History of Nova Caesarea - Part 1



THE HISTORY OF NOVA CAESAREA

CHAP. I.
A brief view of the discovery of America, and of the present prevailing
opinion respecting the manner it originally became peopled.

The first effectual discoverers of America among the moderns, were
Christophoro Colon, or Colombo, and Americo Vespucci, or Vesputius; of
these the former is supposed to have been a Genoese by birth, the other a
native of Florence: From him the new world took its name, yet his history
in other particulars is too intricate to afford much satisfaction.1 That
of the first under the well-known name of Christopher Columbus, is readily
traced; with him therefore we begin, as the person principally concerned
in the discovery.

He had applied himself to the study of astronomy and geography, and very
early appeared to have a more than common desire to understand the state
of all countries upon the face of the globe, and to make new discoveries;
which probably was his reason for settling at Lisbon, no nation having
push'd their discoveries further than the Portuguese at that time; here he
employed himself in drawing maps and charts, and preparing himself for
future enterprizes. He married and settled in Lisbon, was of a good
family, a grave and temperate man,2 of competent learning, studious in the
mathematicks, and from his youth bred to navigation.

What the particular motives were that induced him to search after this new
world, are not certainly known; some attribute it to informations he had
received, others to his skill in the nature of the globe; that this made
him conclude it probable there must be a great tract of land to the
westward of Spain, that it was not to be imagined the sun when it set in
that horizon gave light to nobody: Whatever gave rise to the project, a
discovery he resolved to attempt, and being unable to do it at his own
charge, he first offered his service to the Genoese, next to the king of
Portugal; not meeting with encouragement from either, he sent his
brother Bartholomew to England to offer his service to Henry the seventh:
King Henry approved his proposals; but the brother on his return being
taken by pirates, and Columbus receiving no answer, left Portugal and went
to Spain: On his application to Ferdinand and Isabella, king and queen of
Castile and Arragon, he succeeded so well, that in the year 1492, they
provided him with money, and entrusted him with three small ships for the
expedition; he also obtain'd a grant from them to be admiral of the
western seas; all civil employments as well as governments in the
continent or world to be discovered were to be wholly at his disposal; and
besides the revenues of the posts of admiral and viceroy, he was to
enjoy a tenth of all the profits arising by future conquests; his little
squadron manned only with ninety men set sail from Palos for the Canaries
the third of the month called August, 1492, and arriving at those islands
the twelfth, sailed from thence the first of September, upon his grand
design: He had not sailed a fortnight to the westward before his men began
to murmur at the enterprize; they observed the wind constantly set from
east to west, and apprehended there would be no possibility of returning
if they missed the land they were made to expect; on the nineteenth
observing birds to fly over their ships, and on the twenty-second weeds
driving by them, they began to be better satisfied, concluding they were
not far from land: they continued their course several days farther
westward, and meeting with no land, the seamen mutinied to that degree,
that they were almost ready to throw the admiral overboard, and return
home, when happily for him they saw more birds, weeds, pieces of boards,
canes, and a shrub with the berries upon it, swim by them, which made them
conjecture there must be islands thereabouts: It was on the eleventh of
October, about ten at night, that the admiral first discovered a light
upon the island of Guanahani,3 or St. Salvador, as he named it, in
consideration that the sight of it delivered him and his men from the fear
of perishing: It is one of the Bahama islands, about fifteen leagues long,
in the north latitude of 15 degrees.4 Day appearing, the ships came
to anchor very near the island; the natives crowded the shore, and beheld
the ships of these newcomers with astonishment, taking them for living
creatures.5 The admiral believing there was no great danger to be
apprehended from them, went ashore in his boat, with the royal standard,
as did the other two captains, with their colours flying, and took
possession of the country in the name of the king and queen of Spain with
great solemnity; the Indians meanwhile stood gazing at the Spaniards
without attempting to oppose them. The admiral ordered strings of glass
beads, caps and toys to be distributed among the natives, with which they
seemed much pleased: The principal ornament about them was a thin gold
plate in the form of a crescent, hanging from the nose over the upper lip;
the admiral demanding by signs, whence they had their gold plates, they
pointed to the south and south-west; he rowed in his boats about the
island, to discover if there was anything worth his settling there,
followed by the natives every where, who seem'd to admire him and his
people as something more than human: From this island coasting southward
180 leagues, he arrived at another, which he called Hispaniola, where his
own ship striking on a hidden rock was lost; he and his crew were taken on
board one of the other vessels; landing here, the natives, instead of
behaving as the others had done, fled from him; but taking one of their
women, treating her kindly, and then letting her go back among them, she
brought numbers to traffick, who seem'd very peaceably dispos'd; and by
some means, or other finding there were gold mines in this island,
Columbus, aided by the natives, built a fort, left thirty-nine men, with
provisions for a year, seeds to sow, and trinkets to trade with the
natives: After discovering a good part of the north and east coast of
Hispaniola, trading with the Indians in diverse places, and near three
months stay in the island, he bent his course homewards, and arrived at
Palos, in Andalusia, early in the spring 1493; having perform'd the voyage
in seven months and eleven days: Here the people received him with a
solemn procession and thanksgiving for his return, most of his seamen
belonging to that port; the king and queen of Spain being at Barcelona,
when the admiral drew near the city, the court went out to meet him; he
was receiv'd with the honors due to a sovereign prince: Having given an
account of his Voyage, he begged to be equipped according to the dignity
of his character of admiral and viceroy, that he might plant colonies in
the places he had thus discovered, which was readily granted; and he
afterwards made diverse other voyages to America.6

The fame of the discovery, and of the rich cargoes brought to Old Spain at
several times from thence, being spread through other nations, gave rise
to other adventurers. The next attempt was made by Sebastian Cabot, a
Venetian by extraction, but born in England, and being much given to the
study of navigation, and well skill'd in cosmography, he believed there
might be a passage found by the north-west to the East Indies shorter than
that lately discovered by the Cape of Goodhope; he made Interest with
Henry the seventh of England, who fitted out two ships to make the
discovery.

In 1497, Cabot sailed from Lisbon, in the beginning of summer, and
steering his course north-west, came up with land about 60 degrees north
latitude, supposed to have been Greenland;7 but perceiving the land still
run north, he changed his course, in hopes of finding a passage in less
latitude. About the 50th degree, he saw that which is now well known by
the name of Newfoundland: Here he took three of the natives, and coasted
southward to the latitude of 38 degrees; (about Maryland) his provisions
growing scarce, and no supplies there to be expected, he return'd to
England, where the natives he brought lived a considerable time.8 From
this voyage and discovery made by Cabot, the English have claimed the
country ever since, from the well known Jus Gentium, LAW OF NATIONS, that
whatever waste or uncultivated country is discovered, it is the right of
that prince who had been at the charge of the discovery.9 This from
universal suffrage gives at least a right of preemption, and undoubtedly
must be good against all but the Indian proprictors.10

We have seen that in the discovery of North and South-America, inhabitants
were found at the places touch'd at; in all probability they were as
plentifully dispersed throughout the different countries of America; but
how these people originally came there, is a question not easily solved;
tho' it has for above two centuries, been the subject of much enquiry, it
is not yet arrived at a decision.11 All therefore that can be done, is to
give a short view of the most probable conjectures that have been hitherto
offered.

