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Jan. 16.
Whitehall. |
37. Council of Trade and Plantations to Mr. Secretary Vernon. Summarises for his information Lord Bellomont's account of his Conference with the Indians at Albany and the outbreak of the Dionondades (See Cal. A. and W. I. 1700). Signed, Ph. Meadows, Jno. Pollexfen, Abr. Hill, Geo. Stepney, Mat. Prior. [C. O. 5, 1118. pp. 105–108; and (rough draft) 5, 1079. No. 63.] |
Jan. 16.
N. York. |
38. Governor the Earl of Bellomont to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Your Lordships will meet with the reason of this ship's stay till now in my letter to the Admiralty. A foot messenger arriv'd last night from Albany and brought me the good news of a bargain made with the Sachems of the Mohack Indians. I send a copy of Mr. Freeman's letter. He is the Dutch Minister of Schenectady, and a very good sort of man. Mr. Schermerhoorn is a very sensible man, and has manag'd this bargain very skilfully. The design was so privately carried
between him and his partner and myselfe, that not a man of the Antileisler party knew or dreamt of it, till it was actually concluded and the felling of the masts begun. I am satisfied had I employ'd Schuyler or any of his party to make the bargain with the Mohacks for their woods, they would not have done it without finding their account in it, to the King's cost. And if they had had the wind of my imploying Mr. Schermerhoorn and Beeckman, they would have been spiteful enough to have puzzl'd the bargain all they could. |
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I have three very useful designs on the carpet, which will be much for the King's service, viz. the furnishing of Naval Stores from hence, (wherein I doubt not of success in the whole as in the article of masts, yards and boltspritts, which is a part, and for which there is demonstration by what the undertakers for masts have already done), provided you give me that support which you have often promised, in getting the Vacating Act approv'd by the King, and sending new orders to me and the Assembly to break all the rest of Fletcher's extravagant Grants of Land, and some others made by former Governors. I do not desire new orders upon my own account for I know the former are vallid, but to animate the Assembly. My second design is to invite the Onagongues, or Eastern Indians, to come and settle at Schackhook in this province, and to make a perpetual league and friendship between them and our Five Nations, by which means I will strengthen our Indians, and disappoint the French of those Eastern Indians, who were as so many swords in their hands against us. For this purpose I made use of Col. Schuyler's brother, who has an interest in our Schackhook or River Indians, that are to be the instruments to prevail with those Eastern Indians to come and settle at Schackhook. What progresse Col. Schuyler has made in that matter, your Lordships will learn from his letter to me, which I received last night. My third design is to ingage the Dowaganhas, Twictwicts, Dienondades, and all those numerous Nations in a Trade with us, which the French by their Missionaries have at present monopoliz'd, but I hope in a year's time to be able to give your Lordships a good account of those Nations, if I may be allow'd to use my own methods, and that I be well supported by your Lordships. If I can bring things to bear according to my expectation and hopes, I fancie I may once within a year tell your Lordships you may set the French at. defiance and laugh at all their projects. to circumvent us, their new settlement at Mechisipi and Canada, and Nova Scotia put together. In order to this design, the beaver trade ought to be incourag'd by the Parliament, all duties wholly taken off both here and in England from beaver and other peltry exported from this Province. Some French Marchands, lately come from England to live here, assure me that the French King, to incourage the beaver trade, had ordered the Parliament of Paris to put forth (un arrest the French call it) an Act requiring all the hatters to mix a certain quantity of beaver's fur in all their hatts, under a severe penalty, which is a wise course; and I wish our Parliament would take such a course to help the consumption of beaver,
which at present is grown almost out of use in England, since Carolina hatts have been so much, and beaver hatts so little, in fashion. |
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I am extremely importun'd to erect a Court of Chancery, many people like to be ruin'd for want of one. I shall therefore very soon settle that Court, tho' I should make no decrees till the arrival of the Judge and Attorney General. But at present I am much inconvenienc'd by the want of five Councellors, for under that number I cannot hold a Court of Chancery. The Council are now but seven. Col. Schuyler never comes near us, and lives 150 miles off at Albany. Mr. Livingston lives there too, but comes pretty often hither, when the season of the year permits; Col. Smith comes as seldom as he can, and lives a 100 miles off. And Mr. Graham tho' but 8 miles off, has not been here almost these five moneths. So that we have but three members of the Council that I can be sure of attending, if the occasion were ever so important. I must therefore (since the King's Instruction allows not to add to the number of seven Councellors) suspend two of the present Council that will not attend, and add Mr. Weaver, who as Collector ought to be one, and Mr. William Lawrence, of Newtown in Queen's County in Nassau Island, an honest, understanding man, to be the other. Mr. Lawrence has a good estate, and must be distinguish'd by the place of his dwelling from another of the same name and surname, who has not so good a character. Signed, Bellomont. Endorsed, Recd. 24 Feb. Laid before the Board, 14 March, Read 31 March, 1700/1. Holograph. 2 pp. Enclosed, |
