mail: Bill Thayer Help Up Home This webpage reproduces an appendix in Dutch Explorers, Traders and Settlers in the Delaware Valley 1609‑1684 by Clinton Albert Weslager University of Pennsylvania Press Philadelphia 1961 The text is in the public domain. This page has been carefully proofread and I believe it to be free of errors. If you find a mistake though, please let me know! This site is not affiliated with the US Military Academy.

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 p300  Appendix B

Deposition of James Waye, a Quaker, concerning ye settlement of English and Dutch in Delaware⁠1

New Yorke SS

James Waye aged 66 years or thereabout deposes a[s] foll[owing] That as this Deponent hath been informed forty three years since that the first Settlement that ever was in Delaware river was made by one Peter Holmes an Englishman near fifty years since brought thither by one Captain Young at a place called Arrowamex a Little above Schoolekil⁠2 And the said Holmes not being acquainted with the Indians and the Indians gathering together (at which time the Dutch had some Trade in the said river not as owners or Proprietors of the said Land but as merchants or dealers there) the English inquiring of the Dutch what was the great concourse or meeting of the Indians, it was replied by the Dutch that it was undoubtedly to cut them of (meaning the English that were then seated) Then the English for fear of the Indians p[ro]cured the Dutch to carry them away & The next year the Dutch having that opportunity by the English being forced to forsake the place came themselves & seated it⁠3 And this Deponent further saith & averreth upon his own certain knowledge that in the year 1641 this deponent with others came to a place called Wattseson a little below Newcastle in Delaware river the number 14 or thereabout  p301 all Englishmen⁠4 The next year following this Deponent together with the rest of them went and purchased Land of the Indians at the Schoolkill⁠5 and Settled there accordingly afterward the Dutch came in and burnt our houses or Garrison & carried us away prisoners to New Haven in New England from whence this Deponent with the rest of the aforementioned company came from⁠6 And further saith that this Deponent being then under the command of some of the aforementioned company was present when they purchased all the Lands from the Schoolkill to the Minquois habitation & so along Delaware River [to] the great Sea for which there was near 40 lb. Sterling given to the Indians for the purchase thereof And for which said purchase there were writings drawn and presented on the pte of the Indians And further deposeth not The marke of James Way⁠7

 p302  New Yorke SS April the 18th 1684

Then appeared before me John Spragg Esquire Secretary of the Province of New Yorke the Deponent James Waye and affirmeth under the penalty of Perjury that the within mentioned Deposition is the trueth the whole trueth and nothing else but the trueth Which I certifie

John Spragge

1 This deposition was evidently made at the instigation of Lord Charles Baltimore in connection with the dispute with the Penns over the boundaries of Maryland and Pennsylvania. The original Ms is No. 31 of the Hugh Hampton Young collection of documents now in possession of the Enoch Pratt Free Library of Baltimore, with whose permission it is here published for the first time.

2 "Peter Holmes" may well have been intended for George Holmes who, with a party from Virginia, attempted to seat Fort Nassau, as discussed in Chapter 6. If so, it has not previously been known that he originally accompanied Thomas Yong to the Delaware.

3 Waye's facts are pro-English and garbled. The Dutch had long been in possession of Fort Nassau at "Arrowamex," and Holmes' party were the intruders.

4 Waye imparts here an important point of information from personal experience; namely that he was one of fourteen Englishmen (known to have come from New Haven) who in 1641 settled at "Wattseson" (Watcessit, Oijtsessingh, Wattsesinge, etc.), Indian name for land near the site of present Salem, New Jersey. The Swedes had been informed in 1641 that "several English families perhaps about sixty persons strong have settled and begun to build and cultivate the land . . ." (Inst. for Printz, p68). It is possible that Waye was a member of an advance party of English who came to the Delaware and were followed shortly by additional settlers.

5 Amandus Johnson published an English document dated April 19, 1642, which supports Waye's claim that land was purchased on the Schuylkill from the Indians (Inst. for Printz, p231, fn. 14a). Winthrop wrote that the Indians did not want to sell their land, but a Pequod chief who had fled his country and was then living on the Delaware, interceded for the English with the Delaware Indians (Winthrop's Journal 1630‑1649, ed. J. K. Hosmer, New York, 1908, 2:56).

6 On May 22, 1642, Jan Jansen, commis at Fort Nassau, received instructions to compel the English settled on the Schuylkill "in a polite manner to remove, so that no blood may be shed" (Narratives, Myers, p76). Cf. Chapter 6.

7 An inaccurate abstract of this deposition appears on p18 of Bernard Quaritch's Catalogue No. 427, part of which was reproduced in 1929, by the Sun Book & Job Printing Office in Baltimore for the Enoch Pratt Free Library, with a printed cover entitled, Descriptive Catalog of the Exhibition of Documents Relating to the Early Days of the Colony of Maryland.

 p303  Captain Thomas Yong's letter to Sir Francis Windebanke⁠1

May it please your Honour,

I have herewith sent to your Honour a relation of the occurrents of my voyage from Virginia, till this bearer, my Lieutenant's [Robert Evelyn] departure from me, in Charles River; (for that name I have presumed to give the same, in honour of his Majesties name) Nevertheless, I thought fit to give your Honour a particular account of my endeavors and purposes concerning the [northwest] passage, apart; and what reasons I have to hope and prosecute further furtherº the discoveries thereof, whereby I trust your Honour will perceive the great probabilities, I have to attayne the same.

