USA > New York > History of the state of New York. Vol. II, Pt. 1 > Part 20
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called because they were first instituted in solitary convents devoted to recollection : Col. Duc., ix., 55, note; ante, i., p. 67.
* In the Relation of 1070, 83-80, in a very interesting account of the copper mines on Lake Superior, particularly that at "Nantonnagan," or Ontonagon, sent by Dablon from the Falls of Saint Mary to Le Mercier at Quebec, and by him communicated to Talon before the dispatch of Saint Lu-son.
t Col. Doc., Ix., 63-67, 70. 76, 88, 97, 392, 626, TS7. 530, 503, 804; Relation, 16:0, 2; 1671, 26; Faillon, ilt., 235. 250, 505-307 ; Colden, i., 35; Charlevoix, il., 216, 517, 254, 237; llen- nepin, New. Diec., 32; La Potherie, ii., 83 ; Ilist. Mag , ix., 206; She's Cath. Misa., 412; Disc. Miss., 70, 80, 50, 159; Garnean, i., 204. The map- and description of Lake Ontario, prepared by Doller and Galinge, are in the Parliament Library at Quebec : ste Catalogue, p. 1615 ; also in Falllen, ft., 205.
171
FRANCIS LOVELACE, GOVERNOR.
In consequence of a letter from Pierron, orders were sent CHAP. IV. to Salisbury, at Albany, to keep a vigilant watch over him, and report all his actions.
1670. 22 October.
Lovelace, at the same time, expecting leave to return home, went, with several of his council, as far as Milford Lovelace to meet Winthrop, " and discourse all affairs that may tend necticut. visits Con- to the mutual convenience of each other." Among these was the settlement of the boundary-line between New York and Connecticut, which the Hartford Court had pro- posed should be run by a joint committee from each gov- 13 October. ernment. But Winthrop, intending to visit England, had vainly endeavored to resign his office of governor, and was unable to meet Lovelace, whose winter journey was thus 9 Decem. made fruitless."
At the Court of Assizes another case of reputed witch- craft was disposed of. Katherine Harrison, a widow, of Katherine Harrison's
Wethersfield, in Connecticut, having been convicted of witchcraft witchcraft, was obliged to leave that town, and came to Miay. Westchester, the Puritan inhabitants of which complained i July. to Lovelace, who warned her to return to Connecticut. Upon her refusal she' was cited before the governor, who referred her case to the Court of Assizes, upon her giving 25 August. security for good behavior. The court, finding nothing against her, directed her release, and gave her liberty to Octolar. reside where she chose in the government. But the peo- ple of Westchester became so "uneasy" at her remaining Odders amongst them, that Lovelace was obliged to order the poor Wekker widow to leave that infatuated town.t tor ..
An interesting political event now occurred. The pali- rades around Fort James being decayed, the Court of Is- sizes ordered that a levy, or contribution for their repair, somdar. should be made in the several towns of Long Island, and wir the justices in each riding were directed to find ways and at ton means at the next courts of Sessions. But the rejection dere -!. of the petitions which some of the Western towns had pre- sented for redress the last autumn, left the people in no mood to comply with this extraordinary demand. They
' Col. Doc., iii., 190; Court of Assizes, il., 415; Council Min., iii., 27, 32, 34; Col. Rec. Conn., il., 145; Mass. 1I. S. Coll., xxx., 80-82.
