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and the said Towne Clerk being examined Confessed that the order made at the Town Meeting at flatbush was taken out of the said Town book by Aries Vanderbelt and himself, and that it now is in the said Aries Vanderbelt's custody. Ordered that the said Town Clerk do immediately Deliver to this Board the Contents of the said Order, in writing so near as he can remember, which being done It is ordered that the said Aries Vanderbelt do appeare before this Board to-morrow morning at ten of the clock and that said Town Clerk do attend at the said time.- Doc. Hist. N. Y. Vol. iii. pp. 91, 92.

PETITION OF THE CONSISTORY ON LONG ISLAND, OCTOBER 23, 1702, TO CALL REV. FREEMAN OF SCHENECTADY.

(1) To his Excellency, Edward, Lord Viscount Cornbury, her Majesty's Captain General and Governor General of the Province of New York and Territories depending thereon in America, and Vice-Admiral of the same:

The humble petition of the Elders of the four Dutch churches in the several vil-
lages of Breukelen, Vlaktebosch, New Amersfoort and New Uitrecht, in Kings
County, on the Island of Nassau, whose names are here under written
Humbly sheweth - To your Excellency, that her Majesty's subjects of the Dutch
nation, in said county, have always, for some years past, indeed, ever since this
province has been in the possession of the English Crown, enjoyed liberty as to
their divine service; and have had the right to send to Holland for their minis-
ters, who nurture and instruct them, in their own language; and they have also
had the privilege to use their own methods of church discipline, but always with
due submission (to the government); even as they have had permission from the
present Governor so to act; of these favors they have already made use, and for
them they are very grateful.

Now may it please your Excellency, the minister of your Excellency's petitioners has lately died, (Lupardus): and considering the great necessity of a minister among us in these deplorable times and days of visitations, as well as the long, and at present also dangerous passage, in these times of war, if we send to Holland: and having come upon a minister without any salary, as he says, a certain Mr. Freerman, lately minister at Schenectady, whom our people and church-assembly admire very much: Therefore

Your Excellency's petitioners most humbly request permission and liberty to call him, and to send for and confirm the said Mr. Freerman to be the minister of the said four churches, pursuant to their former customs and the Rules of their church discipline; and as in duty bound they will ever pray for your Excellency's health and happiness.

Joseph Hegeman
Gerrit Stoothof

Daniel Rapalie
Dirck Amerman

Joris Hansen

The mark X of
Claas Wykhof

The mark X of
Jan Fredrick
Jaques Corteljou
Stoffel Probasco
The mark X of
Gysbert Tysselane
Meijndert Koerten.

Answer of the Governor.

(2) By his Excellency, Edward Viscount Cornbury, Captain General and Governor of the Province of New York and Territories depending thereon in America, and Vice-Admiral of the same.

The within petition having duly been considered, and having been sufficiently informed that Mr. Bernardus Freerman has not behaved well in the continuation and encouragement of the dissensions among the people of this province, I do not think it to accord with her Majesty's service, that said Mr. Freerman should be admitted to the call, as requested in said petition, and the petitioners are hereby ordered neither to call nor to receive said Freerman. But liberty is herewith given to them to send to Holland or any other place, for such a minister as they shall think fit, according to their old customs.

Given at Jamaica, in Queens County, this 23rd of October 1702.

Doc. Hist. N. Y. Vol. iii. 92.

Corenbury.

New York the 16th of May 1706. Translated from the original English petition and answered by

Abrah. Gouverneur,

Interpreter and Translator.

This copy, having been compared with the original agrees with it in every part. In testimony whereof our hands

V. Antonides, Minister at Midwoud.
Gualtherus du Bois, Minister at New York.
Henricus Beis, V.D.M., at Kingstowne.

ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM.

Something about the Conventus of Suriname.

1702, Nov. 7th. Rev. Domine Zeegers reports, that in pursuance of the resolution, to be seen in the preceding acta, he communicated to the Hon. Burgomaster, John Hudde, the grievances mentioned in the aforesaid acta. He then handed them over to Mr. Pensionary Buys, to be considered at the meeting of the Messrs. Directors of the Society of Suriname (for sending ministers thither.) ix. 24. xix. 266.

CONVENTION OF ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 1702.

The Episcopalians felt the need of some sort of united action for the extension of their denomination. Gov. Nicholson of Virginia issued a call for a meeting of the Episcopal clergy in New York in November 1702. Seven of their Ministers met there, viz., Revs. John Talbot, John Bartow, George Keith, Alexander

1702

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Innes, Edmond Mott, Evan Evans and Mr. Vesey. Gov. Nicholson gave twenty five pounds towards defraying the expenses of the meeting, which lasted for a week. Measures were discussed and devised for the extension of the Gospel. Stress was laid on the need of Episcopal services, and an earnest wish was expressed that a suffragan might be sent out from England. A statement of the condition of the Church was prepared to send to England so as to show the necessity of a suffragan. But it received but little attention in England.

