THIS INDENTURE made the fourteenth day of March, in the five and thirtieth Year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second, by the Grace of God of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. Anno Domini 1682. Between his Royal Highness the most illustrious Prince James, Duke of York and Albany Earl of Ulster, &c. only brother to our Sovereign Lord the King, of the one part, and the Right Honourable James Earl of Perth, of the kingdom of Scotland; the Honourable John Drummond, of Lundy, in the said kingdom of Scotland, Esq.; Robert Barckly, of Eury, in the said kingdom of Scotland, Esq.; David Barckly, jun. of Eury, aforesaid, Esq.; Robert Gordon, of Cluny, in the kingdom of Scotland, Esq.; Brent Sonmans, of Wallingford, in the kingdom of Scotland, Esq; William Penn, of Worminghurst, in the County of Sussex, Esq; Robert West, of the Middle Temple, London, Esq; Thomas Rudyard, of London, gentleman; Samuel Groome, of the parish of Stepney, in the county of Middlesex, marriner; Thomas Hart, of Enfield, in the said county of Middlesex, merchant; Richard Mew, of Stepney, aforesaid, merchant; Ambrose Rigg of Catton Place, in the county of Surry, gentleman; Thomas Cooper, citizen and merchant taylor, of London; Gawn Lawry, of London, merchant; Edward Billinge, of the city of Westminster, in the county of Middlesex, gentleman; James Braine, of London, merchant; William Gibson citizen and haberdasher, of London; John Haywood, citizen and skinner, of London; Hugh Hartshorn, citizen and skinner, of London, Clement Plumstead, citizen and draper, of London; Thomas Barker, of London, merchant; Robert Turner, of the city of Dublin, in the kingdom of Ireland, merchant; and Thomas Warne, of Dublin, aforesaid, in the said kingdom of Ireland, merchant, of the other part. WHEREAS our said Sovereign Lord the King's Majesty, in and by his Letters Patent, under the great seal of England, bearing date the twelfth day of March, in the sixteenth year of his said Majesty's reign, did amongst other things therein mentioned, give and grant unto his Royal Highness James Duke of York, his heirs and assigns, all that tract of land adjacent to New England, in the parts of America, and lying and being to the westward of Long Island and Manhattas Island, and bounded on the east part by the main sea; and east by Hudson's river; and extendeth southward to the main ocean as far as Cape May, at the mouth of the Delaware bay; and to the northward as far as the nothermost branch of the said bay or river of Delaware, which is in one and forty degrees and forty minutes of lattitude, and crossing over thence in a straight line to Hudson's river, in one and forty degrees of lattitude; which said tract of land was then after to be called by the name of New Caesarea or New Jersey, with all the lands, islands, soils, rivers, mines, minerals, quarries, woods, marshes, waters, lakes, fishings, hawkings, buntings, and fowlings, and all other royalties, profits, commodities and hereditaments, unto the said premises belonging and appertaining, with their and every of their appurtenances: and all his said Majesty's estate, right, title, interest, benefit, advantage, claim and demand of, in and to the same premises, or any part or parcel thereof, and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, together with the yearly and other rents, revenues and profits of the same, and of every part and parcel thereof, to hold unto his said Royal Highness the said James, Duke of York, his heirs and assigns forever; to be holden of his said Majesty, his heirs and successors, amongst other the things therein granted, as of his Majesty's mannor of East Greenwich, in his Majesty's county of Kent, in free and common soccage, and not in capite or knight service, under the yearly rent therein mentioned. AND WHEREAS his said Royal Highness James, Duke of York, did heretofore by several good and sufficient conveyances and assurances under his hand and seal duly executed, the twenty-third and twenty-fourth days of June, in the sixteenth year of his said Majesty's reign, for the consideration therein mentioned, grant and convey the said tract of land and premises before mentioned, to John Lord Berlkley, baron of Stratton, and one of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, and Sir George Carteret, of Salterem, in the county of Devon, knight and baronet, and one other of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, and their heirs, the said tract and premises before particularly mentioned, and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders of the same, to hold unto the said John Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, their heirs and assigns for ever, under the yearly rent of twenty nobles sterling, payable as the same is therein reserved to be paid. AND WHEREAS his said Majesty did by other his Letters Patents, dated the twenty-ninth day of June in the six and twentieth year of his said Majesty's reign, grant and convey unto his said Royal Highness, and his heirs forever, as well the said tract of land and premises hereinbefore recited to have been granted and conveyed by his said Royal Highness, unto the said John Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret as aforesaid, as all other the lands and hereditaments in and by the said herein first before recited Letters Patents granted, or rnentioned to be granted. AND WHEREAS his said Royal Highness by his indenture of lease and release, bearing date the of July, in the six and twentieth year of his Majesty's reign, did grant and convey the said tract of land and premises, to the said Sir George Carteret, Iris heirs and assigns, as by the said indenture, relation being thereunto had, may appear. AND WHEREAS upon a partition