BRITISH COLONIES. 1681. VIRGINIA contained about 14,000 "tithables, or working State of Virginia. hands." The house of burgesses consisted of 41 members.1 The legislature of Maryland, in this and the subsequent year, Maryland. made an attempt to introduce manufactures into that colony; but without much success. It made laws for promoting tillage, and raising provisions for exportation; for restraining the export of leather and hides; for the support of tanners and shoemakers and for encouraging the making of linen and woollen cloth. Fendal, who had formerly raised an insurrection in Maryland, and had been pardoned, was now tried for seditious practices, and found guilty. He was fined 40,000 lbs. of tobacco; imprisoned until payment; and banished the province.3 returns to Boston. Edward Randolph came over, the second time, to Massachu- Randolph setts, as collector for Boston, and made a vigorous, but unsuccessful attempt to execute his office.1 comes to N. Hampshire. Mason arrived at New Hampshire, and was admitted to a seat Mason in the council. Asserting, soon after, his right to the province, assuming the title of lord proprietor, and proceeding to act according to these pretensions, his conduct was deemed " pation of his majesty's authority here established," and a warrant was issued for apprehending him; but he fled to England.5 an usur 1 Chalmers, b. 1. 355, 356, from the state of Virginia, as delivered to the committee of colonies in December, 1681, by lord Culpeper. Other particulars are here subjoined. There were 20 counties, each of which sent two members to The charges of government the house of burgesses; Jamestown sent one. were maintained, 1. By private levies, raised in each parish, for the minister, church, courts of justice, burgesses' wages, &c. 2. By public levies, raised by act of assembly. 3. By the 2s. a hogshead, with 18. 3d. a ton, paid for fort "The" ecclesiastical "livings are 76 or duties, which amount to £3000 a year. 77; but the poorness of the country and the low price of tobacco have made them of so much less value, scarcely the half. As to the military power: There is not one fort in the whole country, that is defensible against an European enemy. There may be 15,000 fighting men in the country; and yet they used to count 300 an army royal. In relation to the Indians: We are at peace with But that which bids fair to be the speedy and all, at least in war with none. and certain undoing of this colony, is the low or rather no price of the only product of our lands, and our only commodity, tobacco: For the market is overOur thriving is our undoing; and stocked, and every crop overstocks it more. our buying of blacks hath extremely contributed thereto, by making more tobacco: We are too many for that, and too few for any thing else." 2 Chalmers, b. 1. 366, 367. 3 Chalmers, b. 1. 237. See A. D. 1656, and 1659. 4 Chalmers, b. 1. 410, 411. Hutchinson, ii. 75. By a letter to the governor, Randolph demanded the final resolution of the general court, whether it would admit his commission to be in force, or not; that he might know how to govern himself. The court remained silent; "thus," says Chalmers, "showing equally its contempt for the man, and the embarrassment of its situation." 5 Belknap, N. Hamp. i. 182, 183. VOL. I. 51 1681. Entries at During the year ending with April, 1681, there were entered at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 49 vessels, from 10 to 150 tons burden. The amount of the provincial customs, levied at that port during the same year, arising from taxes on wines and Amount of liquors, and one penny a pound of the value on the first cost of goods imported, was £61. 3s. 1d.2 Portsmouth. customs. March 4, nia to W. Penn. William Penn, the son of Sir William Penn, having petitioned Charles II. for a tract of territory between the bay and river of Pennsylva Delaware and lord Baltimore's province of Maryland; a charter making conveyance of that territory, was signed and sealed by the king, on the 4th of March. It constituted William Penn and his heirs true and absolute proprietaries of the province of Pennsylvania, saving to the crown their allegiance and the sovereignty. It gave him, his heirs, and their deputies, power to make laws, by advice of the freemen, and to erect courts of justice for the execution of those laws, provided they be not repugnant to the laws of England.3 The charter being thus