The advantage which was thus secured by the English, they were watchful to maintain, and the command of the shores of the Connecticut, was lost to the Dutch. An ineffectual attempt was also made by the English, to establish themselves upon the Delaware. A small party, under the command of Captain Holmes, proceeded to the vicinity of Fort Nassau, but they were arrested by the Dutch, and sent back as prisoners, to the authorities at Manhattan.21

The administration of Director Van Twiller was not successful either in regard to the outward relations of the province, or the management of its internal affairs. Disorders prevailed in the colony, and economy was not the rule of the government. Some of the officers seemed rather intent upon enriching themselves, than promoting the interests of the company; and the Director himself was not free from suspicion. At length complaints against his proceedings were made to the West India Company, and though he was defended by some of the members, it was finally determined that a change should be made.

22

In 1638 he was superseded by the appointment of a new Director.

His successor in office considered it necessary as a measure of justice to himself, to have a statement prepared, setting forth in full the condition of affairs, at the time of his arrival. The picture presented is by no means a favorable one.23

21 O'Callaghan, p. 170.

In the statement made by Keift, the successor of Van Twiller, it is distinctly asserted that the latter had undertaken different works on account of individuals not of the company, and it is known that he had appropriated portions of lands for himself. The suspicion of want of fidelity is also strengthened by the fact, that after his retirement from office, he was active in opposition to the company, whilst serving as agent at Renselaerwyck.

23 See this statement in New York Historical Collections, vol. 1, p. 274.

CHAPTER V.

NEW NETHERLAND, NEW ALBION, AND NEW SWEDEN.

WILLIAM KEIFT was appointed as the successor of Van Twiller on the 28th of March, 1638.

The New Director was possessed of a good degree of activity and vigor, and the situation in which he was placed called for the exercise of his best capacities and powers. In addition to the unfavorable condition of affairs at the time of his coming to the province, he soon became embroiled with the native tribes. The harmony that had so long subsisted between the Indians and the Dutch, was suddenly broken; in the indulgence of a temper which was sometimes ardent to the verge of imprudence, the Director pursued a quarrel arising from the act of a single individual, until there arose a general war. Much property was lost, and many lives were sacrificed, in the course of a protracted contest. Besides these internal disorders, difficulties were increasing from without. The English settlers in New England were constantly advancing. Under the influence of forms of government which gave an equal measure of liberty to all, these colonists were inspired with life and activity, and in consequence were continually seeking to widen the field of action, and enterprize. In their efforts for this purpose, a scrupulous attention to form, was not always exhibited. If the limits of particular patents were thought too narrow, they urged on their own behalf the rights of the great England Company, or claimed to have a sufficient warrant as the servants of the King. The claims of the Dutch were no further regarded, than merely prudential reasons required. The very year of the arrival of Director Keift, a company had formed a settlement at a place which the Dutch called Roodeberg,

but to which the English gave the name of New Haven, and notwithstanding a strong protest from Keift against the procedure, they continued to hold possession. This circumstance gave much uneasiness to the Dutch authorities. Some time previous also, the English King had made a new grant, in which a large portion of the territory of New Netherland was included, and the holders of this grant soon afterwards appeared, to support their claims. At this time too, another people, THE SWEDES, were entering the country, and were sccking to secure possession, by purchasing lands of the natives, and erecting dwellings and forts.

Beside the possession of the lands they occupied, the New Haven settlers attempted a farther acquisition. In the following year they despatched an agent, Captain Nathaniel Turner, who proceeded to the Delaware, and purchased a tract of land for plantations, on both sides of the river. The prosecution of this purpose is to be presently noticed.

The new grant from the English King which has already been referred to, was executed prior to the period now under notice, being dated on the 21st of June, 1634. It was made in favor of Sir Edmund Ployden, Knight, and certain associates.