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38. i. Abstract of preceding. 2 pp. |
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38. ii. Governor the Earl of Bellomont to the Lords of the Admiralty. The ship that carries this was hindered from sailing by the great quantity of ice that came down the Rivers, so that she was forced to save herselfe in the Creek where the King's ship is laid up. The two undertakers for masts have, according to my Instructions, bargained with the Mohack Nation for their woods in behalfe of the King, so that your Lordships may now depend on being cheaply supplyed with masts, boltsprits and yards of all sizes, and in what quantity you please. Your Lordships will, I presume, give me your directions to contract with the undertakers for the term of seven years, which is the least encouragement which can reasonably be given them for their honest service. You will see how good a bargain they have made for the King, for the King is to have the woods for ever, without paying anything for them. They write me word they have provided one mast of 38 inches diameter, which is an inch more than the biggest mast in Mr. Taylor's contract. Signed, Bellomont. Endorsed, Recd. Feb. 24, 1700/1. Copy. ¾ p. |
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38. iii. Copy of contract made with the Mohack Indians for their woods (referred to in preceding), Schenegtade, Dec. 26, 1700. Signed by eleven praying Maquaes (their
marks), in the presence of B. Freerman, Joha. Sanderts Glen, Adam Vrooman, Harmen Vedder. Same endorsement. Dutch. 1¾ p. |
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38. iv. English version of preceding. Same endorsement. 1½ p. |
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38. v. B. Freerman to Governor the Earl of Bellomont. Schenegtade. Jan. 6, 1700/1. I have received your Excellency's letter of Nov. 15, 1700. I shall use my utmost to intreat the Indians to be firm in their allegiance to H.M., and forasmuch as appears to me, they are good subjects to H.M., whereof they desire me to give your Excellency an account. There are not above 100 Maquasse, 36 whereof have imbraced the Christian Faith, 10 whereof thro' the grace of God are brought over through my means. Signed, B. Freerman. Same endorsement. 1 p. |
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38. vi. Capt. Schuyler to Governor the Earl of Bellomont. In obedience to your letter, Nov. 7, when the Indians from Schackhook had returned from hunting, I appointed Jan. 3 for their chief Sachems to meet at my house, and told them, with seven hands of wampum, that your Lordship desires three of them to go to the Onnogongwaes with a fine Belt of Wampum and invite them to come and live here at Schackhook and enter with them and the Five Nations in the Covenant Chain, and to assure them of the King's protection and your Lordship's kindness so well in presents as others, and to perswade the Onnogongwaes to send four or five of their chief Sachems hither to treat with your Lordship at New York on April 1st. They made answer that they were very glad to see their father striving with such care for to make them a great Nation; and that instead of three men, they resolved to send four, gave 10 deer skins and desired five days' time to appoint Indians with such necessaries as that journey requires. To-morrow I expect the names of the Indians appointed, and therefore went to Mr. Mayor, desiring him to stop the Post till then, which could not well be done. I am informed by two Frenchmen lately come from Canada, that the Governour there makes preparacion against next summer to settle two Forts upon Cadarackque River, to take up such as run away from Canada towards Ottowawa without the Governor's liberty. There are several French at the North end of the wood Creek, waiting for others which they expect from Canada upon the same design as the Frenchmen are who were by your Lordship last fall at New York, of which here is still one at my house. There is also a considerable number of French Indians a hunting. If your Lordship hath any commands to Canada or that way, be pleased to order me, who intends thither shortly. Signed, Johannis Schuyler. Same endorsement.Copy. 1¾ p. |
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38. vii. Muster-roll of Capt. Weemes' Company of Fuzaleers. Albany. Jan. 1, 1701. Signed, James Weemes, Hen. Holland, Richard Brewer, P. Schuÿler, J. Johnsen Bleecker, Mayor. 1 p. |
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38. viii. Muster-roll of Major Richard Ingoldesby's Company of Granadeers. Albany, Jan. 1st, 1700/1. Signed, J. Bennett, Matthew Shanke, John Bulkley, P. Schuÿler, J. Johnsen Bleecker, Mayor. 1 p. Nos. vii. and viii. Endorsed, Recd. Feb. 24, 1700/1. [C. O. 5, 1046. Nos. 3, 3.i.–viii.; and (without enclosures) 5, 1118. pp. 241–247; and (abstract, with marginal notes for reply) 5, 1133. pp. 148–150; and (duplicates of iii. and iv.) 5, 1083. Nos. 62, 63; and (duplicates of letter and v., vi.) 5, 1044. Nos. 40, 40.i., ii.] |
Jan. 16.
