West other Mountains prevented their sight and the exceeding Coldness prevented further Discovery and compelled them to a speedy return The same Gentleman at another time when he went to make what Discovery he could of the Countrey met with another sort of Indians who were Enemies to the Christians yet venturing amongst them and presenting them with some small Trifles of Glass and Metals found them very kind to him and would fain have obliged him to have setled amongst them by proposing a Match between him and their King's or some other Great Man's Daughter whom he should best fancy nor could he wave their Courtesie nor obtain leave to depart without a Promise of returning again within six Months And South-west from them he found a Nation differing in Government from all the other Indians that inhabit those Parts being rather Slaves than Subjects to their King who was a very grave Man and courteous to Strangers yet horrid barbarous in his Superstition that whilst this Gentleman was there he sent three Youths to kill as many young Women of their Enemies as they could meet withal to serve his Son who was then newly dead in the other World They were not long before they returned with Skins torn off the Head and Faces of several young Girls which they laid at the Feet of their King who received them as the most acceptable Presents CHARLES the Second by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Whereas by Our Letters Patents bearing date the Twenty Fourth Day of March in the Five and Twentieth Year of Our Reign We were graciously pleased to give unto our right Trusty and right Well-beloved Couzen and Counsellor Edward Earl of Clarendon Our High Chancellour of England Our right Trusty right entirely Beloved Couzen Counsellour George Duke of Albemarl Master of Our Horse Our right Trusty and Well-beloved William now Earl of Craven Our right Trusty and Well-beloved Councellour Anthony Lord Chancellour of our Exchequer Our right Trusty and Well-beloved Counsellour Sir George Carteret Knight and Baronet Vice-Chamberlain of Our Houshold Our right Trusty and Well-beloved Sir John Colleton Knight and Barronet and Sir William Berkley Knight all that Territory Province or Tract of Ground called Carolina situate lying and being within our Dominions of America extending from the North end of that Island called Luke-Island which lyeth in the Southern Virginia Seas within six and thirty deg of Northern Latitude and to the West as far as the River of St. Matthias which Bordereth upon the Coast of Florida and within one and thirty deg of Southern Latitude and so West in a direct Line as far as the South Seas aforesaid Now know ye that We at the humble Request of the said Grantees in the aforesaid Letters Patents named and as a farther mark of Our particular Favour towards them We are graciously pleased to enlarge Our said Grant unto them according to the Bounds and Limits hereafter specified and in Favour to the Pious and Noble purpose of the said Edward Earl of Clarendon c. of Our especial Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion have Given Granted and Confirmed and by this Our present Charter for Us Our Heirs and Successors do Give Grant and Confirm unto the said Edward Earl of Clarendon c. their Heirs and Assigns at that Province Territories or Tract of Land situate lying and being within Our Dominions of America aforesaid extending North and Eastward as far as the North end of Carah-Tuck River or Inlett upon a straight Westerly Line to Wianoacke Creek which lyeth within or about thirty six deg thirty min. of Northern Latitude and so West in a direct Line as far as the South-Seas and South and Westward as far as thirty nine deg inclusive Northern Latitude and so West in a direct Line as far as the South Seas together with all and singular Ports Harbours Bays Rivers and Islets belonging unto the Province and Territory aforesaid and also all the Soil Lands Fields Woods Mountains Fenns Lakes Rivers Bays Islets situated or being within the Bounds or Limits last before mentioned with the Fishing of all sorts of Fish Whales Sturgeons and all the Royal Fishes in the Seas Bays Islets and Rivers within the Premises and the Fish therein taken together the Royalty of the Sea upon the Coast within the Limits aforesaid And moreover all Veins Mines and Quarries as well discovered as not discovered of Gold Silver Gems and Precious Stones and all other whatsoever be it of Stones Marble or any other thing whatsoever found or to be found within the Province Territory Isles and Limits aforesaid And furthermore the Patronage and Advowsons of all the Churches and Chappels which as Christian Religion shall encrease within the Province Territory Isles Islets and Limits aforesaid shall happen hereaf-to be Erected together with Licence and Power to Build and Found Churches and Chappels and Oratories in convenient and fit places within the said Bounds and Limits and to cause them to be dedicated and consecrated according to the Ecclesiastical Laws of our Kingdom of England together with all and singular the like and as ample right Jurisdictions Priviledges Prerogatives Royalties Liberties Immunities and Franchises of what kind soever within the Territories Isles Islets and Limits aforesaid to have Use Exercise and enjoy the same as amply and fully and in as ample manner as any Bishop of Durham