t Council Min , iii., 25-31 ; Court of Assizes, il., 255, 563, 577, 584, 585; Doc. Ilist., ir .. .. . ; Col. Icc. Conn., ii., 118, 132; Dunlap, ii., App. exviii. ; Bolton, ii., 151, 1,2 ; ante,
1
172
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
CuAr. IV. were persuaded that the principle of "Taxation only by consent"-which Holland had maintained since 1477, and 1670. England had adopted in her Petition of Right in 1628 --- was their own birthright as British subjects. They had, for several years, paid a direct tax of a penny in the pound to defray their town charges. They had also submitted to the duke's customs' duties for the support of his govern- ment. But this last order of the Court of Assizes, where they were not represented, would, if yielded to, become a dangerous precedent : they might next be required to main- tain the garrison, and they knew not what else. Southold, Action of the Long I-land towns. Southampton, and Easthampton, in a joint meeting of their delegates, agreed to contribute, provided that they might have the privileges which the king's other subjects in New England enjoyed. Huntington refused, because her people " were deprived of the liberties of Englishmen." Those of Jamaica declared that the order of the Assizes was inconsistent with the British Constitution; but if it was the king's absolute pleasure to "disprivilege" them, they would bear their burthens with patience until they could address him for relief. Flushing and Hempstead concurred with Jamaica; and the constables of the three 16 Decem. Votes laid before the Sessions. towns laid their votes before the Court of Sessions of the North Riding, which was held at Jamaica; where, hower- er, no action was taken. They were again presented the 21 Decem. following week, at the Sessions of the West Riding, which met at Gravesend. At that court Secretary Nicolls pre- sided, and Counselors Van Ruyven, Manning, and Thomas Lovelace were present as justices. It was there unani- Adjudged to be sedi- tious. mously adjudged " that the said papers are in themselves false, scandalous, illegal, and seditious, tending only to disaffect all the peaceable and well-meaning subjects of His Majesty in these Ilis Royal Highness's Territories and dominions ;" and they were referred to the governor and his council for such action as should " best tend to the sup- pression of such mischief as may arise by the impression of false suggestions and jealousies." Upon this reference, 20 Decem. Lovelace and his council ordered that these "scandalous, Ordered to illegal, and seditious" papers should " be openly and pub-
be burned in New licly burned" before the Town Hall of the city of New York. York, at the next Mayor's Court, and that " the principal
173
FRANCIS LOVELACE, GOVERNOR.
contriver thereof be inquired into, and proceeded against CuAr. IV. according to their demerits, and the laws of the land established."* 1670.
It was easier to burn "seditious" votes than to subdue opinion. Most of the Long Island towns had, as we have seen, taken out new patents, in conformity with the law of 1666. But Southampton and Southold refused to comply. The latter claimed that their title from the Indians and from New Haven was sufficient. Southampton relied upon theirs from Lord Stirling. The Court of Assizes therefore declared invalid the titles to lands in Southamp- s October. ton, unless a patent from the duke's goverment should be obtained for them within a certain time. This produced a 1671. spirited remonstrance from fifty of the inhabitants of that 15 Felt'y. town, in which, among other things, they set forth that a ton Rem u. Southamp new patent would be a grievance, and might make them strance. and their posterity " groan like Israel in Egypt ;" that they could not acknowledge the Duke of York to be the "sole Proprietor of the whole Island ;" that, although Nicolls had promised them as great privileges as any colony in New England, they had no deputies at the courts, and were " forced to pay customs for goods imported, for which cus- tom hath before been paid to His Majesty's use in En- gland ;" and that the royal commissioners, in August, 1664, had proclaimed that all should enjoy "whatsoever God's blessing and their own industry had furnished them withal." Lovelace, expecting leave to run over to En- gland, replied that, to avoid "prolix debates," he would ? Mah. appoint commissioners to confer with them, and mean- (x .... while recommended that they should observe the - golden rule of the Apostle, which is-be not high-minded, but fear." Counselors Delavall, Nicolls, and Bedlow were ac- cordingly deputed to examine the cases of the recusant towns; but no other steps to enforce a compliance with the law were taken until several years afterward.+
The isolated inhabitants of Martha's Vineyard and Nan- tucket, however, were more tractable. Nicolls had ap-
' Court of Assizes, il., 630, 651, 652, 653: Col. Doc., ill., 303; Wood, 92-15. 151; Thomp- +-4. 1, 140-149, 284; Dunlap, i., 121; ii., App. cxvii. ; Bancroft, i., 321 ; Council Journals. 1 . Int., vil .. vili .; ante, p. 160; vol. i., 437, 442.
* ( wirt of Assizes, il., 501, 661-064; Wood, 91, 92, 115-177; Thompson, i., 145, 504. 3-4; Si., 326 329; ante, 25, 110; vol. i, 300, 201.
