and transport in and unto their Voyages for and towards the Plantations of our Territories and Islandsaforesaid all such and so many of our loving Subjects or any other Strangers being not Prohibited or under restraint that will become our loving subjects and live under our Allegiance and shall willingly accompany them in the said Voyages together with all such Cloathing Implements Fruniture or other things usually Transported and not Prohibited as shal be necessary for the Inhabitants of the said Islands and Territories and for the use and defence thereof and Mannaging and carrying on the Trade with the People there Yeelding and paying unto Vs our Heirs and Successors the Customes and Dutiesthereof due and payable according to Laws and Customes of this Our Realm And We do also for Us our Heirs and Successors grant unto Our said Dearest Brother JAMES Duke of York his Heirs and Assignes and to all and every such Governour or Governours or Deputies their Officers or Ministers as by our said Brother his Heirs or Assignes shall be appointed to have Powerand Authority of Government and Command in and over the Inhabitants of the said Territories and Islands that they and every of them shal and may lawfully from time to time and at all times for ever hereafter For their several Defence and safty Encounter Repulse Expel and Resist by force of Armes as well by Sea as by Land and all wayes and means whatsoever all such Person and Persons as without the special Licence of our Dearest Brother his Heirsand Assignes shall attempt to Inhabite within the several Precincts and Limits of our said Territories and Islands and also all and every such Person and Persons whatsoever as shall Enterprize and Attempt at any time hereafter the Distruction Invasion Detriment or Annoyance to the parts places or Islands aforesaid or any parts thereof And Lastly Our will and pleasure is And We do hereby declare and grant that these our Letters Patents or the Inrollment thereof shall be good and effectual in the Law to all intents and purposes whatsoever notwithstanding the not well and true Receiting or mentioning of the premisses or any part thereof or the Limits or Bounds thereof or of any form or other Letters Patents or Grants whatsoever made or Granted of the premisses or of any part thereof or the Limits or bounds thereof or of any former or other Letters Patents or Grants whatsoever made or granted of the premisses or of any part thereof by US or any of Our Progenitors unto any Person or Persons whatsoever bodies Politique or Corporate any other Law or other restraint in certainty or imperfection whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Although express mention of the true yearly Value or certainty of the premisses or any of them or of any other Gifts or Grants by Vs or by any of our Progenitors heretofore made to the said James Duke of York in these presents is not made or any Statute Act Ordinance Provision Proclamation or Restriction heretofore had made enacted or provided or any other matter cause or thing whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding In Witness whereof We caused these Letters to be made Patents Witness Our Self at Westminster the 29. day of June in the 16 Year of Our Reign The SCOTS Proprietors are James Earl of Pearth John Drummond of Lundy Lord Theasurer Depute Sir George Mackenzie Lord Register Robert Gordon of Cluny Arent Sonmans a Dutch-man but interested with the SCOTS Proprietors Robert Barkley of Vnie Robert Burnet of Lethenty Gavine Laurie Seven parts of the 24. belongs to these Persons which by the most modest Calculation is thought will be near Five hundred thousand Acres This Province or Collony lyes betwixt 39 and 41 Degrees of Latitude being about 12 Degrees more to the South then the City of London It is in the same Climate with the Kingdom of Naples and Montpelier in France The Summer is hotter and longer then in England and the Winter colder and shorter the days about an hour longer in Winter and as much shorter in Summer Is bounded South-East with the Maine Sea East by that vast Navigable Stream called Hudsons River which divides this from the Province of Now-York West by a Line of Division which separates this Province from West-Jarsey and North upon the Main Land And Extends it self in length upon the Sea Coast and alongst Hudsons River one hundred English Mylls and upward The Scituation of this Countrey is just as it were in the Center of the English Plantations in America betwixt the South parts of Carolina which is over hot and the North parts of Pemaquitte next New Scotland which are coldest so that its Conveniency of scituation temperature of the Aire and fertilitie of the soyl is such that there is no less then seven towns considerable already viz. Shreutsburry Midletown Berghen New-vvark Elizabeth-town Woobridge and Piscataway which are well inhabited by a sober and industrious People who have necessary Provisions for themselves and families and for the comforable entertainment of Travellers and Strangers And the Quittrents or Fewes as they are here called of these Towns and other Plantations