USA > Delaware > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 16
USA > New Jersey > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 16
USA > Pennsylvania > Narratives of early Pennsylvania, West New Jersey and Delaware, 1630-1707 > Part 16
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To which let me add, that the great Debauchery in this Kingdom has not only rendred many unfruitful when married, but they live not out half their time, through Excesses, which might be prevented by a vigorous execution of our good Laws against corruption of manners. These and the like evils are the true grounds of the decay of our People in the Country, to say nothing of Plague and Wars: Towns and Cities cannot com- plain of the decay of People, being more replenish'd than ever, especially London, which with reason helps the Country-man to this Objection. And though some do go to the Plantations, yet numbering the Parishes in England, and computing how many live more than die, and are born than buried, there goes not over to all the Plantations a fourth part of the yearly in- crease of the People. And when they are there, they are not (as I said before) lost to England, since they furnish them with much Cloaths, Houshold-stuff, Tools, and the like necessaries, and that in greater quantities than here their condition could have needed, or they could have bought, being there well to pass, that were but low here, if not poor; and now Masters of Families too, when here they had none, and could hardly keep themselves; and very often it happens that some of them, after their Industry and Success there have made them wealthy, they return and empty their Riches into England; one in this capacity being able to buy out twenty of what he was when he went over.
This much to justifie the Credit and Benefit of Plantations; wherein I have not sought to speak my Interest, but my Judg- ment; and I dare venture the success of it with all sober and considering men. I shall now proceed to give some account of my own concern.
1st. I shall say what may be necessary of the Place or Province.
2dly. Touch upon the Constitutions.
3dly. Lay down the Conditions.
4thly. Give my sense what persons will be fit to go.
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5thly. What Utensils, Furniture and Commodities are fit to carry with them, with the charge of the voyage, and what is first to be done and expected there for some time.
And lastly, I shall give an Abstract of the Grant by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England, that an account may be given of the Estate and Power granted to me thereby.
I. Something of the Place.
The Place lies 600 miles nearer the Sun than England; for England begins at the 50th Degree and ten minutes of North Latitude, and this Place begins at fourty, which is about the Latitude of Naples in Italy, or Mompellier' in France. I shall say little in its praise, to excite desires in any, whatever I could truly write as to the Soil, Air and Water: This shall satisfie me, that by the Blessing of God, and the honesty and industry of Man, it may be a good and fruitful Land.
For Navigation it is said to have two conveniencies; the one by lying Ninescore miles upon Delaware River; that is to say, about three score and ten miles, before we come to the Falls,' where a Vessel of Two hundred Tuns may Sail, (and some Creeks and small Harbours in that distance, where Ships may come nearer than the River into the Country) and above the Falls, for Sloops and Boats, as I am informed, to the extent of the Patent. The other convenience is through Chesapeak-Bay.
For Timber and other Wood there is variety for the use of man.
For Fowl, Fish, and Wild-Deer, they are reported to be plentiful in those Parts. Our English Provision is likewise now to be had there at reasonable Rates. The Commodities that the Country is thought to be capable of, are Silk, Flax, Hemp, Wine, Sider, Woad, Madder, Liquorish, Tobacco, Pot- ashes, and Iron, and it does actually produce Hides, Tallow, Pipe staves, Beef, Pork, Sheep, Wool, Corn, as Wheat, Barly, Ry, and also Furs, as your Peltree, Mincks, Racoons, Martins, and such like; store of Furs which is to be found among the Indians, that are profitable Commodities in Europe.
The way of trading in those Countries is thus: they send to the Southern Plantations Corn, Beef, Pork, Fish and Pipe- ' Montpellier. ' Now Trenton, New Jersey.
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staves, and take their Growth and bring for England, and re- turn with English Goods to their own Country. Their Furs they bring for England, and either sell them here, or carry them out again to other parts of Europe, where they will yield a better price: And for those that will follow Merchandize and Navigation there is conveniency, and Timber sufficient for Shipping.
II. The Constitutions.
For the Constitutions of the Country, the Patent shows, first, That the People and Governour have a Legislative Power, so that no Law can be made, nor Money raised, but by the Peoples Consent.
2dly. That the Rights and Freedoms of England (the best and largest in Europe) shall be in force there.