New York. |
39. Governor the Earl of Bellomont to Mr. Secretary Vernon. I refer you to my letter of this date to the Lords of Trade. I am in hopes you will still be my good and just friend to recommend my services to the King, and that by your influence I may not always labour in vain. I desire upon this occasion to mind you of a rule in equity which I heard or read of somewhere, Onus qui sentit, sentire debet et commodum. signed, Bellomont. Holograph. 1 p. [C. O. 5, 1044. No. 41.] |
| Jan. 16. |
40. Observations on the Maryland Act for Religion as it relates to vestries. There is no reason for a select vestry but where the inhabitants are numerous. The method of surviving vestrymen supplying their number by choice of new vestrymen excludes the inhabitants of their rights to vote and consent to matters concerning themselves. The power of fining vestrymen for not taking the oaths is not reasonable, in that it excludes all Quakers from the benefit of affirmation allowed by the Law of England. The power of vestrymen choosing the Church Wardens is contrary to the Law of England, by which the Minister chooses one and the parishioners the other, but by custom in some parishes the parishioners choose both. That vestrymen should sue or molest any one and pay noe costs of suite or fees unless they recover, is contrary to law and unreasonable, for thereby they will be encouraged to be vexatious. Signed, Edw. Northey. Endorsed, Recd. Read Jan. 21, 1700/1. Copy. 1 p. [See No. 51. Jan. 21.] [C. O. 5, 715. No. 22; and 5, 726. pp. 25, 26.] |
Jan. 16.
Whitehall. |
41. Council of Trade and Plantations to the King. Lord Bellomont having acquainted us with the complaints that have been made by the Officers and soldiers at New Yorke, upon account of there being deducted out of their pay 30 per cent. (arising by the advance of money returned from hence thither) which is applyed to the maintaining of a chaplain, a surgeon, a store-keeper, an armourer, a master-gunner, two matrosses, and to the contingent uses of the said companies and garrisons; we humbly represent that the said deduction was first made upon the establishment of two companies of 50 men in each
and did then amount to £553 4s. 11d. But whereas your Majesty has been lately pleased to establish there four companies of 100 men in each, a deduction of 10 per cent. of the increased charge will amount to 709l. 6s. and suffice to pay the foresaid charge and leave a greater overplus than formerly for such contingent uses, so that the companies may have the further benefit of 20 per cent. arising by the returns above-mentioned, which as it will be a great encouragement to them, without any charge to your Majesty, we most humbly propose that your Majesty would give such directions therein as to your Majesty in your great Wisdom shall seem meet. Signed, Ph. Meadows, Wm. Blathwayt, Jno. Pollexfen, Abr. Hill, Geo. Stepney. [C. O. 5, 1118. pp. 109, 110; and 5, 1079. No. 64.] |
Jan. 16.
Kensington. |
42. Order of King in Council, approving the above Representation of the Council of Trade and Plantations, and ordering a new additional establishment to be prepared for the pay of the four Companys at New York, together with the charges of a Chaplain, Surgeon, Storekeeper, Armourer, Master Gunner, and Matrosses there, as proposed, and that the person or persons concern'd in the account of the pay of the said Companys do give an account yearly of the disposal of the said ten per cent. to the Rt. Hon. the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury and to the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, and William Blathwayt, Esq., H.M. Secretary at War, is to prepare the said additional establishment for H.M. approbation and royal signature accordingly. Signed, examined by John Povey. Endorsed, Recd. 21. Read 29 Jan. 1700/1. 1 p. [C. O. 5, 1045. No. 13; and 5, 1118. pp. 114, 115.] |
Jan. 16.
