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CHAPTER IV.

AFFAIRS OF THE COLONY FROM A.D. 1634 to A. D. 1638.

SETTLERS OF MARYLAND ARRIVE. THOMAS CORNWALLIS CHIEF COUNCILLOR, AND THREE-FOURTHS OF MARYLAND COLONISTS PROTESTANT IN FAITH. ANCESTRY OF CORNWALLIS. FIRST COMMISSIONERS FOR PLANTATIONS. WOODHOUSE ASKS TO BE GOVERNOR. ROUTE TO WESTERN OCEAN. EXPLORATION OF DELAWARE RIVER. MODE OF IMMIGRATION. SIR. EDWARD VERNEY'S SON. PLANTATIONS OF MATHEWS AND MENEFIE. NOTICES OF STONER, KEMP, AND LIDCOTT. CENSUS A. D., 1635. DISPUTE WITH GOV. HARVEY. LETTER TO SIR JOHN ZOUCH. GOV. HARVEY GOES TO ENGLAND. SETTLERS NEAR PHILADELPHIA. NARRATIVE OF Gov. JOHN WEST. VISIT OF MAVERICK OF BOSTON. Gov. HARVEY'S RETURN. SERGEANT MAJOR DONNE. NORFOLK COUNTY NAMED. CAPT. THOMAS STEGG, GEORGE LUDLOW MERCHANT. BENONI BUCK THE FIRST IDIOT BORN IN VIRGINIA.

NDER the charter granted, in 1632, to George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, his son and successor Cecil, helped by some friends, sent out a Colony to the Province of Maryland, in a ship and pinnace, which on the 24th of February, 1633-34, arrived at the mouth of the James River.

While Leonard Calvert, the brother of the second Lord Baltimore, was the ostensible Governor of Maryland, the

leading spirit was the chief councillor Thomas Cornwallis,' a man of more distinguished ancestry, and an adherent of the church of England.

More than three-fourths of the first settlers of Maryland were Protestants while those who adhered to the Church of Rome were "for the most part poor."

'Thomas Cornwallis, a merchant, and sheriff of London in the days of Richard the Second, was a remote ancestor of the Maryland councillor, and also of the Lord Cornwallis who surrendered to Washington at Yorktown, Virginia. The great grandfather of the Maryland councillor was Sir Thomas, knighted by Queen Mary, and builder of Browne Hall. The following pasquinades appeared in his time:

Another was

"Who built Brown Hall? Sir Thomas Cornwallis.

How did he build it? By selling of Calais."

"Sir Thomas Cornwallis what got you for Calais ?
Browne Hall, Browne Hall, as large as a palace."

"

His tombstone is oblong, of black and white marble, and upon it is a recumbent statue with feet resting on a stag, the family crest, and on it is inscribed Sir Thomas Cornwallis, son of Sir John, Comptroller of the Household to Queen Mary, Treasurer of Calleys, dyed 26 Dec., 1604, aged 86."

The grandfather of Thomas of Maryland was Charles, knighted by King James, and ambassador to Spain. His father was Sir William, and his mother Catherine, daughter of Sir Philip of Erwarton Suffolk. His uncle Thomas married Anna, daughter of Samuel Bevercott, the predecessor of William Brewster, who became leader of the Plymouth Colonists, as postmaster at Scrooby. A son of the Maryland councillor, Thomas, born 1662, was Rector of Erwarton, and afterward of Bradley Parva in Suffolk, England.

A grandson of the Councillor William born in 1708, was Rector of Wenham Mag. and Chelmondester Suffolk.

A great grandson, also named William born in 1751, was Rector of Whitersham and Elam in Kent and his daughter Caroline Frances, was a talented woman, scholar and authoress, who died January 8, 1858.

