the fruition and protection of his majesty's unparalleled form and method of government in his realm of England, the undoubted birthright of all his subjects. Which necessitates us, in behalf of this your royal highness' colony, to become humble suppliants and suitors to your royal highness; praying, and we do hereby humbly and submissively, with all obedience, pray and beseech your royal highness, that, for the redressing and removal of the said grievances, the government of this your colony may, for the future, be settled and established, ruled and governed, by a governor, council, and assembly; which assembly to be duly elected and chosen by the freeholders of this your royal highness' colony, as is usual and practicable with the realm of England, and other his majesty's plantations. Which will give great ease and satisfaction to all his majesty's subjects in this your royal highness' colony; who desire no greater happiness than the continuance of your royal highness' grace and favour, and to be and remain his majesty's loyal and free subjects.

By order, &c.

JOHN WEST, Clerk of Assize.

Of the Pirate William Kidd.

William Kidd, who was commissioned in 1696 to go against the pirates, who then infested the seas, became a pirate, sailed to Madagascar, and ravaged the sea and the coast from the Red Sea to the coast of Malabar for nearly a year, when he returned with more valuable spoil, than perhaps ever fell to the lot of a pirate. On his way from the West Indies to Boston, he anchored in Gardiner's Bay, landed on the island, and buried a box of gold, silver and precious stones. The owner of the Island was entrusted with the secret, 'and his life was the pledge of its security. Kidd made similar deposits in other places along the coast. On Kidd's arrival at Boston, on the 1st. July, 1699, he was seized and committed by the order of the Governor, the Earl of Bellamont, and among his papers was found an account of all his deposits. Commissioners were appointed to collect and secure them. They called on Mr. Gardiner for the box that was deposited on the Island, who, after he was assured that Kidd was in safe custody, and not likely again to be in a condition to injure him, procured the box and delivered it to the Commissioners.

Kidd was sent to England and tried and executed May 9th,

1701.

The tradition of Kidd's having buried his treasures along the coast, unaccompanied by the history of their discovery, has given rise to the idle practice of money digging, under the impression that those treasures are still to be found.

Among the papers of the late John L. Gardiner, Esq. is an account of the treasure deposited on the Island, taken from the list of Kidd's treasures, which were secured by the commissioners, of which the following is a summary.

Received the 17th inst. of Mr. John
Gardiner, three bags of gold dust
containing

Two bags of gold bars containing
One do. of coined gold do.

One do. broken silver do.

Two do silver bars

One do. silver buttons and a lamp

One bag containing three silver rings and sundry precious stones

One do, of unpolished stones

136 oz.

5013

11 & silver 124 oz.

7383

1731

521

29

47 oz.

121

847, 173

One bag containing one piece of Bristol and Bezoar stones two cornelian rings, and two small agates, two amethysts.

Which account was presented by Samuel Sewell, Nathaniel Byfield, Jeremiah Dumer and Andrew Belcher, esqs. commissioners appointed to receive and secure the same, under oath, to the Earl of Bellamont, Governor of Massachusetts..

This is only a part of the first of 13 sheets, in which the whole account was comprized, as is certified by H. C. Addington, Secretary of State, July 25th, 1699.

A list of the Governors, Lieutenant Governors, and Presidents of the Council who administered the government of the colony and state of New-York, from 1629 to the present time.

Anthony Colve, on a re-capture of the pro

vince by the Dutch

1673

After the surrender to the English, Sir Ed

mund Andross,

1674

1

CONTENTS.

State of the Country at the time of its first settlement,
Of the interfering claims of the Dutch and English,
Of the settlement of the Island,

Of Trade among the first settlers,
Of the Character of the first settlers,

Of the political condition of the English towns,
Of their union with Connecticut,

Of the Ecclesiastical state of the several towns,
Of the Indians on Long-Island,

-

-

Of the political condition of the several towns in the
Dutch territory,

Of the English government after the conquest in 1664
to the American Revolution,

Page.

3.

5

8

14

17

19

24

28

61

80

81