USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 5
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At a Council held at Philada., the 29th May, 1718.
PRESENT :
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lievt. Govr. Isaac Norris,
James Logan,
Jonathan Dickinson, Robt. Assheton.
The Comittee appointed by the Last Council to make amendments to several Laws then Read, Report that they had made several amendments and laid them before the Board, which amendments were read & Considered, and James Logan & Robert Assheton were ordered to carry the bills, with their amendments, to the House, & then the Council adjourned.
At a Council at Philada., the 30th May, 1718.
PRESENT.
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lievt. Govr. Isaac Norris,
James Logan,
Jonathan Dickinson, Robert Assheton.
An act for supplying Defects in the Law for the Relief of the Poor, was read at the Board, & several amendments made, which were Ordered to be Carried to the House by the Secretary, and then the Council adjourned.
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At a Council held at Philada, the 1st of June, 1718.
PRESENT :
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lievt. Govr.
William Trent, James Logan,
Samuel Preston,
Anthony Palmer,
Jonathan Dickinson, Robert Assheton,
The Governr. Laid before the board two Votes of the Assembly, signed by the Speaker, in these words, vizt. :
May 31st, 1718.
A Motion being made & the Question put, That an agency to be settled in London for negotiating the Public affairs of this Province, Especially to Present an address to the King, signed by the Governr. & Speaker of this Assembly, and also to use Endeavours to obtain the Royal approbacon to such of our Laws as shall be transmitted thither from time to time, and that the Governour & Council be Desired to appoint an agent for that Purpose.
Past in the affirmative.
A motion being made & the Question put that the sum of one hundred & fifty pounds be Issued out of the Treasury of this Pro- vince, by order, under the Speaker's Hand, for such an Agent, and to Defray the necessary & Contingent Charges of his negociation in the Premises.
WILLM. TRENT, Speaker.
The Governour. hereupon informed the Board that just now an .opportunity Presented for this River directly for London, which in his judgment ought to be embraced, the appointment of a proper agent to negotiate the Publick affairs of this Province, being of such Importance to the security of the Government here, that it ought by no means to be Delay'd, and therefore Recommended it to the Consideracon of the Board, Either to name a person suitable for that Trust, or otherwise to think of the best method for ap- pointing one.
Resolved, that Henry Goldney, with the Concurrence & approba- tion of the Proprietor or his Lady, be desired to nominate such a Person near the Court as in the best of their Judgement they shall think the most Capable & proper to negotiate our affairs as agent for the Province, to whom they are to allow so much of the men- coned sum, vizt : one hundred & ffifty pounds money of this Pro- vince, as they shall think most Reasonable, and the Secretary is or- dered to transmit an authentick Copy of this minuet to the sd. Henry Goldney.
At a Council held at Philadia., the 15th of June, 1718.
PRESENT :
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lievt. Govr. William Trent, Isaac Norris, James Logan, Samll. Preston, Robert Assbeton.
Jonathan Dickinson,
.
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The Governr. acquainted the board that one Martha Underdown, a single Woman, having at a late Court of Oyer & Terminer, held in the County of Bucks, been Condemned for murdering her Bastard Child, for which sentence of Death had passed upon her, The Judges of the sd. Court, Vizt : Chief Justice Lloyd & Judge Trent had apply'd to the Goverur. in a writing under their hands, & which was laid before the Board, Representing the Criminal as an object of Compassion, & thereupon Recommending her to the Governrs. Mercy to Reprieve her for such time as he shall think fitt; Upon which the Governour desired the advice of the Board, And it was their Unanimous Opinion that the sd. Offender having first been Recommended by the magistrates of the County to the Judges as they have Represented it to the Governour, and the Judges before whom the Tryal was, Concurring in Opinion that she is a fit object of mercy, and as such have Recommended her to the Governr ; The Governr. therefore, if he think fit, may make use of the Powers of the Royal Charter, & with good reason Grant her a Reprieve, and accordingly a Reprieve was ordered forthwith to be made out under the Great Seal of this Province, for suspending the Execucon of the sentance of Death, past upon the said Marthia Underdown, for the space of Twelve. months after. the day appointed by the Death Warrant, already signed by the Judges, for Executing the sd. sentance : Provided always, that the sd. Reprieve & the Effect thereof shall Terminate by, & be subject unto, any order & Direction that may within the sd. Twelve months Come from Great Brittain, to signify his Majes- ties Pleasure Relating thereunto, and then the Council was adjourned until ffriday next, in the afternoon.
At a Council held at Philadia., the 16 of June, 1718.