Whitehall. |
43. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Representation on the deduction of 30 per cent. signed and sent. |
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Letter to Mr. Vernon signed and sent. |
| Jan. 17. |
Directions given for preparing a Representation upon the Revenue of Jamaica. |
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Letter to the Treasury as to the charges and salaries of this Office signed. [Board of Trade. Journal, 13. pp. 319, 320; and 98. Nos. 10, 11.] |
Jan. 17.
Antigua. |
44. Governor Codrington to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Since I closed my letter, I received ye letter I send you by an express sloop from Montserrat. I should think myself wanting in my duty if I did not comply with ye request of ye Councell, and shall therefore despatch a Commission for Col. Hodges, who, I believe, is better qualified for ye post than any soldier of fortune, like wd. accept it at home. He has been very active in all the expeditions during ye late war, and is, as I'm assured, very affectionate to H.M.'s person and government. The gentlemen of Montserrat are very far from being a factious people, who pretend to choose for themselves, for it must be said in justice to them
they have alwaise distinguisht themselves by their respect to the Commander in Chief and their [kindness] to their own Governor above all the other [islands]. They have had five governors successively [who cost] them more every year than my father co[st the] whole government in ten years' service. [So I] hope your Lordships will think they ought to [have] a little respite now and to yt end confirm Col. Hodges in his government. Signed, Chr. Codrington. Endorsed, Recd. 9, Read 30 April, 1701. Holograph. 2 pp. Corner torn. Notes for reply on p. 3. Enclosed, |
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44. i. Council of Mountseratt to Governor Codrington. Mountseratt, Jan. 11, 1700/1. Announcing the death of the Lieut. Governor Col. Thomas Delavall, and praying for the appointment of Col. Anthony Hodges. The Island for some years past has been very unfortunate in having in the government strangers and men of no estate or interest among us, to maintain whom we have had to raise large sums of money, which might have been disbursed on fortifications and stores of arms. We are at present in great want of the latter, and the former have been for some years neglected, to both which we can think of no better remedy then by having some person of interest in the Island to be our Lieut. Governor, as Col. Hodges, to who it falls at present to preside in Council. Signed, Edw. Parson, Wm. Fox, Thomas Lee (?), John Scott, William Frye. 2 pp. [C. O. 152, 4. Nos. 15, 15. i.; and (without enclosure) 153, 7. pp. 164, 165.] |
Jan. 17.
Whitehall. |
45. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. From the time of first passing our Commission which is now near five years, we have not laid before your Lordships any account of the incident charges of our Office, nor has anything been advanced towards those expences except the 450l. imprest money for which our Secretary has prepared an account to be past in the ordinary methods of the Exchequer. The Post Officer and Stationer are very urgent with us for their payment. We are further to entreat your Lordships in behalf of our Secretary, Clerks, and other officers, whom we find omitted in the distribution now to be made to our Board of half a year's payment, whereby they are above one year and a quarter in arrear, which puts them upon great hardships, many of them having families to maintain, their salaries being very small and there being no fees of profit annexed to their employments. We beg you to appoint these so much of their arrears, which amount to 1,362l., as you shall think fit. Signed, Stamford, Lexington, Phil. Meadows, Wm. Blathwayt, John Pollexfen, Abr. Hill, Geo. Stepney, Mat. Prior. Annexed, |
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45. i. Incidents and salaries referred to above. Signed as preceding. |
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45. ii. Petition of the Clerks and under Officers attending the Board to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Petitioners have very much suffered by giving their whole
time to the service of this office, whereby they are disabled from doing anything else to help them to live, by the great arrears always due to them, by the great deductions of fees and taxes upon receipt of their salaries, by having no fees as in other offices, and by being obliged to borrow money on excessive termes and break their promises to their creditors, etc. [Board of Trade. Miscellanies, 11. pp. 96–102.] |
| Jan. 17. |
46. Bill of Wm. Churchill, Stationer, April 13, 1699-June 25, 1700. Endorsed, Recd. Jan. 17, 1700/1. 2 copies. 3¼ pp. each. [Board of Trade. Miscellanies, 1. Nos. 44, 45.] |
| Jan. 18. |
47. Minutes of Council of New York. H.E. being informed that the Master and Mate of the John and Henry, lately arrived, have had some difference, by which it was discovered that the Master had a design to dispose of great part of the cargo, they and the crew were examined and the dispute settled. |
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The petition of the Mayor and Alderman of the City of New York having been heard and debated, H.E. and Council were of opinion that it wholly conteined matter of property and that his Board are not judges thereof. [C. O. 5, 1184. pp. 407–409.] |
Jan. 19.
