Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library 
 GiF i OF Seymour B. Durst Old York Lii^rary 
 
 iEx Bltbrtjs 
 
 SEYMOUR DURST 
 
 When you leave, please leave this book 
 
 Because it has been said 
 "Ever'thing comes t' him who waits 
 
 Except a loaned book." 
 
NEW YORK 
 
 CONSIDERED AND IMPROVED. 
 
 ANNO DOMINI 1695. 
 
I.O.N DON : 
 
 IIMI'TON AM) lUlCHIE, r'RIN ri lis, MIDDIH S 1' K !<. lil , C1,0 1 II !■ A I li , S M 1 1' 11 F 1 li 1, B , 
 
A DESCRIPTION 
 
 OF 
 
 THE PROVINCE AND CITY 
 
 NEW YORK; 
 
 WITH 
 
 PLANS OF THE CITY AND SEVERAL FORTS 
 
 REV. JOHN MILLER.--^--^ 
 
 NOW FIRST PRINTED FROM THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT. 
 
 (To which is added, a Catalogue of an extensive Collection of Books 
 relating to America, on sale by the Publisher.) 
 
 Z 2 0 5 9 
 
 THOMAS IIODD, 
 
 No. 9, GREAT NEWPORT STREET, LONDON. 
 
 AS THEY EXISTED IN THE YEAR Km. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 MDCCCXIJII. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 The following description of New York, as it existed a century 
 and a half since, fell into the hands of the publisher on the disper- 
 sion of the library of the late George Chalmers, Esq. 
 
 As it contains some curious particulars respecting the state of 
 society in the province at that time, and is, moreover, of particular 
 local interest, as giving plans of the town and the several forts in 
 the province, the publisher thought he would be rendering an 
 acceptable service to those persons who take an interest in tracing 
 the rise and growth of the great commercial emporium of the 
 Western world by causing a few copies to be printed, and thus 
 preserving it from the chance of being lost or destroyed. 
 
 The orthography has been modernized, the pointing amended, 
 and a few words, obviously necessary to complete the sense, have 
 been inserted between brackets. 
 
ii ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 The author appears to use some peculiar arithmetical notation 
 consisting in the employment of a superfluous number of ciphers, 
 as page 5, line 4, where 300 and 303 are printed for 30 and 33, 
 and page 14, where 64000 is used for 64 : these are retained, but 
 his obvious meaning is indicated to the reader by inserting the 
 true numbers within a parenthesis. 
 
 It may be further necessary to add, that the author uniformly 
 uses Canida instead of Canada: this has been changed to the 
 present usage. All other proper names are given as in the manu- 
 script. 
 
To the Right Reverend Father in God, Henry, 
 Lord Bishop of London. 
 
 My Lord. 
 
 After having been very near three years resident in the pro- 
 vince of New York, in America, as Chaplain to his Majesty's forces 
 there, and by living in the Fort of New York, and constantly 
 attending the Governor, had the opportunity of observing many 
 things of considerable consequence in relation to the Christians and 
 Indians, inhabitants thereof, or bordering thereon, and also taken 
 the draughts of all the cities, towns, forts and churches of any note 
 within the same, with particular accounts of the number of our In- 
 dians, the strength of Canada, and way thither, and several other 
 matters which would have enabled me to give an exact account of 
 the present estate Df that province and the methods proper to be 
 used for the correcting certain evils therein, and advantaging thereof, 
 principally as to religious affairs,- — 1 was (obliged so to do by seve- 
 ral weighty motives, especially those of my private concerns) re- 
 turning home with them in July last, when being met and set upon 
 by a French privateer and made his prisoner, I was obliged to 
 cause them all to be thrown overboard, lest 1 should have given 
 intelligence to an enemy to the ruine of the province, instead of a 
 friendly information to the advantaging thereof But having had 
 time by my long imprisonment, and leisure also sufficient, I thought 
 1 could not bettor employ them than by endeavouring to retrieve 
 
iv DEDICATION. 
 
 some part of what I had lost, and put it in such a method as might 
 testify the earnest desire I have to promote the glory of God, the 
 service of my sovereign, and the benefit of my country. What I 
 have been able to do through God's assistance, the help of my 
 memory, and certain knowledge I had of things, your Lordship will 
 find in the following sheets; which, however weak and imperfect, 
 as it must needs be, I humbly present to your Lordship as an evi- 
 dence of my duty and gratitude ; submitting it to your wise in- 
 spection and serious consideration, either to be further improved if 
 it seem proper for the end it is designed, or rejected if it be un- 
 worthy of any respect. Intreating your Lordship to pardon what 
 faults and blemishes shall be found therein, and heartily praying 
 that the Giver of all good things would bless your Lordship with 
 health, and prosperity and success in all your affairs, I make bold 
 in all duty to subscribe myself, 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 Your Lordship's most faithful, 
 
 And huml)le servant, 
 
 JOHN MILLER. 
 
NEW YORK CONSIDERED. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 OF THE PROVINCE OF NEW YORK. 
 
 The province of New York is a country very pleasant and de- 
 lightful, and well improved for the time it has been settled and 
 the number of its inhabitants. It lies in the latitudes of 40 and 41 
 and for the longitude is situated between the 300th and 303d (30th 
 and 33d) degree north ; is in breadth, where broadest, from the east 
 to the west, about 200 miles, and in length, north and south, about 
 250, being bounded on the east by New England, on the west by 
 New Jersey and the Indian country, on the north by the Indian 
 country, and on the south by the ocean. It lies almost exactly in the 
 middle of the English plantations, which altogether have of sea coast, 
 more or less improved by the English, both eastward and westward, 
 near 250 leagues. This province whereof I speak consists partly 
 of islands and partly of the main land: the islands of greater 
 consideration are three, New York Island, Staten Island, and 
 Nassau (formerly Long) Island; the two former make, each of 
 them, a county, the first of New York, the second of Richmond. 
 On Nassau Island are three counties ; for the western end is King's 
 County, the middle Queen's County, and the eastern part Suffolk 
 County : to these do belong several, other smaller islands, which, 
 being at best but so many farms, are not worthy consideration. On 
 the main land are likewise five counties, namely. West Chester, 
 Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, and Albany, equal in number to, but 
 not so well planted, improved, and peopled, as the former. The 
 places of strength are chiefly three ; the city of New York, the city 
 of Albany, and the town of Kingstone, in Ulster. 
 
 The city of New York, more largely taken, is the whole island so 
 called, and is in length sixteen miles, in breadth six, and in circum- 
 ference forty-two ; but more strictly considered, and as a place of 
 
 B 
 
6 
 
 NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 strength, is only the part thereof within the fortifications, and so is 
 not in length or breadth above two furlongs, and in circumference 
 a mile. The form of it is triangular, having for the sides thereof 
 the west and north lines, and east and south for its arched basis. 
 The chief place of strength it boasts of is its fort, situated on the 
 south west angle, which is reasonably strong, and well provided 
 with ammunition, having in it about thirty-eight guns. Mounted 
 on the basis likewise, in convenient places, are three batteries of 
 great guns; one of fifteen called Whitehall Battery, one of five by 
 the Stadthouse, and the third of ten by the Burgher's Path. On the 
 north-east angle is a strong blockhouse and half moon, wherein are 
 six or seven guns : this part buts upon the river, and is all along 
 fortified with a sufficient bank of earth. On the north side are two 
 large stone points, and therein about eight guns, some mounted and 
 some unmounted. On the north-west angle is a blockhouse, and on 
 the west side two hornworks which are furnished with some guns, 
 six or seven in number : this side buts upon Hudson's River ; has 
 a bank in some places twenty fathoms high from the water, by 
 reason whereof, and a stockado strengthened with a bank of earth 
 on the inside, which last is also on the north side to the landward, 
 it is not easily assailable. As this city is the chief place of 
 strength belonging to this province for its defence against those 
 enemies who come by sea, so Albany is of principal consideration 
 against those who come by land, the French and Indians of Canada. 
 It is distant from New York 150 miles, and lies up Hudson's 
 River on the west side, on the descent of a hill from the west to 
 the eastward. It is in circumference about six furlongs, and hath 
 therein about 200 houses, a fourth part of what there is reckoned 
 to be in New York. The form of it is septangular, and the longest 
 line that which buts upon the river running from the north to the 
 south. On the west angle is the fort, quadrangular, strongly stock- 
 adoed and ditched round, having in it twenty-one pieces of ord- 
 nance mounted. On the north-west side are two blockhouses, and 
 on the south-west as many : on the south-east angle stands one 
 blockhouse ; in the middle of the line from thence northward is a 
 horned work, and on the north-east angle a mount. The whole 
 city is well stockadoed round, and in the several fortifications 
 named are about thirty guns. Dependent on this city, and about 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 7 
 
 twenty miles distance to the northward from it, is the Fort of 
 Scanectade, quadrangular, with a treble stockado, a new block- 
 house at every angle, and in each blockhouse two great guns ; and 
 Nestigayuna, and the Half-moon ; places, formerly of some account, 
 but now deserted. On this city also depends the Fort at the Flats, 
 four miles from Albany, belonging to the River Indians, who are 
 about sixty families : it is stockadoed round, has a blockhouse and 
 a mount, but no great guns. There are in it five Indian wigwams, 
 and a house or two serving in case of necessity for the soldiers, in 
 number twenty-four, who are the guard there. Kingstone is the 
 chief town of Ulster County; lies" on the west side of Hudson's 
 River, but two miles distant from it, from New York eighty-six, 
 and from Albany sixty-four miles: it is quadrangular, and stocka- 
 doed round, having small hornworks at convenient distances one 
 from the other, and in proper places. It is in circumference near 
 as big as Albany, but as to number of houses not above half so big : 
 on the south side is a particular part separated by a stockado from 
 the rest, and strengthened with a blockhouse and a hornwork 
 wherein are about six guns. 
 
 The number of the inhabitants in this province are about 3000 
 families, whereof almost one-half are naturally Dutch, a great part 
 English, and the rest French; which how they are seated, and 
 what number of families of each nations, what churches, meeting 
 houses, ministers or pretended ministers, there are in each county, 
 may be best discerned by the table here inserted. As to their 
 religion, they are very much divided; few of them intelligent and 
 sincere, but the most part ignorant and conceited, fickle and re- 
 gardless. As to their wealth and disposition thereto, the Dutch are 
 rich and sparing ; the English neither very rich, nor too great hus- 
 bands; the French are poor, and therefore forced to be penurious. 
 As to their way of trade and dealing, they are all generally cunning 
 and crafty, but many of them not so just to their words as they 
 should be. 
 
 The air of this province is very good, and much like that of the 
 best parts of France ; not very often foggy, nor yet cloudy or rainy 
 for any long time together, but generally very clear and thin : the 
 north-west winds frequently visit it, and chiefly in winter; nor does 
 there want in the summer the southern breezes, which daily almost 
 
8 
 
 NEW YORK IN 1(395. 
 
 rise about nine or ten in the morning, and continue till sunset. The 
 weather is, indeed, hotter in summer than one would well wish it, 
 and in winter colder than he can well endure it ; but both heat and 
 cold are in their seasons much abated by the wind last spoken of. 
 The coldest wind is generally reckoned to be the north-west, and 
 it is certainly very sharp and piercing, and causes most hard and 
 severe frosts ; but, in my judgment, the south-west exceeds it much, 
 but the best of it is that it does not blow very often there from 
 that quarter. 
 
