Charles II. having ascended the English throne, granted a patent, dated March 12th, 1664, to his brother James, Duke of York and Albany, of all the territory between the Connecticut and the Delaware rivers, and the islands adjacent thereto, covering not only the possessions of the Dutch, but portions of grants previously made by the British Crown. Four armed vessels, led by the frigate Guinea, were fitted out and dispatched with four hundred and fifty soldiers, under command of Col. Richard Nicholls, groom of the bed-chamber to the Duke, to take possession of the lands thus conveyed. With Col. Nicholls were sent Sir Robert Carr, Sir George Cartwright, and Samuel Maverick, Esq., who were commissioned by the King, to first visit the New England colonies, and "to hear and receive, examine and determine, all complaints and appeals, in all matters, military, criminal, and civil, and proceed in all things for the providing for and settling the peace and security of the country, according to their discretion and instructions. . . After all the ceremonies [in the New England Colony] are performed, in the first place of all business, and before you enter upon any other particular, discourse at large and with confidence to them, all that we ourself have discoursed with you, of reducing the Dutch in or near Long Island, or anywhere within the limits of our dominions, to an entire obedience to our government, . .. they having no kind of right

to hold what they are in possession of."

Nicholls steered directly for Boston, where, upon his arrival, he conferred with the authorities in obedience to these instructions, and obtained recruits for the expedition. He then sailed for Connecticut, and receiving on board Governor Winthrop, proceeded to Manhattan, arriving near the close of August. Before opening formal negotiations with Governor Stuyvesant, the English commissioners issued a proclamation to the people, offering the most liberal regulations as to government, trade, and commerce, and entire security to person and property, provided they would transfer their allegiance to the English Crown. The allurements thus held

out were very tempting, promising a more liberal internal policy than was afforded under Dutch rule. A formal demand for the surrender of the government was then made. Stuyvesant was disposed to resist; but his people, with whom he had frequently quarrelled before, respecting their rights as citizens, were not disposed to second him. At length, seeing that he was powerless, Stuyvesant, on the 8th of September, yielded to the demand, and New Netherland passed under English rule.

Sir Robert Carr was immediately dispatched to the Delaware with a force sufficient to effect the reduction of the colony. Pursuing a policy similar to that adopted by Nicholls, Carr sailed past the fort, and addressed himself to the conciliation of the Swedes and Finns, which was speedily accomplished.

He then approached the fort and demanded its surrender. But every proposition for an amicable transfer of the government was rejected by D'Hinoyossa, though the fort was in no condition for resistance, and was garrisoned by only fifty men. Whereupon," says Carr, "I landed my soldiers on Sonday morning following, and commanded ye shipps to fall down before ye fort with muskett shott, wth directions to fire two broadsides apeace uppon y fort, then my soldiers to fall on. Which done ye soldiers neaver stoping untill they stormed ye Fort, and sae consequently to plundering; the seamen, noe less given to that sport, were quickly whin, and have gotten good store of booty. The loss on our part was none; the Dutch had ten wounded and three killed."

ROBERT NEEDHAM. -Maddened by the resistance offered, the town was given up to shameless plunder. Forty horses, sixty cows and oxen, one hundred sheep, and from sixty to seventy negroes were seized, and the personal possessions of the Dutch authorities were appropriated by the leaders,-Sir Robert Carr seizing the farm of D'Hinoyossa; his brother, Captain John Carr, that of Sheriff Van Sweringen; and Ensign Stock that of Peter Alrichs. This selfish and unwarrantable

procedure was discountenanced by Nicholls, who soon after visited the Delaware, and appointed Captain Robert Needham to the chief command in that colony, though retaining in his own hands supreme authority throughout his entire do

minions.

Before sending his fleet for the forcible reduction of New Netherland, the Duke of York had granted to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret all that territory now included in the southern limits of New Jersey. Up to this time few settlements had been made on the east side of the Delaware, and these had claimed little attention or care of the government.