It is not unlikely the new world was known to the Phoenicians, even a
considerable time before the days of Plato; who in all likelihood found
but few (if any) inhabitants there; that they contributed towards the
planting of it, we have some reason to believe, as they are supposed to
have made three voyages thither; however that colonies from other nations
crossed the Atlantick, and landed in America, cannot be well denied;
neither the Egyptians nor Carthaginians are supposed void of some
traditional knowledge of America, since they are believed 12 to have
communicated such knowledge to other nations: which if we admit, it
follows, that some of the ancient Egyptians and Carthaginians had been
there, and contributed towards peopling the continent, as well as the
Phenicians. The Author of the book de Mirabilibas Audit supposed to be
Aristotle; expressly asserts the Carthaginians to have discovered an
island beyond Hercules's pillars, abounding with all necessaries, to which
they frequently sailed; and there several of them even fixed their
habitations; but the senate, adds he, would not permit their subjects to
go thither any more, lest it should prove the depopulation of their
own country.13 Several of the original American nations we are told, rent
their garments, the more effectually to express their grief on any
malancholly occasion; the Hebrews, Persians, Greeks, Sabines, and Latins,
according to various authors, did the same; from whence some may possibly
imagine, that those Americans deduced their origin from one or more of
those nations; but this is too slender a foundation for such belief:14 So
that Menasseh Ben Israel, appears to have wrongly concluded from thence,
that the Israelites were the progenitors of the Americans. Theophilus
Spizelius seems to have refuted this opinion: Though the Phenicians,
Egyptians and Carthaginians, might have planted some colonies, yet the
bulk of the inhabitants must certainly have deduced their origin from
another part of the world: Had the Phenicians and Egyptians peopled even a
considerable part of America, it would scarcely have been taken so little
notice of by the antients; even supposing those nations had industriously
endeavoured to conceal their western discoveries; for in such case, there
must have been a constant communication kept open between America, Egypt,
and Phenicia, and a very extensive trade carried on: so that many
particulars relating to the new world, must necessarily have transpired;
nor could even the sailors themselves, who navigated the Phenician ships,
have omitted divulging many accounts of what they observed on this
continent; some of which would undoubtedly have been transmitted to us.

That therefore, the Americans in general, were descended from a people who
inhabited a country not so far distant as Egypt and Phenicia, must be
admitted: Now no country can be pitched upon so proper and convenient for
this purpose, as the north-eastern part of Asia, particularly great
Tartary, Siberia, and more especially the Peninsula of Kamtschatka; that
probably was the tract through which many Tartarian colonies passed into
America, and peopled the most considerable part of it. This however, seems
the most prevailing opinion.

There is great reason to believe, that some of the western provinces of
North-America, must either be continuous to, or at no great distance from
the northeastern part of Asia; which, we are not yet informed; but it is
probable east of Kamtschatka, there is an immense tract approaching to
North-America, and that to this day, there remains at least a kind of
communication between them, by means of a chain of islands; it may also be
supposed that Asia and America, were formerly connected by an isthmus,
which might have been destroyed by an earthquake: such a supposition may
be supported by the authority of those writers who have rendered parallel
instances credible, such as the disjunction of Britain from Gaul, and
Spain from the continent of Africa: A communication between Asia and
America, seems agreeable to truth, not only from what has been advanced by
Reland, but from the discoveries made by the Russians; an account of which
we find in the publick prints of the year 1737, and since: According to
these, some of the Czarina's subjects have touched at several islands,
which lie at a distance in the eastern direction from Japan and
Kamtschatka, and consequently between those countries and America. The
people of these islands, in some points are said to resemble the Japanese,
and to use pieces of money with characters not unlike those of Japan.
Leonard Enler, professor of mathematicks, and member of the imperial
society at Petersburgh, seems to imagine, that the north-eastern cape of
Asia, discovered by Capt. Behring, is not thirty degrees off the last
known head-land of California; but the ingenious Dobbs, governor of
North-Carolina, places them at a much greater distance: Be that however as
it may, that the sea between the most north-eastern coast of Asia, and the
most western part of California, allowing such a sea to exist, is
interspersed with many islands, at no great distance from each other, may
be very naturally supposed; nay, if any credit may be given to the advices
lately received from Petersburgh, the connection of Asia and America, or
at least the communication between them, by means of such islands, is as
good as discovered.

That part of America next to Asia, is said to be much more populous than
the remoter eastern provinces or kingdoms; which is a manifest indication,
that this was first planted, by colonies coming from the nearest parts of
Asia, who settled here, and afterwards spread themselves gradually over
the new world; from whence we may conclude, that the bulk of the Americans
are descended from the Tartars, Sibenaus, and people of Kamtschatka.

The people inhabiting the extreme north-eastern part of Asia, entirely
want horses, those animals not being able to live in so cold a region; it
seems to be agreed, that no horses were found in America, at the first
discovery of it; for that in several places, the natives used reindeer and
large mastiff dogs 15 instead of them, as many of the posterity of the
antient most northern Scythians or Tartars did. The Epicerini, a people of
Canada, when the Europeans first came among them, asserted, that very far
from them, in a western direction, there lived a nation, who affirmed that
foreign merchants, without beards, in great ships, frequently visited
their coasts: we are also told, that in Quivira, several ships have been
found, whose sterns were adorned with silver and gold, which was a
distinguishing characteristick of the Chinese and Japanese ships,
according to some good authors: That some Chinese vessels of considerable
force, were found wreck'd in the Mare del nord, above Florida, which might
have been the same with those seen at Quivira, we learn from Ancosta. In
Quatulia too, a tradition prevailed, intimating that foreign merchants
after a long journey from the westward, arrived there, and that these
merchants were cloathed in silk: From whence we may collect, that the
Chinese visited America, and communicated some of their customs to the
people of that country,16 especially as the Chinese manner of writing in
Hieroglyphics, sufficiently agrees with the American dialect. We learn
from Hornius, the Hunns, or at least a branch of that people, placed in
the farthest part of Asia, had the appellation of Cunadani, or Canadani,
from Cunad, a place not far from the sea, where some of them had their
situation; hence we find a city in the upper Hungary, built by their
descendants, denominated Chonod, or Chunad, the inhabitants of which, and
those of the neighbouring district, still retain the name of Chonadi, or
Cunadi; from these Hornius believes the natives of Canada to have deduced
both their origin and denomination.

No small accession of strength will be brought to the opinion before
advanced, with respect to the peopling of America, by one particular
incident, mentioned in a short narrative of the late discoveries of the
Russians. They found peopled, as should seem, Captain Behring's new land
before mentioned, above fifty German miles to the east of Kamtschatka; for
coming to the entrance of a great river, he sent his boats and men ashore,
but they never returned, being probably either killed or detained by the
natives; nay, the publick prints in October, 1737, mention some
particulars relating to the inhabitants of certain islands between
Kamtschatka,17 Japan, and America, which seem to carry with them an air of
authority. This will amount to a fair presumption, that the islands
or continent between Kamtschatka, Japan, and California, still unknown to
the Europeans, are likewise inhabited; and if so, that those inhabitants
must have advanced gradually, from Tartary, Japan, and Kamtschatka to the
places wherein they are fixed: From whence we may infer, that even the
natives of California, and the adjacent parts of America, took originally
the same route; for that Tartary, and Japan, must have been, peopled
before America, as lying nearer to the land of Shinar, where the whole
race of mankind was assembled before the dispersion, will admit of no
dispute; and that America should have received many colonies from such
neighbouring countries as Tartary, Japan, and Kamtschatka, whether they
are continuous or contiguous to it, or connected with it, by some
intermediate continent, chain of islands, &c. is very natural to
suppose.18 So that from the tract lately discovered to the east of Japan
and Kamtschatka, and the people settled there, we may infer the
probability of America's being planted in part by colonies drawn from the
north-eastern regions of Asia; for by such discovery, a nearer approach is
made from Japan and Kamtschatka, to the coast of California; and from this
approach, a presumptive argument is drawn in favour of the opinion here
advanced.

But it is time now to proceed to other matters: Such as may incline to see
the subject further discussed, are for brevity's sake, on a point not
material enough to dwell long upon here, referred to the Univ. Hist.19
Whence many of the arguments on this head, are selected; and where the
inquisitive reader, amidst much of the incredible, (with which it hath
been usual to load the subject) will find convincing proofs in favour of
what is here proposed.