 The air and winds being such as I have said, the country, con- 
 sequently, should be very healthful, and this is certainly so; and I 
 dare boldly affirm it to be, on that particular and most beneficial ac- 
 count, the best province his Majesty has in all America, and very 
 agreeable to the constitution of his subjects, so that a sober English- 
 man may go into it, live there, and come out of it again, without any 
 seasoning or other sickness caused merely by the country ; nay, it 
 is so far from causing, that, on the contrary, if a man be any thing 
 consumptive, and not too far gone, 'tis ten to one but it will cure 
 him ; and if inclined to rheums or colds, will in a great part, if not 
 wholly, free him from them. 
 
 If the air be good, the land is not bad, but, taking one place 
 with another, very tolerable, yea, commendable : there are, 'tis 
 true, many rocks and mountains, but, I believe, the goodness of 
 their inside as to metals and minerals will, when searched, make 
 amends for the barrenness of the outside : there are also many 
 woods and bogs, or rather swamps ; but few complain of them^ 
 because they afford them mast for their hogs and food for their 
 breeding mares and cows, also, in the summer time, fur. Walnut, 
 cedar, oak of several kinds, and many other sorts of wood proper 
 for building of ships or houses, or necessary for fencing and fuel ; 
 turpentine for physical uses, and pitch and tar for the seaman's 
 service ; many physical herbs, and much wild fowl, as swans, 
 geese, ducks, turkies, a kind of pheasants and partridges, pi- 
 geons, &c. and no less store of good venison, so that you inay 
 sometimes buy at 5^our door a quarter for ninepence or a shilling. 
 Hence also they have their furs, such as beaver, otter, fisher, 
 martin, musk-rat, bear-skin, &c. Indeed, the countenance of them 
 is not so beautiful as some of our English writers would make us 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 9 
 
 believe ; nor would I prefer, in that respect, the wild Indian country 
 before our English meadows and closes, much less our gardens 
 when in their most flourishing estate, notwithstanding that there 
 are here and there many herbs such and as good as those we 
 have growing in our gardens to be found wild, as mint, sweet mar- 
 joram, &c. ; and, in their season, strawberries and walnuts, and 
 some other sorts of fruits, in great abundance, especially grapes, 
 which I am persuaded, if well improved, would yield great quan- 
 tities of strong and pleasant wine. 
 
 He that is not pleased with these advantages may, if he please 
 to take a little pains in clearing the ground by stubbing up the 
 trees and brushwood, have good arable land or pastures, that 
 shall, instead of woods and their wild produce, afford him good 
 corn and hay, and a reasonable number of fat cattle. Indeed, not all 
 alike, for the land toward the south is generally a sandy soil, and not 
 very fruitful, but rather something inclining to barrenness: the corn 
 that it produces is small, oftentimes spoiled by blasts and mil- 
 dews, or eaten (especially the white peas,) by the worms, but 
 then it produces very good Indian corn or maize ; pleasant fruits, 
 as apples, peaches, melons of several sorts; good roots, as parsneps, 
 turnips, carrots, and as good cabbages as need to be eaten : but to 
 the northward, and in the Indian country, the land is much better ; 
 the soil, black and rich, brings forth corn in abundance, and 
 that very firm, large, and good ; and, besides all those fruits afore- 
 mentioned (peaches excepted), cherries, pears, and currants. 
 
 Fish there is in great store, both in the sea and rivers ; many of 
 them of the same kinds as we have in England, and many strange 
 and such as are not to be seen there; some even without name, ex- 
 cept such as was given them from the order they were taken in, as 
 first, second, third, &c. These are the produce of the country I 
 speak of, and there are yet more than these peculiarly proper for 
 the merchant, as train oil and whalebone, though in no very great 
 quantity ; and pipestaves, of which many thousands are yearly 
 transported, with several other things, which, with some of those 
 before-named, will admit of much improvement. The industry 
 that now is used is but little : the few inhabitants, having a large 
 country before them, care not for more than from hand to mouth, 
 and therefore they take but little pains, and yet that little pro- 
 
10 
 
 NEW YORK IN 169 
 
 duces very good beer, bread, cider, wirr . peaches, cloth st 
 and beaver hats, a certain and sufficient sign how plentiful a. 
 beneficial a country it would be did but industrious art second 
 nature's bounty, and were but the inhabitants more in number 
 than at present they are. 
 
 Merchandizing in this country is a good employment, English 
 goods yielding in New York generally 100 per cent, advance 
 above the first cost, and some of them 200, 300, yea sometimes 
 400 : this makes so many in the city to follow it, that whosoever 
 looks on their shops would wonder, where there are so many to 
 sell, there should be any to buy. 
 
 This, joined to the healthfulness, pleasantness, and fruitfulness 
 thereof, are great encouragements to people rather to seek the 
 bettering of their fortunes here than elsewhere ; so that it may be 
 hoped that a little time will render the inhabitants more numerous 
 than at present they are. Do men expect profit in what they carry 
 with them to a foreign land ? — they need not fear it here, if their 
 goods but suit the country. Would they live in health 1 — no place 
 more likely to live so in, in this part of America. Would they 
 have plenty of necessaries for food and raiment 1 — New York, in 
 these, is not unkind ; but though a stepmother to those who come 
 from England, yet furnishes them as plentifully, if equally industri- 
 ous, as their natural country does those who stay behind. In short, 
 there is nothing wanting to make the inhabitants thereof happy 
 but some things which the country cannot help them in, nor yet is 
 guilty of the want thereof, to which either themselves do contri- 
 bute, or which their ill settlement, or worse government, has 
 introduced, and some things which the few years of their being a 
 province has not yet given any favourable opportunities for, nor 
 permitted to be settled among them ; which what they are I shall 
 next proceed to discover and speak of in the best method and order 
 that I can, and with as much brevity as the subject will conve- 
 niently admit of, after having first presented to the reader some 
 draughts or ground plots of the most remarkable places already 
 discoursed of, as you will perceive by considering these following 
 figures : — 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 11 
 
 Counties. 
 
 Churty.^s. 
 
 Ministers. 
 
 Families. 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 
 Chapel in the fort 
 Dutch Calvinists 
 Dutch Lutheran 
 French 
 
 Jews Synagogue 
 Haarlem 
 
 Dr. Selinus 
 
 Dr. Perot 
 Saul Brown 
 Dr. Selinus 
 
 90 
 450 
 . 30 
 200 
 
 20 
 
 25 
 
 English 40, Dissent- 
 ers 
 
 RICHMOND. 
 
 A Meeting House 
 
 Dr. Bonrepos 
 
 English 40 
 Dutch 44 
 French 36 
 
 KING'S. 
 
 Flatbush 
 Utretcht 
 Brookland 
 
 Dr. Varick, died Aug. 
 1694, and another 
 sent for May 27, 
 1695. 
 
 300 or 400, chiefly 
 Dutch. 
 
 GUEEN'S. 
 
 Jamaica 1 jyjgg^jj-, 
 Hampsted J Houses^ 
 JN evvtown j 
 
 Mr. Philips ^ without 
 Mr. Vesey > any 
 Mr. Mot J orders. 
 
 300 or 400 English, 
 most Dissenters,and 
 some Dutch. 
 
 SUFFOLK. 
 
 Eightor nine Meeting 
 Houses ; almost one 
 at every town. 
 
 Seven Ministers, Dis- 
 senters, Presbyte- 
 rian, or Independ- 
 ent. One lately 
 gone to Scotland. 
 
 500 or 600 English, 
 and Dissenters for 
 the most part. 
 
 WEST 
 CHESTER. 
 
 A Meeting House at 
 West Chester. 
 
 A young man coming 
 to settle there, with- 
 out orders. 
 
 200 or 300 Eno'lish 
 and Dissenters; few 
 Dutch. 
 
 ORANGE, 
 
 
 
 20, English andDutch. 
 
 
 
 
 30,EnglishandDutch. 
 
 lULSTERi 
 
 Dutch Calvinist, at 
 Kingstone, for five 
 or six towns. 
 
 A Minister to come, 
 his books brought 
 but he missed his 
 passage. 
 
 300, Dutch mostly; 
 some English and 
 French. 
 
 ALBANY. 
 
 Dutch Calvinist 
 Dutch Lutheran 
 Scanecthaile 
 Kinderhoeck. 
 
 Dr. Dellius. 
 
 A Dutch Minister 
 sent for. 
 
 400 or 500, Dutch, all 
 Calvinists, except 
 12 or 14 Lutherans. 
 
12 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 OF THE EVILS AND INCONVENIENCES IN NEW YORK. 
 
 Come we now to consider those things whicl\ I have said to be 
 either wanting or obstructive to the happiness of New York ; 
 and here I shall not speak of every slight and trivial matter, but 
 only those of more considerable importance, which I count to be 
 six. 1st, The wickedness and irreligion of the inhabitants ; 2d, 
 want of ministers ; 3d, difference of opinion in religion ; 4th, a 
 civil dissension; 5th, the heathenism of the Indians; and, 6th, the 
 neighbourhood of Canada : of every one of these I shall say some- 
 thing as shall be most material. 
 
 The first is the wickedness and irreligion of the inhabitants, 
 which abounds in all parts of the province, and appears in so many 
 shapes, constituting so many sorts of sin, that I can scarce tell 
 which to begin withal. But, as a great reason of and inlet to the 
 rest, I shall first mention the great negligence of divine things 
 that is generally found in most people, of what sect or party soever 
 they pretend to be : their eternal interests are their least concern, 
 and, as if salvation were not a matter of moment, when they have 
 opportunities of serving God they care not for making use thereof; 
 or, if they go to church, 'tis but too often out of curiosity, and to 
 find out faults in him that preacheth rather than to hear their own, 
 or, what is yet worse, to slight and deride where they should be 
 serious. If they have none of those opportunities, they are well 
 contented, and regard it little if there be any who seem otherwise 
 and discontented. Many of them, when they have them, make 
 appear by their actions 'twas but in show ; for though at first they 
 will pretend to have a great regard for God's ordinances, and a 
 high esteem for the ministry, whether real or pretended, a little time 
 will plainly evidence that they were more pleased at the novelty 
 than truly affected with the benefit, when they shght that which 
 they before seemingly so much admired, and speak evil of him who 
 before was the subject of their praise and commendation, and that 
 without any other reason than their own fickle temper and envious 
 humour. In a soil so rank as this, no marvel if the Evil One find 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 13 
 
 a ready entertainment for the seed he is minded to cast in ; and 
 from a people so inconstant, and regardless of heaven and holy 
 things, no wonder if God withdraw his grace, and give them up a 
 prey to those temptations which they so industriously seek to em- 
 brace : hence is it, therefore, that their natural corruption without 
 check or hinderance is, by frequent acts, improved into habits most 
 evil in the practice, and difficult in the correction. 
 