PRESENT :
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lievt. Govr. William Trent, Jonathan Dickinson,
Samuel Preston,
James Logan.
Robert Assheton,
Tagotolessa or Civility, the present Chief or Captain of the Cones- togoe Indians, with Weeaywais, Soohayesse, Cannatellan & Calhaghe- herot of the same nation, Methawennah, Chief of the Shawnois above Conestogoe, George, an Indian sent to Represent the Ganawais & Sheeckokonichan, a Chief of the Delawares, formerly on Brandy- wine, all at present Inhabitants on Sasquehannah, being lately come from their respective habitations to Pay a visit to this Government, they now waited on the Governr. & Council, and John Cartledge & James Hendricks being Interpreters, both skilled in the Delaware Tongue.
The Governr. Ordered John Cartledge to acquaint them, that upon their Visit he had at their desire now Called a Council, in Order to Hear what the Indians had to Lay before them.
Tagotelessa, Captain of the Conestogoes, said that they were Come only on a ffriendly visit to see us, & to Renew the old League of ffriend-
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ship that had hitherto been between us and them, that most of their old men were Indisposed & cou'd not undertake the Journey, but they had Brought some of their young men to see us, & Learn how they of themselves Ought when they come to more advanced years treat with their parents & friends.
The Governour told them their Visit was very acceptable, he hoped all was well with them, but desired them now to be free, & if they had any thing to Complain of that wanted to be Redressed, they should without reserve communicate it.
They then presented a small bundle of Skins, & said, that they had sometime before the Governours arrival lost their King in war, but there were those left amongst them who have the same Respect & Friendship for this Governmt. that he had in his lifetime .- That now he is Gone they are more sensible of their Loss of so good a man to Govern them, & they heartily Lament him, but they hope his Place will be supply'd and the same ffriendly Disposition will always be continued among them. And they now desire the Gover- nour to take notice, that tho' their Last Good King is taken from them, they have one yet left who was nearly related to him, who has an English heart & a Great Love for the Christians. Him they have now Chosen for their King in the others stead, & as such pre- sent him to the Governr by the name of Oneshanayan.
They then laid down a Second small Bundle of Skins, & proceeded to say, That their King being present with the Chief of Shawnois & Ganawase, what he, vizt. : Tagotelessa or Civility says is what all agree in with one voice & mind ; That they are Glad to find them- selves in full happy Circumstances, for that they have not for some years past had a Governour who took such notice of them, but now the present Governr. gives them the same satisfaction as if they thought William Penn himself were amongst them ; that they had brought a few skins, not by way of Present, for they were not worthy to be accounted such, but only to Lay them under the Governrs. ffeet to keep them & his House Clean; that they Came not to make any new Treaty or League of friendship, but only to Renew or Confirm those which had been made, & were hitherto Invioably kept on both sides.
They threw down a third parcel of skins, & Civility said, that he with some of the young men had this Last spring some Inclinacon to Go out to war towards the Southward, but being put in mind that it would not be agreeable to this Governmt., and afterwards Receiving the Governours letter forbidding them to Proceed, they Desisted; that they Intend to go out this next winter a hunting that way, & think it proper to acquaint this Governmt. therewith, for that they bear such a respect to the Governmt., & know that we have always been so ready to Protect & assist them, that they are agreed not to do anything which will be disagreeable to us ; That they look upon themselves but like Children, Rather to be Directed by this Governmt. than ffit to offer any thing more on this head.
But they must Crave leave to add one thing further vizt : that they have reason to think the authority of this Government is not
1
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duly observed, ffor that notwithstanding all our former agreements, that Rum should not be brought amongst them, it is still carried in great Quantities, They had been doubtful with themselves whether they should mencon this, because if they were supplied with none from hence, they wou'd be from Maryland which wou'd be a means of Carring of their peltry thither, but there have been such Quanti- ties of that Liquor Carried of Late amongst them, by Loose persons who have no fixt settlements, that they are apprehensive mischief may arise from it, that tho' they are perfectly well Inclined when sober, yet they Cannot answer for their people when drunk, and Least any Inconveniences may Ensue from thence to this Govern- ment whom they so much Respect, as well as to their own people, they Desire this may be taken into Consideracon, in order to be pre- vented & redressed by all proper measures. -
Shecokkeneen added, that the young men about Pextan had been lately so generally debaucht with Rum, carried amongst them by strangers, that they now want all manner of Clothing & necessarys to go a hunting, wherefore they wish it would be so ordered that no Rum shou'd be brought amongst them, by any Except the Traders who furnish them with all other necessarys, & who have been used to Trust them & Encourage them in their Hunting.