3dly. That making no Law against Allegiance (which should we, 'twere by the Law of England void of it self that moment) we may Enact what Laws we please for the good prosperity and security of the said Province.
4thly. That so soon as any are ingaged with me, we shall begin a Scheam or Draught together, such as shall give ample Testimony of my sincere Inclinations to encourage Planters, and settle a free, just and industrious Colony there.
III. The Conditions.
My Conditions will relate to three sorts of People: 1st. Those that will buy: 2dly. Those that take up Land upon Rent: 3dly. Servants. To the first, the Shares I sell shall be certain as to number of Acres; that is to say, every one shall contain Five thousand Acres, free from any Indian incum- brance, the price a hundred pounds, and for the Quit-rent but one English shilling or the value of it yearly for a hundred Acres; and the said Quit-Rent not to begin to be paid till 1684. To the second sort, that take up Land upon Rent, they shall have liberty so to do, paying yearly one peny per Acre, not exceeding Two hundred Acres. To the third sort, to wit, Ser- vants that are carried over, Fifty Acres shall be allowed to the Master for every Head, and Fifty Acres to every Servant when their time is expired. And because some engage with me that
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may not be disposed to go, it were very advisable for every three Adventurers to send an Overseer with their Servants, which would well pay the Cost.
The Divident may be thus; if the persons concern'd please, a Tract of Land shall be survey'd; say Fifty thousand Acres to a hundred Adventurers; in which some of the best shall be set out for Towns or Cities; and there shall be so much Ground allotted to each in those Towns as may maintain some Cattel and produce some Corn; then the remainder of the fifty thou- sand Acres shall be shar'd among the said Adventurers (casting up the Barren for Commons, and allowing for the same) where- by every Adventurer will have a considerable quantity of Land together; likewise every one a proportion by a Navigable River, and then backward into the Country. The manner of divident I shall not be strict in; we can but speak roughly of the matter here; but let men skilful in Plantations be con- sulted, and I shall leave it to the majority of votes among the Adventurers when it shall please God we come there, how to fix it to their own content.
IV. These persons that providence seems to have most fitted for Plantations are,
1st. Industrious Husbandmen and Day-Labourers, that are hardly able (with extreme Labour) to maintain their Families and portion their Children.
2dly. Laborious Handicrafts, especially Carpenters, Ma- sons, Smiths, Weavers, Taylors, Tanners, Shoemakers, Ship- wrights, etc. where they may be spared or are low in the World: And as they shall want no encouragement, so their Labour is worth more there than here, and there provision cheaper.
3dly. A Plantation seems a fit place for those Ingenious Spirits that being low in the World, are much clogg'd and oppress'd about a Livelyhood, for the means of subsisting being easie there, they may have time and opportunity to gratify their inclinations, and thereby improve Science and help Nurseries of people.
4thly. A fourth sort of men to whom a Plantation would be proper, takes in those that are younger Brothers of small
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Inheritances; yet because they would live in sight of their Kindred in some proportion to their Quality, and can't do it without a labour that looks like Farming, their condition is too strait for them; and if married, their Children are often too numerous for the Estate, and are frequently bred up to no Trades, but are a kind of Hangers on or Retainers to the elder Brothers Table and Charity: which is a mischief, as in it self to be lamented, so here to be remedied; For Land they have for next to nothing, which with moderate Labour produces plenty of all things necessary for Life, and such an increase as by Traffique may supply them with all conveniencies.
Lastly, There are another sort of persons, not only fit for, but necessary in Plantations, and that is, Men of universal Spirits, that have an eye to the Good of Posterity, and that both understand and delight to promote good Discipline and just Government among a plain and well intending people; such persons may find Room in Colonies for their good Counsel and Contrivance, who are shut out from being of much use or service to great Nations under settl'd Customs: These men deserve much esteem, and would be harken'd to. Doubtless 'twas this (as I observ'd before) that put some of the famous Greeks and Romans upon Transplanting and Regulating Colo- nies of People in divers parts of the World; whose Names, for giving so great proof of their Wisdom, Virtue, Labour and Con- stancy, are with Justice honourably delivered down by story to the praise of our own times; though the World, after all its higher pretences of Religion, barbarously errs from their ex- cellent Example.