It may have been the design of the English King to convey at this time all the territory upon this part of the continent, not included in former conveyances, and in this manner to perfect or complete the English title to the country. The patent held by the great New England Company, gave a title as far as to the fortieth degree of latitude; below this, the country had reverted to the English Crown, in consequence of the dissolution of the South Virginia Company. But a portion of the country that had be longed to the Virginia Campany, had now been re-granted, having been given in the year 1632, to George Calvert, Lord Baltimore, and this portion was erected into a separate province, called Maryland. The province of Maryland extended in a northwardly direction, to the fortieth degree of latitude, and hence, in that direction, came into contact with New England. But, toward the east, Maryland did not extend to the Atlantic coast, but ran, for a part of the distance, along the course of an inland stream, and of consequence, a portion of territory was left, below the fortieth degree, and between Maryland and the Ocean, that

was still ungranted. It may have been the intention of the English Sovereign (but this is only conjecture) to make a conveyance of this remainder, in the grant to Sir Edmund Ployden, and his associates.2

But whatever may have been the purposed limits of this grant, in the actual execution thereof, portions of territory were included, on the north, and on the south, that were also embraced in previous claims. The description of limits as given in the several authorities, is somewhat confused and uncertain. In the Patent itself, which is the authority most to be relied on, the situation of the Isle of Plowden, or Long Island, (which was included,) is first set forth, and the boundaries of the adjacent territory upon the continent, are then described. The outline of the latter portion is nearly as follows:

Beginning at a certain point or promontory called Cape May, and running from thence forty leagues westward, pursuing the course of the Delaware for a time and then passing into Maryland, then, from its western limit forty leagues northwardly, then, by a right line inclining toward the east, forty leagues, to the river, and afterwards descending, touching and including the top of Sandheey, (Sandy Hook,) to the promontory of Cape May aforesaid. Though there is here a want of precision, it is still sufficiently evident that there would be included within these limits a portion of territory belonging to New England, and also a part of the province of Maryland. This encroachment upon adjoining grants is indeed distinctly acknowledged by a principal authority, and it is explained and defended on the ground that the older grants

3

From 1624, when the South Virginia Company was dissolved by King James, until the grant was made to Earl Ployden, the portion of territory above mentioned, was not included in any special grant; it consisted of that part of the present State of New Jersey that lies below the fortieth degree of latitude.

2 That the intent in the present case, was such as is here suggested, receives some support from the fact, that in the description of places, the Isle of Ployden or Long Island is said, (though erroneously,) to lie "near or between the thirtyninth and fortieth degrees," a position which would nearly correspond with the actual situation of that part of the territory upon the continent, which remained ungranted.

'Plantagenet's History of New Albion.

had been unfairly obtained, or as it is expressed, “were gotten on false suggestions." But in regard to the claims of the New Netherland settlers, it was of little importance what were the limits of the present grant; whether the English claim was every where the same, or not; whether doubled, or single, in any case, the title of the Dutch to the country was wholly denied.1 The grant to Sir Edmund Ployden and his company, was made in the amplest and fullest manner. The patent conferred upon him and his associates and their heirs and assigns forever, the full right to all the lands that were mentioned and described therein. It constituted the said Sir Edmund Ployden and his associates absolute lords and proprietors of the same. It also provided "in order that the said region might outshine all the other regions of the earth, and be adorned with more ample titles, that the said region should be incorporated into a province to be nominated and called New Albion, or the province of New Albion, to be and remain a free County Palatine, in no wise subject to any other." Sir Edmund was constituted County Palatine, with the title of Earl Palatine of Albion, or of the Province of New Albion in America.

The Earl Palatine was empowered to make whatsoever laws might seem best, whether concerning the public estate of the province, or the private utility of individuals, with the counsel, approbation, and assents of the free tenants of the province or the major part of them who should be called together. But, it was further provided, that as it might often happen that there would be a necessity to provide a remedy in a number of cases before the free tenants could be assembled to make laws, the Earl Palatine and his heirs and successors, should have authority to make "fit and wholesome ordinations, as well for keeping the peace as for the better government of the people, provided however, that such ordinations should be consonant to reason, and not repugnant to the laws, statutes, and rights, of the kingdom of England and Ireland, and so that they did not extend to the right or interest of any person, or persons, of, or in free tenements, or the taking, distraining, binding, or charging, any of their goods or chattels."

Even that portion of country which for a time had remained ungranted, continued in the interval to be subject to the British Crown.