USA > New York > Ecclesiastical records, state of New York, Volume II > Part 51
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Besides Colonel Fletcher accepted a considerable present of plate for granting a Charter to the Dutch Church of that City, as appears by their Church Books.
Colonel Fletcher saith he never had any reward for grants of lands, but common report at New Yorke saith otherwise; and par- ticularly, that Captain Evans gave one hundred pounds for his grant; and the Earl of Bellomont's letter to your Lordships of the 8th of November 1698, speaks of two or three grants that he hath discovered to be bought after such a rate, that Colonel Fletcher may be supposed to have gained four thousand pounds by grants of lands; and reserved no considerable Quit-rents to the King, as appears by the grants: No regard was had to the great quantitys of land; for that Mr. Dellius who was one of the grantees of the Mohacks land, has, in lands granted to him, the quantity of seven hundred thousand acres.
Colonel Fletcher lays the blame of all defects in the grants on the Attorny Generall; but he was excluded from attending the Council by Colonel Fletcher's order, and seldom any reference made to him on petitions for grants of land, (as was usuall in other Governour's time), but had positive orders to draw up grants of land after the manner the Governour commanded him; the whole. proceedings of which he sets forth in his Memorial .- Col. Docs. N. Y. iv. 462-3.
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FURTHER PROCEEDINGS OF THE LORDS OF TRADE IN THE CASE OF
COLONEL FLETCHER.
Whitehall, Jan. 24, 1698/9.
At a Meeting of His Majesty's Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.
Present - Earle of Bridgewater Mr. Blathwayt Mr. Pollexfen
Sir Philip Meadows Mr. Hill.
Next were produced by Mr. Atturney the depositions of Henry and Joseph, two Christian Indians, relating to the Grant of the Mohacques Land to Mr. Dellius and others, the beginning of which was read: Also the Earl of Bellomont's Report upon that matter which was likewise read.
To what related to that part of the King's Garden lett to Colonel Heathcote, and the King's Farme leased to the Church, Sir Thomas Powis offered the same answer that Colonel Fletcher has given in writing, Adding that some part of that ground was taken wrongfully by Colonel Sloughter and afterwards restored, and in evidence thereof he produced the Minutes of the Council of the 1st and 2nd September 1692 confirming the same .- Col. Docs. N. Y. iv. 471, 472, 473.
REPRESENTATION OF THE LORDS OF TRADE ON THE CHARGES AGAINST COLONEL FLETCHER.
Whitehall, -March 9, 1698/9.
The 13th and 14th Articles are: -
The 13th that Colonel Fletcher did during his administration grant away vast tracts of land, not laid out by exact measures of acres, but computed in the lump by miles without laying any obligation upon the grantees to improve the same or taking care to prosecute any persons, by any law of the Province for the non improvement thereof: and this also under very small and inconsiderable Quit Rents.
14th That some of the said grants being of a great part of the Mohacques country (without their consent duly obtained) did tend to the disobliging of them and the exposing the Frontiers of New Yorke to the attempts of the French; that others and particularly those of some part of the King's Garden and a farm called the King's Farm did take away much of the necessary convenience of future Governours; that all of them tended to obstruct the peopleing and cultivating of the Country; and there being no land left fit for settlement) they have taken away from his Majesty the possibility of rewarding for the future with gifts of land, the services of those that may deserve it in war or peace.
In answer to these articles Colonel Fletcher hath affirmed to us that he did not make any grants of Lands whatsoever without the advice and consent of the Council; that upon the making of all such grants he constantly directed warrants to the Surveyor for the survey thereof, but that the said Surveyor was negligent and seldom executed them; that the purchase of the Mohacques land was fairly made; that he thought it for your Majesty's interest the same should be so pur- chased and granted, in order to the extending of the Frontiers of that Province; and that if any fault were committed in the making or draughts of any grants, the Atturney General of the Province who drew them ought to be most account-
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able for the same. In reply to all which the chief things that have been offered unto us are, that the Attorney General of the Province was discharged by Colonel Fletcher from attending on the Council, as he used to do in the time of former Governours, and was not consulted about the making of any of those grants, but only directed by warrant to draw them; and that the omission to make surveys (supposing as Colonel Fletcher affirms that warrants were given for the same) might proceed from the extent of those grants, together with the difficulties of tracing over such uncultivated places, which made it scarce possible that the said warrants could ever be executed; Of which we have had one instance from Captain Evans late commander of your Majesty's ship the Richmond, who being produced by Colonel Fletcher to give us information concerning a grant made unto him (which we find to be reckoned about forty miles in length and twenty in breadth, though some others are much greater) did assure us that the survey thereof was begun but could not have been perfected in six months' time.
