MINUTES OF THE GENERAL COURT. At a General Court held November 11th 1644 Whereas, the General Court for this Jurisdiction did see Cause to put forth their best endeavours to procure a patent from the Parliament, as judging it a fit Season now for that end; and therefore desired Mr. Gregson to undertake the Voyage and business, and agreed to furnish him with two hundred Pounds in this jurisdiction, of which in proportion to the other plantations, New Haven is to pay one hundred and ten Pounds, in merchantable Beaver. It was therefore ordered, that the said One hundred and ten Pounds, shall be procured at the Charge of the town Treasury upon such terms as it may to the Town to stand the terms, and bear the damage that may come thereby. It is ordered that upon the admittance of any Man as a planter to any plantation in the Jurisdiction the fundamental Laws and Orders concerning notes &c. Shall be read tothem and approved; the oath of Fidelity shall be administered to them, the plantation which is to receive them being Satisfied in other particulars, by a satisfying Certificate from Sufficiént Creditable persons, of their good behavior and Conversation. The Governor informed the Court that Mr. Leveridge had been with him, and propounded to know, whether their plantation at Ovster Bay might not Join, and be admitted a member of the Colony; He also propounded some objections about a Patent; about public Charges in this jurisdiction above others, with something about keeping Courts at their own Plantations, all which was answered, So as he objected no farther but desired to know, if upon further Speech with their town, they desired to be received, whether it might be done without the General Courts meeting again. The Court Considered of what was propounded, and declared, that if upon full understanding the fundamental Laws and Orders for Government here established, they shall desire to join, and that they do upon their admittance take the oath of Fidelity as before ordered, and in a writing subscribed by them, Solemnly engage themselves to a full observance thereof, they may be received as a member of this Jurisdiction. At a General Court for New Haven, March 16, 1654-5. The town was informed that the occasion of its meeting, is to let them understand how things are at present Concerning Delaware; Now John Cooper is returned, he finds little encouragement in the Bay, few being willing to engage in it at present, and therefore they may Consider whether to Carry it on themselves, or to let it fall. Mr. Goodyear said, notwithstanding the discouragements from the Bay, if a considerable Company appear that will go, he will adventure his Person and Estate, and go with them in that design; but a Report of other Ships being Come to the Swedes, seems to make the business more difficult; after much debate about it, it was voted by the Town in this Case, that they will be at Twenty or Thirty pound charge-that Mr. Goodyear, Sergeant Jeffery and such other as they think fit to take with them, may go to Delaware, and carry the Commissioners' letters, and treat with the Swedes about a probable settlement of the English upon their own right, and then after harvest, if things were clear'd, Company may resort thither for the planting of it. At a General Court held at New-Haven for the jurisdiction, January 30th 1654. A petition was presented by Thomas Munson, and [John] Cooper of New Haven, on behalf of a Company of Persons intending a remove to Delaware Bay, wherein they proposed, that for the enlargement of the Kingdom of Christ, the Spreading of the Gospel, and the good of prosperity therein, that they live under the wings of Christ, they would afford Some encouragement to help forward so Public a Work. 1. That two Magistrates, Mr. Sam' Eaton and Mr. Francis Newman, may have liberty from this Court to go in person at first, and in case they see not themselves called to lay out so much of their Estate as is like to be disbursed in such an undertaking, that then it would please the Court, that out of the Jurisdiction they may be honorably provided for, as Men that are wiling to lay out themselves for the Public good. 24. In case there be an undertaking, they that go, may at first go under the protection of this Jurisdiction, and that in case of any Affront, the jurisdiction will engage to assist, till by the blessing of God they may be able by themselves to set up a Commonwealth, according to the fundamentals for Goyernment laid at New Haven. 3. That seeing our numbers are yet Small, about or betwixt, 50 and 60, we desire the Court to consider what number may be a competent number, that we may serve God's providence, and yet not let the Work fall for want of too great a number. 4. That two great guns, and powder, and what belongs to them, might be granted. 5th. Seeing that most that have purposed to go, do only for Public respects undertake, and not for any need at present, and thereupon do leave their houses and lands without that improvement they themselves did make, they desire that for some time as the Court shall think meet, they may be freed from Rates and Public Charges. 6th. Seeing that they whose hearts God stirs up to undertake at first, are men for the general of no great Estates, and some cannot go without help, we desire that a sum of money may be raised in this Jurisdiction, which may be employed either to buy a small Vessel that may attend the Service, or otherwise, as shall be thought meet. Now that which occasions this last, is not only the sense of the great Expense and Charges at first, and the present need that some have now, but also we have heard from Sundry, that generally men are willing to help on the Work, either by Persons or Estates. Thus begging pardon for our boldness, and humbly desire to Commit all our Consultations unto the direction of the God of Wisdom, and so remain, Yours to Command JOHN COOPER in the behalf of the rest. New-Haven 30th of the 11th month 1654. To which the Court returned That having read and considered a paper of Some propositions, presented by Thomas Munson and John Cooper of New Haven, in the name and behalf of sundry Persons of this Jurisdiction, and Elsewhere, appearing as undertakers for the first planting of Delaware; in order to the Public good of this jurisdiction, and the enlargement and further advancement of the Kingdom of Christ in those parts, do return in answer as follows: 1st. That they are willing so far to deny themselves for the furtherance of that Work, in order to the ends propounded, as to grant Liberty to one or both of those Magistrates mentioned, to go along with them, who with such other fit Persons as this Court shall so meet to join with them, may be empowered for managing all matters of Civil government there, according to such Commission as shall be given them by this Court. 