174
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
CHAP. IV. pointed Thomas Mayhew to superintend affairs there ; but as the relations between those islands and New York were
June.
2S June. Nantucket and Mar- tha's Vine- yard incor- porated. 8 July.
1671. vague, the governor notified their landholders to take out fresh patents. Mayhew accordingly came to New York in behalf of Martha's Vineyard, and Tristram Coffin, with Thomas Macy, represented Nantucket. Lovelace readily made Nantucket a township, and commissioned Coffin its chief magistrate, in subordination to New York. A simi- lar patent was granted to Martha's Vineyard, of which the venerable Mayhew was appointed governor during his life. His grandson, Matthew Mayhew, was also commissioned as collector of the duke's customs for the several islands .*
S July. 10 July. Lovelace rebukes Younge, of Southold, for intoler- france.
Lovelace proved himself no bigot. John Booth, of Southold, whose children had been refused baptism by the Puritan minister, John Younge, declined to pay his tax for Younge's salary, and his cattle were distrained. Booth pe- titioned the governor and council for relief. Lovelace could not lawfully interfere; yet he wrote to Younge, re- proving his want of Christian charity, reminding him that the indulgence granted by Nicolls and himself was not in- tended to justify such severity toward others "of a differ- ent persuasion ;" and adding, " I desire you not to insist on such rigorous courses against those who desire to live un- der the known and established laws of His Majesty's do- minions, lest I be forced to represent to His Royal High- ness the great inconveniences that may arise by it, and you be interrupted in the exercise of that Christian fanction you now so peaccably enjoy."t
Lutherans.
The Lutherans in the province gave Lovelace the great- est trouble. IIc had been obliged to suspend their minis- ter, Fabricius, from preaching at Albany, but allowed him to exercise his function in New York. A quarrel broke out before long between Fabricius and his congregation, who were building a church " on ground without the gate," and Lovelace was obliged to interfere. Another Lutheran clergyman, Bernardus Arensius, " a gentle personage and of a very agreeable behaviour," fortunately arrived about
10 Julv. Fabricius and Aren- sius.
* Council Min., ill .. 26, 67, 63; Court of Assizes, ill., 533, 538: Deeds, ill., 58-63, 70-45: Hough's Nantucket l'apery, 20-41, 70, 71, 129-131; Mass. HI. S. Coll., xiii., S5; xxxvii., 30; ante, p. 150.
t Court of Assizes, il., 735-737; Doc. Ilist., iii., 209; Thompson, i., 353, 395; Wood, 34; Farmer and Moore's Coll., iii., 182.
175
FRANCIS LOVELACE, GOVERNOR.
this time at New York. Fabricius, having already received CHAP. IV. the governor's passport to go to the Delaware, was allowed, as his last clerical act, " to give his congregation a valedic- 1671. tory sermon, and to install the new-come minister, accord- ing to the custom used by those of their religion.""
11 August.
The Reformed Dutch Church in the city had meanwhile wanted a colleague for Drisius, whose ill health prevented his doing much duty. Polhemus, of Flatbush, preached occasionally ; and ÆEgidius Luyck, the former teacher of the grammar-school in New Amsterdam, who had returned Reformed from Holland, after studying divinity for a time, assisted Church in Dutch by the foresinger Evert Pietersen, conducted divine serv- New York. ice on Sundays. The Consistory, in January, 1670, had called Selyns, who formerly preached in Brooklyn, and was now settled at Wavereen, in Holland, to supply the place of Megapolensis, but he had declined their invitation. At the joint request of "the Elders and Deacons of the Church," and of the mayor and aldermen of the city, who desired that. "some care may be taken for the supply of this place with an able and orthodox minister, of which they are at present wholly destitute," Lovelace, in June, 1670, declared, under his hand and the seal of the prov- ince, " that whensoever such a minister shall come over to this city, and undertake the charge aforementioned, I shall take care that there shall be duly and justly paid unto the said minister, or to his order, the value of One Thousand Guilders Holland's money, each year, and likewise that he shall have the accommodation of a convenient dwelling- house, rent free, together with his provision of firewood gratis." This being sent to Holland, Domine Wilhelmus Van Niey. van Nieuwenhuysen, an accomplished scholar and divine, called. was induced by his relative Selyns to accept the call, which was approved by the Classis of Amsterdam. On his arri- val at New York he was installed as a colleague with Dris- 24 Auga.t.
