IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 " IB |M : Its 120 l» ■IKU L25 Hiu I 1.6 FholDgFaphic .Sciences Ccffparaikm •'^ V> ;\ 23 WIST MAM STRHT WliSTIR,N.Y. USM (71«)t73^S03 4^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVl/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Instituta for Historical IMicroraproductiona / Institut Canadian da microraproductiona historiquaa vV i'-^a Tachnical and Bibliographio NotM/Not«s taehniquM at Mbilogniphiq&iaa to Tha Inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua, wliich may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may aignificantly changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chaclcad balow. D D D D Colourad covara/ Couvartura da couiaur I I Covara damagad/ Couvartura andommagte Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raataurAa at/ou palliculte Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manqua Colourad mapa/ Cartaa gtegraphiquaa an couiaur Colourad inic (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da couiaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) Colourad plataa and/or illuatrationa/ Planchaa at/ou illuatrationa an couiaur Bound with othar matariai/ Rail* avac d'autraa documanta Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortion along intarior margin/ Lareliura aarrAa paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la diatortion la long da la marga intirlaura Blank laavaa addad during raatoration may appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar poaaibia, thaaa hava baan omittad from filming/ II aa paut qua cartainaa pagaa blanchaa ajouttea iora d'una raatauration apparaiaaant dana la taxta, maia, ioraqua cala Atait poaaibia, caa pagaa n'ont paa M fiimtea. L'inatitut a microfilm^ la malllaur axamplaira qu'il lui a At* poaaibia da aa procurar. Laa ditaiia da oat axamplaira qui aont paut-Atra uniquaa du point da vua bibllographiqua. qui pauvant modif iar una Imaga raproduita, ou qui pauvant axigar una modification dana la mAthoda normala da filmaga aont indiqute d-daaaoua. D D D Q D D D D D Additional commanta:/ Commantairaa aupplAmantairaa: irrtgular pagination Colourad pagaa/ Pagaa da coukiur Pagaa damagad/ Pagaa andommagAaa Pagaa raatorad and/or laminatad/ Pagaa raataurtea at/ou palliculiaa Pagaa diacolourad, atainad or foxad/ Pagaa dteolorAaa, tachatAaa ou piquAaa Pagaa datachad/ Pagaa dAtachtea Showthrough/ Tranaparanca Quality of print variaa/ Qualiti InAgaia da I'impraaaion Includaa aupplamantar>' matariai/ Comprand du matiriai aupplAmantaira Only adMon availabia/ Sauia Mitton diaponibia Pagaa wholly or partially obacurad by arrata aiipa, tiaauaa, ate, hava baan rafilmad to anaura tha baat poaaibia imaga/ Laa pagaa totalamant ou partiallamant obacurciaa par un faulHat d'arrata, una palura, ate, ont Ati fiimAoa i nouvaau da fapon A obtanir la mailiaura imaga poaaibia. (i]- viii, (U 160, •145-*151, •143-*146. 161-266. 241*-*262, 257-334 p. Tf PC of fil Oi bi th «h ot fir 8i< or Th ah Z M( dil an ba rig rai mi Thia itam ia filmad at tha raduction ratio chackad balow/ Ca documant aat filmA au taux da rMuction IndiquA ci-daaaoua 10X 14X lifX 22X 28X 30X 7j H 12X 16X aDx • 2«X 28X 32X . 3^^^^>S^.e-i K ' %b Th« copy fllmMl Iwr* has bMn raproducsd thanks to tha ganarosity of: MHIsMmiorM Library MoMMtw UnivmHy L'axamplaira film* f ut raproduit grica i la ginArositi da: MiHsMMnortalLftrary MeMMtwUniMraity Tha imagas appaaring hara ara tha bast quality possibia consldaring tha condition and iaglbillty of tha original copy and in Icaaping with tha filming contract spacifications. Original capias In printad papar covars ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha laa(f paga with a printad or lllustratad impraa- sion, or tha bacic covar whan approprlata. All othar original copias am filmad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or lllustratad impraa- sion, and anding on tha last paga with a printad or lllustratad imprassion. Tha last racordad frama on aach microfiche shall contain tha symbol — ^> (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (moaning "END"), whichavar appllas. Las imagas suh^antaa ont «t4 raproduitas avac la plus grand soin. compta tanu da la condition at da la nattat* da l'axamplaira film*, at •n conformity avac las conditions du contrat da fllmaga. Las axamplairas origlnaux dont la couvartura an papiar ast Imprimto sont fllmte an comman9ant par la pramlar plat at an tarinlnant salt par la damlAra paga qui comporta una ampralnta d'imprasslon ou d'illustration, soit par la sacond plat, salon la cas. Tous las autras axamplairas origlnaux sont fllmis an commanqant par la pramMra paga qui comporta una ampralnta d'imprasslon ou d'illustration at an tarminant par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una taila ampralnta. Un das symbolas suivants apparaltra sur la darnlAra imaga da chaqua microficha, salon la cas: la symbols — »> signlfia "A SUIVRE". la symbols ▼ signlfia "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, ate, may ba filmad at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely Included In one exposure ara filmad beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams Illustrate the method: Lea cartas, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmte A dee taux da rMuctlon diffArents. Lorsqus Is document est trop grand pour Atra raproduit en un ssul clichA, II sst fiimA A partir da I'angle supArisur gauche, de gauche A drolte, et de haut en bas, an prenant la nombre d'images nAcessaire. Las diagrammes suivants illuatrant la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 THE H IS TO R Y OF THE PROVINCE OF r^: N E W-Y OR K, FROM THE FIRST DISCOVERY, To which 18 annexed A Defcription of the Country, an Account of the Inhabitants, their Trade, Religious and Political State, and the Conftitution of the Courts of Jufticc in that Colony. Lo f Jwarming o^er the new difcover'd fVorldy , Gay Colonies extend ; the calm Retreat Of unde fervid Dlfirefu —— , • Bound by Jocial Freedom ^ jirm they rife ; O/'Britain'i Empire the Su/»port and Strength, ^ Thomson. Nee minor cji rirftts, quam quarere^ parta tueri* By WILLIAM SMITH, A.M. LONDON: Printed fpr J. Almon, oppofite Burlington-iHoufe^ Piecadiify, MDCCLXXVI. f. 9 ilcMASTER UNtVERSilY UBmX PRE F^ A C £ WHOEVER conlidcrs the number and ex-^ tent of the Britilh colonies, on this conti- nent } their climates, foil, ports, rivers^ riches, and numberle^ advantages, mud be convinced of their yaft importance to Great Britain ; and be at a lofs to account for the ignorance concerning them,< which prevails in thofe kingdoms, whence their in-' habitants originally fprang. The merchants, id" deed, by profitable experience, have not been alto^ ' gether unacquainted with our trade and our growth ; and fome gentlemen of an inquifitive turn, by the help of their correfpondents, have obtained the < knowledge of many other particulars equally ini- portant. But the main body c^ the people conceive of thefe plantations, under the idea of wild, bound- lefs, inhofpitable, uncultivated deferts ; and hence the punifhment of a tranfportation hither, in the judgment of moft, is thought not much lefs fevere, than an infamous death. Nay, appealing to fadb^ we may fa&ly affere, that even the public boards, to whofe care thefe extehfive dominions have been more efpecidly committed, attained, but lately^ any tolerable acquaintance with 'their condition. This is the more to be wondered at, as it is natural to imagine, that the King's governors have ftatedly tranfmitted full accounts of their re^)e6live pro- vinces. The cafe has been quite otherwife. Go?« vernments were heretofore too often bellowed upon^ men of mean parts, and indi^nf circttmftances.' The former were incapable of the talk, and the lat- tcr too deeply engroflfed by the fordid views of pri- A 2 vate= iv PREFACE. vate intcreft, either to pvyfue or ftiidy our com- mon weal. The worft confcquences have rcfulted from thefe meafures. Perpetual animofities being engendered between the governors^ and the people fuoje6ted to their authority ; all attempts for con- ciliating the friendfhip of the Indians, promoting the fur trade, fecuring the command of the lake^, protefting the frontiers, and extending our, poffef- iions far into the inland country, have too often given place to party projedls and contracted Ichemes, equally ufelels and Ihameful. Thecon- duft of the French has been juft the reverfe : in fpite of all the difadvantages of a cold climate, a long and dangerous navigation up the river of St. Lawrence, a rough, barren, unfcttled * country, locked up /rom ail communicauon with the ocean, the greateft part of the year •, I fay, notwithftanding theie difficulties, they have feized all the advantages which we have neglefted. The continent, for many hundred leagues, has been thoroughly explored, the main panes fortified, innumerab& tribes of In- nians, either won over to their intereft,f fubdued, or bridled, the fur trade engrofTcd, a communica- tion maintained between the extremes of New- France, the Britilh colonies reftrifted to fcant limits along the fea ihore, and nothing left reni^ini^g for the eftablilhment of a vaft empire, but to open a free water paffaee to the ocean, by the conqueft of the prqyince of New-York. If the governors of thefe plantations had formerly bjeeii animated by the fame generous and extenlive views, which infpired Mr. Burnet, the long pro- jefted designs of , our common enemy inight, with the aid of Great Britain, have been many years ago fupplahted, or at lead defeated, at a trifling expence. But, alas ! little, too' little, attention has been had * ** Encore mains peuple.** Charlevoix. f ** NStre nation^ lafeule^ qui ait tu le/ecret de gogncr Ptif- •' ftStion des Jmeriquains." Charlevoix. to PREFACE. to thefe important affairs, till the late encroachments on the river Ohio, in the province of Pcnfylvania, cave the alarm, and the miniftry were apprized of the French machinations, by the feafonable repre- lentations of General Shirley ; and if the colonies have now attracted the notice of his Majcfty and his parliament, their grateful acknowledgements are due principally to the noble Lord, to whorrt thefe (heets are dedicated, for his laudable enquiries into thetr ftate, and his indefagatible zeal and induftry for their defence and profpefity. At prefent our affairs begin to wear^a more fmi^ ling afpeft. We are under the guardianfhip of a , Sovereign, who delights in the welfare of his peo- ple ; are refpefted by a Parliament, affeded with a generous fympathy for the diftreifes of their fellow lubjefts, in all their difperfions ; and by a wife im- provement of the Britifh aids, it is hoped, we ihall be able to retrieve the ill confequences of our long, reproachful, and infenfible fecurity. Formerly the colonies were at home difregarded and defpifed, nor. can any other reafon be alTigned for it, than that they were unknown. This is, in a great degree, to be imputed to ourfelves. If our governors with-held thofe informations, which their duty required them to have given, perfons of pri- vate charaders ought to have undertaken tb u* ufe- ful andneceffary tafk. But, except fome accc jnts of the fettlements in the Maffachufets-bay and Vir- ginia, all the other hiftories of our plantations upon the continent, are little elfe than collections of falf- i hoods, and worfe than none. That this charge lagainft thofe publifhed concerning this province, pn particular, can be fully fupported, I perfuade liyfelf, will inconteftably appear from the follow- ing fummary, concerning which I ihall fay a few words. Having been formerly concerned, according to an appointment by aft of aflembly, in a review and digeft vi' PREFACE. digeft of our provincial laws, it was the duty of myfclf, and my partner in that fcrvice, to pcrufe the minutes of the council, and the journals of the general aflcmbly, from the glorious revolution, at the accelTion of King William, to the y^ar 1751 : and as an acquaintance with our public tranfa^ions, was a branch of inftru^ion, of which ^ IVudcnt for the profeflfion of the law ought not to bo ignorant, I have fince rc-cxamitred thofe entries, beg^ining with the firft minutes of council, and read clvejvma- ny of the records in the fecretary's office. From thefe authentic materials, the following p^g^s were, in a great meafure, compiled. For m^ny pf thofe parts, whifh concern our affairs with the Fiicnch and the Indians, .antecedent to the peace of Ryf- wiick in 1697, 1 ^^ bound to make liberlil acknow- ledgements to Dr. Colden, the author of the Hiflo- ry of the Five Nations. i, ,., .. .,, Mr. Alexander, a^entleman eminent iii the law, and equally diftinguilhed for his humanity, genero- fi^, great abilities, and honourable dations, fup- plied me with fome ufeful papers ; apd has left be- hind him a coUedtion, that will be v«fy fervipeable tOj any gentleman, who may hereafter incline to continue this narrative, through the adminjftrations of Mr. Cofby and Lieutenant-governor Clarke. The draught of this work was un$pifl^e4 , at the time of Mr. Alexander's deceafe-,* and therefore, as it never palled under his examination, many im- pprtaht additions are loft, which his long and in- timjite acquaintance with the affairs p^|t|i|i^ province would have enabled him to fupply. rn When I began to frame this digeft, k was only intended for private ufe 5 and the motives which i^ow induce me to publifh it, are the gratification of the prefent thirft in Great Britain after American I intelligences •, contributing, as far as thi$ province * He died on the 2d of April, 1756. IS PREFACE. is concerned, to an accurate hidory of the Britifh Empire * in this quarter of the world j and the proipeft of doing foftie fmall fcrvicc to my country, by \Ay\t\(L before the public a fummary account of its firre iriK und prefent ftate. Influenced by thcfc views, I am not fo rcgardlcfs of the uidgment of others, as not towilhit may be, in foriiS meafurc acceptable. To pleale all forts of reader's I know is impoflible : he who writes with fuch h<^s, is a ftranger to human nature, and will be infallibly difappointed. My dcfign is rather to inform than pleale. He who delights only in pages fhining with illuftrious characters, the contentions of armies, the rife and fall of empires, andothc'r sra;fid events, muft have recourie to the great au- uiors of antiquity. A detail of the little tranfac- tions, which concern a colony, fcant in itsjurifdic- tion, and ftill itrugding with the difficulties natu- rally attending its infant ftate, to gentlemen of this talle can furnifh no entertainment. The enfuing narrative ^( for it deferves not the name of a hiftor), though for brevity's fake I have given it that title) prefents iis only a regular thread of fimple fads -, artdeven thofe uncmbellilhed with refledlions, be- caufe'tjaey themfelves fuggeft the proper remarks, and moft readers will doubtlefs be beft pleafcd with theJi'^ o^Ti\^^ The facred laws of truth have been irifrin^ea r^i^ither by pqfitive aflertions, oblique, in- fidibtis hints, wilful fuppreffions, or corrupt mii- rfeprerehtatiiiiii ' To avoid any cenfures of this kind, no reins have been given to a wanton imagination, for the invc-nrion ot plaufible tales, fupported only by light probabilities : but choofing rather to be hbritli and duli,-«than agreeable and falfe, the true *' As the piW'inces are different in their con ftitutions, and ^>vith refpecl to government, independent of e;ich other, no general hiftory of America can be expefted, till gentlemen of leifure will draw up particular accounts ot the relpeCtive colo- pies with which they are acc^iiainted. VII 3 impjrt viii • P !t E F A C E. import of mv vouchers hath been ftridly adhered to and regarded. With refpedb to its ftyle, the critics, in that branch of hterature, are at full liberty to condemn at their plcafure. The main ufc of language is to exprefs our ideas. To write in the gay, pleafing, pomp of didlion, is above my capacity. If any are difpofed to blame me for beins too verbofe, let it be remembered that this is the indefcalible right of my profeffion, founded upon immemorial prcfcription. Perfpicuity is all I have endeavoured to maintain, nor am I at leifure to ftudy any high- er atrainments in language. The errors of the prcfs will doubtlefs be many, but for thefc I (hall hardly be thought accountable, as my remote dif- tance deprives me of all opportunities of examining the proofs. New-Torkj Jun 15, 1756, THE THE HISTORY OF N E W- Y b R K, PART I. From tbi Vifcoviry of tin Colony to the Surrender in 1664. CHriftophcr Columbus, a Genoefe, employed by Ferdinand and Ifabel, king and queen of Caftile, was the firft difcovercr of America.