 One of which, and the first I am minded to speak of, is drunken- 
 ness, which, though of itself a great sin, is yet aggravated in that it 
 is an occasion of many others. 'Tis in this country a common thing, 
 even for the meanest persons, so soon as the bounty of God has 
 furnished them with a plentiful crop, to turn what they can as 
 soon as may be into money, and that money into drink, at the same 
 time when their family at home have nothing but rags to protect 
 their bodies from the winter's cold ; nay if the fruits of their planta- 
 tions be such as are by their own immediate labour convertible into 
 liquor, such as cider, perry, &c., they have scarce the patience to 
 stay till it is fit for drinking, but, inviting their pot-companions, 
 they all of them, neglecting whatsoever work they are about, set to 
 it together, and give not over till they have drunk it off. And to 
 these sottish engagements they will make nothing to ride ten or 
 twenty miles, and at the conclusion of one debauch another gener- 
 ally is appointed, except their stock of liquor fail them. Nor are 
 the mean and country people only guilty of this vice, but they are 
 equalled, nay surpassed, by many in the city of New York, whose 
 daily practice is to frequent the taverns, and to carouse and game 
 their night employment. This course is the ruin and destruction 
 of many merchants, especially those of the younger sort, who, 
 carrying over with them a stock, whether as factors, or on their 
 own account, spend, even to prodigality, till they find them- 
 selves bankrupt ere they are aware. 
 
 In a town where this course of life is led by many, 'tis no 
 wonder if there be other vices in vogue, because they are the na- 
 tural product of it, such are cursing and swearing, to both of which 
 people are here much accustomed ; some doing it in that frequent, 
 horrible, and dreadful manner as if they prided themselves both 
 as to the number and invention of them : this, joined with their pro- 
 
 c 
 
14 
 
 NKVV YORK IN 1695. 
 
 fane atheistical and scoffing method of discourse, inakes their com- 
 pany extremely uneasy to sober and religious men, who some- 
 times, by reason of their affairs, cannot help being of their society, 
 and becoming ear-witnesses of their blasphemy and foil}'. 'Tis 
 strange that men should engage themselves so foolishly, and run 
 into the commission of so great a sin unto which they have no 
 sufficient, often not a pretended, provocation, and from which they 
 reap no advantage nor any real pleasure : and yet we see them 
 even delight in it, and no discourse is thought witty or eloquent 
 except larded with oaths and execrations. Howsoever difficult 
 these sins may be to be corrected in a large and populous king- 
 dom, I should scarce think them so in a province, where the total 
 number of inhabitants will scarce equal the 64,000th (64th) part of 
 those who are computed to be in London ; nay, am sure they might, 
 be much hindered, were but the good laws made against them put 
 duly in execution. 
 
 'Tis an ordinary thing with vices that one of them introduces 
 another, and is a reason of their easy and common success; and so 
 we see it here. That where men drink to so high a pitch, and pamper 
 their debauched palates with the rich and most nourishing viands 
 the country affords, 'tis certain the flesh must grow high and re- 
 bellious, so as imperiously to command where it ought to obey ; nay, 
 not to be contented without variety, whatsoever obstacle or impedi- 
 ment lies in the way. Reason, that should rule and direct to 
 better things, is so far debauched, that she pretends to defend the 
 contrary; and by objecting the troubles and confinements of a 
 married state, and extolling the sweet and unconfined pleasures of 
 the wandering libertines, prevails with many not to think fornica- 
 tion, nay, not adultery, dangerous sins, but rather to be chosen than 
 lawful wedlock, the proper and really sufficient (though not to de- 
 bauched and pampered bodies) ren)edy for the hinderance of these 
 evils . I say it is a proper and sufficient remedy if duly practised, 
 and according to law and reason, which in New York it is not; 
 because, 
 
 1st. There are many couples live together without ever being 
 married in any manner of way ; many of whom, after they have 
 lived some years so, quarrel, and, thereupon separa,ting, take unto 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 15 
 
 themselves, either in New York or some other province, new com- 
 panions ; but, grant they do not so, how can such expect that God 
 should bless them together while they live in open contempt of his 
 holy ordinance ? 
 
 2d. Those who in earnest do intend to be married together are 
 in so much haste, that, commonly, enjoyment precedes the marriage, 
 to which they seldom come till a great belly puts it so forward, 
 that they must either submit to that, or to shame and disgrace 
 which they avoid by marriage ; ante-nuptial fornication, where 
 that succeeds, being not looked upon as any scandal or sin at all. 
 
 3d. There is no sufficient provision for the marrying of people 
 in this province, the most that are married here being married by 
 justices of the peace, for which there neither is nor can be in New 
 York any law : on this account, many looking upon it as no mar- 
 riage at all, and being easily induced to think it so when they find 
 themselves pinched by the contract, think it no great matter to 
 divorce themselves, as they term it, and marry to others where 
 they can best, and according to their own liking. Whether this 
 manner of marrying by justices of the peace be a sufficient engage- 
 ment to the married couple to live together, is to me a matter not 
 disputable ; and, in the meanwhile, the scandal and evil that flows 
 from hence is very great : and I myself know at this time a man 
 who fills the place and exercises the office of a minister and school- 
 master in the island of Barbadoes that was married to a woman of 
 New York by a justice of peace, and, after falling out with her, 
 betook himself to another woman, whom he got with child, and went 
 afterwards to Barbadoes, where, if he be not married to her, at 
 least he lives with her as though she were his wife ; the woman 
 the meantime continuing in New York, was soon after married to 
 another man. 
 
 4th. Supposing the way of marrying were lawful, yet many jus- 
 tices are so ignorant or mean-spirited, or both, that thereby it comes 
 to pass they are often prevailed upon to marry a couple together 
 that are either one or both of them engaged or married to other 
 persons : an eminent instance hereof I knew in New York. A 
 woman, dissolute in manners, not liking to live with her husband, 
 contracted herself to another person, and came with him to a justice 
 of peace to be married. The justice, knowing the woman to be the 
 
16 NEW YORK IX 1695 
 
 wife of another man, refused at first to marry them; but they, un- 
 derstanding he had offended in the like matter before, threatened 
 to acquaint the Governor therewith, if he would not marry them 
 also ; which, rather than hazard, he granted their request ; thus 
 offending the first time through ignorance, and the second through 
 fear. I came to know of it by this means : — the woman thus mar- 
 ried outliving her second husband, had inveigled the son of an 
 honest woman of Nassau Island to marry her, her first husband 
 yet living : his mother, looking upon such a match as his ruin, 
 sought all she could to hinder it, and, as her last refuge, came to 
 me, desiring me to do what I could that he might not have a license 
 out of the Secretary's office, which I obstructed by entering a ca- 
 veat, and so prevented it for that time ; and what is done in it since 
 I cannot tell : but this am sure of, that the too frequent practice of 
 this evil is such as loudly calls for redress and amendment. 
 
 The great encouragement for gaining a livelihood that is given 
 to people in this province, where whosoever will take pains may 
 have land enough whereon to raise an estate for themselves and 
 heirs, and the mean accommodations or at least the no great riches, 
 of the first inhabitants, have been the reason that thieving and rob- 
 bing has been very little practised in this country. But now, of 
 late, since some people are become wealthy enough to purchase and 
 have by them what is worth the taking away, and that the out- 
 parts of the province (where the best land is) towards Canada are 
 so harassed by the French and their Indians, that men are fearful 
 to plant and dwell there, and that people are fallen into so great 
 debauchery and idleness, thieving is become more frequent; and 
 many considerable robberies have been committed in my time in 
 New York, to the great discouragement of industrious people, and 
 increase of vice and sin. There are many other wickednesses 
 which I might speak of as wanting redress, but there is no need of 
 enlarging on their account; for, were these of greater note already 
 spoken of discouraged, the rest would of themselves fall to no- 
 thing. 
 
17 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OF THE MINISTRY, AND DEFICIENCY THEREIN. 
 
 A SECOND and great inconveniency this province suffers under 
 is in relation to a ministry ; for it is most certain, that where there 
 are persons of some repute and authority living, who give good 
 example by their sober lives and conversations, and diligence in 
 their duty, sin is mightily discouraged, and religion and virtue gain 
 ground upon her daily, and increase and flourish ; and that, where 
 there are none such, vice has a free course, and religion continually 
 decays, and, what by the negligence of men, and the malice and 
 subtilty of the enemy of all, goodness runs to ruin. Now, in New 
 York, there are either 
 
 1, No ministers at all, that is, of the settled and established reli- 
 gion of the nation, and of such there is not, oftentimes, one in the 
 whole province ; nor at any time, except the Chaplain to his 
 Majesty's forces in New York, that does discharge, or pretend to 
 discharge, the dut}^ of a minister, and, he being but one, cannot do 
 it everywhere ; nay, but in very few places but New York itself; 
 and being necessitated sometimes to go to England, it happens that 
 both the garrison and city are without a minister a year toge- 
 ther. It happens, also, that he is often changed, which is not with- 
 out its inconveniences, but proves ver}' prejudicial to religion in 
 many cases, as is easy to instance : besides, while he does his duty 
 among them, he shall experience their gratitude but very little, 
 and be sure to meet with a great many discouragements, except, in- 
 stead of reprehending and correcting, he will connive at and soothe 
 people in their sinful courses. 
 
 2, Or secondly, if there be any ministers, they are such as only 
 call themselves so, and are but pretended ministers ; many of them 
 have no orders at all, but set up for themselves of their own head 
 and authority ; or, if they have orders, are Presbyterians, Indepen- 
 dents, &c. Now, all these have no other encouragement for the 
 pains they pretend to take than the voluntary contributions of the 
 people, or, at best, a salary by agreement and subscription, which 
 yet they shall not enjoy, except they take more care to please the 
 
18 NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 humours and delight the fancies of their hearers, than to preach up 
 true religion and a christian life : hence it comes to pass that the 
 people live very loosely, and they themselves very poorly, at best, 
 if they are not forced for very necessity, and by the malice of some 
 of their hearers, to forsake their congregations. Besides being of 
 different persuasions, and striving to settle such sentiments as they 
 indulge themselves in in the hearts of those who are under their 
 ministry, they do more harm, in distracting and dividing the peo- 
 ple, than good in the amending their lives and conversations. 
 
 3, Or thirdly, if there be, or have been any ministers, and those 
 ministers of the Church of England, they have been here, and are in 
 other provinces, many of them, such as, being of a vicious life and 
 conversation, have played so many vile pranks, and shewn such an 
 ill light, as has been very prejudicial to religion in general, and the 
 Church of England in particular ; or else they have been such as, 
 though sober, yet have been very young, and so, instead of doing 
 good, have been easily drawn into the commission of evil, and be- 
 come as scandalous as those last mentioned. Now though, as to this 
 last charge, I must not be conceived to speak so much in relation to 
 New York as the other English plantations, because there has been 
 generally, from time to time, but one minister at a time as Chaplain 
 to their Majesties forces there, yet is not New York wholly un- 
 concerned herein, since, there having been several chaplains suc- 
 cessive to one another, some have not so carried themselves as 
 to be, and that deservedly, without blame : besides, three that I 
 know of have come by the by, whose either life or knowledge, or 
 both, have not been commendable; and, as I am informed, there 
 is one there now, and another going from Barbadoes, the former 
 not free from all exception, and the latter lying under very great 
 scandal. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 OF DIFFERENCE IN RELIGION. 
 
 The province of New York being peopled by several nations, 
 there are manifold and different opinions of religion among them ; 
 as to which, though there are but very few of any sect who are either 
 
NEW YORK IN 1G95. 
 
