New char sylvania. ed to be furnished from the several colonies as far south as Virginia, in case of an attack.' The meeting house of the Friends, or Quakers, was built at Newport." 1701. William Penn, the proprietary of Pennsylvania, ter of Penn- returned to England. The charter of Pennsylvania having been surrendered to him by the assembly the preceding year, he, just before his departure, presented to the province their last charter of privileges; which was accepted by the assembly. He also gave Philadelphia. a charter of privileges to the inhabitants of Philadelphia. 4 There was however no opportunity for affording this assistance, as the New Yorkers took care to maintain a good understanding with the French and Indians, for the benefit of trade." Ib. 2 Adams N. Eng. 188. Their yearly meeting, until governor Coddington's death, in 1678, was holden at his house; and he died a member of that body. Ibid. 3 Proud, ii. 443-450; Colden, part ii. 275-282; where this charter is inserted entire. See also Franklin's Pennsylvania. The charter was presented on the day of its date, 28 October, 1701; "the Council, the Assembly of the Province, and several of the principal inhabitants of Philadelphia, attending." Having been " distinctly read in Assembly, and the whole and every part thereof, approved of, and agreed to," it was "thankfully" received the same day. It was rejected however by the territories. See A. D. 1703. By this charter "no person inhabiting this province or territories, who shall confess and acknowledge one Almighty God, the Creator, Upholder, and Ruler of the world; and profess himself obliged to live quietly under civil government, shall be in any case molested or prejudiced in his person or estate, because of his conscientious persuasion or practice: And all persons, who profess to believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, shall be capable to serve this government in any capacity, promising, when lawfully required, allegiance to the king &c." 4 Proud, i. 451, 452. Belknap Biog. ii. 443. By this charter Philadelphia was constituted a city, the government of which was committed to a Mayor and Recorder, 8 Aldermen, and 12 Common Council men; and endowed with divers privileges and immunities, for its regulation and government. It is inserted in Proud, Appendix, No. VI, and in Colden, part ii. 262-274. Colden (ibid. 199—283) has preserved " A collection of Charters, and other Public Acts relating to the Province of Pennsylvania." posed by The assembly of Carolina imposed a duty of three 1701. farthings a skin, exported by residents, but double, A duty imif sent out in English vessels; but the commission- Carolina. ers of plantations remonstrated to the proprietaries of the province against it, as a great discouragement to the trade of England.' ceives a The churches in Connecticut having become nu- Yale colmerous, and the calls for a learned ministry urgent; lege reand great inconvenience attending the education of charter. youths at the distant college in Cambridge; a number of ministers had, for some time, entertained the design of founding a college in their own colony.' In pursuance of this design, ten of the principal ministers in Connecticut, having been nominated and agreed on to stand as trustees, to found, erect, and govern a college, had, the preceding year (1700), formed themselves into a body, and actually founded the projected seminary. Doubts however arising, whether the trustees were vested with a legal capacity for the holding of lands, and whether private donations and contributions would be adequate to the purpose, application was made to the general assembly for a charter of incorporation. The assembly, at their session in October this year (1701), prompt I Chalmers, i. 354 2 The design was first concerted in 1698, by the Rev. Messrs. Pierpoint of New Haven, Andrew of Milford, and Russel of Branford. 3 James Noyes of Stoughton, Israel Chauncy of Stratford, Thomas Buckingham of Saybrook, Abraham Pierson, of Killingworth, Samuel Mather of Windsor, Samuel Andrew of Milford, Timothy Woodbridge of Hartford, James Pierpoint of New Haven, Noadiah Russel of Middletown, and Joseph Webb of Fairfield. 4 The form of laying the foundation was this: Each of the ten ministers gave a number of books, and, laying them on a table, pronounced words to this effect: "I give these books for the founding of a college in this colony." About 40 volumes in folio were thus given. Several other donations, both of books and money, were soon after made. Before the petition for a charter was heard by the assembly, the Hon. James Fitch, esquire, of Norwich, one of the council, gave a tract of land, in Killingly, of about 600 acres, and all the glass and nails that should be necessary to build a college house and hall. 5 The petition represented, "that from a sincere regard to, and zeal for, upholding the Protestant religion, by a succession of learned and orthodox I 1701. to encourage the laudable and pious design, incorporated the trustees nominated, granting them a charter, and vesting them with all the requisite powers and privileges; and made them an annual grant of one hundred and twenty pounds. Strengthened by the powers of their charter, and animated by the countenance of the legislature, the trustees met at Saybrook in November; and chose the reverend Abraham Pierson, of Killingworth, rector of the college; made rules for its general government and instruction; and, for the present, appointed it to be at Saybrook." Population The number of inhabitants in the English Ameriof the co- can colonies, about the commencement of this cen tury, was estimated at two hundred and sixty two thousand. 3 lonies. men, they had proposed that a collegiate shall should be erected in this " colony, wherein youth should be instructed in all parts of learning, tô "qualify them for public employments in church and civil state." i Equal to about £60 sterlihg. Trumbull, i. 498—5ot. 70,000 New York 10,000 Pennsylvania 10,000 Maryland 25,000 Although the precise times of these enumerations are not given, nor the means by which they were ascertained; the article appeared to me too im portant to be omitted. The Rev. Dr. Humphreys was Secretary to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts; and, in composing his Historical Account of that Society, he was led to make inquiries into the religious state of the American Colonies, and to describe the particular state of each colony. The description and the result of those inquir ies constitute his Ild. Chapter. His accounts are derived from the " Memo→ rials" of governor Dudley, colonel Morris, and colonel Heathcote. The manner of statement is subjoined, that the reader may judge for himself what reliance to place on it. "In South Carolina there were computed • In Humphreys' Account, it stands: "In Boston and Piscataway Government there are about 80,000 souls;" Dr. Stiles makes the above distribution of 70,000 to Massachusetts, and 10,000 to New Hampshire. The number of ministers in New England was about one hundred and twenty.' 