* He failed frdm St. Lucar in Auguft 1492, and made fight IfSFdtie of the Bahama iOands, on the eleventh of OftdK^' following. Newfbuncfland, and the main continent, were difcovered five years after, by Sebaftian Gabato, a Venetian, in the fcrvice of Henry VII. of England, from the 38th to the 68tl)i degree of north latitude. ' un the tenth of April i6q6, king James I. for planting two colonies, p^flbdf'the great North and South Virginia patent. To Sir Thomas Gates and others, leave was given tp begin a plantation at any place on the contment, they fhou}d think convcr nient, between the j4th and 41 ft degrees of lati- tude : and all the lands extending 50 miles, on each I fide, along the coaft, 100 miles into the country, and all thp illands within 100 miles, oppofite to [their plantations, were granted in fee, to be called, i the firft colony. By the fame patent, a like quan?^ [tity was granted to Thomas Henham, Efq. and ^ Some autho(;9 alledge, that Columbus firft oflfered his fer- rices to the republic of Genoa ; then to John I^. of Ponu^al, ii^d afterwards to our King Henry VII ; but this difagrees With Lx>rd Bacon's account, wno informs us, that Chriftophei^Co?* I lumbus failed before his brother Bartholomew bad laidthe pro-? j^ before the king, wbicb was ofving 19 his falliiig into the bands of pirates on his way to England* 8 others, 1* ■^'! ■ i THEHISTORYOF Others, for a plantation between 38 and 45 degrees of latitude, under fhc name of the fccond cofony. The firft began a fcttlement in the great bay (Chea- fapcak) in 1607. The latter was plan^tcd at J^ly- mouth in New England in 1620. long Wand and Henry Hudfon, an Englilhman, according to o\ir M«redbyHtn>Uthors, in the year 1608,* uridfer a commiflion ty Hudfon, in from the king his mafter, difcovered Long Illand, »6o«f New-York, and the river which ftill bears his name y and afterwards fold the country, or rather his right, to the Dutch. Their writers contend, that liudfon was fent out by rf^e Eaft-India com- pany in 1609, to difcover a north- weft paffage to China j and that having firft difcovered Pelawarc Bay, he capie hither, and penetrated up Hudfon^s Hiver^ as far north as the latitude of forty-three de- grees. It is faid, however, that there wgs a fale, jjr and that the Englilh objeifted to it, though they for fome time neglected to oppofe the Dutch fettlemenc of the country. ^offeffionoS In,i6|o, Hudfon failed again from Holland to founri7?n"i6'i4* this t country, called by the Dutch, New-Ncther- MJdcajiitNew.ijin^j . an^j fQ^^ years after, the States General MctheilaHd. *, 'ri i f> granted a patent to fundry merchants, for an ex- (clufive trade on the North River, who in 1614 built a fort, on the weft fide, near Albany, which was firft commandec' by Henry Chriftiaens. Captain Argal was fent out by Sir Thomas Dale, governor of Virginia, in the fame year, to difpoffefs the French of the two towns of Port-Royal, and St. Croix, ly- ing on each fide of the Bay of Fundy in Acadia, then claimed as part of Virginia.f In his return, he vi- fited the Dutch on Hi5lfon*s River, who being un- able to refi(l: him, prudently fubmitted for the pre- * Charlevoix, a French Jeruit, author of the general hiftory of New France, thinks this difcovery was in 1609, vol. 1. 12® edition,- p. 221. but Stith, Douglais, Oldmixon, and other Englifti writers agree, that Hudfoii's firft voyage was in the preceding year. 1 fent N E W . y O R K. ^ ient to the Kin^ of £ng]and, and under him to the Govenor of Virginia. ^The very next year, they erected a fort on the fouth-wefl: point of the ifland Manhattans, and two others in 16^3 : one called Good-Hope, on Connecticut River, and the other Naflau, pn the Eaft fide of Delaware Bay. ^ The author of the account of New-Netherland J aflcrts, that the Dutch purchafed the lands on both fides of that river in 1632, before the Englflh were fettled in thofe parts ; and that they difcovered a little frefla river^ farther to the eaft, called Varfche Riviertie, to diftinguifii it from Connefticut River, knowq among them, by the Name of Varfche Rivier, which Vaij- derdonk alfo claims for the Dutch. Determined upon the fettlement of a colony, theYf""J"T»" States General made a grant of the country, in 1 62 1, pil^L^'oT * * to the Weft-India company. Woutcjr Vas Twil-j^^**%JJ"- ler, arrived at Fort- Amftcrdam, now New- York, *" ** *** and took upon himfclf the government in June 1629. His ftyle, in the patents granted by him, was thus, " We director and council, refiding in ♦* New-Netherland on the ifland Manhattans, under " the 20/ernment of their High Mightineflfes, the " Lords States General of the united Netherlands, ** and the privileged Weft- India Company.'* In his time the New-England planters, extended their poftefllons weftward as far as Conncfticut River, f Charlevoix places this tranfadioa in 161 5. rol, I. Hift. of N. France in i a", p. 210. But Stith, whom I follow, bc^ ing a clergj'man in Virginia, had greater advantages of know- r ing the truth than the French jefuit. t The pamphlet is entitled, ** Befchryving van Virginia, »♦ Neiuw Nederland," &c. and was printed at Amfterdam in b65i. It contains two defcriptions uf the Dutch poflelfions. The firft is a copy of that publiflied by John de Laet at Ley- len. The fecond gives a view of ttiis country feveral years af- |ter, in 1649. A Ihort reprefentation of the country of the jMahakuaie lodians, written in 1644, by John Megapolenfis, I jui:< a Dutch minifter refiding here is annexed to that part of I the j>amphlet CQncerniog New-Netherland. B z Jacob « 4 THEHISTORYOF Jacob Van Curlet, the commiffary there, proteft«d againft it, and in the fecond year of the fucceeding adminiftration, under William Kieft,* who appears firft in 1638, a wiiHim Kieft prohibition was iffued, forbiddirig the Englifh i'efsr""'" ****^^ ^^ ^°" ^^^ Hope, arjd fhortly after, on coniplaint of the infolence of the Englifti, in or- der of council was made for fending more forces there, to maintain the Dutch territories. Dr. Ma- ther confefles, that the New-England men firft formed their defign of fettling Connedlicut river in 1635, before which time they efteemed that river at leaCt 109 miles from any Englifli fettkment; and that they firft featcd themfelves there in 1636, at Hartford, near Foh Good- Hope, at Weathers- ifieid, Windfpr, and Springfield. Four yiaf-s' af- ter, they f(rized the Dutch garrifon, and drove them from the banks of the river, having firft fet- tled New-Haven in 1638, regardlefsof Kiefts pro- teft againft it. . The extent ' of New-Netherland was to Dda- ofthe extent of ware, then Called South Rivcr, and beyond it; for r find, in the Dutch records, a copy bf a lett^ from William Kieft, May 6, 163?; dfreded to Peter Minuit,f who feems, by the ten6r of it, tb be the SwedilH governor of New-SWcderii^flTertihg, " that the whole fouth river of NeW-Ndherbhd, ** had been in theDutch pofleflion many ydars atove ♦* and below, belet with forts, and fealed ivith their ,V:'-^r>'^v'i« blood.'' * We have no books amdng our Dutch records remaining in the Secretary's office, relating to State matters, betore KietVs ..time, nor any enrolfl:ient3 of patents till a year after Van! . Twiller arrived here. Mr. Jacob Goelet fuppUeff vii with k'- . Tcral exirafts from the Dutch records. . ' ', ^ ''' f The aijonymous Dutch author of the Defcripti^iVofNtiW- 1 ; Nethei-lar^d , in-i i^^W, calls him Minnewits ; and ad^i', <^lAt in j 16313 he arrived ^t Delaware with two veflels, pretenUiH^that he touched for refrefhment in his way to the Weft-Indfei ?*but that he foon threw off the difguife, by employing hi« imsn in CP^^lng a fort. The fame hiftorian informs us of the nAlfder I ofl Nevv-Ncthcr land. K E w - Y R k:. ** blood." "Which Kieft adds. Las happened even during your adminiftration " in Ncw-Netherland, " and fo well known to you." . ^ The Dutch writers are not agreed in the extent of Nova Belgia or New-Netherland •, fome defcribe it to be from Virginia to Canada ; and others in-' forn) us, that the arms of the States General were erected at Cape Cod, Connedicut, and Hudfon's river, and on the weft fide of the entrance into De- laware Bay. The author of the pamphlet Aien- tioned in the notes, gives Canada river for a boun- dary on the north, and calls the country, north-weft from Albany, Terra Incognita. ^ In 1640, the Englifli, who hid overfpread the caftern part of Long Ifland, advanced to Oyfterbay. iKieft broke up their fettlement in 1642, and fitted out two floops to drive theEnglifh out of SchUyl- 'kill, of which the Marylanders had. lately pofleflfed themfelvesi The inftrudioris, dated May 22, to Jan Janlcn Alpendam, who commanded in that cnterprife, are upon record, and ftrongly aflfert the right of the Dutch, both to the foil and trade there. The Englifh from the caftward ftlortly after fent deputies to New-Amfterdam, for the accomodation of their dilputes about limits, to whom the Dutch [Offered the following conditions, entered in their [books cxadly in theie words . ** Conditiones a D. direftore gen. fenatuys Novi " Belgii, dominis weytingh atque hill, delegatis *' a nobili fenatu Hartfordienfi, oblatas : " Pro agro noftro Hartfordienfi, annuo perfolv^nt prsepotentifiT. D D. ordinibus feed, provinciarum ^f feveral Dutchmen, at South River, by the Indians, occa- >ned by a quarrel concerning the taking away the States' Lrni8, which the former had erected at the iirft difcorery of Ihat country ; in refenting which, an Indian had been killed. If Kieft's letter aUudes to this affair, then Minuit preceded Van Twiller in the chief command here ; and being, perhaps, [cUlbbliged by the Dutch) entered into the fervice ofthe Queen [of^cd^n, *' Bel- <( <• «: it cc ii (« u TrtE HISTORY OF Belgicarum aut eorum vicariis, decimam partem Reventus agrorum turn aratro, turn ligone, aliove cultorum medio ; pomariis, hortifq*, oleribus di- catis, jugerum HoUandium non excedentibus ex- ceptis } aut decimarum loco, pretium nobilipo- ftea conflituendum, tarn diu quam diu pofleflbres cjufdem agri futuri erunt. Adtum in arce Am- ftelodatnenfi in Novo Belgio die Julii 9, anno Chriftii642." We have no account that the Engliih acceded to thefe propofalsy nor is it probable, confidering their fuperior urength, that they ever did : on the con- trary, they daily extended their pofleffions, and in 1643 the colonies of Maffacbufet*s Bay, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New-Haven, entered into a league both againft the Dutch and Indians, and grew fo power^l as to meet fbortly after, upon a deHgn of extirpating the former. The MaiTachufet's Bay declined this enterprife, which occafioned a letter to Oliver Cromwell from William Hooke, dated at New-Haven, November 3, 1653, in which he complains of the Dutch,, for fupplying the natives with ^rms and ammunition, begs his aSftance with two or three frigates, and that letters might be fent to the eadern colonies, commanding them to join in an expedition againft the Dutch colony. Oliver's af- fairs would not admit of fo diltant an attempt,^ but Richard * The war between him and the dates, w^iich began in July .1652, was concluded by a peace on the fifth of April 1654. llie treaty makes no particular mention of this country. If any part of it can be confidered as relating to the American jpofleuions, it is to be found in the two firft articles, which are m thefe words : ** Imprimis, It is agreed and concluded, that, ** from this day forwards, there be a true, firm, and inviolable ** peace, a fincere, intimate and cl(^e frien^ip, affinity, con- ** federacy, and union, betwixt the republic of £iigfaind and the ** States General of the United Provioccs of the Netherlands, ^ and the buidi, cottotnet, citiei, and towtUf u«der the domi* ^ E ^V . ,1r 6 R Ki t Kichaid Cromwell afterwards drew up inftrufHbns to Ins commanders for fubduiig the Dutch here, and wrote letters to the Englifh American govern- ments for their aid ; copies of which are preferved in Thurloe*s coUedtionj vol. I. p. 721, &c. Peter Stuyvefarit was the laft Dutch governor, PeterStuyyef«t and though he had a commiffion in 1646, he didl^jJ'^C not begin his adminftration till May 27, 1647. TheN«heriand, by inroads and claims upon his government, kept him ^jg^e!'"*'^^' "^ conftantly employed. New-England on the caft, and Maryland on the weft, alarmed his fears by their daily increafe ; and about the lame time Captain Forrefter, a Scotchman, claimed Long Ifland for I the dowager of Stirling. The Swedes too were per-. , Ipetually incroaching upon Delaware. Through the s [unlkilfulnefs of the mate, one Defwyk, a Swedifh [captain and fupcr-cargo arrived in Raritan River* [The (hip was fetzed, and himfelf mad-^ prifoner at New- Amfterdam. • Stuyvefant*s rcafons were thefe. In 1651, the Dutch built fort CaGmir, now called fNewcaftle on Delaware. The Swedes, indeed, I claimed the, country, and Printz their governor ^rmally protefted againft the works. RiHngh, his fucceflbr, under the difguife of friend^iip, came be- fore the fortrefs, fired two falutes, and landed thirty men, who were entertained by the commandant as friends ; but he had no fooner difcovered the wealc- jnefs of thegarrifon, than he made himfelf mafter of |it, ieizii^ afifo upon all the ammunition, houfes, and )ther efrcfts of the Weft-India company, and com- piling ieveral of the people to fwear allegiance to nioQS of each, without diflm£tion of places, together mth theii; people and inhabiuats of wbatfoever de^pxe.** 11. ** That hereafter all eiunity, hoftility, difcord, and con- tention, betwixt the faid republicst and their people and fobje^ (hall qeafis,. and both parties ihall henceiorwards '* aUlun from thecommiiifig all manner of mifchief, plunder, '** and injuries, by land, by f^, and on the freih waters, in, <* all their lauds, CQuntriet|donuwioiu^ places^and £OTemment» " whatfeenr/* Chri- T HE H IS TOR Y OF ChrHlina qu€cn of SweH*Ti. The Dutch in 165$* prepared to retake fort Cafimir. Stuyvefant com- manded the forces in perfon, and arrived with them in Delaware the 9th of September. A few days af- ter, he anchored before the ^arrifon, and landed his troops. Thefortrefs v^as inraicdiately demanded as Dutch property : Suen Scutz, the commandant^ defired leave to confult Rifingh, which beinp^e- fufcd, he furrendcred the 16th of September oh ar- ticles of capitulation. The whole ftrength of the place confided of four cannon fourteen pounders, five fwivels, and a parcel of fmall arms, which wer§ all delivered to the conquered. Fort Chriftina.was commanded by Rifingh. Stuyvefant came before it, and Rifingh furrendered it upon terms the 25th of September. The country being thus fubdued, the Dutch governor ifiued a proclamation, in fa- vour of fuch of the inhabitants, as would fubmit to the new government, and about thirty Swedes fwore " fidelity and obedience to the States Gene- " ral, the lords diredtors of the Weft- India com- ** pany, their fubalterns of the province of New- *' Nerherland, and the direftor general then, or *' thereafter eftablifhed." Rifingh and one Elfwych, a trader of note, were ordered to France, or Eng- land, and-^the reft of the Swedifh inhabitants to Holland, and from thence to Gottenberg. The Swedes being -thus extirpated, the Dutch became poflefled of the weft fide of Delaware Bay, now called The three lower Countries. This country was afterwards under the command lieutenant-governors, fubjed to the controul of, and commiflioned by the direftor general at New- Amfterdam. Johan Paul Jaquet was the firft vicc- dire<5tor, or lieutenant-governor, of South Riven His fucceflbrs were Alricks, HinojofTa, and Wil- liam Beekman. The poftcrity of the lift remains among us to this day. Thcfe lieutenants had po- wer to grant lands, and their patents make a pare : of f it." The governor and council anfwcred, that they * T. Dixwel, efq. one of Charles I's judges, and excepted out of the general pardon, lived many years at New-Haven (incog.) in quality of a country merchant : Sir Edmund An- doofs, in one of his tours through the colony of Connefticut, faw him there at church, and ftrongly fufpe^^ed him to be one of the regicides. In his lafl illnefs, he revealed himfelf to the minider of the town, and ordered a fmall ftpne to be fet at the head of hio grave, which I have often feen there, infcribed, T. D. Efq. While at New-Haven, he went under the name of John Davis. yrouW Cfc U cc ci Ci 44 44 44 44 (4 f 44 44 C4 c goveN cc, Col- l thence cataway. governor he com- vith the tance of rge Car- , Bennet, ickward- l in their ►eing the n to the id driven uefpring n the re- n a door, who