USA > Pennsylvania > Annals of Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware > Part 11
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Peter Stuyvesant succeeds Governor Kieft; he arrived on May 11. the 11th, and his administration began May 27. Shortly Peter Stuy- after his arrival, he sent complimentary letters to the gover- vesant's ar- rival. nors of Massachusetts and New Haven, professing resolutions to be upon very friendly terms with those governments, but at the same time laid in his claims to all the land between Delaware and Connecticut Rivers, as the indubitable right of the States-General, or West India Company, which his pre- decessor either never did, or did more obscurely." He soon, however, seized a vessel trading with New Haven, and ex- tended his claims so as to include all the land, rivers, and streams, &c., from Cape Henlopen to Cape Cod.3
An attempt to surprise the Dutch was made by the May 12. Armewsick savages, at noon, " although it was rendered void by God's mercy and correct information, and through a mis-
1 Albany Records, vol. xvii. Hudde's Report, N. Y. Hist. Soc. Coll. vol. i. N. S., p. 435, 436.
2 Trumbull's Conn. vol. i. p. 164. Winthrop, vol. ii. p. 266.
3 Hazard's Hist. Coll. vol. ii. p. 216. Smith's N. Y. vol. i. p. 8. N. Y. Coll. vol. i. p. 453.
94
JOHN PRINTZ, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1647.
Indians at- tempt to sur- prise the Dutch. Printz de- nies their right on the river. Strong ex- pressions. June 3.
-
understanding among them. Printz leaves nothing untried to render the Dutch suspected by both savages and Chris- tians. He openly declares that the company have no right whatever on this river, and that he purchased the land in behalf of the crown of Sweden ; so as to the Minquas' land, that the company could not trust on their old uninterrupted possession ; that the devil was the oldest possessor of hell, but that he sometimes admitted a younger one, as he openly de- clared at his own table, on 3d June, 1647, in my presence, and that of my wife, with many other equally vulgar expres- sions, serving and intended for the same purpose ; but, and what is worse, he made it openly manifest by stubborn deeds, more particularly by enclosing the river, so that no vessels can enter it on any account, except with his previous consent, notwithstanding they may have been provided with the most respectable commissions ; by which closing he not only greatly injures the freemen, but retards their journey, to their great loss. He further shamefully vilifies their High Mighti- nesses, by denying them their due respects, despising and treating as frivolous and insignificant, their commissions."1
July 13.
Gov. Printz's tampering with the Maquas In- dians.
A charge was made against Governor Printz, of tampering with the Indians, by furnishing guns, &c., and endeavouring Certificate of to purchase land from them, as appears by the following cer- tificate, signed by Symen Root, Jan Hendricksen, and Dirck Dircksen, &c .: "The undersigned, all thoroughly acquainted with the language of the Maquas, solemnly declare, at the requisition of the honourable director-general, &c., in pre- sence of said director and his predecessor, William Kieft, that it is true that we, being, on the 13th July, 1647, at the house of his honour, saw two chiefs of the Maquas arrive there; the one was named Aquanokus, and the other Kna- digken, who then, in proof of their willingness to continue with us in friendship and mutual intercourse, made some presents, and declared in our presence, that a missionary from the Swedish governor, John Printz, on the South River of New Netherland, residing, had said to them that he might sell to them as much powder, and balls, and guns as he pleased, but that the Netherlanders were too sordidly avari- cious to do so. The Swedish governor told further these chiefs, that the Netherlanders were bad, the Swedes good men, and solicited further, that said chiefs would permit him
I Hudde's Report, 436.
95
1647. -
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
to establish a trading-house in the country, which they rejected. All this we declare that we heard said chiefs say- ing, at the house of the director-general, and are willing to sanction it with our solemn oath. Fort Amsterdam, July 13, 1647."1
A person applies for permission to marry the widow of July 18. Arent Corssen, being persuaded he had perished, as nothing Corssen's could be heard of him, after diligent inquiry. It will be widow. recollected that he was drowned a year or more since.2
Hudde receives a deputation from the freemen lying at July 29. anchor, " humbly soliciting him to prepare and present, in Inhabitants their behalf, a request to the director-general, Stuyvesant, petition petitioning relief from the hindrances which they met with, Stuyvesant. which he effected and transmitted."3
Various injuries were received from the Swedes, by Simon Damage by Root, to his buildings on Wigguakoing, this year, for which he afterwards asks compensation, " as also for tearing down the Netherland arms, and the destruction of the commenced building put up by the clerk, A. Hudde; all which show that any further occupation would be prevented."4
Swedes com- plained of.