Having thus Delivered themselves they withdrew, and the Treasu- rer & Secretary were ordered to take an account of the Real value of their small presents, & to Provide some English Goods Exceeding that value by about one ffourth or a Third part at most, and then the Council adjourned to ffour in the afternoon.
POST MERIDIEM.
PRESENT :
The Honble. WILLAM KEITH, Esqr., Lt. Govr.
William Trent,
Jonathan Dickinson,
Isaac Norris,
James Logan,
Samuel Preston, Robert Assheton,
The same Indians attending again, the Governr. Ordered the In- terpreters to deliver to them what ffollows, being first Drawn up in writing, vizt :
That their friendly visit on a Design to Brighten & Strengthen the Chain which had for so many years bound, & united them & this Governmt. together as one People, was very acceptable. They were sensible that William Penn, the Lord of this Country, had been as a Common ffather to them : that he had Given it in Charge to all those who Governed in his stead, to treat them in the same ffriendly manner he had Done himself; that the present Governour, for his part, shou'd always as ready as a father to Embrace & Support them, while they Continue the same fidelity to this Government they had hitherto done.
That we were all much affected with the Loss of their Last Good King, and the Governour wou'd have been pleased to see more of their old men, that however he now took the young men that came
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on this visit by the Hand, as those that were coming up in the places of the ancients, & were to continue the same ffriendship with our younger people, that their parents the Elders of both sides had done before them.
That we kindly Received the Person they had appointed their King or Chief, in the place of our good Deceased friend, if it be by a general approbation. The Governour hoped he would always have the same heart & ffriendly Disposition towards the English, that his Predecessor was well known to have in his Life time, & would unite himself & all his People with his Governmt. as one heart & one body; that for the future we Shou'd apply to him as their Chief in all publick Business, & Doubted not but the old men wou'd assist him with their advice in the best manner for their ad- vantage & for preserving a strict tie of Friendship with us.
That the Governour Cou'd not take in good part their motions towards going to War last Spring, Considering they had Engaged themselves to their Contrary in their Last Treaty with him at Con- estogoe. The Governour Expects they will not make the least ad- vance that way for the ffuture, without the approbation & Leave of this Government, for they are now but weak of themselves, and may by rash attempts Draw powerful Enemies upon them, & not only In- tirely ruin themselves, but Engage us also as their friends into their Quarrels ; They must therefore be Governed in this Point by this Government, who can judge better of these affairs than they are Capable.
The Governour is sensible they may have too just Cause to Com- plain of Loose Idle fellows bringing Quantities of Rum amongst them to their Great Injury, that this has not for some time past been sufficiently Look't after, but the Governour wou'd speedily take Care to have it in a great measure prevented. That they of their parts must Endeavour to prevent their women & young people from Coming to Philadelphia to Purchase & Carry up Rum from hence, which too many were ready to Deliver them privately for their skins, and that when they meet with any brought amongst them, they shou'd stave it, as they had formerly been ordered & undertook to do. That in Referrance to the Surveys of Lands, they Cannot but be sensible of the Care that has been taken of them, they had Expressed a willing- ness to Retire from Conostogoe; Yet the Governmt. here had per- swaded them to Continue near us; We had Run a Line Round them that none might come near them, and had fenced their Corn Fields by John Cartledges Care, who alone being placed within those Lines, may be the more Capable of Looking after the Tract & the bounds of it. It is also further thought fit, that Lines should be Run Round the other Indian Towns, as soon as Conveniently may be to secure them the more Effectually from Incroachments. But while such Care is taken of them, 'tis Expected they shall in all Cases on their parts shew a Due Regard to this Government, that they be aiding to all its officers in what may Lie in their power, that they Suffer no Idle persons to Spread Rumors amongst them, or if they hear any such that they give no Credit to them, that if they Can
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Discover any Evil minded persons to have ill Designs agt. this Governmt., or any Part of it, they must without Delay Disclose it to the Governour or some person in authority under him. In fine, they Ought ever to Consider us as their Best & nearest Friends, who have always been & ever will Continue Ready to Releive & protect them, while they on their parts Remain faithful as their ancestors or ffa- thers have hitherto done before them.
That as they offered the Governour a small Token, so now for the Conveniency of their return, there are a few Garments Provided for them, with some powder & Shot to kill Venison, some Tobacco & pipes, and when they Go some Bread & a Dram will be provided for them, and the Governour Expects they will be Carefull hereafter to Provide Likewise for himself & his attendants, or those who shall be sent at any time for their service to Conostogoe.
