University of Virginia Library

An Explanatory Postscript.

It were not in my nature, most affable and gentle reader, to
leave matters in so melancholious a plight as that wherewith the
aforegoing narration concludeth. Albeit it were a violation of
poetic justice as well as the truth of historie, not to undeceive thee
as to the events in conclusion, which although at the period in fact,
as appears by the death of Leisler, turned out most unfortunate
and dolorous for his descendant,—nathless, after recovering from
the shock wherewith it was natural the young man should be
stricken by his parent's dreadful fate, it appears, from my researches
in the chronicles and records of the time, that he carried unto King
William, at Whitehall, a complaint against the false faith of
Governor Sloughter; and although at first, from reasons of state
policy, the king was unwilling to reverse the condemnation and
attainder of the unfortunate man, nathless, he was induced by
Queen Mary, who was greatly pleased with the filial piety of the
stripling, to order the estates of Milbourne and Leisler to be restored
unto their families, as objects of their majesties' mercy; and albeit
at length, through the assiduous endeavours of his son, the act of
attainder was reversed by parliament, and a bill was passed by the
assembly of New-Yorke, on the recommendation of a letter from
the Lord Jersey, by order of the king, levying one thousand
pounds as a remuneration for the expenditures of Leisler in forwarding
the revolution; and the dead body of the sufferer was
taken up and interred with great pomp, in the old Dutch Church
in the city of New-Yorke. And it is asserted by a veracious historian,
that “the posterity of Leisler are rather dignified in public
estimation than disgraced, by the fate of their ancestor.”

It is not to be supposed that Nicholas Bayard was greatly pleased
at the turn of affairs, relative to the family of his adversary; in
truth, he was so transported with anger thereat, that he violently
opposed the measures of the colonial government, whose feelings
had changed with the times against him, and by his violent and
imprudent proceedings, he became amenable to the very similar
charges to those he had instigated against Leisler; but in his adversity
he was no way blessed, like his opponent, with the kind
tendance of filial love; seeing when he was condemned for high
treason, under a statute which by his means had been enacted for
the purpose of assisting Leisler's destruction, he sent word upto

his only son, that one thousand pounds would save his life,
cold-hearted person returned for answer,—“that it was too much
money, and it would make him a beggar, and it was better the father
should die than the son starve!” And it was but by a fortuitous
chance that Nicholas Bayard escaped the rope he so well deserved.
Neither was there an expiation wanting, as historie doth accurately
detail, in the fate of Governor Henry Sloughter, in regard to his
weak conduct towards the Leisler family; for after a short, weak,
and turbulent administration of a few months, he died most suddenly:
and some there were, who, recollecting his imbecility in the
affair of Leisler, made no secret of their thoughts, that his mind
was tortured and miserable in his hour of death; and those who
feared or disliked the Bayards, rumoured fearful things, that the
governor came unfairly to his end; and although the surgeons
opened his body, by orders of the council, suspicion was not silenced;
his remains were interred in Stuyversant's vault, on the
Bouwerie, next to those of the old Dutch governor of that name;
and although the last hath a pompous epitaph describing his
dignities, which is to be read unto this day, the miserable Sloughter
moulders unremembered, and unwept.

The pirate Kid likewise came to an untimely end, being, after
the commission of many horrid enormities, taken and sent to England
by Lord Bellamont, the new governor of New-Yorke, and
was there tried for piracy and murder, and being found guilty, he
was executed at Execution dock, in the year 1701.

Thus, friendly peruser, by my means thou hast the sequel of the
fates of the prominent personages of the narrative, concerning
which, if of moment to thy mind, thou wouldst have remained
ignorant but for my labours and investigations thereon; and albeit,
though I take no pride beyond a modest and conscious desert therefor,
there seemeth much truth in the maxim of the Dutch poet
and philosopher, who saith—

Which I have placed in an English version to the following
purpose:—

Ter. Phlog.