USA > Pennsylvania > Annals of Pennsylvania, from the discovery of the Delaware > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
"No better fate awaited one Thomas Broen, who went thither on the 6th instant, to settle himself at New Holm, a certain place to which they had given this name. He was there scarce three hours, when the Swedes, under command of one Gregory Van Dyck, sergeant, arrived there, and pulled down all that had been raised by him, with a warning that he should retreat directly, or they would beat him off. In this situation affairs remained for some time."1
Hudde, having been ordered to Manhattan, arrived there, Sept. 8. and made his report on the situation of the South River, and Hudde, at recommended, in writing, what was necessary to be done. While there, also, he received by land, notice "that the fairs at Swedes had placed a house before Fort Beversrede, by which it was entirely barricaded." It was probably the letter from A. Boyer.2
Manhattan, bears of af-
Schuylkill.
Commissary Hudde having left the Delaware for Manhat- Sept. 25. tan, on a visit to the governor, in his absence the following letter from Fort Nassau is written, by Alexander Boyer, to Stuyvesant, detailing several occurrences there.
" The Swedish governor, John Printz, ordered, on the Letter from 16th September, that a house should be built here on the A. Boyer to Stuyvesant. Schuylkill, in the front of our Fort Beversrede, about 30 to Proceedings 35 feet long, and 20 broad, by which our liberty on said at Bevers- rede. water is obstructed, so that our vessels which come to anchor under the protection of our fort, can discover said fort with difficulty. Sir, I am fully confident he constructed this building more to insult our lords and masters than to reap for himself any real advantage from it, because the ground in the same range with our fort is large enough to admit twenty similar buildings. The back gable of the house is only 12 fect from the gate of the fort, so that the house is placed within the water side and our fort.
1 Hudde's Report, N. Y. Hist. Soc. p. 440. Alb. Rec. xvii. 268. 2 Ibid. p. 441.
103
to build upon. Their buildings are pulled down and burnt by Printe's son.
104
JOHN PRINTZ, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1648.
Maquas chiefs arrive with bea- vers. Anxious for trade.
" On the 21st instant arrived here a chief from the Maquas' land, with four of his tribe, bringing with him 30 or 40 bea- vers, to inquire whether no vessel was arrived from the Man- hattans, as they had actually a large quantity of furs in their country, wherefore they are the more anxious for such an arrival. They seemed to be much dissatisfied that this river is not always crowded with cargoes by our nation. The Swedes have only a few cargoes here; if we had a great abundance, there is no question we might make a very lucra- tive trade with the Maquas.
Two Swedes killed by Maquas sa- vages. The garrison con- sists of only six men.
" Two Swedes, who, with 7 or 8 guns, some powder and balls, arrived here by the Maquas, to trade with them, have been killed by these savages. We, too, are daily expecting our commissary, A. Hudde, and with him your honour's sup- . ply of our wants, as the winter approaches, and we are nearly in want of every necessary article. I am now garrisoned here with only six men, to defend two forts, that is, who are in full health, and able to make defence."1
October 5. Hudde re- turns. Sends a note to Printz.
The winter season approaching, Hudde returned from Manhattan on the 5th October, with a few freemen, to whom were delivered .letters-patent to settle and build on the Schuylkill, " with whom being arrived on the 18th October, in the South River, was directly informed that the Swede placed his best hopes on the country of the Minquas, against the bargain concluded by us. To prevent similar frivolous pretensions, and to show that the contract was by no means broken by the honourable committee, I sent the following note to Hendrick Huygens, to be handed to the governor :
Note and protest from Hudde to Gov. Printz, detailing some trans- actions.
" Honourable and obliging good friend-Accept my cor- dial salutation. It is with deep regret that I was informed, on my return, that our fugitives can find no residence in the Minquas country, against the good intentions, indeed, of our director-general, who will not permit any thing shall be un- dertaken by his subjects against our contract, but he expects that similar conduct shall be holden on both sides ; and as I am certain that some late proceedings must arouse suspicions, so I considered it my duty to send you this note in my de- fence, confident that on this point your governor will alter his mind. And whereas our freemen are permitted to follow and promote their private concerns, so is it, that meanwhile one of the Swedish officers, named Peter Jochems, in con- 1 Albany Records, vol. v. p. 71.
105
Certificate 01 Simon Root.