Although the English had very early made the discovery of North-America, a
considerable time elapsed before any advantages accrued: Sir Walter
Raleigh, in 1584, was the first Englishman who attempted to plant a colony
in it.20 In this year he obtained a patent from Queen Elizabeth, for him
and his heirs, to discover and possess for ever, under the crown of
England, all such countries and lands as were not then possessed by any
christian prince, or inhabited by christian people: Encouraged by this
grant, Raleigh and other partners, at divers times, fitted out ships, and
settled a colony at Roanor,21 in Virginia; but notwithstanding various
attempts, they met with such discouragements, that no great improvements
were made until some time afterwards.

In the year 1606, King James, without any regard to Raleigh's right,
granted a new patent of Virginia; in which was included New-England, New-
York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland; from queen Elizabeth's time
to the time of this patent, the whole country bearing that name, which was
given it by Raleigh, in honour of his virgin mistress, as some say; others
have it that it took its rise from the country's not being settled before.
The patentees were Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George Summers, Richard Hackluyt,
clerk, Edward Maria Wingfield, Thomas Hanham, and Raleigh Gilbert, Esqrs.
William Parker, George Popham,22 and others: The extent of the land
granted, was from 34 to 45 degrees of north latitude, with all the islands
lying within 100 miles of the coast. Two distinct colonies were to be
planted by virtue of this patent, and the property ascertained in two
different bodies of adventurers: The first to belong to Summers, Hackluyt,
and Wingfield, under title of the London adventurers, or the London
company; and was to reach from 34 degrees to 41, with all lands, woods,
mines, minerals, &c. The other colony was to reach from the end of the
first, to 45 degrees, granting the same priviledges to Hanham, Gilbert,
Parker, and Popham, under the name of the Plymouth company, with liberty
to both colonies to take as many partners as they pleased; forbidding
others to plant within those degrees, without their licence; only
reserving the fifth part of all gold and silver mines, and the 15th part
of copper, to the use of the crown. By virtue of this grant, the London
company fitted out several ships with artificers of every kind, and all
things requisite for a new settlement; which sailed for America, and
planted a colony there; but in the year 1623, there were so many
complaints made of bad management, that on enquiry a Quo warranto was
issued against the patent; and after a trial had in the king's bench, it
was declared forfeited;23 since which time Virginia has been under the
immediate direction of the crown.

In the same year the patent was granted, the Plymouth company also
attempted to make a settlement; but with no great success, until about the
year 1620, when they sent a fresh recruit from England, under the command
of Capt. Standish, who arrived at Cape Cod in the latitude of 42 degrees,
and having turned the cape, found a commodious harbour opposite the point,
at the mouth of the bay, at the entry of which were two islands well
stocked with wood: Here they built a town, which they called Plymouth.
About this time the colonies in New-England were much augmented;
multitudes of dissenters thinking this a good oportunity of enjoying
liberty of conscience, offered their service to the Plymouth company; and
the grand patent being delivered up to the king, particular patents were
granted to the Lord Musgrave, the duke of Richmond, the earl of Carlisle,
the lord Edward Georges, and new colonies were planted in diverse places.

1 He made two voyages in 1497 and 1498, in the service of Spain: Another
in 1501, in the service of Portugal: In the first he fell in among the
Caribbee islands; and the last with three ships arrived to and discovered
the eastern continent of America, in five degrees of south latitude.
"America is a more common than fitting name, seeing Americus Vespucius the
Florentine, from whom this name is derived, was not the first finder nor
author of that discovery: Columbus will challenge that, and more justly,
with whom and under whom Americus made his first voyage; howsoever after
that he coasted a great part of the continent which Columbus had not seen,
at the charges of the Castilian and Portugal kings; but so it might more
rightly be termed Cabotia or Sebastiana, of Sebastian Cabot, a Venetian,
which discovered more of the continent than they both, about the same
time, first employed by king Henry the seventh of England. Columbus yet as
the first discoverer deserveth the name, both of the country for the first
finding, and of modesty, for not naming it by himself, seeking rather
effects than names of his exploits." Purchas's Pilgrim, p. 792.

2 His son who wrote his history, says, he was moderately tall and long
visaged, his complexion a good red and white, that he had light eyes, and
cheeks somewhat full, but neither too fat nor too lean; that in his youth
he had fair hair, which turned grey before he was thirty years of age;
that he was moderate in eating and drinking, affected a plain modest garb
or dress; that he was naturally grave, but affable to strangers, and
pleasant frequently among his domestics, strict and devout in religious
matters, and tho' a seaman, was never heard to swear or curse.

3 A bay or harbour of sea or water.

4 All that is commonly remembered of the sailor who first discovered land,
is, that expecting some great reward from the king of Spain, and
disappointed, he took it in his head in a rage to renounce Christianity,
and turn'd Mahometan.

5 One of the River Indians, in his speech at the treaty of Albany, 1754,
relates the surprize of their forefathers at the sight of the first ship
that came up the North river in the same manner; his speech so far as
relates to this subject was as followeth:

"FATHERS, we are greatly rejoiced to see you all here; it is by the will
of heaven that we are met here, and we thank you for this opportunity of
seeing you altogether, as it is a long while since we had such a one:
FATHERS who sit present here, we will just give you a short relation of
the long friendship which hath subsisted between the white people of this
country and us: Our forefathers had a castle on this river; as one of them
walked out he saw something on the river, but was at a loss to know
what it was; he took it at first for a great fish; he ran into the castle,
and gave notice to the other Indians; two of our forefathers went to see
what it was, and found it a vessel with men in it; they immediately joined
hands with the people in the vessel, and became friends."

6 He died in the city of Validolid in Spain, in the spring 1506, and was
buried in the cathedral of Seville, with this inscription on his tomb,
that Columbus had given a new world to Castile and Leon.

7 This country is considered as part of the American continent, both by
Hornius and Grotius. Grotius apud Horn. de orig. Gent. American, Lib. iii.
c. 5, 6, pp. 149, 162. ut et ipse Horn. ibid.

8 "King Henry VII. commissioned John Cabot (5th of March, in the eleventh
year of his reign) and his three sons, to sail in quest of unknown lands,
and to annex them to the crown of England; with this clause, which before
this time have been unknown to all christians. His first essay as related
by Sir Humphry Gilbert, who was employed in the like service afterwards by
queen Elizabeth, was to discover a north-west passage to Cathay or China;
in which voyage he sailed very far eastward, with a quarter of the north,
on the north side of Terra de Labrado; 'till he came into the north
latitude of sixty seven degrees and a half in his next voyage, which was
made with his son Sebastian, in the year 1497; he steered to the south
side of Labrador, and fell in with the island of Baccalaos, which is
Newfoundland, and took possession both of that island and all the coast of
the north-east part of America, as far as Cape Florida; which he also by
landing in several parts of it, claimed in the name of his master, the
king of England.

"In the memory of this discovery, and by way of evidence, there was a map
or chart of the whole coast of North-America drawn by Sebastian Cabot
himself; with his picture and this title, Efligies Seb. Caboti Angli,
Filii Jo. Caboti, Venetiani, Militia Aurati, &c., and with the following
account of the discovery above mentioned,

"'In the year of our Lord 1497, John Cabot, a Venetian, and his son
Sebastian (with an English fleet) set out from Bristol, and discovered
that land, which no man had before attempted. This discovery was made on
the 24th of June about five o'clock in the morning. This land he called
Prima Vista (or the first seen) because it was that part, of which they
had the first sight from the sea. It is now called Bonavista. The island,
which lies out before the land, he called the island of St. John, probably
because it was discovered on the festival of St. John Baptist.'

"This map was hung up in his Majesty's privy-gallery at Whitehall; and, it
is to be feared, the nation was deprived of such a valuable testimonial of
their American title to the whole coast of North-America, by the fire
which destroyed that gallery in the late King William's reign." Entick's
Gen. Hist. of the Late War, Vol. I., p. 168, &c.