were :onfidera- eft itfelf, :rct made i Bovern- lim them ir march ruft enfu- . other af- ntyfit." hat they d excepted ew-Haven mund An- onne£ticut, 1 to be one iifelf to the fet at the infcribed, r the name vyould If E W -t OR K. ■ ' ii . .. ■ ,, •' ■ ■ • '"J , "I. ^6\\\d ^flembl^ the i^eneral court, and cOmmunr'^ cate the proppfal to tneiti^ - - Frompofton, a fecond lettpr.was written to Go- vcrnour, Winthrop in Gonne<5licut, dated the 29tH of July;, in ^yhich he #as informed, that the ptj^er Ihips.werit then arrivedi and yi^puld iail with the, firft fair wind* and he vi^as delired to meet the^ at the weft ^nd of Long Ifland. _ ■>■ , :..' ' One pf the ^ips entered the bay of the North Riveri federal days before the reft ; and as fobn as they were all come up^ Stoy vefaiit fent a letter dated II of Ailguft, at Foift AnilJi direfted to the com- manders of ,the,Engli(h frigates^ by John Declyer^ . • one of techief council, thfe Reverend JoKn Mega-^ polenfis p?itiiftefi Paul Lunder Vander Grilft ma* jor, and Mr* $amuel Megapolenfis^ doftor in phy-^ |ic, .with the utmoft civility, to defire the reafon of their apprdath, and contihuipg in tl^e harbour of ^aijarjij, without giving notice to the iD,utch, which (he writes) they Ought to have done. ' . Colonel, NicoUs ^rifwercd-the next d^y with a jTummohs; , > *' To the Honourable the Goviernors, arid Chief *:' , CJpuncil at the Marihattans; " Right Worthy Sirs, ,. : ;- . ^ " I received a letter by fome worthy perfonsSummpng to the ^i intruftedby you, bearing date »• of Auguft, de- Jrlt';:;;"; *' firihg to knov/the interit of the approach of the »»<* *«t8 to th^ « Englifh frigates • in return of which, I think i; ZT '*' ^''*" fit to let you know, that his Maj^fty qf Great Britrin; whofe right and title to thefe parts oi America is tinqueftiohable, well knowings how much it derogates from his crown and dignity^ " to fufFer any foreigners, how near foevef they be ** allied, to ufurp a dominion, and without hi3 Ma-- " jetty's royal corifent^ to inhabit in thdc; ,or any f * other of bis Majefty's territories^ hath itonim^d-;. !' ed me, in his name, to require a furrebder of all « -; 'V ft TrtEftiS^TOUYOP ** foch forts^ toWnlB, ct '^tict& of itreAgth^ which ** are now poflefled by chc Dutch, under your ** cotnrtiands •, "and hi his Majefty*s name^ I do de- '* tnaiid d^etown^ fiEu^e on (he ifland, <:ommonIy ^< ki^cNvn by the name tff Manharoes, ttrithallthe '* fotts thereunto belonging, to be reindeied unto ** his Majefty^ c^diewce itid protedlion, into «iy ** hands. 1 am further commanded to itflure you^ an^ every teCpeOAvt ilnhabitant of Ae i>utch ha- tipn, that his Maje% being ttodit bf the efi^fioil of dhriftife blood, dO!^ by thde j)refdM:s^ con* firm and fecure to eveiy mito his eftaie, l^j and libeny, who Hiall readily fubntrit to ms ^ov«rni ** tticrtt. And all thofe who (hall oppofe his Mft* jefty*$ gracious inten*i6n, ittuft expd^ ail the »ii-» ferites of a war Which #hey bring upon tlktfi'^vesj ** I fhall expeft ydUt anlwer by difefe gentlemen, •• Gblonel Geofge Carteret, One of his Majefly*^ ** tothrtiiflioners in America ; Ga^am Robert " Needham, GaptrfiA Edwalxi Qrm6s, Sttid Mf^ ** Thomas DelavaH, wfhdm you will eiiltelrtain with' ** fuch civility as is due to them^ and y^fttt^felves ^* iuid yours Ihall receive the fame, from* <«l>atea on l>9ard hii Ma- ** Worthy Sirs, « jefty'j ihip, the Guyny, «t Yt)tfi- vtff V hum^fe fervant «« riding before Naych, th« "^""^ ^"X nuniDlC lervanty « *4 of Aug. 1664. "RlGHARBNifcoLLS/* cc «c «c xr te. Stviyvefant promifed aifi anfwer to the fum^ jjhons %he next morning, and in the meah «ime cotr-^ vened the council and burgomaflers. The Dutch remor was a good fddier, and had loH a leg \ti feirvice of the &ates* He would wtUingly iia ve ttitlik ^ defiznce : and I'efufed a fight of the fum- molis, both to the icthabitants and btirgomafisrs'^ Jed the eafy terms offered^ might induce them to^ capitulatew The ktter, however, infifisd upon j| copYi that they might communicate it to '€be late -jnagkh^tes and principal Burghers. They called l^^tr liie iflhabi«tnt» a6 the Stadt^hbofe, and 'ao> (^uainted «* *hj *' th( •^ w^ ^ h\ '* tue ••the which r your dode- all the d isnto [itomy reyou^ tch ha- sffufioA (fej and lis Mtt* the«ii-» itletiienj /lajefty*^ Robert |Wd Mfi^ fervant^ fcolLs" :he ium^ me cxjiT- t Dutch a kg iA glyiiavt hefum- irtiaftcrsr^ them tbr upon ^ * fealed by our' faid Lords, the States General, dire<5ked to feveral perfons, both Englilh and Dut^h*. inha^ biting the towns and villagies on Long Ifland, (which without doubts have been produced be- tore you, by thofe inhabitants) by which they are declared and acknowledged to be their fub- jefts, with ex)^refs command, that they <:ohtinue faithful unto tjien^ under penalty , of incurring their utmoft difpleafure, wnich makes it appear more clear than the fun at noon-day/ that your firft foundation, viz, (that the right and title of his Majefty of Great Britainy to; thefe pAits, of America is unqueftionable) is abfolutely to; be denied. Moreover, it is without 4i|put% .and acknowledged by the wQrld^ that our predecef^ fors, by virtue oi the commiflion and patent of " the faid Lords, the States General, have without controul and peaceably (the contrary never com* ing to our knowledge) enjoyed Fort Orange^ about forty-eight or fifty years, the Manhattans;^ about fqrty-one or forty-two years, t|ie South River, forty years, and the Frefli Water River about thirty-fix years* Touching the fecond fubjeft of your letter, viz. His Majefty hath commandeqnie, in his name, to require a fur- render of all fuch forts, towns, or places of ftrength, which now are poiTefled by the Dutch^ widtT your command. , W« ihall anfwer, that (( I «( (( u (( cc ^^g alfo fo apparent, that none ^ otticr than my f^icj XfO^dsi the States General, ** have any right' to tifiefe provinces, ajid confe- .'• quemj[y Qugkt to ppmniand and rfJ^jntain their f fubje<3s, and in their abfence, we fh6 Governor •' General arc obliged to maintain theijf fights, anq ,** to r?pet and take rcyenge of all ^hreatnings, un- ** juft attempts, or any force whatfoever. that fhall f be commitit^d againft ^heir faitl^ful fuoje6ls and, ^*. inhabitant, it being a very confiderable thing, f* to ^iffont fo mighty a ftate^ although it were ho^ " ^gainK an ally >hd confederate. Confequently^ <* if nis fajd Majeft^ (as it is fit) were well infornied ** of all that could b^ fppken upon this fijbjed, he would not approve of what expr^lTic^ were mcn^ rioiied in your letter •, which are, that you arp com- ;** manded by his Majcfty, to demand in (lis name, fuch places and fbrtrefTes as are iq poljeflion or the putch under my government ; which, as i^ appears by my comii>ifli6n before-mentioned, was given me by mv Lord^, the High and Mighty States Generaj, And there is lefs ground in the, ex;prefs demand of my government, fin^e all ^he f' world knows, that about three years agone, fome ♦* Englifti frigates being on thp coaft of Afnca, uppn a pretended commidTion, they did demianq certain places linder the government 6f our faid Lords, the States General, as Cape Vcfrt, Rjve^ pf Gambp, ^nd ajl other places in Guyriy to theni belonging, Upon which, oiir faid Lords,* th^j '*f States General, by virtue of the ^.it'clesof peace, | ** haying made appear the faid atienipt to his Ma- f ' j efty of England, they received a ^ypurable an- t* feft 1^5 f^4 Majefl;y difaillowiog:)^ ,fph ^6ts\ v;', ,':' ' ' ■ ■ . ' ■' ■■-...,. .. ■ Tfll (« (( ft, u it, i« it « rd8, ** the Spates Gener^, 9gainft which they may defend ^' themfelves as they fhall think fit. To conclude ; '' w^cs^nnpt but declare unto you, though tlie go^ ** vernws s^nd flonunflionprs of his M^efty have ** divert times (|u^rrelled with, us, about the bounds f' of thi^juri^i^ion of tt;^Iiighand Mighty the ^' Stpi^s (^erai, in thcf^ parts, yet they never *' qvie^iQned their iurifdi<5tion itielf } on the con^r '' ^%ryi ip the y«ar i6^0j at Hartford, and the ^' l^ft y^ar £|( Bofton, they treated wii^h ^s lipon this *' fubje^, which is a fu^ient proof, that his Ma^ •^ jefty hath neVcr been well informed of the <* equity of our caufe, infomuch as we cannot imar *< gine, in regard of the articles of peace, between »' the ^rpwn pf England an^^ the States Qeheral^ ♦' (un^er whom there are fp many fubje^s in Amoh >* rica, ^ well as £uro{)e) that his f^id Marefty of ^^ Grfeat Britain would give a commiflion ;p niple^ •* and endama^ge the fupje^s of my f^^d tords, the ^^ 3ta^tes General, efpeciaUy fuch, as ever fince fifty, *' fprty, and the lateft thirty-g^ years have quietly " enjoyed their lands, countries, forts, and inheri- .•' tances i and Icfs, that his fubje£lts would attempt >f any 4Cts of hoftilky or violence lagainft them : f^ s^h Qife thait you will aA by force of arm^ C 4 ** wc %» H' T «t 1 H I S T O R Y O F *f we proteft' and' declare, in the name bf our faid '* Lords, the States General, before God and men " that you will a£t an unjuft violence, and a breacK •' of the articles of peace^ fo folemnly fworn, agreed " upon, and ratified by his' Majeffy of England^ '•' and my LorSs/the States General, and the rather ^' for that toprevent the Iheddihg of blood, in the f^ month of February laft, we treated with Captain f* John Scott, (who repoi'ted he had a commiffion *' from his faid Majefty) touching the limits of *' Long Ifland, and concluded for the fpace of a f' year j that ip the mean time, the bufihefs might *' be treated on between the King of Gpcat Britain^ " and my |-.ords, the High and Mighty States Ge- ** neral : ' and again, at prefent, for the hinderance f^ and prevention of all differences, and the fpilling ** of innocent blood, not only in thefe parts, but ** alfo in Europe, We offer unto7ou, a treaty by our deputies, Mr. , Cornelius Van Ruyven, Se- cretary and receiver of New-Holland; Cornelius Steenwich, burgomafter, Mr. Samuel Megapolen- fis do6bor of phyfic, ahd Mr* James Gouflcau, *' heretofore fherifF. As tjsuching the threats in your *' conclufion we have nothing to anfwer, only that " we fear notfeing, laut what God, (who is as juft *' as merciful) fliall lay upon us 5 all things being *' in his gracious difpofal, and we may as well be " preferVtd by him, with fmall forces, as by a f * great ^rmy, ' which makes us to wifh you all " happinVs and profperity„ and recommend yoii f* to his proteftion.' My lords, your thrice '* humble, and afFeftionate fcrvant and friend, figned P. Stuyvefant. — ^At the Fort at Am^ fterdam, the fccond o!f September, New Stil^, 1664." (( «c cc (C «e While the Dutch Governor and council were coft^ tendingwirh the burgomailers ^d people in the qity, - ^' the N 5 W - Y O R ft.' . the Engliih comtniilioners publilhed a proclama- jcioti** in the country, encouraging the inhabitants to fubmit, and promiling them the King*s prote^ioh, and all the privileges of fubjedh •, and as loon a^ they difcoyered by Stuyvefant's letter, that he was averfe to furrender, ofiicers were fent to beat up for voluntiers in Middlebo.rough, Uliflen, Jamaica, and Hempfted. A warrant was alfo iflfued to Hugh Hide, who commanded the fquadron, to profecute the reduftiob of the fort ; and an Engliih Ihip then grading here, was prefled into the fervice. Thefc preparations induced Stuveyfant to write another letter, on |he 25th of Auguft, old ftyle, wherejn, though he declares that he would ftand the litorm, yet to prevent the fpilling of blood, he had feht John, de . Decker, counfellor of ft^te, Cornelius Van Riven, fccretary and receiver, Cornelius Steen- wych major, and James Coufleau (hcrifF, to confult, if poinble, an accommodation. Nicolls, who knew the difpofition of the people, anfwered immediately from Gravefend, that he would treat about nothing but a furrender. The Putch governor, tl^e ne^ct * It was In thefe words : ** Forafmuch {|s his Majefty haf h f * fent us (by commiffion under his great feal of England) f f an)ongft other things, to expell, or to reduce to his Ma- ** jefty*8 obedience, all fuch foreigners^ as without his Maje- J* fty*p leave and confet^t, have ^at^d themfelves amongil- *' any of his dominions in America, to the prejudice of ^la, ** Majefty's fubjefts, and diminution of his royal dignity ; we y his faid ]V(a)eily's commiilioncrs do declare and ptomile, that ** whofoever, of what nation foever, wijl, upon knowledge of ** this proclamation, acknowledge and tedify themfelves, to f * fubmit to this his Majefty*s government, as his good fubjeds, " il^U be protected in his Majefty 's laws and juftice, and f peaceaj^ly epjoy whatfoever God's hlefling, and their own •• honeft indqftnr, have fumiftied them with; and all other ** privileges with his Majefty's Englifli fubjcfis. We hjive ♦* caufed this to be publifhed, that Aye might prevent all ip- ** conveniences to others, if it were poflible j however, to ** clear ourfelves from the charge of all thofc milferies, that ^^ may any way befall fuch as live here, and will acknowledge f * hij^ Majefty for their fovereign, whom God preferve." ' ; f ' ' ""' " day, ■;k: M^ THEHISTORYOF (day, agreed tp ^ treaty and furrender, on conclitl zcns, and Ihall enjoy their lands, houfes, goo^s, wherefoever they arp vfithjn t^js country, and dilpofe of them as they pleai^. ' IV. *' If any inhabi^nt have a mind to pemoye f* himfelf, he (hall have a year and fix weeks from this day, to remove himfelf, wife, chil4?en, fer- vants, goods, and to difpofe of his lands herei V. " If any officer of ftate, or public njinifter of ftate, haye a mind to go for Eoglamd, they ftiall ^ ' u be cc <( C6 4( CC (( «c be Jf fi W . V O R K. f fa(S tcanfported freight free, in his Majeftv's fri- f^-gates, Wnenthefe fVigattt fliall return thither. VI. *• U is confcntcd to, that any people may ,*^ fircely ppmc frorn the Netherlands, and plant in ^ tbiu colijny, and that Dutch vcflfels may freely •• come hithfT^ and any of the Dutch may freely ^ return home, or ftnd any fort of merchandize V home, in vends of jheir own country, ^ VII. •* AH fhlps from the Nerhcrlwds, or any f* other place, an^ goSds therein, fhall !be received ^ here, and lent' hence, after the manner which •* formerly they were, before our coming hither, for ♦* dx months next cnfuing. Vrtl. ^' "file Dutch here ihall enjoy the libcrtv ** of thei-r confticnces in divine worlhip and churcl^ f« diippline, ' IX; ^ No Di|tchman here, or Dutch (hip hcre^ »• fliall upon any occafion, be preflcd to fcrve iQ> ♦' war agarnft any nation whatfocvcr. 3ty ** That the townfmen of the Manhattans, f* il^atl t^ot haye any foldiprs quartered upon them, ♦* withofut bting fatisfied and paid for them by their **' officers, and th^it at this prefent, if the fort be i^ not capable of loi3giBg all the foldiers, then the' ?* bur«D|ftiafters, by their officers, (hall appoint fonie 1* houfcs capable to receive them. X^j. ^^ The Dutch here (hall enjoy their owi> ♦• (aiftotns concerning their inheritances. '^ Xll. ** All public -writings and records, which ^^ Concern the inheritances of any people, or ^' the reglement of the church or poor, or or- «* phans, fliall be carefully kept by thofe in whole f* hands how they are, and fuch writings as parti- *• Cuhriy Concern the States General, may at any V time be fent to them. ;Xl|L •* Ko judgment that has paflfed anyjudi- j?* cature here, (hall be called in queftiori, but if any y* conceive that he hath not had ju(tice done him, if if be app^ himfelf to the States General, the ^ ' '■''' *" ■ ■ ^ ' ^* other •f $M «i iC T H E H IS TO R V OF. ^* Other party ihall be bound to anfwer, the Aip« i^ pofcd injur V. , ; ♦, XIV, ** Ir any Dutch, living here, ttalj at any ** time defire to travail or traHic ipto England, or ** anv plape, or plantatipn, in obedience to his Ma< ^* jefty of England, or with the Indians, he ihall •* have (upon his rcqucft to the governor) a pcrti- '^ ficate that he is a free denizen of this place, and ** liberty to do fo. XV, ** If it do appear, that there is a pub|ic en- gagement of debt, oy the town of the Manhattoes, and a way agreed on for the fatisfying of that engagement, it is agreed, that the lame way '* propofed (hall go on, and that the engagement •* (hall be fatisficd. XVI, " All inferior civil officers and magiftrates (l^all cpptinue as pow they are, (if" they pleafe) till the cultomary time of new eleiftions, and then new qncs tq be chofen by themfelves, pro- *' Vided that fuch new chofen magiftrates (hall take the oath of allegiance to his Majefty of England, before they enter upon their office. XV|/. ^^ All differences of coi^tra^ls and hvr gains made before this day, by any in this cqunr try, (hall be determified, accordifig t^ fhe manr *' ner of the Dwtch. XVlii; *« If it do appear, that tl>c ^eft-India company of Amfterdam, do really owe any fums of monejr to any perfqns here, it is agreed that recognjcipn, and other duties payal^le by (hip^ going for the. Netherlands, t^e continued for n^ " months longer. XIX. " The officers military and foldiers, (hall ** march out with their arms, drums beating, and " colours flying, ard lighted matches j sind if any " of them will plant, they (hall have fifty acre^ " of land fet out for them ; if any of them wJU ferve as feryants, they (hall continue with ajl fafety, and become free denizens afterwards. XX. ^' If •■■■ ^''JaibesCo«flfea«i-^^'^^ ■"----,■■■■- -■■ -' " -•^■^•^ •.,« ^lobertCarri ' - ■ i '■ " George Carteretji -2- * Jcfhn Wfntllfop, ^* SamudWiHys, ' M ThortiaisOinfe^ V • ^ *' John Ifinchott. -^'^ ■ « I do confcnt to thefe articlcs^^ i? ■■.