already in the Countrey yeelds to the 24 Proprietors above 500. lib. starling yearly Revenue and the Air of this Collony is experimentally found generally to agree well with English Constitutions and Consequently with Ours For Navigation it hath these advantages not only to be scituate along the Navigable parts of Hudsons River but lyes also fiftie Milles along the Maine Sea and near the Midest of this Province is that notted Bay for Ships within Sandy-Hook very well known not to be inferriour to any Harbour in America where Ships not only harbour in greatest storms but there Ryde safe with all Winds and Sail in and out thence as well in Winter as Summer For Fishery the Sea-banks are very well Stored with variety of Fishes not only such as are profitable for Exportation but such as are fit for Food there There are Whales Coad-fish Col. and Hake-fish and Large Mackeril and also many other sorts of Smal and Flate-fish The Bay also and Hudsons River are plentifully stored with Strugeon and other Scal-fish Eills and Shel-fish as Oysters in abundance This Countrey is also plentifully supplied with Lively-springs Rivolets Inland-Rivers and Creeks which fall into the Sea and Hadsons-River in which also there is varietie of Fresh-fish and water Fowl There are little hills from Rariton-River which is about the middle of this Province that go to the verie North-West-bounds of it in which are abundance of good Mill-Stons to be had and there is many both Corne and Saw-milnes set and setting up already also on the other Side of these Mountains there is brave fresh Rivolets fit for setting of In-Land-Towns and a great deal of Meadow-ground upon the banks thereof So that there is abundance of Hay to be had for Fodering of Catle in the Winter time and these Meadows shows the Countrey
in Cloaths gather so much together as when they Marry and come to have Children will be the beginning of any Comfortable Lively-hood But there after 4 years they may be in a far better Condition as shall hereafter be demonstrated There needs no other nor more evident proof for this then the example of most of these who being taken at the fights of Dumbar and Worcester in the years 1650 and 51 being sent over as Servants to Barbadoes and other places after they served out their time have most of them purchased notable Plantations for themselves both in Barbadoes and Mary-land and els-where and live very plentifully accounting themselves happy in that providence that brought them there and extreamly regrating the Condition of many of their friends at home and wishing them sharers of their prosperitie But some who will readily acknowledge what hes been here said doe think it impracticable for our Countrey-men to have this advantage Because there is no forraigne plantation in America belongs to the Crown of Scotland and all of such where we could settle are a part of the English Dominions It shall not be contended but it were well there were some belonging to Scotland for that it is not proper to Contradict what might be esteemed honorable to this Crown But those who Judge all the advantages above mentioned might not arise to us from having an interest in a plantation under the protection of the Crown of England are under great mistakes yea as things now stands it is more advantageous to us if it be Considered 1. That tho it be under a different respect Yet we are still under the same Monarch as if the Plantation belonged to the Crown of Scotland 2. The protection is much more sure and considerable from England whose interest oblidge them because of the great advantage yearly comes in to them from thence to see to the Protection of the forraign plantations and all of these lying upon the main Continent being contiguous no encroatchment can be made upon part without endangering of the rest And for the capacitie of defence there is no need of Comparison Scotland having no ships of warre upon the publick accompt and it's pollicy not lying in that Method If the scruple be that any think there are things uneasy in the Laws of England that are better with us There is thence no occasion of being straitned for as will after appear the Plantation here proposed hes that Latitude in the Patent that they are not tyed to the Laws of England so particularly but they may let fall what they think inconvenient and take of Ours what seems to contribute more to their advantage There would this visible disadvantage besides fall out if the Plantation were disjoyned from the English Dominions that by the act of Navigation we would be debarred from trade with the other English Plantations which would be a verie great prejudice But no disadvantage on the other part does come for we can be allowed to carry over as many people as we please with their Cloathing and necessarys which is the chief thing whereby advantage would come to Scotland in the accomodating of people of several sorts as We observed before And the goods which are of most Value and most necessar there are such things as our Countrey affoords most plentifully such as all sorts of Wollen and Linnen-Cloath and the like so that there is occasion for Export