wenhuys a
' Court of Assizes, ii., 500, 503, 702, 725; Gen. Ent., iv., 15-17, 19, 304; Doc. Ilist., ili., 242. 245, 525; Col. Doc., iii., 415, note ; Munsell, iv., 14, 22, 23; S. Hazard, 381, 385, 348; C. Wally's Two Years in New York, 57; Dunlap, i., 127 ; ante, 150. On the 18th of October, 1072, Arensius had a pass from the governor to go to Albany for the winter. The "Aans- preker," or Sexton of the Dutch Church there, had claimed the right enjoyed by such off- risis in Holland to conduct the funerals of all decedents in his parish; but on the 10th of Jour, 1672, it was ordered in Council that, as the Lutherans have a toleration for their relig. boo, they may bury their own dead ; and Delavall. in the following November, declared in "[on court at Albany, " Let the dead bury their dead :" Gen. Ent., iv., 228; Couaci Min., .... , 103; Doc. Hist., iii., 525; Dunlap, ii., App. cxix.
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176
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
26 Septem.
CHAP. IV. jus, to the "highest acceptance" of the people. The Con- 1671. sistory of the Dutch Church were soon afterward author- ized by an order in council to lay taxes on the congrega- tion for the support of the ministers and of the poor. Dris- ius was also allowed one hundred pounds out of the public revenue for the partial services he had rendered during the last two years. By these various measures the Re- formed Dutch Church was virtually " established" in New York by its English rulers .*
5 Decem.
Although the Dutch inhabitants of New York had little cause for complaint, the inducements offered by the pro- prietaries of Carolina, where Sir John Yeamans had just arrived with slaves from Barbadoes, attracted some to em- Port Royal, igrate thither. Two ships were accordingly sent by the in Caro- lina. proprietaries to convey them to Port Royal. But Love- lace, disliking the "fair and specious pretences" which were robbing his own government of its population, order- ed that all persons resident in New York for more than six months should notify the secretary of their intended de- parture, and procure passports. Captains of vessels were 13 Novem. also directed not to receive passengers on board unless duly authorized. Notwithstanding these restraints, nine- 20 Novem. I'migrarts from New York to Carolina. teen heads of families obtained the necessary passports and embarked for Carolina, where they settled themselves on the Ashley River, and were afterward joined by others of their countrymen from New York and Holland. t
9 Novem.
New Jer- rey.
In New Jersey, the proposed restoration of which to the Duke of York had not been executed, Carteret's govern- ment went well, until the first payment of quit-rents to the proprietors became due on "Lady-day," or the 25th of March, 1670-the Old Style New-year's day. Open oppo- sition was then shown, especially by those who held their lands under patents from Nicolls, or direct purchases from the savages. The governor could not prevail on them to
. C'orr. Classis of Amst. ; Records of Collegiate R. D. C., N. Y. ; N. Y. City Rec., vi., 532, 503, 653, 665, 679-681, 750; Gen. Ent., iv., 47 ; Council Min., ili., 82; Col. Doc., ii., 470, 455; iii., 180 : Hist. May., i. (ii.), 323, 324: Dunlap, i., 127; ii., App. cxix. ; C. Wolley, 56, 93; Murphy's Anthology of N. N., 146, 178; ante, 159; vol. i., 633, 094, 734. The elders and deacons of the " Reformed Christian Church in New York," who wrote to the Classis of Am- sterdam on 5 June, 1670, were Petrus Stuyvesant, Oloff Stevensen van Cortlandt, Paulus Leendertson van de Grist, Bocle Roelofsen, Jacob Teunissen Kay, and Jacob Leiler.
t Gen. Ent., iv., 62. 60, 72; Chalmers, i., 530, 531, 557 ; Oldmixon. i., 464; Hewat, i, 5", 33; Holmes, i., 357, 567 ; Grahame.i., 300, 361, 420, 422; Bancroft, ii., 170, 171; Smith, i., 47; Riker's Newtown, 100, 101; Gentleman's Magazine, 1740, p. 104.
