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M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01083 6648
A
CATALOGUE
O F
ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS IN
THE ENGLISH ARCHIVES,
RELATING TO THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE
STATE OF MAINE.
"But I doubt not * * * it will prove a very flourishing place. and be replenished with many faire towns and cities. it being a Province both fruitful and pleasant. F. GORGES, DESCRIPTION OF THE PROVINCE OF MAINE
NEW-YORK: PRIVATELY PRINTED 1858.
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EARLY HISTORY OF MAINE.
George Folsom, late U. S. Charge d'. es to the Netherlands, has recently d, at his own expense, " A Catalogue iginal Documents in the English Ar- 3, relating to the early history of the of Maine." This work must be of :sistance in researches into the early y of our State, as it shows what can und in the archives of the State Paper and the British Museum, of the desired .cter, and leaves no room to expect any- more. The compiler expresses his pointment at the paucity of the earlier nents, especially in relation to the move- s of the brave old Knight, Sir Ferdi- Gorges, the founder of the Colonial ment of Maine ...
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DOCUMENTARY
HISTORY OF MAINE,
Proceedings of the Legislature of Maine, for procuring Copies of Original Papers, in the British State Paper Office, not heretofore published, in regard to the Early History of Maine.
MEMORIAL.
To the Hon. the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of Maine in Legislature assembled :
At the annual meeting of the Maine Histor- ical Society, held at the Society's Rooms, Brunswick. August 8th, 1861, the following resolutions were adopted :
" Resolved, That the thanks of the Society are due and are hereby tendered to Hon. George Folsom of New York, forhis valua- ble contribution to the history of his native State, by the publishing of . a Catalogue of original documents in the English Archives, relating to the early history of the State of Maine.'
" Kesolred, That the publication in full of the various papers and documents in the English Archives relating to Maine, (includ- Ing the charter and records of the Virginia Company, under the original charter of April 10, 1006, if the same can be obtained.) is es- sential to a true and full knowledge of the history of our State; that a committee of three be appointed to inquire into these mat- ters, with authority to invite the cooperation of Hon. F. H. Morse, U. S. Consul at London, 4 -citizen of this State, and of such other parties as they may deem expedient to ac- complish this result."
" Toled, That John A. Poor, Edward Bal- land, and Leonard Woods, constitute said Comunittee."
In the discharge of the somewhat difficult lask committed to them, the undersigned. Committee appointed as aforesaid, 'have re- Fondled it as their first and most agreeable unty, to lay the matter fully before your hon-
orable body, with such suggestions and ex- planations as natually arises on the first pre- sentation of the subject to their view.
While it is made the duty of the Historical Society of Maine, by its charter, to collect and publish such facts, documents and papers, as relate to the early history of the State- and no person is allowed by its by-laws to continue a member, unless he attends its meetings or contributes to its collections in some manner by books, papers or curiosities, within every two years-yet no member is allowed compensation, except for actual ex- penditures of money, on duty specially ren- dered, so that, for the contributions and col- lections that make up the six volumes of its Transactions already published, the Society is indebted to the liberality and public spirit of individuals. Labor, and the rich results of historical research, that would have yielded ample pecuniary returns, if directed to other pursuits, have been freely contributed to the Society, adding largely to the stock of his- torie knowledge, by many of the able minds of our State. But to collect all the materials necessary to a full and perfect history of Maine, requires an outlay quite beyond the present ability of this Society, or the indi- vidual means af its members.
The territory now included within the lim- its of the State of Maine is the richest in ma- terials for history, of any State in the Union, or any section of the continent. Visited by all the early navigators, from the time of Se- bastian Cabot's first voyage in 1497, to the period of the first permanent settlement of North America by the Europeans, claimed
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successively by the Spaniards, the French, the Dutch and the English, and thus delineated respectively oit __ na's f the country, it finally became the chief cause of strife be- tween the great European powers, France and England. Both claimed exclusive title, and granted the entire territory to their res- pective subjects ; and for nearly one hundred years after its occupation, the French and English held devided and conflicting possess- ion. Hence, the materials of its history must be sought in the public archives o iHolland, France and Eugland - the claim of Spain having yielded to that of the other powers, before any actual occupation on their part, of its territory.