9 Grotius de jure belliac pacis, Lib. 2. Cap. 2. Sect. 17. Molloy de jure
Mar. 422, 423. Justinian Inst. Lib. 2. Tit. 1. Sect. 12 & 22.

10 Lex Mercat. 156. Molloy ut supra.

11 "If we are not astonished (says Voltaire) that the discoverers found
flies in America; it is absurd to wonder that they should meet with men."
Univ. Hist. If European whites, and African negroes, are not descended
from the same original stock; a supposition confessedly adopted by the
celebrated historian, (it must be allow'd) easy to come to a decision in
the present case.

12 Perizonius and Cellarius seem to have inferr'd from thence, that the
new world was not entirely unknown to the remoter ages of antiquity.

13 Aristot de mund. c. 3. et de Mirah Audit. Christ. Cellar. ubi supra, p.
253. Jacob Perizon in Aelion. Var. Hist. Lib. 111. c. 18.

14 William Penn, in his letter to the committee of the free society of
traders in London, in 1683; gives a short sketch of his opinion, touching
the origin of the Indians here, whom be imagines to be of the stock of the
Jews, that after the dispersion of the ten tribes emigrated through the
easternmost parts of Asia, to the westernmost of America.

15 Some of the back Indians beyond Detroit, now make use of dogs to draw
wood and other matters on sleds.

16 The people (says M. de Guignes, in a memoir upon the ancient
navigations of the Chinese to America) whom we have always believed to
have been confin'd within the bounds of their own country, penetrated into
America in the year 458 of the Christian aera. That they went thither by
Japan and the countries of Ven-chin and Ta-han. By considering what the
Chinese geographers say of the distance and productions of these remote
regions, he proves that Ven-chin is Jesso or Yedzo, and that Ta-han is
the most eastern part of the north of Asia. From thence the Chinese sailed
towards the east, and fell in with the country of Fou-sang, which,
according to the Chinese distances, should lie to the north of California.
He gives us, from the annals of China, a short account of the manners of
the inhabitants of Fou-sang; he informs us further, that several islands
in the south sea were known to the Chinese; and also that coast which John
de Sama discovered in his passage from China to Mexico. To give a more
exact idea of these navigations, M. de Buache hath constructed a chart, on
which he hath traced with a great deal of accuracy, the route of the
Chinese, and noted the distances of the several countries. By this chart
it appears, that the geography of these parts, taken from the ancient
books of the Chinese, agrees very well with the late discoveries of the
Russians. To this chart is added part of another ancient chart drawn by
the Japonese, in which are laid down the north of Asia, and all the
western coast of America, according to the knowledge they had of it. This
continent there appears entirely terminated on the side of Asia, and we
there see the isles which have been lately known to the Russians only; and
this proves the truth of the former Japonese discoveries. This chart was
brought from Japan by the celebrated Kempfer, and afterwards lodg'd in the
cabinet of the deceased Sir Hans Sloane, president of the royal society of
London, who sent a copy of it to M. de Guignes.

After having determined the situation of all the countries to the east of
China, M. de Guignes remarks, that Chr. Columbus was not the first who
attempted discoveries towards the west: Long before him, the Arabians,
whilst they were masters of Spain and Portugal, enterprized the same thing
from Lisbon; but after having advanced far to the west, they were obliged
to put back to the Canaries; there they learnt that formerly the
inhabitants of these islands had sailed towards the west for a month
together, to discover new countries. Thus we see, that the most barbarous
people, without the knowledge of the compass, were not afraid to expose
themselves to the open sea in their slight small vessels, and that it was
not so difficult for them to get over to America, as we imagine.

These researches, which of themselves gives us a great insight into the
origin of the Americans, led M. de Guignes to determine the rout of the
colonies sent to this continent. He thinks the greatest part of them
passed thither by the most eastern extremities of Asia, where the two
continents are only separated by a narrow streight, easy to cross. He
reports instances of women, who from Canada and Florida, have travelled to
Tartary without seeing the ocean.

The commerce of the Chinese would naturally open a way to America, augment
the number of the inhabitants, and contribute to polish them. On this
occasion M. de Guignes observes, that the most civilized nations of the
American continent are situated on the coast which looks towards China,
and that they come originally from the north of America, i.e. from the
neighbourhood of countries where the Chinese landed, as Quivin and New
Mexico, whence the Mexicans came to settle in Mexico, properly so called,
after having expelled the ancient inhabitants.

M. de Guignes cites some authorities, which give us reason to believe,
that the streights of Magellan were known to the Chinese, and that the
Coreans had a settlement in Terra del Fuego. These navigations of the
Chinese, and of the most uncivilized nations, incline him to believe, that
the people dispersed in the isles to the south of the Indies, after having
multiplied, migrated from island to island, and by means of that chain of
islands which reaches almost to America, insensibly approached that
continent. The example of the inhabitants of the Canaries gives a
probability to this conjecture. Gentleman's Magazine, 1753, p. 607.

17 The new history of Kamtschatka, lately published in the Russian
language, and translated into English by J. Grieve, M.D. gives a
particular description of the customs and way of living of the inhabitants
there, which agrees in several particulars, and in the whole manner seems
not very different from the original customs of the North American
Indians. For a brief account of this history, see Monthly Review, vol.
30, p. 282.

18 Vide a memoir of M. La Page du Pratz, containing an account of the
travels of Moncacht-ape; a civilized Indian of Louisiana, to the north-
west parts of America, Gent. Mag. for Sept. 1753.

19 Vol. xx, Lond. Edit. 1748, p. 157.

20 That is a regular colony under grants - "Sir Armigell Wadd, of
Yorkshire, clerk of the council to Henry VIII. and Edward VI. and author
of a book of travels, was the first Englishman that made discoveries in
America." H. Walpole's anecdotes of painting, vol ii. Catalogue of
engravers, pp. 18, 19. A note.

21 Now Roanoke, in North-Carolina.

22 L. C. J. of England.

23 Other accounts say, the patent was dissolved by the king's roclamation,
in 1624; and that tho' a quo warranto was issued against it, no
determination followed in the courts of justice.



CHAP. II.

An account of the country on Delaware, and the North River, while the
first was in possession of the Dutch and Swedes.

From what has been said, it is evident that the colonies New-York,
New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, were included in the great patent,
last mentioned; but that becoming void, the crown was at liberty to
regrant the same to others; but it does not appear that any part of those
provinces was settled by virtue thereof; nor indeed was any distinct
discovery of them made, until many years afterwards. New-Jersey,
Pennsylvania, and other lands adjacent, notwithstanding the antient right
of the crown of England, deduced as aforesaid, had two pretenders to them;
the Dutch and the Swedes: The claim the former set up, was under colour of
a discovery made in the year 1609, by Henry Hudson, an Englishman,
commander of a ship called the Half-Moon, fitted out from Holland by the
East-India company, to discover by a north-west passage, a nearer way to
China: In this voyage he sailed up to the place now New-York, and up the
river, from him called Hudson's river; and returning sometime after to
Amsterdam, the Dutch pretended to have purchased the chart he made of the
American coast; and having obtained a patent from the states, in the year
1614, to trade to New-England, they settled in New-York, which they called
New-Netherland; and kept possession until Sir Samuel Argole, governor of
Virginia, disputed their title; alledging that the country having been
discovered by an Englishman, in right of his master, he could not suffer
it to be alienated from the crown, without the king's consent: He
therefore compelled the Dutch colony to submit to him, and to hold it
under the English: But sometime after a new governor coming from
Amsterdam, they not only neglected to pay their usual acknowledgement to
the governor of Virginia, but in the year 1623, fortified their colony, by
building several forts: One on the Delaware, (by them called South River)
near Gloucester, in New-Jersey, which they named Nassau; a second on
Hudson's, (the North River) in the province of New-York, which they named
Fort Orange; and a third on Connecticut river, (by them called the Fresh-
River) which they named the Hirsse of Good Hope. Hudson's River lying near
the sea, and the navigation esteemed less difficult than the other, their
settlements were chiefly on both sides of that river; at the entrance of
which, the town by them also called New Amsterdam, was built; so that by
the time the Swedes came into America, which was a few years after, they
had wholly quitted the land adjacent to the river Delaware.

