CHAP. IV.
King Charles the
second, and duke of York's grants, whence lord Berkely
and Sir George
Carteret, became seized of New-Jersey; The first
constitution of
government under them; The settlement of Bergen,
Middletoun,
Shrewsbury, and Elizabeth-Town; Philip Carteret appointed
governor of
Jersey; The indian purchase of Elizabeth-Town, by the
settlers; and the
first general Indian purchase by the proprietor, &c.
The right of the
crown of England to these provinces, indisputably founded,
as before deduced,
King Charles the second, did by letters patent, bearing
date the
twentieth day of March, 1664, for the consideration therein
mentioned, grant
unto James, duke of York, his heirs and assigns, "all
that part of the
main land of New England beginning at a certain place,
called or known
by the name of St. Croix near adjoining to New Scotland in
America, and from
thence extending along the sea coast unto a certain
place called
Pemaquie or Pemaquid, and so up the river thereof, to the
furthest head of
the same, as it tendeth northward; and extending from
thence to the
river of Kimbequin, and so upwards by the shortest course, to
the river Canada
northwards; and also all that island or islands, commonly
called by the
several name or names of Matowacks or Long-Island, situate
and being towards
the west of Cape-Cod, and the narrow Higansetts,
abutting upon the
land between the two rivers, there called or known by
the several names
of Connecticut and Hudson's river; together also with
the said river
called Hudson's river; and all the land from the west side
of Connecticut
river, to the east side of Delaware bay; and also several
other islands and
lands in the said letters patent mentioned; together
with the rivers,
harbours, mines, minerals, quarries, woods, marshes,
waters, lakes,
fishings, hawking, hunting and fowling, and all other
royalties,
profits, commodities and heriditaments to the said several
islands, lands
and premises, belonging or appertaining."
The duke of York
being thus seized, did by his lease and deeds of lease and
release, bearing
date the 23d, and 24th days of June, 1664, in
consideration of
a "competent sum of money," grant and convey unto John
lord Berkely,
baron of Stratton, one of the kings privy council; and Sir
George Carteret,
of Saltrum, in the county of Devon, knight, and one of
the privy
council,1 and their heirs and assigns forever; "all that tract
of land adjacent
to New-England, and lying, and being to the westward of
Long-Island and Manhattas
island; and bounded on the east part by the main
sea, and part by
Hudson's river; and hath upon the west, Delaware bay or
river; and
extendeth southward to the main ocean as far as Cape-May, at
the month of
Delaware bay; and to the northward as far as the northernmost
branch of the
said bay or river of Delaware; which is in 41 degrees and 40
minutes of
latitude, and crosseth over thence in a straight line to
Hudson's river,
in 41 degrees of latitude; which said tract of land is
hereafter to be
called Nova-Caesaria or New-Jersey; and also all rivers,
mines, minerals,
woods, fishings, hawkings, huntings, and fowlings, and
all other
royalties, profits, commodities, and heriditaments whatsoever to
the said lands
and premises, belonging or in any wise appeartaining, with
their and every
of their appurtenances in as full and ample manner as the
same is granted
unto the said duke of York, by the before recited letters
patents."
The Lord
Berkeley, and Sir George Carteret, in consequence of this
conveyance, now
sole proprietors of New-Jersey, for the better settlement
thereof, agreed
upon certain constitutions of government; which were so
well relished,
that the eastern parts of the province, were soon
considerably
peopled.2 This was the first constitution of New-Jersey, and
it continued
entire, 'till the province became divided in 1676. Sir George
Carteret, then
the only proprietor of the eastern division, confirmd and
explained the
concessions, with a few additions. The county of Bergen was
the first settled
place, a great many dutch being already there, when the
province was
surrendered, remained under the English government. A few
Danes were
probably concerned in the original settlement of this county,
whence came
Bergen, after the capital of Norway. The manner of originally
settling is
singular, but small lots where their dwelling houses are, and
these contiguous
in the town of Bergen: Their plantations which they
occupy for a
livelihood, are at some distance; the reason of fixing thus,
is said to be through
fear of the numerous Indians in the early times of
their settlement,
about forty or fifty years before the surrender.3
It was in 1664,
that John Bailey, Daniel Denton, and Luke Watson, of
Jamaica, on
Long-Island, purchased of certain Indian chiefs, inhabitants of
Staten-Island; a
tract or tracts of land, on part of which the Town of
Elizabeth now
stands; and for which (on their petition) governor Richard
Nicolls granted a
deed or patent to John Baker of New-York, John Ogden, of
Northampton, John
Bailey, and Luke Watson, and their associates; dated at
fort James, in
New-York, the second of December.4 This was before lord
Berkely's and Sir
George Carteret's title was known; and by this means,
this part of the
province had some few very early settlements, whether
Middletown and
Shrewsbury had not Dutch and English inhabitants before, we
are not
authorized to say: About this time however, was a great resort of
industrious
reputable farmers; the English inhabitants from the west end
of Long-Island,
almost generally removed to settle hither; and most of
them fixed about
Middletown, from whence by degrees, they extended their
settlements to
Freehold and thereabouts.