made of the whole and entire premises, between the said Sir George Carteret and William Penn, of Worminghurst, in the county of Sussex, Esq; Gawn Lawry, of London, merchant; Nicholas Lucas, of Hertford, in the county of Hertford, malster; and Edward Byllynge, of Westminster, in the county of Middlesex, gentleman; in whom the fee simple of the said Lord Berkeley's, undivided moyety, of all and singular the premises, by good and sufficient conveyances, was then vested the said William Penn, Gawn Lawry, Nicholas Lucas, and Edward Byllynge, did bargain, sell, release and confirm unto the said Sir George Carteret, his heirs and assigns, all that easterly part, share and portion, and all those easterly parts, shares and portions of the said whole and entire tract of land and premises before mentioned, extending eastward and northward along the sea coasts, and the said river called Hudson's river, from the east side of a certain place or harbour, lying on the southerly part of the same tract of land, and commonly called or known in a map of the said tract of land, by the name of Little Egg Harbour, to that part of the said river called Hudson's river, which is in forty-one degrees of lattitude, being the northermost part of the said tract of land and premises, which is bounded by the said river; and crossing over from thence in a straight line, extending from that part of Hudson's river aforesaid, to the nothermost branch of the aforementioned river called Delaware river, and to the most northerly point or boundary of the said entire tract of land and premises, now called the north partition point; and from thence, that is to say, from the north partition point, extending southward, unto the more southerly point, by a straight and direct line drawn through the said tract of land, from the said north partition point unto the said south partition point, by the consent and agreement of the said parties, now called the line of partition, and by them intended for the dividing and making a partition of the easterly part, share and portion, from the westerly part, share and portion of the said tract of land and premises; and all and every the isles, islands, rivers, mines, minerals; woods, fishings, hawkings, buntings and fowlings, and all other royalties, governments, powers, forts, franchises, harbours, profits, commodities and hereditaments whatsoever, unto the said easterly part, share and portion, of the said tract of land and premises, belonging or in any wise appertaining, with their and every of their appurtenances; and all the estate, right, title, interest, claim and demand whatsoever of them the said William Penn, Gawn Lawry, :Nicholas Lucas and Edward Byllynge, and of each and every of them, of, into and out of the said easterly part, share and portion of the said tract of land and premises, and every part and parcel thereof, and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders of the same, and every part and parcel of the same; All which said easterly part, share and portion, parts, shares and portions, was and were then, and now is, and are by the consent and agreement of the said parties to the said partition, called and agreed from thenceforth to be called by the name of East New Jersey; and is all that, and only all that part, share and portion, and all those parts, shares and portions of the said tract of land and' premises, so conveyed by his said Royal Highness as aforesaid, as lyeth extended eastward from the east side of the said line of partition before mentioned, to hold to the said Sir George Carteret, his heirs and assigns, in severally, to the use of him the said Sir George Carteret, his heirs and assigns forever; upon which partition so made, and such conveyance so executed as aforesaid, he the said Sir George Carteret became seized of all that easterly part of the premises, now called East New Jersey, with the appurtenances in severally. AND WHEREAS the said Sir George Carteret being by virtue of the said assurances and partition aforesaid, become sole seized to him and his heirs, of the said premises called East New Jersey, by his last will and testament in writing, bearing date on or about the fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred seventy and eight, did devise the same, and all his estate therein, amongst other things, to the right honourable Edward, Earl of Sandwich, the right honourable John Earl of hath; the right honourable Thomas, Lord Crew, Baron Crew, of Steane the honourable Bernard Greenville, Esq; brother of the said Earl of hath; the honourable Sir Robert Atkins, knight of the hath; the honourable Sir Edward Atkins, knight, one of the barons of his Majesty's Court of Exchequer, and their heirs in trust, to sell the same for the payment of his debts and legacies, as in and by the said will, relation being thereunto had, may appear, and shortly after dyed. AND WHEREAS the said John, Earl of hath; Thomas, Lord Crew; Bernard Greenville; Sir Robert Atkins; and Sir Edward Atkins, by indentures of lease and release, bearing date the fifth and sixth days of March, in the two and thirtieth year of his Majesty's reign conveyed the said premises, amongst other things, to Thomas Cremer, of the Parish of St. Andrews, Holbourne, in the county of Middlesex, gentleman, and Thomas Pocock of. the same, gentleman, as by the said indentures, relation being thereunto had, it may appear. AND WHEREAS the said Earl of Sandwich, by his indenture bearing date the twentieth day of February last past, hath released all his estate, interest and trust in the said premises, to the said Earl of hath, Lord Crew, Bernard Greenville, Sir Robert Atkins, and Sir Edward Atkins, and their heirs, as by the ' said indenture, relation being thereunto had, may