obtained, Penn, by a public advertisement, invited purchasers. Many single persons, and some families, chiefly of the denomination of quakers, were induced to think of a removal; and a number of merchants and others forming themselves into a company, purchased 20,000 acres of this land, which was sold at Conditions the rate of £20 for every 1000 acres. On the 11th of July, and conces- Penn entered into certain articles with the purchasers and advensions. turers, which were entitled "Conditions and Concessions."4 First colony These preliminaries being adjusted, a colony came over to Americomes to ca, this year, and commenced a settlement above the confluence nia. of the Schuylkill with the Delaware.5 July 11. Pennsylva 66 1 Chalmers, b. 1. 510. Many of the said ships were driven in by stress of weather, and made no stay." Ib. Dr. Belknap, from the Council records, says, from 15 June 1680 to 12 April 1681, were entered 22 ships, 18 ketches, 2 barks, 3 pinks, 1 shallop, and one flyboat; in all 47. N. Hamp. i. 187. 2 Chalmers, b. 1. 511. This was money of the province, which was of less value than sterling 33 1-3 per cent. No parliamentary duties were then collected at Portsmouth. Ibid. 3 See the Charter entire in Proud's Hist. Pennsylvania, i. 171–187, and in Colden's History of the Five Indian Nations; and a summary of it in Chalmers, b. 1. 636, and in Franklin's Historical Review of the Constitution and Government of Pennsylvania. The preamble and the first section declare the reasons for the grant to be, the commendable desire of William Penn to enlarge the British empire, to promote commodities of trade, to reduce the savage natives, by just and gentle manners, to the love of civil society, and the Christian religion; together with a "regard to the memory and merits of his late father." His father was the admiral, who assisted in taking Jamaica. See A. D. 1655. Penn writes, "This day [5th of 1st Mo. 1681.] my country was confirmed to me under the great seal of England, with large powers and privileges, by the name of Pennsilvania, a name the king would give it in honour of my father.-I proposed Sylvania, and they added Penn to it." Letter to R. Turner, in Memoirs Pennsylv. Hist. Society, i. 201. 4 These are inserted in Proud, ii. Appendix, No. 1. 5 Proud, i. 170-196. Belknap, Biog. ii. 395-402, 410. Chalmers, b. 1.640. The general court of Massachusetts granted liberty to Mr. 1681. Samuel Sewall to undertake the mangement of the printing press in Boston; "and none," said the order, " may presume to set up any other press without the like liberty first granted."1 By an act of the general assembly of Connecticut, the court Court of of assistants was invested with the powers of a court of ad- admiralty. miralty.2 Thomas Mayhew, the first settler of Martha's Vineyard, died, Death of T. in the 93d year of his age.3 Urian Oakes, president of Harvard Mayhew, U. Oakes, college, died, in the 50th year of his age. John Cutt, president & J. Cutt. of the first council of New Hampshire, died.5 1682. 4 WILLIAM PENN, the proprietary of Pennsylvania, published a Penn pub. frame of government; with a body of laws agreed on in Eng- lishes a land between himself and the purchasers. To prevent all future 6 pretence of claim to the province by the duke of York, or his ment. Univ. Hist. xli. 2. Three ships sailed for Pennsylvania, that year; two from London, and one from Bristol. The John and Sarah, from London, is said to have been the first that arrived there; the Amity, from London, with passengers, was blown off to the W. Indies, and did not arrive at the province, until the ensuing spring; the Bristol Factor arrived at the place, where Chester now stands, on the 11th of December. The passengers, seeing some houses, went on shore, near the lower side of Chester creek; and, the river freezing up that night, they remained there all winter. Proud. Charter and General Laws of Massachusetts, Appendix, c. 4. This press had been "late under the command of Mr. John Foster, deceased." Mr. Sewall was "prevailed with to undertake the management of it at the instance of some friends, with respect to the accommodation of the publick." 2 Day, Hist. Judiciary of Connecticut, from Colony Records. 3 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. i. 202. See A. D. 1642. 