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
tempt of us, tore, by night, the palisades from the Fort 1648. Rheede, with violence asunder, broke them all in this manner in pieces, and making use of the greatest violence, as well in words as deeds ; whereon they renewed their labours, so that the whole was finished on the 4th November, which then, for November 4. the second time, was torn down by the Swedes, who broke, with great violence, every piece of timber, of which I trans- mitted a faithful account to the director-general. And whereas I do not possess any other arms but paper, against similar procedures, so did I deem it necessary to send the enclosed protest to his honour, John Printz."
The following certificates enter into further detail of these matters on Schuylkill.
Certificate of Simon Root .- " We demanded that the Swe- dish lieutenant show his commission, when he exhibited to us the orders of his government, in which lie is commanded, in so many words, not to permit a single post to be fixed in the ground, and that in case it was undertaken, then he should resist, and endeavour to prevent it with amicable words, or with force, could he not succeed otherwise; and he was fur- ther commanded to keep, continually, two men on guard near the river, to look out where we intended to build, and that they should resist the unloading of any timber."
Certificate of several persons .- " That A. Van Tienhoven, November 5. S. Boyer and D. Dars, in the service of the West India Com- Certificates pany, have expressly forbidden a Swedish lieutenant, in the of several persons. name of their lords and masters, &c., to obstruct us in build- ing on Mastmakers' Point, on Schuylkill, on South River, when the lieutenant replied that he had nothing to do with our government, that he followed his instructions which he had received from his government; to which they replied, that he would be responsible if any mishap arose, or any blood be spilled; on which the lieutenant commanded his men to destroy the building, which they executed by force, and scattered it in fragments on the ground."
Another certificate. - " That we were, on the 4th Novem- November 6. ber, on Schuylkill, at Fort Beversrede, and assisted at Mast- makers' Point ; when engaged in this work, we were met by Swen Schute, lieutenant-commandant, in behalf of the Swe- dish crown, and commanded by Swedish governor, John Printz, who first forbade us to go on, and then stopped us by force of arms. Nevertheless, he relented, on the intercession
14
106
JOHN PRINTZ, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
Certificates of Bevers- rede affair.
1648. of Tienhoven and Boyer, till they might receive further orders, which they obtained at night from Hudde ; when said Lieutenant Swen Schute warned us, at sunrise in the morning of the 5th, that he received positive orders from Governor John Printz, to destroy the work which we constructed, when he, with his men, drew their swords and marched thither. On this unbecoming hostility, we followed their steps, till we reached the spot where the building was raised; there the lieutenant commanded his men to destroy the building, not- withstanding our remonstrances and request that he would desist, whereas, as he acknowledged their High Mightinesses were in negotiation with the crown of Sweden on this subject, when he proudly answered that he was commanded by his government that he ought not permit a single post to be fixed in the ground in the name of their High Mightinesses, but that he should destroy all which was attempted, and do so without delay; whereon they directly using their swords in lieu of axes, broke the building in pieces, notwithstanding we showed them the orders of the director-general, P. Stuyvesant, with our solemn protest before God and men; that we and ours were innocent of all mischief which might follow such a violent act ; at which the aforesaid Lieutenant Schute replied, that Commissary Hudde ' was a villain and a rascal,' that he cared nothing about our government, and only executed the orders of the government ; on which calumny Boyer retorted to Schute, ' You must be a villain yourself; do not slander a man, or do it in his presence, that he may defend himself.' Although this was just, nevertheless the above-said Schute grasped the hair of Boyer, but there further mischief was prevented."1
In view of these things, Hudde, the commissary, addresses November 7. to Governor Printz the following pacific letter, from Fort Nassau :
Hudde's let- ter and pro- test to Gov. Printz. Re- presents the causes of his complaint.
" Noble honourable lord, John Printz-Whereas, by a com- mission issued by our honourable director-general, Peter Stuyvesant, to Simon Root, Peter Harmansen, and Cornelius Mauntz, to build on the Mastmakers' Point; the said Simon Root, by virtue of it, commenced raising a house on the 4th of this month, which, by your commander's orders, has been obstructed by violence, notwithstanding our earnest entreaties and remonstrances, that allies ought not to act in this manner
1 Albany Records, vol. v. p. 6.
107
1
Nov. 9.