Other States of the Union, whose materials for history lie in the same direction, have spent large sums to bring to light and pre- serve the authentic records of the early col- onization and settlement of their country; and the student of our history finds it neces sary to resort to the documentary history of New York, and the collections made by the State of Massachusetts, to get any thing 'ike a satisfactory knowledge of the history of Maine. The histories of New York. of Mass- achusetts, and of Maine, run into each other ; but neither New York nor Massachusetts has collected what relates exclusively to our State. The Relations of the Jesuits. recently published in three large 8 vo. volumes, under the patronage of the Parliament of Canada, from the manuscripts generously furnished by the present Emperor of France, have ad- ed largely to our knowledge of the carly his- tory of Maine. but they fail to give us from the French State Paper Office, the materials . for its political and military history while un- der the rule of France-from its first occupa- tion by De Monts, in 1604, to the peace of Ryswick, in 1697.
The disinterested and most generous labors of the Hon. Mr. Folsom, in procuring and publishing a catalouge of original documents in the English archives in relation to Maine, has stimulated a strong desire to obtain full copies of them for the State Library and other publie institutions, where they may be made generally accessible to the student of our history. But the expense of transcribing them,from the antiquity of the style in which they are written. and the incidental cost at- tendant on such labor, renders it more didi- cult than at first supposed.
These papers will enable us to learn, for the first time, the true history of those Mains set up by the Massachusetts Company to the soil and to the jurisdiction over the territory of Maine, and vindicate as we believe, the reputation of those renowned men, Gorges and Popham, who uniting with the Fart of Southampton, the illustrious friend of Shaks- peare, in a petition to the sovereign, obalued the great charter of 1606 from King James, and laid the foundation of England's Empire, and the final triumph of the English race in the new workt.
It would be a source of satisfaction If it was within the scope of our instructions, to ask the Legislature to take measures to pro- cure from the French Archives also, docu- ments relating to ourearly history, knowing, as we now do, that the unpublished papers at this time accessible, would enable us to lay betore the public, the sagacious efforts of Louis XIV, during the administrations of Mazarin and Colbert, to affix the whole con- tinent of. North America, forever, as an ap- pendage to the crown of France.
But the Committee have not thought it be- coming in them to more than invite the at- tention of the Legislature to this subject, in the belief that the growing independence of the State, and the vast political, military and commercial importance of Maine to the Union, are fully realized by the members of your honorable body.
Historical knowledge has ever been regard- ed among civilized nations as the most valua- ble of intellectual attainments, as it connects the experience of the present generation with that of all former times, and sheds light upon the pathway of individuals and of nations. That innate fondness of all men to know something of what has taken place, before they were called to share the responsibilities of civil society, and to ascertain the nature and extent of civil obligation as understood among men, is the principal feature that dis- tinguishes civilized, from savage life, aud raises individuals and nations in the scale of humanity. No people have more abundant cause of pride in their nistory or their insti- tutions, than those of Maine; for here, ear- lier than on any other portion of the conti- nent, the refined intellects of the old world found civil and religions liberty, and tolera- tion of opinion; and our citizens have ever maintained a hereditary respect for law and order, and for the rights of persous and pro- perty ..
Maine has four distinctly marked periods in its history. The first commencing with the earliest discovery and occupation of the Continent-continuing through the period of its Provincial Government, till it was seized upon by the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, in 1652. The second embraces the period from the conquest in 1652, till the abrogation of the Massachusetts Charter under William and Mary. The third commences with the arrival of Sir William Phipps as Governor. a native of Maine, with the Royal Charter of William and Mary in 1691, uniting the Colonies ot Plymouth and Massachusetts, and the Provin- ces of Maine and of Sagadahoc under one Provincial Government, and continuing through the Revolutionary period, down to the final separation of Maine from Massachu- setts proper, in 1820. The fourth embraces the Annals of the State, from the organiza- tion of its government in 1820, to the present time.