These things being delivered to them they appeared very well pleased, and to that part in which the Inclosing by Surveys the Lands where they are seated, which should not be broke in upon ; they further desired, that the Lands on which the Shawneis & Ga- nawese are settled on Susquehannah, should Likewise be Encom- passed with Lines at the Distance of ffour miles from the River, that they might not be Disturbed by the Cattle of any persons settling near them.
The skins they delivered in the morning having been numbered & weighed as ordered, they were found to be,
38 summer Deer Skins in the hair, many of them ordi- nary, wt. 681. at 18d., £5. 2. 0
10 small Drest Deer Skins, wt. 181 .. at 3-6d, 2. 2. 0
1 Good Winter Buck in the hair, 6. 0
16. 0
£8. 6. 0
What is prepared & was now Delivered them, are
8 Stroud Water Coats of the best sort, a 17-6d.
£7. 0. 0 16. 8
10 1b. of Powder, a 20d.
20 1b. Lead, a 3d, 5. 0
6 pr. Stockings, pt. Blew & pt. Red, a 2-9d. 16. 6
1 Dozn. Tobacco Boxes, a 7. 0
1 Dozn. Tobacco Tongs, a
4. 6
12 1b. Tobacco, a 4d., 4. 0
3 Dozn Pipes,
1. 0
1 Red Stroud to the Queen,
17. 6 £10. 12. 2
These being Delivered the Governour Gave them an Entertain- ment, and the Secretary was Ordered to provide for them as from the ffirst, all necessarys During their stay & for their Journey on their return home.
2 Bear Skins a 8 ps.
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At a Council held at Philada, the 4th day of July, 1718.
PRESENT :
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lievt. Govr.
Jonathan Dickinson, Samuel Preston,
James Logan, Robert Assheton,
The Board proceeded to nominate persons to be added to the Commissions of peace for the County of Philada. & Chester, & the Persons following were appointed :
For the County of Philada : Samuel peres, Samuel Carpenter, Richard Moore, Charles Read & Robert Jones, of Merion.
For the County of Chester : John Wright, next to Jasper Yeates, Nathaniel Newland, Andrew Job, Elisha Gotchell, John Cartledge, & Francis Worley.
A Peticon of several of the Inhabitants of the township of Northern liberties, was Read, setting forth that they had purchased & Im- proved several Tracts of Land between the City of Philadelphia & Whitsahicken mill, and that there was no Road from the sd. City to the sd. mill as yet, Establisht according to Law, whereby they were at a Great Loss how to bound their Lands, & Craved that the Board wou'd appoint some fit persons to Lay out the sd. Road. The Board having taken the sd. Peticon into Consideracon. Did Order that George ffezwater, George Claypoole. Israel pemberton, William ffish- bourn, Jacob Dubric, & Andrew Robeson, junr., or some ffour of them Do Lay out the sd. Road, & make Report thereof to this Board, in Order to be Confirm'd.
At a Council held at Philada., the 22d July, 1718. ]
PRESENT :
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Liert. Govr. William Trent, James Logan,
Samuel Preston, Anthony Palmer,
Jonathan Dickinson,
Robert Assheton.