The proceedings of the Dutch in building the forts, and in a manner taking
possession of the country, having been represented to king Charles the
first, his ambassadors at the Hague made such pressing instances to the
states, that they disowned having given any commission for what the Dutch
had done, and laid the blame on their East-India company. Upon this king
Charles gave a commission to Sir George Calvert, lately made lord
Baltimore;1 to possess and plant that part of America, now called
Maryland; and to Sir Edmond Loeyden, or Ployden, to plant the northern
parts, towards New-England. The Dutch afraid of the power of the English,
were willing to compound matters a second time; offering to leave their
plantations, in consideration of £.2500 to be paid them for the charges
they had been at: But soon after, king Charles being involved in his
troubles, was hindered from supporting his colonies; they therefore not
only fell from their first proposals, but as was reported, furnished the
natives with arms, and taught them the use of them, that by their
assistance they might dispossess the English all around them.

Matters thus circumstanced, we shall leave them, in order to trace their
neighbours, the Swedes into America; the first settlement of whom,
according to their own account, was thus occasioned.2 In the reign of
Gustaphus Adolphus, and in the year 1626, an eminent merchant named
William Useling, gave a great character of this country, applauding it for
fruitful fertile land, abounding with all necessaries of life; and used
many arguments to persuade the Swedes to settle a colony here: These were
so prevalent, that Gustavus issued a proclamation at Stockholm, exhorting
his subjects to contribute to a company associated to the purpose
aforesaid, which was called the West-India company, confirmed by that
prince: In a general assembly the year following, sums of money were
raised to carry on the intended settlement, to which the king, the lords
of the council, the chief of his barons, knights, coronets, principal
officers in his militia, bishops, clergy, and diverse of the common people
of Swedeland, Finnland and Liffland, contributed; and responsible persons
were chosen to see what was propos'd put in execution, consisting of am
admiral, a vice-admiral, merchants, factors, commissaries, &c. and it was
concluded to get as many as they thought fit, of those who would
voluntarily ship themselves to America, to settle and cultivate a
colony.

In 1627, the Swedes and Finns accordingly came over hither: Their first
landing was at Cape Inlopen; the sight created a pleasure, and they named
it Paradise Point: Some time after they purchased of some Indians (but
whether of such as had the proper right to convey is not said) the land
from Cape Inlopen to the Falls of Delaware, on both sides the river, which
they called New-Swedeland Stream; and made presents to the Indian chiefs,
to obtain peaceable possession of the land so purchas'd: But the Dutch
continuing their pretensions, in 1630 one David Pietersz de Vries, their
countryman, built a fort within the capes of Delaware, on the west, about
two leagues from Cape Cornelius, at the place now Lewis-Town, then and at
present often called by the name of Hoarkill.

In 1631, the Swedes also built a fort on the west of Delaware, to which
they gave the name the ruins of it yet bears, Christeen.3 Here a small
town was laid out by Peter Lindstrom, their engineer, and here they first
settled; but this settlement was afterwards demolished by the Dutch.

On an island called Tennecum, sixteen miles above this town, the Swedes
erected another fort, which they named New Gottemburgh; and John Printz,
their governor, built a fine house, and other suitable accommodations;
planted an orchard, and called his settlement Printz's Hall: The principal
freemen had also their plantations on this island.

About this time the Swedes also built forts at Chester, and other places.
In the same year Chancellor Oxestiern, ambassador from Sweden, made
application to king Charles the first, to have the right the English
claimed by their being the first discoverers yielded up: it was, (as they
say,) the proof an uncertainty given up accordingly: They also said they
had purchased the pretence the Dutch claim'd by virtue of the prior
settlement, and buildings here; most of which were destroy'd before their
arrival.

If this be true, the Dutch it seems did not think proper long to abide by
their contract; but gave the Swedes disturbances, by encroaching on their
new settlement; and both of them join'd to dispossess the English, who
also attempted to settle the eastern side of Delaware; one Kieft, a
director under the states of Holland, assisted by the Swedes, drove the
English away, and hired the Swedes to keep them out: The Dutch complained,
that the Swedish governor judging this a fair opportunity; built fort
Elsinburgh on the place from whence the English had been driven, and from
thence used great freedom with their vessels, and all others bound up the
river, making them strike to the fort; from which they also sent men on
board to know whence the vessels came: This the Dutch deem'd exercising an
authority in a country not their own.4 But the Musketoes were so numerous,
the Swedes were unable to live here, and therefore removing, named the
place Musketoeburgh.

The Dutch seem to have had a very great opinion of the land near the
Delaware, and were under great apprehensions of being dispossessed by the
English, who they complained had diverse times attempted to settle about
that river and judged if they once got footing, they would soon secure
every part, so that neither Hollander nor Swede would have any thing to
say here; in particular they mention Sir Edmond Ploeyden, as claiming
property in the country, under a grant from king James the first, who they
alledge declined any dispute with them, but threatened to give the Swedes
a visit, in order to dispossess them.5

John Printz continued governor of the Swedes from his arrival until about
the year 1654, when he returned to Sweden, having first deputed his son-in-
law, John Papegoia, governor in his stead, who also sometime after
returned to his native country, and left the government to John Rysing: He
renewed the league of friendship with the English and Dutch in the
neighbourhood, and formally with the Indians; for this purpose a meeting
was held with the Sachems or Indian chiefs, at Printz's Hall, on Tenecum
island where a speech was made to them in behalf of the queen of Sweden,
expressing the desires the Swedes had to renew their friendship: The
Indians had before made complaint, that the Swedes had introduced much
evil amongst them; because many of the Indians since their coming were
dead; but the Swedes now making them considerable presents, these received
and divided amongst them, one of their chiefs, whose name was Noaman, made
a speech rebuking the rest for having spoken evil of the Swedes, and done
them harm; telling them they should do so no more, that the Swedes were a
good people, and thanking them for the presents, promised for the future,
that a more strict friendship should be observed betwixt them: That as
formerly they had been but one body and one heart, they should be
henceforward, as one head, as a token of which he waived both his hands as
if tying a strong knot, promising also that if they heard of any mischief
plotting against the Swedes, although it were midnight, they would give
them notice, and desired the like notice from the Swedes, if they
understood harm was intended them; the Swedes then desiring the Indians in
general would give them some signal that they all assented to what was
said; they gave a general shout of approbation, and in the conclusion were
entertained by the Swedes with victuals and drink; it was observed the
Indians kept this league faithfully: The Swedish ships sent to succour
this new colony, being obstructed in their intended voyage, by the
Spaniards; and the Swedes unable for want of money to keep their forts in
repair; gave their more powerful neighbours the Dutch, opportunity with
less danger to make encroachments upon them. Accordingly, in this year,
the Dutch who inhabited near Virginia and New-Sweden, gave the Swedes
disturbance, seeking to regain the forts they had formerly possessed: But
this by means of the Swede governor, with Peter Stuyvesant, who commanded
under the Dutch, at New-Amsterdam, was in appearance settled; yet in the
year following, the Dutch fitted out seven vessels from New-Amsterdam,
with six or seven hundred men; who in the summer, under the command of
Stuyvesant, came up Delaware, and took their first quarters at
Elsingburgh, where they made some Swedes prisoners: Next they sailed
towards a fort called Holy Trinity; having landed their men at a point
near the place, and intrenched themselves, they soon after went up to the
fort, and demanded a surrender, threatning what they would do in case of
refusal: After which, by treaty or otherwise, they gained possession, took
down the Swedes flag, and hoisted their own, securing all places with
their soldiers, and sending the Swedes they had taken prisoners, on board
their vessels: - An acquisition deemed considerable, because this fort was
looked upon as the key of New-Sweden.