Whereupon we humbly offer to your Majesty that though it was left to Colonel Fletcher by his instructions to make as large purchase of land as he could from the Indians for a small value; yet his having made such large grants of lands to single persons, without due caution for improvement, was not for your Majesty's service, nor did it tend to the settlement of those parts. For which reason their Excellencies the Lords Justices were pleased upon our forementioned Representa- tion about the state of the Province of New Yorke to give directions to the Earl of Bellomont that he should put in practice all methods whatsoever allowed by law for the breaking and annulling those exorbitant irregular and unconditioned grants. - Col. Docs. N. Y. iv. 484.
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ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
Call to New York. 1699, April 6th. Appeared before Classis Levinus van Schayck, and William Banker, natives of New York, and at present merchants here, (in Amsterdam.) They gave notice, that on account of the declination of the call to New York which had been extended to Rev. Hieronymus Verdieren, minister at Bruynisse in East Duyreland, (Province of Zeeland) it was now necessary to look about for another; and that this should be done as soon as possible; as an opportunity of transporting a minister thither was now offering itself. The Assembly was of the opinion, from the reports and explanations of the Dep. ad res Maritimas, and the perusal of letters, that the calling and sending of a minister (to New York) should be conducted at the present juncture with the greatest care. It had been recommended to them specifically and only, through communications with the said Messrs. Schayck and Banker. The Assembly therefore decides that it is best not to be in haste in this business, but to wait at least a month. Mean- time, if possible, a capable minister and one of a pacific disposition
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should be searched for. To this end the Rev. Dep. ad res Maritimas will make inquiries among the other Classes, by a brief letter, for a capable person, and hand in extracts from the letters of the contending parties in New York, at the next meeting. From these. the diverse opinions of these parties may be gathered. Therefrom instructions may be given to the (chosen) man, of pacific character, in order, if possible, to quench the disturbances which have arisen there .- viii. 303; xix. 254.
Dellius to Repatriate. 1699, April 6th. Rev. Domine J. Streso, communicates to the Assembly that he had heard that Rev. Dellius, on account of some unpleasantnesses, wished to repatriate. He deemed that it would not be improper to dissuade him there- from by a brief letter. The Assembly deems it entirely advisable and expedient that this should be done at the first opportunity, by the Rev. Dep. ad res Maritimas .- viii. 303 ; xix. 25.
ACTS OF THE DEPUTIES.
Meeting held April 7, 1699. On April 6th, the Deputati ad res maritimas, the Revs. Eversdyk, Streco, Penokius, Aukema, were continued in office, by the Classis. The Rev. Streco was appointed President and Rev. Pennokius, Clerk.
Rev. Verdieren has declined the call made upon him to New York. Letters from New York have since arrived, expressing the desire (lit. demand) that a capable minister be sent thither.
Extract from a letter from New York, December 15, 1698.
1. Rev. Selyns has sent an Indian Bible (Wilden Bybel) for the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam; with a list of sixty five children who recited all the Psalms without missing. 1
2. Rev. Selyns complained that his peace was grately disturbed, inasmuch as about eight persons (as ringleaders), instigated many others, and these together sought to create a schism, and tried to frustrate the call which had been made. Therefore they were
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compelled to lay upon the table of Classis, in an accompanying actum, all the documents, protests and replies; and they do this, especially because his own side, (Selyns's) recognizes the Rev. Classis as their competent judge.
3. That they had the privilege of calling a minister. They were qualified thereto by their incorporation as a church; but that the other party attempted to subordinate the church to the civil government.