The Governour acquainted the Board that several mariners, who had lately been taken by pirates, having made their Escape in a Sloop to which some of them formerly belonged in the merchant ser- vice, were Come hither for protection, & had Voluntarily delivered themselves & the Sloop into the Governrs. hands, and the sd. mari- ners attending, they were ordered to be Called in and answered to their names, as follows, Vizt. : Richard appleton, John Robeson, William Williams, John fford, Benjamin Hodges, John Barfield, James Mathews, Samuel Barrow, Gregory Margoveram, Renold Glorence, Walter Vincent & Timothy Harding, Richard Appleton for himself, & in the name of all the others present, being desir'd to give the Governr. & the Board as Particular an account as he Could of himself & his ffellow Companions. The ffollowing narrative was taken from his mouth, to which they all agreed, Vizt. :
That he had sailed from Jamaica about five months ago on board
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this very Sloop, under the Comand of Capt. Pinkethman. in Order to Go upon the Wrecks : That the Captain Dying Outward bound, one Tempest, who was master, had the Comand after him : That they Called in at Providence at the same time that his majesties ship Phoenix was there, & sail'd out from thence with the man of war & proceeded to Walkers Key, where in Company with another Sloop, Capt Greenway, they workt upon a wreck almost three weeks, but not with any Success; So that both Sloops went to the Bimmenys other Keys, where they found another wreck, but nothing Left upon it. This bad Fortune so Discouraged the people, that by Greenways Instigacon, upon the Twenty ffourth of May Last they mutiny'd, took possession of this Sloop & all the arms, & threatened to shoot Captain Tempest & all that wou'd not Go along with Them, under Greenways Comand, to Death Immediately; but in a Day or two they put Capt. Tempest & ten or twelve men along with him in the other Sloop, & then they departed on pretence to Go upon the Florida Wrecks, where they arrived & Came too under one of the Spanish Batteries ; But the people from shoar firing upon them they went from thence a Little to the Southward of Charles Town, in South Carolina, & Came on shore in Order to ffit the Sloop with a new mast, which accordingly they did in about three Weeks time ; Coming out from thence they met with a small Sloop from Provi- dence, bound for Carolina, Daniel Stillwell, master, but Took nothing from him Except what they paid for, afterwards they Concluded to Go into the Latitude of Bermuda, & in their Way met with a ffrench Ship, about twenty four Guns, they ffired a shot at the ffrench man, who Return'd another & Slung his yards Ready to Engage them, but they Chose to Leave her, knowing the ship to be the same which Jennings had formerly taken & sent to Jamaica ; Upon which account he was ffirst Declar'd Pirate, two Days after this they saw Eleven sail which they supposed to be the Spanish ffleet & gave them Chace, but observing one Large Ship Lie by untill the other Got a head, they Left the Pursuit & kept on the same Latitude, about thirty Leagues distant from the Island of Bermuda, where they met with a small Sloop from Maryland, bound to Bermuda & Barbados, took some Tobacco & hoggs from her, & fforced two of their men, vizt : John Ford & Gregory Margoveram, both present, next Day they Came up with a Bermudas Sloop, put ffive & Twenty men on board of her & kept her for a Consort; One of the men belonging to the Bermudas Sloop is here, vizt. : Benjamin Hodges, then they stretched to the Eastward for three Days, with Intent for Mona or some part of the West Indies. On the third about two o'clock, being Sunday, the Sixth Day of this month, in the morning, they Gave Chace to a Ship, & when they Came up with her fir'd a Shot with a Volley of small arms, upon which she struck ; she belonged to Liverpool, about one hundred & thirty tons, homeward Bound fram St. M tophers, with sugar, - Richardson, master. The Pirate, Capt: Greenway, the Gunner, Doctor & other officers went Immediately on board the Ship, but the Sloop being to Leward of the Ship the Ship took the wind from their sails, by which means they accidentally fell on board
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the Ship & broke a Set of Oars upon the Sloops Quarter, this Gave Occasion for most of the men in the Sloop, being eager ffor plunder to Jump on board the Ship, & when the Sloop sheer'd of these men here whisper'd one another, that now was their Best Opportunity to Escape, Whereupon Richard Appleton being armed, seized the Helm, sent John Robinson down to Secure the Stores & order'd the Negroes to hoist the sails, upon which one of the Pyrates took up a musket & snapt it twice at the sd. Richard, then fired but missing, he Club'd the peice & wounded Richard on the head, upon which One o" h, Negoes shot the Pirate with a Pistol through the belly, & another wounded him in the Thigh ; then they bound this Fellow & Seven morre of his Companions, being half Drunk, put them in the Canew & Set them adrift, the Ship & Sloop Gave us Chace, & we saw them take up the men in the Canoe, but this Sloop sailed so well that, we soon Lost them ; We saw several Sail in our way hither, but avoided Speaking with any, being all Resolutely Determined to Blow our selves up before we shou'd be taken by any Pirate ; that we were unanimous in Coming into this Place to Deliver the Sloop & our- selves up to the Governr., & to Implore his Countenance & protec- tion, not as Pirates, but as honest men Imploy'd in the mercht. ser- vice, and who never had been accessary or in the Least Concern'd in the Villainous Designs & practices of those from whom we have now made Our Escape with the utmost Risqe of our Lives, and all of them with one Voice submitted themselves in this manner, affirm- ing the same thing.
The above narrative being taken into Consideracon with all the Circumstances, it was the unanimous opinion of this Board, That it did not appear that these men had been Guilty of any piracy whereby to subject them to any punishment or other Legal process, but rather that they ought to be well used & Civilly Intreated for the Service they had Done in order to Encourage others to Do the Like, That the Present most Dangerous & too frequent Practice of Piracy in these parts may at Last be subdued.
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