On the second of September, they besieged Christiana fort and town; and
destroyed New Gottemburgh, with such houses as were without the fort;
plundering the inhabitants of what they had, and killing their cattle; the
Swedes endeavoured to perswade the Dutch to desist from these acts of
hostility, but to no purpose: After 14 days siege, they (in want of
ammunition) were obliged to surrender upon terms: That all the great guns
should be restored; to which purpose an inventory was taken; the Swedes
had also the gratification to march out of the fort, with their arms,
their colours flying, and drums beating. The officers and other principal
inhabitants among the Swedes, were carried prisoners to New-Amsterdam, and
thence to Holland; but the common people submitting to the Dutch, remained
in the country.

From this time 'till the year 1664, New-Sweden, and New-Netherland,
continued in possession, and under government of the Dutch; who, on the
island called Manhattan, at the mouth of Hudson's river, had built the
city, which they named New-Amsterdam (New York); and the river they
sometimes called the Great River: About 150 miles up, they built a fort,
and called it Orange, (Albany) from thence they drove a profitable trade
with the Indians, who came overland as far as from Quebec, to deal with
them. The first bounds of New-York, were Maryland on the south, the main
land as far as could be discovered westward, the river of Canada
northward, and New-England eastward: But the limits of this province, by
the grants afterwards, were reduced into a much narrower compass; that now
called New-Jersey, in virtue of one of those grants, was probably so
denominated, in compliment to Sir George Carteret, one of the proprietors,
and a Jersey man.6

1 "About the year 1620, while George Calvert, afterwards lord Baltimore,
was secretary of state to James 1st; he obtained a patent for him and his
heirs, to be absolute lord and proprietor (with the royalties of a count
Palatine) of the province of Avalon, in Newfoundland, which was so named
by him, from Avalon, in Somersetshire; wherein Glastonbury stands the
first fruits of christianity in Britain; as the other was in that part of
America, there he built a fine house, in Ferryland, and spent £.25,000 in
advancing this new plantation: after the death of king James, he went
twice in person to Newfoundland - finding his plantation very much exposed
to the insults of the French, he was at last forced to abandon it:
whereupon he went over to Virginia, and after having viewed those parts,
came to England, and obtained from king Charles (who had as great a regard
and affection for him as king James) a patent to him and his heirs, for
Maryland - that king naming it in honour of his beloved queen Henrietta
Maria. Biogr. Britania, Art. "Geo. Calvert."

2 Hist. of Swedeland in America, by Thomas Companius Holm, printed at
Stockholm anno 1702.

3 Near Wilmington, it gives name to a noted creek there.

4 The account here is from a manuscript copy, said to be printed in
Holland, anno 1662, the original in the late Sir Hans Sloane's collection,
entitled, A brief account of New Netherland. - In 1683 the Dutch had a
meeting-place for religious worship at New-Castle; and the Swedes three,
one at Christeen, one at Tenecum, and one at Wicoco.

5 In 1648, a pamphlet was published, entitled, "A description of the
province of New Albion, and a direction for adventurers with small stock
to get two for one, and good land freely; and for gentlemen and all
servants, labourers and artificers, to live plentifully; and a former
description reprinted, of the healthiest, pleasantest and richest
plantation of New Albion in North Virginia, proved by thirteen witnesses;
together with a letter from master Robert Evelin, that lived there many
years, shewing the particularities and excellence thereof; with a brief of
the charge of victualling and necessaries, to transport and buy stock for
each planter or labourer there, to get his master £.50 per annum, or more,
in twelve trades, and at £.10, charges only a man." From a few extracts of
this pamphlet, the reader will see an account of the country in some
respects more descriptive than is commonly to be found of that date; he
will however, allow for a little more being said than was necessary in
some places.

"Now for the full and ample satisfaction of the reader, of his majesty's
just title, and power to grant, enjoy, and possess these countries, as
well against aliens as Indians, which this forty years hath not been by
print declared, you may read at large master Hacluit's voyages and
discoveries, master Purchas and captain Smiths: for when the Spaniard and
Portugall discover'd and possest 140 years since the East Indies, Brasill,
the south part of America, the Charibees and Antell isles, and seated
Saint John de Porto Rico, Hispaniola, Jamaica and Cuba, and the fort and
port of Havannah, against the gulf and current, Batuana isles, and point
of Florida; then that most powerfull and richest king of Europe, king
Henry the seventh of England, sent out an Englishman born at Bristol,
called Cabot, granted under his greate seale to him all places and
countrys by him to be discover'd and possest, who then beginning at Cape
Florida discoverd, entered on, took possession, set up crosses, and
procured atturnment and acknowledgement of the Indian kings to his then
majesty, as head, lord and emperour of the south-west America, all along
that coast both in Florida from 20 degrees to 35, where old Virginia in 35
and 30 minutes, 65 years since was seated by 5 several colonies about
Croatan cape, Haloraske, and Rawley's isle, by Sir Walter Rawley, who had
from queen Elizabeth that place, and two hundred leagues from it in all
places adjoyning; Sir Richard Greenfield, Sir Ralph Lane, and master White
his partners seating and fortifying there; the said Cabot farther taking
possession in 37, of that part called Virginia and Chisapeack Bay being
now his majesty's demesne colony of Virginia, and of the next great bay in
or near 39, called now by the Dutch Cape Henlopen, the south river, and by
us Cape James and Delaware Bay, of the baron of Delawares name, being then
governor of Virginia, who by Sir Thomas Dale, and Sir Samuel Argoll, 40
years since took possession and atturnment of the Indian kings, and 60
years since Sir Walter Rawley seated and left 30 men, and four pieces of
ordinance, and the creek near Cape James, by the Dutch called Horekill, by
us Roymount, and by the Indians Cui Achomoca; and so the next river by us
called Hudson's river, of the name of Hudson an Englishman, the discoverer
thirty five year since, who sold his discovery, plots and cards to the
Dutch; and so Cabot discovered severall rivers and countries all along the
coast North East, now called New-England, and divided in nine severall
governments, and further discovered Port-Royall, and that part called New-
Scotland, and set up crosses, where you may see in the French book called
New-France, the French found an old crosse all moss, in an eminent place
at the head of that bay and port, and discovered all that coast and
Newfoundland, and that called Terra de Laborador, or New-Britain, as far
as the frozen strait of Davis; shortly after one master Hore in the reign
of king Henry the 8th, reneued this actuall possession, atturnment of the
Indian kings, brought home divers of the chief Indian kings to England,
who gave their homage and oath of fidelity for these countries to king
Henry the eight in person, setting on his throne in state in his palace
hall at Westminster. Then Virginia being granted, settled, and all that
part now called Maryland, New-Albion and New-Scotland, being part of
Virginia, Sir Thomas Dale and Sir Samuel Argoll, captains and counsellors
of Virginia, hearing of divers aliens and intruders, and traders without
license, with a vessell and forty soldiers, landed at a place called Mount
Desert, in Nova-Scotia, near St. John's River, or Twede, possest by the
French, there killed some French, took away their guns, and dismantled the
fort, and in their return landed at Manhatas-Isle in Hudson's river, where
they found four houses built, and a pretended Dutch governor, under the
West-India company of Amsterdam share or part; who kept trading boats, and
trucking with the Indians; but the said knights told him, their commission
was to expell him and all aliens, intruders on his majesty's dominions and
territories; this being part of Virginia, and this river an English
discovery of Hudson an Englishman, the Dutchman contented them for their
charge and voiage, and by his letter sent to Virginia and recorded,
submitted himself, company and plantation to his majesty, and to the
governor and government of Virginia; but the next pretended Dutch governor
in maps of printed cards calling this part New-Netherland, failing in
paying of customes at his return to Plymouth in England, was there with
his bever, goods and person attached to his damage of £.1500, whereupon at
the suit of the governor and councill of Virginia, his now majesty by his
embassadour in Holland, complaining of the said aliens intrusion, on such
his territories and dominions, the said lords, the states of Holland by
their publique instrument declared, that they did not avow, nor would
protect them, being a private party of the Amsterdam West-India company,
but left them to his majesty's will and mercy: whereupon three severall
orders from the councill table, and commissions have been granted for the
expelling and removing them thence, of which they taking notice, and
knowing their weakness and want of victuals have offered to sell the same
for £.2500, and lastly taking advantage of our present, war and
distractions, now ask £.7000, and have lately offered many affronts and
damages to his majesties subjects in New-England: and in generall endanger
all his majesty's adjoyning countries, most wickedly, feloniously, and
traiterously, contrary to the marine and admiral laws of all christians,
sell by wholesale guns powder shot and ammunition to the Indians,
instructing them in the use of our fights and arms; insomuch as 2000
indians by them armed, Mohawks, Raritons, and some of Long-Isle with
their own guns so sold them, fall into war with the Dutch, destroyed all
their scattering farms and boors, inforcing them all to retire to their up
fort, 40 leagues up that river and to Manhatas, for all or most retreating
to Manhatas, it is now a pretty town of trade, having more English than
Dutch: and it is very considerable that three years since Stuy their
governor put out his declaration, confessing that the neighbour English
might well be offended with their selling Indians arms and ammunition, but
being but a few and so scattered, they could not live else there, or
trade, the Indians refusing to trade or suffer the Dutch to plow without
they would sell them guns. The like folly they committed and inconvenience
to themselves, and all English, for eight years since, in their West-India
fleet, battered by the Spanish Armado, they brought home forty Swedish
poor soldiers; and hearing that capt. Young and master Evelin, had given
over their fort begun at Eriwomeck within Delaware Bay, there half starved
and totter'd they left them, who learning the Indian language, and finding
much talk and trials of a gold mine there, though in truth fifty shillings
charges produced of that light sand but nine shillings in gold, and
therefore was of capt. Young that tried it slighted; yet one Bagot under
the Swedes name and commission, there traded to crosse the Dutch of
Manahatas, and to undersell them, and left and seated there, eighteen
Swedes who proclaiming a gold mine drew more to them, and have gotten a
great trade; and now this last summer fifteen Swedes and fifteen Dutch had
a skirmish; the Swedes pulled down a Dutch trading house, and doe both
undersell them and spoiled much their and English trading with the
Indians, both striving to please and side with the Indians, both
entertaining and refusing to return all English fugitives and servants.
The Swedes hiring out three of their soldiers to the Sasquehannocks, have
taught them the use of our arms and fights, and marching with them into the
king's own colony of Virginia, have carried thence the king of Pawtomeck
prisoner, and expell'd his and eight other Indian nations in Maryland,
civiliz'd and subject to the English crown. Now if a proclamation of open
war be set out against the Dutch and Swedes for this their villainy, and
all English forbid to trade, victuall or relieve them, they must both
vanish, especially if those bad English that live, adhere and obey these
aliens in these his majesty's countries, be warned of the statute of king
James of famous memory, in these words: That all subjects giving any
obedience or acknowledgment to any forain prince, state, pope, or
potentate, within his majesties territories and dominions in England or
beyond the sea, is a traitor, and ought to suffer as a traitour. And
certainly all English, and chiefly those of New-England being ready in
twenty four hours will joyn to expel them both to regain their own trade,
to get their seats, and to be rid of the danger of armed gunning Indians.