[Coll. P. E. Hist. Soc. 185, xv. xxi, xxxiii.; letter of Bartow, Nov. 4, 1702, to Mr. Whitefield, N. Y. Gen. Conv. MSS.]

November, 15. Mr. Keith again preached in New York, on Rev. 3:20," Behold I stand at the door and knock, etc.," it being Sacrament day. On November 22, he again preached, on Rom. 6: 17, 18, "But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed etc.," Rev. Mr. Talbot preached in the afternoon. Gov. Cornbury invited them to dine with him on these two Sundays and at other times. Keith in writing to the Society, says: 'My Lord Cornbury invited us to dine with him at Fort Henry, as accordingly we did after sermon

There

is a brave congregation of people belonging to the Church here, as well as a very fine fabrick of a church, and the Rev. Mr. Vesey very much esteemed and loved for his ministry, and good life; and the like I can say of all the other ministers of the Church, where I have travelled, as at Boston, at Rhode Island and Philadelphia.”

The Bishop of London requested the Commissioners of Trade to provide a house for Mr. Vesey; for King William had allowed twenty six pounds annually for rent of a house for Trinity's minister. Also as one hundred and ten acres in Worcester Co., N. Y. had been escheated to the Queen by the death of one Thomas Williams, they were requested to settle this land upon Trinity Church for the support of a minister.- Dix, 143.

1702

REV. JOHN TALBOT TO MR. GILLINGHAM.

New York 24th November, 1702.

The Clergy here have had a sort of convocation at the instance and charge of his Excellency, Colonel Nicholson, Governor of Virginia, we were but seven in all, and a week together we Sat considering of ways and means to propagate the Gospel, and to that end we have drawn up a scheme of the present State of the Church in these provinces, which you shall see when I have time to transcribe it, and I shall desire you to send it afterwards to my good brother Kemble. We have great need of a bishop here to visit all the Churches, to ordain some, to confirm others, and bless all. Doc. Hist. N. Y. Vol. lil. p. 251.

CHURCH OF KINDERHOOK. [REV.] PAUL VAN VLECK.

(Council Min. ix.)

In Council, 12 November, 1702. His Excellency in Council being informed that one Paulus van Vleck hath lately wandered about the country preaching notwithstanding he hath been formerly forbidden by his Excellency to do the same and is lately called by some of the Inhabitants of Kinderhook to be their Clerk without any License from his Excellency for so doing. It is hereby ordered that the high Sheriff of the county of Albany do take care to send the said Van Vleck down by the first opportunity to answer his contempt before this board. Doc. Hist. N. Y. Vol. iii. p. 538.

Dd. to Coll. Schuyler.

COUNCIL JOURNAL. CORNBURY ADVISED NOT TO PRESS HIS "SECRET INSTRUCTIONS AS TO TEACHERS, TOO FAR." (See JAN. 29, 1702, No. 65.)

1702, Nov. 20. Col. Wm. Smith, Chairman of the Committee of the Council to whom the Bill for the Encouragement of a Grammar Free School in the city of New York was committed by this Board for report, does humbly offer to his Excellency that upon perusal of that part of his Excellency's "Instructions" relating to schoolmasters within this colony, in the words following: "That no schoolmaster be permitted to come from England and to keep a school within this province without the license of

1702

the Right Rev. Father in God Henry, Lord Bishop of London, and that no person now there, or that shall come from other parts be permitted to keep school without your license first obtained": We are humbly of opinion that his Excellency ought not to press the said Bill otherwise than is directed by that clause of his Excellency's Instructions, and that it be recommended to the House of Representatives to make such amendments in the said Bill as is agreeable thereunto. Bill sent back to Assembly. 185.

Amendment to his "Instructions."

1702, Nov. 25. Col. Wm. Smith, Chairman of the Committee of the Council to whom the Bill for the encouragement of a Grammar Free School in the City of New York was re-committed, does report to this Hon. Board: That all be left out after the words "Queen Mary" in the tenth line of the second sheet, and instead thereof, the following proviso to be inserted: "Provided always that such schoolmaster, if chosen from England, then to be licensed by the Right Rev. Father in God, the Lord Bishop of London, and approved of by the Governor or Commander in Chief of this province for the time being; and in case any fit person shall be here found for the discharge of that duty, as well as upon any vacancy that may hereafter happen upon the death, absence or disability of such schoolmaster, that then and in such case the Common Council of the City of New York for the time being, shall and may recommend to the Governor or Commander in Chief of this province for the time being, such fit person, qualified as is aforesaid, for license and approbation, which is always to be had and obtained before such schoolmaster be entitled to the salary aforesaid, anything herein contained to the contrary thereof notwithstanding". Passed, as amended, and sent down to the House. 186. Disagreed to, and conference requested, 186.

The conference agreed to the following substitute for the last proviso: "Provided always that such schoolmaster shall from