V. The Journey and it's Appurtenances, and what is to be done there at first coming.
Next let us see, What is fit for the Journey and Place, when there, and also what may be the Charge of the Voyage, and what is to be expected and done there at first. That such as incline to go, may not be to seek here, or brought under any disappointments there. The Goods fit to take with them for use, or sell for profit, are all sorts of Apparel and Utensils for Husbandry and Building and Household Stuff. And because I know how much People are apt to fancy things beyond what they are, and that Immaginations are great flatterers of the
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minds of Men; To the end that none may delude themselves, with an expectation of an Immediate Amendment of their Con- ditions, so soon as it shall please God they Arrive there; I would have them understand, That they must look for a Winter before a Summer comes; and they must be willing to be two or three years without some of the conveniences they enjoy at home; And yet I must needs say that America is another thing then it was at the first Plantation of Virginia and New- England: For there is better Accommodation, and English Provisions are to be had at easier rates: However, I am in- clin'd to set down particulars, as near as those inform me, that know the Place, and have been Planters both in that and in the Neighbouring Colonys.
1st. The passage will come for Masters and Mistresses at most to 6 Pounds a Head, for Servants Five Pounds a Head, and for Children under Seven years of Age Fifty Shillings, ex- cept they Suck, then nothing.
Next being by the mercy of God, safely Arrived in Septem- ber or October, two Men may clear as much Ground by Spring (when they set the Corn of that Country) as will bring in that time twelve month Forty Barrels, which amounts to two Hun- dred Bushels, which makes Twenty Five quarters of Corn. So that the first year they must buy Corn, which is usually very plentiful. They may so soon as they come, buy Cows, more or less, as they want, or are able, which are to be had at easy rates. For Swine, they are plentiful and cheap; these will quickly Increase to a Stock. So that after the first year, what with the Poorer sort, sometimes labouring to others, and the more able Fishing, Fowling, and sometime Buying; They may do very well, till their own Stocks are sufficient to supply them, and their Families, which will quickly be and to spare, if they follow the English Husbandry, as they do in New-England, and New-York; and get Winter Fodder for their Stock.
VI. and Lastly, An Abstract of the Patent granted by the king To William Penn, etc. The Fourth of March, 168f.
I. WE do Give and Grant (upon divers considerations) to William Penn his Heirs and Assigns for ever all that Tract of Land in America with all Islands thereunto belonging That is
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to say from the beginning of the fortieth degree of North Lati- tude unto the forty third Degree of North Latitude whose Eastern bounds from twelve English Miles above New Castle (alias Delaware Town) runs all along upon the side of Delaware River.
II. Free and undisturb'd use and passage into and out of all Harbours Bays Waters Rivers Isles and Inlets belonging to or leading to the same Together with the Soyl Fields Woods Underwoods Mountains Hills Fenns Isles Lakes Rivers Waters Rivulets Bays and Inlets Scituate in or belonging unto the Limits and Bounds aforesaid Together with all sorts of Fish Mines Mettles, etc. To have and to hold to the only behoof of the said William Penn his Heirs and Assigns for ever To be holden of us as of our Castle of Windsor in free and common soccage paying only two Beaver Skins yearly.
III. And of our further Grace we have thought it fit to erect and we do hereby erect the aforesaid Countrey and Is- lands into a Province and Seigniory and do call it Pennsilvania and so from henceforth we will have it call'd.
IV. That reposing special confidence in the wisdom and justice of the said William Penn we do grant to him and his Heirs and their Deputies for the good and happy Government thereof to ordain and enact and under his and their Seals to publish any Laws whatever for the publick uses of the said Province by and with the Advice and Approbation of the Free- holders of the said Countrey or their delegates so as they be not repugnant to the Law of this Realm and to the Faith and Allegiance due unto us by the legal Government thereof.
V. Full power to the said William Penn, etc., to appoint Judges Leiutenants Justices Magistrates and Officers for what causes so-ever and with what Power and in such Form as to him seems convenient Also to be able to Pardon and Abolish Crimes and Offences and to do all and every other thing that to the compleat Establishment of Justice unto Courts and Tri- bunals forms of Judicature and manner of proceedings do be- long And our pleasure is and so we enjoyn and require that such Laws and Proceedings shall be most absolute and avuilable in Law and that all the Leige People of us Heirs and Successors inviolably keep the same in those parts saving to us final appeals.