The information sought in the papers in onestion, relates to the first two of these
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periods, but little known In the popular his- tory of the country, but full of evidence of that strong sense of right, and that familiari- ty with the common law of England, that : has made our early judicial proceedings so remarkable for accuracy of pleading and pre- ( ri-fon of record. That such a people should have ylelded to superior numbers, is only to be explained, by the evidence afforded of the 2 neglect of the Home government, in the troub- lous times of the Stuarts and the Common- wealth.
Belleving therefore that the cause of his- torie truth, as well as a becoming State pride, demand the carly publication of the Papers in question, the undersigned in behalf of the Interests they represent, respectfully but most earnestly request the Legislature to make such an appropriation as they in their wis- dom shall decide adequate, to accomplish the Important ends in view.
And as iu duty bound, in behalf of the Maine. Historical Society, your petitioners will ever pray.
JOHN A. POOR, for the Committee. JANUARY, 1802.
This Memorial was referred to . the Committee on Education who made their re- port as follows :
STATE OF MAINE.
Report of Committee on Education.
The Joint Standing Committee on Educa- tlou, to which was referred the Memorial and Petition of John A. Poor, Edward Ballard, and Leonard Woods, a Committee of the ' Maine Historical Society, setting forth the character and importance iu a historical point of view of certain papers and documents in the English archives, relating to the early History of Maine, and asking for their publi- catlon at the expense of the State, have had the same under consideration, and report that the Matements made in the memorial are Justly entitled to the attention of' the Legis- laturn. That the papers, the publication of which is sought for, must contain matter of the highest historical value to the State, and Therefore, that as soon as practicable, meas- efes should be taken and means provided "to viain full copies of them for the State Libra- ry and other public institutions, where they thay be made generally accessible to the stu- dent of our history."
The sun required to procure thre transcrib- Jeg and publishing of the matter contained in these papers, though not very large, quite r receily any means at the disposal of the ffisa Sofical Society, and at the present time would Probably be regarded as a burden which the Siste ought not to be called upon to assume. Veerred by this consideration from recom- Padding an appropriation as prayed for in the petition, the Committee, nevertheless, in the top of bringing the subject more promi- water to the attention of the Legislature, ad- Fase that the memorial and petition be print-
ed, and as to further action at this thine, that the whole matter be referred to the next Leg- islature.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
N. Woods, per order.
The Legislature adopted the recommenda- tion of the Committee. At the present session of the Legislature, 1863, this Memorial was referred, as a matter of course, to the Com- mittee ou Education, who after a full hearing reported thereon as follows :
STATE OF MAINE.
The Committee on Education to which was referred the Memorial of the Maine Histori- cal Society, asking that measures be adopted to procure from the British Archives copies of such original papers therein, as relate lo the early history of the State of Maine, that have not been heretofore published, have given to the matter the most careful consid- eration, consistent with their other duties, and ask leave to
REFORT.
That the reasons which influenced the ac- tion of the Historical Society, so fully ret forth in their memorial printed by order the Legislature of 1862, and referred to the present Legislature for action thereou; have since lost nothing of their force: but on the contrary, have received confirmation and sup- port, by events that have transpired within the past two years, in the department of his . toric labor and research. So great has been the interest awakened in the study of Ameri- can history, by the labors of our own country- men, and the growing importance of the United States in the community of nations. that a work of great historic value has been undertaken in England under the patronage of the govenment-the publication of " .i Calendar of Sale Papers" under three great heads, " Domestic," " Foreign" and " Col- onial." The earliest volumes of each series · have been received in this country, since the Memorial of the Maine Historical Society Las been before the Legislature. By a careful examination of the volumes of this Calendar. we are able to see at once what documents and papers are of value in furtherance of the objects sought by the student of our early history ; for the Calendar is so full and com. plete, as to serve as a correct guide to the In- quirer-though serving only the purpose of an index of subjects. The labors of explors -. tion amid the vast mass of State paper in the public Archives of Great Britain. have heretofore constituted the cheif cost of their collection, by previous explorer -- of which there have been many-some employed by Statesgovernments ; and others incited by mu- dividual enterprise. The State of New York. with a zeal and public spirit that deserves al praise, more than twenty years ago ealere! upon the arduous task of collecting from all the European Archives, papers filustrathing
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the early history of their State, and the twelve volumes already published. by the State, of her Documentary History, the index of which has just been received in our State Library, is the proudest monument she could rear to the founders of that State. These volumes were designed to contain ex- act copies-or translated from foreign lan- guages when in another tongue-of all the orig. ival papers. in the archives of Holland. France and England. relating to the State of New York. The present State of New York was a Dutch Colony prior to its conquest by Eng- land in 1664. This collection does not in- clude very many papers in the British State Paper Office, in regard to Maine. Nor does its list of French State Papers. contain the most interesting of those relating to the early history of our State.