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
against one another, but rather, as it was their duty, and 1648. becoming, to negotiate and discuss together, in a friendly - manner, if any business existed on which they disagreed, leaving it rather, in the last resort, to our sovereign masters, to settle such points in dispute ; on which kind address your officer for a while seemed to abandon his plan, and to ac- quiesce in our kind proposals, but this condescension did not last long. On the 5th, with the rising sun, your officer again appeared, and warned A. Boyer and Ad. Van Tienhoven that he received orders to destroy the building aforesaid, which threatening he instantly executed, destroying the whole, and using the most contemptuous, villifying language against those who executed only their master's commands; which conduct must alienate the minds, and foster bitterness and rancor, in lieu of conciliating animosities between neighbours, who ought to live in amity and peace, as we have always been inclined to do; and to avoid with care, whatever might disturb our harmony, although too often opportunities offered us to indulge such propensities, if we had not been averse to such conduct ; but even our good intentions have been mis- interpreted : on which insolent assault on the authority of their high and mighty lords, and that of his serene highness, the Prince of Orange, with that of the honourable director and council, with destruction of the mutual harmony and friendship, we are compelled to insert our protest, declaring ourselves, before God and the world, innocent of the conse- quences which may result from such irregular and hostile proceedings, and solemnly declare that we have nothing else in view than to cultivate a good understanding with our neighbours, which we are yet willing to renew; while we remain your honour's good friend, A. HUDDE."1
Secretary Van Tienhoven writes to Governor Stuyvesant, from Fort Beversrede, detailing the situation of things there, and urging his personal presence, as follows :
1 Albany Records, vol. v. p. 10; also Hudde's Report, in N. Y. Hist. Coll vol. i. N. S., p. 442, where the translation differs somewhat from the above. It is here dated September 7, which appears to be an error. See note in O'Call. vol. ii. p. 83. There is on the record a transposition of parts of the above, which renders it a little difficult to ascertain its meaning. Here closes the translation of Hudde's Report, so often referred to; it is rather a confused document, commencing with a profession to give the condition of things up to 1645, and yet embraces events in 164S. A minute of council, in 1648, Sep- tember 9, notices the proposition to read the Report of A. Hudde. It is gene- rally considered imperfect, but valuable for its many facts.
108
JOHN PRINTZ, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1648.
Letter from Tienhoven to Stuyve- sant, detail- ing proceed- ings of Swedes at Beversrede, and state of trade with Indians. Director's presence re- quired. Houses pulled down when erect- ing.
" It would be a very desirable thing that you could take resolution to come on here in person, to examine the situation of the South River, because the Swedes do here what they please. The block-house which they built on Beversrede is the most insulting affront to the directors of the general pri- vileged West India Company which could be inflicted, as they built it about 12 or 13 feet distance only from our palli- sades, by which we are entirely excluded from the sight of the water on the kill; and occupied besides all the land around the fort, so that there is not so much left by the fort as to make a small garden in the spring. It is unbecoming that they should be permitted to do so, and therefore we are confident that his honour, the director, should move in it. Simon Root made a beginning for building his house, but it was soon destroyed by the Swedes, by force and violence. We asked again the Swedish lieutenant by what authority he acted, when he showed us the orders of his governor, in which he directed that he ought not to permit one single post to be placed in the ground by the orders of the high and mighty lords; neither should he permit any timber to be brought on shore, and so it happens, that the building of Simon Root cannot be finished, but must be delayed till we shall receive your further orders. But you may expect fur- ther information from Commissary Hudde.
High price of beaver. Measure by the longest Indians.
" What regards our trade with the Indians on this river, and the Maquas, this cannot cause us much injury, as some of the chiefs have informed us; but we must acknowledge that we wanted a greater supply of merchandise, as will ap- pear from the annexed memoir. They continually renew their demand for powder and balls. What further respects our commerce here, this is nearly spoiled, as we are compelled to give two fathoms white and one of black seawant for one beaver; one fathom of cloth for two beavers; every fathom of seawant amounts to three ells, sometimes one-sixteenth less, so that, in my opinion, this barter is rather too much against us, as the Indians always take the largest and tallest among them to trade with us."1
Under the year 1634 we have already given the docu- mentary evidence of the claim by Sir Edmund Plowden, to a large district of country on and around our river. This year there appeared in England a very curious book, entitled
