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May 1
Marshfield. |
1349.Governor Winslow to Mr. Secretary Coventry. Acknowledges letter of 26th September 1679 by Mr. Randolph, informing
him of the King's acceptance of their letters of 1st July 1679.
Thanks him for his favour; believes that the Colony is of as loyal
a spirit as any of His Majesty's Plantations. Was unhappy in the
miscarriage of his first letters and address, copies of which were
sent last year, which are now under consideration of the Committee
for Trade and Plantations; the timely receipt of the letters might
have prevented the suspension they are under of settling Mounthope,
occasioned by Mr. John Crown's petition. Requests him to be
the King's remembrancer on their behalf, as they now have and
opportunity to settle a trading plantation there by merchants and
others of Boston of good estate. The letters were delivered to
Mr. Ashurst of London, merchant, and by him delivered to Winslow's
wife's brother, Major Waldegrave Pelham, an Essex gentleman, of
Ferriers Hall in Bewers (?). Was very unwilling because of their
relation to have named him, but has twice written to him very
plainly and advised him to frame the best excuse he could for his
neglect and yet to deliver them, but he will not give a word in
answer, though they might be obtained on His Majesty's order.
Cannot but entreat favour for him (notwithstanding besides this
injury he detains from his sister above 1,000l. due to them as
legacies by her father and grandfather, he being both heir and
executor). Has drawn up and encloses a brief answer to the queries
directed to him; has not sent a copy of their charter, because they
have not had a General Court, without whose advice it would have
been ill taken. Believes they will send some one to wait on His
Majesty with it. Mr. Randolph has seen the original, and plainly
understands it to take in great part of the Narragansett country,
but His Majesty's pleasure in these matters shall quiet them, who
desire not to be more great than good. Signed, Josiah Winslow.
Endorsed, Recd. 30th June 1680 from the E. of Sunderland. 1 p.
[Col. Papers, Vol. XLIV., No. 55.] Enclosed, |
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1349. i. Answer to the Inquiries of the Committee for Trade and
Plantations about New Plymouth, in reference to the
government, courts of judicature, number of soldiers,
trade, &c. They have 1,200 listed men, from 16 to 60,
mostly foot, but a trained band in every town; no trade
beyond the seas; they have 14 small towns, in most
of them good preachers and comely churches, and the
sacraments administered to persons of various persuasions;
their commodities are fish, provision, grain, horses, shiptimber, tar, hemp, flax, and a great store of iron; have
no commodities imported directly, but have all their
supplies from Massachusetts; very few slaves except
Indian women and boys taken in the late war; no
blacks brought thither, some few are brought to Boston,
who are valued at from 20l. to 30l.; the number of blacks
there is few, and of them fewer breeders; the English
and other Indians increase very much, in seven years
800 children have been born, who are or may be
christened if their parents' scruples do not obstruct; there
have been 450 marriages in the last seven years and 546
deaths, more than at other times, owing to the Indian
war and the small-pox. Most men there are freeholders,
few tenants; incomes of 2,000l. are rare among them;
no vessels, but scallops and fishing ketches; want of men
of estate and skill to manage the trade and of good
harbours for shipping; the obstructions to trade would
be removed if Mounthope were settled on them and the
Colony made a free port; no duties on imports or exports
and no public revenue except 30l. a year by the rent of
a fishing-place, employed towards the support of grammarschools; of those who are seriously religious the
Congregational men are the greatest number, some
Baptists and some Quakers, to all of whom equal respect
is paid, except the Quakers, and they are not disturbed
except they disturb the peace. The people are instructed
in the Christian religion by good preaching in every
plantation, by catechizing the youth in families, schools,
and sometimes in churches; have for the most part in
every town a good minister and church, maintained by
their own people by rate or contribution; the poor and
impotent are maintained by the town to which they
belong, and so comfortably provided for that they have
no beggars and suffer no idle vagabonds. Signed, Josiah
Winslow. 6 pp. [Col. Papers, Vol. XLIV., No. 551.,
and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXI., pp. 56–61.] |
May 2.
