Beschreibung:

EAST NEW JERSEY -- MINUTE BOOK OF THE LORDS PROPRIETORS OF NEW JERSEY, 1664-1683. A collection of manuscripts including the Minutes, transcribed for the use of Robert Barclay, of the Meetings of the Proprietors, 'A Register of all such materiall Orders and agreements as have been made by the Proprietors of East New Jersey as they stand in the Minute Booke', 6 June 1682 - 4 March 1683 [84] , recording forty-one meetings held in London, 45 pages, folio ; together with transcripts of over ninety letters and documents relating to the Proprietors and settlements in the colony, 1664 - 1683, approximately 240 pages, folio ; 'Extracts from Robert Barclay's Journal or Pocketbook', 9 September 1682 - 28 March 1688, transcribed in a later hand, 31 pages, folio (small tears in lower margins); three manuscript and two printed maps of East Jersey, circa 1683, and three printed items, altogether approximately 316 pages, folio (340 x 210mm - 370 x 230mm) , the Minutes and documents neatly written in brown ink, index (numbered 1 - 56), papered seal of the province ('Magna Sigilla Provinciae'), blank leaves, watermarked (similar to Heawood 1786, dating 1683/4) bound in late 19th century morocco. Shortly after Robert Barclay's election as Governor of East Jersey, transcripts were made for his use of all the principal documents, including charters, patents, concessions, commissions and correspondence, relating to the colony. In the Minutes of the Proprietors' meeting on 4 July 1683 William Dockrwa, their secretary and registrar, is instructed 'to cause to be drawn up in a Book what is necessary to be recorded out of the Minutes and such Letters and Papers as are fit to be registered, with a list of the title deeds etc'. Dockrwa's expenses on 14 December include 'Item. Copying of map of Perth and ye draught of Perth town for ye use of ye Gov . & the Scotch Proprietors'. He paid a clerk for 'registering in our book at 2s 6d per diem', and paid 'Mr. Sellers' for maps of the coasts of East Jersey and part of Staten Island, and charged for 'copying the long case of Navesink and two papers to be sent to Scotland'. The collection presented here comprises all the most important documents of the early history of East New Jersey. The documents include the Concessions of the Lords Proprietors (Berkeley and Carteret) to the 'Adventurers and Settlers', January 1664 , essentially a promotional charter to attract immigrants, promote trade and bring the proprietors an income from quit rents. Freeholders are promised electoral rights, freedom of trade and religious liberty. Commissions for Philip Carteret (Sir George's 26 year old cousin) as Governor, and for officials. Instructions to the Governor promising every freeman that accompanies him 'Armed with a good muskett boare, twelve bulletts to the pound with ten pounds of powder and twenty pounds of bulletts, with bandeleers and match convenient and six months provision for his own person, arriving there one hundred and fifty acres of land'. An interesting 'account of the seven setled townes and tracts before our purchase [1682]' describing Shrewsbury, Middleton, Piscattaway, Woodbridge, Elizabeth Town, Newark and Bergen, estimating the number of settled families at 700, the inhabitants at 3,500 and the area at 280,000 acres. Correspondence referring to land disputed with New York includes a series of letters and abstracts concerning the rebellious patentees of Navesink; the case of 'Azimes Farm lying over against New Yorke within the Province of East Jersey ... It is sayd to be the best ffarme in our Province ... [It] lyes on a neck of land where in half an hour the Tennant can carry anything he has on his ffarme to sell in New Yorke Markett'; and extracts of 8 letters on East Jersey's title to Staten Island. On the acquisition of East Jersey by the Twenty-four Proprietors, letters from the province reveal a state of chaos. Thomas Rudyard sends a long letter full of complaints of the officials left by the pr