•,..- S. . -..,-i *'f. ,(4 '-.-tr-r. 5> Thefe ardclesj fevdtirable as they wetfe td the inh^bjtatitj^ were ho#cyct very dJw^iW^iiBJef- f6 the Dutdi Governor, land he Ifherdfore tthM- t/b, ratify them till two days ftfker they ivere fign^ by the comrniffioiici^. ^ r , The toWit of NcW-^'m^Manr, «p6n "flie? reduc- tion of the iftand Matifhattaftsi took "tltt rta^e of New-York. It c6rififted of feveraJ fittsdl^reet^J laid olit in the year 1656, andvras liotiriconfidera- ble for the httn[iber<)f its hottfes arid ifthal^t&hts'. The eafy terms of the capitulaiidn, f]*iP6rrtif^ theii* peaceable ftibjeftion to the new g6verhri*fe|it f and henoe we find^ that in two days afar the IbWtrife^ the'Boflbhaid was difmifledjVithi^ tharifeS d^the eommiffioncrs to the general court. MUdibdls And the South River were^ hoWetcr, ftill w bnedi^&f^ the Dutch at Fort Orange. The garriiori capitu- htcd on the 24th of S^tember, and he cdlfed if Albany^ in honour of the Duke. While Carterdi, i^«s hertsj he had an intcrrieur with tint Indians of , .N E W . V O R K. 51 the Five Nations^ andr^rttercd intor* league of f riendlhip with theitt, which remarkably continues this day.* Sir Robert (jJarr wa^ equally fuccefsful on Sbuth liiver, ^r he-conlpelltfd both^^e EkJtfeh and the Swedes to capitulate and deliver up their garrifons the firft^of October, 1664 j and that was The En^JiA te- the day in which the Whole -^ew-Netherland be-^rwhdfcTunl came fubjeft to the Englilh crown. Very few oft'y.oft. 1,1664, the inhabitants thought proper to remove but o|^ the country* Governor Stuyvefant himfclf held . Ms'6!(^afteand diiedliefe. His rm^alm we^ int^i^e^ ki * "^hal^i Which he liftd erected on his own farn% <^ At i^iin^i'drftanicfe frovfi the t^ty, now polTefied by Ms^ahdfelreiSei^dils^uyvefant, a tn&n bf probity, whd Hlii%6efi^lcf6led into the magiftracy above thirty yfearb fiibceflively. Ji<;ftice obliges me to -declare^ that fbf loj'alty to the pfdcnt reigning family, and a ptrre sfttachment to the Proteftant rcKgion, the de- Icefttots of the Dutdi planters arc pemaps cxsceed- fed by rtoiie of his Mftjewy's ftibjeds. ' "^ We ©dtiSh ttrei* ftnfiWte of the imp6i«ailc&of jpreTefVinjj iih itMi^ttu^ted arnif y with diofe Indians, fer they were, both tery Jdunienraf «nd wartike. The French purfued quite dif* • f^M'ent meafuresjt and the irruptions of thofe tribes, according tottieiirbwh authors, havo oftehteduced Canada to thebriafc 4 —■'■ T H I f HE HISTORY OF N E W - X O R .'i* i! htif. ... .... ..! ,,f ,. ■ PAR t li: Colonel Nicolls is the firft Eng- lifli goTernor,in ,4664. From the Surrender in 1664, /^ the Settlement itt tU Revolution. Richard Nicolls. being now poflefled of the caan-i try, took the government upon him, under the ftile of " deputy -goyt^nor ^urider his Rpyal V Highnefs the Dulce of York, of all his, territoj '* ries in America." During hjs fliort concinvia^i^ce here, he pafled 9 vaft number of, grants and ^(^oii- jirmatipns of the ancient Dutchi patents, the pro- fits of which muft have been very confiderable. Among the^, no onehasoccafioBed more animated contention, than thajc called tji? Elizabeth Town Grant in New Jerfey ; which, as it relates to ano- ther colony, J ftiould not have mentioned,: biiit for the opportunity to caution the reader againfb; the reprelentation of that contrb^erfy cont-ained in pduglaft's fummary. I have fufficient rcaf6ris tb juftity my charging that account with partiality and miftakes 5 and tor proofs, refer to the printed anfwer in chancery, publifhed in the year 1751. Befides the chief commahd of this province^ Nicolls had a joint power * with Sir Robert Carr, * The commillion from Kihg Charles II. was dated th6 i6th of April, 1664. After a recital of difputes concerning limits in New £ngland, and that addrefles had beenfeni liomt from the Indian natives, complaining of abufes received from the ^nglifh fubje£ts ; the commiffioners, or anjr three or two of them', of which Nicolls was to be one, were authorifed to "tiBi; the New England colonies, and determine all compUuntg military, civil, and criminal, according to their difcr^tion, and fuch inilru^tiotis as they might receive from the crown* eatterct^ u kc cc ic " I C 33 i, 1664. k ^ w . Y 6 R. Ki , darteret and Maverick to fettle the contefted boun- daries of certain great patents. Hence we find, that three of them had a conference with feveral gentle- men from ConnefticiJti refpefting the limits of this and that colony. The refult was an abjudication^ in thefe words : " By virtue 6£ his Majefty's commifllon^ ive Settlement oi have heard the difference, about the bounds of Jj^'^jj^"/^'^^^^',; the pa«:eni,s granted to his Royal Highnefs the andconneaicuti I>uKe of York j and his Majefty's colony d^Con- ^" * "'"'' nefticutj and having deliberately conndered all the reafons alledged by Mr. AJlyn, fen. Mr Gol^^ Mr. Richards, and Captain Winthropj appoint- ed by the aflembly hejd at Hertford the 13th of Oftp^er, 1664, to accpmpany John Winthrop^ Efq. the governpr o,f his Majefty's colony of Connedlicut, to NisW York; and to agree upon the bounds of the faid colonyj why the faid. Long Iilai)cJ Ihould be- under the government of Conncfticut, vjrhich are too long here to be re- citcdi ive do declare ar^d prderj that the foutherji bounds of his Majesty's cplcJny of Conne^licutj is the fe^, apd that Long Iftaiid is to be under the government of his .Royal IligHnefs the Duke of York,, as isexp^refled by plaifl words, in the faid patents, refpeaivelyj and alfo by virtue of his Majefty's commiflioni and the cpnfent of both the goveriiors and tjie. gentleman above-named; We alfo order and declare, that the trpek or iriveir called Mamarpneck, wHicK is rejiutjcd tp.be about thirteen miles to the eaft of Weft-Chefter^ and a Ijne dra^^n from the eaft point or fide^ where the iripfh water falls into the fait, at high water mfirk, nprth-north-welt to the line of the Maflachufets, be the weiftern bounds of the faid colony of ConqefUcut^ and all plantations lying weft ward of that creek and line^o^'drawnj td be under his Rpyal Highriefs's government ^ and all plantations lyin^ eaitwarc^pf |ha| cfi&ek and '«< it U »'4 #*-*4 30 i^Hfe H I STOR Y OF from theenterprife, for the Englilh peaceably helci poffeflion of the country during the whole war^; ^hich was concluded i)n the twenty-firft of July« 1667, by the treaty of Breda. Some are of opi- nion, that the exchange made with the Dutch lor Surinam, which they had taken from us was ad- vantageous to the nation ; but tliefe judges do not confivelace, a colonel^ wai appointed by iov"nmenV?n t?^'^ Pukc, to fuccccd Nicplls in thc government of May, 1667.' the province^ which he began to exercife in M^]^* 1667. As he was a man iS* great m<>deration, the people live4 very peaceably un4er hipn, till the re- i.' . fuirender ^« «« 1 «« 1 « 1 ft i if ?* i it cc C( (C ft Ci '«( war, in k EW - Y O R IC. furrender of the colony, which put an end to his power, and is the only event that iignalized his -ad- hiiniftration. The ambitious defjgns of Louis XIV. againft I''* . ''"'"^ the Dutch, gave rife to pur war wijch the States i^jl **'* General in 1672. Charles II. a prince funk in pleafures, proBigate and poor, was eafily ;,detached from his alliance with the Dutch, by the intrigues and pecuniary promifes of the French King. The following paflage from a fine writer,* fhews that *- his pretences for entering into the war, were ground- jcfs and trifling, « The Kingof England, on his fide^ reproached f* them with difrepeft, in hot diredling their fleet ** to lower the flag before an Englifli (hip ; and ^' they were alfo accx|fed.in regard to a certain pic- " ture, wherein Cornelius de Witt, brother to the *' penfionary, was painted with the attributes of a ^' conqueror. §hip$ were reprefented in th(^ back *' ground of the piece, either taken or burnt. Cor- f nelius de Witt, who had really had a great fliare f in the nnaritime exploits againit England, hac^ f^ permitted this trifling memorial ofh|sgl6ry : but f* the pifturd, which was in a manner qnknown^ ?* was deported in a chamber wherein fcarce any *' body ever entered. The Erjlifh miniflers who f* prefented the complaints of their Kirtg againft !' Holland, it) writing, therein mentioned certain " abufive piiStures. The States, who always trdn- ijated the memorials of ambaflfadors into French, having rendered abufive, by the werds fduHfs trompeurs, they replied, they did not know what thefe roguijh pi£lures (ces tableaux trompeuh) " were. In reality, it never in the leaft entered ^* inp tl^eir thoughts, that it concerned this p6r- ;7 cc C( u c« VoltaireJs ^ge of Louie ^^V^ ■P3 ■:' ^f trait 38 THE HISTORY OF *' trait of one of their citizens, nor did they ever V conceive this could he a pretence for declaring " war." country, July, 1673. j Commodores. J^Cap tains. The Dutch re- A fcw Dutch Ihips arrived the year after on the eon Since they became acquainted with the Euro- peans, their warlike apparatus is a mulket, hatchet,,* and a long knife. Their bays ftill accuftom them- fclves to bows and arrows, and are fo dextrous in the ufe of them, that a lad of fixtcen will ftrike^ an Englifh fhilling five times in ten, at twelve or four" teen yards dillance. Their men are excellent markfmen, both with the gun and hatchet ; their dexterity at the latter is verj' extraordinary,, for they rarely mifs the objeft though at a confiLdcTja- ble diftance. The hatchet in the flight perpetually turns round, and yet always ftrikes the rtiark wjth the edge. ' . J, Before they go out, they have a feaft upon dog^s fiefli, and a great war dance. At thefe, the war- riors, who are frightfully painted with vermillion, rife up and fing their own exploits, or thofe of their anceftors, and thereby kindle a military en thuHafm in the whole company. The day after the dance, they march out a few miles in a row, obferving a profound filence. The procefllon being ended, they ftrip the bark from a large oak, and pain*; the defign of their expedition on the naked trunk. The figure of a canoe, with the number of men in it, determines the ftrength of their party ; and by a deer, a fox, or fome other emblem painted at the head of it, we difcover againft what nation they are gone out. * Hence to take up the hatchet, is with them a phfafe fig- nifying to declare war ; as on the c0iitrary to bury it, denotes the eftabUHiment of a peace. The l'> in 4C, by a It the ;yare The , N E W - Y O R K. ,vj The Five Nations being devoted to war, eve^y . krt is contrived to diffufe a military fpirit through the whole body of their paople. The ceremonies at^ding the return of a party *, feem calculated in particular for. that purpol'e. The day before they enter the village, two heralds advance; and at a fmall diftance fet up a yell, which by its modulation intimates either good or bad news. If the former; the village is alarmed, and an entertainment pro- vided for the one )rSj who in the mean time approach in f,_^t: t of theni bears '.w fcalps ftretched over a bow, and elevated upon a long pole. The boldeft man in the. town comes out, and re* ceives it, ind ihftantly flies to the hut were the reft are coUefted. If he is overtaken; he is beaten un- mercifully : but if he out-runs the purfuer, he pat- ticipates in the honour of the victors, who at their . firlt.cntranf^ nouncing them, render the fpeech extremely ,ff rough and difficult. The verbs never change :^^ in their terminations, as in Latin, Greek, and ** Hebrew, hut all tJieir variations are prefixed. ^^ Befides the fingular and plural, they have alfo *^ the dual number. A ftrange tranfpofition' of *f r fyllables of different words, EupbonU ^ratidy is *' very common in the Indian tongue, ot which I " will give an inftance. Si * If Tye had a good d'ldionary, marking the quantity as well as emphaiis of every fyllable in the Englim language, it wrould conduce to an accuracy and uniformity of pronunciation. The dignity of ftyle, fo far as the ear is concerned, conlifts princi- p^ly in generous feet ; and perhaps it may be a juft remark that no fentence, unlefs in a dialogue, ends well without a full found* Gordon and Fordyce rarely fwerve from this rule, and Mr. Mafon, an ingenious authur, has lately written with great ap- plaufc, , on this attribute of ftyle. E3 0gtll» 54 THE HISTORY OF *( oullla figu'-fie* fire, and cawituniia great, but iuAead of ** joining the adjeftive and lubilantive to fay great fire, ca- > ** wauniiA OgUla, both words would be blended into this one, - *' co-giUa-waunna* ' " Thediale6t of the Oneydas, is foftcr than that *J of the other nations j and the realbn is, becaufc ' ** they have more vovvpls, and often fupply the' " place of harlh letters with liquids : inftead of R, " they always ufe L: Rebecca would be pro- *' nounccd Lenuecca/' The ajTt of public fpeaking is in high efteem • among the Indians, and much ftudied. They arc • extremely fond of method, and difpleifed with an • irregular harrangue, bccaufe it is difficult to be re- . membercd. Wnen they anfwer, they repeat the- whole, reducing it into (Iridt order, Their fpecches' are Ihort, and the fenfe conveyed in ftrong meta- phors. In converfation they afe fprightly, but fo- iemn and ferious in their meffages relating to pub-' lie affairs. Their fpeakcrs deliver thcmfeives with' furprifmg force and great propriety of gefture.' The fiercenefs of their countenances, the flowing blanket, elevated tone, naked arm, and ereft fta- ture, with a ^fialf circle of auditors feated on the ground, and in the open air, cannot but imprels upon the mind, a lively idea of the ancient orators of Greece and Rome. At the clofe of every important part of the Ipeech, ratifying an old covenant, or creating a new one, a belt is generally given, to perpetuate the remem- brance of the tranfaftion Thefe belts are about four inches wide, and thirty in length. They con- fift of firings of conque fliell beads fattened toge- ther.