4. There has been a (brief account?) of what occurred at the election of an elder and church-master; but there is a fuller account . in the accompanying Acta, (minutes and papers.) xxi. 396.
COUNCIL JOURNAL.
1699, April 11th. Bellomont, Governor. In his instruc- tions
You are with the assistance of the Council to find out the best means to facilitate and encourage the conversion of Negroes and Indians to the Christian religion. Sent down to the Assembly for their consideration. Council Journal. 125.
EARL OF BELLOMONT TO THE LORDS OF TRADE.
1699, April 13.
Some people at Albany are jealous that Mr. Dellius, the Dutch minister there, betrayed us when he went with Colonel Schuyler to notifie the peace to the Governor of Canada; and I confess I am not free from a jealousie myself, when I consider how extraordinary desirous he was to be sent to Canada: in the next place that the Governor sent afterwards to four of the Five Nations to offer them peace, but excluded the nation of Mohacks, which was a surprising thing to all people here, and never known to be done by the French before. I do assure your Lordships that man is capable of any mischief whatsoever. I acquainted you after my return to Albany last summer of his circumventing the Mohacks, and what impudent lies he told me before the Magistrates of Albany. Since that, my Lieu- tenant Governor being sent by me to Albany to watch the French who threatened to make an invasion on our Indians, he endeavoured to make a breach between him and me; and invented an untruth to put my Lieutenant Governor out with some honest men at Albany, whom he had a pique to, as my Lieutenant Governor's certificate will show, which goes (No. 9.), and which he found out Mr. Dellius had forg'd in prejudice to those men. He has for several years kept a correspondence with the Jesuites at Canada, which gave people a jealousie he was popishly affected. In Captain Leisler's time there was a letter intercepted from a French
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Jesuit at Canada to a Jesuit that was on a mission to our Five Nations. The messenger that carryed the letter had an instruction wherein some papers were mentioned; and Captain Leisler thinking it fit for the King's service to have a sight of those papers; and the letter and instructions leading him to believe Mr. Dellius was privy to that matter and knew where the papers were, sent to him at Albany to come to him here at New Yorke. Mr. Dellius fled, and was absent till Leisler was made a prisoner by Colonel Slaughter; and then he had the courage to appear and contribute all he could, with Bayard and Nichols, to bring Leisler and Milbourne to their unfortunate end. This letter of the Jesuits I was very curious to see and made much inquiry after it, yet could not get a sight of it: Severel people that had seen it recommending it to me as a very suspicious article against Dellius. At last I ordered it to be searched for in the Secretary's Office, and being there found it was brought to me. I send your Lordships a true copy of it (No. 10.) His Dutch name is Dell, as in the letter, but it seems in the schools in Holland 'tis the custom to make the names Latin, at least of those that are bred Divines; therefore he goes by the name of Dellius. He is a most proud wicked man, and so contentious that he has divided the people at Albany into factions and parties, who would otherwise have been all united. A man of his own party, that is, of the contrary party to Leisler, and a dweller at Albany, own'd to me that Dellius kept up divisions among the people there, and that it were happy if he were out of the Province; and I am told the Assembly intend, for the scandall of his life and his fraud to the Mohack Indians, to expell him the Province. He has, as I formerly wrote to your Lordships, a personal hatred to the King, and has spoke very reproachfully of his Majesty; till my going to Albany he never would pray for King William, (and that made the quarrel between Captain Leisler and him); but because he would be safe, his manner was always in the pulpit to pray for the Crown of England. I must beg leave to trouble your Lordships, patience with an instance of Dellius's wickedness; that besides what I have now in this letter and formerly observed to your Lordships about him, comes within my knowledge. The present Mayor of Albany and two or three other honest men of that town were much peck'd at, by Dellius, and persecuted, insomuch as he threatened to excommunicate them, whereupon they forsook his church. The Mayor coming here to York told me this; but I persuaded him at his return to be reconciled to Dellius, and since there was no other minister, to go and hear him preach. Accordingly at his return to Albany he imployed one to reconcile Dellius to him; but Dellius