appear. AND WHEREAS the said Earl of hath, Lord Crew, Bernard Greenville, Sir Robert Atkins, and Sir Edward Atkins, by the consent and direction of dame Elizabeth Carteret, relick and executrix of the said Sir George Carteret; and the said Thomas Cremer and Thomas Pocock, by the consent and direction of the said dame Elizabeth Carteret, Earl of hath, Lord Crew, Bernard Greenville, Sir Robert Atkins and Sir Edward Atkins, have by indentures of lease and release, bearing date the first and second days of February last; past, granted and conveyed to the said William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groome, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Thomas Wilcox, of London goldsmith, Ambrose Rigg, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorn, Clement Plumstead, and Thomas Cooper, their heirs and assigns, all the said premises called East New Jersey, together with all isles, islands, rivers, mines, minerals, woods, fishings, hawkings, buntings, fowlings, and all other royalties, privileges franchises, forts, harbours, profits, commodities, and hereditaments whatsoever, thereunto belonging, As in and by the said indentures, relation being thereunto had, may more at large appear. AND WHEREAS the said William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard Samuel Groome, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Thomas Wilcox, Ambrose Rigg, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorne, Clement Plumstead, and Thomas Cooper, have since conveyed one moyety of the said tract of land called East New Jersey, and of all other the premises to the said James, Earl of Perth, John Drummond, Robert Barckly, Robert Gordon, Arent Sonmans, Gawn Lawry, Edward Byllynge James Braine, William Gibson, Thomas Barker, Robert Turner and Thomas Warne, who are thereby become tenants in common of the said premises called East New Jersey, which with the said William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groome, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Thomas Willcox, Ambrose Rigg, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorn, Clement Plumstead, and Thomas Cooper. AND WHEREAS the said Thomas Wilcox hath conveyed all his share, estate and interest in the said premises, to the said David Barckly and his heirs: AND WHEREAS by the said several recited Letters Patents, made by his said Majesty unto his said Royal Highness as aforesaid, several powers and authorities are and were given and granted unto his said Royal Highness, his heirs or assigns, or by the deputies, agents or commissioners of his said Royal Highness, his heirs or assigns, which are necessary as well for the planting, peopleing and improving of all and every the respective lands, places and territories thereof granted; and for the transporting thither from time to time such of his Majesty's subjects as should be willing to go or be transported into those parts, or any of them, as for the defending, guarding and keeping of the same; as also for the well governing of the same, and of all such as shall be inhabiting the same, and for the making, ordaining and executing of-necessary and convenient laws and constitutions, in order to such government; and the punishing and pardoning offences and offenders, as occasion shall require; and to make, ordain, constitute, and confirm, and also to revoke, discharge and alter all and singular Governors, officers and magistrates, which by his said Royal Highness, his heirs and assigns, shall be from time to time thought fit and needful to be made, ordained, appointed or used in the said parts or places, or any of them; and to do all other things needful,-useful and necessary, for the well governing, keeping, defending and preserving the said respective places and territories, and of every of them and all such as are and shall be inhabiting there. Now these presents witness, that for and in consideration of a competent sum of lawful English money, unto his said Royal Highness in hand paid, and for the better extinguishing all such claims and demands as his said Royal Highness, or his heirs, may any wise have of or in the premises aforesaid, now called East New Jersey, or any part of them, and for the further and better settling and conveying, assuring and confirming of the same, and of every part thereof, according to the purport and true meaning of these presents, his said Royal Highness the said James Duke of York, hath granted, bargained, sold, released and confirmed, and by these presents, as far as in him lyeth, doth grant, bargain, sell, release and confirm unto the said James, Earl of Perth, John Drummond, Robert Barckly, David Barckly, Robert Gordon, Arent Sonmans, William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groome, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Ambrose Rigg, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorn, Clement Plumstead, Thomas Cooper, Gawn Lawry, Edward Byllynge, James Braine, William Gibson, Thomas Barker, Robert Turner and Thomas Warne, their heirs and assigns, all that part, share and portion, and all those parts, shares and portions, of all that entire tract of land, and all those entire premises so granted by his aid Royal Highness, unto the said John Lord Berkely and Sir George Carteret, and their heirs, as in and by and upon the said partition was and were vested in the said George Carteret and his heirs, and there agreed to be called by the name of East New Jersey, together with all islands, bays, rivers, waters, forts, mines, minerals, quarries, royalties, franchises, and appurtenances whatsoever to the same belonging, or in any wise appertaining; and all the estate, right, title, interest, reversion, remainder, claim and demand whatsoever, as well in law