m "Sm y-.^y.i^ *^r»: J ■Jit m &^^A :^-,>; ^.WJ 1,.-^,' ^^s^ k^i- ^Xj ,\, v-r •% f\^\i 1^" -a; ~f.T^ :-ii^l 7 ^~ i-'A* '^^'9^ -^ • f- ^ -< im ^3 V' / !«» .1 F z? _> BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF lienvg 131. Sage 1891 A^/ZJ(S'/ Z^/.2y^l ^63 5474 The date shows when this volume -w 1 All books not in use for instruction or re- search are limited to four weeks to all bor- rowers. Periodicals of a gen- eral character should be returned as soon as possible ; when needed beyond two weeks a special request should be made. All student borrow- ers are limited to two weeks, with renewal privileges, when the book is not needed by others. Books not needed during recess periods should be returned to the library, or arrange- ments made for their return during borrow- er's absence, if wanted. Books needed by more than one ^person belong on the reserve list. Cornell University Library The original of tiiis bool< is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://archive.org/details/cu31924028830715 LETTER PROM •WITH Pafiages out of feveral heiteis from Perfons of good Credit, Relating to the State and Impro vement of ike Province of PENNSILVANIA- TulltJI^edto -prevent faljc'B^'poTU. Piitded iittlic ^^ar 1687- A. "^si^i [An original of the pamphlet which we here print is in the library of the late John Carter Brown, of Providence, Khode Island. We are indebted to the Hon. John Eussell Bartlett for his attention in comparing the trans- Bcript used in printing with the original, and for a tracing of the title page, which we have endeavored to copy. In regard to the "fac-simile," Mr. Bartlett writes, "The only difference between it and the original is in the 6th line, beginning with the word Passages. This line in the original is in a type a trifle larger and heavier. . . . The date also varies a little, the figures 6 and 8 in the original extending above the 1 and 7."] A LETTER FROM DOCTOR MORE WITH PASSAGES OUT OF SEVERAL LETTERS PROM PERSONS OF GOOD CREDIT. Eelatino to the State and Improvement of the Province of Penksilvania. Published to prevent false Reports. Printed in the year 1687. THE PREFACE. Divers false Eeports going about Town and Country; to the Injury of the Province of Pennsilvania, 1 was prevailed with by some concerned in ;that Province, and others that desire the truth of things, to Publish such of the last Letters as made mention of the State of the Country ; to serve for answer to the Idle and Unjust Stories that the Malice of some invent, and the Credulity of others prepare them to receive against it ; which is all the part I take in this present Pub- lication. "William Penn. A Letter from Dr. More. Honored Grovernour. I have seen a Letter from your hand, directed to me,, among many in this Province, which came by Captain Richard JDi- mond: It was in all respect welcome to me, and inore particu- larly, for that you make mention of your coming to us again, with your Family; a thing so much desired by all in these parts, and more particularly by my self. But I fear that Madam Fenn should give too much credit to the evil Eeports that I do understand are given out by many Enemies to this new Colony, as if we were ready to Famish, and that the Land is so barren, the Climet so hot, that English Grain, Roots and Herbs do not come to Maturity; and whatgrov)s, to be little worth. How untrue all these things are j'ou well knoAv ; but we that have seen our handy Work, accompanied with God's blessing A Letter from Doctor More. upon it, since your departure from us, are able to say some- thing more to encourage you to return to us again. You know, that when you went for England, there was an indif- ferent plenty of most things, and that many hundred Families were clearing of Land to Sow and Plant, as I was also doing; since that, our Lands have been grateful to us, and have be- gun to reward our Labours by abounding Crops of Com this Year. But to give you to understand the full of our Condi- tion, with respect to Provision in this Province; we had last Fall, and the Winter, abundance of good fresh Pork in our Market at two Pence half-penny ^J^r pound, of this Country Money, which is an English two Pence; Beef at the same rate; the like is this Year; and Butter for six Pence -per Pound; Wheat for four Shillings -per Bushel; E-ye three Shill- ings ; and now all this Summer Wheat is at three Shillings, & three Shillings 6 Pence; R-ye at eight Groats, and half a Crown; Indian-Corn seven Groats, and two Shillings this Country Money still ; so that there is now some Corn Trans- ported from this River. Doctor Butler has bought two hun- dred Bushels of Wheat at three Shillings six Pence, to Trans- port, & several others, so that some Thousands of Bushels are Transported this Season, and when this Crop that now is gathered is Threshed, it is supposed that it will be abun- dantly cheaper than now it is, for there has- been abundance of Corn this Year in every Plantation. The last year I did plant about twelve Acres of Indian Com, and when it came olf the Ground, I did only cause the Ground to be Harrowed, and