In answer to the petition, Hudde received from the director- August 15. general a protest, which, on the 17th, he presented Governor Stuyvesant Printz, who replied he would answer it in writing.5 protests.
The late director, Kieft, sailed for Holland in a ship of 400 tons, but through some miscalculation, the vessel was Director cast away on the coast of Wales, and the director and eighty other persons perished.6
Governor Printz, in February last, gave the government Sept. 16. complete information " of the nature and actual condition of New Sweden, the progress of cultivation and the construc- tion of dwellings in that country, all of which is infinitely agreeable" to-the government, who in reply say, " they have remarked, with a particular satisfaction, the zeal, skill, and activity with which you have filled your station of com- mander," and they promise " to preserve him in memory, and reward his zealous and faithful services" with the " royal favour." But it appears he was not entirely satisfied with what they had already done for him, in the grant of " Teneko," for he now asked for " an augmentation of apportionment,"
1 Albany Records, vol. iii. p. 258. 4 Holl. Doc. vol. viii. p. 59.
2 Ibid. p. 52.
5 Hudde's Report, p. 437.
00 Hudde's Report, p. 437.
6 Winthrop, vol. ii. p. 316.
August 16.
Kieft lost at sea.
Application of Printz to the govern- ment for more salary and land. They act cautiously.
96
JOHN PRINTZ, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1647.
and that they would " deign to confer upon him certain lands and occupations." Upon this request the government appears disposed to act with caution, for they say, " we wish to reflect upon the means of arranging for the augmentation of salary," and "if the lands which you ask have not been given away, and they are not required for cavalry or soldiers, and the business having been examined in our chamber of finance, we shall be well disposed to grant you what is just, not doubt- ing that as you have to the present manifested your zeal and fidelity, and that of the country, you will continue to act with the same zeal and fidelity, not regarding it too difficult and fatiguing to regulate and direct, for some time yet, the establishments of New Sweden, until we shall find another whom we can send to replace you."
Although we have no materials to show what further provision was made for him, yet we presume he was «rewarded" in some way for " his faithful services," as he remained here five or six years longer. Probably " Printzdorp," of which mention is made hereafter, was a part of the result of this application.1
Sept. 28. Hudde con- tinued as commissary at Fort Nassau.
The director-general and council, " having considered the abilities of Andreas Hudde," unanimously resolved to con- tinue him in the service of the West India Company, as commissary of Fort Nassau, his salary to be the same as paid "to other commissaries in such distant places." It seems some charges had been made against him, but were not substantiated.2
December 7. Hudde goes to Manhat- tan.
Hudde having obtained permission to visit Manhattan, delivered the answer of Printz, which he took with him, to the director-general.3
A vessel is detained by Printz, and some of her cargo taken.
It appears by his certificate, that a vessel called the Siren, belonging to Jan Geruel, was stopped by Governor Printz; the vessel was examined, the goods were "very roughly handled, by turning every thing topsy-turvy, all tending to great damage and injury of my interest, taking out my war ammunition, being about sixty pounds of powder and six guns, but owing to my request, and my promise only to deal the same out in case of necessity, they returned some powder, about forty-seven pounds, and three guns, keeping the re- mainder for himself."4
1 MSS. A. P. S. Reg. Penns. vol. iv. p. 315.
2 Albany Records, vol. vii. p. 80.
3 Hudde's Report.
4 Holl. Doc. vol. viii. p. 59.
97
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
This year, the "Swan," one of the vessels which had 1647. accompanied Printz, arrives from Sweden a second time, - - bringing more people. The ship Black Cat, laden with am- munition and merchandise for the Indians, and two other Vessels re- vessels, the Key and the Lamb, are mentioned as arriving
turn from Sweden. during Printz's administration.1
1648.