4 Magnal. b. iv. 186-188. Mass. Hist. vii. 51-54. I. Mather, MS. Diary. He was educated at Harvard College. After taking his degrees, he went to Eng land, where he was settled in the ministry at Tichfield. Such was his celebrity for ministerial qualifications, learning and piety, that, on the decease of Mr. Mitchel, the church and society at Cambridge sent a messenger to England to invite him to their pastoral charge; and he commenced his ministry at Cambridge 8 November 1671. On the death of president Hoar, he was invited to the presidency of Harvard College, and entered on that office in 1675. He was a man of ex. tensive erudition, and of distinguished usefulness. Dr. I. Mather says, " he was one of the greatest lights, that ever shone in this part of the world." 5 He was one of three brothers, natives of Wales, who came over to this country before the year 1646. Farmer and Moore, Coll. ii. 84. 6 The frame of government was published in April; and the chief intention of this famous charter was declared to be " for the support of power in reverence with the people, and to secure the people from the abuse of power: For liberty, without obedience, is confusion: and obedience, without liberty, is slavery." The body of laws, agreed on by the adventurers, and intended as a supplement to the frame, was published in May; "and it does great honour to their wisdom as statesmen, to their morals as men, to their spirit as colonists." Chalmers, b. i. 641–643. The Frame of Government, and the Laws are in Proud's Hist. Pennsylvania, Appendix, No. II. frame of govern 1682. heirs, he obtained of the duke his deed of release for it; and, as an additional territory to the province, he procured of the duke his right and interest in that tract of land, which was at first The terri- called the territories of Pennsylvania, afterward, "The three lower counties on Delaware." tories. Oct. 24. Arrives at Newcastle. Dec. 4: Calls an assembly. Treaty with 1 In the month of August, Penn, accompanied by about 100 passengers, chiefly quakers, embarked for America; and landed at Newcastle on the 24th of October. The next day the people were summoned to the court house, where, after possession of the country was legally given him, he made a speech to the old magistrates and the people, acquainting them with the design of his coming, the nature and end of government, particularly of that which he came to establish, assuring them of "liberty of conscience and civil freedoms," and recommending them to live in sobriety and peace. He also renewed the commissions of the magistrates. Proceeding afterward to Upland [Chester], he there called an assembly on the 4th of December.2 This assembly passed an act of union, annexing the three lower counties to the province; and an act of settlement, in reference to the "frame of government." The Dutch, Swedes, and other foreigners were then naturalized; and all the laws, agreed on in England, were passed in form.4 Penn immediately entered into a treaty with the natives, from the natives. whom he purchased as much of the soil as the circumstances of 1 Proud, i. 196-202. Chalmers, b. 1. 641, 645. Belknap, Biog. ii. 403-408, Art. PENN. Anderson, under 1680. The duke of York gave two deeds of feoffment for the territories; the first was for Newcastle and a district of 12 miles round it, as far as the river Delaware; the second comprehended the tract from 12 miles south of Newcastle to the Hoarkills, "otherwise called Cape Hinlopen." The first tract formed the county of Newcastle: the second, the counties of Kent and Sussex. 2 This assembly consisted of 72 delegates from the six counties, into which Pennsylvania and Delaware had been already divided. The freemen, though allowed by the frame to come, for this time, in their own persons, yet declared, that the fewness of the people, their inability in estate, and unskilfulness in matters of government, would not permit them to act; and desired therefore, that the deputies, now chosen, might serve both for the provincial council and general assembly; three out of every county for the former, and nine for the latter. Chalmers, b. 1. 645. Franklin, Hist. Review, 15. 3 Until this union with Pennsylvania, these counties, from the year 1667, had been holden as an appendage to the government of New York. Encyclop. Brit. v. 719. The want of the royal authority for this act, with the operation of other causes, produced difficulties, which afterward rendered this union void; and the three lower counties had a separate assembly, though under the same governor. Belknap, Biog. ii. 412. Franklin, 16. 