1701. Ministers in N. Eng. Newfound The Newfoundland fishery employed, this year, one hundred and twenty one vessels, collectively a- land fishery. mounting to nearly eight thousand tons burden. 2 merican co The new council of commerce, recently establish- State of ed by the French king, had already prosecuted its French Ainquiries into the state of the French American colo- lonies. nies with such intelligence and zeal, as to present memorials of the result to the king's royal council. 3 ❝ 7000 souls, besides Negroes and Indians, living without any minister of the "Church of England, and but few dissenting Teachers of any kind, above half of the people living regardless of any religion. In North Carolina, "above 5000 souls without any minister, any religious administrations used; "no public worship celebrated, neither the children baptized, nor the dead "buried in any Christian form. Virginia contained above 40,000 souls, di" vided into 40 parishes, but wanting pear half the number of clergymen "requisite. In Pennsylvania (says colonel Heathcote) there are at least "20,000 souls, of which not above 700 frequent the church, and there are "not more than 250 communicants. The two Jersies contain about 15,000, " of which not above 600 frequent the church, nor have they more than "250 communicants. In New York government we have 30,000 souls "at least, of which about 1200 frequent the church, and we have about "400 communicants. In Connecticut colony there are about 30,000 souls, " of which when they have a minister among them, about 150 frequent the "church, and there are 35 communicants. In Rhode Island and Narragan" set, which is one government, there are about 10,000 souls, of which a"bout 150 frequent the church, and there are 30 communicants. In Boston "and Piscataway government there are about 80,000 souls, of which about "600 frequent the church, and 120 the sacrament." Dr. Stiles, having cast "up the particulars of this account in the margin of Dr. Humphries, has written against the aggregate number 262,000, "About A. D. 1700.” Some of these estimates were perhaps earlier, and others later. Beverly says, that Virginia, about A. D. 1704, contained about 60,000 souls; and Dr. Trumbull supposes, that " at the commencement of this century, the inhabitants of New England did not amount to more than forty five or fifty thousand." Century Sermon, p. 15. 1 Trumbull Century Sermon, 15. New Hampshire contained Province of Maine Massachusetts Connecticut 4 ministers I 86 28 2 Brit. Emp. i. 158. The statement is, 121 ships and vessels of 7,991 tons burden; 2,727 men on board; 993 boats, belonging to the ships and to the inhabitants; the returns, 216,320 quintals of fish, and 3798 hogsheads of train or liver oil. The number of fishing stages was 544; the number of men, women, children, and servants, employed in curing the fish, was 3,581. Ib. 3 Anderson, iii. 4, 5. By these memorials it appears, that " the small isJand with the terra firma of Cayenne" had not above 600 white people, and 1701. Aug. 4. Congress of French and Ind. at Montreal. French A provisional treaty having been signed the preceding year; a congress of French and Indians was holden on the fourth of August at Montreal, and a treaty of peace was concluded. ' The Assiento Company, or the Company of Guinea, for transporting negroes into the Spanish setCompany. tlements in America, was established.* Assiento Court of A court of chancery was organized in the proChancery. vince of New York. 3 W.Stoughton dies. The legislature of Massachusetts passed an act "to encourage the sowing and well manufacturing of hemp" within the province." 4 William Stoughton, lieutenant governor of Massachusetts, died at Dorchester. 5 2000 negroes; that Granada contained about 200 white inhabitants, and 600 negroes; that Martinico "had formerly" (the time is not specified) 3500 men bearing arms, and 16,000 negroes; that Guadaloupe was "not peopled; though it had formerly 1500 men bearing arms, and 8000 negroes;" that the French, since their evacuation of Santa Cruz, had sold that island to the king of Denmark; that at Cape François, in Hispaniola, there were 900 men bearing arms, and 2000 negroes; and the District of Leogane," the seat of the French governor and sovereign courts," had 2000 men bearing arms, and 15,000 negroes; that Petit Guavis had 600 whites and 2000 negroes; and that there were " some other isles, as Les Haintes, St. Martin, and St. Bartholomew; but of very little importance, and almost uninhabited." I Charlevoix Nouv. France, ii. 270-283. Univ. Hist. xl. 142, 143. Wynne, i. 480, 481. On a plain without the city there was erected, on this occasion, a theatre, 128 feet long and 72 broad, at the end of which was raised a large covered box [une sale converte] for the ladies and all people of fashion in the city. De Callieres, attended by all his principal officers, and 1300 Indians, were seated in order within the rails of the theatre, which were surrounded by soldiers under arms. After an introductory speech by Callieres, on the benefits of peace, each Indian chief presented to him his prisoners, with a belt of wampum; and the treaty of peace was signed by 38 deputies, from the Iroquois and various nations. The great pipe of peace was then smoked. Te Deum was sung; the great kettles, in which three oxen had been boiled were produced; and the meat was served up to each, with great order and decorum. The ceremony was concluded with discharges of artillery, bonfires, and illuminations. 2 Encyclop. Methodique, Commerce, Art. COMPAGNIE DE L'ASSIENTE. The treaty for this company was signed at Madrid 27 August, 1701, and ratified by the king of France 1 September, 1702. It is entitled "Traité fait entre les deux rois très-chrétien et catholique, avec la compagnie royale de Guinée, etablie en France concernant l'introduction des Négres dans l'Amerique." 3 Smith N. York, 98. 4 Massachusetts Laws. 5 Hutchinson, ii. 128. He was a son of " captain Stoughton, who had the * Not 30, as some English bistories affirm: “ où l'en avoit fait boullir treis beufs." Charlevoix. |