and are by them kept under strict guards this is not a thing that hapned by Accident but of a Design for some Considerable time past theirs some of the Ring Leaders that keept as I am informed a pyratt in their houses and threatened any that will offer to seize him. Gentlemen

I thought It my Duty to Inform you of this and to beg your assistance to help the setling our peace or to take the Govrnmt. upon you untill his Magestie's pleasure be known I am

The settling of the Boundaries between New York and the Jerseys is a matter which your Lordship must necessarily first inquire into and give us an account of the pretensions on both sides; and what you conceive to be the state of the case, before we can lay it before the King. We desire you therefore to do so; and we shall afterwards represent what may be necessary.

And as for Mr. Bass, it was not in our power to hinder those proceedings of his about the Ship Hester;

but we did all that in us lay to defend his Majesty's right in that cause tho' the success did not answer

Three of the Council of New York to the Lords of Trade, relating to the condition of the Jerseys.

[From New York Col. Docts., Vol. IV. p 863.]

To the Rt Honble the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations.

My Lords

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*

*

(Extract)

We think it our duty further humbly to represent to your Lordships the ill state of the Jerseys, who by the Proprietors directions are under the administration of Coll: Andrew Hamilton, who when he was, formerly in that post did always influence the people of the Jerseys to be convinced of their dutys to be assistant to the frontiers at Albany during the coarse of the late warr, and was careful of remitting deserters from his Majesty's Companys here; yet by the licentiousness of that people he cannot contain them within the decent and necessary boundaries of government, by which those Provinces are like to fall into disorder and confusion. We do therefore humbly offer whether it be not for his Majesty's

service that his Majesty would be pleased to put those Provinces under such regularities that the publick peace may be restored and his Majesty's government of New York may have the assistance of the magistracy of the Jerseys to remand deserters and fellows that may shelter themselves there, which often happens, &, by the convulsion of that people, not in Coll. Hamilton's the Governour's power to remedy it.

My Lords

*

Petition of Governor and Council of East Jersey to the King, asking that the authority of Gov. Hamilton might be upheld.

[From P. R. O. B. T. Proprietors. Vol. 6, G 29.]

PETITION OF Y GovR & COUNCIL of East New Jersey to his Maty abt ye Disorders there May 1701

TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

THE HUMBLE PETITION of the Governour and Council of Your Majesties Province of East New Jersey in America.

Most Humbly Sheweth

That whereas in January 1693 The Proprietors of Yo! Maties said Province did Petition yo! Mae to approve their Choice of Andrew Hamilton Esq; to be Governour thereof, Which Petition was read and referred by

Yo! Ma in Council to the Right Honobe the Lords of Trade and Plantations to consider and to report to Y! Mate what they conceived proper for Yo! Mate to do therein

In obedience to which Order in Council, and to another of the Ninth of March thereafter, Upon a Petition of the said Proprietors concerning Their Right to a Port at Perth-Amboy, Their Lord'ps by a Representation to Yo! Mate in Council, most humbly offered to Yo! Mae That a Tryal be had at Barr in Westminster Hall. Whereby the Proprietors claim to Ports and Right to Governm of the said Province might receive a determination Which Representation Yo! Mate in Council was pleased to Approve, upon the 20th of April, and to Order that it be referred to Yor Mattes Attorney General, to consider and report, in what manner what was proposed by the said Representation might be best put in Execution.

Yo! Petitioner Hamilton waited upon the Council of Trade and Humbly moved, That seeing by the said Representation their Lordshipps seemed to Hesitate upon the Validity of the Powers of Governm granted by King Charles the second to His Royall Highnesse, and by His Royal Highnesse to the Proprietors. He might be directed by their Lordshipps, how to Guide himself being unwilling to Act, under any Commission, which their Lordsh's should judge unwarrantable.

Their Lordships by S! Philip Meadows were pleased to signifie to said Hamilton, That tho' They questioned the Validity of the Powers of that Grant, and therefore thought it not fitt to Advise Yo! Maj to grant the Approbation Petitioned for being a Recognizeing the Props Title, and thereby giveing away what they accounted Yo! Majties Right, Yet that they did not thereby intend to inhibitt the Props of acting further in the Governm! But that if yo! petitioner Hamilton, Governed himself by the Laws of England; The Prop

would find wherewithall to Justifie themselves in Commissionating him, and yo! petitioner in acting under it, untill Their Right to Governm were Vacated by a Judicial determination or that yo! Majties Pleasure should be further knowne therein

Yo! Petitioner Hamilton arriveing in said Province in Decemb! 1699 Published the Proprietors Commission, and after haveing taken the Oaths, appointed by Acts of Parliam Entred upon the Administrac'on of the Governm

But so it is. That neither the Approbation being granted, nor no Instrument sent over to Command the Inhabitants to continue in their obedience to the Governm1 under the Administrac'on of the Prop until their Right to it had received a Tryal at Barr Yo! Mate was pleased to Order, or until Yo! Maties Pleasure was further knowne, The Licentious part of the people, who look on all Governm to be a Yoke, and being encouraged in their Seditious principles, by Letters from England, from their Agent, whom they have sent over to Extenuate their Crimes, That Yo' Petitioner Hamilton was rejected by Yo! Matie for Governo! And that the Council of Trade had declared all Acts of Governm' by him done, or any under him to be Null & void, have gladly laid hold of this as colour enough to cutt in pieces the Reins of Governm and run yo! people into Anarchy and confusion.

And as at several times before, They have assaulted Yo! Maties Justices, when in the Solemnity of yo! Courts of Judicature, and thereby stop't the Curr of Law, So upon the 25th of March last, At a Court of Sessions held in the Usuall place at Middletowne in the County of Monmouth and Province aforesaid, Where was present Yo! Petitioner Hamilton in Conjunction with yo! Maties Justices to take the Examination of a certain pirate belonging to Kidds-Crew, named Moses Butterworth, pursuant to Yo! Majes Strict Command;