 19 
 
 real or intelligent, yet several ol' the partizans of each sort have every- 
 one such a desire of being uppermost, and increasing the number of 
 their own party, that they not only thereby make themselves unhappy 
 by destroying true piety, and setting up instead thereof a fond heat 
 and blind zeal for they know not what, but also industriously obstruct 
 the settlement of the established religion of the nation, which only 
 can make them happy ; and have hitherto, either by their craft 
 and cunning, or their money, prospered in their designs ; and to 
 do thus they have but too much pretence, from the scandalous lives 
 of some ministers — the matter considered under the former head. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 OF THE CIVIL DIVISION. 
 
 I SHALL, in the fourth place, reckon as not a small unhappiness 
 to the province of New York the division in the civil state hap- 
 pening on this occasion. When his present gracious Majesty came 
 into England to redeem us from Popery and arbitrary power, the 
 news of his success arriving in New England, put some people 
 there upon overturning the government, which they effected : how 
 just their reasons and proceedings were is not my business to inquire, 
 but this action of theirs put the inhabitants of New York upon the 
 like project. Colonel Nicholson, the then Lieutenant Governor, 
 and the council, thought it best to attend orders what they should 
 do from England; and in the meanwhile, the Colonel, to free 
 the people from all jealousies and fears, permitted daily a propor- 
 tionable part of the city train-bands to have the guard of the fort 
 with the King's soldiers. But Mr. Jacob Leysler, a man of small 
 beginnings, but thence grown a merchant, and about this time 
 decaying in his fortune, and others of his party, were no ways con- 
 tented with this moderate course proposed, but, pretending fears 
 of being sold or given to the French, and terming all Papists, or 
 popishly affected, who did not favour his designs, seized upon the 
 fort and government too, in the management of which he did many 
 good things ; and, if people say truth, was guilty of doing many 
 things that were irregular, and some very bad, as unlawfully im- 
 
20 
 
 NEW YORK FN 1695. 
 
 prisoning the King's subjects, taking away their goods by force, 
 designing to kill the natural English and all who joined with them, 
 man, woman, and child, &c. ; so that when Colonel Slaughter 
 came over in March 1691, he and one Mr. Milburn his son-in- 
 law, who had greatly counselled and assisted him in his designs, 
 were tried for their lives and condemned, and, what is more, hanged, 
 to the great sorrow and regret of their whole party, who have 
 vowed revenge, and, some say, want but an opportunity to effect 
 their purpose. I shall not pretend here to inquire into the real 
 intentions or actions of Leysler's party, or those who were against 
 them, neither into the truth of those things which the one party 
 allege against the other ; but only say, that, having considered 
 what I have seen done and heard said on the one side and on the 
 other, I do believe that there were some of either side who sought 
 in what they did their own advantage ; many who truly did intend 
 his Majesty's service ; and many who blindly followed the leading 
 men, neither considering what they did, nor whether they led them ; 
 and that these injuries, done by either side to their opposites, have 
 made a most unhappy division and breach among them, which 
 will hardly of a long time admit of cure, except some very prudent 
 and moderate method be used for that purpose more than has 
 already been put in practice. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OF THE HEATHENISM OF THE INDIANS. 
 
 The next thing in this province blameable is the heathenism of 
 the natural Indians, who here, in the very heart of a Christian country, 
 practise their barbarous and devilish customs and modes of worship, 
 notwithstanding it is now sixty years and more since Christians 
 first inhabited this country, and thirty years since the English 
 were possessed thereof. Indeed, there is something to be said in 
 excuse hereof, that is, the unsettledness of the country for a long 
 time, the several changes of government it has undergone, and 
 the small number of the English at present ; and something to be 
 objected, that is, that it would be first reasonable to settle religion 
 
NRW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 21 
 
 among those who are professed Christians before we pretend to 
 the conversion and settlement of the Indians. To which I answer, 
 that, as what is passed must be excused, since it can't be helped, 
 so, I see no reason in the objection, because a sufficient provision 
 may be made, that one thing may be done and the other not left 
 undone; especially when the Indians are so inclinable to receive 
 the Christian faith, as they have made appear they are, both by that 
 considerable number of the Mohawks whom Dr. Dellius has con- 
 verted, (though by a method not so exact and prevalent as might 
 be used,) and those Oneides converted to Popery by the Jesuit 
 Millet, much to the advantage of the French, who have debauched 
 so many of our Indians as they have made Christians, and obliged, 
 by so doing, some of our Mohawks so much, that one of them, as 
 I have heard, having run away from us to them, and, thereupon, 
 being upbraided with his infidelity in forsaking his old friends, in 
 his own defence made answer, that he had lived long among the 
 English, but they had never all that while had so much love for 
 him as to instruct him in the concerns of his soul, and shew him 
 the way to salvation, which the French had done upon their first 
 acquaintance with him ; and, therefore, he was obliged to love 
 and be faithful to them, and engage as many of his nation as he 
 could to go along with him and to partake of the same knowledge 
 and instructions that were afforded and imparted to him, so that it 
 appears to be a work not only of great charity but of almost abso- 
 lute necessity to endeavour the conversion of the five nations and 
 other Indians, lest they be wholly debauched by the French, and 
 become, by God's just permission, for our neglect therein, of faith- 
 ful and true friends, as they have been hitherto, most dangerous 
 and cruel enemies. 
 
 D 
 
2-2 
 
 chaptf:r v^ii. 
 
 OF CANADA. 
 
 CanadAj although not in this province, but far distant from it, is 
 yet a great enemy to the peace and happiness of it. First, as it is the 
 reason why the most fruitful part thereof lies at present waste, for- 
 saken by its former inhabitants, and hindered as to its future im- 
 provements. Second, as it is the reason why His Majesty and the 
 remainder of this province are at great charges in maintaining 
 Albany and the frontiers against the insults of the French and their 
 Indians. Third, as they debauch our Indians from their fidelity, 
 and instruct them in popery, both which at present are, and here- 
 after will be, much to the damage of this province : add hereunto 
 that, by the damage they do to the other provinces [of] New Eng- 
 land, and are at all times ready to do, they put the king of England 
 and his subjects to a great deal more charge to defend themselves 
 than the king of France, or the jesuits (if it be their country, as 
 some say it is) are at to defend Canada against us, though we are 
 in all more than twenty times their number ; besides, the governors 
 of New York that have been from time to time have so often pro- 
 mised our Indians, to encourage them to continue the war, that they 
 would send for ships from England to come and wholly subdue and 
 conquer Canada, that they, seeing they do not come, and that Sir 
 Francis Wheeler, when at Boston, attempted nothing, begin to be 
 discontented, and to charge the governor with breach of promise, and 
 are very wavering in their fidelity and friendship towards the 
 English ; so that it appears a matter highly requisite to be endea- 
 voured to conquer and subdue Canada, and that before it grow 
 stronger in fortifications than at present it is ; and, indeed, it is a 
 shame it should not be effected, when we so much exceed them in 
 strength in those parts, and when, if it please God to prosper us 
 therein, we shall not only be freed from the charges which at pre- 
 sent every province is at, more or less, but Canada may be so 
 settled that it may be a great addition of strength and wealth to 
 the English in America, without being, in a little time, any charge, 
 but rather a benefit to the crown, as by a method to be laid down 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 23 
 
 for the subduing and re-settlement of it, shall, as J trust, in due time 
 and place appear. And now I have finished the consideration of 
 the province of New York, and of those things therein or relating 
 thereto which, being of greater moment or consequence, are worthy 
 of blame and correction ; and shall now lay down the means and 
 method which I conceive proper for the remedying thereof, and 
 thereby of advantaging and improving the country, which I shall 
 do in three chapters : the first treating of the more general means ; 
 the second containing a particular method for the conversion of 
 the Indians ; and the third proposing a way for the subduing and 
 resettlement of Canada. 
 
 CHAPTER VJll. 
 
 OF THE MORE GENERAL MEANS FOR (XJRRECTING THE EVILS 
 
 IN NEW YORK. 
 
 The great, most proper, and as I conceive effectual, means to 
 remedy and prevent all the disorders I have already mentioned, 
 and promote the settlement and improvement of religion and unity, 
 both among the English subjects that are already Christians and 
 the Indians supposed to be made so, is, that his Majesty will gra- 
 ciously please to send over a bishop to the province of New York, 
 who, if duly qualified, impowered, and settled, may, with the as- 
 sistance of a small force for the subduing of Canada, by God's 
 grace and blessing be author of great happiness, not only to New 
 York in particular, but to all the English plantations on that part 
 of the continent of America in general. I doubt not but this pro- 
 posal may, at first sight, seem very strange and unlikely to be ef- 
 fected; but if what follows be duly weighed and considered, 1 
 believe it will not appear wholly unreasonable. 
 
 It has heretofore been usual in England, when and where the 
 dioceses have been so large that the bishop alone could not suffice 
 for the government thereof, to adjoin to him one or more suffragan 
 bishops, each of which were wont to execute such power, jurisdic- 
 tion, and authority, and receive such profits as were limited in their 
 connnission by the bishop or disocesan whose suflragans they were. 
 
24 
 
 NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 Such an one, I humbly conceive, might be very well sent over to the 
 north-east part of America, to be there and act as suffragan to my Lord 
 of London. To do this, as I doubt not his Majesty's power, so I 
 cannot think my Lord of London will be unwilling ; and I am sure 
 the great distance of the country, being 3000 miles from England, 
 the largeness of the provinces considered altogether, and number 
 of the people, with the other particulars already mentioned, do suf- 
 ficiently require it. In hopes, therefore, that such a proposal as 
 this will meet with good entertainment, or with a charitable and 
 candid construction, at the least, among those who can best pro- 
 mote it, I sliall proceed to mention some things which will much 
 conduce to the bishop's better entertainment and success. 
 
 And, first, I shall speak of his personal qualifications; second, of 
 the place of his residence; third, of the powers to be committed to 
 him; and, fourth, of the provision to be made for his maintenance. 
 
 1. — Among his personal qualifications I must, in the first place, 
 reckon his age, his learning, and his piety, which, being par- 
 ticulars not fit for me to speak of, I shall pass them by, and leave 
 them to the prudent judgment and determination of that pious 
 prelate whose suffragan he is to be. But because I am something 
 acquainted with the humours ar)d inclinations of the inhabitants of 
 that country, I shall make bold to add, that it is requisite he be 
 a person of an obliging temper and conversation, who, having 
 power to compel, will rather persuade and win to obedience by 
 kind acts and generous usage ; one whose deportment must vindi- 
 cate his person and place from contempt, and yet must be, when 
 occasions require, so meek, complaisant, and free, that even the 
 meanest may not have reason to count him proud. One whose 
 generous soul must always aim at good and laudable actions, and 
 whose humility and love to virtue must be so great and real as 
 that he will not think much to submit to low condescensions, 
 inferior means, and continual pains to bring a pious and possible 
 design to perfection : one that can so justly esteem of riches as to 
 think it a necessary care to manage his income well, that he may 
 have wherewithal to forward and encourage a good work, and yet 
 so little affect and love them, as freely to part with them to pious 
 and charitable uses; and, lastly, one that will both constantly 
 practise those eminent notes of true Christianity, love and charity, 
 
NEW YOliK IN 1695. 
 
 25 
 
 liiniself, and promote them among all those who call themselves 
 disciples of the crucified Jesus. 
 