2. That they will either take the Propriety of all the pur chased Lands into their own hands, or leave it to such as shall undertake the planting of it -provided that it be and remain a part of this Jurisdiction. And for their encouragement, they purpose, when God shall so enlarge the English Plantations, in Delaware, as that they shall grow the greater part of the jurisdiction, that then due Consideration shall be taken for the care and Conveniency of both parts, as that the Governor may be one year in one part, and the next year in another, and the Deputy Governor to be in that part where the Governor is not; and that general Courts for making Laws may be ordinarily but once a year, and where the Governor resides; and if God much increase Plantations in Delaware, and diminish them in these parts, then possibly they may see cause that the Governor may be constantly there, and the Deputy Governor here; but that the lesser part of the Jurisdiction be protected and eased by the greater part, both in Rates & other wise; which they conceive will be both acceptable to God, and (as appears by the conclusions of the Commissioners Anno 1651) most satisfying to the rest of the United Colonies. 3. That for the matters of charge propounded for encouragement to be given or lent to help on their first beginnings, they will propound the thing to the several particular Plantations, and promote the business for procuring something that way, and Shall return their answer with all convenient speed. At a general Court held at New Haven for the Jurisdiction &c, July 5th, 1654. A letter was now by order of this Court sent to the Swedes at Delaware Bay, informing them of the Propriety which some in this Colony have, to large tracts of Land on both sides of Delaware Bay and River, and desiring a neighborly Corresponding with them, both in Trading and Planting there. our answer hereof. Honored and beloved in the Lord And We the general Court of New Haven Colony, being Sensible of the wrongs which this Colony hath suffered lately, by your unjust pretences and encroachments upon our just rights, have unanimously Consented, though with grief of heart, being compelled thereunto, to declare unto you and unto all whom the knowledge thereof may Concern, what yourselves do or may know to be true as followeth. 1. That the first beginning of these Plantations by the Sea side in these western parts of New England, being engaged to Sundry Friends in London, and in other places about London (who purposed to plant some with them in the same Town and others as near to them as they might), to provide for themselves some convenient places by the Sea-Side arrived at Boston in the Massachusetts, having a special right in their Patent, two of them being joint purchasers of it with others, and one of them a patentee, and one of the assistants chosen for the New England Company in London, where they abode all the winter following; but not finding there a place suitable to their purpose, were persuaded to view these parts, which those that view'd approved; and before their removal, find that no English were planted in any place from the Fort called Saybrook, to the Dutch purposed purchase of the Indians, the natural proprietors of those Lands, that whole tract of Land by the Sea Coast for themselves, and those that Should Come to them; which they also signified to their friends at Hartford in Connecticut Colony, and desired that some fit men from thence might be employed in that business, at their proper Cost & Charges; wrote to them, unto which letters having receiv'd a satisfactory answer, they acquainted the Court of Magistrates of Masachusetts Colony, with their purpose to remove, and the grounds of it; and with their consent began a Plantation in a place situated by the Sea, called by the Indians Quinnepiaug, which they did purchase of the Indians, the true Proprietors thereof, for themselves, and Posterity; and have quietly possessed the same about six and twenty years, and have buried great Estates in Buildings, Fencing, and clearing the ground, and in all sorts of husbandry, without any help from Connecticut or dependence upon them, and by voluntary Consent among themselves, they settled a Civil Court & Government among themselves, upon such fundamentals as were established in Massachusetts, by allowance of their Patent, whereof the then Governor of the Bay the right Worshipful Mr Winthrop, sent us a copy, to improve for our best advantage. These fundamentals all the inhabitants of the said Quinnepiaug approved, and bound themselves to submit unto and maintain, and chose Theophilus Eaton Esq' to be their Governor, with as good right as Connecticut Settled their Govern' among themselves, and continued it above twenty years without any Patent. 2. That when the help of Mr. Eaton, our Governor, and some others from Quinnepiaug was desired for ending of a controversy at Weathersfield, a Town in Connecticut Colony, it being judged necessary for peace that one party should remove their dwellings, upon equal Satisfactory terms proposed, the Governor Magistrates &c of Connecticut offered for their part, |