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VI. That the Laws for regulating Property as well for the discent of Lands as enjoyment of Goods and Chattels and like- wise as to Felonies shall be the same there as here in England until they shall be altered by the said William Penn his Heirs or Assigns and by the Freemen of the said Province or their Delegates or Deputies or the greater part of them.
VII. Furthermore that this new Colony may the more happily encrease by the multitude of People resorting thither therefore we for us our Heirs and Successors do hereby grant License to all the leige People present and future of us, etc. (excepting such as shall be specially forbidden) to Transport themselves and Families into the said Countrey there to In- habit and Plant for the publick and their private Good.
VIII. Liberty to Transport what Goods or Commodities are not forbidden paying here the legal Customs due to us, etc.
IX. Power to divide the Countrey into Counties Hundreds and Towns to Incorporate Towns and Burroughs and Bur- roughs into Cities to make Fairs and Markets with convenient Priviledges according to the merit of the Inhabitants or the fit- ness of the place And to do all other thing or things touching the Premises which to the said William Penn his Heirs or As- signs shall seem meet and requisite albeit they be such as of their own nature might otherwise require a more special com- mandment and warrant then in these presents is express'd.
X. Liberty to Import the Growth or Manufactures of that Province into England paying here the legal duty.
XI. Power to erect Posts Harbours Creeks Havens Keys and other places for Merchandizes with such Jurisdictions and Priviledges as to the said William Penn, etc., shall seem ex- pedient.
XII. Not to break the Acts of Navigation neither Governour nor Inhabitants upon the penaltys contained in the said Acts.
XIII. Not to be in League with any Prince or Countrey that is in War against us our Heirs and Successors.
XIV. Power of safety and defence in such way and manner as to the said William Penn, etc., seems meet.
XV. Full power to Assign Alien Grant Demise or Enfeoff of the premises so many and such parts and parcels to those that are willing to purchase the same as the said William Penn
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thinks fit to have and to hold to them the said Persons their Heirs or Successors in fee Simple or fee Tail or for term of Life or Lives or years to be held of the said William Penn, etc., as of the said Seigniory of Windsor by such services Customs and Rents as shall seem fit to the said William Penn his Heirs and Assigns and not immediately of us our Heirs or Successors and that the said Persons may take the premisses or any Parcel thereof of the said William Penn, etc., and the same hold to themselves their Heirs and Assigns the Statute Quia emptores Terrarum in any wise notwithstanding.
XVI. We give and grant License to any of those Persons to whom the said William Penn, etc., has granted any Estate of Inheritance as aforesaid with the consent of the said William Penn to erect any parcel of Lands within the said Province into Mannors to hold Courts Barron and view of Francke- pledge, etc., by Themselves or Stewards.
XVII. Power to those Persons to Grant to others the same Tenures in fee Simple or otherwise to be held of the said Mannors respectively and upon all further Alienations the Land to be held of the Mannor that it held of before the Alienation.
XVIII. We do covenant and Grant to and with the said William Penn his Heirs and Assigns that we will not set or make any Custom or other Taxation upon the Inhabitants of the said Province upon Lands Houses Goods Chattels or Mer- chandizes except with the consent of the Inhabitants and Governour.
XIX. A charge that no Officers nor Ministers of us our Heirs and Successors do presume at any time to attempt any thing to the contrary of the premisses or in any sort with- stand the same but that they be at all times aiding to the said William Penn and his Heirs and to the Inhabitants and Mer- chants their Factors and Assigns in the full use and benefit of this our Charter.
XX. And if any doubts or questions shall hereafter arise about the true sense or meaning of any Word Clause or Sen- tence contained in this our Charter We will ordain and com- mand that at all times and in all things such Interpretation be made thereof and allowed in any of our Courts whatsoever as shall be adjudged most advantageous and favourable unto the
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said William Penn his Heirs and Assigns so as it be not against the Faith and Allegiance due to us our Heirs and Successors. In witness whereof we have caused our Letters to be made Patents. Witness our self at West- minster, etc.