* * Thofe beads which pafs for money, are called by the In- dians, Wampum, and by the Dutch,. Sevvant ; fix beads were formerly valued at a ftyver. There are always feveral poor fa- milies at Albany, who fupport themfelves by coining this calh for tbc traders. With V beu have who in it pie, ofth they moc fpea Som N £ \V . Y O R K. ss In- With refpefk to religion, the Indians may be faid to or tbe»r reii- be under the thickeft gloom of ignorance. If they «"""• have any, which is much to be queftioncd, thoic who affirm it, will find it difficult to tell us where- in it confifts. They have neither pricft nor tem- ple, facrifice nor altar. Some traces indeed appear, of the original law written upon their hearts j but they have no fyttem of doctrines, nor any rites and modes of public wor(hip. They are funk, un- fpeakably beneath the polite pagans of antiquity. Some confufed notions, indeed, of beings fuperior to themfclves, they have, but of the Deity and his natural and moral perfections, no proper or tolera- ble conceptions ; and of hi^ general and particu- lar providence they know nothing. They profefs no obligations to him, nor acknowledge their de- pendence upon him. Some of them, it is faid, are of opinion, that there are two diftinft, power- ful Beings, one able to help, the other to do them harm. The lattef they venerate moft, and fome alledge, that they addrcfs him by a kind of prayer. Though there are no public monuments of ido- latry to be feen in their country, yet the miffio- naries have difcovered coarfe imagery in wooden trinkets, in the hands of their jugglers, which the converts deliver up as deteftable. The fight of them would remind a man of letters of the Lares and Penates of the ancients, but no certain judg- ment can be drawn of their ufe. The Indians fometimes afiemble in large numbers, and retire far into the wildernefs, where they eat and drink in a profufe manner. Thefe conventions are called Ken- ticoy?. Some efteem them to be debauched revels or Bacchapalia •, but thofe who have privately fol- lowed them into ^hefe recefies, give fuch accounts of their condudi, as natqrally lead one to imagine, that they pay a joint homage and fupplication to fpme invifible Being. If wc fuppofe they have a P 4 rel%ioa ^< THE HISTORY OF fcligion, it is worfe than none, and raifes in the ac-. nerous mind mod melancholy ideas of their der praved condition. Little has beei^ done to illumi- nate thefe dark corners of the earth with the light of thcGofpel. The French priefts boaft indeed of their converts, but they have made more profelytes to politics than religion. Queen Anne fent a mif- fionary amonsft them, and gave him an appoint- ment out of the privy purfe. He was a man of a good life, but flow parts, and his fuccefs very inconfidcrable. The Reverend Mr. Barclay after- terwards refided among t|ie Mohawks but no fui^a- ble provifion being made for an interpreter, he was obliged to break up the million, |f the Englifh fociety for propagating the Gofpel; that truly ve- nerable body, inftead of maintaing mifllonaries in rich chriftian congregations alon^ the continent, expended half the amount of their annual contrir butions on Evangelifts among the heathen, befides the unfpeakable religious benefits that would, it !:; to be hoped, accrue to the natives, fuch a proceed- ing would conduce greatly to the fafety of our co- lonies, and his Majefty*s feryice. Much has been written upon this fubjed in America j * and why nothing to purpofe has yet been attempted in Eng- land, towards fo laudable a deficn, can only be attributed to the amazing falfehoods and mifrepre- fentations, by which fome of the mifllonaries have long impofed upon benevolent minds in Gre^t Bri- tain, t As * See Mr. Hobart-s letters to the epifcopalians in New England. The account of the Scotch mifiion at Stockbridge. Douglafs's fummary, &c. f Thi? is notonous to all who give themfelves the trouble of perufing the abilrafts of their accounts publiflied in £ng« land. It would be a very agreeable office to me, on this occafion, to didinguifh the innocent from the guilty, but that As N E W . Y O R K. As to the hiftory of the Five Nations, before their acquaintance with the Europeans, it is wrapt ^p in the darknefs of antiquity. It is faid that their firft refidence was in the country about Mont- real i and that the fiiperior (^rength of the Adi^ fuch a talk wpuld infallibly raife upa hoft ofenemiest Many pf the Miflionaries are n^en of learning and exemplary morals. Thefe in America are know and honoured^ and cannot be pre- judiced by an indifcrininate cenfure. Their joining in a re« prefentation for didinguiihing the delinquents, who are a dif- grace to the cloth, will ferve as a full vindication of themfeWet to the fociety. Mr. Ogilvie is, J believe, the only perfon nov.* employed by that charitable corporation among the Indians, and the greateft part even of his chargp is in the city < f Albany. All the Scotch miflionaries are among fhe heathen, and their fuccefs has been fuffici^nt to encourage any future attempts* Their is a regular fociety of Indian converts in New Jeriey ; and it is worthy of ren^ark, that not one of them haj apolta- ^ifed into heathenifm. Some of them have made fuch profi- ciences in pra£tical religion, as ought to fliame many of us, who boall the illuminating aids of our native chriftianity. Not one of thefe Indians has oeen concerned in thofe barbarous ir- ruptions, which have lately deluged the frontiers of the fout>. weftern provinces, with the blood of feyeral hundred innocents of every age and (ex. At the commencement of thefe ravages, they flew ipto the fettlements, and put themfelves under the protection of the government. Thefe Indians no fooner be- came chriftians, than they openly profefled their loyalty to King George ; and therefore to contribute to their convetnon, was as truly politic, as nobly chriflian. Thofe colonies which have done moil for this charitable defign, have efcaped beft from the late diifareiling calamities. Qf all the mimonaries, Mr. David Brainerd, who recoverd thefe Indians from the darknefs of pagani^, was mod fuccefsful. He died the 9th ofOdober, 1747, a viftim to his extreme morrvi.c;«?Jon and in- extinguiihable zeal, foi* the profperity of his miliion. Thofe who are curious to enquire particularly into he effects of his indefa- tigable induftry, may have recourfe to his journal, publiihed at Philadelphia, by the American correfpondents of the Scotch Society, in whofe fervice lit was ^nrployed. Dr. Douglafs, ever ready to do honour to his native countr}', after reinarking that this felf-denying clergyman rode about four hundred miles, in the year 1744, with an air of approbation, aflcs, ** Is there f * any milTionaiy, from any of the focieties for propagating f • the Gofpel in foreign parts, that has reported the like ?" rondacksy ii Corlear. 58 THE HIST O R Y OP rondacks, whom the French call Algoiiquins, drove them into their prefcnt pofleffions, lying on the fouth fide of the MoL^virks River, and the great Lake Ontario.* Towards the clofe of thofc dilputes, which continued for a great feries of years, the Confederates gained advantages over the Adiron- dacks, and ftruck a general terror into all the othef Indians. The Harons on the north fide of the Lake Erie, and the Cat Indians on the fouth fide, were totally conquered and difperfed. The French, who fettled Canada in 1603, took umbrage at their fuccefs, and began a war with them which had well ^n expedition njgh rujned the new colony. In autumn, 1665, cVnVda^Tg^a^nft Mr- Courcelles, the governor, fent out a party theMohawkin-againft thc Mohawks. 1'hrough ignorance of the dian$,ini66s. ^.Q^pi^y^ ^j^^ (jjg ^^nt of frjow-flioes, they were almoft perilhed, when they fell in \jrith Schenectady^ And even there the Indians would have facrificed them to their barbarous rage, had not Cprlear, a Dutchman, interpofed to proteft them. For this feafonable hofpitality, the Frepch governor invited him to Canada, but he was unfortunately drowned in his pafiage through the Lak^ Champlain. It is in honour of this man, who was a favourite of the Indians, that the governors of Kew York, in all * Cbarievoix, ia partiality to the French, liimits the coun? try of the Five Nations, on the north, to the forty-four ih de- gree of latitude ; according to which, alt the country on the norrh fide of the Lake Ontario, and the river iffuing thiince to Montreal, together with a coniiderable tfa£t of land on the fouth fide ot that river, belongs to the French. Nenncpin, a ^ecol- let friar, has more regard to truth than the Jefuit { for he tells us in effect, that the Iroquois polTeiTed the lands on the north, as well as the fouth fide of the Lal^e, and mentions feveral of their villages in 1679, viz. Tejajahon, Kente, and Ganneoufle. The map in his book agrees with the text. Charlevoix is at variance with his geographer ; for Mr. Bellin, befides laying down thefe towns in the map, contained in the fifth volume, writes on the north fide of the protradiop of Lake Ontario, X^os 'roquois du Nord. their, their I lear. wholl into cefs of fii throi ano. I'leir . N E W - Y O R K. S!^ tlieir treaties, are addreffed by the name of Cor- lear. Twenty light companies of foot, sind the f,^^f"Jiif^' whole militia of Canada, marched the next fpring into the country of the Mohawks ; but their fuc- cefs wajs vaftly unequal to the charge and labour of fuch a tedious march of feven hundred miles, through an uncultivated defart ; for the Indians, on their approach, retired into the woods, leaving behind them fome old Sachems, who preferred death to life, to glut the fury of their enemies, fhe emptinefs of this parade on the one hand, and the Indian fearful neks of fire-arms on the other, brought about a peace in 1667, which continued ^pe^cebetweej for feveral years after. In this interval both the indiari"in 1667. Englifh and French cultivated a trade with the natives very profitable to both nations. The lat- ter, however, were moft politic and vigorous, and filled the Indian country with their miffionaries. The Sieur Perot, the yery year in which the peace was concluded, travelled above 1200 miles weftwaird, making prolelytes pf the Indians every where to the French intereft. Gourcelles appears ^ to l)^ve been a man of art and induftry. He took cvijry meafure in hi§ power for the defence of Ca- nada. To prevept the irruptions of the Five Na- tions by the way of Lake Champlain, he built fe- veral forts in 1665, between that and the mouth of the River Sorel. In 1672, juft before his return to France, under pretence of treatir^g with the Indians more commodioufly, but in reality, as Charlevoix exprefles it, f to bridle them," he obtained their leave to ered a fort at Caderacqui, or Lake On-BuiWinfofFort tario, which Count Frotenac, his fucceflbr, com-^^^^^^J^ pleated the following fpring, and called after his in 167a. own name.-f* The command of it was afterwards f In May 1 721, It was a Iquare with four baftjons, built of ftone, being a quarter of a French league in circumference ; before it are many fmall iflands, and a good harbour, and be- hind it a morafs. Charlevoix. given y 60 THEHIStORYOF given to Mr. De la Salle, who, iii 1678, rebuilt It with (tone. This cntcrprifing perfon, the fame giar, launched a bark of ten tons into the X.ake ntario, and another of fixty tons, the year aifter, into Lake Erie ; about which time he ihclofed with pallifadpcs, a little fpot at Niagara; ' • Colonel Dongaii Though the Dukc of York had preferred G^Ib- ""tlTitrofNew*^^ Thomas Dongan to the government of thfe S^^Cin°I68^. province on the 30th of September, r68^, h«? did not arrive here till the 27th of Auguft in thfc foll^- ingyear. He was a man of integrity, moderatSbri, and genteel manners, and though a profeflfed pa- pift, may be clafled dmong the beft of our gover- nors. , ■ ':-^-' -' ii^^'vij." ,:■ ii (. '■■■ .ntjis' The peoplie, wholiadbfedrt formerly i^trfiat tlie will of the Duke's deputies, began their firft bjtti- cipation in the legifkttve power undet* ColottelDon- . gan, for Ihortly after his arrival, he iflued orders The firft affem. to the flieriffV to fummon, the freeholders for chobf. {Sii Indians thpy could engage. Dongan, regard- lefs of the Duke's prders, apprifed the Indians of the French defigns, and promil'ed to aflift them. -After, fix weeks delay at Fort Frontenac, during '^'^^'''^^^^^^ which time a great ficknefs, occafioned by bad pro- yifions, broke out in the French army, De la Barre foiled it neceflary to conclude the campaign with a trel^ty, for which pujrpofe hpcrofled the Lake, and cjime tQ the place which, from the diftrefs of his army,; was called La Famine. Dongan fent an in- terpreter among the Indians, by all means to pre- vent them from attending the treaty. The Mor hawks and Sennecas accordingly refufed to meet pe la 3arre, but the Oneydoes, Qftondagas, and Cayugas, influenced by the miffionaries, were un-. willing to hear the interpreter, except before the priefts, one La Main, and three other Frenchman, and afterwards waited upon the French Governor, Two days after their arrival in the camp, MonQeur a conference of De la Barre addreffing himfelf to Garrargqla, an Sj/oe fra^il^ Onondaga chief, made the following fpeech, the . Indians and French officers at the lame time form- ing a circle round about him. <( «( C( (( " The King, my maftcr, being informed, that Monfieur oe i« the Five Nations have often infringed the peace, fi^'i^jlj;,^** '• has ordered me to come hither with a guard, and to fend Ohguefle to the Onondagas, to bring the chief Sachems to my camp. The intention " of cc cc (« cc c. M «C CC cc cc «( 4< CC CC cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc '♦ hawks fay, that when they buried the hatchet at " Cadarackui (in the prefcace of your predecclfor) " in the middle of the fort •, they planted the tree " of peace in the fame place, to be there carefully *' prefer ved, that, in place of a retreat for foldiers, '♦ that fort might be a reiulezvous for merchants : that in plaee of ^rms and ammunition of war, bevers and merchandize Ihould only enter there. ♦* Hear, Yonondio, take care for the future, that fo great a number of ii^diers as appear there do not choftk the tree of peace planted in fo fmall " a fort. It will be a great lots, if, after it had *' lb eafily taken root, you fhould flop its growth, " and prevent its coverir^ your country and opts ** Awith its branches. I aflure you, in the name of " the Five Nations, that our warriors (hall dance to the Calumet of peace under its leaves, and iball remain quiet on their matts, and fhall ne^ ver dig up the hatchet, till their brother Yosr nondio or Corlear Ihall either jointly^or feparately '* endeavour to attack the country which the great " Spirit has given to our anceftors. 'J his belt pre- " ferves my words, and this other, the authority " which the Five Nations have given me." Then Gurrangula, addrefling himfelf to Mon- iieur La Main, faid *' Take courage OhgueHTe, you have fpirit, fpeak, explain my words, for- get nothing, tell all that your brethren and friends fay to Yonnondio, your governor, by the mouth of Garrangula, who loves you, and delires you to accept of this prefent of bever, and take part with me in my feaft, to which I invite you. This pifefent of bever is fent to Yonnondk), on the part of the Five Niitk}ns." (C C( <( «( •( C( 44 C( C( «( cc Enraged at this bold reply, De la Barre as foon as the peace was concluded, retired to Montreal, and "^f ■»■ and NEW. YORK. ^ and ingtoriou/ly iinifhed an expenfive campaign, as Doctor Coldcn obferves, in a fcold with an old Indian. De la Barre was fucceedcd by the Marquis De The Mnrquii dc Nonville, colonel of the dragoons, who arrived [^JJ*,"',j^"'^J^. with a reinforcement of troops in 1685. Thevemmentofc*. marquis was a man of courage and an enterprifing "*'*** *" *"5« fpirit, and not a little animated by the confidera- ration that he was fent over to repair the difgrace which his predeceflbr had brought upon the French colony. The year after his arrival at '^^ebec, he wrote a letter to the miniftcr in France, recommend- ing the fcheme of erecting a ftone fort, fufficient to contain four or five hundred men, at Niagara, not only to exclude the Englifh from the Lakes, but to command the fur trade and fubdue the Five Nations. Dongan, who was jealous of his defigns, took umbrage at the extraordmary fupplies fent tQ Fort Frontenac, and wrote to the French Gover- nors, fignifying that if he attacked the Confede- rates, he would coniider it as a breach of the peace fubfifting between the two crowns ; and to prevent his building a fort at Niagara, he protefled againit it, and claimed the country as dependent upon the province. De Nonville, in his anfwer, denied that he intended to invade the Five Nations, though the neceflary preparations for that purpofe were then carrying on, and yet Charlevoix commends him for his piety and uprightnefs, " egalement efti- ■ '• mabk (fays the Jefuit) pour fa valeur, fa droiture ^^ i^ fa piete" Colonel Dongan, who knew the importance of our Indian alliance, placed no con- fidence in the declarations of the Marqi^is, but exerted himfelf in preparing the confederates for a war ; and the French author, juft mentioned, does him honour, while he complains of him as a per- petual obHacle, in the way of the execution of their fchemes. F 3 Our 70 THEHISTORYOF Our allies were now triumphing \n uci: fuccifs . over the Chigtaghics, and meditating va^ with the Twiglitwies, who had difturbed thcrn in their bcver hunting. De Nonvillc, to prevent the in- terruption of the French trade witfi the Twight- wies, determined to divert the Five Nations and carry the war into their country. To that end, in ileFJ'e*n!h''"*'^'^^7» ^^ collcdcd 2000 troops and 600 Indians, agiinii the Sen. at Montreal, and ifTued orders to all the officers in ato»t, 101687. the niore wefterly country, to meet him with ad- ditional fuccours at Niagara, on an expedition againft the Sennecas, An Englifli party under one M*Gregory, at the fame time was gone out to trade on the lakes, but the French, notwithftanding the peace then fubfifting between the two crowns, in- tercepted them, feized their efFedts, and imprifoned their peribns. Monfieur Fonti, commandant among the Chi(5taghics, who was coming to the Generara rendezvous at Niagara, did the like to another En- glifh party, which he met with in Lake Erie.