upon that I did sow both Wheat and Rye, at which many Laughed, saying. That I could not expect any Coim from -what I had sowed, the Land wanting more Labour; yet I-had this Year as good Wheat and Rye upon it, as was to be found in any other place, and tliat very bright Corn. I have had a good Crop of Barley and Oats and whereas my People did not use my Barley well, so that much was "shed upon the Ground, I caused it immediately to be PloM^ed in, and is now growing, keeping a good Colour, and I am in hope of another Crop of Barley, having good Ears tho the Straw be shorter. I did plant an Hopp-Garden this Spring, A Letter fi-om Doctor More. which is now exceeding full of Hopps, at which all English People admire. Richard Collet and Samuel Carpenter, &c., having had some Fields of Eye the last Summer, and plowed the Stuble in order to sow other Corn, by some Casualty could not sow their Fields ; yet have they had considerable Crops of ■Rye^ in the said Fields, by what had been shed on the Ground m Harvest time. I have had seventy Mars of Eye upon one single Eoot, proceeding from one single Corn; forty Jive of Wheat: eighty of Oats; ten, twelve and fourteen of Barley out of one Corn: I took the Curiosity to tell one of the twelve Ears from one Grain, and there was in it forty five Grains on •that Ear; above three Thousand of Oats from one single Corn, and some I had, that had much more, but it would seem a Romance rather than a Truth, if I should speak what I have seen in these things, Amoldus de la Orange hath ajbove a Thousand Bushels of English Grain this year, there is indeed a great increase every where. I bad the last year as good Turnops, Carrots and Parsnops as could be expected, and in no wise inferior to those in London, the Parsnops better, and of a great bigness; my Children have found out a way of Resting therii in the Embers, and are as good as Barbadoes-Potatoes, insomuch that it is now become a dish with us. "We have had admirable English Pease this Summer ; every one here is now persuaded of the fertility of the ground, and goodness 6i the climate, here being nothing wanting, with industry, that grows in England, and many delicious things, not attainable "there; and we have this common advantage above England, that all things grow better, and with less labour. I have planted this Spring a Quickset, of Sixscore Foot long, which grows to admira- tion ; we find as good 2'horns as any in the World. "We have had so great abundance of Pigeons this Summer, that we have fed all our Servants with them. A Gentlewoman near the City, which is come into this Province since you went for England (Mrs. Jeffs from Ireland) Cured Sturgion the last year, and I have eaten some this Summer at her House, as good as you can get in London ; Some Barbadoes Merchants are treating with her for several Barrels for the Barbadoes, A Letter from Doctor More. and will give her anything for them. We are wanting of some more good Neighbours to fill up the Country. There is a French GTentleman who made the last Year some Wine of the wild Grapes, which proved admirable good, and far above the best Mader as that you ever tasted, a little higher colour'd. And one thing I must take notice of that we strove to make Vinegar of it, but it is so full of Spirit that it will not easily turn to Vinegar; a certain evidence of its long keeping. Your Vigeron had made a Barrel of the same Wine, resolving to keep it for your Entertainment; I being one day there, and speaking of what I had tasted at Monsieur Pelison's, he shewed me a Barrel, which he said was of the same sort that he had taken a great deal of care to secure from being med- dled with, he tauhing the head, it sounded empty, at which the man was so amased, that he was ready to Faint; after- wards looking about, it had leaked underneath, to about two Quarts ; I tasted it, and it was yet very good Wine, so I left the poor man much afflicted for his loss. But I must acquaint you with one thing, that he having planted some French Vines, the twenty fourth of March, the last year, the same Vines have brought forth some Grapes this year, and some of them were presented to President Lloyd the 28th of July, fully Black and Mipe, which is a thing unheard of, or very extraordinary. I thought that this short account of our present State and Condition, and Improvement would not be ill news to you, considering that you know me not forward to put my hand to Paper slightly; wherefore I hope that your Lady will not despise what I do here report, as being the very truth of things; and if I could contribute thereby to her full Satisfaction, I should have my end, as being will- ing to see you and her in this place, where I shall not fear being rebuked for mis-representing things, I shall conclude, Governor, Green-Spring the 13th ) of September, 1686. ') Your truly affectionate Friend and Servant, Nicholas More. A Letter from Doctor More, Madame Farmer has found out as good Lime-Stone, on the Sehool-kill, as any in the World, and is building with it; she oflers to sell ten Thousand Bushels at six Pence the Bushel, upon her Plantation, where there is several considerable Hills, and near to your manner of Springfield. N. M. In a Letter from the Governors Steward, Octob. 