1 Albany Records, vol. v. pp. 10, 11. Holl. Doc. vol. viii. p. 57, 58.
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
" Description of New Albion," &c., by a certain Beauchamp Plantagenet. The only copy of this rare work that we know of, is in possession of our Philadelphia Library Company. It has, however, been reprinted in the collection of rare Description and curious tracts, by Peter Force, Esq., of Washington. It is, we believe, generally supposed that the author, under an by Beau- assumed name, is either the earl himself, or some person em- ployed by him to write it. After a very laudatory dedicatory letter addressed to the earl, and preface, follow various chap- ters tracing the earl's pedigree through a long line of knights, earls palatine, &c., showing the title of the king, and his right to make the grant; a description of the country ; a long letter from Master Robert Evelin, who is said to have resided here several years, and various other matters : from all which have been derived the greater part of what is said by later writers respecting this strange subject. It is deemed unnecessary for us to attempt to throw much light upon so obscure a matter, on which so much has been written. After giving some extracts from early records, we shall refer those who have any curiosity to know more about it, to the writings of several persons who have felt some interest in it, and communicated all that can be probably known about it.
That there was such a person, or one who passed by that name, as Sir Edmund Plowden, in this country, appears abundantly proved by repeated references to him about the time, as well as to his scheme.
Lord Baltimore, in 1685, before the committee of trade, Sails up the &c., " gives their lordships an account, that in the year 1642, Delaware. one Ployden sailed up Delaware River."1
In the Albany Records, in 1644, are recorded the two fol- Certificates lowing certificates, apparently fragments, there inserted, but respecting unconnected with any other matter, so that it is impossible to ascertain why they were given.
" I, Peter Jansen, old about 22 years, declare, at the re- quest of Mr. Moore, that he, being in 1643, on the River Rappahannock, in Virginia, heard one Mr. Middeler say that the bark now belonging to Peter Laurents and Mr. Throck- morton, on which then Mr. Middeler was skipper, was the property of Sir Edmund Ployden, knight, viz. the half of the bark, and 2 hogsheads of flour, freighted on account of
109
1648.
of New Al- bion appears,
champ Plan- tagenet.
Sir Edmund Plowden in this country.
his interest in vessels.
I Votes of Assembly of Pennsylvania, vol. i. p. xvii.
K
110
JOHN PRINTZ, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1648.
said knight, all which they would confirm by a solemn oath.1 PETER JANSEN."
" Appeared before me, Cornelius Tienhoven, secretary in New Netherland, Richard Olossen, (?) who declared, at the request of Mr. Edward Moore, which he is willing to sanction with a solemn oath, that in 1643, Sir Edmund Ployden, knight, residing in Virginia, bought in hihetan, (?) of Philip White, the half of the bark which is now owned by Peter Laurents and Mr. Throckmorton, besides 2 hogsheads with flour ; all which they declared to be true. Done 7th July, 1644, in Fort Amsterdam, in New Netherland.
RICHARD OLESSEN."2 (?)
He arrives in Boston.
Winthrop, in his journal, says, in 1648, " that here, (Bos- ton,) arrived one Sir Edmund Plowden, who had been in Virginia about seven years. He came first with a patent of a county palatine for Delaware Bay, but wanting a pilot for that place, he went over to Virginia, and there having lost the estate he brought over, and all his people scattered from him, he came hither to return to England for supply, intend- ing to return and plant Delaware, if he could get sufficient strength to dispossess the Swedes."3
In a Dutch work, published in 1650, it is said, " We must Notice of Sir now pass to the South River, called by the English, Delaware Edmund by an early Dutch work. Bay. We cannot omit to say that there has been here, (New Netherlands,) both in the time of Director Kieft, and in that of General Stuyvesant, a certain Englishman, who called himself Sir Edward Plowden, with the title of earl palatine of New Albion, who claimed that the land on the west side of the North River to Virginia, was his, by gift of King James, of England, but he said he did not wish to have any strife with the Dutch, though he was very much piqued at the Swedish governor, John Printz, at the South River, on account of some affront given him, too long to relate. He said that when an opportunity should offer, he would go there and take possession of the river. In short, it amounts to this, according to the claims of the English, that there is nothing left for the subjects of their High Mightinesses."4
In the journal of Heermans, who was sent to Maryland 2 Ibid. p. 224.