"Whereas that part of America, or North Virginia, lying about 39 degrees
on Delaware Bay called the province of New Albion, is scituate in the best
and same temper, as Italy, between too cold Germany, and too hot Barbary:
so this lying just midway betweene New England 200 miles north, and
Virginia 150 miles south, where now are settled 8000 English, and 140
ships in trade, is freed from the extream cold and barrennesse of the one,
and heat and aguish marshes of the other, and is like Lumbardy, and a rich
fat soil, plain, and having 34 rivers on the main land, 17 great Isles, and
partaketh of the healthiest aire and most excellent commodities of Europe,
and replenished with the goodliest woods of oaks and all timber for ships
and masts, mulberries, sweet cypresse, cedars, pines and firres, 4 sorts
of grapes for wine, and raisins, and with the greatest variety of choice
fruits, fish and fowl, stored with all sorts of corn, yeelding 5, 7 and l0
quarters an acre: silkgras, salt, good mines & diers ware, 5 sorts of
deer, buffes, and huge elks to plow and work, all bringing 3 young at
once. The uplands covered many moneths with berries, roots, chestnuts,
walnuts, beech and oak mast to feed them, hogges and turkeys, 500 in a
flock, and having near the colony of Manteses 400000 acres of plain mead
land, and meer levell, to be flowed and fludded by that river for corn,
rice, rapes, flax and hemp. After 17 years trading and discovery there and
triall made, is begun to be planted and stored by the governor and company
of New Albion, consisting of forty four lords, baronets, knights and
merchants, who for the true informing of themselves, their friends,
adventurers and partners by residents and traders there four severall
years out of their journall books, namely, captaine Browne, a
ship-master, and master Stafford his mate, and by captaine Claybourn 14
years there trading, and Constantine his indian, there born and bred, and
by master Robert Evylin, 4 years there, yet by eight of their hands
subscribed and enrolled doe testifie this to be the true state of the
country, of the land and Delaware Bay or Charles River, which is further
witnessed by captain Smith and other Books of Virginia and by New Englands
prospect, new Canaan, captain Powels map, and other descriptions of
New England and Virginia."

Master Evelin's Letter.

"Good Madam:

"Sir Edmund our noble governour and lord earl Palatine, persisting still
in his noble purpose to go on with his plantation in Delaware or Charles
river, just midway between New England and Virginia, where with my unckle
Young I severall years resided, hath often informed himselfe both of me and
master Stratton, as I perceive by the hands subscribed of Edward Monmouth,
Tenis Palee, and as master Buckham, master White, and other shipmasters,
and saylors, whose hands I know, and it to be true, that there lived and
traded with me, and is sufficiently instructed of the state of the
country, and people there, and I should very gladly according to his
desire, have waited on you into Hamshire to have informed your honour in
person, had I not next weeke been passing to Virginia. But neverthelesse
to satisfie you of the truth, I thought good to write unto you my
knowledge, and first to describe you from the north side of Delaware unto
Hudsons river in Sir Edmunds patent, called New Albion, which lieth just
between New England and Maryland, and that ocean sea, I take it to be about
160 miles, I finde some broken land, isles and inlets, and many small
isles at Egbay: But going to Delaware Bay, by Cape May, which is 24 miles
at most, and is as I understand very well set out, and printed in captain
Powles map of New-England, done as is told mee by a draught I gave to M.
Daniel, the plot-maker, which Sir Edmund saith you have at home, on that
north side about five miles within a Port, or rode for any ships called
the Nook, and within lieth the king of Kechemeches, having as I suppose
about 50 men, and 12 leagues higher a little above the Bay and Bar is the
river of Manteses, which hath 20 miles on Charles river, and 30 miles
running up a fair navigable deep river all a flat levell of rich and fat
black marsh mould, which I think to be 300000 acres: In this Sir Edmund
intendeth as he saith to settle, and there the king of Manteses hath about
100 bow-men; next above about 6 leagues higher is a fair deep river, 12
miles navigable, where is freestone, and there over against is the king of
Sikonesses, and next is Asomoches river and king with an hundred men, and
next is Eriwoneck a king of forty men where we sate down, and five miles
above is the king of Ramcock with a hundred men, and four miles higher the
King of Axion with two hundred men, and next to him tenne leagues over
land an inland king of Calcefar, with an hundred and fifty men, and then
there is in the middle of Charles river two fair woody isles, very
pleasant and fit for parks, the one of a thousand acres, the other of
fourteen hundred, or thereabout. And six leagues higher near a creek called
Mosilian, the king having two hundred men. And then we come to the Fals,
made by a rock of lime-stone, as I suppose it is, about sixty and five
leagues from the sea, near to which is an isle fit for a city, all
materials there to build; and above the river fair and navigable, as the
Indians inform me, for I went but ten miles higher. I doe account all the
Indians to be eight hundred, and are in several factions and war against
the Sasquehannocks, and are all extream fearfull of a gun, naked and
unarmed against our shot, swords, and pikes. I had some bickering with
some of them, and they are of so little esteem, as I durst with fifteen
men sit down, or trade in despight of them, and since my return eighteene
Sweeds are settled there, and so sometime sixe Dutch doe in a boat trade
without fear of them. I saw there an infinite quantity of bustards, swans,
geese, and fowl, covering the shoares as within the like multitude of
pigeons, and store of turkies, of which I tried one to weigh forty and
sixe pounds. There is much variety and plenty of delicate fresh and sea-
fish, and shell-fish, and whales, or grampus: elks, deere that bring three
young at a time & the woods bestrewed many moneths with chestnuts,
wall-nuts, and mast of severall sorts to feed them, and hogs, that would
increase exceedingly. There the barren grounds have four kindes of grapes
and many mulberries with ash, elms, and the tallest and greatest pines and
pitch trees, that I have seen. There are cedars, cypresse and sassafras,
with wilde fruits, pears, wilde cherries, pine-apples, and the dainty
parsemenas. And there is no question but almonds, and other fruits of
Spain will prosper, as in Virginia. And (which is a good comfort) in four
and twenty houres you may send or goe by sea to New England or Virginia,
with a fair winde, you may have cattle, and from the Indians two thousand
barrels of corn, at twelve pence a bushel in truck, so as victuals are
there cheaper and better, than to be transported: Neither do I conceive
any great need of a fort or charge, where there is no enemy.