in our Kingdom of England ever heretofore had held used or enjoyed or of right ought or could have use or enjoy and them the said Edward Earl of Clarendon c. their Heirs and Assigns we do by these Presents for Us Our Heirs and Successors make create and constitute the true and absolute Lords and Proprietors of the said Province or Territory and of all other the Premisses saving always the Faith Allegiance and Sovereign Dominions due to Us Our Heirs and Successors for the same to have hold possess and enjoy the said Province Territories Isles Islets and all and singular of them the Premisses unto them the said Edward Earl of Clarendon c. their Heirs and Assigns for ever to be holden of Us Our Heirs and Successors as of our Manor of Eastgreen within Our County of Kent in free and common Soccage and not in Capite nor by by Knight-Service yielding and paying a parly to Us Our Heirs and Successors for the same a fourth part of all Gold and Silver Oâ—r which within the Limits hereby granted shall from time to time happen to be found over and beside the yearly Rent of twenty Marks and the fourth part of the Gold and Silver Oar in and by the said recited Letter Patents reserved and payable And that the Province or Territory hereby granted and described may be dignified with as large Titles and Priviledges as any other Part of our Dominions and Territories in that Region Know ye that We of our further Grace certain Knowledge and meer
the admiration of many I thought fit to signifie thus much knowing thou wouldst be glad to hear of the People and Provinces welfare The Lord preserve us all and make way for thy return which is much desired not only by our friends but all sorts I am c. thy truly Loving Friend Robert Turner Of further Improvements for Trade and Commerce These things that we have in Prospect for Staples of Trade Trade and Commerce are Wine Linnen Hemp Pot-ashes and Whale-oyl to say nothing of our Provisions for the Islands our Saw-Mills Sturgeon some Tobacco and our Furrs and Skins which of themselves are not contemptible I might add Iron perhaps Copper too for there is much Mines and it will be granted us that we want no Wood though I must confess I cannot know how to help preferring a Domestick or Self-subsistence to a life of much profit by the extream toyl of Foreign Traffick Advice to Adventurers how to imploy their Estates with fair profit It is sit now that I give some Advertisement to Adventurers Advice to Adventurers which way they may lay out their money to best advantage so as it may yield them fair returns and with content to all concerned which is the last part of my present task and I must needs say so much wanting that it has perhaps given some occasion to ignorance and prejudice to run without mercy measure or distinction against America of which Pensylvania to be sure has had its share 1. It is agreed on all hands that the poor are the hands and feet of the rich It is their labour that improves Countries and to encourage them is to promote the real benefit of the Publick Now as there are abundance of these People in many parts of Europe extreamly desirous of going to America so the way of helping them thither or when there and the return thereof to the Disbursers will prove what I say to be true 2. There are two sorts such as are able to transport themselves and Families but have nothing to begin with there and those that want so much as to transport themselves and Families thither 3. The first of these may be entertained in this manner Say I have five thousand Acres I will settle ten Families upon them in way of Village and build each an House an out-House for Cattel furnish every Family with stock as four Cows two Sows a couple of Mares and a yoke of Oxen with a Town-horse Bull and Boar. I find them with Tools and give each their first Ground-seed they shall continue seven years or more at half increase being bound to leave the Houses in repair and a Garden and Orchard I paying for the Trees and at least twenty Acres of Land within Fence and improved to Corn and Grass The charge will come to about sixty pounds English each Family at the seven years end the improvement will be worth as things go now one hundred and twenty pounds besides the value of the encrease of the Stock which may be near as much more allowing for casualties especially if the People are honest and careful or a man be upon the Spot himself or have an Overseer sometimes to inspect them The charge in the whole is eight hundred thirty and two Pounds I think I have been modest in my Computation These Farms afterwards are sit for Leases at full Rent or how else the owner shall please to dispose of them also the People will by this time be skilled in the Country and well provided to settle themselves with Stock upon their own Land 4. The other sort of poor People may be very beneficially transported upon these terms Say I have five thousand Acres I should settle as before I will give to each Family one hundred Acres which in the whole makes one thousand and to each Family thirty Pounds English half in hand and half there which in the whole comes to three hundred Pounds after four days are expired in which time they may be easie and in a good condition they shall each of them pay 5 l. and so yearly for ever as a Fee-farm-rent which in the whole comes to fifty Pounds a year Thus a Man