About 5 leagues from the Capes. |
1350. Governor Lord Culpeper to [William Blathwayt]. After
a most tedious passage full of death, scurvy, and calentures, we are
in eleven weeks and two days arrived within soundings of Virginia,
and being now within sight of three ships that appear to be bound
to England I write such details as time permits. The King's
affairs in the Colony will so infinitely suffer from the unwarrantable
supine remissness of Captain Younge in the hired (ship) James that I
cannot give you an idea of the inevitable inconvenience should he
not be come. And if he be, I am resolved that a man that hath
so wretchedly, cowardly, and basely disobeyed both myself and
Captain Mason (from whom he had positive orders to sail before
us) shall never serve the King under me. Till I got on board the
Oxford frigate on the 13th February I thought him gone before,
and then you know what a noise would have been raised against
me, both at the Exchange and the Council Board, if such a great
and considerable fleet, so long wind-bound, had been delayed
on my account. By my resolution to put the King's interest first,
I left most of my servants in the James, that we might be stronger
in case of meeting with Canary, and took some of the best of my
company in their place. I am glad of it, for I have reason to fear
that the Building and Cantonizing Act exploded last year on the
first hearing, nemine contradicente, will be strongly driven in
again here, and I am sure that if I had had two companies I could
have saved the pretence of it by putting them in the service, and
that more effectually. The bearer, Captain Jeffreys, in the Golden
Fortune is just come on board, and assures me that all is well in
Virginia. I beg that the hired James with the residue of my
company and servants may be despatched to me with all speed.
You shall hear everything after I am arrived. Holograph. 2 pp.
[Col. Papers, Vol. XLIV., No. 56, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. LXXX.,
pp. 377–379.] |
May 5.
Council Chamber. |
1351. Order of the King in Council. Report of 27th April
(ante, No. 1348). Mr. Secretary Jenkins to communicate with the
Dutch ambassador and the British envoy in Holland, and endeavour
to procure the withdrawal of the English from Surinam on the
same terms as were granted in 1675. [Col. Papers, Vol. XLIV.,
No. 57, and Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XLVI., pp. 424, 425.] |
May 8.
Newport. |
1352. Governor Peleg Sanford to William Blathwayt. Enclosing
replies to the Committee's enquiries from Rhode Island, and a letter
to the King from the General Assembly. Endorsed, "Recd. 30 June
1680." 1 p. [Col. Papers, Vol. XLIV., No. 58.] Enclosed, |
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1352. i. Answers to 27 enquiries of the Committee for Trade and
Plantations, on government, trade, &c. Militia consists of
10 companies of foot; have nine towns or divisions;
export horses and provisions, and import a small quantity
of Barbadoes goods for supply of their families; have
above 500 planters and about 500 men besides; there may
be about 200 whites and blacks born in a year, and about
50 marriages a year; 455 burials in the last seven years.
They have no merchants, but most of the colony live
comfortably by improving the wilderness; great want of
men of considerable estates; there are no customs on
imports or exports. Baptists and Quakers are the most that
publicly congregate together, but there are others of divers
persuasions who all enjoy their liberties; know of no
Papist among them. Leave every man to walk as God
shall persuade their hearts and to have liberty to frequent
any meetings of worship; have no beggars and vagabonds,
and for lame and importent persons a due course is taken.
Their predecessors forty years since left their native
country because they could not in their private opinions
conform to the liturgy, forms, and ceremonies of the
Church of England, and transported themselves over the
ocean seas to dwell in this remote wilderness that they
might enjoy their liberty in their opinions. They on
application to His Majesty obtained a charter full of
liberty of conscience, in which there is liberty for any
persons that will at their charges build churches and
maintain "such as are called ministers" without the least
molestation. Endorsed, "Recd. 30 June 1686." 3 pp.
[Col. Papers, Vol. XLIV., No. 58 I., and Col. Entry Bk.,
Vol. LXI., p. 67.] |
| May 11. |
1353. Minute of Council of Barbadoes. Ordered, that Solomon
Eccles be committed to the custody of the Provost Marshal for
public speaking and uttering blasphemous and seditious language
as deposed to before Samuel Husbands, Justice of the Peace, and
that John Hallett, Treasurer of the Island, who prosecuted him under
the Act "To prevent the people called Quakers from bringing
negroes to their meetings." [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XL., p. 314.] |
| May 12. |
1354. Journal of Assembly at Barbadoes. But six members
being present, the House after waiting till three o'clock in the
afternoon adjourned to 9th June. [Col. Entry Bk., Vol. XIII.,
p. 388.] |