1 Albany Records, vol. iii. p. 224.
3 Winthrop, vol. ii. p. 325.
4 Vertoogh von N. Nederland, translated by Hon. Mr. Murphy, for a forth coming vol. ii. N. S. of N. Y. Hist. Soc. Memoirs, with the perusal of which we have been politely favoured by the librarian, in advance, p. 324.
4
111
1648. -
Notice of him by Heermans
PETER STUYVESANT, DIRECTOR-GENERAL.
in 1659, with others, on a mission, he says, "that Edmund Plowden made, in former days, a claim on Delaware Bay, and that the one pretension had not been better supported than the other,"1 (alluding to claim by Maryland ;) and again, in their declaration, they say to Lord Baltimore, that he has not so much title "as Sir Edmund Plowden, who then, in and Wal- former time, would make us believe he hath unto, when it dron. afterwards did prove, and was found out he only subreptiff and obreptiff hath something obtained to that purpose, which was invalid."2
In the same journal, it is stated, "that Plowden had not obtained a commission, and was thrown in jail, in England, for his debts. He (Lord Baltimore) acknowledged, however, that Plowden solicited from the king a patent of Novum Al- bion, which was refused, whereupon he addressed himself to the Viceroy of Ireland, from whom he obtained a patent, but it was of no value at all."3
It will thus be seen, that even at that early day, the pro- ceedings and claim of the earl were viewed with suspicion and distrust.
We will now refer to some of the late writers relative to Opinions of the subject ; and first, to "an examination of Beauchamp Plantagenet's description," &c., by John Penington, published in part i. of volume iv. of Memoirs of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, pp. 134 to 165, 1840, who has entered more fully into the consideration of this claim than perhaps, and prior to, any other. It is designated by a distinguished writer of New Jersey,4 as " a very caustic and shrewd examination of Plantagenet's pamphlet," and " would seem to prove that the whole story, with the embellishments of Evelyn, was a mere speculative trick, somewhat akin in design to the fair lithograph maps of city lots, primeval forests or unreclaimed marshes, which we have seen in our day exhibited to invite settlers and purchasers to the new El Dorado."5
In the London Gentleman's Magazine, volume xiv. N. S., for August, 1840, p. 164, an English writer reviews Mr. Pen- ington's examination, and takes an opposite view of the sub- ject, and endeavours to prove its reality, by showing, from
1 Albany Records, vol. xviii. p. 349, &c.
2 N. Y. Hist. Soc. Coll. vol. iii. p. 379. Declaration of Heermans and Wal- dron, from Md. Records, furnished by Bozman.
3 Albany Records, vol. xviii. p. 369, quoted in Murphy's Notes to Vertoogh.
4 King's Address before N. J. Hist. Soc. 1845. 5 Ibid.
later writers.
112
JOHN PRINTZ, GOVERNOR OF THE SWEDES.
1648. Burke's History of the Commons, volume iii. p. 250, the regular lineage of the earl, and that in a will of the cele- brated lawyer, Serjeant Plowden, our knight is identified as " Sir Edmund Plowden, earl palatine, governor and captain- general of the province of New Albion, in America ;" the will is dated July 29, 1655. He sums up his argument by saying, " it is clear to us that the pamphlet was issued with the consent, and probably at the procuration and charges of Sir Edmund Plowden ; that he had actually obtained a patent under the seal of England or Ireland ; considers it as analo- gous to that of Lord Baltimore, which may have served as a precedent for the language, and that Sir Edmund was pre- vented from taking possession of his principality by the pre- vious occupation of a colony of Swedes and Dutch." He admits the name of Plantagenet to be fictitious, but the places and genealogy real ; clearly identifies Master Evelyn as second son of R. Evelyn, of Godstone; and that he had resided with his uncle Young for several years, on Delaware or Charles River, and died in the West Indies.
Mr. Mickle, in his reminiscences of Gloucester, and Dr. Mulford, in his History of New Jersey, have both devoted considerable attention to the subject, especially the former, who " considers the attempt to erect a palatinate on the De- laware as real." See also Whitehead's East Jersey, C. King's Address before New Jersey Historical Society, Bancroft's United States, Gordon's New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Bar- ker's Sketches of Settlements on Delaware, Smith's New Jersey, &c.
In a note by honourable Mr. Murphy, to a translation of Vertoogh,1 before referred to, he enters at considerable length into a consideration of the claim to Long Island and New Jersey, and communicates some facts to show that there are still existing in Maryland, descendants from the family of Plowden.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.