CHAPTER XIII.

THE  RECAPTURE   OF   THE   CITY   BY  THE   DUTCH  IN   1673,   AND   ITS  FINAL
CESSION  TO  ENGLAND,   BY  TREATY,   IN   1674.

The temporary truce between the Dutch and English
nations was destined to still another rupture; one of the
consequences of which was that the city again became,
though only for a short period, subject to the dominion of
the States of Holland.

War against Holland having been declared by the King
of England, in the year 1672, the Dutch, soon after, fitted
out a small fleet, to cruise on the American coast, with
instructions to inflict such injuries upon the English settle¬
ments and commerce as should be found practicable.

The authorities here were apprised of some such purpose
on the part of the Dutch; but the governor. Col. Love¬
lace, seems to have made light of the matter, and to have
furnished no adequate resources to meet such an emergency,
paying indeed so little regard to the subject that he did
not hesitate to leave the city for distant parts of the coun¬
try, on visits of friendship or business, confiding, mean¬
while, the command of the fort to Captain John Manning.

While so absent, in February, 1673, a rumor reached the
city of the appearance of an enemy's fleet off the coasts
of Virginia; and Manning forthwith sent an express to