This is only one sample of the anarchy which prevailed in New Jersey at the dawn of the eighteenth century. It is not surprising, therefore, that law-abiding citizens cheered news that the British Crown was taking over the government from the Proprietors. The Proprietors would retain most of their special privileges and political power. Yet, even so, it seemed that any change must be for the better, and there was special public pleasure when it was announced that Queen Anne had chosen her own cousin to be the colony's first royal ruler. True, New Jersey was to share him with New York, but at last - so people thought - there would be royal authority to command public respect and restore public order.

It is not difficult, then, to imagine the general dismay after the Queen's kinsman arrived and began marching upon the ramparts in women's clothes, "drawing a world of spectators about him and consequently as many censures for exposing himself in such a manner on all the great Holidays and even in an hour or two after going to the Communion."

Cornbury actually appeared in women's attire at his wife's funeral. Lewis Morris wrote that "half his time is spent that way." Some said - charitably - that Cornbury was drunk. Others said - even more charitably - that he wore his queenly attire as a symbol of the throne. Some made rather different comments. And even after Cornbury had been thrown out of office, an Anglican clergyman noted that he "continued to dress himself in Women's cloths, but now after the Dutch manner."

Serious as this was in weakening respect for royal authority, still worse was Cornbury's arrogant and unscrupulous conduct as Governor. Cornbury not only attempted to rule New Jersey in spare time, with his left hand: the palm of that hand was forever itching. During his first months in office Cornbury was taking bribes from both political factions; but after he had been bought, of course, he did not stay bought.

One cynical aspect of Cornbury's character was his exploitation of religion for his private purposes. By oath a member of the Church of England, he nevertheless "subscribed to several churches" but could not be induced to contribute "even a farthing" to any of them. Brutal in his methods, he raised high the Anglican banner to justify his arrest and jailing, in i7o7, of the Rev. Francis Makemie, a distinguished Presbyterian clergyman. Cornbury assailed Makemie as "a Jack of all Trades, a Preacher, a Doctor of Physick, a Merchant, Attorney ... and worst of all, a disturber of Governments." Makemie's offense? Preaching in a private home "in as publick a manner as possible." It took Makemie six months to win freedom from imprisonment through the courts.

Cornbury was equally ruthless with the Anglicans when it suited his purposes. That same year he threw into prison the Rev. Thorowgood Moore, rector of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Burlington. Moore was seized by the Burlington sheriff, taken to Perth Amboy, forced aboard Cornbury's barge, and carried to New York where he was imprisoned in Fort Anne. Moore's offense? He had refused communion to Cornbury's aide, Lt. Governor Ingoldsby, who was notoriously immoral and profane and as corrupt as the Governor himself. The persecuted Moore managed to escape from Fort Anne with the help of a fellow missionary, Rev. John Brooke; but while returning to England to protest the goings-on in New Jersey, both men were lost at sea.

Cornbury's political methods were equally crude. At first he sought to curry favor with the popularly-elected Assembly, but soon was double-crossing the members. He tried persecuting the Quakers. Soon all groups detested him, and his Council had as little time for him as the Assembly. Perhaps it is not surprising that during his five years in office only nine laws were passed, and six of these were vetoed in London.

Despite Cornbury's income from corruption, he fell deep in debt. His obligations were variously estimated at from eight to ten thousand pounds, and he appeared to owe everybody. Following his dismissal, Cornbury was arrested in New York on the plea of a creditor. He was able to depart for England only because the convenient death of his father provided him with an earldom, which brought him automatic freedom from prosecution. Lewis Morris, bitter foe of Cornbury, summed up this first experiment in royal rule with the comment that "in New Jersey the inhabitants have reason to grieve that such a person as Lord Cornbury was born."