To Shrewsbury
there came many families from New-England: There were very
soon four towns
in the province, viz. Elizabeth, Newark, Middletown, and
Shrewsbury; and
these with the country round, were in a few years
plentifully
inhabited, by the accession of the Scotch, of whom there came
a great many,
such settlers as came from England, those of the Dutch that
remained, and
those from the neighbouring colonies.
Lord Berkely and
Sir George Carteret having agreed upon their concessions,
appointed Philip
Carteret governor of New-Jersey, and gave him power with
the advice of the
major part of the council, to grant lands to all such as
by the
concessions were entitled thereto, and tho' there is no provision
in the
concessions for bargaining with the Indians,5 Governor Carteret on
his arrival
thought it prudent to purchase their rights: This was to be
done for sums
inconsiderable, in comparison with the damage a neglect
might have
occasioned.6 For though the Indians about the English
settlements, were
not at this time considerable as to numbers, they were
strong in their
alliances, and besides of themselves could easily annoy
the out
plantations; and there having been before several considerable
skirmishes
between the Dutch and them, in which some blood had been spilt,
their friendship
on this consideration it was thought stood but ticklish:
Upon the whole,
the governor so ordered it, that the comers were either to
purchase of the
Indians themselves, or if the lands were before purchased,
they were to pay
their proportions: The event answered his expectation,
for as the
Indians parted with the lands to their own satisfaction, they
became of a
jealous, shy people, serviceable good neighbours, and tbough
frequent reports
of their coming to kill the white people, sometimes
disturbed their
repose, no instance occurs of their hurting them,7 in
those early
settlements. In the Dutch skirmishes with the Indians, it is
said the English
from Long-Island, together with such as were settled
among the Dutch,
used to join the latter in frequent excursions up the
rivers to annoy
or figure among the Indians: There is a tradition, that in
one of those
expeditions up a Jersey river, one of the company of more
curiosity or
boldness than the rest, went at some distance in the country
to discover an
Indian town, which at last he did, by coming upon it before
he was well aware
of his situation; there were many seated quietly
together; at the
instant he saw them, they saw him, he was surprized, but
quickly
recollecting himself, took a paper out of his pocket, and with
that boldly went up,
telling them it was proposals from the government at
York, and read at
random such things as came into his head; by this
stratagem he got
off unmolested, and discovering at York what he had seen,
told the
government, if they would send a party against them he would be
their pilot: A
party was accordingly sent, coming upon the Indians in the
night, some of
them found means to get in to windward of their little town
and setting fire
to it, burnt the whole down; their wigwams were built
close together,
and made of flags, bushes, and other light combustible
matter, covered
with the bark of trees, so that the fire burnt with
violence; the
Indians notwithstanding their surprise, took to their bows
and arrows, and
used them with dexterity and courage, 'till being
overpowered,
several of them were destroyed.
That we may place
traditional intelligence of this sort together, we will
here venture at
one more little oceurrence of that kind; but with this
remark, that we
pretend to no greater certainty in either, than what
arises from the
probability of facts supported by established credit of
persons relating
them, and the known hostilities at times subsisting
between the Dutch
and Indians in their early settlement.