To conclude, I desire all my dear Country-Folks, who may be inclin'd to go into those Parts, to consider seriously the prem- ises, as well the present inconveniences, as future ease and Plenty, that so none may move rashly or from a fickle but solid mind, having above all things, an Eye to the providence of God, in the disposal of themselves. And I would further advise all such at least, to have the permission, if not the good liking of their near Relations, for that is both Natural, and a Duty Incumbent upon all; and by this means will natural affection be preserved, and a friendly and profitable corre- spondence be maintained between them. In all which I be- seech Almighty God to direct us, that his blessing may attend our honest endeavour, and then the Consequence of all our undertaking will turn to the Glory of his great Name, and the true happiness of us and our Posterity. Amen.
WILLIAM PENN.
POSTSCRIPT.
Whoever are desirous to be concern'd with Me in this Province, they may be treated with and further Satisfied, at Philip Fords' in Bow-lane in Cheapside, and at Thomas Rud- yards or Benjamin Clarks in George Yard in Lumbard-street.
THE END.
: Philip Ford, Penn's steward, who later brought the Founder into financial difficulties.
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LETTER FROM WILLIAM PENN TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE FREE SOCIETY OF TRADERS, 1683
INTRODUCTION
WILLIAM PENN had been an extraordinarily busy man in the two years prior to the writing of this Letter. By July, 1681, his plans for the sale and settlement of his Pennsylvania lands, as foreshadowed in Some Account, having been more fully developed, were published on the 11th of that month under the caption Conditions and Concessions. With the issue of the latter document, which may be regarded as a form of contract between Penn and those who were to join in his enterprise, the sale of lands began. Journeying between the two great English cities of that day, London and Bristol, Penn, in the next three months, disposed of over 300,000 acres of unlocated lands in amounts of from 10,000 to 250 acres, to about 250 per- sons. These grantees, who were called First Purchasers, with special privileges as to the choice of allotment, were largely well-to-do Quakers of southern England. Two-thirds of the territory sold was about equally divided between purchasers in London and Bristol, the other third being taken chiefly in some of the intervening counties.
In October, 1681, the Proprietor sent over three commission- ers to assist Governor Markham in the work of organizing the colony, especially with respect to the laying out of grants of land and to the choice of a site for the capital city. Along with the commissioners went Penn's advance-guard of immi- grants, one group sailing from London in the ship John and Sarah, and the other from Bristol in the Factor.
The Free Society of Traders in Pennsylvania, the land and trading company, to which the present Letter is addressed, and of which great things were vainly expected, was incorporated -
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by Penn in March, 1682. In the following month he sent over the surveyor general, Thomas Holme, who laid out Philadel- phia that summer. The same month witnessed the completion and signing of the elaborate Frame of Government, the fa- mous first constitution of Pennsylvania, to which were ap- pended certain laws agreed upon in England.
All these activities in the furtherance of the undertaking delayed the Proprietor's visit to his new province. He was unable to depart until August, 1682. At that time the roll of First Purchasers, as kept in the London office, was closed; more than 600,000 acres of land had thus far been sold. Just before sailing Penn once more prevailed upon his old friend the Duke of York to make him another American grant, that of the Three Lower Counties of Delaware.
It was on October 28, 1682, that William Penn first stepped upon American soil. On that day amidst the joyful acclama- tions of the inhabitants he disembarked from the good ship Welcome at New Castle and received turf, twig, and water, symbols of his feudal possession of the country. After devoting several weeks to affairs at Upland (Chester), New Castle, and his rapidly rising city of Philadelphia, he journeyed to New York and paid his respects to the officials of government there. From December 4 to 7 he sat with the first legislative assembly at Chester. A series of important measures known as the Great Law, including the code of laws agreed upon in England, and embodying Penn's ideas and principles, was enacted, thus laying broadly and deeply the constitutional foundations of the Province. The boundaries between Pennsylvania and Maryland, which were long to be a bone of contention, were the subject of a conference between Penn and Lord Baltimore, in Maryland, during the latter part of December, and again at New Castle in the following May. Early in March, 1683, as one of the proprietors, Penn met for a few days with the council of East New Jersey. He then attended, in Philadelphia, the ses-
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INTRODUCTION
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