 2. — The place of his residence, as I have already intimated, will 
 most properly be in the province and city of New York, for which 
 there are several reasons : — first, the healthfulness of the couutry, 
 the air being clear and pure, and the climate most agreeable to an 
 English constitution, so that few or none contract diseases on that 
 account, but many are freed from them ; second, because a main- 
 tenance will be more easily settled for him in this province than in 
 any other, after the manner I shall presently set down; third, because 
 this is the most proper place to begin a reformation of disorders 
 in, which are here greater than any where else, and yet will be 
 more easily regulated ; and to settle the government of the church 
 of England, a matter whose foundation being already laid, though 
 at present hindered, will yet, with a little pains, be put into a good 
 forwardness ; fourth, for the site of it, this country is as much as 
 may be in the midst of all the other English plantations, so that a 
 bishop being placed therein, his good influences and care will be 
 readily dispensed for the benefit of every part ; fifth, because there 
 are already such forces in this province, that is, 300 soldiers in his 
 Majesty's pay, as will be sufficient to awe troublesome and prag- 
 matical spirits, if there be any so bold as to endeavour to make 
 any disturbance upon his going over. 
 
 3. — The power and authority requisite for him are these follow- 
 ing : — first, that he be consecrated bishop by the archbishop, and 
 duly impowered by my Lord of London, so that he may act as 
 suffragan bishop to him, not only in New York, but also in all 
 the English provinces in that part of America ; second, that his 
 Majesty, uniting the provinces of New York, Connecticut, New 
 Jersey, and Rhode Island into one government, will please to send 
 him over governor thereof, allowing him all the powers and pri- 
 vileges granted usually to the governors of New York, with power 
 also to go out of his province so often as he shall think good to 
 visit the other provinces as bishop only, and to constitute, not only 
 for the time of his absence but if he see necessary at all other 
 times, a lieutenant governor under him. 
 
 Note, that this union of the four governments proposed is not of 
 absolute neces.sity, only of great convenience, so that it may be 
 
26 x\EW YOKK IN 1695. 
 
 omitted (especially if Canada be subdued), and the bishop be 
 made governor of New York only, with the powers and privileges 
 before mentioned. 
 
 4. — That a maintenance may not be wanting suitable to his 
 place and the great ends he is to promote, neither for the present 
 nor future, it is requisite, 
 
 First, That if his Majesty is pleased to unite the four govern- 
 ments into one, that then he will please also to allow the bishop, as 
 governor thereof, £1500 per annum, out of which a reasonable part 
 or portion shall be paid to the lieutenant governor ; or if New 
 York be continued as it is at present, and he sent over as governor 
 thereof only, that then his Majesty will please to allow him c£1000 
 per ann. salary (out of which the lieutenant governor to have a 
 reasonable part), and all the other profits, benefits, and privileges 
 which the present governor of New York enjoys; and also leave 
 and power to search for (if he please) and open royal mines, as of 
 silver, etc., if he can find any such, either in Connecticut, Rhode 
 Island, New York, or New Jersey, on condition that in so doing 
 he make use of the service of negroes only, and to pay to his 
 Majesty such a proportion of the metal as, the charges and good- 
 ness of the ore considered, shall seem reasonable. 
 
 Second, That, to make up the abatement of his salary by that 
 part allowed the lieutenant governor, his Majesty will please, so 
 soon as opportunity presents, to give him some considerable pre- 
 ferment in England that does not require his personal residence. 
 
 Third, That his Majesty will please to allow him all licenses of 
 marriage and probates of wills, and other things usually belonging 
 to the bishops of England, and at present withheld from my lord 
 of London, and these to be given to himself as bishop, and those 
 who shall be sent after him to serve in that station, now only in 
 the province of New York and its dependencies, but hereafter in 
 the other provinces also, so soon as religion shall come to be fully 
 established therein : these particulars, if granted, will well suffice 
 for a present maintenance; but then we must not neglect to pro- 
 pose a method of providing and settling a future maintenance that 
 may be peculiar to himself as bishop, when he is so only, not con- 
 stituted governor, as at present he is supposed to be, but when 
 some other gentleman is sent over in that station, that he may 
 
NF.W YOHK [N 1695. 
 
 27 
 
 then have wherewithal to maintain his family and keep up hospi- 
 tality. Besides what [is] already considered, that will then remain to 
 him, these further particulars are necessary to be put in practice : — 
 
 1. That his Majesty will please to give him the farm in New 
 York, commonly called the king's farm, for a seat for himself and 
 successors, which, though at present a very ordinary thing, yet will 
 it admit of considerable improvement; and since this farm, renting 
 at present for sixty bushels of wheat per annum, in the whole at 
 four shillings per bushel, amounting to £12 New York money, is 
 at present an advantage to the governor, that I may not seem not 
 to care how much I impoverish the governor so I enrich the bishop, 
 I further propose that the bishop be obliged, when himself is not 
 governor, to render an equivalent to the present rent, either by 
 giving yearly so many loads of hay, or by settling so much land 
 where he please, within two miles of New York, as shall be suffi- 
 cient for that purpose, or to pay the sum of money itself, which 
 shall be best approved of. 
 
 2. That his Majesty will please, by letters patent, to grant him 
 the propriety of the Mohawks land, that is, so much thereof as is 
 now unpurchased of the Indians, on condition that the first improve- 
 ment he makes thereof shall be to settle in one or two towns, as 
 shall seem best, 100 English families, on 5000 or 6000 acres of 
 good land, the whole to be settled on himself as bishop, and his 
 successors ; and, for his encouragement, so to do with all the other 
 land to be improved by him afterwards, as shall be best for the par- 
 ticular benefit and advantage of himself and heirs. 
 
 And that the Bishop may be the better furnished for some par- 
 ticular works of charity, such as converting the Indians, building 
 churches, settling houses and a maintenance for ministers, etc., it is 
 further humbly proposed — 
 
 1. That his Majesty, the Bishops, and other charitably dis- 
 posed gentlemen, will please to make some contributions towards 
 building a church in New York. 
 
 2. That his Majesty, and my Lord of London, will please to 
 give him the best authority and directions that may be for the ob- 
 taining a part of the revenue settled in New England for convert- 
 ing the Indians, such as shall be thought convenient. 
 
 3. That his Majesty will please to allow a chaplain to the sol- 
 
28 
 
 NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 diers at Albany in particular (to be paid out of the advance of their 
 pay) who are lately gone over, and to be sometimes changed with 
 him at New York. 
 
 4. Lastly, it is necessary that the Bishop carry over with him 
 five or six sober young ministers, with bibles and prayer books, and 
 other things convenient for churches, as shall be thought best. 
 
 Whosoever goes over with these powers, qualifications, and sup- 
 plies, shall in a short time (through God's assistance) be able to 
 make a great progress in the settlement of religion, and the correc- 
 tion of vice and debauchery in those countries ; and, to be a little 
 more particular, — 
 
 1. To those several vices of irreligion, drunkenness, cursing and 
 swearing, fornication and adultery, thieving, and other evils accom- 
 panying them — 'he may put a stop by causing the good laws of Eng- 
 land already made to be put in execution, and by providing others 
 where those seem or are deficient ; and also, 
 
 2. Which will remedy likewise the second head of inconveni- 
 ences, want of a ministry, by settling ministers in those towns 
 already provided for by Act of Assembly in some measure, and, as 
 he best can, by supplying them with what is wanting, both for their 
 private necessities and for the public exercise of religion, as allotting 
 to them or purchasing for them glebe lands, promoting the building 
 of churches, ministers' houses, settling schools with salaries, &c. by 
 endeavouring, so soon as may be, to provide for other places which 
 are not provided for by that act, by exhorting, and, where good ad- 
 vice and persuasions will not prevail, by compelling, ministers to 
 live piously and soberly, and give a good example to their flocks. 
 
 3. By not suffering any justice of peace to marry in the province 
 within ten miles of the place where any minister dwells, and en- 
 deavouring to promote the establishment of the like law in other 
 provinces where it may conveniently be done, by causing the 
 ministers and churchwardens to keep registers of all christenings, 
 buryings, and marriages, according as in England is by law ap- 
 pointed, and always to take great care to prevent the marrying of 
 anv persons who are either one or both of them already engaged 
 or married to others. 
 
 4. And where this is duly taken care of, another inconveniency 
 will be well provided for. Men, although at present of many and 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 29 
 
 different opinions, yet may be reconciled, in a great measure, by a 
 pious and prudent ministry, who will seek to reduce them by good 
 exhortations, to oblige them by neighbourly and charitable kind- 
 nesses, to encourage them by their own practice to live in the 
 fear of God, and in brotherly love and unity one with another. 
 
 5. And though this method will greatly help towards the removal 
 of the fourth inconveniency, yet it will not be completed without 
 the assistance of his civil authority ; that is, by causing a proclama- 
 tion, or, if it seem necessary, an Act of Assembly, to be made, 
 prohibiting all people to reproach any person for having been of 
 Leysler's or the contrary party ; to vex or sue one another in law 
 for any evils suffered in those times, or since ; or to do any thing 
 that may tend to the widening the breach or continuing the re- 
 membrance thereof, commanding them to forget things past, and 
 to forgive one another ; to live in peace, and to associate together 
 as they did before that division, and as if such a thing had never 
 happened : and by shewing himself indifferent to both parties, en- 
 couraging equally those of them who shew themselves honest and 
 virtuous, and truly well affected to his Majesty's interest. Thus 
 may these several inconveniencies already mentioned be well re- 
 dressed ; but as for the conversion of the Indians, and the conquest 
 of Canada, they will require, each of them, a particular chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 OF CONVERTING THE INDIANS. 
 
 When I speak of converting the Indians, by Indians I mean, 
 principally, those five nations which lie between Albany and Ca- 
 nada, and are called, — 1, Mohawks or Maquaes ; 2, Oneides; 3, 
 Chiugas ; 4, Onundages ; and 5, Penecas : of whom tho' most of 
 the Mohawks are converted to Christianity by Dr. Dellius, and 
 some of the Oneides by the Jesuit Millet ; yet the first not being yet 
 established in any good order at all, and the last being converted to 
 popery, I look upon the work as yet wholly to be done ; and if 
 what has been already done is not a disadvantage to it, yet that 
 
 E 
 
30 NEM^ YORK IN 1695. 
 
 little advantage is gained thereby, except a demonstration of the 
 inclination of the Indians to embrace the Christian religion. And 
 though I mention only the five nations, yet do I not speak of them 
 so as excluding all other septs and nations of them ; no — for I hope 
 this, once performed and brought to a good pass, may be as a ground- 
 work to the conversion of all the rest, as opportunity shall present ; 
 yea, possibly may be improved so far as to render this part of the 
 continent truly civilized, speaking the English language, and sub- 
 mitting to his Majesty's government. And to begin, — 
 
 First. — That the person who undertakes this work should be a 
 person of great authority, ability, and power, that he may the 
 better persuade with them, and be the more respected, and abler 
 to go through with such a matter, are things of so great advantage, 
 that if they were not things already provided for, do deserve cer- 
 tainly to be put in the first place; but it being proposed that the 
 bishop himself who shall be sent over be the main-spring and 
 mover in this work, I therefore, without saying more thereof, add. 
 Second. — That when he goes out of England he carry over with 
 him one Dutch and English dictionary, interleaved with white 
 paper; paper of several sorts and in considerable quantity, for 
 writing and printing books thereon ; nails, iron, glass, and lead, 
 for the churches and ministers' houses; tools for joiners, carpenters, 
 masons, and glaziers, in such quantities as shall be thought conve- 
 nient, or at least as the monies given for that purpose will allow. 
 