that buys five thousand Acres may secure and settle his four thousand by the gift of one and in a way that hazard and interest allowed for amounts to at least ten per Cent. upon Land security besides the value it puts upon the rest of the five thousand Acres I propose that there be at the least two working hands besides the Wife whether Son or Servant and that they oblige what they carry and for further security bind themselves as Servants for some time that they will settle the said Land accordingly And when they are once seated their improvements are security enough for the Rent 5. There is yet another expedient and that is to give ten Families one thousand Acres for ever at a small acknowledgment and settle them in way of Village as afore by their seating thus the Land taken up is secured from others because the method of the Country is answered and the value such a settlement gives to the rest reserved is not inconsiderable I mean the four thousand Acres especially that which is contiguous for their Children when grown up and Handicrafts will soon covet to fix next them and such and such after settlements to begin at an improved rent in Fee or for long Leases or small acknowledgments and good improvements must advance the whole considerably I conceive any of these methods to issue in a sufficient advantage to Adventurers and they all give good encouragement to feeble and poor Families 6. That which is most advisable for People intended thither to carry with them is in short all things relating to Apparel Building Houshold-stuff Husbandry Fowling and Fishing some Spice Spirits and double Beer at first were not amiss But I advise all to proportion their Estates thus one third in Money and two thirds in Goods Upon Pieces of Eight there will be almost a third gotten for they go at six shillings and by Goods well bought at least fifty Pounds Sterling for every hundred Pounds so that a Man worth four hundred Pounds here is worth six hundred Pounds there without sweating Of the Natives 1. Because many stories have been Prejudicially progagated as if we were upon ill terms with the Natives The Natives and sometimes like Job's Kindred all cut off but the Messenger that brought Tidings I think it requisite to say thus much that as there never was any such Messenger so the dead People were alive at our last advices so far are we from ill Terms with the Natives that we have lived in great friendship I have made several Purchases and in Pay and Presents they have received at least twelve hundred Pounds of me Our humanity has obliged them so far that they generally leave their Guns at home when they come to our Settlements they offer us no
plant there and called it New-Netherland but Sir Samuel Argal Governour of Virginia routed them after which they got leave of King James to put in there for Fresh-Water in their Passage to Brazile and did not offer to plant till a good while after the English were setled in the Countrey In 1664. His late Majesty King Charles the Second sent over four Commissioners to reduce the Colony into bounds that had been encroached upon by each other who marched with three hundred Red-Coats to Manhadees and took from the Dutch the chief Town then called New-Amsterdam now New-York and Aug. 29. turned out their Governour with a Silver Leg and all the rest but those who acknowledged Subjection to the King of England suffering them to enjoy their Houses and Estates as before Thirteen days after Sir Robert Car took the Fort and Town of Aurania now called Albany and twelve days after that the Fort and Town of Arasapha then Delaware-Castle manned with Dutch and Swedes so that now the English are Masters of three handsom Towns three strong Forts and a Castle without the loss of one man The first Governour of these Parts for the King of England was Colonel Nicols one of the Commissioners It is a Countrey of a rich and fertil Soyl It s Fertility well watered with Rivers as in Mary-Land already spoken of and is found to produce the same Beasts Birds Fish Fruits Commodities Trees c. and in as great plenty and it is reported that one Bushel of European Wheat has yielded an hundred in one year The most considerable Town is that of New-York It s Situation being well seated both for Trade Security and Pleasure in a small Isle called Manahatan regarding the Sea made so by Hudson's River which severeth it from Long-Island which said River is very commodious for Shipping being about two Leagues broad The Town is large containing about five hundred well-built Houses built with Dutch-Brick and the meanest not valued under one hundred Pounds to the landward it is encompassed with a Wall of good thickness and fortified at the entrance of the River so as to command any Ship which passeth that way by a Fort called James-Fort and for Civil Government it hath a Mayor Alderman Sheriff and Justices of the Peace for their Magistrates The Inhabitants are most English and Dutch who have a very considerable Trade with the Indians for the Skins of Elks Deer Bears c. also for those of Beaver Otter Racoon-skins with other rich Furs and are supplied with Venison and Fowl in the Winter and Fish in the Summer by the Indians at an easie price This Province formerly contained all that Land which is seated in the North part of America betwixt England and Mary-Land the length toward the North being not