Sloath; who when he knew of a Force, comeing to take the Ship Hester, an houre before their arrivall, took no care to prevent her being Surprized and when he had Force Enough to Retake her; being Earnestly desired by them to head'em himselfe, or to Comic'onate Some other; he refused & Trembling left them. the Ship Lay two days before the Town of Perth Amboy; the Souldiers ridiculeing the Governm' of the Jerseys; Calling for their Govern all their Continued Insults, he no other ways resented, then by desiring Them not to be angry, and Presenting their Capt with Brandy and oy' Provisions and drinking the Earl of Bellomonts health to them. were the Ill Effects of these Proceedings, our only Sufferings; We might P'haps, have been Patient under our Pressures; but as meanness of Spiritt, is Seldome Unaccompanied with other Vices So are we no less oweing to his Malice, then his Folly for our hurt, Our Rights and Priviledges, are by him invaded in the highest degree; and in lieu of the Free Electing Representatives, we are Forc't to Submitt, to the Arbitrary Will of himselfe, and his Councill; by whose advice (Tho unminuted) he took the Writt from the Constable, the people being met to Elect, Pretending informality in it, and because one of his own Faction could not be Chosen, he appointed the Election two days after; tho the same methods were at first took, as ever had been Since East Jersey has been a Province, and he has not only Stuck, by advice of his Councill, to Violate Our Libertys, and Privilidges, but Likewise Your Possitive Instruccʻons remaining upon the Publick Records, Which by his Commic'on he is tied Up to Obey. One Instance Shall Serve Viz Instrucc'on 8th To Lay no Tax upon uncultivated Land, &c. The Proceedings of the last Assembly, Will Sufficiently Informe Yo' Hon", That no Govern' has had a Councill, that could better Suite and Answer his Sinister designes then That of Mr. Basses.

These things Much hono" we thought fitt to let you know that you may take Such Prudent Measures, as may be most Conducive for your owne and Our good. By Ord of the Town of New Worke

Order of King in Council, referring a petition of the Proprietors of West Jersey for an approval of Andrew Hamilton as Governor, to the Lords of Trade.

[P. R. O. B. T. Proprieties, Vol. 3, C. 21.]

At the Court at Kensington the 31 day of May

1699. Present

THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MATY IN COUNCILL. Upon reading this day at the Board the Petition of the Proprietors of the province of West New Jersey in America Humbly praying His Ma' to allow and Approve of their Choice of Andrew Hamilton Esqre to be Governor of the said province of West New Jersey. It Ordered by His May in Councill that it be Referr'd to the Lords Comm's of Trade and plantations to examine the matter of the said Petition, a Copy whereof is hereunto annexed, And to Report to this Board what They conceive fit to be done & thereupon. EDWARD SOUTHWELL

[Petition enclosed in the foregoing order.]

To the Kings most Excell Mate

The humble Petic'on of the Proprietors of the Province of West New Jersey in America.

Sheweth

That Andrew Hamilton Esq' by appointment of yo Pets having Executed the Office of Governour of the province of West New Jersey in America for severall yeares past with great Fidelity and Reputation Yo! Pets at the Generall Request of that people have againe Nominated him to be Governor of the same Province; as a person the most acceptable to the Country, and thereby most capable of serving the Crown both in Peace and Warr.

Yo! Pet's therefore doe most humbly beseech Yo! Matie to allow and approve of their Choice of the said Andrew Hamilton to be Governor of the said province of West New Jersey.

Letter from Colonel Quary, Judge of the Admiralty in Pennsylvania, to the Lords of Trade, about Pirates.

[From P. R. O. B. T., Proprieties, Vol. 3, C. 30.]

L're from Coll Quary to ye Board, abt Pirates arrived in Pennsylvania & other places.1

Right Honble

June 1st 1699

The Inclos'd is a Coppie of my last since wch there is arrived into this Governm1 about 60 Pirates in a Ship directly from Malligasco, they are part of Kids Gang about 20 of them have quitted ye Ship & are Landed in this Goverm' about 16 more of them are Landed at Cape May in y Goverm of West Jersey, the rest of them are still on board the Ship wch lies at Anchor near ye Cape of this Goverm1 waiting for Sloops from NewYorke to unload her. She is very rich Ship all hur Loading is rich East India Baile Goods to a very great vallue, besides abundance of money yo Cap' of the Ship is one Shelly of New Yorke & the Ship belong to merchants of that place, the Goods are all purchased from the Pyrats at Malligasco which pernitious trade is yt wch gives encouragem to ye Pirats to continue in those parts haveing a Market for all the Goods they Plunder & Robb in the Red Sea & severall other parts of East India; I had yerly notice of their arrival & went down the River. I quickly Seased two of these Pirats & Convey'd them safe to Burlington Goale in yo Province of West Jersey where they will be secure, had I brought them to this Goverm' I could not expect but that they would have been set at liberty as several of

1 As recorded, this and the two succeeding letters are preceded by abstracts, in which, under different headings, designated by the letters of the alphabet, the subjects treated of are briefly pointed out. These abstracts it has not been thought necessary to print.-ED.

ye Pirats of Averys Crew ware; as soon as ever I had Lodged them two men in ye Goale: I went in pursute of two more of those Rogues & followed them so close yt I Lodged them in Philadelpha went Immediately to ye Lieftenant Gover Markham. I gave his hon' a p'ticuler acco' of these Pirates I told him how many was Lodged in this Government & that p'ticularly there was two of them in this Town wch I would Imediately apprehend in case he would order y Constables to assist me wch he did & accordingly I went & seased them & Lodged them safe in the Goale, how Long they will be kept there I know not I likewise discover'd their mony & Goods wch he hath taken into his hands. I did on behalfe of the Lds of the Admiralty desire that y Pirates Goods might be Lodged in the posession & Jurisdiction of ye Admiralty it being granted by the Crowne to ye Lord high Admiral of England, but he refus'd it, nor would he so much as let me take an acco of the money & Goods, though I secur'd both it & and the Pirats wthout any trouble of ye Goverm1 I tould him wch way all the rest of ye Rogues might be Secur'd & wth all propos'd to him that if he would press one of the Vessells that then lay before the Town & raise me forty men I would Immediately Seize the Ship & bring hur & all in her up to ye Town or forffit my life, but all I said would not prevaile wth him, its a very miserable thing to live under a Goverm' Consisting of upwards of Seven thousand men capable to bear Arms where there is no Militia or any other means to defend the Kings Subjects or serve his Majestie let the occasion be never so great. I have sent express to y Govers of Virginia & Maryland and also to all ye Govers to the Northwards, the Gover" of the Jerseys is very ready & active on this occation he hath provided a Sloop & hath man'd & fited hur very well & is now going to Cape May in order to secure the Pirats y' are landed there. I goe Downe with him ye next Tide part