 Third. — That after his arrival there, he, with two other minis- 
 ters whom he shall best approve of to be his assistants, set to 
 learning that Indian language which is best understood by all the 
 five nations ; and for that purpose send for, and entertain in some 
 employment about him, Mr. Arnhout, of Albany, the chief inter- 
 preter between the English and the ludians, who will be a great 
 help to him in composing a dictionary, and learning the language ; 
 and get an Indian Bible and grammar from Boston, which will be 
 likewise of some advantage to him. 
 
 Fourth. — That after he can speak Indian well, and translate 
 elegantly, he then, as opportunity shall best present, call all the 
 five nations together, and endeavour, in a discourse composed for 
 that purpose, to instruct them, and, by the best arguments he can, 
 to persuade them to embrace the Christian faith and be baptized ; 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 31 
 
 in which if it please God he succeeds, as there is great hopes he 
 may, then — 
 
 1st. — To desire of the five nations so many sober young men 
 of each nation as he shall think convenient to live with him some 
 time, and learn to read and write in their own language, and also 
 to speak the English tongue, and read and write in the same ; and 
 some others, in number about twelve, to learn the trades of joinery, 
 carpentry, masonry, and glazing ; and, in the meantime, while they 
 are learning these things, one of the two ministers shall be ap- 
 pointed to instruct the Indians in Christianity, as may best be 
 done, and to bring over those who do not consent upon the first 
 proposal. 
 
 2d. — While the other minister is learning the young Indians 
 to read, etc. himself, with his assistance, may translate, as of the 
 greatest use and necessity, the Common Prayer Book, the thirty -nine 
 Articles, the Whole Duty of Man, and Patrick's Psalms; and then 
 afterwards, as they best may, ( ) Short explanation of the 
 
 Church Catechism, Dr. Hammond's Catechism, some short pre- 
 paratory form for receiving the holy communion, a morning and 
 evening Prayer for private persons, and a Primer for children, with 
 a short morning and evening Prayer, and Graces before and after 
 meat ; so many copies of each to be printed as shall be thought 
 convenient, and no other book besides them to be translated or 
 printed in the Indian language, especially not the Bible, that the 
 Indians, through a desire to read them, may be stirred up to learn 
 the English language, and so at length may be induced to exchange 
 that for their own ; for otherwise, the Indian nations being so many, 
 it will be almost an impossible work to convert them and provide 
 for their civilizing and instruction. 
 
 3d. — After the young men can read and write well, and are 
 acquainted with our language, customs, and religious service, the 
 manner and way thereof (in which they, as also those put to trades, 
 are to be inured as much as may be), and admitted to holy orders, 
 then to dispose of them, settling one in every castle, except where 
 two small castles are near to one another, for both which one may 
 well suffice ; and, for their better settlement, to cause to be built a 
 church, a minister's house, and large room adjoining to it for a 
 
32 NI'W YORK IN 1605 
 
 school, of wood or stone, as shall seem best and cheapest, (in which 
 work the labour of those who learn trades will be very helpful) ; 
 and after those things are perfected, gathering all the heads of the 
 five nations together, to cause a maintenance by land to be settled 
 for their ministry, that is, the tenth part of their profit or income 
 by hunting, fishing, fowling, etc., and of their corn and other 
 fruits of the earth, with some peculiar advantages upon the account 
 of their being schoolmasters, as it is intended they shall be. 
 Those who are instructed in trades are to live among their country- 
 men, to teach them their arts; and that they may find employ- 
 ment, they are to be put upon building houses after the English 
 manner, keeping cattle and fowls, ploughing the ground, and 
 imitating the English in their other trades, ways of living, and 
 customs, and one thing after another, that so, by degrees they may 
 leave off their savage ways and become civilized, which, except it 
 can be effected, it will signify but little to plant religion among them ; 
 therefore, so many other young sober Indians as shall be thought 
 convenient may be taken in the places of those who are settled as 
 ministers, and taught and instructed after the same manner they 
 were, and put in their places too so soon as fit for it, either when 
 any of them prove debauched, or improve not in knowledge, 
 or neglect their duty (who in that case shall again be under 
 instruction for their amendment or better information), or where 
 any of them prove of eminent parts above the rest, and more sober 
 and religious, who shall then be encouraged and allowed fit helps 
 and instructions for the promoting the conversion of their neigh- 
 bouring nations, which they may well do with the assistance of an 
 English minister or two and the countenance of the bishop ; and so 
 in a few years, if this method be duly prosecuted, all the Indians 
 on this part of the continent may, as 'tis to be hoped, be converted 
 to Christianity ; and, when they are civilized, may easily be in- 
 duced to submit to the English government by the bishop, whom 
 they must needs look upon, respect, and obey as their spiritual 
 father, and One who will, to be sure, advise them as shall be most 
 for their real benefit and welfare. And when they come to such a 
 pass as that way can be made and means settled for arts and 
 sciences to flourish among them, there is no doubt but many of 
 
NEW YIJKK IN 1695. 
 
 33 
 
 them will become men of sufficient learning so that they may be 
 instructed in the way of preaching, and have the full government 
 and service of the Church of England settled among them, or ac- 
 quainted with our laws, so as to be made magistrates, and govern 
 the people by our statutes instead of their own rude and barbarous 
 customs. The first of which when perfected, as it will be a great 
 credit to the Church of England, so will the other be of great ad- 
 vantage to the civil state thereof; and both, I hope, tend to the 
 glory of God and the eternal felicity of immortal souls. 
 
 But, till these designs can be fully accomplished, we must be 
 contented to insist upon a method of religion that, though not com- 
 plete as it should be, is yet such as the beginnings of Christianity 
 among them will bear, and as is proper for weak teachers and 
 ignorant hearers, and that to be this that follows : — 
 
 The ministers' duty in general among them is to be this : to pray 
 for them, to read and administer the sacraments to them, to teach 
 their children to read and to write, and speak English and trreiy 
 catechism, and to be thus ordered : 
 
 1st. He is to read Common Prayer among them (the lessons out 
 of the Bible excepted) every Sunday and holyday, both morning 
 and evening, 
 
 2d. On Easter Sunday, Whitsunday, the third Sunday in 
 September, and on Christmas-day, after Common Prayer read in 
 the morning and a psalm sung, he shall read to the people the 
 thirty-nine articles of religion, and every other Sunday one por- 
 tion of " The Whole Duty of Man," as they shall fall in order, and, 
 when the whole is read out, shall begin again. 
 
 3d. Every first Sunday of the month, and on Good Friday, 
 Easter-day, Whitsunday, and Christmas-day, he shall administer 
 the holy sacrament; and then the Sunday preceding such ad- 
 ministration, upon notice thereof given, shall be read the exhorta- 
 tion in the Common Prayer-book appointed for that purpose. 
 
 4th. Every Sunday in the afternoon, at evening prayer, when 
 the first and second lessons should be read in place thereof, after a 
 psalm set he shall publicly catechise the children ; those that are able 
 to read, unto eight years of age, in the Church Catechism, from eight 
 to twelve years of age in ( ) Short explanation thereof, 
 
 and those from twelve to sixteen years of age in Dr. Hannnond's 
 
34 
 
 NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 Catechism, after which they may be admitted to the sacrament. 
 The several catechisms shall be learned by heart by the children 
 at home and at school. 
 
 5th. On the working days he shall teach the children to write, and 
 to read, and to speak English; for their reading using a Horn-book, 
 The Primer, the Church Catechism, etc. ; for teaching English, 
 to use those and the English translations of them together with the 
 other books, and also a grammar, with familiar dialogues to be 
 composed for that purpose, and the Dictionary. 
 
 And by the just and constant observance of this method, there 
 is no doubt but, through God's grace, they may be brought to 
 and continued in a reasonable knowledge and practice of the 
 Christian religion, till such time as, being thoroughly civilized, the 
 whole discipline and government of the Church of England may 
 be settled among them, and also duly practised and observed by 
 them. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 OF THE METHOD HOW TO SUBDUE AND RESETTLE CANADA. 
 
 I AM now in the last place to speak of the conquest of Canada, 
 that is, how it may be effected — a business in which, though the 
 Bishop is not so much concerned as in the former, especially as 
 to the warlike part, yet may he be more than a cipher, yea, of 
 particular consideration in the settlement of it, if it please God to 
 permit it to be subdued, as in the sequel will appear. 
 
 What the strength and condition of Canada is at present is 
 pretty well made evident by the account thereof which I sent over 
 about ten or twelve months ago to the Right Reverend Bishop of 
 London, a copy whereof I also had, which I lost (when T was taken 
 prisoner) with my other papers, and in respect to that it is that 
 this present method is laid down ; and though it may be supposed, 
 since that time, to be made rather stronger than become weaker, 
 yet will it not, I think, be able to resist, if courageously invaded 
 and prudently assaulted with the forces, and in the manner here- 
 after mentioned: — 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 35 
 
 1st. The first thing then to be done, in order to the conquest of 
 Canada, is to pitch upon a general for the conducting and carry- 
 ing it on ; the general, then, is to be but one to command all forces, 
 both by sea and land, that are sent or appointed for this purpose : 
 for long experience has taught us, that equal and divided com- 
 mands have ruined many noble undertakings and great armies. 
 The wise and warlike Romans found this true, and, therefore, in 
 their wars of greatest moment and danger, they generally had re- 
 course to a dictator ; and the success in the late invasion of Mar- 
 tinico has taught us the truth of it, wherein, as I have been 
 credibly informed by impartial and eye-witnesses, the difference 
 between the land and sea generals was the main, if not only, occa- 
 sion of the miscarriage. As to his prudence, fidelity, experience, 
 conduct, and courage, all great virtues and necessary in a com- 
 mander, I have no need to speak thereof ; his sacred Majesty, who 
 is to pitch upon and commissionate him, being a most excellent and 
 incomparable judge in those matters. 
 
 2d. The second thing to be provided for is forts, and warlike 
 provisions sufficient for such a design, and these to be either sent for 
 [from] England or prepared in America. The forces to be sent from 
 England are proposed to be three ships of war of from forty to 
 sixty guns, well rigged and manned according to their rates, fur- 
 nished with all warlike provisions necessary for sea-service and 
 maintenance of the men ; as to which there may be six months 
 provision of beer and water, and of beef, pork, oatmeal, peas, and 
 bread, etc., for twelve months, canvass for 4000 or 5000 hammocks, 
 or rather so many hammocks ready made for the forces that are to 
 be raised in America ; and, for the land service, 500 soldiers, well 
 armed and accoutred, young, stout, well exercised, and, so far as 
 may be, unmarried ; twenty pieces of ordnance proper for batter- 
 ing of walls, with spunges, ladles, worms, powder, and bullets, 
 etc., and two or three mortar pieces with granado shells, bombs, 
 carcasses, spades, mattocks, and also powder and ball for the forces 
 to be raised in America, that nothing may be wanting, though the 
 enterprise prove much more difficult than is expected, it being 
 much better to bring back ammunition than to fail in a design for 
 want of it : however, as to the quantities and kinds thereof, I 
 submit to better judgments, and shall only say that it will be a 
 
:36 NEW YORK IN 1696. 
 
 commendable care to see that the officers, both by sea and land, 
 be such as are truly faithful and loyal to his Majesty. These 
 ships, with all the particulars aforesaid, are to be ready to set sail 
 by the middle, or, at farthest, by the latter end of February next. 
 