sent him word by the third person so imployed to make peace between 'em,-'twas in vain to seek a reconciliation with him, and so refused absolutely. I can prove by the oaths of very credible persons several immoralities of his life as drunkenness and the like; but having proved enough against him already I will forbear troubling your Lordships further about him; and should not have been so particular concerning him in this letter, but that I understand there are letters newly come to this town from Bayard in England, wherein he makes the faction here believe that his complaints against me have been very favourably heard by your Lordships; that Colonel Fletcher upon a hearing before your Board, in answer to the accusations I sent over against him, was cleared, and that there would be an order sent to me to cancell the bond of ten thousand pounds which he and his securitys entred into; that there was a petition to your Lordships against me, signed by a great number of merchants in London, and that a minister was sent by the Classis of Amsterdam to complain of me for my ill usage of Mr. Dellius. This news from Bayard has much heartned the factious people here, and they hope the interest of the Classis of Divines at Amsterdam will ruine my interest at Court. And Mr. Vesey, the minister here, has told me he has been urged very much by the angry people here to complain home of my designe in vacating Colonel Fletcher's lease to the church here, of the Governor's demesne called the King's Farm; and by other hands I am told they propose to
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raise a storm against me upon this very account and to imbroil me with the Bishop of London: - and they argue thus; Sir Edmund Andros for quarreling with Doctr. Blair in Virginia brought the resentment of the Bishop of London and the Church (they say) on his head; which is the reason he has lost his government; and by the same rule they would get me recalled by making this a church quarrel. But give me leave to informe your Lordships rightly of this matter. Colonel Fletcher would never part with this farm during his own government; until November '97. that he heard for certain I had the Kings Commission for this government, and then he makes this lease to the Church, and antedates it in August; so that his kindnes to the Church was to be at his successors cost, not at his own. Besides, Mr. Attorney Generall assures me that in Colonel Dongan's time, he, to make his court to King James, desires this Farm might be appropriated to the maintenance of a Jesuit school; but King James (bigot tho' he was) refused, saying he would not have his Governors deprived of their conveniencies. As to Mr. Bayard's complaint against me, when I know what it is, I doubt not to answer it to your Lordships satisfaction in all points. And as to the petition of some merchants in London against me; I cannot conceive upon what they ground their complaint, or who the persons are; but I must believe there must be something personal in their prejudice to me. I know there is a sort of men called Jacobites that hate me for several reasons, and one is because I do not love them. I did imagine that the suppressing of piracy here and checking unlawful trade, would render me odious to the merchants in London; but so long as I walk by the rule of the law, and have the testimony of a good conscience nothing can daunt me; and when the King is dissatisfied with my services here, I obey the least breath of a command from his Majesty, and in all circumstances will preserve a steady and inviolable duty for his Majesty's person and government. I am with great respect, My Lords,
Your Lordships most humble and obedient servant, Bellomont. - Col. Docs. N. Y. iv. 488-490. New Yorke, April the 13th 1699.
CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.
ACTS OF THE DEPUTIES AND THEIR CORRESPONDENCE.
The Classis of Amsterdam to Rev. Godefridus Dellius, pastor at New Albany. (No date; but between December 1698 and April 23, 1699) xxvii. 243.
Sir :-
The Classis of Amsterdam, having learned that you were inclined to return to the Fatherland on account of some animosities which have arisen ; we are to endeavor to persuade you, by letter, to refrain from this your purpose, if it be at all possible.
The Rev. Classis has often been informed, to her great joy, of your untiring diligence and your unexampled zeal in the admin-
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istration of your duties at New Albany, and what great results have been accomplished there; also, that through the blessing of the Lord, a large number has been brought over out of heathenism into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Hence the Classis fears that your sudden departure may cause great loss to that church.