3, 1686. The Gardiner is brisk; at Work. The Peach-Trees are much broken down with the weight of Fruit this Year, All or most of the Plants that came fi:om England ^row, (being about four Thousand.) Cherries are sprung four and five Toot. Pears, Codlings and Plumbs three or four Foot. Pears and Apple Grafts, in Coxmtry Stocks, and in Thorns, are sprung three and four Foot. Pasberries, Goosberries, Currans, Quinces, Poses, Walnuts and Figs grow well. Apricocks from the Stone fourteen or sixteen Inches sprung, since the Month called April. Our Barn, Porch and Shed, are full of Corn this year. In a Letter from the Governors Gardiner, dated the l^th of the Month, calVd May, 1686. As for those things I brought with me, it is much for People in England to believe me of , the growth of them ; some of the Trees and Bulbes are shot in five weeks time, some one Inch, some two, three, four, five, six, seven, yea some a eleven Inches ; some of them not ten days, set in the Ground before they put out Buds. And seeds do come on apace; for those Seeds that in England take fourteen days to rise, are up here in six or seven days. Pray make agreement with the Bishop of London's Gardiner or any other that will furnish us with Trees, Shrubs, Flovxrs and Seeds, and we will furnish them from these places ; for we have excellent Trees, Shrubs and Flowers, & Herbs here, which I do not know I ever saw in any Gardens iu England. In a Letter from Eobert Turjier a Iferchant in Philadelphia and one of the Coiincel, the loth of October, 1686. I also advise, that, blessed be God, Corn is very cheap this Season ; English Wheat sold here, to carry for New-England at three Shillings six Pence per Bushel, and much Wheat- A Letter from Doctor More. Flower and Bisket for Barbadoes. Things prosper very well, and the Earth brings forth its encrease ; Grod grant we may walk worthy of his Mercies. Of other Grains, plenty. As to the Town, Building goeth on. John Readman is building one Brick House for Bichard Whitpain, of sixty Foot long, and fifty six Foot wide. For the "Widow Farmer, another Brick House. For Thomas Barker and Samuel Jobson two Brick Cellars, and Chimnies for back Kitchings. Thomas Ducket is Building a Brick House at the Skvlkil, forty eight Foot long and three Stories high; there are two other Brick Hauses to be built this Summer. In a Letter, of the 2d of October, /rom David Lloyd, Clerk of the Peace, of the County of Philadelphia. I shall only add, that five Ships are come in since our arrival, one irora Bristol, with 100 Passengers; one from Hull with 160 Passengers ; one from New-England for Corn, and two from Barbadoes ; all of them, and ours (of above 300 Tun) had their loading here, ours for New-England, and the rest for Barbadoes; and for all this. Wheat (as good, I think, as any in England) is sold at three Shillings six pence per Bushel, this Country Money, and for three Shillings ready Money (which makes two Shillings five pence English Star- ling) and if God continues his blessing to us, this Province will certainly be the Grainary of America. The Governours Vineyard goes on very well, the Grapes I have tasted of; which in fifteen Months are come to maturity. In a Letter, of October last, from Thomas Holmes Surveyor General. "We have made three Purchases of the Indians, which, added unto the six former Sales they made us, will, I believe, be Land enough for Planters for this Age ; they were at first High, and upon their Distances; but when we told them of the Kindness our Governour had always shown them; that the Price we ofler'd far exceeded former Rates, and that they offered us the Land before we fought* them, they agreed to * [Sought?] A Letter from Doctor More. our last Offer, which is something under three hundred Pounds sterling. The Kings salute our Governour; they hardly ever see any of us, but they ask, with much affection when he will come to them again; we are upon very good terms with them. I intend to send the Draughts for a Map by the first — In a Letter from James Claypole Merchant in Philadelphia and one of the Councel. I have never seen brighter and better Corn then in these parts, especially in the County of Chester. Provisions very cheap; Por^ at -two Pence, and good fat fresh Beef at three half-pence the Pound, in our Market. Fish is plentiful; Corn cheap; Wheat three and six pence a Bushel ; Rye half a Crown; Indian Corn two Shillings, of this Money: And it is without doubt that we shall have as good Wine as France produces. Here is great appearance of a Trade, and if we had small Money for Exchange, we should not want Returns. The Whale-Fishery is considerable; several Companies out to ketch them: There is one caught that its thought will make several hundred Barrels of Oyle. This besides Tobacco and Skins, and Furs, we have for Commerce. FINIS. Cornell University Library F 152 M831880 Letter from Doctor More with passages o olin 3 1924 028 830 715 1 ')9