While New-York
was in possession of the Dutch, about the time of the Indian
war in
New-England, a Dutch ship coming from Amsterdam, was stranded on
Sandy Hook,8 but
the passengers got on shore; among them was a young
Dutchman who had
been sick most of the voyage; he was taken so bad after
landing, that he
could not travel; and the other passengers being afraid
of the Indians,
would not stay 'till he recovered, but made what haste
they could to
New-Amsterdam; his wife however would not leave him, the
rest promised to
send as soon as they arrived: They had not been long
gone, before a
company of Indians coming down to the water side,
discovered them
on the beach, and hastening to the spot, soon killed the
man, and cut and
mangled the woman in such a manner that they left her for
dead. She had strength
enough to crawl up to some old logs not far
distant, and
getting into a hollow one, lived mostly in it for several
days, subsisting
in part by eating the excrescences that grew from it; the
Indians had left
some fire on the shore, which she kept together for
warmth: having
remained in this manner for some time, an old Indian and a
young one coming
down to the beach found her; they were soon in high
words, which she
afterwards understood was a dispute; the former being for
keeping her
alive, the other for dispatching: After they had debated the
point a while,
the first hastily took her up, and tossing her upon his
shoulder, carried
her to a place near where Middletown now stands, where
he dressed her
wounds and soom cured her: After some time the Dutch at New-
Amsterdam hearing
of a white woman among the Indians, concluded who it
must be, and some
of them came to her relief; the old man her preserver,
gave her the
choice either to go or stay; she chose the first: A while
after marrying to
one Stout, they lived together at Middletown among other
Dutch
inhabitants; the old Indian who saved her life, used frequently to
visit her; at one
of his visits she observed him to be more pensive than
common, and
setting down he gave three heavy sighs; after the last she
thought herself
at liberty to ask him what was the matter? He told her he
had something to
tell her in friendship, tho' at the risk of his own life,
which was, that
the Indians were that night to kill all the whites, and
advised her to go
off for New-Amsterdam; she asked him how she could get
off? He told her
he had provided a canoe at a place which he named: Being
gone from her,
she sent for her husband out of the field, and discovered
the matter to
him, who not believing it, she told him the old man never
deceived her, and
that she with her children would go; accordingly going to
the place
appointed, they found the canoe and paddled off. When they were
gone, the husband
began to consider the thing, and sending for five or six
of his neighbours,
they set upon their guard: About midnight they heard
the dismal
war-hoop; presently came up a company of Indians; they first
expostulated, and
then told them, if they persisted in their bloody
design, they
would sell their lives very dear. Their arguments prevailed,
the Indians
desisted and entered into a league of peace, which was kept
without
violation. From this woman, thus remarkably saved, with her scars
visible, through
a long life is descended a numerous posterity of the name
of Stout now
inhabiting New-Jersey: At that time there were supposed to be
about fifty
families of white people and five hundred Indians inhabiting
those parts.
Governor Carteret
did not arrive to his government of New-Jersey, 'till the
latter end of the
summer 1665; 'till which time the province was under
Nicolls's
jurisdiction: On the arrival of the former he summoned a
council, granted
lands, and administered the government on the plan of the
general
concessions and took up his residence at Elizabeth-Town to which
it is said he
gave the name, after Elizabeth wife of Sir George Carteret:
With him came
about thirty people; some of them servants: They brought
goods proper for
the planting a new country, and the governor soon
afterwards sent
persons into New-England, and other places, to publish the
proprietors
concessions, and to invite people to settle there upon which
many soon came
from thence: Some settled at Elizabeth-Town, others at
Woodbridge,
Piscattaway and Newark: The ship that brought the governor,
having remained
about six months returned to England, and the year after
made another
voyage. Sundry other vessels were from time to time sent by
the proprietors
with people and goods, to encourage the planting and
peopling their
lands: Thus the province of East-New Jersey increased
settlement, and
continued to grow 'till the Dutch invasion in 1673, when
they having got
possession of the country, some stop was put to the
English
government; but the treaty afterwards between king Charles the
second, and the States
general at London 1673-4, put all general
difficulties of
that kind out of dispute; the sixth article whereof is in
these words,
"That whatever country, island, town, haven, castle, or
fortress, hath
been, or shall be taken by either party from the other
since the
beginning of the late unhappy war, whether in Europe or
elsewhere, and
before the expiration of the times above limited for
hostility, shall
be restored to the former owner in the same condition it
shall be in at
the time of publishing this peace."