This fact is mentioned in a letter written by a Jesuit, to his Superior in England. The whole letter was first published in the third volume of "Records of the English Province of the Society Jesus," Burns and Oates, London. It was reprinted in this country, by the writer of this note, in Pennsylvania Historical Society Magazine, Volume V, 1881. Reference also, to it will be found in

The arrival of the Baltimore Colony to take possession of lands, already cultivated, and settled by Virginians, led to years of controversy. On the 14th of March, 1634, at a meeting of the Governor and Council of Virginia, Capt. William Claiborne, "requested the opinion of the Board how he should demean himself in respect of the Lord Baltimore's Plantations Patent, and his deputies, now seated in the Bay, for that they had signified unto Captain Claiborne, that he was now a member of their plantation, and therefore, should relinquish all relations and dependence on this Colony. It was answered, by the Board, that they wondered why there should be any such question made, that they knew no reason why they should render up the Right of that Place of the Isle of Kent more than any other formerly given to the Colony, by his Maties Patent, and that the right of my Lord's Grant being yet undetermined in England, we are bound in duty and by our Oaths to maintain the Rights and Privileges of the Colony. Nevertheless in all humble Submission to his Majestie's Pleasure we resolve to keep and observe all good Correspondency with them, no way doubting that they on their parts will intrench upon his the Interest of this, his Majestys Plantation."

Governor Harvey, in a letter to Secretary Windebank, a friend of Lord Baltimore, vividly described the situation.

"SIR: I shall put the daye wherein I did that service to my Lord Baltimore which deserved thankes from your

Bradley Johnson's " Foundation of Maryland" published in 1883, by Maryland Historical Society, and in Neill's " Maryland in the Beginning," Cushings and Bailey, Baltimore, 1884

Honor, into the accompt of my happie days, next unto that day wherein I was designed to doe his Majestie service in this place; and for the respect I owe to your Honor, and for the Noblenes I know to be in my Lord Baltimore and his designes I doe promise your Honor to do him, and his, all the service I am able, but I must sincerely let your Honer know that my power heere is not greate, it being limited by my Commission to the greater number of Voyces at the Councell Table, and there I have almost all against me in whatever I can propose, especially, if it concerns Maryland; and these proceedings of the Councell do so embolden others, that notwithstanding the obligation of Christianitie and his Majties commands to be assisting to them, in their first beginning; many are so averse as that they crye and make it their familiar talk, that they would rather knock their Cattell in the heads than sell them to Maryland.

"I am sorry it is not in my power to rule these exorbitant courses, but for their present accommodation I sent unto them some Cowes of myne owne, and will do my best to procure them more, or anything else they stand in need of.

"This faction I find great cause to suspect is nourished from England, for this summer came letters to Capt. Mathewes who is the patron of disorder, as your Honor will understand by the bearer hereof, Lieutenant Evelin (and by his comportment in other matters as your Honor will find in these papers) upon the reading whereof hee threw his hatt upon the ground, scratching his head, and in a fury stamping, cryed a pox upon Maryland; many letters and secrett intelligences hee and the rest of the Councell have, especially Clayborne, and many meetings and consultations for

which Letters if I had power to search and examine their Consultations, I doubt not but to find notable combinations. I have written at large of the estate of the Colonie to the Lords in generall, to which I remitt your Honor, humbly craving pardon for my brevity which is enforced by my indisposition of health at this tyme, so humbly presenting to your Honor, my best service and respects I take my leave and still will rest.

"Your Humble, very affectionate servant,
"JOHN HARVEY."

"Virginia, 16th December, 1634."

In April, 1634, the King appointed Commissioners for Plantations', and among other powers, were authorized to make laws, ordinances, and constitutions, to provide for the support of the clergy with the advice of two or three bishops, to remove any Governor and appoint a successor, to choose bishop's suffragan with the advice of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and to revoke any grant of land surreptitiously obtained.

Henry Woodhouse, who had been Governor of Bermuda, and served in the Isle of Rhé and Rochelle expeditions, this year, applied to be Governor of Virginia, and it was rumored that he had been appointed. A friend of Governor

I The commissioners designated in the proclamation were William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury; Thomas, Lord Coventry, the keeper of the Great Seal; Richard Neile, Archbishop of Yorke; Richard, Earl of Portland, the High Treasurer; Henry, Earl of Manchester, keeper of Privy Seal; Thomas, Earl of Arundel, and Surrey, Marshal of Eugland; Edward, Earl of Dorset, Chamberlain to the Queen; Francis, Lord Cottington, the Chancellor; Thomas Edmonds, Kt., Treasurer of the Household; Henry Vane, Kt., Comptroller of the Household; John Cooke Kt., Secretary; Francis Wide bank, Kt., Secretary.

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