34th to the 45th degree, (that is, from North Carolina to Nova Scotia,) under the general name of Virginia,-a name previously conferred on Sir Walter's patent as a compliment to the virgin reign of queen Elizabeth. The South-Virginia division extended from the 34th to the 41st degree, or, from Cape Hatteras to New York city: and the first colonization of any of the new patentees, destined however for Roenoke, was effected in 1607 at James Town, Vir ginia. Thus giving place to the idea, often expressed in modern times, of the Ancient Dominion," so claimed for Virginia among her sister states; although better historical reasons can be assigned for her distinction.* The North-Virginia division, if we except the alleged intrusion of the Dutch on the Hudson river, or of captain Popham's relinquished attempt to settle at Boston, was not permanently colonized until 1620, when it was made forever memorable by the landing of the Plymouth Colony of Puritans in Massasoit, or Massachusets.

In 1609 Henry Hudson, an Englishman,† in the service of the Dutch East India Company, having fruitlessly sought a north west passage to India in the high northern latitudes, resolved to repair the losses of his ineffective labours, by extending his voyage more southerly for the purpose of traffic. In returning thence from the bar of Virginia he discovered our bay of Delaware, and soon after the Hudson river. From this last discovery, certain traders from Holland came out in 1614 under a patent from the States General, and made their first establishment at Fort Orange, (Aurania) near the present city of Albany. Of this fort they were dispossessed the same year by captain Argal, acting under governor Dale of the South-Virginia Province. But after his return to Virginia the traders reassembled and formed a new establishment at the mouth of the Hudson on the island Manahattan, the present New York, where they built a fort which they called Nieu Amstel, or New Amsterdam. This event is said by some writers to have been in 1615;-but governor Stuyvesant's letter of 1664, of the surrender of the place to the British conquerors, speaks of it as occurring "about 41 or 42 years preceding," thus affixing it to the years 1622-3;-the same period assigned by Professor Kalm.

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About that time the States General appear to have enlarged their schemes of profit from the country by an attempt at colonization; for they grant in the year 1621 their patent for the country of the Nieu Nederland, to the privileged West India Company." From this time the Dutch began to progress southwardly over the

* It is a fact on record, that Virginia resisted Cromwell's rule, and treated with his naval commander as an "Independent Dominion." King Charles II. afterwards quartered Virginia with his Arms, having the motto, " En dat Virginia quartam." Vide-Encyclopedia Britannico. See also those Arms and motto engraved on a Virginia 5£. bill of the year 1773 in my MSS. Annals, p. 276, in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

+Wm. Hudson, an English Clergyman from Barbadoes, who was a primitive settler at Philadelphia, and has left several descendants among us, was a near relative of Hudson the discoverer, perhaps his brother. He became a Friend, and was employed much in civil offices.

lands bordering on both sides of the river Delaware, which they then called the Zuydt or South-river, in contradistinction to their Noordt or North-river. To protect their settlers they built in 1623 their first fort on the Delaware, and probably made their first village, at the place since known as Gloucester Point in New Jersey, at a little distance below the present Philadelphia. This was of course the proper "Ancient Dominion," to us! The fortification was called "Nassau." The place was known to the Indians by the name of Arwanus,* and by the ancient Philadelphians by the less poetical name of Pine Point.

In 1629 the country of New Netherland became of consequence enough to deserve and receive a Governor; and Wouter Van Twiller, the first Governor that our country in common with New York ever possessed! came out to Fort Amsterdam (called New York after 1664-5,) where he ruled in the name of their "High Mightinesses and the privileged West India Company."

In 1631 the Swedes and Fins, allured by the publication of William Usselinx, a Dutch trader, effected a colony under the patronage of their government at Cape Hinlopen, † (called afterwards Cape James by William Penn,) at a place near the present Lewes Town, which they called Point Paradise.

In 1631 also, the Swedes laid out Stockholm (New Castle,) and Christianna, (now Wilmington,) on Minquas creek. They thence spread themselves further along the Delaware.

In 1632 Lord Baltimore obtained from Charles I. his patent for the Maryland colony, and forthwith began his colony there.

In 1640 the Puritans from New Haven, under the name of English People, desirous of planting churches "after a Godly sort," and "to trade and traffic with the Indians" along the Delaware bay, made a purchase of soil for 30£. sterling, transported thither about fifty families, and erected trading houses; from all of which they were ejected in 1642 by orders from Keift the Dutch Governor.

It is matter of curiosity and wonder to us of the present day to contemplate the vagueness and contradictions with which our country was at first lavishly parcelled out and patented. First, the Spaniards would have claimed the whole under their general grant from the Pope! Then Henry VII. of England, and Francis I. of France, would each have claimed the whole of our coast: the

*Called also Tekaacho.

+ I have assumed the time given by Campanius, both because he was among the earliest historians of our country, and also dwelling among us as a Swede. He speaks thus, "when the Swedes arrived in 1631." Proud, deriving the time from Smith's Nova Cæsaria, has given the year 1627 as the time; but this is a mistake easily accounted for, as being the year, as the state paper shows, in which the king and diet of Sweden gave their sanction to the colonization. There are, however, several reasons assigned for thinking that 1638 was the year of their first arrival and settlement, and the facts are well told in Moulton's history of New York;-it should be consulted by the curious in this matter, James Logan's letter of 1726 to the Penns, to be found elsewhere in these pages, says, "there was also a prohibition (from the New York government,) to the Swedes between the years 1630 and 40,”

former under the name of Virginia; the latter under the name of New France. While the English are actually settling in Virginia proper the Dutch take possession of New York, and claim it as New Netherlands; the French at the same time under their claim of Canada encroach upon New York. The limits of North and South Virginia are confusedly made to include New York in both of them. The charter for Maryland is made to invade that for the New Netherlands; and the charter for Connecticut is made to encroach upon New York and Pennsylvania both, and to extend in effect to the Pacific Ocean. These conflicting charters and interests go far to prove the great deficiency of geographical records and information, or the trifling estimation in which lands thus cheaply attained or held were then regarded.

EPITOME

OF

PRIMITIVE COLONIAL

AND

Philadelphia Wistory,

-push enquiry to the birth

And spring-time of our State."

OUR country having been successively possessed by the Dutch, the Swedes, and the English, at periods preceding the colony of Penn and Pennsylvania, it will be a useful introduction to the proper history of Philadelphia and the pilgrim founders, to offer such notices of the earliest colonial history as may briefly show the times, places and manner of the several attempts at dominion or colonization within our borders. When this is accomplished, articles of more general acceptance and more varied and agreeable reading will follow.

The Dutch were undoubtedly the first adventurers who endeavoured to explore and colonize the countries contiguous to our bay and river. So far as precedence of time could confer supremacy, the Dutch had it by actual occupancy. But although they so aspired to possess and rule the country in the name of their "High Mightinesses," it was not conceded by others; for the Swedes in 1631, and the English from New Haven in 1640, severally essayed to become colonists under their own laws. These based their claims on their actual purchases from the Indian Sovereigns; of whom they alleged they had each acquired their titles. That the Sachems did so sell to them is perhaps pretty good inferential evidence that the Dutch had not so acquired their title before them, unless for special places where they designed to settle,--so they certainly procured their title to Cape May; the deed for which is still extant in the archives of state at Albany.

Captain Kornelis Jacobus Méy must be regarded as the first explorer of our bay and river, because it is recorded of him that as early as 1623 he was among those first settlers who formed a village at Gloucester point, and built fort Nassau for its defence.

Thus our

From him, thus preeminent at least by precedence of name, our prominent points of port entrance derived their names. Cape May retains his surname; and the inner cape of the southern