177
FRANCIS LOVELACE, GOVERNOR.
recognize the rights of the proprietors, and anarchy began. CHAP. IV. Elizabethtown became the focus of disaffection, while Ber- gen and Woodbridge alone remained loyal .* 1671.
About this time a young man, destined to cause great trouble in the province-Captain James Carteret, the weak Captain and dissolute second son of Sir George, and who, with teret. James Car- John Locke, Sir John Yeamans, and others, had been cre- ated a landgrave of Carolina --- stopped, on his way thither, at New Jersey. Some murders having been committed by the Indians on the Delaware, near Mattinicunk Island, Lovelace ordered Governor Carteret and his kinsman to advise with the council at New York. Carteret at once promised to call an extraordinary Assembly at Elizabeth- 25septem. town, and ascertain how far the people of New Jersey were willing to contribute for a general war with the savages. It was also agreed that a good correspondence should be Agreement between
kept up between the two governments, and nothing be New York done without a mutual understanding. At the appointed Jeney. and New day Lovelace met Carteret at Elizabethtown ; but the sea- 7 October. son being too far advanced for an effectual campaign, the officers on the Delaware were directed to enrol their mili- tia, and engage the Susquehannas on their side. On this occasion Carteret was "ready with a handsome party to have stepped into the work ;" and Lovelace was obliged to reprove his own subordinate, Carr, because " the backward- ? Novem. ness of the inhabitants on the Delaware has put a stop to the forwardness of those in New Jersey."t
This autumn, Thomas Batts, with several Englishmen is Nes. and Indians, under a commission from the authorities of in ! !.. Virginia, made an interesting tour "behind the Apuleian asian de. Mountains." The party appear to have gone from the Appomattox to the head waters of the Great Kenhawa; and, as the first European explorers, they took possession of the whole country in the name of their king.#
The movements of the French now caused much excite- French ment in New York. Courcelles's imperious message to the mieste. move.
* Fliz. BEI, 35; Chalmers, i., 616; Gordon, 29; Grahame, i., 466 ; Bancroft, IL, 212; Whitehead, 54, 55; Mass. HI. S. Coll., xxxvii., 319; ante, 150, 164.
1 Gen. Ent., iv., $5, 42, 45, 50, 67; Council Min., ill., 71-73, 77-81 ; S. Smith, 62. 70. 71: 5. Ilszard, 398-302; Col. MSS., xx., 24, 25; Whitehead, 55, 59; Oldmixon, i .. 464; Fliz.
1 1, 35; Douglas, ii., 272; Collins, iv., 213; Chalmers, i., 52S, 530, 616; ante, 164.
: Beverly, 36, 69; Burk, ii., 149-151 ; and Campbell, 263, 260, refer briefly to this erps
¿Loon. The original journal of Batts was first published in N. Y. Col. Doc., iii., 123-197. II .- M
178
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
CHAP. IV. Senecas determined them to restore some of their Algon- 1671. quin prisoners, whom they intrusted to the great Cayuga chief, Saonchiogoua, to convey to Canada. On reaching Quebec, the Cayuga mediator arranged every thing satis- factorily with Courcelles; and, having declared himself a Christian, was baptized by Bishop Laval, receiving from Talon, his sponsor, the name of "Louis."*
Prairie de la Made- Icine.
In 1669 the Jesuits had founded a "residence" at their Prairie de la Madeleine, on the south bank of the Saint Lawrence, a little below the Rapids of Saint Louis, and nearly opposite Montreal. It was intended as a place of repose for their missionaries, and Father Pierre Raffeix was appointed its first superintendent. Converts from the Oneidas, Mohawks, Mahicans, and other nations, on their way to the Huron colony of Notre Dame de Lorette, near Quebec, soon began to stop at the nearer Prairie; and Courcelles, observing the political importance of the "Re- duction," it was established as a mission, under the name of " Saint Francis Xavier, des Pres." In 1671 Raffeix was sent to Cayuga, and Fremin was recalled from the Senecas to take charge of the new mission, which soon became very important, both to the Jesuits and the civil authorities of Canada.t
Iroquois missions.