If my lord Palatine, will bring with him three hundred men or more, there
is no doubt but that he may doe very well and grow rich, for it is a most
pure healthfull air, and such pure wholesome springs, rivers and waters,
as are delightfull, of a desert, as can be seen, with so many varieties of
severall flowers, trees and forrests for swine. So many fair risings and
prospects, all green and verdant: and Maryland a good friend and
neighbour, in four and twenty houres ready to comfort and supply. And
truly I beleeve, my lord of Baltimore will be glad of my lord Palatines
plantation and assistance against any enemy or bad neighbour. And if my
lord Palatine employ some men to sow flaxe, hemp and rapes in those rich
marishes, or build ships and make pipe staves, and load some ships with
these wares, or fish from the northward, he may have any money, ware, or
company brought him by his own ships, or the ships of Virginia or New
England all the year. And because your honour is of the noble house of the
Pawlets, and as I am informed, desire to lead many of your friends and
kindred thither, whom as I honour, I desire to serve, I shall intreat you
to beleeve mee as a gentleman and christian, I write you nothing but the
truth, and hope there to take opportunity in due season to visit you, and
doe all the good offices in Virginia, my place or friends can serve you
in. And thus tendering my service, I rest, Madam

Your honours most humble faithfull servant.

ROBERT EVELIN."

"Now since master Elmes letter and seven years discoveries of the lord
governor in person, and by honest traders with the Indians we finde beside
the Indian kings by him known and printed, in this province there is in
all twenty three Indian kings or chief commanders, and besides the number
of 800 by him named, there is at least 1200 under the two Raritan kings on
the north side next to Hudsons river, and those come down to the ocean
about little Egbay and Sandy Barnegate, and about the South cape two small
kings of forty men a piece, called Tirans and Tiascons, and a third
reduced to fourteen men at Roymont, the Sasquehannocks are not now of the
naturals left above 110, tho' with their forced auxiliaries the Ihon a
Does, and Wicomeses they can make 250: these together are counted valiant
and terrible to other cowardly dul Indians, which they beat with the sight
of guns only. - - - - -" The eight seat is Kildorpy, neer the fals of
Charles river, neer 200 miles up from the ocean, it hath clear fields to
plant and sow and neer it is sweet large meads of clover or honysuckle, no
where else in America to be seen, unlesse transported from Europe, a ship
of 140 tuns may come up to these fals which is the best seat for health,
and a trading house to be built on the rocks, and ten leagues higher are
lead mines in stony hills.

"The ninth is called mount Ployden, the seat of the Rariton king on the
north side of this province twenty miles from Sandhay sea, and ninety from
the ocean, next to Amara hill, the retired paradise of the children of the
Ethiopian emperour, a wonder, for it is a square rock, two miles compasse,
150 foot high, a wall-like precipice, a strait entrance, easily made
invincible, where he keeps two hundred for his guard, and under it is a
flat valley, all plain to plant and sow.

"The Sasquehannocks new town is also a rare, healthy and rich place, with
it a crystal broad river, but some fals below hinder navigation, and the
hooke hill on the ocean with its clear fields neer Hudsons river on one
side, and a ten leagues flowing river on the south side is much commended
for health and fish, were it not so northerly.

"The bounds is a thousand miles compass, of this most temperate rich
province, for our south bound is Maryland north bounds, and beginneth at
Aquats or the southermost or first cape of Delaware Bay, in thirty eight
and forty minutes, and so runneth by, or through, or incitiding Kent Isle,
through Chisapeask Bay to Piscataway; including the fals of Pawtomecke
river to the head or northernmost branch of that river, being three
hundred miles due west, and thence northward to the head of Hudson's
river fifty leagues, and so down Hudson's river to the ocean sixty
leagues; and thence to the ocean and isles acrosse Delaware Bay, to the
South cape fifty leagues; in all seven hundred and eighty miles. Then all
Hudson's river, isles, Long Isle, or Pamunke, and all isles within ten
leagues of the said province being; and note, Long isle alone is twenty
broad, and one hundred and eighty miles long, so that alone is four
hundred miles compasse. Now I have examined all former patents, some being
surrender'd, and some adjudg'd void, as gotten on false suggestions, as
that at the councell table was at master Gonges suit, of Mantachusets, and
as capt. Clayborn, heretofore secretary and now treasurer of Virginia, in
dispute with master Leonard Calvert alledgeth; that of Maryland is
likewise void in part as gotten on false suggestions; for as capt.
Clayborn, sheweth the Maryland patent in the first part declareth the
king's intention to be to grant a land thereafter described, altogether
dishabited and unplanted, though possest with Indians. Now Kent isle was
with many housholds of English by c. Clayborn before seated, and because
his majesty by his privy signet shortly after declared it was not his
intention to grant any lands before seated and habited: and for that it
lieth by the Maryland printed card, clean northward within Albion, and not
in Maryland, and not onely late sea-men, but old depositions in Claybornes
hand, shew it to be out of Maryland, and for that Albions privy signet is
elder, and before Maryland patent, Clayborn by force entered, and thrust
out master Calvert out of Kent; next Maryland patent coming to the ocean,
saith "along by the ocean upon Delaware Bay; that is the first cape of the
two most plain in view, and exprest in all late English and Dutch cards;
and note unto Delaware Bay is not into the Bay, nor farther then that cape
heading the Bay, being in thirty eight and forty, or at most by seven
observations I have seen, thirty eight and fifty minutes: So as
undoubtedly, that is the true intended and ground bound, and line, and no
farther, for the words following are not words of grant, but words of
declaration; that is, Which Delaware Bay lieth in forty degrees where New-
England ends; these are both untrue, and so being declarative is a false
suggestion; is void, for no part of Delaware Bay lieth in forty. Now if
there were but the least doubt of this true bounds, I should wish by
consent or commission, a perambulation and boundary, not but there is land
enough for all, and I hold Kent isle having lately but twenty men in it,
and the mill and fort pulled down, and in war with all the indians neer
it, not worth the keeping."

6 It is said for some little time at first, to have bore the name New
Canary.