often the sympathies of age his h� r c e which like a spirit sits at the of the heart every genial sentiment and every spontaneous glow of enthusiasm no sooner then did this scoundrel on his honour reach the ear of peter than he proceeded in a manner which would have to his credit even though he had studied for years in the library of don himself he immediately despatched his and squire van with orders to ride night and day as herald to the council them in terms of noble indignation for giving ear to the of heathen against the character of a christian a gentleman and a soldier � and declaring that as to the treacherous and bloody plot alleged against him whoever affirmed it to be true lied in his teeth � to prove which he defied the president of the council and all of his or if they pleased their champion captain that mighty man of to meet him in single where he would trust the of his innocence to the of his arm this challenge being delivered with due ceremony van sounded a trumpet of defiance before the whole council ending with a most and full in the face of captain who almost jumped out of his skin in an of astonishment at the noise this done he mounted a tall mare which be always rode and trotted merrily towards the an w� r to the council � passing through and and and all the other border his trumpet like a very devil so that the sweet valleys and banks of the with the warlike melody � and stopping occasionally to eat dance at country and bundle with the of those whom he rejoiced exceedingly with his soul stirring instrument but the grand council being composed of considerate men had no idea of running a with such a fiery hero as the hardy peter � on the contrary they sent him an answer in the the most mild and provoking terms in which they assured him that his guilt was proved to their perfect satisfaction by the testimony of divers sober and respectable indians and concluding with this truly amiable paragraph � for of the barbarous charged will little in balance against such evidence that we must still require and due satisfaction and so we rest sir in of c i am aware that the above transaction has been differently recorded by certain of the east and elsewhere who seem to have inherited the bitter enmity of their ancestors to the brave and much good may their inheritance do them these declare that peter requested to have the charges against him inquired conduct of their into by to be appointed for the purpose and yet that when such were appointed he refused to submit to their examination in this artful account there is but the semblance of truth � he did indeed most offer when that he found a deaf ear was turned to his challenge to submit his conduct to the inspection of a court of honour � but then he expected to find it an august composed of courteous gentlemen the and nobility of the and of the province of new j where he might be tried by his in a manner worthy of his rank and dignity � whereas let me perish if they did not send to the two lean sided hungry mounted on with saddle bags under their and green under their arms as though they were about to beat the from one county court to another in search of a law suit the peter as might be expected took no notice of these cunning who with professional industry fell to and about in quest of ea evidence divers simple indians and old women with their cross questioning until they contradicted and themselves most horribly thus having fulfilled their errand to their own satisfaction they returned to the grand council with their and stuffed full of stories and outrageous � for all which the great peter did not care a tobacco j against but i warrant me had they attempted to play off the same trick upon william the he would have treated them both to an on his patent gallows the grand council of the east held a very solemn meeting on the return of their and after they had pondered a long time on the situation of affairs were upon the point of without being able to agree upon any thing at this critical moment one of those spirits who endeavour to establish a character for patriotism by blowing the of party until the whole furnace of politics is with sparks and � and who have just cunning enough to know that there is no time so favourable for getting on the people s backs as when they are in a state of turmoil and attending to every body s business but their own � this of who was called a great because he had secured a seat in council by all his � he i say conceived this a fit opportunity to strike a blow that should secure his popularity among his who lived on the borders of and were the greatest in excepting the scotch border like a second peter the therefore he stood forth and preached up a against peter and his devoted city he made a speech which lasted six hours according to the ancient custom in these parts in which he represented the dutch as a race of im the dutch anti pious who neither believed in nor the sovereign virtues of horse who left heir country for the of gain not like them for the enjoyment of liberty of conscience � ho in short were a race of mere and inasmuch as they never ate on devoured swine s flesh without and held in utter contempt this speech had the desired effect for the council being awakened by the at arms 