Hampton
Court. |
48. Draught of a letter for H.M. signature to the Earl of Bellomont. Whereas we have been informed that great spoiles are daily committed in the woods of New Hampshire and Province of Main and other parts within your Government of the Massachusetts Bay, by cutting down and converting to private uses such trees as are or may be proper for the service of our Royal Navy, our Will and Pleasure is that you use your endeavours with our respective Councils and the General Assemblies of the Massachusets Bay and of New Hampshire to dispose them to pass Acts for preventing the further spoil of those woods and for preserving a nursery of such trees as may be useful for our service; and in case you cannot prevail with them, that you send over hither the heads of such a Bill as may be effectual for those ends and fit to be enacted here. Countersigned, Ja. Vernon. [C. O. 5, 909. pp. 348, 349.] |
Jan. 20.
Maryland. |
49. Governor Blakiston to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I am to acknowledge the honour of your Lordships' of May 17. I shall constantly transmit lists of ships inward and outward, and will observe yr commands as to sending private acts separate from publick. It was not in my power to performe H.M. commands in my going to New York to consult with my Lord Bellomont about a trade with ye Indians. Notwithstanding I had been very sick all ye summer, I set forward from this place with Col. Nicholson, Sep. 14, but after I had got to Burlington, 20 miles above Philadelphia, I was taken very ill with a relapse of my fevour, that it was not possible for me to proceed. My illness was very sharp, that it was with great
difficulty and some time before I reached home, where I have continued much indisposed ever since. I have also received your letter of Aug. 1, but this is the first ship that has gone from hence, being loaden with new tobacco, and I have in the best method I am capable enumerated ye proceedings of the Courts. I have already represented ye difficulties which attend my having a due number for a meeting of ye Council, since which there is dead a few days ago, Col. Henry Jowles, Col. Charles Hutchins, and Mr. Thomas Tasker, about four months agoe, so that now it will be impossible for ym to have ye number of Councillors I am instructed to, without others appointed. The last meeting of ye Council, which was ye 13th of last month, I acquainted them of this difficulty I laboured under, and desired they would assist me in representing four fit persons:—Thomas Lawrence, Col. Edward Loyd, Col. von Holland, and James Sanders, have all approved themselves zealous in H.M. interest here. I have sent a list of these to Mr. Sec. Vernon. Signed, N. Blakiston. Endorsed, Recd. April 29, Read May 6, 1701. Holograph. 2¼ pp. Addressed. Enclosed, |
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49. i. List of the Council of Maryland. 1 p. Endorsed, Recd. April 29, 1701. |
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49. ii. A scheme of the Judicial Proceedings of the Courts of Maryland. 3¼ large pp. Same endorsement. |
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49. iii. Abstract of above letter. ½ p. [C. O. 5, 715. Nos. 21, 21.i.–iii.; and 5, 726. pp. 50–65.] |
Jan. 20.
Hampton Court. |
50. Additional establishment relating to the Four Companies in New York. (See Jan. 16). Given at our Court at Hampton Court, Jan. 20, 1700. Countersigned, Wm. Blathwayt. Endorsed, Recd. Read 31 Jan., 1700/1. 2 pp. [C. O. 5, 1045. No. 14; and 5, 1118. pp. 117–119.] |
| Jan. 20. |
51. Journal of Council of Trade and Plantations. Upon intimation that the Lord President and Mr. Secretary Vernon intend to be at this Board on Wednesday in order to some deliberations relating to the boundaries between the English and French in Hudson's Bay, ordered that the Deputy Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company have notice to attend then, together with any other members of that Company that he thinks fit. |
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Representation about the Forts and Fortifications in H.M. Islands in America considered. |