The territory now included within the lim- . its of the State of Maine, from its favora- ble. geographical position, was originally claimed by the Spaniards. afterwards by t.c Dutch, the French, and the English, till the title was finally obtained by the occupation of the latter. And it is now proved. by an ex- amination of the Calender of Colonial State Papers, in addition to the Folsom Catalogue that the motives and influences by which it was achieved, can only be fully understood by a careful and critical examination of the various original papers thus recently brought to light-some of which escaped observation in the careful research made for Hon. George Folsom's Catalogne : and the explorations of Mr. Bancroft, Mr. Palfrey, Mr. Brodhead and others.
That most interesting period in the history of American Colonization, prior to the grant of the New England Charter of November 30, 1620 is yet to be explored; and the Commit- tee cam.ot but feel, that it is due to our self- respect and pride, as a State. that we shoakl place such documents in the State Library. for the use of the student of our History. as shall enable him to prepare a proper history of Maine. The labors of Sullivan and Wil- Hamson have been of very great value in col- lecting materials for history : and the Inbors of the Maine State Historical Society are worthy of commendation, from the great value of its published collections. These con- tributions have been made without pecuniary compensation, and only from motives of State pride. in a desire to preserve the rec- ords of her history.
The Committee therefore in view of the whole matter, without more extended obser- vations as to the uses and value of historic
knowledge, or its particular advantages to us and to our State, in which all intelligent minds agree, have felt it their duty to report the accompanying resolve.
O. N. BRADBURY, per order.
This Report met the favor of the Legisla- ture, and the following resolve became a law.
STATE OF MAINE.
Resolve for procuring copies of original documents in the British State Paper Office not heretofore published, in regard to the ear- ly History of Maine.
Resolred, That the Governor be hereby au- thorized to procure copies of original docu- ments in the British State Paper Office, in re- card to the early history of Maine, the same to be deposited in the State Library, and the sum of four hundred dollars is hereby appro- priated for this purpose out of any money not otherwise appropriated- the Governor to ap- point it need be, at his disercetion, an agent for the purpose of accomplishing the objects of this resolve-provided that the entire ex penditure shall not exceed the amount of the above appropriation.
Approved March 17, 1863.
Of the value of the information, likely to be brought to light, by the disclosures of the Calender of Colonial papers, it is not possible at present to determine. But many things have been learned, from the copies obtained within the past year, affecting the history of Maine. For example, the "Province of Maine" was granted to Sir Ferdinando Gorges and John Mason in 1622. Probably the first use of that name on record. Yet we find in Mr. Willis' new book on Laws and Lawyers in Maine, that he has followed the popular belief and gives the statement that the name of "Maine" or the "Province of Maine ' was un- known till the charter of 1639.
So too of the Leyden flock. Their "seven articles sent the King in Council in 161S," show their entire assent to the doctrines and the authority of the established church, completely refuting the popular notion, that they came over on account of persecution or on account of difference of faith. These arti- cles signed by Robinson and Brewster, are as complete a recognition of their faith in, and derofion to the Church, as could be given.
, Not to. all history afirmo that it was not " on account of diference faità
PREFACE.