It having been found that the revenue from the excises on January 20. tobacco, according to the decree of 1642, did not ordinarily produce more than half that sum, it was now judged proper " to permit and grant that the company of the south may, for the state of New Sweden, and the support of the govern- ment there, retain and require the third of the excises of the of govern- crown, upon all confiscated tobacco, as also whatever profit the fines imposed for the contravention of our prohibition against the importation of tobacco, have already yielded, or which may in future arise from the violation of the ordi- nances against the secret introduction of tobacco in the kingdom or the Great Duchy of Finland; and also having found that the excises of tobacco, in 1641 to 1645 inclusive, had been employed for other purposes of the crown, and that in the mean time, the state of New Sweden had been sup- ported by other revenues of the company of the south, the counsellors of the kingdom are authorized to refund their advances, and if the excise and fines are not sufficient for the annual support of New Sweden, the deficit is to be made up by the crown ; and, on the contrary, any surplus is to be deposited among the revenues of the crown, and a clear account to be kept of them. As the company of the south, in order to facilitate the commerce of New Sweden, desires that a " part of all the manufactures of Holland arriving at Gottenberg, should be transported to New Sweden, it is ordained that such goods as are not landed for sale in Swe- den, may pass without duty, as well as the tobacco and furs which enter the kingdom from New Sweden. But the tobacco sent by the company to Holland shall pay duty according to the tariff."2
A vessel arrived (at Fort Nassau) from below, with a April 2. schover sail, without colours, so that Hudde was doubtful about where she came from, or what she was. He ordered a
1 Acrelius, p. 410. 13
2 MSS. A. P. S. in Reg. Penns. vol. iv. p. 373. I
Ordinance respecting tobacco and manufac- tures, and for support ment of New Sweden.
98
JOHN PRINTZ, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
Arrival of a suspicious vessel. Guns are fired from Fort Nassau, to bring her to.
1648. gun fired over her, but she pursued her course ; he ordered a second gun to be fired, " but it was no more minded than the first ;" he immediately despatched eight men in pursuit, " but as the wind was fair, and the weather very hazy and very dark, they could not reach her." " After two or three days, he discovered it was the Swedish bark," which again descend- ing the river, he " asked the skipper by what cause he passed the fort with a doorgeschoten stengel,"1 without showing his colours, by which it might be known who the master was, though he had the colours with him, as was evident, since they were now flying; he answered very contemptuously, " that if he had known this would have come into considera- tion, he would not have done it now, but that he certainly should do so in future, if it was to irritate, and as a mark of his contempt." Hudde then delivered him the following act for the governor :
April 13.
Hudde's pro- test to John Printz, in re- lation to the above affair.
" Noble and valiant John Printz-Whereas your shallop, on the 3d instant, towards evening, sailed by the fort, and, contrary to custom, hath lowered his colours before it arrived near Fort Nassau, and passed without showing colours, by which it could be ascertained who was the master, contrary to our arrangements, which you approved, viz. that our ves- sels coming in the river are to stop near the forts, even when it is sufficiently known from where they come, so that neither your subjects nor ours might be exposed to any mishap, while it was to be feared that otherwise, under this cover, one or other foreign nation, to our great injury, might pass by. Wherefore I cannot withhold my deep surprise, with what object in view your honour permitted this vessel to pass by the fort under such a disguise. As far as I can judge, and considering what in such case might and ought to be done, against others arriving here without orders, it is certainly not the right course to cultivate a good understanding be- tween neighbours, but it rather produces misunderstanding, which I could not have expected to have met with. I will in future, in a similar case, not neglect what my duty to maintain the due respect towards their High Mightinesses and the Prince of Orange, and the rights and immunities of my
1 These Dutch terms, not being understood by the translator, are left in the original language. We learn that the schover is a square sail, and the other term means a crippled mast or spar, probably by one of the guns fired. It is difficult to ascertain the kind of vessels used ; they are called sloops, shallops, barques, pinnace; the general term, vessel, would perhaps have been better.
99
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
lords and masters, requires of me. Wherefore I earnestly solicit that your honour will prevent it in future, as by a con- trary conduct, I should be compelled, whenever any diffi- culties from it might arise, in behalf of my own innocence, to enter my protest, more so as the skipper, Claert Huygen, had the effrontry to boast that he only acted so to insult me, and that he should regret if he did otherwise in future. Farewell.