* The Five Nations, in the mean time, were preparing to give the French army a fuitable reception. Mon« fieur Companie, with two or three hundred Cana- dians in an advanced party, furprifed two villages of the Confederates, who, at the invitation and on the faith of the French, feated themfclves down about eight leagues from Lake Fadarackui or Ontario. To prevent their efcape with intelligence to their j,,jjyj^„j„y to countrymen, they were carried to the fort, and all fume of their but thirteen died in torments at the {lake| flngihg prifoneri. ^j^jj ^j^ hcroick fplrit, in their expiring moments, the perfidy of the French. The rell, according to the exprefs orders of the French King, were fcnt to * Both thefe attacks were open infractions of the treaty at Whitehall, executed in November 1686 ; by which it was agreed, that the Indian trade in America, ihould be free to th^ £ngli(h and French. the *■ '■•■?;>■• «!. N E W - Y O R K. the gallics in Europe. The Marquis having em* barked his whole army in canoes, {ct out from the fort at Cadurackui on the twenty-third of June, one half of them palTing along the north, and the other on the fourh fide tfie Lake j and both ar- rived the fame day at Tyrondequait, and fliortly after fet out on their march towards the chief vil- lage of the Scnnecas at about fcven leagues di- ftance. The main body was compofed of the re- gulars and militia, the front and rear of the Indians and traders. The fcouts advanced the fecond day of their march, as far as the corn of the village, and within piftol-fliot of five hundred Sennecas, who lay upon their bellies undifcovered. The French, who imagined the enemy were all fled, quickened their march to overtake the women and old men. But no fooner had they reached the foot of a hill, about a mile from the villages, then the Sennecas raifed the war Ihout, and in the fame in- ftant charged upon the whole army both in the front and rear. Univerfal confufion enfijed. The bat- tallions divided, fired upon each other, and fled into the wood. The Sennecas improved the dif- order of the enemy, till they were repulfed by the French Indians. According to Charlevoix's ac- count, which may be juftly fufpedled, the ene- my loft but fix men, and had twenty wounded in the conflidt. Of the Sennecas, he fays, fixty were wounded and forty-five flain. The Marquis was fo much difpirited, that he could not be perfuaded to purfue the enemy that day j which gave the Sen- necas an opportunity to burn their village and get off. Two old men remained in the caftle to re- ceive the general, and regale the barbarity of his Indian allies. After deftroying the corn in this and feveral other villages, tne army retired to the banks of the Lake, and eredted a fort with four baftions on the fouth-eaft fide of the ftrei^hts at F 4 Niagara, 71 r N^ 7i T Hi HI S TOR Y O F Niagara, in Ivhich they left one hundred men, lin? cif^r the conr^rfrartd of Lc Chevalier de la Troye, with eight ttronths provifions ; but thefc being clofely lylydkied up, all, except feven or eight of them, who were accidentally relieved, perilhc^ through famine.* Soon after this expedition, Go* i*!/!''*iJ'"!*°'"lonel Doiigan met the Five Nations at AJbahy^ the rive NaUpn»,^ ' -• .O <- t c if j at Albany. To what lutent, appcsTs from the Ipeech he made to thefn 0*11 the 5th of Aviguft, which I choofe to lay before the reader, to Inew his vigilance and ?eal foT the intpre moft con- f' venicnt for it. " Seventhly, I would not hrvc the brethren keep their corn in their caftles, as I hear the Onondagas do, but bury it a great way in the woods, where few people may know where it is, for fear of fuch an accident as happened to the Sennekas. ^* Eighthly, n «( t« cc Ci (« <( u i( 4( 76 T HE HIST OR T O F «< it cc «( cc «c cc cc t:her hand, were for treating with them inde- pendent of the Englifh. For this reafon, among others, he refufed them the affiflance they frequent- ly required, till they acknowledged the dependence of the confederates on the Englifh Crown, King James, a poor bigotted, popifh, priefl-ridden prince, ordered his governor to give up this point, and to pcrfuade the Five Nations to fend meflengers to Canada, to receive propofals of peace from the French. For this purpofe, a ccfTation of arms and mutuTal 77 Not 7« THE HISTORY OF mutual rc-delivcry of prifoners was agreed upon. Near 1200 of the confederates attended this negoti- ation at Montreal, and in their fpeech to De NonviHe, Infifted with great refolution, upon the terms propo- fed by Colonel Dongan to Father le Vaillant. The French governor declared his willingn,efs to put an end to the war, if all his allies might bi^ included in the treaty of peace, if the Mohawks and Sennecas would fend deputies to fignify their. concurrence, and the French might fupply Fort Frontenac with provifions. The confederates, according to the French accounts, acceded to thefe conditions, and the treaty was ratified in the field. But a new rup- ture not long after enfued, from a caufe entirely un- fuff efted. The Dinondadies had lately inclined to the Englilh trade at Miffilimakinac, and their alli- ance was therefore become fufpedted by the French. Adario, their chief, thought to regain the ancient confidence, which had been repofed in his country- men, by a notable action againlt the Fire Nat'ons ; and for that purpofe put himfelf at the head of 100 men : nothing was more difagreeable to him, than the profped of peace between the French and the con- federates; for/that event would net only render the amity of the Dinondadies ufelefs, but give the French an opportunity of refenting their lajte favou- rable condud towards the Englifh. Imprefled with thefe fentiments, out of affedlion to his country, he intercepted the ambafladors of the Five Nations, at one of the falls in Cadarackui river, killed fome, and took others prifoners, telling them that the French governor had informed him, that fifty warriors cr >he live Nations were coming that way. As the Dinondadies and onfederat^s were then at war, the liMbafladors were aftonifhed at the perfidy of the French governor, and could not help com- municating the defign of their journey. Adario, in profecution of his crafty fch^me, counterfeited the utmoU :n at fidy om- m the noi): «c N £ W - Y R K. if utmoft diftrefs, anger, and ihame, on being made the ignominious, tool of De Nonville's treachery, and addrefrmK himfelf to Dekanefora, the principal ambaffador, laid to him, " Go, n,y brethren, I un- *' tie your bonds, and lend you home again, though •' our nations be at war. The French governor ** has made me commit fo black an aftion, that I fhall never be eafy after it, till the Five Nations Ihall have taken full revenge." This outraf^e and indignity upon the rights of ambaffadors, the truth of which t^iey did not in the leaft doubt, ani- mated the Confederates, to the keeneft thirft after revenge; and accordingly 1200 of their men, on the 26th of July 1688, landed on the fouth fide ofAttackofMo.- thc ifland of Montreal, while the French were inVJJg'.J"*^*** perfeft fecurity -, burnt their houfes, facked their plantations, and put to the fword all the men, wo- men, and children, without the flcirts of the town. A thoufand French were flain in this invafion, and twenty-fix carried in captivity and burnt alive. Many more were made prifoners in another attack in OAober, and the lower part of the iQand wholly deftroyed. Only three or the Confederates were loft, in all this fcene of mifery and dcfolation.* Never before did Canada fuftain fuch a heavy Diftreft of th« blow. The news of this attack on Montreal no^*""*'"** fooner reached the garrifon at the lake Ontario, than they fet fire to the two barks, which they had built there, and abandoned the Fort, leaving a match to 28 barrels of powder, defigned to blov/ up fhe . works. The foldiers went down the river in fuch precipitation, that one of the battoes and her crew were all loft in fhooting a fall. The Confederates * I have followed Dr.. Golden in the account of this attack, who differs from Charlevoix. That Jefuit tells us, that the invalion was late in Auguft, and the Indians 1 500 ftrong , and as to the loi's of the French, he diminiihes it only to 200 fouls. ' * - in fMM 8o Proceedings at New-York, in favour of 'the Prince of 0> nage. THE HISTORY Qf ifl the mean time feized the Fort, thepowcjcir. and the ftoros j and of all die French dlies,' whb Wfere vafMy numerous, only the NepicifiniahSf arid Kikii- bous adhered to thcnl jii' their dalamitids. Ithc Utawawas and fcven other nations inftantly imat)^ peace with the Englifh J. and but for the iincotir?- mon fagacity and addrefs of the* Sieur Peroti tjje "Weftern Indians wbuld have murdered every Frenchman amongft them. Nor did the dH^refles of the Canadians end here. Numerous! fcouts from the Five Nations, continually infefted their borders. The frequent depredations* tnat were rni^de, prfev^Cnt- cd them from the cultivation of their fields, and a diftreffing famine raged through the whole Cb\jh- try. Nothing but the ignorance of the Indians, in the art of attacking fomfied places, faved Canada from being now utterly cut off. It was thCref^ire unfpeakably fortunate to the French, that the' In- dians had no affiftancefrom the Englilh, and ast^rt- fortimate to us, that our colonies were then incapa- ble of affording fuccours to the Confederates, thrpugh the malignant influence of thofe execrable meaflires, which were purfued under the infamous reign of king James the Second. Colonel Dongan, whatever his conduct: might have been in civil af- fairs, did all that he coulc) in thofe relating to the Indians, and fe\l at lafl into the King's di^lcafuire, through his zeal for the true interelt of the prb- vince. While thefe things were tranfafling in Canada, a fcene of the greateft importance was opening at New- York. A general difaffeftion to the govern- ment prevailed among the people. Papifls began to fettle in the colony und«r the fmiles of the go- vernor. The colle^pr of the revenues, and feveral principal officers, threw off ;he mafk, and openjy avowed their attachment to the dodrines of Rome. A Latin fehool was fet up, and the teacher ftrdngry fufpelJled fufp who N E W - Y O R K;. ' ¥i fufpeAcd for a Jcfuit. The people of Long-Iflandj '* who were difappoinud in their expc<5tation of mighty boons, promifed by the governor on his ar- rival, were become his perfonal enemies j and in a ' word, the whole body of the people trembled for the proteftant caufe. Here the leavfn of oppofi- tion firft be^an to work. Their intelli^^cnce from England, ot the defigns there in favour of the prince of Orange, blew up tlie coals of difcontenr, and ele- vated the hopes of the difaffected ,. But no man dared to fpring in a<5tion, till after, the rupture in Bofton. Sir Edmond Androfs, who was perfeftly devoted to the arbitrary mei»fures of King James, by his tyranny in New-EngUnd, had drawn upon himfclf the univerfal odium of a people, animated with the love of liberty, and in the defence of it re- folute and courageous •, and therefore, when they could no longer endure his defpotic rule, they fcized arid impriloncd him, and afterwards fent him to England. The government, in the mean time, was vefted in the hands of a committee for the fafety of the people, of which Mr. Bradftreet was chofen pre- fident. Upon the news of this event, feveral cap- tains of our mi!itia convened themfclves to concert meafures in favour of the prince of Orange. A-Aaivityof ja- mongft thefe, Jacob Leifler was the moft adive.*^"'' Ltidcu He was a man in tolerable efteem among the peo- ple, and of a moderate fortune, but deftitute of eve- ry qualification neceflary for the enterprife. Mil- borne, his fon in-law, an Englifhman, diredled all his councils, while Leifler as abfolutely influenced the other officers. The firft thing they contrived, was to feize th^ garrifon in New- York; and the cuftom, at that time, of guarding it every night by the militia, gave Leifler a fine opportunity of executing the defign He entered it with forty-nine men, and determined to hold it till the whole militia Ihould join him. Cgloncl Dongan, who was about to leave the pro- G vince. ■' 'i THE HISTORY OF vinCc, then hy embarked in the Bay, having a little licforc refi^ned the go^crnnnent to Frtncis Nichol- fon, the lieutenant-governor. The. council, civil officers, and magiftrates of the city were againft Leifler, and therefore many of his friunds were at firft fearful of openly efpoufxng a cv:.k diliipproved by the gentlemen of figure. For this reafon, Lei- (ier's firil declaration in favour of the prince of Q-^ range was fubfcribed only by a few, among icveral companies of the trained bands. While the peo^ pie, for four days fucceflively, were in the utmoft perplexity to determire what part to choofe, being folicited by Leifler on the one hand, and threatened by th^ lieutenant-governor on the other, the town was alarmed with a report, that three {hips were coming up, with orders from the prince of Orange^ This falfehood was very feafonably propagated to ferve the intereft of Leifler •, for on that day, the 3d of June 1689, his party was augmented by the addition of fix captains and 400 men in New- York, and a company of 70 men from Eafl:-Chefl:er, who all fubfcribed a fecond declaration, * mutually cor venanting to hold the fort for the prince. Colonel Dongan continued till this time in the haorbQur, * I have taken an tx^St gopy of it for the fafi8fa£lion of the reader. ** Whereas our intention, tended only but to the pre- «t - • - - - ■ - '- it (( ti fervation of the proteflant religion, and the fort of this citty, to th^end that ue may avoid and prevent, the rafh judgment of the world, in fo juft a defign ; wee have thought fitt, to let every body kiK)w by thefi. publick proclamation, that till the fafe arryvell of the fhip'=, .hat wee exped every day, fton'i his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Orange, with orders for the government of this countrj' in the belialfof fuch per- fon, as (he faid Roygl Highnefs had chofen, and honored with the charge of a governour, that as foon as the bearer of the faid orders, fhail have let us fee his power, then, and without any delay, we fliall execute the faid orders punftu- ally ; declaring that we do intend to fubmitt and obey, not only the fa:d orders, but alfo the bearer thereof, committed for the execution of the lame. In witnefc hereof, wc have fijjjned thefe prefents, the third of June 1689." • waiting N E ' W . Y O R K. waiting the ifllie of thefc commotions •, and NichoU Ton's party being now unable to contend with their opponents, were totally difperfcd, ilr^ licutenantr governor himfclfablconding, the very n'ght afier the laft declaration was figned. b.Leifler being now in compleat poflTerfion of the fort, fen t home an addrels to King William and Queen Mary, as foon as he received the news of their accelfior to the throne. It is a tedious, incor- red, ill-drawn narrative of the grievances whicl^ the people had endured, and the methods lately taken to Tecure themidycs, ending with a recognition of the King and Queen over the wL.