto they have; to the end that nothing may be done to impede so good a work, I desire you to permit Mr ffreeman and Mr Antonides to preach to-morrow in the Respective Churches wherein in Course it is their Turn to preach and that no molestation be given to either of them therein, having good hopes that before the next Sunday everything will be so disposed that this unhappy dispute will be accommodated to the Satisfaction of both those Gentlemen, and to the generall approbation of all their Congregations, whereby their present devisions may be healed, and the disagreing partys united into one mind. And that no misinterpretations may be made hereof on either hand, I desire you to let each party and their respective Congregations know that I am so farr from determining any one point in dispute, that the Right of either of them is as entirely reserved to them as it was before and that after to-morrow no further use be made hereof.

dispute between Coll. Beeckman and myself, about his particular order that he lately made to Mr ffreeman, when he was President of the Councill, without the consent of the Councill: Coll. Beeckman stood to affirm there, before most of the Justices of Kings County, that said order that he made then to Mr. ffreeman as President only, was still in force, and that Mr ffreeman should preach at Broockland next Sunday according to that order: whereupon I said it was not in fforce, but void and of noe effect, and he had not in this County any more power now than I had, being equall in commission with him in the general commission of the peace and one of the quorum as well as he; upon which he gave me affronting words, giving me the He and calling me pittifull fellow, dog, rogue, rascall, &c., which caused me, being overcome with passion, to tell him that I had a good mind to knock him off his horse, we being both at that time getting upon our horses to goe home, but that I would not goe, I would fight him at any time with a sword. I could wish that these lost words had been kept in, and I am troubled that I was soe overcome with passion and inflamed with wine. The works of these Dutch ministers is the occasion of all our quarrels. And this Is the truth of the matter, there were no blows offered, nor noe more done. Mr ffreeman has preached at Broockland yesterday accordingly, and the Church doore was broke open, by whom is not yet knowne. Soe I beg your pardon ffor this trouble, crave your favour in this matter, and shall always remaine,

ÒSir, your ffaithful and humble servant,
“(June, 1710.) “H. Filkin.”