A. HUDDE.
" Done at Fort Nassau, 13th April."1
Hudde gives a further account of the proceedings of the April. Swedes, as well as of the Dutch.
count of pro- ceedings of
" He was informed, during the whole winter, that the Hudde's ac- Swedes brought together a large quantity of logs, and that a great number were already carried to the Schuylkill, from the Swedes which he apprehended the governor's intention was to con- kill, in build- at Schuyl- struct buildings near the place where vessels usually lay at an- ing there. chor ; and as those trading as before had been driven from Kin- sessing, and we cannot approach the large woods to trade with the Minquas, by which trade being lost to us, the possession of this river, as before observed, would deserve very little consideration ;" he therefore communicates the facts, and waits further orders what to do in case the Swedes do build and take possession of other unoccupied places ; he proposes in that case to take possession of the tract of land nearest to him, in the name of the company.
On the 4th of the same month, some of the sachems from April 4. the savages of Passayonk came to Hudde, and inquired why he did not build on Schuylkill, the Swedes having already done so ? Upon inquiry next day, he found it to be the fact, not build and " in some places, too, of the highest importance." too.
He therefore made preparations to build, and on the 27th April 27. went there, " with the most necessary timber ; calling then, without delay, for the sachems, to whom he stated his inten- tions of building on the spot they had granted him." They sent a message " to the Swedes who lived there already, and commanded them to depart, insinuating they had taken pos- session clandestinely, and against the will of the sachems, and they, the sachems, had ceded for the present to the Dutch, and that I (Hudde) should build there too." Where- upon Maarte Hoock and Wissemenets, two of the chief sachems, "planted there, with their own hands, the colours of the 1 Hudde's Report, p. 437.
1648.
Sachems in- quire why the Dutch do
The Dutch commence to build. The sachems help to raise the colours.
100
JOHN PRINTZ, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
Dutch com- mence to build.
1648. Prince of Orange, and ordered that I (Hudde) should fire a gun three times," in token of possession. This was done, and the house raised in presence of the chiefs. Towards evening, the Swedish commissary arrived, with seven or eight men, and asked Hudde "with whose permission or order I did raise that building." "I answered, by the orders of my masters and the previous consent of the savages." He asked further, if I " could show orders of my master, and not let- ters of some freemen. I answered, yes, and was ready to produce them, when he had shown by whose order he made the demand." "The sachems then said to Henry Huygens and his company," that they should grant us that tract, and we would settle there, and asked by what authority the Swedes had built there; "if it was not enough that they were already in possession of Mattenekonk, the Schuylkill, Kin- sessing, Kakanken, Upland, &c., possessed by the Swedes, all which they had stolen from them; that Minewit now, about eleven years past, had no more than six small tracts of land up Paghaghacking, purchased to plant there some tobacco, of which the natives, in gratitude, should enjoy one-half the produce. If they, coming to them, (pointing at the Swedes,) should be permitted, when purchasing a tract of land, to take those next adjoining it, as the Swedes had done on the river, and yet continued to do, that they were greatly surprised, indeed, that they (the Swedes) would prescribe laws to those who were the original and natural proprietors of the land, as if they might not do with their own what they wished ; that they (the Swedes) arrived only lately on the river, and had taken already so much land from them, which they actually settled, while we (pointing to us) never had taken from them any land, although we had dwelt here and con- versed with them more than thirty years." Hudde continued the work, surrounding the house with palisades, " because the Swedes had destroyed before the house which the company possessed on Schuylkill, and built a fort in its place, and they perhaps might do the same here." While thus engaged, " arrives Moens Kling, lieutenant at the fort on Schuylkill, with 24 men, fully armed with charged muskets, and bearing maces, marching in ranks. He asked if we intended to finish that work. I replied, what was commenced must be finished too." He thereupon " commanded his men to lay down their muskets, and each take his axe in hand, and cut down every
101
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
tree which stood near and around the house, destroying even the fruit trees which I had planted there."1
The Dutch seem now to be aware that they had too long delayed fixing the limits between them and the Swedes and April 7. the English, for in a letter of this date, to Stuyvesant, the directors say, " We acknowledge that long ago we ought to have taken hold of the opportunity to fix the limits between the Swedes, the English and us, which before could have been executed with greater ease, when it was earnestly solicited by the agent at the Hague."2
Rev. John Campanius, Holm, returned to Sweden, after May 16. having been pastor here for six years. Prior to his coming Departure, to this country with Governor Printz, he had been preceptor of the orphans' house at Stockholm, when he received the Campanius. appointment to accompany the colony as chaplain; on his return home, he was made first preacher of the admiralty, and afterwards pastor in Upland, (Sweden,) where he com- pleted a translation of Luther's Catechism into the Indian (Lenni-Lenape) language, which had been commenced here in 1646, and is probably the first translation of any work into an Indian language of this country. His desire to be spi- ritually useful to the Indians, induced him to acquire their language, and the honour of being the first missionary amongst the Indians is therefore claimed for the Swedes, at least in Pennsylvania.3 A copy of this translation is in the library of the American Philosophical Society, and another, we believe, in that of Gettysburg College. It was printed at Stockholm, in 1696, in Delaware and Swedish, together with a vocabulary.4 " In this translation, Campanius accommo- dates the Lord's Prayer to the circumstances of the Indians thus ; instead of ' give us our daily bread,' he has it, 'a plentiful supply of venison and corn.' "5
As we have seen, he consecrated the first Swedish church at Tinnicum, and was, no doubt, its active pastor. The fol- lowing is a sketch of his passage home. " Having obtained a proper passport from the governor and council, I sailed in the Lord's name, with my family, from Elfsborg, in New Sweden, on board the ship Swan, on 16th May, and on the 18th came into the bay ; the distance between Elfsborg and