- P-nglifh domi- nions. '; This addrefs v/as foon followed oy a jjrivate let- ter from Leifler to King William, which, in very broken Englifli, ii\forms his Majefty of the ftate of the garrifon, the repairs he had made to it, and the temper of tl^e people, and concludes with ftrong proteftations of his fincerity, loyalty and zeal. Joft Stoll, an enfign, on the delivery of this letter to the King, had the honour to kit's his Majelby's hand, but Nicliolfon the lieutenant governor, and one En- nis, an epifcopal clergyman, arrived in England be- fore him ; and by falfely reprefcnting the late mea- fures in New- York, as proceeding rather from their averfion to the church of England, than zeal for the Prince of Orange, Leifler and his party miffed the rewards and notice, which their adivity for the Re- volution juftly deferred. For though the King made Stoll the bearer of his thanks to the people for their fidelity, he fo little regarded Leifler*s com- plaints againft Nichollbn, that he was foon ^fter pre- ferred to the government of Virginia. Dongan re- turned to Ireland, and it is faid fucceeded to the earldom of Limerick. Leifler'-s fudden invelliture with fupreme power over the province, and the probable profpcfts of King William's approbation of his condu',io A- " .merica." This letter was dated tl|e^9thjp|f Ju- ly, and was accompanied with another: fw^JfirJ^Td Nottingham, d^ed the next day, which, ,^ftflf (em- powering Nichplfoa to take upon him th!?rtcb>ef ijcornmand, and to appoint for his afll(laR<;^'a^,mafiy of the principal freeholders and in%bican^s, -^s^^Jie ; Ihpuld think fit, requiring alfo "' tQ4o e^eiryut^^fig appertaining to the office of lieutenantrgpv^efi^^r, according to tl>c laws and cuftppiSiPfl NcVfrYf^frk ;f * until further orders/* ] , , ; j j Nicholfon l:)ci|igabfconded when this parket>caine to hand, Leifler ccnfidercd the letter as diredted to himfelf, and from this time iffued all kinds of com- et as N E W - Y O R K. 8; miflions in his own name, alTuming the title, as well a^ ai«;hority iof lihitcnartt^governori On thte nth ofjDt^ettiber, he llirtimoned the committee of fafe- tjri'artd, agreeable to their advice, fwoFe the follbw- ittipfei'fons for hH council. Peter de Lanoy, Sa-* rii^eiStaatS, Hendrick Janfen, and Johannes Ver- rWilic, for New- York.' Gerardus Betkttlan, for Wi^gs County. For Queen*s County, Samuel Ed- M i°Thomas Williams for Weft-Chefter, and Wil- MiH 'Lawrence for Orange Cbunty . '^ 'txtept the Eaftern inhabitants of Long IQahd, illlthe Southern part of the colorty chearfully fub- iiiitted to Leifler's command. The principal free- holders, however, by refpeflful leiiter^, gave him hbjses of their fu bmifllon, and thereby prevented his betaking himfelf to arms, while thtf vftte pirivately , foliciting the colony of' Corineifticut, to take them under its jurifdidlion. They had indeed no averfton td Lciflei^s authority in favour of any other ^arty in the proviiice, but were willing t6 be incorporated S^itK a people, from whence they, had originally co- lonized i and therefore, as foon as Connefticut de- 'dined their requefv, they openly appeared to be ad- vocates for Leifler. At this ]un<5luire the Long- Blaind reprefentation was drawn up, which 1 have ^ot-e than once liad occafion to mention. '^ The people of Albany, in the mean time, were '^^^J^^'^fXtlto ' dfcterttiined to hold the garrifon and city for KingfubSJtoLlf- 'Willtkm, independent of Leifler, and on the 26th of •"'"''^•>°"'y- "ddober, which was before the packet arrived from ('L6t"d Nottingham, formed themfelves into a con- ' ychtidn for that putpofe. As Leifler's attempt, to Ite^uice this country to his^ command, was the origi- 'nal ciufebf the future divifions in the province, and , ' ih^thii cfhd brbught about his pwi^ ruin, it may not be improper to fee the refolution of the convention, ' it copy of Which was fent down to him at large. 1 ■> ^M?''-^^''' k-'r?tV^0yr^ ^rvr* r..«',- Peter ■fft Bi TH-^ It IQTO R Y «0* Peter Scbuyler^ lklaym,i ^:<^'r6iii'-'^nr,inli Dirk Weflels, ^ccorda^j EUv.id S^uyl^f, **' Tan Wcndal, Jun Jan! r««Mk! KillianVikeiinaenJuffide, * • J.)bnCuyIer, ''^ r^'^^P* X^^^J^^^^' GeWit Ry«ri«,')irii »M'*jr!3 yd eO;M^ Evert Baoker»i ;Mi6i\\f}v'no) Mnm Ry^iierBareut^,^^^^.'^,;^^ bfi. b-rir/ Capt. Martir O'^titfe, Juftice, C;»pt. GerritTeuoiflt,; Dirk TeuniiTe. Juflice,;, Lieut. KoDeit Saunders, (( *' Since we are infbrrrted by perfons cdrtiTi^^ ii^rk Newi * York, that Capt. Jacob Leiller is defigried x.^'{fM)X^'U cbrti- ' panyof armed men, lipoii pretehcetq aillft'iis Iri'thisi^biifi-; ' try, who intend to make themfelrcs mafteir bf' fcliieirMajei^-^ ' flies fort and this City, and cirry diver's perfon's a(nd thief dffi- . ' cers of this city prifoheri'io Nevv-YoVk, and To dilqtifet ^nd : ' diiUirb their Majefl:ies liege pedrilfc, that a letter' be ^ tilt' itf'| ' Alderman Levinus Van Scfiate, noW ^t NfeW-YbrW, 'ihd; ' Lieutenant JocHimStaets, to' iHake narrow ertqility bf the' ' bufmefs, and to fignify to thfe fald Leiller, thsit'wc 'h!9(vc H^i' ' ceived iiich information-, and withal adqpaint hiit'l,' tHalt^ * notwithllandiiie we have the alliftarice br ninety- fivi ibeh " ' from our neighbours of New-England, who are flow gone. ' for, and one hifndred men upOn occafion, to comnband, fiom * the county of iJIfter, which we think will be fufficjent this ' winter, yet we will willingly accept any fuch afiiftalnc^ as * they fhall be pleafed to fend fdr the defence of their Majefties * county of Albany : provided, they be obedient to, afld ofcey * fuch orders and commands, as they ftiall, from time' to tifeie, * receive from the convention •, and that by nb means tK^ will * be admitted, to have the command of their Majefties fort or ' this city ; which vve intend, by God's affiftance, to keep ari(^ ' preferve for the behoof bf their Majefties William and Mary, * King and Queen of England, as we hitherto have done ^ fince their proclamation ; and if you hear, that they perfe- ' verewith (uth intentions, fo to difturb the inhabltarits o£ ' this coun'ty, that you then, in the name and behalf of the * convention aind irihabitarits of the city and county of Alba- ' ny, proteft againft the faid Leiflcr, and all fuch perfbns that ' fhall make attempt, for all loHes, damages, blood-fhed, or * whatfoevel- mifchiefs may enfue thereon; whichyou are to * communicate with all fpeed, as you perceive their defign." d .o^lv^j N ,E W wY OR K. : 8^^ Taking i t for granted, thtc Lcifler at New^Yotk, Remarks on ib« and the convention at Albany, were equally affect- p„tie«. ed tothe Revolution, nothing could be more egre- . gioufly fboHOi, than the condud' of both panic?, whOi by their inteltinc divifions, threw the province into convulfions, and fowed the feeds of mutual ha- tred and antmofity, which, for a long time after, greatly embarraffcd the publick affairs of the qolony. W^^ Albany ifteclared for the Prince of Orgnge, tl?R»ip^ yft^9. nothing elfc that Leiflen could properly i:9q}|ire; an^ rather than facrifice the publick peace Qf the: province, to the trifling honour of refifting a n?ft^ jvvJip had no eyil defigqsj Albany ought in pru- dqfTce to have delivered the garriion into his hands, ^illthc King's definitive ecdersihould arrive. But . ^^eLeiderrOQ'the one hand, was in<^briated with h^ lUQW-gotten power, fo pn.the other, Sayard, Cqur^wd, SupaR MlUsomefs'i party, which confifteil of an indonfiderabkinunibbr. In thefe circu milianceSy he thought p]xii)elF:td^fecr^at^^ andfoon after departed from Albany: in ihejfpring^^ he commanded another {)arty upoil thefahieie;prandv^ and the dilVrefs of the: country on an Indiah; irrupt- tion, gave; him ali the defirkd fuocefs. N6^^ lomibrv washepoiTeifed ofthe garrifon, than. moil) bfit|tel principal membersi of i : the convention ^ abfcofidcki} ) Upon which, ' their cffeds wdre iarbjtrari^ 'Ibizeci t. and conBfcated, 'which fo/ iiighly 6kafperat^jcipe:> fufferers, that their poflierityi, to this^dayfCinnof* fpeak of thefe troublesv without the bitterdb^invec-' tives againit Leider and all his adherents, i i " i ' > ' In the midft ofithofe mteftine confufions an >N<^- York, the people of New-England iwemengag^din' ' a war with the Owenagungasy Ourai^s^ .andii^c*no- ooks. Between thefe and> the Schakook Indians,' there was then a friendly cornmuni^dttorii 'Sanid'the^ fame was fufpededof the Mohawks, among! ivh^' fome of the Owenagungas had taken fanfbcvary. This gave rife to a conference between feveral coiti- n^idioners from Bofton, Plymouth, and Connecticut, tionsat Albany, and thc Five Nations, at Albany, in September '' 1689, the former endeavouring to engage the latter, agalnft thoie eaftefn Indians who were then, at war with the New-England colonies. Tahajadoris, a Mohawk Sachem j in a long oration, anfwered the EnglUh meifage, ^d however improbable it may feem to Europeans, repeated all that had been faid the preceding day. The art they have in affifting their A war between tne people of New-£ni{land and the eaftern Indians. A conference with the five confederate na 1 N ■E>iW).!Y- di'RiKi \ tl)feiii imbnBf(»rii99/b ithisj ^ Thtf Saphem who ' preOcUl^ i h^ ja JiUnclliBcf^ Q:^aks(>'pre(iared for the purpofe, and at^'tbo olbifiiof iccifi^ry I|irincip4 article o£ the melTage dciivwrfidico thomygives 9. ftick to another Sachem charging^ thsntii iwk^ tiaei renoembrance of it. By diis iil^nfi i tbet.ortacoir ii aifbr a'vpreyious ; conference with theifndfUinsifi^prppared to repeat: every 1 part of the ineflag0^ aindgiJvflut itaptc^per reply. This cuftom. |S'iiiv»vikb[l^ pforfMed^in . ajil their publick treaties. iliho aoniebeiuta did not anfwer the ex pcdation of tli6;peopkiG£*i^«iy-Eip(^ai!id^ jtlie > Five Nations dif- < cayefi||g;,agr^at.difi>nclinatiqn to join < in the hoftiii^ tiesniagainib. the Eailern ; Ir|dians. . . To atone for Vfhiehijtheytg^vetbe highieft proteftations, of their ^iHngnefsfjto dillcofs^ die Frcnchy^iiift' whom the ]^||lim hfl^ deGlare4'^^ii, on the 7thof M^y pre^ ceidbbga^iThat: pan <^ the fpeech ratifying -their iti^mii^ itl^ ythemotioaof its roots, which extend injtO'OUB country. But we tr-uft it will not be in '^/the, Governor of Canada's pawer to Ihake this " tree* which has been fo firmly, and long planted "■; wkhiUS." f, ■ [ fK^ij^ifi, >^>*,i'fjt, hj\i- biu. If oohttig could have been moi« advantageous to thefe colonies, and efpccially to New- York, thaii % (( (( ^^;ir)ie Indian conception of the league between thejnan4 us, 18 couched upder the idea of a chain extended, trpm a (hip ; to a it/istj, and « very Venewai oi this league they call brighten- ing the chain. '''"'"' the York. ^ THE HIS'TORV OF the late fuccefs of the Five Nations agai^ft Canada* The miferies to whieh the French were reduced, rendered us^ fecure againft their inroads tiH the work of the Revolution was in a great meafure accom^ plifhed} and to their dfftitlKd condition We/itluft A drfignof the principally Afcribe the defeat of the Fnenehdeftg^i ^«rthrpro" »^ut this time, to make a conqueft of 'the provincel Jmceof New- DcCalliers, who went to France in 1688, fiffft prox jedred die fchem^';* and the isnoubles in EitgkHfid encouraged the French eoiirt to make the attec^pt. Caffinicre commanded the ihips, which iail^ fo^ ■ that purpofe from Rochforc j fubjeft, 4jeverthelds^ . to the Count De Frontenac^ who was general of th^ land forceSj deftined to march from Canada by th^ rout of Sorel*River and Ihe Lake Champlain^^ Th^ fleet and troops arrived at Chebu^a^ ^ plabd of rendezvous, in September*, from whence thie^duht proceeded to C^ebcek, leaving orders with' Ciiffi* niere to fail for New^-York, and continue in ehfeteay; in fight of the city, font beyond the fire *tofouT: cannon, till the iftof Deetmber: wheHf if -he re- ceived no mtelligence from him, he waswdfered t6 return to France, after unlading the ammunition, ftores, and provifions at Port^Royal.-f» The Count was in high fpiritSi and fully determined upon the enrterprile, till he arrived at Quebeck -, ' wficrt the news of the fuccefe of the Five Nations ag^inft Montreal, the lofs of his favourite fort at LakeOn- tario, and the advanced fcafon of the year, defeated his aims, and broke up the expedition. EJe Non- * Charlevoix has publifhed an extract of the metnorial pre- &nted to thte French King. The force deinanded for this en- terorife, was to Coniiil of 1 590 regulars and jpp Canadianf. Albany was faid to be fortified only by an inclolure of ftocka- docs, and a little fort with four ballions j and that it omtained but I fo foldiers and 300 inhabitants.. That New-t'ork the capital of the province was open, had a (lone fort with four bfi- dions, and about 400 inhabitants, dividedinto eight companies. + Now Annapolis, • villc K E W. Y O R K. ft vifle, who was recalled, carried the news of this dif- J,oJ,J;°,""5u"f appointment to the Court of France, leaving the ceedi to tht«o' chief command of the country in the hands of Count ^'^'j^^'"'"* ^*' Frontenac. This gentleman was a man of courage, and well acquainted with the affairs of that country. I-^ wa* then in the 68 th year of his age, and yet fo far from. confulting his eafe, that in a few days after he landed at Quebec, he rc-cmbarked in a canoe for Montreiil, where his preience was abfolutely necefla- ry^ to animate the inhabitants and regain their In- dian alliances. AwBr, between the Englifh andJI'J*'*** French crowns, being broke out*, the Count betook himielf to every art, for concluding a peace between Canada and thcFive Nations ; and for this pur- p<)fc, the utmofl: civilities were (hewh to Taweraket and the other Indians, who had been fcnt to France the French en- by De ^onville, and were now returned. Three of Jj*J°]^'^ J!!^8"» thofe> Indians, who doubtlcfs were ftruck with the Nations luthei* gcailidrljr and glory of the French monarch, were*'"""'** properly fent on the important meffage of conciliat- ing the friendfhip of the Five Nations. Thefe, agreeable to our alliance, lent two Sachems to Alba- a great wuncii ny^ in December, with notice, that a council for that « onondlga.'* piarpofe was to be held at Onondaga. It is a juft J*"-**' »<'9<»« refledion upon the people of Albany, that they re- garded the treaty fo (lightly, as only to fend four Indians and the interpreter with inftruftions, in there name, to difluade the confederates from a ceflatior* or arms ; while the French, on the other hand, had then a Jefuit among the Oneydoes. The council be- ^ gan on the 2 2d of January 1690, and confided of eighty Sachems. Sadekanaghtie, an Onondaga chief, opened the conference. The whole was ma- naged with great art and formality, and concluded in ihewing a dilpofition to make peace with the French, without perfefting itj guarding, at the fame time, againft giving the leaft umbrage to the EngliOi, Among ^» TH E H I S TOR Y OF Among other mealures to detach the Five Na* tions from the Britilk intereft, antiratfe lihe depntEkd fpiritof the Canadians, the Coiuit Pe Frontcnac thought proper to fend out ieveral parties aaainft the Enghih colonies. D*Aillebout,,De Mantd and Le IV^oyne commanded that againlb New^ York; con(i(iing of about two hundred French and iome Caghnuaga Indians, who being profelytes from the Mohawks, were perfedly, acquainted with, that country. Their orders were, in general, to atuck The French fur. New- York } but purfuing the advice of the Indians, dj''Feb"6?o.'they refolved, inftead of Albany, to iurprife Schfr- nedady, a village feventeen miles north-weft ftxam it, and about the fame diftance from the Mohawks. The people of Schenedlady, though they had been, informed of the defigns of the enemy, were in' thle greateft fecurity ^ judging it impra^icablefor^any men to march feveral hundred miles, in the depth bf winter, through the fnow, bearing their provtfidns on their backs. BeQdes, the village was in as much confulion as the reft of the province; the officer^ who were pofted there, being unable to preferte a regular watch, or any kind of military order. Such was the ftate of Schencftady, as rcprcfentcd by G6- lonel Schuyler, who was at that time mi^yor of the city of Albany, and at the head of the ccmventioh. A copy of his letter to the neighbouring colonies, concerning this defcent upon Schenedbady, dated the 1 5th of February 1 689-90, 1 have now lying before ine, under his own hajid. :/ After two and twenty days march, the enemy fell ip with Scheneftady, on the 8th of February •, and were reduced to fuch ftreights, that they had thoughts of iurrendering themfelves prifoners of war. But their fcquts, who were a day or two in the village entirely unfufpefted, returned with fuch encobrag- ing accounts of the abfolute fecurity of the people, that the enemy determined on the attack. They entered, on Saturday night about eleven o'clock, at the < V ;( ■ , ] N E W - Y O R K. tK^ga^k, which were fbund unfhut*, and, that evei ry> hcmie might be invefted at the fame time, divided into fmali parties* of (ix, or feven men. The inhabi* tant^ wer6 in ii profound deep, and unalarmed, till tJlwr doors' wdre broke open. Never were people in a in6rie' wretched iconlleriiation. Before they were rirenfirom their. be^9^ theenem/ entered their hou- icS) ahd be^an the perpetration of the mod inhu- ihan barbarities. No tongue, fays Colonel Schuyler, The! can exprefs the cruelties that were committed. The *'"' ' whole village was inftantly in a blaze. Women with child ripped open,: and their infants call into the flilGHes^ iOr ddlied againfl the polls of the doors. Sixt/ perfoDS perilhed in the malfacre, and twency- iiiven were carried into captivity. The reft fled na- )[0d ccKwards Albany, through a deep fnow which tell )thit_y6ry night in a terrible llorm; arid twenty-five cifchefe fugitives loft their limbs in the flight thro' ithfiifeverity of the froft. The nfcws of this dread- ful tragedy reached Albany about break of day; , and univerfal dread feized the inhabitants of that I 'city, the enemy being reported to be one thoufand Ibur. hundred ftrong. A party of horfe was imme- ^diaoeiy difpatched to Scheneftady, and a few Mo- ihawksthcn in town, fearful of bein^ intercepted, ,.WfirC' with difficulty fentto apprife their owncaftles. jdi TheMohawks wereunacquainted with this bloody vfd^n^, till two days after it happened-, our meflcn- ^ers being fcarce able to travel through the great .Idepth of the fnow. The enemy, in the mean time, pillaged the town of Scheneftady till noon the next . day J and then went off with their plunder, and about 1 forty of their beft horfes. The reft, with all the ,^c^le they could find, lay flaughtered in the ftreets. ^.'