of our Commodities and the trade of Scotland consists much more in that then in Import there being not that occasion here for Consumption of forraigne Commodities and the product of the Plantations there not being Suggar or any Store of Tobacco is not fit to be imported in Scotland So that the product of the Plantation coming to England according to Law if the money be from thence remitted to us for the transport of People and our Commodities it will make a Circulation of Trade as advantageous for us Yea more then if returns come straight home which would not so soon affoord money in Scotland It is true if trade were absolutely as free 'twixt Scotland and there as in England it might be an encouragment to Scots Shipping and Sea-men But for that it may be answered that Ships built in the Plantations where there is great conveniency for building of Vessels will be free to come to Scotland as well as any other English Ships and 2. part of the Sea-men being Inhabitants of the Plantation who by dwelling there are Denizons of England satisfies the Law So that tho the Ship be not a Scots Ship yet it may belong to Scots-men dwelling in the Collonie and sailled with Sea-men belonging thereto It is time now to show how some of our Country-men in order to so advantagious a Project have already purchased an considerable Interest in a Plantation which is justly esteemed not Inferiour if not beyond any place upon the whole continent of America belonging to the English Dominions called East-New-Jarsey The deduction of the right of it is thus The KING by Patent to the Duke of York granted a great tract of Land lying betwixt Virginia and New-England It was formerly in the hand of the Dutch and Considerably improved by them and called New-Netherlands And by treaty after the first Dutch Wars Surrendred to the King that part of it lying betwixt the 39 and 41 Degree of Northern Latitude Was by the Duke of York granted to John Lord Barkly and Sir George Cartwright That part which belonged to the Lord Barkley being assigned to Edward Billings Afterwards by a Deed of Partition betwixt the said Edward Billings and Sir George Cartwright The West Part lying upon Delaware River was alloted to Edward Billings for his share and the East part lying upon Hudsons River nearest to the Province of New York was appointed to Sir George Cartwright for his share Which part now called East-New-Jarsey is from Sir George Cartwright conveyed to twelve Persons in and about London who have since conveyed an half to other twelve so that as well the Right of Government as the Soyl standeth now in 24 Proprietors in favours of some of whom the Duke of York has been lately pleased to make a new grant of Confirmation both of Soyl and Government to the 24 Proprietors with the same Powers and Priviledges he has in his Patent from the King which are as large as any other Plantation hath for the Words of the Dukes Patent are as followeth The Patent from the KING to JAMES Duke of York c. CHARLES the Second By the Grace of GOD King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c To all Men to whom these Presents shall come Greeting Know ye that WE for diverse good Causes and Considerations Us hereunto moving have of Our special Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion Given and Granted and by these Presents for Us Our Heirs and Successours Do give and grant unto Our dearest Brother JAMES Duke of
is not altogether covered with timber It s true the first difficulty meets people in Planting there is the cutting down Wood Tho having some Meadow intermixt already well covered with Hay is a great ease yet the trouble is compensed by the advantage which the timber being cut down yeelds being good Oake fit for Shipping and Masts and also Chesnute Walnut Poplar Cedar Ash Firr And also by the fertility of the Soyl being cleared which yeelds a vast increase not only of Indian Corn which is a very wholsome Food but of English grain as Wheat and Barley whereof it usually yeelds betwixt the 20. and 30th fold and with fare less labour the Timber being once removed then in Britain And to shew the labour of cutting down the Trees and clearing the ground is not so great as some may Imagine It is known by experience that two men ariving there in September or October may clear as much ground as usually brings by Harvest following twenty Quarters that is about 40 Scots Bolls of grain This Countrey also produceth good Flax and Hemp which they now spine and Manufacture into Linnen Cloath and the very Barrans there as they are called are not like most in Brittain but produceth Grass fit for Grazing Cattle in Summer time There is also upon Ground already cleared store of good English Claver-Grass growing the Countrey is well stored with wild Deir Connies and wild Fowl of severall sorts As Turkeys Pidgeons Partridges Plevers Quaills wild Swans and Greese Ducks in great plenty It produceth variety of good and delicious Fruits as Grapes Plumes Mulberries and also Appricocks Peaches Pears Apples Quinches Water-Millons which are in England planted in Orchards and Gardens but grew there with fare less labour