4 Proud, i. 204-206. On the west side of the Delaware, on the lands granted to Penn, the Dutch had, at this time, one place for religious worship at Newcastle; the Swedes, 3, one at Christeen, one at Tenecum, and one at Wicocoa (now in the suburbs of Philadelphia). Ib. Smith, N. Jersey, 22. Chalmers [643.] says, "when the proprietary arrived on the banks of the Delaware, he found them inhabited by 3000 persons, composed of Swedes, Dutch, Finlanders, and English." BRITISH COLONIES. the colony required, and "settled a very kind correspondence' with them.1 99 1682. laid out; The proprietary next proceeded, with the assistance of his City of Phisurveyor general, Thomas Holme, to lay out a place for the ladelphia projected city; to which he had already assigned the name of Philadelphia. The city was immediately begun; and, within less than a year, 80 houses and cottages were built.2 The first and built. settlers were generally quakers, who had suffered persecution, on account of their religion; and who, with other dissenters from the church of England, sought liberty of conscience in a country, which offered to the persecuted a peaceful asylum.3 Governor Carteret of East Jersey, early in the year, trans- E. Jersey. ferred his rights in that province to William Penn and eleven associates; who soon after conveyed one half of their interest to the earl of Perth and eleven others.4 In the towns of East Jersey there were supposed to be settled about 700 families. "Tradition 1 Chalmers, b. 1. 644. Proud [ii. 212.] says, the friendship, now begun, was never interrupted for the space of more than 70 years. One part of Penn's agreement with the Indians was, that they should sell no lands to any person, but to himself or his agents; another was, that his agents should not occupy nor grant any lands, but those which were fairly purchased of the Indians. These stipulations were confirmed by subsequent acts of Assembly; and every bargain, made between private persons and the Indians without leave of the proprietors, was declared void. Belknap, Biog. ii. 416, Art. PENN. tells us, that the treaty of 1682 was held at Shackamaxon, under the wide spread branches of the great Elm tree, which grew near the margin of the Delaware, and which was prostrated during a storm in the year 1810. The trunk measured 24 feet in circumference, and its age was ascertained to be 283 years, having been 155 years old at the time of the treaty." This tree Mr. West has introduced into his celebrated picture, representing the Treaty.The first deed of the Indians is dated June 23, 1683. Memoirs of Pennsylvania Historical Society, i. 65, 82, 96, 97. 2 Proud, i. 233, 234. Belknap, Biog. ii. 419-421. Chalmers [i. 645.] says, "we are assured," that near 100 houses and cottages were built in that time. The ground chosen for the purpose of this city was claimed by some Swedes; to whom Penn gave, in exchange for it, a larger quantity of land, at a small distance. Coaquannock (the Indian name of the place, selected for the city) then exhibited an agreeable prospect. It had a high and dry bank next to the Delaware, and was finely ornamented with pine trees. Proud, i. 211, 233. Smith [N. Jersey, 108.] says, that, in 1678, a ship from Hull passed the first time so high up the Delaware, as Burlington; that off against Coaquannock, where was a bold shore, she passed so near it, in tacking, that a part of the rigging struck the trees; and that some of the passengers remarked, it was a fine spot for a town. 66 ac 3 Proud, i. 216, 217. Chalmers, b. 1. 644. Chalmers says, Penn was companied" to Pennsylvania by about 2000 emigrants; but he probably meant to include all the emigrations of this year. Penn, in a letter to the ministers of England, dated 14 August, 1683, writes that he had completed "the settlement of six and twenty sail of people within the space of one year." Proud says, "the settlers amounted to such a large number, that the parts near Delaware were peopled in a very rapid manner, even from about the falls of Trenton, down to Chester, near 50 miles on the river: besides the settlements in the lower counties." 4 Chalmers, b. 1. 620. Univ. Hist. xxxix. 363. The reason assigned by Chalmers for Carteret's transfer (in February) is, that he was "offended with a province, which he could neither please nor govern." The reason assigned for |