.;The defign of the French, in this attack, w^s to ^ Aljarm the fears of our Indian allies, by fliewing that V we were incapable of defending them. Every art alfo was ufed to conciliate their friendfhip, for they -not only fpared thofe Mohawks who were found in Schene<^ady, 9J r enieUy *• nhabitants* 91 THEHISTORyor Schene^ady, bur feveral other particular perfonf,. in compliment to the Indians, who requeued that fa- vour. Several women and children were alfo re- leafed at the defire of Captain Glen, to whom the French offered no violence; the officer declaring he had llri^ orders againft it, on the fcore of his wife*s civilities to certain French captives in the time of Colonel Dongan. The Piw Na. The Mohawks, confidering the cajoling arts of fSfTliTth. the French, and that the Caghnuagas who were Engiifli. with them, were once a part of their own Ijody, be- . haved as well as could be realbnably cxpefted. They joined a party of young men from Albany, fell upon tile rear of the enemy, and either killed or captivated five and twenty. Several Sachems, in the mean time, came to Albany, and very affeftingly addrefled the inhabitants, who were juft ready tp abandon the country -, urging their ftay, and excijc- ing an union of all the Engliih colonies againft Ca- nada. Their fentiments concerning the French, appear from the following fpeech of condolance. " Brethren, we do not think, that what the French have done can be called a vidlory : it is only a far- ther proof of their cruel deceit: the governor of " Canada fent to Onondaga, and talks to *:,& of peace with our whole houfe j but war was in his heart, as you ,now fee by woful experience. He did the fame, formerly, at Cadaracqui, and in the Sennecas country. This is the third time he has afted fo deceitfully. He has broken open our houfe at both ends ; formerly in the Sennecas country,* and now here. We hope however to be revenged of them." Agreeable to this declaration, the Indians foon after treated the Chevalier D'Eaii and the reft of the French meflengcrs,*^ who came to conclude the peace propofed by Taweraket, with the utmoft in- dignity, and afterwards delivered them up to the a ' ^ . Englift:, cc fations. The lofs in thisfkirmilh was nearly e^ual on both fides. One of our prifoners was delivered to the Utawawas, who eat him. In revenge for this barbarity, the Indians attacked the iiUnd of Mon- treal at Trembling Point, and killed ^an officer and twelve men \ while another party carried off about fifteen prifoners taken at Riviere Puantc, whom they afterwards flew through fear of their purl'uers, and Others burnt the French plantations at St. ^urs. An expedition ^Vit what rendered this year moil remarkable, wasJJ^^^^';'^^^'» thp expedition of Sir William Phips againft Quebec. sTwimam ^ He failed up the river with a fleet of thirty-two fail '''''pp'»'°*^9o. and came before the city in O^ober. Had he im- prpved his time and ftrength, thecontjueft would have been eafy-, but by fpending three days in idle confultations, the French governor brought in his forces, and entertained fuch a mean opinion of the Englilh knight, that he not only defpifed his fum- mons to furrender, but fent a verbal anfwer, in which he palled King William an ufurper, and poured the Utmoft contempt upon his fubjefts. The meflen- ger who carried the fummons inlifted upon a written anfwer, and that withm an hour •, but the Count pe Frontenac abfolutely refufed it, adding " V\l \ ", anfwer your mafter by the mouth of my cai^fnon, *' that he may learn that a man of my condition is " not to be fummoned in this manner." Upon this. Sir William made two attempts to land below the tpwn, but was repulled by the enemy, withconfide- rable lofs of men, cannon, and baggage. Several of the fbips alfo cannonaded the city, but without any •« fucceis. THEHISTORYOF fuccefs. The forts at thp fame time returned the fire, and obli^ thclm to retire in diforder. The French writers, in their accounts 6f this expedition, uniycr- fally cenfure the conduft of Sir Williarti, though they confefs the valour of his troops. X-a JHontan, who was then at Qkiebec, fays, he could not have afted in a! manner more agreeable to the French, if he had been in their intercft.* * Dr. Coldeo fuppofes this attack was m^de upon Quebec in 1691, blithe is certainly miftaken : fee Life of Sir Wiliiani Phipps publiflied atLontlon in 1697. Oldmixon's Brit. £m. pire, and Charlevtfix. t Among the caufesof the ill fuccefs of the fleet, the author of the life otSir William Phipps, mentions the negU£t of the con- joined troops of New-Tork, Connecticut, and the Indians, to attack Montreal, accorditig to the original plan of operations. He tells us that they marched to the lake, but there fouful themfelves unprovided with battoes^ and that the Indiani were difluaded from the attempt. By what authority thefe alTertions may be fuppprted, I know not. Charlevoix fays ourarmy \vas difappointed in the.intendeddiveriion, by the fmall-pox, which feized the camp, killed three hundred inen^ and teirnfiedour Indian allies. T HE «.*. • T H t HIS T O R t O F < .■' I N E WrY O R PART ItL From th devolution to the fecond .Enpedttion againfi Canada. W H I L £ pur allies w^re. faithfully: exert- coionei sbugh. ing themfelves againft the common*"" '"!"**«*' enemy, colonel Henry Sloughter, who province* in rcrnor of this province,- *** ***'• had a. cpmmiflion to be governor dated the 4th of January 1689, arrived here, and publilhed it on the 19th of March 1691. Never was a governor more neceflary to the province, than at this critical conjundure ; as well for recon* ciling a divided people, as for defending them againft the wiles of a cunning adverfary. But either tlirough the hurry, of the king's affairs, oi the powerful intereft of a favourite, a man was fent over, utterly deftitute of every qualification for government, licentious in his morals, avaricious and poor. The council prefent at his arrival were Jofeph Dudley, Gabriel Mienville, Frederick Philipfe, Chudley Brook, Stephen Van Courtland, Thomas Wilier, William Pinhorne. H If ■Si;.- ^ ; -^ THE HISTORY OP , If.I^eifler had delivered the garrifon to colonel sioQghter, as he ought to have done, upon his firft landing, betides extinguilhin^ in a great de- gree-, the -inimoptics then- fubfifting, he would, doubtlefs, have attracted the favourable notice. Captain Le'ifler both of the govemof ahd the crown. But being r^fhJforttr'* ^^*^ *"*"» ^* ^*^ ^° intoxicated with the love governor of powcT, th«tthoiigh he had becH welHnformed sioughter. ^f Sjr 4ighter*s appointment to the government, he not only fhut hunfelf up in the fort with Bayard andKichols, whom he, had, before that time, im- prifoned, but refufed to deliver them up, or to ■ furrender the garrifon. From this moment, lie loft aU credit with the governor, who joined the other party againft him. On the fecond demand of the fort, Milborne and Dehnoy came out, undei: pre- tence of conferring with his excellency, but in re- ality to difcover his detigns. Sioughter, who con- (idered them as rebels, threw them both into goal. Leifler, iJpon this event, thought proper to aban- don the fort, which colonel Sioughter immediately entered. Bayard and Nichols were now releafcd from their confinement, and fwprn of the privy council. Leifler having thus ruined iiis caufe, was apprehended with many of his adherents, and \ commiflion of Oyer and Terminer iflued to Sir Thomas Robinfon, colonel Smith, and others, for their trials. Trial cf captain In vain did they pleid the merit of their zeal for fh«?for"hi*h ^^"2 William, fince they had fo lately oppofed his treafonr '* govcmor. Lciflcr, in particular, endeavoured to juftify his conduct, infifting that lord Notting- ♦ ham's letter entitled him to adk in the quality of lieutenant governor. Whether it was through ignorance or fycophancy, I know not: but the judges, inftead of pronouncing their own fentiments upon this part ot the prifoncr's defence, referred it *AiiTiii. N 6 W-Y 6 R K. 99 it to the governor and council, p.aying their opi- nion, whether that letter *' or any other letters, or ** papers, in the packet from White-Hallj can be ** underftood^ or interpretedj to be «nd contain,;. ** any power^ or direSion to captain Leifler, to''^ '* take the government of this province upon him- '* felf, or that the adminiftration thereupon be hoi* ** den good in law." The anfwer was, as might have been expedted^ in the negative \ and Leifler and his fon were condemned to death for high-trea- hii cendemna- Ion. Thefe violent meafures drove many of the *"*"* inhabitants, who were fearful of being apprehended, into the neighbouring colonies, tvhich fhortly after occafioned the palling an a6b of general indemnity. From the furrender of the province to the year 1683, the inhabitants were ruled by the duke's go- ^he duke of vernors and their councils, who, from time to time, "'^* ^"*'* made rules and orders, which were efteemed to be , binding as laws. Thefe^ about the year 1674, were regularly colle6ted urder alphabetical titles ; and a fair copy of them remains amongft our records, to this day. They are commonly known by the name of Th Dukh ZjOWs, The tide page of the book, written in the old court hand, is in thefe bald' words^ JUS ^^^^ WOViE ERORACENSIS "**"" VEL, t£6%S'lLLUSTRISSIM0 PRINCIPE JACQBI &UCE EBORACI ET ALBANiE, etC. INSTITUTiC ET ORDINATE, AD OBSERVANDUlf^ IN TERRITORIIS AMERICiE ; T&ANSCRIPTA ANNO DOMINI MDCLXXIV. H 2 Thofc too AQi of the firft Aflembly heli in 1683. An aflembly. April 9, s69i> THE HISTORY OF Thofe adts, which were made in i68|, and after the duke's accelTioA to the throne, when the people were admitted to a participation of the legiflative power, are for the moft part rotten, defaced, or loft. Few minutes relating to them remain on the council books, and none in the journals of the houfe. V • As this aflembly, in 169 1^ was the firfl: after the revolution, it may not be improper to take fome particular notice of its tranfadions *. it began the 9th of April, according to the writs of fummons iflued on the 20th of March preceding. The journal of the houfe opens with a lift of the members returned by, the fheriffs. ^. City and County ofNew-Tork, ' James Graham, . William Merret, Jac. Van Courtlandt, Johannes Kipp. City and County, of Albany, Derrick Weffcls, . Levinus Van Scayck, County ofRiehnund \ Elias Dukefbury, John Dally, County of Weft Chtjttr, John Pell. County of Suffolk. Henry Pierfon, Matthew Howell. Vlfttr and Dutchtfs County, Henry Beekman*, . ^' Thomas Garton. ^een*s County* John Bound, Nathaniel Percall, Kmg*s Ceungy, John Polan ** trary and illegal proceedings of &'i late ufurpers "f of their Majefties authority, oyer this province^ *' fo we do, from the the bottom of our hearts, f* with all integrity, acknowledge and declare, ^' that there are none, that can or oueht to have, *' right to rule and govern their MajeSies fubjeAs * * here, bu^ by their Majefties authority, which is ** now placed in yoyr Excellency s and therefore ^* we do folemnly declare, that we will, with our ^' lives and fortunes, fupport and maintain, the ^* adminiftration of your Excellency's gpvernment, ^' under their Majefties, aeainft all their Majefties f * enemies what(be\'er : ana this we; humbly pray *• your pifccUcncy to accept, as the fincere a^- ^* knowledgment of all theif Majefties good fub- '* je6ts, within this their province ^ praying for •* their Majefties long and happy rei^n over .us, ^' an^ that your Excellency may long liye and rule, *f as according to their Majefties moft excellent << conftitution of governing their fubjeiHis by a ge* f » neral afleipbly." Before this houfe proceeded to pafs any ads, A rtfoiHtion they unanimou(ly rcfolved, •' That ^U the laws ionc^rning all «« confcntcd to by the general aflembly, under SYnS?p«-" J*mcs duke of York, and the liberties and pri- " vileges therein contained, granted, to the people, ** and declared to be their rights, not beiqg ob^ ^' feryed, nor ratified and approved by his royal ** highneis, nor the late king, are null and void, ^* and of none cffeft } and alfo, the feveral ordir *^ nances, ipade by the l^te governqrs arid coun< *i cils, lieing contrary to the conftitution of Eng? ^* land, and the pra^^ice of the government of their f' Majefties othpr plantations in America, are like- f f wife null and void, and of no cffcft, nor force, IV ^ithin this province.*! Among VinCCa laws under d pri- eople, igob^ royal void, ordi- jcoua- their like^ Iforcc, Ltnong FART III. N E W-V O R K ^ Among the principal laws enad^ed at this feflion. An ao^r efta- we may mention that for cftablilhing the revenue, J^^jJ^"^.**^ which was drawn into precedent. The fums raifed by it, were made payable into the hands of the re- ceiver-general, and liTued by the governor's war- rai^t. By this means the governor became, for a feafon, independent of the people, and hence we find frequent inftancies of the allemblies contending with him for the difchar&e of debts to private pcr- fons, contracted on the ta\th of government. Antecedent to the revolution, innumerable were . . the controverfies relating to publick townihips and private rights; and hence an aft was how paffed. An aft for the for the confirmation of antient patents and grants, andenT patent* intended to put an end to thofe debates. A law was *«"* p'"'"- alio pafled for the eftabliihment of courts of juftice, ~ though a perpetual adt had been made to that pur- pofe in 1683, and the old court of afllze entirely diflblved in 1684. As this enacted in i6qi, was courts «f juf- a temporary law, it may hereafter be difputed, as *' it has been already, whether the prefent eftablifli- ment of our courts, for general jurifdidtion, by an ordinance, can confift even with the preceding a6b, or the general rules of law. Upon the eredtion of the fupreitne court, a chief Juftice, and four afllll- ant judges, with 'ah attorney general, were appoint- ed. The chief juftice, Jofeph Dudley, had a Sa- lary of 130I. per annum : Johnfon the lecond judge lool. and both 'were payable out of the revenue 5 but William Smith, Stephen Van Courtlandt, and William Pinhome, the other judges, and Newton the attorney-general, had nothing allowed for their fervices. It has, more than once, been a fubjeA of ani- mated debate, ivhether the people, in this colony, have a right to be reprefented in aflembly, or whe- ther it be a privilege enjoyed, through the grace of the use. i£i K ^neutieii of captain Leifler »ai Jacob Mil' ^orne. _' H E HISTORY OF the CCPwn. A memorable aA pafled this feffion, virtually declared in favour of the Iformer opinion, upon that, and feveral other of the principal and diftinguifliing liberties of Englilhmen. It muft, neverthelefs, 6e confefled, that king William was afterwards pjeafed to repeal that law, in the year 1697*. Colonel Sloughter propoied, immediately after the feflion, to fet out to Albany, but as Leifler*s party were enra^d at hisimprifonment, and the late fentence againOc him, his enemies were afraid new troubles would fpring up in the abfence of the governor *, for this realbn, both the aflembly and council advifed that the prifoners (hould be imme- diately executed. Sloughter, who had no inclina- tion to favour them in this requeft, chofe rather to delay fuch a violent ftep, being fearful of cutting off two men, who had vigorouHy appeared for the king, and fo fignally, contributed to the revolution. Nothing could be more difagreeable to their ene- mies, whofe intereft was deeply concerned in their de(lru6tion. And therefore, when no other meafures could prevail with the governor, tradition informs us, that a fumptuous feaft was prepared, to which Col. Sloughter was invited. When his Excellency's reafon was drowned in hi^ cups, the entreaties of the company prevailed with him to fign the death war- rant, and before he recovered his fenfes, the prifo- ners were executed. L«eiiler*s fqn afterwards car- ded home a complaint to king William, againft the governor. His petition was referred, accord- ing to the common courfe of plantation affairs, to the lords commiflioner^ of trade, who, after hear- ing the whole matter, reported on the xith of * It was entitled, <* An a£t declaring what are the righti f* and privileges of their Majefties fubjefts inhabiting within ff their province of Mew- York." March .tT III. N E W.y O R K. !•$ of