I passed by the great [Delaware] River, which I mention to your honour, with purpose to have pursued the discovery thereof till I had found the great lake, from which I am enformed this great River issueth; and from thence I have particular reason to believe there doth also issue some branch, one or more, by which I mought have passed into that mediteranean [inland] Sea, which the Indian relateth to be four days journey beyond the Mountains,⁠2 but having  p304 passed near fifteen leagues up the River, I was stopped from further proceeding by a ledge of rocks which crosseth the River over, so as that, I could not get over with my vessel, by reason of the shallowness of the water, which at high water riseth not above a foot and a half over the rocks, and at low water the rocks are discovered five or six foot deep, so that I determined against the next summer to build a vessel which I will launch above the rocks, in which I purpose to go up to the Lake, from whence I hope to find a way that leadeth into that mediteranean Sea, and from the Lake, I judge that it cannot be less than 150 or 200 leagues to the North Ocean, and from thence I purpose to discover the mouths thereof, which discharge themselves both into the north and South Seas. But if I shall fayle of arriving at the Lake, which I am confident I shall not, I will then take with me out of my vessel both workmen and provisions, which shall be portable, for the building of a small vessel, which I will carry those four days journey over land (whereof the Indian speakes in the Relation), with a competent number of men, and then I purpose to cutt downe wood, and fitt up a vessel upon the bankes of that Sea, and from thence make my discovery. And I am confident that this which I propose is feasible, for I am informed by the Indian who offereth to accompany mee, and is and will bee in my power, that beyond these rocks there are no more rocks nor falls to hinder my passage, so far as he hath been. This River I conceive to be the most probable place for the discovery thereof in regard it runneth so far southerly, and I for my part shall most willingly undergo all hazards and dangers, and be at much charge for the service of his Majesty and honour of my Country: and I hope to give your Honour good satisfaction of my endeavors therein the next winter. In the meantime, I humbly desire your honour to cast me at his Majesties feet, and to be a means that his Majesty may continue his goodness and protection of mee, and that I may not be hindered in the prosecution thereof by any persons either abroad or at home; and moreover, that according to his Majesties gracious grant, I may enjoy those trades I discover in my voyage and that the passage being once found, as I presented  p305 it to his Majesty, I may also have the benefitt of his Majesties Articles, whereof I nothing doubt, since I have proceeded so cheerely, and do undertake all, without putting his Majesty to any charge. Only because I may have occasion to fortefie in some few places as I goe, and especially on the River where I now am,⁠3 which is broad, if he will be graciously be pleased to lend, if not bestow on me, some ten or twelve pieces of Iron ordinaunce; whereof I wish that some were half culvering at the least, I shall acknowledge myself infinitely bound to his Majesty and whether he favour me with this or no, I will yet be sure to serve him, and love him, and venture my life for him, and for the honour of my Country, with the same alacrity; and will, by God's grace, both live and die an honest man. To your Honour, I am most particularly bound for your great favours and dispatch, and will thinke myself happy in being able to do you ever all humble service, and so I most humbly Kiss your Honour's hands this 20th of January, 1634, from Charles River.

Your honour's most humble
and most obedient servant

Thomas Yong⁠4

 p306  The following, quoted by Streeter, is from the king's order which was issued to Yong after receipt of his application made in 1663:⁠5

"His Majesty having satisfied himself of the fidelity of Capt. Thomas Young, hath employed him, together with his nephew, Robert Evelin of London, gent, whom Mr. Young has chosen to accompany him as his Deputy, into America, on special occasions of his Majesty's service, which his Majesty thinks fit to remain private to himself, and whereof his Majesty expects speedy and particular accounts from them: He therefore commands all officers to permit them to pass in all his dominion without hindrance, and to give them if needed," etc.

1 Thomas Yong's "Relation" in Narratives, Myers, pp37‑49, describes his explorations in the Delaware River,starting the latter part of July, 1634. Yong wrote the "Relation" while he was still on the Delaware and sent it back to England with his lieutenant and nephew, Robert Evelyn. Yong then continued with his explorations, but evidently left no account of events subsequent to October 20, although he remained on the Delaware for some months. Myers did not publish Yong's letter that accompanied and supplemented his "Relation," probably because it had been previously published, the most recent being in Fund Publication No. 9, Papers Relating to the Early History of Maryland, ed. Sebastian F. Streeter, Maryland Historical Society (January, 1876), pp312‑214.º The following is a transcript of the original letter, now in possession of the Virginia State Library, Richmond, with whose permission it is printed; it differs only slightly from Streeter's transcript. The footnotes and words in brackets have been added by the present authors.

2 In the "Relation" (Narratives, Myers, p47), Yong states that this informant was an Indian King, brother to the Mohegan king, who lived five miles above the rocks. The Indian had been twenty days above his home by canoe, and he said that five additional days's journey beyond, the river issued from a lake. Moreover, he told Yong that four days' journey from the river, over certain mountains, lay the mediterranean sea.

