Feeling on both sides had now become quite embittered.  At a special meeting of the federal commissioners in July, 1649, Massachusetts renewed her objections, and during the discussions her commissioners produced an order,[12] passed two months before by their general court, which, reciting the decision against Springfield, laid a tax upon all articles imported to Boston from any one of the other three confederate colonies, or exported to them from “any part of the Bay.”  This proceeding was justly interpreted by the federal commissioners to mean not only a retaliation upon Connecticut for the Saybrook tax, but a punishment upon the other two colonies—­Plymouth and New Haven—­for taking her side in the court of the confederation.

The commissioners acted with dignified firmness, and forwarded to Massachusetts a remonstrance in which they pointedly desired “to be spared in all further agitations concerning Springfield."[13] Massachusetts reluctantly yielded and the next year repealed her impost,[14] while Connecticut continued to tax the trade of Springfield till the ten years expired.  Whether the tax imposed by Connecticut was right or not, Massachusetts had, nevertheless, gone dangerously near to nullification in these proceedings.

Not less interesting is the history of the dealings of the commissioners with the French and Dutch.  Encouraged by the favor which had been extended to him in Massachusetts, De la Tour arrived in person in Boston, June 12, 1643, to crave assistance against D’Aulnay, his rival.  As, notwithstanding the French king’s order of the previous year, he showed a commission from the vice-admiral of France which styled him as lieutenant-general of Acadia, Governor Winthrop, influenced by the merchants of Boston, whose cupidity was excited by the valuable fur trade of Acadia, permitted him to hire both men and shipping in Massachusetts.  When his preparations were completed he sailed away, accompanied by a fleet of four ships and a pinnace, the property of two intimate friends of the governor—­Major Gibbons and Captain Hawkins—­the latter of whom went along in charge of the Puritan contingent.[15]

In permitting this expedition Winthrop not only violated the articles of confederation and the laws of neutrality, but exposed himself to the reproach of Endicott and some of the more straitlaced elders, that he consorted with “idolators” and “antichrists,” as Puritans chose to call Roman Catholics.  It seems that Winthrop and his Boston friends did not intend to do more than to restore De la Tour to St. Johns, which D’Aulnay was then besieging.  But the original wrong had its natural result.  When D’Aulnay saw his rival’s formidable fleet approaching he promptly raised the blockade and made haste to get under the protection of his stronghold at Port Royal.  De la Tour followed and attacked, and, though he failed to dislodge his enemy, with the assistance of the Boston men he killed several of D’Aulnay’s soldiers, burned his mill, and did much other damage.