Tho' the
inhabitants were at variance among themselves, there was also
pretty constantly
a resort of settlers between the years 1665 and 1673,
and they
increased fast afterwards. But the Elizabeth-Town purchasers and
others, setting
up a right, differing in some respects from that of the
proprietors, and
other incidents falling out, which, though some of them
inconsiderable,
and others one would think might then easily have been
settled, yet
nourished by a more vindictive spirit on all sides than was
immediately
necessary, they occasioned much disturbance.9 Carteret going
for England in
the summer, 1672, left Capt. John Berry his deputy. He
returned in 1674,
and found the inhabitants more disposed to union among
themselves, and
bringing with him the king's proclamation, and a fresh
commission and
instructions from Sir George Carteret, he summoned the
people, and had
them all published; which for a while had a good effect
towards restoring
proprietary authority, and the publick peace: He
remained governor
'till his death in 1682. In his time the general
asemblies and
supreme courts sat at Elizabeth-Town, and the councils
generally: Here
the secretary's office, and most other publick offices
were held; here also
most of the officers of the government then resided.
In September
1671, an extraordinary council was held at New-York; present,
Governor
Lovelace, the mayor and secretary of New-York, Major Steenwick,
governor Philip
Carteret, and Captain James Carteret of New-Jersey: The
occasion was
this, William Tomm and Peter Alricks, had just arrived from
Delaware, with
the particulars of the Indian murders mentioned before,
that two
christians (Dutch men) had, as there related, been murdered by
some Indians at the
island Matinicunk,10 on Delaware: Alricks being
present at the
council, informed them, the nation of whom these murderers
were, consisted
of about fifty or sixty persons, and that the mischiefs
committed on
Delaware this seven years, were said to be done by them: That
the Indians their
confederates (as it was supposed they would be if a war
should follow)
were about a thousand persons, besides women and children:
That two of the
saggamores of the nation of the murderers, promised their
best assistance,
to bring them in, or, procure them to be nocked in the
head, if
countenanced by the government; and that many other Indians he
met upon the
road, much disallow'd of the murder, and were very sorry for
it, and offered
their assistance against them. Alricks further related,
that it was
proposed by the sachems, as the best scheme to set upon this
nation, to cause
a kintecoy to be held; and that in the midst of their
mirth, one should
be hired to knock them in the head; adding, as his own
opinion, that the
best time to fall upon them was about the 25th October;
because after
that their usual manner was to go a hunting, and then they
could not be
easily found: But now the immediate danger was of their
destroying the
corn and cattle of the christians, and that the murders
were owing to
Tashiowycan, who having a sister dying, expressed great
grief for it, and
said the Mannetta hath killed my sister, and I will go
kill the
christans; and taking another with him, they together executed
the barbarous
facts.
This information
considered, the council concluded, that Thomas Lewis, then
bound with his
sloop for New-Castle, should be stayed from his voyage, for
three or four
days when Alricks and Henry Courturier, would be ready to go
with him; that in
the mean time, general instructions should be drawn to
take along with
them: That the Governor of New-Jersey, and Capt. James
Carteret, (then
present) should expeditiously order a general assembly to
be called in that
government; (according to their custom upon all emergent
occasions) to
know the people's strength and readiness; and how far they
were willing to
contribute towards the prosecution of a war against the
Indians. That a
frequent correspondence be kept between the two
governments, and
that nothing be done in this Indian War, without mutual
advice and
consent of both the governors; unless upon extraordinary
opportunity,
where advantage against the enemy might suddenly be taken,
before notice
could be given.
These resolutions
taken, the next step was to transmit instructions to
William Tomm, (he
was either one of the commissaries appointed by Carre,
and the authority
at New-Castle, or a kind of deputy under them, up
Delaware) that he
might forecast how a war might be prosecuted to the best
advantage; and it
requiring time to get things in order, all the frontier
scattering
plantations, were immediately to thresh out or remove their
corn, and dispose
their cattle, so as to receive the less damage by the
effects of the
war: Next he was to order, that none on pain of death,
should presume to
sell any powder, shot, or strong waters to the Indians;
and that in the
mean time, the inhabitants were to carry (if such a thing
was practicable)
a seeming complacency with the nation of whom were the
murderers, either
by treaty or traffick, to prevent suspicion of the
designs on foot;
but withall it was directed, that if they would either
deliver up the
murderers, or their heads; the English were at liberty to
assure them of no
disturbance.
Lovelace also wrote
to Carre upon this occasion, to be vigilant in making
preparations for
the war; and as directions could not be punctual, the
whole was left to
his prudent management, with advice of his commissaries.