fully known the breadth is about 200 Miles The chief Rivers are Hudson-River Raritan River and Delaware-Bay and the principal Islands are the Manahatan-Island Long-Island and Stater-Island Manahatan-Island so called by the Indians lieth within land betwixt forty one and forty two Degrees of North Latitude and is in length about fourteen Miles and two broad New-York is seated on the west-West-end of this Island having a small Arm of the Sea which divides it from Long-Island on the South Long-Island runs Eastward above a hundred Miles and in some places eight twelve and fourteen Miles broad inhabited from one end to the other having a rich Soil for all English-Grain the Fruits Trees and Herbs very good in May you may see the Woods and Fields so richly bedecked with Roses and variety of other delightful Flowers as equal if not excel many Gardens in England This Country is also possessed with sundry sorts of People Its Inhabitants not much unlike the Indians of Virginia being well-proportioned swarthy black-haired very expert in their Bow and Arrows which are their chief Weapons of War they are very serviceable and courteous to the English being of a ready Wit and very apt to recieve Instruction from them but there are now but few Indians upon the Island being strangely decreased since the English first settled there for not long ago there were six Towns full of them which are now reduced to two Villages the rest being cut off by Wars among themselves or some raging mortal Diseases They live principally by Hunting Fowling and Fishing their Wives tilling the Land and planting the Corn they feed on Fish Fowl and Venison likewise Pol-cats Turtles Racoon and the like they build small moveable Tents which they remove three times a year chiefly quartering where they plant their Corn besides their Hunting and Fishing-Quarters Their principal Recreation are Foot-ball and Cards at which they will play away all they have except a Flap to cover their nakedness they are very great lovers of Strong-drink so that without they have enough to be drunk they care not to drink at all if their company be so great that they have not enough to make them all drunk they usually chuse so many as are proportionable to that quantity and the rest must be spectators if any happen to be drunk before he has taken his share which is ordinarily a quart of Brandy Rum or Strong-waters to shew their Justice they will pour the rest down his Throat in which debauches they often kill one another which the Friends of the dead revenge upon the Murtherer unless he purchase his Life with Money which is made of Periwinkle-shell both black and white strung like Beads They observe several Ceremonies in their Reigious Rites Their Religion and are said to Worship the Devil which usually they perform once or twice a Year unless upon some extraordinary occasion as the making of War or the like when their Corn is ripe which is usually about Michaelmas The day being appointed by their Chief Priest or Pawaw most of them go a Hunting for Venison when they are all assembled if the Priest wants Money he then tells them their God will accept no Offering but Money which the People believing every one gives according to his ability the Priest takes the Money and putting it into some Dishes sets them upon the top of their low flat-roofed Houses and so falls a calling upon their God to come and receive it which with many loud hollows and out-crys striking the ground with sticks and beating themselves is performed by the Priest and seconded by the People After being thus wearied a Devil by his conjuration appears amongst them sometimes in the shape of a Fowl a Beast or a Man which so amazeth the people that they dare not stir the Priest improves the opportunity and stepping out makes sure of the Money and then returns to lay the Spirit who is often gone before he comes back having taken some of the company along with him but if at such times any English come among them it puts a period to their proceedings and they will desire his absence saying Their God will not come till
thousand and five hundred Pounds sterling for Ten Months Moreover this Ship of Three hundred Tun seldom carries less than Forty Pieces of Ordnance which with their Provisions c. by modest computation takes up no less room than One hundred and fifty Tun so that the Ship in all probability cannot bring home more than One hundred and fifty Tun of Merchants Goods and the Freight of these Goods comes to Forty Pounds sterling a Tun to pay Ware and Tare of the Ship and Mens Wages so that for the Ship 's Ware and Tare it comes barely but to One hundred and fifty Pounds sterling clear Now admit an English Ship of Three hundred Tun be bound for Jamaica and suppose the Freight of this Ship be at Six Pounds sterling per Tun this Ship shall make her Voyage better in Eight Months time than the Spaniard shall in Ten Months now the Freight of the English Ship comes to One thousand eight hundred Pounds sterling and the Wages and Victuals of the said Ship at Sixty Pounds per Month comes to Four hundred and eighty Pounds sterling so that you see the Ship clears for her Ware and Tare the sum of One thousand three hundred and twenty Pounds sterling See here therefore the great difference The fourth and last reason is this The King of Spain contracts with a body of Merchants to furnish