In 1856, before quitting Europe, after an absence from home of more than six years, I gave a commission to Mr. H. G. SOMERBY to look up and make a list of the papers in the English archives relating to the old Province of Maine. The following pages contain the results of his labors in executing this commission; and altho' disappointed in some measure by the paucity of the earlier documents, especially in relation to the movements of the brave old knight, Sir FERDINANDO GORGES, the founder of the colonial settlement of MAINE, I find no reason to regret having had the examination of the records made by so competent a person as Mr. Somerby. The list shows what can be found in the archives of the State Paper Office and the British Museum, of the de- sired character, and leaves no room to expect anything more.
A few of the papers indicated have already found their way into print, and others may exist in some of our public records; but, with these exceptions, the mass of documents will be seen by the historical student to be a valuable accession to what was to be found in this country, either in print or manuscript, on the subject of the various enterprises for the colonisation of the northern coast of the United States.
Having met with the "DEFENCE OF SIR FERDINANDO GORGES AGAINST THE CHARGE OF HAVING BETRAYED THE EARL OF ESSEX," written by himself, among the MSS. of the British Museum, I procured a copy of it, but afterwards discovered it had been recently printed by the Royal Society of Antiquaries; it is, however, inserted at the end "' these papers, together with the interesting letter of Mr. Bruce, F. S. A. to Mr. Payne Collier, Vice-President of that Society, on the subject of Sir Ferdinando's Defence.
IV
The principal repositories of original papers relating to the New Eng- land Colonies, in print, are Gov. Hutchinson's Collection and Hazard's State Papers. With these the present catalogue has been compared, and little found in common. I have not, however, deemed it necessary to suppress the mention of any document in the catalogue because it existed in other collections, preferring to leave it to the historical student to make his own examinations and comparisons in this respect, by printing the list and abstracts complete as they were received.
Mr. WILLIS, the esteemed President of the Maine Historical Society, encouraged me to expect that the Society would be at the expence of printing this catalogue, should I offer it for that purpose ; but having been governed in this matter by the interest I felt in the history of my native State, I concluded to waive such proffer, and to finish, as I had begun, in my own way.
GEO. FOLSOM
NEW YORK, March 22d, 1858.
...
DOCUMENTS
IN THE ENGLISH ARCHIVES
RELATING TO THE EARLY HISTORY
OF
MAINE.
Notz .- In some instances full copies are here given, but generally only the titles of the In comenta, with a brief description of their contents.
STATE PAPER OFFICE : Collection, America & West Indies (New England). File marked 459.
1006 Mar. 13. Plymouth. Letter of Sir FERDINANDO GORGES to Mr. . CHALINGE.
Mr. Chalinge-I received your Ire sent me by the Mr. Nicholas Hines by whom I rest satisfied for your pte of the proceedinge of the voyadge and I doubte not but you wilbe able to annswere the expectacon of all your freindes I hoope you shall receive verie shortlie if alreadie you Lave not an attestation out of the highe Courte of Admiraltie to give satisfaccon of the truthe of our intent yt sett you out let me advise . you to take heede that you be not ov'shott in acceptinge recompence for our wronges received for you knowe that the jorney hath bene noe +male chardge to us yt first sent to the Coast and had for our returne but the tive salvadges whereof two of the principall you had with you stol since within in two monthes after your depture we sent out another hippe to come to your supplie and now againe we have made a nue Freparacon of divers others all wch throughe your misfortune is likelie to le frustrate and our time and chardge lost therefore your demands thuat be annswerable hereunto and accordinglie seeke for satisfaccon which cannot be lesse then five thousande poundes and therefore before . sou conclude for lesse attende to receive for resolucon from hence if they aunswere you not thereafter for if their condicons be not such as 1
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EARLY DOCUMENTS
shalbe reasonable we doe know howe to right our selves for rather then we wilbe loosers a penny by them we will attende a fitter time to gott us our content and in the meane time leave all in their handes therefore be you carefull herein and remember yt. it is not the buisines of mer- chants or rovers but as you knowe of_men of another ranke and such as will not preferre manie complayntes nor exhibite divers petitions for · that they understande a shorter way to the woode, soe comendinge you to God and continuinge my selfe
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