3 Evelyn, in his letter to Mme. Plowden, referred to Eriwoneck as the place "where we sate down." In A Description of the Province of New Albion, Beauchamp Plantagenet, 1648 edition, there is reference on p17 to the "Fort begun at Eriwomeck" by Captain Yong and Master Evelyn. On the Domina Virginia Farrar Map, 1651 (Iconography, 2: Pl. C. 47) the fort is shown at "Eriwoms."

4 Yong evidently went from the Delaware to New England waters in further search of the passage, and the following note about him is found in Samuel Maverick's description of New England, c. 1660: "One Captaine Young and 3 men with him in the Yeare 1636 went up the River [Kennebec] upon discovery and only by Carying their Canoes some few times, and not farr beyond came into Canada River very neare Kebeck Fort were by the French Captain Young was taken, and carried for ffrance but his Company returned safe" (Proceedings, Massachusetts Historical Society, 2nd Series (1884‑1885), 1:231).

5 For a thorough understanding of the Yong expedition, the reader should consult two letters written by Yong before he left England (The Evelyns in America, 1608‑1805, edited and annotated by G. D. Scull, Oxford, 1881, pp55‑59).

 p307  Andries Hudde's purchase of land at present-day Philadelphia from the Indians⁠1

September 25, 1646

Wee, that are named in the end of this, do declare and attest, that on this day and in the date mentioned below before the Commissioner Andres Hudden (because of the general geoctroiide West-Indische Company unto the Command or Government of the Noble Sir Wm Kieft Dr. General concerning the places of New Netherland dwelling upon the South River in their own persons and in Our presence did appear and have been present Sheghire [Meghire] Honden Saeckmaecker of Pemipagka and proprietor[,] and Colonel of the Chiefest of Ackehooren Saeckmaecker of Mattekamikon, and Rinnowyhy brother of Meghire Hondon aforementioned and do declare willingly and with good Consideration, and also with acknowledgment and approbation of the people thereabout for a Certain sum of Cargesoenen [cargason] which those do confess to have received there with their full Satisfaction and gratefull mind in their hands (as the Same have had declared before that these parcels of Land never have been Sold to anybody that they have transported credit over given and to hold Such Lands to a Right and free propriety and So they do Transport, credit overgive and  p308 to hold with those the Same in respect of the N. West Indische Company a Certain piece of Land that these men do call Wigquachkoing⁠2 scituated in the South River of New Netherland Stretching from the South end of a Vally that runneth between t'vupebol and t'vassebos along the River Verby [voorby, meaning "beyond"] t'vogels Sand about New Netherland and to a kill having there a Round and Somewhat high Corner lying over against the South Corner of Seutters Island in the Land about 5 or 6 miles, or So far as it will please the mentioned Company and that withall actions, Rights and Priviledges beforementioned, and the quality that may peratinº to them, constituting and Surrogating in their place the mentioned Company in a real and actual possession of it, and do give the like herewith a full and irrevocable Power and Authority and Special Commandment, Such Land tanquam Actor & procurator in rem Suam et propriam of the Said Company or those that hereafter their act may receive to think to use it in peace to dwell, purge and hold and also therewith to doe, to act and to dispose as They with their own well and by Lawfull title obtained Land can doeth without reserving of the Sellers or cedents any part, Right, action or pretense in the less of it, it may be by way of propriety, Commandement or jurisdiction reserving an[d] holding only concerning as before now and forever desisting of all that and renouncing by these, promising not only that this Transport and the Said Land through the Strength of these letters may be fulfilled, done, perpetually kept in his vigour unalterable and irrevocable but also the Same part of Land against every one to deliver and to hold free of pretensions [blank] Burden of any to invate [invade] it. All that in good Fidelity without deceit and to a testimony of the Truth of it have wee the Sellers and resignators of it with us as Witnesses Subscribed Actum in the House of Nassau [Fort Nassau] upon the South River of New Netherland 25 September Ano 1646 Stilo Roma.

1 This document is one of two Mss bearing the identification No. 11 in the Hugh Hampton Young collection at the Enoch Pratt free Library, Baltimore, Maryland. It is an English copy of a missing Dutch document, the translation having been made for Lord Baltimore's private use. Hudde refers to this purchase in one his reports as follows:

"As on the 7th of September [1646] following, a letter was delivered to me in which I was strictly ordered to purchase some land from the Savages, situated on the west shore, about a mile distant from Fort Nassau to the north, I accordingly took possession of that spot on the 8th, following, and erected on it the arms of the Hon. Company, and, as the owner was absent hunting, I was obliged, to delay the purchase till the 25th of the same month. After the purchase was accomplished, the proprietor went with me to the spot and assisted in fixing the arms of the Hon. Company to a pole, which was put into the ground on the extreme boundary. Shortly after this, several freemen made preparations to build on this newly-acquired possession . . ." (Inst. for Printz, p264).

2 For other forms, e.g. Wiccaco, Wickakoe, etc., see George P. Donehoo, A History of the Indian Villages and Place Names in Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, 1928, p252.

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