[Council Min. V.]

Councill Held at ffort James ;

ffriday the Ninth of September 1687.

Present His Excy the Govern" &c.

Informacön being given to his Excy and some of the Members of ye Board that ye ffrench at Cannada are providing ffifteen hundred pair of Snowshews,

That they who come be

Ordred that ye Mayor and Magistrates of Albany send ord" to the five Nations to bring Down their Wives Children and old men least ye ffrench come uppon them in the Winter and none to stay in the Castles but ye yong men. setled some at Cats Kill Levingstons land and along ye River where they can find Conveniency to be neer us to assist them if they should want and that they send Downe with them all ye Indyan Corne that can be spared by ye Young Men who are to stay in ye Castles.

Councill Held at ffort James;

Sonday the 11th of Septemb', 1687.

Present His Excy the GovernTM &c.

Letters from Albany giveing account that the people there are in great Consternation thro apprehension that ye ffrench will come down uppon them this Winter

Resolved that Every tenth man of all ye Militia troupes & Companys within the Province Except those who were out ye last yeare a whaling be Drawn out to go up thither.

M. DE DENONVILLE TO GOV. DONGAN.

[Par. Doc. III.; Lond. Doc. V.]

Kebec, 2 Octob. 1697.

Sir- On arriving in this town I recd a letter from the King copy of which I send, so that you may see, Sir, how much His Majesty has at heart that we should live on good terms. This has induced me not to await your reply to the letters I had the honour to write you by Antoine Lespinard regarding the complaints I made to you of the infraction yourself and your officers at Orange

have committed and continue to commit of the Treaty of Peace and Union entered into between the Kings, our Masters.

Though I have quite recently again cause to complain of you and your officers since you have a short time since, hired a party of sixty Mohawks to come and make a foray in the country of New France, which is a truth so well known that it cannot be doubted, yet, Sir, in conformity with my Master's orders and in response to the intentions of His Majesty whose will I follow, directing me to do all in my power to contribute to the union that our Masters desire should exist between us, I have determined to send you back Mr. Gregory and all those whom you despatched under his orders, being very happy to evince to you thereby the desire I have to live well with you and to avoid every subject of quarrel, which will be very easy if you wish to remain within the rules prescribed by our Masters.

As it is very necessary to the maintenance of good correspondence between us according to our Masters' intentions, that I be informed of your last resolutions; in order to afford you an opportunity to communicate with me I retain here only those named Captain Loquerman, the son of Arian, Abraham Squelar (Schuyler) and Jean Blaquer whom I shall take care will want for nothing until I have replies from you to justify me in not doubting that we shall live hereafter in union and good understanding.

[Council Min. V.]

Councill Held at ffort James;

tuesday the 13th day of March 1687. Present the Members of the Council.

Major Baxter now come ffrom Albany Informing that he is Instructed by His Excelcy The Governour to propose to this board that they Consider what ye amount of the Extraordinary Charge of the Expedicôn agt ye ffrench will be this year and what will be ye best & easyest means for defraying It in persuance whereof Computacôn being made the Charge of the new Raised forces with ye Incidentall Charges thereon Is Computed to bee about Eight thousand Pound and finding ye last tax of one penny halse

penny per pound will not amount to above Twelve hundred pound of which many of the Inhabitants are not able to pay their own proportion, It is the opinion of this board that this Goverment alone is no way able to bear so great a burthen, Whereuppon It is Resolved that a lett be sent to his Excelcy proposeing this Board's Opinion that It will be Convenient proposalls be sent to the Neighbouring Collonyes to send Commissiones thither to treat and make some settlement for defraying the Charges of the said Expedition as will be Esteemed most Easy and Convenient

Council Held at ffort James;

Monday the thirtyeth day of Aprill 1688.

Present His Excellcy the Govern" &c.

Account of Disbursements made by Robert Levingston at Albany by His Excelcys Ord" ffor ye Maintenance of his Majties fforces there and for sundry Guefts & p'sents made to ye Indyans and Releife of ye ffrench Prisoners, ffrom ye 11th August 1687 to ye first day of June 1688 amounting to Two thousand sixty seaven pound six shillings and four pence read.

Council held at ffort James

Monday ye third day of May 1688.

Present His Excelcy the Govern" &c.

Resolved uppon Debate had thereof that the taxes lately made will not Raise mony sufficient to bear ye p'sent necessary Charge of the Governt and that a new Levy of £2556. 4s. be made to be Paid by all the Inhabitants and ffreeholders in ye Province in mony to his Majties Collector at ye Custome house in New York. before ye first day of Novembr next in manner following vizt

The Citty & County of New Yorke to pay £434 : 10:00 County of Westchester

Citty and County of Albany

County of Richmond

County of Ulster

Kings County

Queens County

185: 15:00

Ordred that ye Attorney Generall Draw upp an Act for ye sd tax accordingly.

An Establishment to be Allowed to the Officers and Soldiers who hath been att Albany upon the present Expedicôn vizt The Major ten Shillings Currtt Money of this Province

In the year 1687 when the French at Canada were making preparations to attack the Five Nations of Indians belonging to New York, Coll. Dongan then Gov' there sent some of the forces of the Countrey to Albany, & went himselfe to sustain the Indians against the French, towards the charges of wch Expedition a Countrey Rate and other taxes were laid by the Gov and Councill in New York amounting to £3813.6.4 whereof Pet" (Livingston) alledges £1129.3.6 to remain yet unpaid in the severall Countyes. Statement of Mr. Livingston's Case, &c. Sept. 1695.

CONDITION IN WHICH FORT NIAGARA WAS LEFT IN 1688. [Paris Doc. IV.]

On the fifteenth day of September of the Year One thousand, Six hundred and Eighty and Eight, in the forenoon, Sieur Desbergères Captain of one of the companies of the Detachment of the Marine, Commandant of Fort Niagara having assembled all

the officers, the Rev: Fath Millet of the Society of Jesus Missionary, and others, to communicate to them the orders he received from the Marquis de Denonville Governor and Lieutenant General for the King in the whole extent of New France and Country of Canada, dated the 6th of July of the present year, wherein he is ordered to demolish the fortification of the said Fort, with the exception of the cabins and quarters, which will be found standing (en nature); We, Chevalier de La Motthe, Lieutenant of a detached company of the Marine, and Major of said Fort, have made a Proces Verbal, by order of said Commandant, containing a Memorandum of the condition in which we leave said quarters which will remain entire, to maintain the possession His Majesty and the French have for a long time had in this Niagara district.

Firstly :

We leave in the centre of the Square a large, framed, wooden Cross, eighteen feet in height, on the arms of which are inscribed in large letters, these words:

REGN VINC. IMP. CHRS.

which was erected on last Good Friday by all the officers and solemnly blessed by the Rev. Fath" Millet.

Item, a Cabin in which the Commandant lodged, containing a good chimney, a door and two windows furnished with their ninges, fastenings and locks, which cabin is covered with fortyfour deal boards and about six other boards arranged inside into a sort of bedstead.

Item, in the immediate vicinity of said Cabin is another cabin with two rooms having each its chimney; ceiled (lambrisés) with boards and in each a little window and three bedsteads, the door furnished with its hinges and fastenings; the said Cabin is covered with fifty deal boards and there are sixty like boards on each side.

Item, right in front is the Rev. Fath" Millet's Cabin furnished with its chimney, windows and sashes; with shelves, a bedstead and four boards arranged inside, with a door furnished with its fastenings and hinges, the which is of twenty-four boards.