Whitehead, William A., ed., Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, 1687-1703 [New Jersey Archives, Series 1, Volume 2], Newark, NJ: Daily Advertiser Printing House, 1881, pp. 322-327.

To The Kings Most Excellent Ma^ty
The Remonstrance and Humble Petition of your Ma^tys Loyal Subjects Inhabiting in your Ma^tys Province of East New-Jersey in America [Referred to the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, and by them, on the 16th November [1700], sent to the Proprietors, through Wm. Dockwra.]

Humbly Sheweth.

          That Whereas your Ma^tys humble Petitioners did Remove and Settle themselves into the said Province of East New Jersey, and by Vertue of a Licence from the Hono^ble Coll: Richard Nicholls Governour of the said Province under his then Royal Highness the Duke of Yorke, to purchase Lands of the Native Pagans, did according to the said Licence, Purchase Lands of the said Natives at their own Proper Coasts and Charges: And Whereas since his said Royall Highness did sell and Transfer all his Right and Interest to the said Province of East New Jersey to certain Proprietors; by whose Licence severall other your Ma^tys Loyall Subjects have also since purchased Lands at their own proper Costs and Charges of the Native Pagans of the same Place, whereby they humbly Conceive they have Acquired and Gain'd a Right and Property to the said Lands so purchased; Yet notwithstanding your Ma^tys Loyall Subjects are Molested Disturbed, and Disposessed of their said Lands, by the said Proprietors or their Agents, who under pretence and Colour of having bought the Government with the Soile, have distrained from, and Ejected severall Persons for and under pretence of Quitt Rent and Lords Rent, whereby your Ma^tys Liege Subjects have been sued and put to great Trouble and Charges, and have been Compelled to Answer to vexatious Actions and after they have defended their own Rights and obtained Judgement in their favour, could not have their Charges as according to Law they ought to have, but have been forced to sitt down under the loss of severall Hundreds of Pounds sustained by their unjust Molestations.

          And further notwitstanding your Ma^tys Liege Subjects have Purchased their Lands at their own Proper Costs and Charges, by Vertue of the aforesaid Licences; Yet the said Proprietors, Gov^rs or Agents without any pretended Process of Law have given and Granted Great part of the said Lands by Pattent to severall of the sd Proprietors and others as to them seemed fitt.

          And notwithstanding their Pretence to Government, Yet they left us from the latter end of June 1689, till about the latter end of August 1692, without any Government, and that too in time of Actual War; so that had the Enemy made a Descent upon Us, wee were without any Military officers to Command or Give Directions, in Order to Our Defence, or Magistrates to put the Laws in Execution, and dureing the whole time the said Proprietors have Governed this your Ma^tys Province, they have never taken Care to preserve or Defend us from the Native Pagans or other Enimys, by sending or Providing any Arms, Amunition or Stores, but rather have provoked and Incensed the said Natives to make Warr upon Us by Surveying & Pattenting their Lands, contrary to their Liking without purchaseing the same from them, or making any Satisfaction in Consideration thereof. And sometimes when the said Natives have sold & Disposed their Lands as to them seemed meet, they the said Proprietors have disposed of the same to others or else forced them who had the Property in it, to Purchase it of them, upon their own terms, which the said Natives have highly Resented and often complained of and (may justly be feared) waite only for an opportunity to Revenge it upon the Inhabitants of this your Ma^tys Province.

          And further to manifest the Illegall and Arbitrary proceedings of the said Proprietors in Contempt of yr Ma^tys Laws and against their own knowledge signified in a Letter by them (to the Councill here in East New Jersey) wherein they say as followeth: We have been oblidged against our Inclinations to Dismiss Coll: Hamilton from the Government, because of a late Act of Parliament disabling; all Scotch Men to serve in places of Publick Trust or Profitt, And obliging all Proprietors of Collonies to present their respective Governours to the King for his Approbation, So Wee have Appointed our ffriend Jeremiah Basse to Succeed Coll: Hamilton in Government, whom Wee have also presented to the King and he is by him owned and approved off.

          Notwithstanding which Letter they have Superceeded the said Jeremiah Basse, (whom they wrote was approved by your Ma^ty) and have Commissionated the said Coil: Hamilton again without your M^tys Royall Approbation, altho' Removed before by them as a Person disabled by Law, Who now by Vertue of their the said Proprietors Commission only, would Impose himself upon Us as Governour. And when in Government before Superceeded by the aforesaid Basse, was by them continued about a Year after the twenty ffifth of March (1697) without taking the Oath Injoyned by Law. And doth now presume to Exercise Government not having Legally taken the said Oath or having your Ma^tys Royal Approbation, The said Proprietors of New Jersey have also, in Contempt of your Ma^tys known Laws Commissionated a Native of Scotland to be Secretary and Attorney General of this your Ma^tys Province (being both Places of the greatest Trust next the Governour) and one of the Same Nation to be Clerke of the Supream Court of this your Ma^tys Province, Which may be of Ill Consequence in Relation to the Act of Trade and Navigation, and to the great Hindrance of Your Ma^tys Loyall Subjects (the Power of Government being Cheifly in the Hands of Natives of Scotland) from Informing against any Illegall or Fraudulent Trading by Scotchmen or others in this Province.