The next council
held upon this occasion, was in November, at Elizabeth-
Town; present,
the governors Lovelace and Carteret, and divers others.
Here the season
was thought too far advanced, to begin the war; but the
magistrates were
authorized to treat with the neighbouring Sasquehana
Indians, or
others, to join together against the murderers, and such as
harboured them;
and to promise a reward as they should think fit; provided
caution was used
so as to create no sudden jealousy: But this proved
unnecessary; the
Indians uneasy about the murder, were not averse to a
full revenge, as
the event proved. In December, a parcel of them meeting
at Rambo's, sent
for Tomm and others, and promised within six days to
bring in the
murderers, dead or alive: Accordingly two Indians sent by the
sachems, to take
them, coming to Tashowycan's wig-wam in the night; one of
them his
particular friend; him he asked if he intended to kill him; he
answered no, but
the sachem have ordered you to die: He demanded what his
brother said;
being told they also said he must die, he then holding his
hands before his
eyes, said kill me: Upon this the other Indian, not his
intimate, shot
him im the breast: They took his body to Wickaco, and
afterwards hung
it in chains at New-Castle: The English gave the sachems
for this, five
matchcoats. The other murderer hearing the shot, ran naked
into the woods,
and what came of him after, appears not. The Indians upon
this death,
summoned many of their young men, and before the English, told
them, that now
they saw a beginning of punishment, and all that did the
like should be so
served. Thus ended an affair, which while these Indians
were a formidable
body, looked discouraging.
The town of
New-Castle, in the spring, 1672, was by the government at
York, made a corporation,
to be governed by a bailiff and six assistants;
after the first
year the four old to go out, and four others to be chosen:
The bailiff was
president, with a double vote; the constable chosen by the
bench; they had
power to try causes as far as ten pounds, without appeal:
The English laws
were established in the town, and among the inhabitants
on both sides
Delaware: The office of Schout was converted into a sheriff,
for the
corporation and river, annually chosen; and they were to have free
trade without
being obliged to make entry at New-York, as heretofore had
been the
practice.
About this time
happened a considerable disturbance at the Hoarkills: A
party from
Maryland, headed by one Jones, made an incursion, and binding
the magistrates,
and other inhabitants, carried off what plunder they
could; being
joined by Daniel Brown, a planter at the Hoarkills; he was
sent to New-York,
took his tryal and was convicted; but on promises of
amendment, and a
small security for future good behaviour dismissed. With
respect to the
Marylanders, Lovelace's letter to that governor, shows him
to have had some
spirit, tho' his character in general was rather that of
an upright, but
timid governor and good natured man: It is dated the 12th
of August, 1672:
"To Philip
Calvert, Esq; governor of Maryland.
"SIR,
"I thought
it had been impossible now in these portending boisterous
times, wherein
all true hearted Englishmen, are buckling on their armour
to vindicate
their honours, and to assert the imperial interest of his
sacred majesty's
rights and dominions; that now without any just grounds,
either given or
pretended, such horrid outrages should be committed on his
majesty's liege
subjects, under the protection of his royal highness's
authority, as was
exercised by one Jones, who with a party as dissolute as
himself, took the
pains to ride to the Hoarkills, where in derision and
contempt of the
duke's authority, bound the magistrates and inhabitants,
dispitefully
treated them, rifled and plundered them of their goods; and
when it was
demanded by what authority he acted, answered in no other
language but a
cock'd pistol to his breast; which if it had spoke had
forever silenced
him. I do not remember I have heard of a greater outrage
and riot
committed on his majesty's subjects in America, but once before
in Maryland: You
cannot but imagine his royal highness will not be
satisfied with
these violent proceedings, in which the indignity rebounds
on him; neither
can you but believe it is as easy an undertaking, for me
to retaliate the
same affront on Jones's head, and accomplices, as he did
on those
indefencible inhabitants: But I rather chuse to have first a more
calm redress from
you; to whom I now appeal, and from whom may in justice
expect that right
in the castigation of Jones cum socies, that your nature
and the law has
provided for; otherwise I must apply myself to such other
remedies as the
exigence of this indignity shall persuade me to: Thus
leaving it to
your consideration, I shall remain your very humble servant,
"FR.
LOVELACE."