the West-Indies with Four thousand Negroes every Year and the Nigrilloes or Merchants there engage to pay the King one hundred Pieces of Eight Custom for each Negro-slave brought unto them which comes to Four hundred thousand Pieces of Eight by the Year which is paid to the said King the King therefore prohibits all Merchants and others for bringing Negroes to the West-Indies and each Piece of Eight is valued at Five Shillings sterling in Barbadoes but in the Leeward Islands it goes for six The Proposals lately made by Captain John Poyntz for Himself and Company to all such People as are minded to Transport or Concern themselves in the Island of Tobago WHereas his late Majesty Charles the Second King of Great Britain hath given and granted unto James Duke of Courland his Heirs and Successours the said Island of Tobago on condition that none shall inhabit the said Island save only the Subject of the King of England and the Duke of Courland their Heirs and Successours on the said condition I have contracted with the said Duke that my self and Company settle One hundred and twenty thousand Acres of Land in the said Island and to have several great and large Priviledges some of which are here inserted viz. Imprimis That one hundred and twenty thousand Acres of Land in the said Island of Tobago is given and granted to my self and Company and our Heirs for ever and seven Years to be free from the payment of any Rent and after the expiration of seven Years each for himself is to pay Two-pence per Acre every Year to the Duke his lawful Heirs and Successours Secondly That my self and Company and all the Inhabitantâ— shall enjoy Liberty of Conscience without interruption Roman-Catholicks only excepted Thirdly That my self and Company c. are to be governed by a Governour Deputy-Governour and Assembly to be yearly chosen by the majority of Freeholders Votes of the People in the Island to make good and wholsom Laws for the good Government and Defence of the said Island and all Controversies in the Promises to be decided by the majority of Voices Note These are but Breviates and part of the Heads of the Grant from the Duke of Courland and ratified to my self and Company whereby we hold and enjoy our Land for that end I do refer all People to the Grant as more at large as also them that have been on the skirt or body of the said Island to confirm the truth of what is before spoken of the Products of the said Island Proposals for further Encouragement First THose that are desirous to concern themselves in the said Island shall and may have as much Land as they themselves please either by Lease or Purchase only they are to put upon every Fifteen Acres of Land one White Man and so in proportion to the rest and this to be done in three Years time Secondly All Persons that are desirous to transport themselves to the said Island in the quality of Servants shall have better Encouragement from my self and Company than has been yet propounded by any of his Majesties Subjects in any Settlement in the American Plantations Thirdly And for a further encouragement all those Persons and Planters that are any way concerned in the Premises shall have Credit given unto them from Crop to Crop as the Factory is stored for what they shll stand in need of for which the said Company will erect a Bank or Factory of Credit in the said Island the Debtor allowing only two and a half per Cent. Fourthly All Merchants and others that shall import any Negroes or other Merchandize into the said Island shall have their Goods and Debts insured and disposed of for two and a half per Cent. with Factoâ—age Storage Wharfage c. and exported again for two and a half per Cent. more And all Tradesmen and others that contract any Debts against themselves shall have Credit given them out of the Bank or Factory from Crop to Crop for two and a half per Cent. And the Proprietors to engage their whole Interest for the true performance of the foresaid Premises Fifthly All Merchants and others that have Goods fit to accommodate the said Island and have not ready Money to purchase Land nor to pay for their own or servants Passage such may Barter with Goods in lieu of Money Always this implies only such Persons as Contract with the Proprietors or some of them before the first Shipping departs out of the River of Thames to Ship off as above their proportion of Goods or People as is already sufficiently above expressed FINIS ASTRONOMICAL TABLES SHEWING The Rising and Setting of the Sun with the Length of the Days and Nights in all the Principal English Plantations in the West-Indies ALSO Tables of the New and Full Moons in every Month from the Year 1686 to 1700 in the Meridian of London and from thence referred to the Meridians of the Principal Plantations abovesaid The which Tables will serve as a constant Diary or Calendar for the Use of the English Inhabitants in those Ilands ALSO A Table by which at any Time of the Day or Night here in England you may know what Hoar it is in any of those Islands AND How to make Sun-Dials fitting for all those Remote Parts A Table shewing the Prime or Golden Number the Dominical or Sunday Letter and the Moveable Feasts from the Year 1686 to the Year 1700. Years of our Lord. Pr. or Go. Nu. Dom. or Sun Let. Shrove Sunday Easter Day Ascension Day Whit-Sunday Advent Sunday 1686 15 C Feb. 14 Apr. 4 May 13 May