Rev. Sir, what can give greater joy to a servant of Jesus Christ than to see that his labor has not been in vain in the Lord; to see in the gardens planted by his own hand in those ends of the earth, such beautiful fruit-trees growing up, through the blessing of the Lord ; to be such a powerful instrument in God's hand to plant the heavens, and to establish the earth. Would you now, on account of a few animosities, abandon so flourishing a church ? Shall your too early departure cause this great enterprise to be destroyed ? The departure to the heavenly land seemed pleasant to Paul, but it was necessary for the sake of the Philippians that he should still remain, and he therefore remained that he might rejoice with them. Must we not pass through good report and evil report; through honor and dishonor ? What was not laid to the charge of our Savior during his ministry ? How were the Apostles mal- treated ? What foul tongues slandered the Reformers ? Should they, therefore, have abated their labors, or have abandoned their churches ? How then, would it have been possible for the Church to have extended itself so widely as she has done ? It was a very small thing with them to be judged of man's judgement ; for he who alone could properly judge them was the Lord. They renounced the hidden things of dishonesty and sought by manifestation of the truth to approve themselves to the consciences of all men.
Truly it is wisdom to win souls. But everyone is not equally qualified thereto at every place. But you now know the custom of the country, and what is the best way to lead the people. If another should now go to that field, the work which has so far advanced under you would retrograde. And even if you should come to the Fatherland and remain there without any work, how often would the church of New Albany come up to your heart ?
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And if it should happen that at your departure all would not go right there, as is to be feared, how would you chide yourself a thousand times over the children, begotten by you through the Gospel, but now forsaken by you ?
So then, our friendly request to you is that you will please change your mind and push forward the work of the Lord in that field with new purpose of heart, setting over against the souls which have not profited by your ministry, a good conscience. So will the Rev. Classis which is sorrowful over even a rumor of your return, be rejoiced to hear that you have concluded to remain a while longer with your church. We pray God most graciously to bless your person and family, and to overwhelm them with all spiritual and bodily gifts. This wish, Sir, In the Name of the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam.
Your obedient servants, the Deputati ad res maritimas, Jacobus Streso, Eccles. Amstelod. et deput. ad res marit. h. t. Praeses. Joh. Benockius, deput. h. t. Scriba. Casparus Auckema, Eccles. die mensis, Deput. ad res marit.
(This letter did not reach America until after the departure of Dellius. See Letter of Classis to Church of Albany, March, 1700.)
EARL OF BELLOMONT TO THE LORDS OF TRADE.
New Yorke, April 17, 1699.
I must question whether I shall be able to get an Act passed in this Assembly to break all the fore mentioned extravagant grants of lands. The parties con- cerned are jealous of my designe and are now endeavouring to preposesse the members of the Assembly with a thousand apprehensions about it; but as the Grantees are men that are generally much hated by the country I hope I may prevail to get a bill passed for the breaking part of the grants this Session, and will try to break the rest the next; and that in pursuance of the orders of the Lords Justices of England in their letter of the 10th of last November; and I will nicely observe all the rules and conditions contained in that letter, with relation to the future disposition and grant of lands .- Col. Docs. N. Y. iv. 506, 507.
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THE CONSISTORY OF THE CHURCH AT ANTWERP IN THE MATTER OF REV. (JOHN) LYDIUS, TO (ONE OF THE DEPUTIES IN HOL- LAND ?) APRIL 23, 1699.
Very dear Sir :-
It was with great surprise and to our special sorrow that we learned from certain Gollaus (Gaulois, Walloon ?) gentlemen, that those dissensions, which have for some months past existed in this church, were used to the injury of our minister. But although he is already recommended by his friends to a much larger field, we consider it none the less one of our duties, besides many others, Rev. Sir, to inform the Deputies that he was not in any way responsible for these difficulties. On the other hand he ever showed great aversion to strife on every occasion. He also endeavored at every proper opportunity, and in every way possible, to bring those disturbed spirits to such a sense of the evil of their doings, and with such good success, that even before last autumn these dis- putants were reconciled with one another.
Now therefore, under the blessing of God, we can say with David, " Behold how good and pleasant it is to see brethren dwell together in unity ". We only wish that it might be our good for- tune to help to rule this flock for many years to come, under the guidance of such a one as this Rev. (John) Lydius. In all things he has conducted himself as a very faithful and active servant of Christ. With great modesty he presents to us the Word of God to the satisfaction of our spiritual hunger. We know, indeed, that he might readily seek and obtain much more desirable settlements in Holland; but we hope, that if he could be happy here, that he might remain longer with us. We are sure that you, Sir, through the Messrs. Deputies, could contribute much to this end.
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