Governor Lovelace
also wrote to Capt. Carre upon this occasion:
"SIR,
The letters you
sent by the express over land came safe to my hands, with
the inclosed
relation and papers concerning the Hoarkill, and the
Marylanders
forcibly possessing themselves of the place, as also of the
goods and estates
of some of the inhabitants, of which we had some rumours
before, but did
not give much credit to it; supposing what was done
before, to be the
rash action of some private person; not thinking the
authority of
Maryland would invade his royal highness's territories, which
he hath been
possessd of for near eight years, without giving the least
overture of it to
me, who am his royal highness's deputy: Their former
violent action
and force, upon those poor unarmd people, together with the
particulars of
their plunders, I had immediate opportunity of transmitting
to his royal
highness by a ship then bound away for London, the which I
made use of, and
recommended their case; and I hope it hath long e'er this
arrived to his
hands; so that some directions about it may be expected in
a short time;
'till when I think it best for the present to leave matters
there as they
are; but as to the cloud which likewise hangs over your
heads at
Delaware, which it is said they are making preparations to
invade; my
instructions and orders to you, and the officers in general,
are, that you put
yourselves in the best posture of defence possibly you
can, by fitting
up the fort in the town, keeping your companies in arms,
both there and up
the river; who are to provide themselves with fitting
ammunition; and
that all soldiers be at an hour's warning upon any alarm
or order given;
and that at the town especially, you make your guards as
strong as you
can, and keep a strict watch; and if any enemy comes to
demand the place,
that you first desire to know their authority and
commission, and
how it comes to pass those of Maryland should now make
such an invasion,
after so long quiet possession of those parts by his
royal highness's
deputies, under his before the date of the lord
Baltimore's
patent, whom they never disturbed by arms, and whose right is
now devolved upon
the duke. Stand well upon your guard, and do not begin
with them, but if
they first break the peace by firing upon your guards,
or any such
hostile action, then use all possible means to defend
yourselves and
the place, and command all his majesty's good subjects to
be aiding and
assisting to you; who I hope will not be wanting to their
abilities: In all
matters of concern, you are to take advice of the chief
officers there.
"This will
come to you by your bailiff, Mr. Peter Alricks, who is
hastening over
land, to secure his affairs there, in this portending
invasion, and to
give his best help for the safeguard of the place, and his
royal highness's
interest upon all occasions: Fail not to send an express
to me, by whom I
shall give you such further directions and assistance as
will be
requisite; and if occasion should be, will come over myself in
person; though
the spring would be more suitable for me than a winter
voyage; so
recommending all things to your care and vigilance, of which
I expect a good
account: I conclude, being your very loving friend,
"Francis
Lovelace.
"Fort James,
in New-York, this 7th October 1672."
The inhabitants
at New-Castle and the Hoarkills, also suffered considerable
losses, by Dutch
privateers plundering their effects. For reparation, they
were permitted by
the government to lay an imposition, and power given to
the magistrates,
to levy and receive upon each anchor of strong liquors
spent or disposed
of among them, the value of four guilders in wampum,11
but this to
continue for one year only, as a tryal of its utility.
Wampum was the chief
currency of the country; great quantities had been
formerly brought
in, but the Indians had earned so much away, it was now
grown scarce; and
this was thought to be owing to its low value. To
increase it, the
governor and council at York issued a proclamation in
1673, that
instead of eight white and four black, six white and three
black wampums
should pass in equal value as a stiver or penny; and three
times so much the
value in silver. This proclamation was published at
Albany, Eusopus,
Delaware, Long-Island, and parts adjacent.
Mention was made
that Sir George Carteret by his instructions to governor
Carteret,
confirmed the original concessions with additions and
explanations:
These bore date the 13th of July 1674: Among other things
they direct, that
the governor and council should allow eighty acres per
head, to settlers
above ten miles from the sea, the Delaware, or other
river, navigable
with boats; and to those that settled nearer, sixty
acres: That the
land should be purchased from the Indians, as occasion
required, by the
governor and council, in the name of the proprietors, who
were to be repaid
by the settlers with charges:12 That all strays of
beasts at land,
and wrecks at sea, should belong to the proprietor; and
that, all persons
discovering any such thing, should have satisfaction for
their pains and
care, as the governor and council might think fit.
1 Sir George
Carteret was governor of Jersey, and held it for K. Charles
II., in the
troubles of 1649, expelled the house of commons, in 1669 for
confused
accounts, as chamberlain. Smollet. Treasurer of the navy, and
vice-chamberlain
of the king's household. Clarendon.