On the recall of Fremin, Bruyas became superior of the Iroquois missions, and, leaving Oneida, he went to the Mo- hawks to take the place of Pierron at Tionnontoguen, who now returned to Quebec. Millet, at Onondaga, encour- aged by Garakontie, labored with such zeal that the sav- ages, who always gave descriptive names, called him, as they had formerly called Le Mercier, Teharonhiagannra. or " the looker up to heaven." Bruyas, however, transfer- red him to his own former mission at Oneida; and John de Lamberville, who had come out to Canada in 1668, suc- ceeded Millet at Onondaga. Carheil, forced by a nervous disease to leave Cayuga, was replaced by Raffeix, who came from the Prairie de la Madeleine. After the departure of Fremin from the Senecas, Garnier was left in sole charge of the three stations of Conception, or Totiakto, Saint
" Relation, 1671, 3, 4; Charlevoix, ii., 230, 231 ; Shea, 259; ante. 160.
+ Relation, 1071, 12, 13, 15; 1072, 16, 18; Douniol's Mission du Canada (Paris, 1861). i .. 170, 180; ii., 49; Charlevoix, ii., 233, 257; v., 261; Col. Doc., ix., 116, 130 ; Shea, 2SS, 206- 238; Faillon, ili., 316, 317 ; Colden, i., 53, 54; Smith, i., 69; Garneau, i., 203.
179
FRANCIS LOVELACE, GOVERNOR.
Michael, or Gandagarae, and Saint James, or Gannagaro. CHAP. IV. In the spring of this year the village of Saint Michael, or Gandagaraé, was burned, and the chapel, with all Gar- 1671. nier's effects, were destroyed. But the greatest grief of the lonely missionary was the drunkenness " caused by the liq- nors which the savages brought from the Hollanders for more than eighty leagues over land."*
In writing to Talon, Colbert recommended that a good 11 March. correspondence should be kept up with the English, and a orders to
Colbert's mutual trade established. The dispatch of La Salle to the Talon. South, and of Saint Lusson to the North, was approved ; " but the principal thing to which you ought to apply your- self in discoveries of this nature, is to look for the copper mine. Were this mine once discovered, and its utility evi- dent, it would be an assured means to attract several Frenchmen from Old to New France."t
Meanwhile Perrot, after visiting the copper mine in Lake Superior, had summoned the Western Indians to meet at the Falls of Saint Mary; and Saint Lusson, who had wintered on Lake Huron, went thither to join the Fa- May. thers Dablon, Druillettes, Allouez, and Andre. Soon four- teen different savage nations were represented in an assem- bly. The arms of France were placed on a cross on the 11 June. top of a hill; the "Vexilla" and the "Exaudiat" were chanted, the "Te Deum" was sung, and possession was taken, in the name of the king, "with all the pomp and (clat the country could afford." Talon exultingly prophe- extra sied to Louis that this part of his monarchy would " be- in the come something grand." The foreign colonies, " so long settled on the sea-board, already tremble with affright in view of what His Majesty has accomplished here in the interior within seven years." * * * "They are already aware that the King's name is spread so far abroad among the savages throughout all those countries, that he alone is there regarded by them as the arbiter of Peace and War. All detach themselves insensibly from the other Europeans; and, with the exception of the Iroquois, of whom I am not yet assured, we may safely promise our-
The Touch
* Relation, 1671, 14-24: 1672. 12. 21 ; Col. MISS., xxxv., 160; Col. Doc., ill., 251, 252 ; iv., 171. 206, 367, 665; Shen, 268, 276, 277, 281, 252, 2SS, 291; ante, 148, 162. Mr. Shea's note *** to his edition of Colden, p. 135, is evidently erroneous.
: Col. Doc., ix., 03, 64, 70, 757, 739 ; ante, 170.
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