as in equity, of his said Royal Highness James, Duke of York, of, in, unto or out of the same, or any part or parcel of the same: as also the free use of all bays, rivers, and waters, leading unto or lying between the said premises, or any of them, in the said parts of East New Jersey, for navigation, free trade, fishing or otherwise, to have and to hold unto the said Earl of Perth, John Drummond, Robert Barckly, David Barckly, Robert Gordon, Arent Sonmans, William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groome, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Ambrose Rigg, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorn Clement Plumstead, Thomas Cooper, Gawn Lawry, Edward Byllynge, James Braine, William Gibson, Thomas Barker, Robert Turner, and Thomas Warne, their heirs and assigns forever, to the only use and behoof of them the said Earl of Perth, John Drummond, Robert Barckly, David Barckly, Robert Gordon, Arent Sonmans, William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groome, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Ambrose Rigg, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorn, Clement Plumstead, Thomas Cooper, Gawn Lawry, Edward Byllynge, James Braine, William Gibson, Thomas Barker, Robert Turner and Thomas Warne, their heirs and assigns forever, yielding and paying therefor yearly for the said whole entire premises, unto his Royal Highness, his heirs and assigns, the yearly rent of ten nobles of lawful English money, at or in the middle Temple Hall, London, at or upon the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel, yearly. And the said James, Earl of Perth, John Drummond, Robert Barckly, David Barckly, Robert Gordon, Arent Sonmans, William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groome, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Ambrose Rigg, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorne, Clement Plumstead, Thomas Cooper, Gawn Lawry, Edward Byllynge, James Braine, William Gibson, Thomas Barker, Robert Turner and Thomas Warne, do for themselves severally, and for their several and respective heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, covenant, promise and agree to and with his said Royal Highness, his heirs and assigns, to pay, or cause to be paid, the said annual rent of ten nobles, on the days and times herein before limited for payment thereof. And these presents further witness, that for the better enabling this said Earl of Perth, John Drummond, Robert Barckly, David Barckly, Robert Gordon, Arent Sonmans, William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groome, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Ambrose Rigg, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorn, Clement Plumstead, Thomas Cooper, Gawn Lawry, Edward Byllynge, James Braine, William Gibson, Thomas Barker, Robert Turner and Thomas Warne, their heirs and assigns, to improve and plant the said premises with people, and to exercise all necessary government there, whereby the said premises may be the better improved, and made more useful to them, their heirs and assigns, and to the King's Majesty, his said Royal Highness hath likewise given and granted, assigned and transferred, and doth by these presents give, grant, assign and transfer unto the said Earl of Perth, John Drummond, Robert Barclay, David Barclay, Robert Gorden, Arent Sonmans, William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groome, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Ambrose Rigg, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorne, Clement Plumstead, Thomas Cooper, Gawn Lawry, Edward Billinge, James Braine, William Gibson, Thomas Barker, Robert Turner, and Thomas Warne, their heirs and assigns, proprietors of the said Province of East New Jersey aforesaid, for the time being, all and every such and the same powers, authorities, jurisdictions, governments, and other matters and things whatsoever, which by the said respective recited Letters Patents, or either of them, are or were granted, or intended to be granted, to be exercised by his said Royal Highness, his heirs, assigns, deputies, officers, or agents, in or upon, or in relation unto the said premises, hereby confirmed, or intended to be hereby confirmed, and every of them, in case the same were now in the actual seisen of his Royal Highness, to be held, enjoyed, exercised and executed by them the said Earl of Perth, John Drummond, Robert Barckly, David Barckly, Robert Gordon, Arent Sonmans, William Penn, Robert West, Thomas Rudyard, Samuel Groome, Thomas Hart, Richard Mew, Ambrose Rigg, John Haywood, Hugh Hartshorn, Clement Plumstead, Thomas Cooper, Gawn Lawry, Edward Byllynge, James Braine, William Gibson, Thomas Barker, Robert Turner and Thomas Warne, their heirs and assigns, Proprietors of the said Province of East New Jersey, for the time being, as fully and amply to all intents, constructions and purposes, as his said Royal Highness, or his heirs, might, could or ought to hold, enjoy, use, exercise or execute the same by force and virtue of the said several and respective before recited Letters Patents, or either of them, or any thing in them, or either or any of them, contained or otherwise howsoever. Provided always, that these presents be entered with the Auditor General of his said Royal Highness within two months next after the date hereof. In witness whereof the parties above mentioned to these present indentures, interchangeably have set their hands and seals, the-day and year first above written.

JAMES.

Sealed and delivered by his Royal Highness, in the presence of

Ro. Werden,

William Crofts,

John Ashton.

(1) verified by "Grants and Concessions of New Jersey.", Leaming & Spleer. 2d Ed. pp. 141-152. Back