and many more Fruits which come not to perfection in England are the more natural product of this Countrey It is thought Olives would grow well there and being store of Mulberrie-Trees Silk-worms would do well there for they were tryed in Virginia and proved very well if the laziness of the People and there being wholly set upon Tobacco and the Interest of Merchants who were afraid it might spoil there Silk-Trade from the Straits had not hindered To shew how Fruit-Trees do advance in that Countrey it is credibly reported that about Burlingtown in West-Jarsey which is more Northernly then the greatest part of this Province from an Apple-tree-Seed in four years without grafting there sprung a tree that in the fourth year bore such a quaintitie of Apples as yeelded a barrell of Syder There is there also great store of Horses Cowes Hoges and some Sheep which may be bought at reasonable pryces with English money or English Commodities or mans labour where goods and mony are wanting For Minerals It is thought there are not wanting of several sorts For there is an Iron work already set up where there is good Iron made And also there is discovered already abundance of Black-Load It is exceeding well furnished with safe convenint Harbours for Shipping which is of great Advantage and afords already for exportation great plenty of Horses and also Beef Pork Pipstaves Bread Flower White Barly Rye Indian Corn Butter and Cheese which they export for Barbadoes Jamaica Mevis and other adjacent Islands As also to Portugal Spaine and the Canarys their Whale-Oyl and Whale-Fines Beaver Mink Racon and Martine-skins which this Countrey produces they transport for England The Indian Natives in this Countrey are but few Comparative to the Neighbouring Collony And these that are there are so far from being formidable and injurious to the Planters and Inhabitants that they are really serviceable and advantagious to them not only in hunting and taking the Deer and all other wild Creatures and catching of Fish and Fowl fit for food in their seasons but in the killing and destroying of Bears Wolves Foxes and other Vermine whose skins and furrs they bring the English and sell at less pryce then the value of time that people must spend to take them Like as that this Collony may be founded in Justice and without any thing of Oppression as all that is already Planted is truely Purchassed from the Indians so there is a great deal more of the Province cleared by their consent and all is intended by paction with them to be obtained so that whoever Purchase or Plant under the Proprietors shal be fred of that incumbrance and if there were any hazard from the Indians as really there is none yet this Province could hardly be in any danger In respect that to the North upon the Main-Land from whence the hazard if any must come the Province of New-York comes betwixt it and them and 20. miles and more above upon Hudsons River there is a Fort called New-Albany There were Constitutions of Government made by the Lord Barkley and Sir George Cartwright in which such provision was made both for Liberty of Religion and Propertie that the Province hath been considerably Peopled and many resorted there from the Neighbouring Collonies so that the Planters are able already to Muster 500. well armed Men. There are already 3. of the 24. Proprietors gone upon the place and 2. goes this Summer from Ireland these already arryved have been cheerfully received by the Inhabitants and submitted to the Houses belonging to the Proprietors put in their possession and the publick Records delivered them and have received address from the Inhabitants wherein they promise to stand to and defend the Proprietors with their Lives and Fortunes One of these Proprietors Bears the Character of Depute Governour and another of Surveyor General and Receiver of the Quittrents There is Order given that in the several most convenient places Ten thousand Acres be set out to each of the 24. Proprietors to them to sell set out or dispose of as they please and when that shall be any ways Peopled or brought in then the Proprietors will either jointly sell out the rest or make a new Divident as they find most convenient for it is probably believed according to the most equal Cojecture that every 24. part will contain 80000. Acres The Proprietors have framed a new Schem of Government which is not yet fully concluded one but is intended rather to be an enlarging than an abbreviating of the former and making it more easie and advantagious for the Inhabitants the chief parts of it are That the 24. Proprietors shall chuse a Governour 16. of them has a Conclusive Vote in it after the death of him now chosen he shall continue but for 3. years and be lyable to the Censure of the Proprietors and great Counsel and punishable if he transgress There is a great Counsel to meet once a year and sit if they see meet for 3. Moneths consisting of the 24. Proprietors and 48. chosen by the Planters and Inhabitants two thirds Conclude the one half of the Proprietors assenting and no money can be raised or Law made to touch any mans Libertie or Property but by