 The forces to be prepared in America, are to be these and in 
 this proportion following : — New England 2000 men, Connecticut 
 700, Rhode Island and Martins-vineyard 200, New York 300, 
 New Jersey 300, Pensylvania 300, Maryland 400, Virginia 
 1000, and Carolina 300, amounting in all to the number of 5500, 
 each man to have in readiness so much powder and ball as shall be 
 judged requisite; and, if it be thought expedient, twenty carriages 
 also may be made in New York for the twenty guns, to be sent over 
 according to measures and directions to be sent likewise for that 
 purpose. 
 
 The manner of ordering these forces and materials to be pre- 
 pared shall be laid down under the next head, which is concern- 
 ing the secrecy and privacy wherewith these affairs are to be carried 
 on, which ought to be so great that the enemies may not get any 
 foreknowledge of it ; for, next to strengthening ourselves, nothing 
 is more necessary than to endeavour to surprise our enemy, which 
 is done, first, by rendering him secure ; second, by coming upon 
 him unawares ; and, third, by drawing away what strength or pro- 
 vision he already hath, as far as may be, from the place or places 
 against which our designs are chiefly laid, which I conceive may 
 be done by ordering affairs in this manner following : — 
 
 1st. To prevent all knowledge, or even suspicion, of what is 
 intended by the provisions made at home and sent over, the ships 
 may be pretended as convoys to the Must fleet, and to the Virginia 
 fleet ; and as to the stores put aboard them, it must be done as pri- 
 vately as may be, though, of itself, it be a thing that will not be 
 much suspected, because it has been usual to send over stores to 
 the American plantations, neither will the soldiers be much taken 
 notice of, they being but 500 ; besides, they may be put on board 
 at Plymouth suddenly, and under pretence of better manning the 
 ships ; or, if there goes a squadron of men of war to guard the fleet 
 out of the Channel, it may be pretended that it is to inure them to 
 the sea service; and then they may be disposed of to several other 
 ships, as if they were to come back again therewith after having 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 37 
 
 seen the fleet out of danger ; and at sea they may be put aboard 
 the ships in which they are to go to New York : in short, many 
 ways may be thought of for the concealing the intention of so 
 small a preparation, and that particularly pitched upon which 
 will seem most likely and proper for the time. But, then, besides 
 the orders given to the captains of the ships publicly, and for that 
 purpose, they must likewise have other sealed orders given them 
 very privately, with command not to break them open till a certain 
 time to be appointed, that is, when they come to separate from the 
 fleet, or when the fleet itself comes to separate, or, if they chance 
 to be separated by foul weather, then to break open those orders 
 wherein it shall be appointed them what port to go to, that is. New 
 York ; what commander to obey, that is the same who is made 
 general of the land forces ; how long to stay, that is, either till the 
 design is effected, or till the coming out of some fleet according as 
 the governor of the province where they are shall judge best for 
 his Majesty's service ; or if there be a great necessity and the ships 
 proper, they may be sent out to cruise for privateers, or they may be 
 ordered to visit Newfoundland by the way. One thing seems here 
 proper to be mentioned, that is, that when these orders are opened, 
 and the soldiers come to have some knowledge where they are going, 
 their pay may be paid them till such time as they came aboard, and 
 further advantages promised them for their encouragement. 
 
 It will not be amiss, if two French ministers, that are in orders 
 of the Church of England, be sent over with these ships, for, if it 
 please God the design prosper, there will be occasion for them. 
 
 2. For the more private carrying on of the design as to the forces 
 prepared in the West Indies, it is convenient not to let it be so much 
 as known to any person there (except that his Majesty shall please 
 to communicate it to any of the governors) what is the true cause of 
 raising the forces ordered to be raised, and that may be done thus : 
 It is now, while I am writing this, certain, that the French have a 
 design upon the merchants trading on the coast of Guinea, and those 
 trading into the West Indies. In order to the carrying on of the first, 
 they are fitting out at St. Maloes four privateers, of from forty to 
 fifty guns, and Monsieur de Gatine, commissary there, sent for one 
 
 Captain Piles, and Henry Pinson his mate, both taken on board 
 
 a small Guineaman, and having good knowledge of the coast and 
 
 F 
 
38 
 
 NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 trade, and present condition of affairs there, to examine them con- 
 cerning the same. And in order to the carrying on of the last, 
 the English prisoners that came about four days ago, that is, 
 October the 6th, last past, from Nants, do assure us, that the 
 French are there fitting out seventeen privateers of from twenty- 
 five and thirty to forty guns, whereof twelve are already rigged 
 and fitted, to be manned in part with English, Scotch, and Irish, 
 and to be sent to the West Indies, to interrupt and spoil our trade, 
 and make prize of our merchantmen there. Hereupon occasion 
 may be very well taken, and letters ordered to be written and sent 
 with duplicates thereof by ships in December next ensuing, or the 
 beginning of January, to every one of his Majesty's governors, 
 and also to those of the proprietors, wherein to be signified to each 
 of them, that there is certain intelligence from France of their fitting 
 out divers ships of war, twenty or more, and that they are intended 
 against our plantations in America. That, therefore, it is his Ma- 
 jesty's strict charge and command, that every one of them cause to 
 be armed, in their several provinces, such a number of their choicest 
 men as shall, by one, two, or three hundred, exceed the number 
 before set down, and to meet at their chief port town by the 1st of 
 April, and there to see that they be well armed, and every man 
 provided with a proportion of powder and ball, to be appointed 
 and to exercise them daily till further order ; and, in the meantime, 
 to see that whatsoever of his Majesty's ships are in their several 
 ports, be cleaned and fitted for sea, so as to be ready to sail with 
 the first order ; and also to fit and prepare a sufficient number of 
 good ships and sloops, and provisions of bread, beef, beer, pork, 
 and peas, etc. for six months, in case there be occasion to transport 
 the soldiers from their province to any other where it shall appear 
 the enemy does chiefly intend his invasion, of which warning may 
 be promised them by an express so soon as there shall be certain 
 notice thereof. 
 
 And over and above this, orders may be sent to the Gover- 
 nor of New York, in particular, to make the twenty carriages 
 as before ; and to cause to attend at New York, from the 1st of 
 April till further order, Robert Sanders of Albany, and five 
 others that can give the latest and truest account of the present 
 state and condition of Canada, without letting them know what 
 
NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 39 
 
 they are caused to wait for, but only, in general, that it is for his 
 Majesty's service; and that they shall be paid for the loss of their 
 time, or else they may be kept under arms as men of special ser- 
 vice and courage, which shall seem best to him, for concealing the 
 true reason of their attendance. As for the carriages, he may pre- 
 tend for the making thereof, that he has notice of so many gmis of 
 such a sort or bigness coming over, and order to have carriages for 
 them in as much readiness as may be; that so soon as he has them 
 they may be presently fitted for use, and planted where he shall 
 think most convenient. 
 
 There inay likewise with these, other orders be sent him, not to 
 be broken open till the 1st of April, wherein it may be signified 
 unto him that his Majesty, looking upon the French preparations 
 as intended against New York, would send some ships of war over 
 to his assistance, but that he immediately endeavour to stop any 
 intelligence thereof from going to Canada. That he also send the seve- 
 ral orders therein inclosed to the governors of the several provinces, 
 to cause them forthwith to send away the exact number of forces 
 chosen out of tho^e armed and exercised according to former order, 
 to the port of New York, he in the meanwhile to make all the pre- 
 paration he can of victuals and lodging to entertain them, and, when 
 they shall be arrived, to see they be well armed, and to exercise them, 
 and acquaint them with the way of camping and engaging, till such 
 time as the ships, and a commander-in-chief with them, shall come. 
 
 Again, to divert the enemy from the care of those places against 
 which this design is chiefly laid, that is Quebeck, and their other 
 places of greatest strength, a third order must yet be sent to 
 the Governor of New York, appointing him to raise the Indians of 
 the five nations, and to join with them 200 of the garrison and 
 forces about Albany, 200 from New England, and 100 from 
 Connecticut (for the obtaining whereof orders are also to be sent 
 him by the first ships), and to have them ready, so that on the 1st 
 of May they may be ready to march towards Canada; and there, 
 by endeavouring, or pretending to endeavour, something that shall 
 tend notably to the advantage of our party and the disadvantage 
 of the French, as the fortifying and settling Cadaraque, or, seizing 
 on some French garrison, to draw down the Governor of Canada and 
 his forces towards them, but to take great care to keep in places 
 
40 NEW Y(3HK IN 1695. 
 
 of security, and not to be too active, but only while away the time, 
 and delude the enemy, unless he sees he can gain a considerable 
 advantage without any great hazard of his men. 
 
 Lastly, the commander-in-chief sent from England is to receive 
 his commission for this service privately from his Majesty, wherein 
 to be appointed commander-in-chief of all the aforesaid forces by sea 
 and land, as well those on Albany side as those which are to be trans- 
 ported by sea to Canada, with orders to sail directly for New York ; 
 and there, embarking his forces, with all possible speed, to make 
 the best of his way for Canada, to prevent as much as he can any 
 notice the enemy may have of his coming, and with instructions to 
 make use of the foresaid Sanders and the others, appointed to give 
 him information of the country and places of landing and ad- 
 vantages ; to keep his soldiers from plundering, deflouring women, 
 drunkenness, swearing, cursing, and all other debauchery ; to pro- 
 ceed prudently, courageously, and valiantly, in the endeavouring 
 to conquer Canada, till such time as it is thoroughly subdued, and 
 then to return as shall be ordered and directed by his Majesty. 
 There are other things to be added to his instructions in case he 
 succeeds, which you will find couched among what follows. 
 
 In case, then, that this design succeed, his Majesty may please 
 to appoint the bishop proposed to be sent over governor of New 
 York, to be also governor of Canada, and every part and place 
 thereof, as it shall come to be subdued, with power to constitute a 
 lieutenant-governor thereof at his discretion, till such time as liis 
 Majesty's pleasure is further known ; with power also, to appoint 
 and order all matters ecclesiastical, and civil, as shall be best for the 
 setting that province in the possession of the English. 
 
 Orders and instructions to be given, both to the bishop as 
 governor, and to the commander-in-chief, may [be] these : — 
 
 1. — That special and constant care be taken that the soldiers 
 and seamen straggle not from the camp, nor plunder the country, 
 burn houses, or destroy the corn, either growing or in the barn, nor 
 the cattle of what sort soever, but that they preserve all things as 
 in a country which it is hoped may come through God's assistance 
 to be their own ; and, therefore, 
 
 2. — All provisions, of what sort or nature soever, whether for 
 man or beast, are to be secured for and given notice of to the 
 
NEW YO«K liN 1695. 
 
 41 
 
 governor and commander-in-chief, or either of them, that they 
 may appoint what quantities thereof shall be sufficient for the 
 maintenance of the army, or the prisoners, or victualling the ships 
 for their voyage homeward. 
 