1 Hudde, p. 440.
3 Clay, p. 28.
5 Records of Swedes' Church.
2 Albany Records, vol. iv. p. 5
4 Preface to Campanius.
1648.
voyage, and death of
Ilis transla- tion of Lu- ther's Cate- chism into the Indian language. History of New Sweden by his grandson.
1 2
1
102
JOHN PRINTZ, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1648. the bay is nine miles, (Swedish,) and on account of the nu- merous banks in the river, we were three days in descending into the bay; on the 19th, we came to Henlopen; on the 4th June, began to see land, and on 13th, Plymouth, Eng- land; on the 14th, France, and saw two Swedish ships, 'New Fortune' and 'Julius,' coming from Sweden, the last a present to the King of France. On 17th June, saw Jutland ; on 19th, entered the Sound, and came to Helsingor, and July 3, with Divine favour, entered Stockholm, being only 63 days, which was considered a remarkably short passage."1 He died Sep- tember 17, 1683, aged 83, and was buried in the church of Frost Hultz, where a monument is erected to his memory.2 His son, it appears, was also in this country with him. From the notes and relations of the two, with probably some tra- ditionary help, the son of the latter (who was never in this country3) printed, in 1702, his description of New Sweden, which is generally quoted as " Campanius," by historians. It is remarkable that so many inaccuracies exist in it, especially with regard to the date of the first settlement of the Swedes, and which has led subsequent writers into many errors, some of which have been noticed.
June 7.
Two mem- bers of coun- cil arrive from Man- hattan.
Upon hearing of the outrages and violence committed there, two members of the high council arrived on South River, L. Van Dincklage, and the honourable La Montagne, to whom the sachems and " original proprietors made, on the 10th, a public transfer of the Schuylkill, and sanctioned the former purchase by Arent Corssen, then commissary on the same Schuylkill, and all the adjoining lands, and of all which their honours took public and lawful possession." This trans- fer has already been given on page 35.
Rude treat- ment of them by Printz, at Tinnicum.
" After this, the honourable commissioners, with a becoming suite, sailed to Tinneconk, and were received there by Com- missary Huygen and Lieutenant Pappegay, who left them about half an hour in the open air and a constant rain, and after they were admitted to an audience, delivered, among others, their solemn protest against Printz, against his illegal possession of the Schuylkill, to which he promised a reply before their departure."4
" Spots" of land were assigned by Hudde to different in-
1 Campanius, p. 72.
2 Ibid. p. 108.
3 Duponceau's Preface to his translation of Campanius's Memoirs, Pa. Hist. Soc. vol. iii. p. vi.
4 Hudde's Report, p. 440.
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
dividuals, at their request, on which to settle. One of these, 1648. Hans Jacobson, " made, July 2, a beginning to settle himself on the Schuylkill, which was prevented by the Swedes, the son of Governor Printz being commanded to execute this July 2. exploit, who tried to compel Hans to break down what he had Lands are as- already raised, and when he declined to do so, he did it him- signed to several self, and burned the whole, with the following menaces, ' that Dutchmen if he there came again, and dared to build, he would carry off with him a good drubbing.'
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