2 Vide. Appendix,
Number I.
3 The date of the
Dutch settlement, will be nearly ascertained by the
following
extract. - "As some unknown country further southward, about
Hudson's river
was in their view (meaning the Plymouth colony) when they
engaged in this
adventurous voyage, Mr. Morton who published his memorial
in 1620 tells us,
he had then lately sure intelligence that the Dutch
intending to
settle a colony there of their own, privately hired the
master of the
ship to contrive delays in England, then to steer them to
these northern
coasts, and there under pleas of shoals and winter to
discourage them
from venturing farther. Agreeable to this, while the
English Leydeners
(i.e., the said Plymouth company) were preparing for
their voyage, as
Capt. Dormer returned from Virginia to New-England, he
met certain
Hollanders, sailing for Hudson's river, where they had had a
trade for several
years. Prince's N. E. Chronol., p. 83, 84."
4 This is what is
commonly called the Elizabeth-Town grant.
5 This in 1672
was supplied by particular instructions directing that the
governor and
council should purchase all lands from the Indians and be
reimbursed by the
settlers, as they made their purchases.
6 Richard
Hartshorne, a considerable setler at Middletown, who came over
in this year had
like to have experienced some disadvantage from this
neglect in the
patentees of that town, "The Indian," says he, "came to my
house, and laid
their hands on the post and frame of the house and said
that house was
theirs they never had any thing for it and told me if I
would not buy the
land I must be gone. But I minded it not thinking it was
Davis's land and
they wanted to get something of me they at last told me
they would kill
my cattle and burn my hay if I would not buy the land nor
be gone; then I
went to the Patentees which were James Grover, Richard
Stout, John Bound,
and Richard Gibbons, they told me it was never bought,
nor had the
Indians any thing for it. Nicolls desired of them and the
Indians also,
only to have leave to set a trading house, and at that time
they did not
intend any one should have the land, but keep it for the use
of the country,
aways giving leave for any man to trade with goods and not
otherwise; but I
told them I would not live on those terms, and not only
so, but it was
dangerous, for the Indians threatened to kill my cattle
they told me no
man had power to buy, but the pitentees, and they would
buy it; thus it
continued some months. I considered the thing as well as I
then was capable,
and went to Gravesend and bought William Goulder out,
and when I came
back the Indians were at me and I did. James Grover,
Richard Stout,
Samuel Spicer were at Wake-cake, when I bought Wake-cake
and paid for it,
I being then a Patentce as well as the rest.
7 That is the
English here spoken of.
8 Other accounts
say in Delaware, nigh Christeen, but this is most likely
to be true.
9 It is not our
business to enter particularly into these disturbances;
they went in
several instances to disreputable lengths. Governor Andros of
York, in 1680,
undertook to dispute governor Carteret of Jersey's
commission, and
sending to Elizabeth-Town an armed force, seized and
carried him
prisoner to New-York.
10 The upper
island situate partly between Burlington and Bristol,
afterwards taken
up by a proprietary right, by Robert Stacy, and by him
given to Burlington;
and in 1682, confirm'd by a proprietary law, for the
use of a free
school forever. It is detach'd from the main by a little
channel
occasion'd by the waters of Essiscunk creek. When Gookin, a former
governor of
Pennsylvania, was about obtaining a grant of the islands in
Delaware, it is
said the lords of trade excepted this in their report to
the king and
inconsiderable as to value compared with many of the others,
yet long
possession and some improvements, have rendered it useful to
Burlington.
11 Eight white
wampum or four black, passed at this time as a stiver,
twenty stivers
made what they called a guilder, which was about six pence
present currency.
The white wampum was worked out of the inside of the
great conques
into the form of a bead, and perforated to string on
leather. The
black or purple was worked out of the inside of the mussell
or clam-shell,
they were sometimes wove as broad as one's hand, and about
two feet long;
these the Indians call belts, and commonly give and receive
at treaties, as
seals of their friendship: For lesser matters a single
string is given.
Every bead is of a known value, and a belt of a less
number is made to
equal one of a greater, by so many as is wanting
fastened to the
belt by a string.
12 A paragraph of
this fort, is also inserted in one of the letters of
instruction from
lord Berkely and Sir George Carteret, in conjunction, in
1672.