 3. — All prisoners are to belong to the King (slaves only ex- 
 cepted), to be civilly treated and used, and to be disposed of as 
 the governor shall appoint, which may be after this or the like 
 manner : — those who are of best quality, with the priests and other 
 religious persons, to be sent home to England by the ships of war; 
 two hundred families of husbandmen that are willing to stay, to be 
 left and settled upon reasonable and encouragable terms, as tenants 
 to those gentlemen and others to whom lands shall be given ; three 
 hundred or four hundred families more to be appointed for New York, 
 where, if they are willing, they may be encouraged by the bishop to 
 settle on vacant land, and in time may be converted to Protestantism 
 by French ministers sent over for that purpose, and obliged to 
 learn and use the English tongue and religion, and all the rest 
 may be divided proportionably to each province, to be carried 
 thither in the ships belonging thereto, where they may be en- 
 couraged to settle if they will, and, if it be thought for the weal of 
 the province to encourage them, or otherwise to be sent prisoners 
 to England in merchant ships, as opportunity shall present. 
 
 4. — All the ships taken in the voyage thither, or in port there, 
 to be condemned in the first English port they come to, and to be 
 disposed of by the governor there, as is appointed by law in such 
 cases. And all towns, forts, castles, houses, instruments of hus- 
 bandry, as ploughs, carts, harrows, etc. — and working cattle, as 
 horses, oxen, asses — and all warlike provisions, as great guns, small 
 arms, powder, ball, swords, bagonets, etc., and the whole country, 
 improved, or unimproved, to belong to the King, and to be dis- 
 posed of by the governor as shall be best for his Majesty's interest 
 and advantage, and encouraging there settlement of the province, 
 except as in the article following. 
 
 5. — All things belonging to religion and ecclesiastics, as churches, 
 monasteries, nunneries, with the grounds and estates belonging to 
 them, as also the money, plate, books, and all things in them and 
 belonging to them, as horses, cows, sheep, instruments of hus- 
 bandry, household stuff, and also the books found any Avhere iu 
 
42 
 
 NEW YORK IN 1695. 
 
 Other houses, to be given to pious uses, and to be disposed of 
 by the bishop, and settled as shall seem to him best for the en- 
 couragement of religion in Canada, New York, or elsewhere, in 
 any other of the English provinces ; only to be excepted, that if 
 there be any goods or chattels, whether money, plate, household 
 stuff, or other things proved not to belong unto religious persons 
 or uses, but put there only for concealment and security, etc., they 
 are, in that case, to be delivered up, and ordered by the bishop to 
 be laid to the common spoil, and, as such, to be divided with the 
 rest among the soldiers. 
 
 6. — All other goods, not before excepted, whether money, plate, 
 slaves, household stuff, or merchandize, etc., shall be gathered 
 together and divided between the officers and soldiers, as is usual 
 to be done in such cases; in which division the governor shall have 
 an equal share with the commander- in-chief, and the rest according 
 to their proportion. And, for the better and more equal division, it 
 shall be appointed, 1st, That all men concerned in the service, 
 seamen or soldiers, shall have part of the spoil without being de- 
 frauded or cozened thereof. 2d, That the Indian goods, as duffels, 
 shirts, knives, hatchets, etc., be particularly set apart to be given 
 to our Indians as their part of the prey, and, if there be any over- 
 plus thereof, it shall be given to those who shall remain in the 
 country to trade therewith, either with our own Indians or those 
 of Canada, who, if they will submit quietly, shall not be suffered 
 to be prisoners to our Indians, but reckoned friends to us, as at 
 present they are to the French. 3d, That every man, of what 
 rank or quality soever, shall be bound to deliver up to the 
 common heap all the spoil he shall get of what nature soever; 
 and that whatsoever they shall find in houses or any other place 
 which they cannot bring away, they shall not spoil it, but leave 
 it undamaged for the benefit of those who shall afterwards come 
 to settle there ; and that whosoever shall offend in either of these 
 particulars shall, by so doing, forfeit his part of the spoil, and be 
 otherwise punished as the commander-in-chief shall think fit. 
 
 7. — All the arms and warlike stores taken from the French to 
 be carefully gathered together, and laid up in the fort of Quebeck, 
 and other convenient places, and there kept in good order and 
 condition, so as to be at all times ready for use. All places of 
 
NEW YOFJK IN 1695. 4^ 
 
 strength and great advantage, and disabled in the taking, or any 
 ways in need to be better fortified, shall be duly taken care of and 
 fortified in the best manner that may be, and furnished with great 
 guns and stores convenient for the defence thereof ; for which 
 purpose the guns and mortar-pieces carried over, together witK 
 any taken by the way, or in harbour there, or on land, with suf~ 
 ficient quantities of powder, ball, etc. shall be left there, to be dis- 
 posed of in each garrison as shall seem necessary. 
 
 For the resettlement of this province the governor may — 
 
 1. — Appoint a house and land and other conveniences for the 
 bishop, and houses, lands, etc. for the ministers out of those 
 belonging before to and set apart for that use, with schools, a 
 library, etc. as best may be done. 
 
 2. — Dispose of the lands, houses, instruments of husbandry, etc. 
 on such terms and with such provisions as shall be reasonable and 
 proper for the King's profit, the landlord's advantage, the tenant's 
 encouragement, and the clergy's maintenance ; and that, first, to 
 those of the soldiery from England, who, being married, will settle 
 there and send for their wives over ; and, second, to those wh^j 
 being unmarried, and of those soldiers or of the forces come frov^ 
 any of the neighbouring provinces, and desirous to settle an*! 
 marry there any of the French maids or widows (such as they cain 
 prevail with), to every man according to his quality, place, ani,i 
 merit, and as shall seem best to the governor, ' 
 
 3. — Send to England, desiring encouragement may be given tc^ 
 the French Protestants to come over and settle there with their 
 families, which it is believed many of them will willingl}'^ do, if 
 they be assured to have lands, houses, etc. given to them or^i 
 reasonable terms, as it is intended they shall. And this is th^ 
 method which I promised to lay down as proper for the subduing 
 and resettlement of Canada ; which, if it be not so complete as it 
 ought to be, or not likely to be so effectual as I hoped it might, ir\ 
 the judgment of understanding persons, if yet it will serve but as« 
 the first lines of a draught, or a motive only to able heads to dq 
 better, I shall not only be contented, but very glad, and not think 
 that I have lost my labour. ^ . . 
 
 ■4 ■ 
 
 SOLI DEO GLORIA. y , ,k" 
 
 /.;.!« t 
 
THE KXPIiANATION OF FUJ. 1 
 
 fcpel ill the fori of New-York 
 l-s half moon 
 Ptiall battery of guns 
 ^Id dock 
 rlie cage and stocks . 
 ' Stadthoiifebattoiyof S guns 
 . The stadt- (or state) house ■ 
 fe. The custom house 
 'B. 8. The bridge 
 9. Burghers, or the siiv battery of 10 guns 
 10. The fly blockliouse and half 
 U. The siauijhter-hoiises 
 
 12, The uew dock* 
 
 13. The French lihurcli 
 U. The Jews i^ynagiigue 
 l.i. The fort well and pump 
 16. Ellef i Alley 
 
 i;. The works on the west side of the city 
 18. The north-weit blockhouse 
 ly, 19. I'be Lutheran church and minister's house 
 
 20. 20. T1j« stone points on the north side of tlic city 
 
 21. The Dutch Calvinist church, built 1692 
 
 22. The Dutch Calvinist minister's house 
 
 23. The hui-ying (ground 
 
 24. A windmill 
 2b. The King's furni 
 
 26. Coil. Dungaii's garden 
 
 27, 27. Weils 
 
 2b. The plat of giound designed for the E. niin.-lei 's houf 
 29 29. The stockado, with a bunk of eailb on tliC inside 
 
 30, The ground proper for the building a^i E. church 
 
 31, 31. Shewing the scii llowing about N. York 
 
 32, 32. Tlic city giitea 
 ;13. A postern gate. 
 
 If . ■ ^ 
 
2/ 
 
 i 
 
 j 
 
 1 
 
 
 1 
 
 « 
 
 
 T 
 1 
 
 THE EXPLANATION OF FIG. 2. 
 
 1 . The cliappell 
 
 2. The governor's house \ 
 
 3. The officers' lodgings ' 
 
 4. The soldiers' lodgings 
 
 5. The necessary house 
 
 6. Tl^e flag-staff and mount 
 
 7. 7. The centry boxes 
 
 8. 8. Ladders to raoynt the wall' 
 
 9. The well in the fort 
 
 10. The magazine 
 
 11. The sallyport 
 
 12. The secretary's office 
 
 13. The fort gate 
 
 14. A horn-work before it 
 
 15. The fort well and pump 
 
 16. Stone mount 
 
 17. The Iron mount 
 
 18. The Town mount 
 
 19. 19. Two mortar pieces 
 
 20. A turn-stile 
 
 21. Ground for additional building to the governor's house 
 
 22. The armory over the g'^vern.^i's kHchen. 
 
THE EXPLANATION OF FIG. 3. 
 
 1. The foit of Albany 
 
 2. The Dutch Calvinist church 
 
 3. The Dutch Lutlieran church 
 
 4. The burying place 
 
 5. The Dutch Calvinist burying place 
 
 7. 7- The block houses 
 
 8. The stadt-house 
 
 9. A great gun to clear a guUey 
 
 10. 10. The stockailo 
 
 11, 11. The gates of the city, six in all. 
 
THE EXPLANATION OF FIG. 4. 
 
 1. The governor of Albany's house 
 
 2. ThB officer's lodgings 
 
 3. The soldier's lodgings 
 
 4. The flag-staff and mount 
 
 5. The magazine 
 
 6. The Dial mount 
 
 7. The Town mount 
 e. The well 
 
 9, 9. The centry boxes 
 
 11. The Sally port 
 
 12. 12. the ditch fortified with stakes 
 
 13. 13. The gardens 
 
 14. The stockado 
 
 15. The fort gate. 
 
THE EXPLANATrON OF FIG. 5. 
 
 1, 1. The blockhouses 
 
 2, 2. Rivers running beside the fort 
 
 3, 3. Indian wigwams 
 
 4, The flag-staff 
 
 5, Acentrybox 
 
 6, The spy-loft 
 
 7, 7. The sties for hogs 
 
 8, The blockhouse, designed for a church 
 
 9, 9. Those and others like them are houses 
 Ifl. A great barn 
 
 U, 11. The treble stockado 
 12, 12. The fort gates 
 
 THE EXPLANATION OF FIG. 6. 
 
 1. The blockhouse 
 
 2. The mount 
 
 3. 3. The stockado 
 
 4. The Indian houses or wigwams covered 
 
 5. A wigwam open, shewing their beds, etc. 
 
 6. Houses for the soldiers' use 
 
 7. The fort gate 
 
 ■4. 
 
 r 
 
THE EXPLANATION OF FIG. 7. 
 
 1 . Ttie blockhouse 
 
 2. 2. The church and burying place 
 
 3. The minister's house 
 
 4. The part separated and fortified 
 
 5. The stoekado 
 
 6. The house where the governor is entertained 
 
 7. 7- The town gates 
 
 6, 8. The gates to the separate fortified part.