Nicholls made a digest of the laws which had been in force in the several English American colonies, which were known as the Duke's Laws, and these he promulgated for the government of his own territory. His will was, however, the supreme law, as his counsellors were subservient, and the judicial officers were of his own appointment. But this authority was judiciously exercised, and general prosperity was assured during his administration.

COL. FRANCIS LOVELACE, 1667-1673. - CAPTAIN JOHN CARR.-In May, 1667, Nicholls was succeeded by Col. Francis Lovelace, and early in the following year regulations for the government of the military and civil authorities upon the Delaware were drawn up by the council in New York. By the terms of these regulations, a commissioned officer and twenty soldiers were provided to uphold the English authority upon the river, and Captain John Carr was selected as the commissioned officer. For the maintenance of civil order, it was provided that, as often as complaint was made, the commissioned officer was to summon "the schout, Hans Block, Israel Helm, Peter Rambo, Peter Cock, Peter Alrichs, or any two of them, as counsellors, to advise him, and determine, by the major vote, what is just, equitable, and necessary in the case in question." A similar commission was to decide all Indian difficulties, and order the arming of the

inhabitants when necessary, which orders and summons must be obeyed. The counsellors were to be duly instructed in the laws, and in all cases of difficulty appeal was to be had to the superior government at New York. Two murders had been committed about this time by Indians while maddened by liquor, whereupon Peter Rambo proceeded to New York, at the request of the leading men of the tribe, to ask that the sale of strong drinks to the Indians be absolutely prohibited. The whole matter was finally referred to Carr and his commission, whose decision was to be final.

In the year 1669, one Marcus Jacobson, known as the Long Finn, said to have been a son of Coningsmark, a noted Swedish General, together with Henry Coleman, also a Finn, attempted to incite insurrection by seditious speech. They appear to have been lawless characters, who had abandoned civilized for savage life. On the 2d of August, Governor Lovelace issued a proclamation for their arrest, and for the confiscation of their property, unless they gave themselves up within fifteen days. The Long Finn was taken, held in irons, tried, convicted, and adjudged worthy of death, but was finally "publicly and severely whipped, and branded with the letter R, with an inscription written in great letters and put upon his breast, that he received that punishment for attempting rebellion." He was afterwards transported to Barbadoes, where he was sold. Many of the simpler sort were found guilty, and it was ordered that they be treated with "severity, and such taxes laid on them as may not give them liberty to entertain any other thoughts but how to discharge them." Coleman was also apprehended and transported.

In 1671, upon the recommendation of Captain Carr, several orders were made by the council in New York appertaining to affairs upon the Delaware. Among others, it was provided that none except those who were licensed should be allowed to distil or to sell spirituous liquors. The temper of the Indians at about this time gave cause to apprehend a general uprising, and the people were warned to retire into

the towns, and every person between sixteen and sixty was ordered to provide himself with powder and bullets. For the detection of the Indians who had committed the two murders above referred to, Peter Alrichs was sent to New York, where, on the 25th of September, 1671, he testified before the council respecting the facts in the case. Upon the return of Alrichs a conference was held at the house of Peter Rambo, with the sachems of the tribes to which these Indians belonged, who promised to bring in the murderers within six days, dead or alive. One of the offenders escaped; but the other, on being overtaken by one of his tribe, friend, and told that the sachems and his brothers had said that he must die, requested his friend to shoot him, which was accordingly done, and his body, after being carried to Fort Casimir, now called New Castle, was hung in chains.

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In 1672, George Fox, the founder of the Society of Friends, travelled through the Delaware country, fording streams in his course, camping out at night, and visiting and counselling with his followers on his way. At New Castle he was kindly received by Captain Carr. "Being very weary," he says, "and inquiring in the town where we might buy some corn for our horses, the Governor came into the street and invited me to his house, and afterwards desired me to lodge there, telling me he had a bed for me, and I should be welcome."