          Wee your Ma^tys Loyall Subjects Labouring under these and many other Greivances and oppressions by the Proprietors of this your Ma^tys Province of East New Jersey, Do in most humble manner Lay Ourselves before Your Ma^ty (the Fountain of Justice) Humbly Imploreing your Ma^ty will be Graciously Pleased according to your Princely Wisdome to take into Consideration Our Evill Circumstances Under the Present Proprietors, (if the Right of Government is Invested in them) and that your Ma^ty will be Graciously Pleased to give your Royall Orders to the said Proprietors, That with your Ma^tys Royall approbation they Commissionate for Governour A fitt Person Quallifled according to Law; Who as an Indifferent Judge may decide the Controverseys Arising between the Proprietors and the Inhabitants of this your Ma^tys Province; And settle all the Differences which at present they Labour under.

          And your Ma^tys Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray &c.

Whitehead, William A., ed., Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, 1687-1703 [New Jersey Archives], Volume 2, Newark, NJ: Daily Advertiser Printing House, 1881, pp. 332-333.

At a Court of inquirie held at Shrewsberry for the countie of Monmouth this twentie seventh day August one thousand seven hundred.

Present} Justices
Lewis Morris President
Samuel Leonard
Jedidiah Allan
Samuel Denis
Anthony Pintard, Esquires

The grand jurie of inquirie for the present service wer thesse

          And haveing thir ingagment Had the charge given, them by the president Withdrew with a constable to attend them.
          The said jurie being called againe gave in this following presentment
          August ye 27th 1700 Wee jurors present Richard Salter, John Bray, JAMES STOUT, DAVID STOUT, BENJAMINE STOUT, Cornelius Compton, William Boune, Thomas Taylor, Thomas Hankison, Jacob Vandorne, Arian Bennet, Thomas Sharp, Benjamine Cook, Robert Innes, Thomas Estal and Samuel a servant to said Salter ffor Riotously assembling on the 17th day of July and assaulting John Stewart high Sheriff & Henry Leonard on the path neer to the house of Alexr Adam Beat and greiv-ously wound the said persons tak ther swords from them brak them caryd them away and keept them to the value of ffive pounds money of this province. In breach of the peace and terrour of the Kings leidge people Signe in behalfe of the rest by John Reid forman.
Vera Copia.
                                                                                          p me GAV: DRUMMOND
                                                                                          Clark

Whitehead, William A., ed., Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, 1687-1703 [New Jersey Archives], Volume 2, Newark, NJ: Daily Advertiser Printing House, 1881, pp. 362-364.

At a Court of Sessions held for y^e County of Monmouth at Middletowne in y^e County afores^d & province of East New Jersey, March 25, 1701.
Being present

COLL ANDREW HAMILTON, Governour
LEWIS MORRIS
SAM^LL LEONARD} Esq^res of y^e Gover^s Councill
JEDIDIAH ALLEN
SAM^LL DENNES } Justices

The Court being opened one Moses Butterworth who was accused of piracy (& had confessed y^t he did sail w^th Cap^t William Kid in his last voyage when he came from y^e East Indies & went into Boston with him) & was bound to make his appearance at this Court y^t he might be Examined & disposed of according to his Maj^ties orders the s^d Butterworth was Called & made his appearance & when y^e Court was Examining him one Sam^ll Willet In holder said y^t y^e Gover^r & Justices had no authority to Hold Court & y^t he would break it up & accordingly went down staires to a Company of men then in armes & sent up a Drummer one Thomas Johnson into y^e Court who beat upon his drum & severall of ye Company came up w^th their armes & Clubs w^ch together w^th y^e Drum beating Continually made such a noise (notwithstanding open proclamations made to be silent & keep y^e Kings peace) y^t y^e Court Could not Examine y^e prisoner at the Barr & when ther was as y^e Court Judged betwixt 30 & 40 men Come up into y^e Court some with their armes & some with Clubs two persons viz: Benjamin Borden & Richard Borden attempted to Rescue y^e prisoner at y^e Barr & did take hold on him by y^e armes & about y^e midle & forct him from y^e Barr y^e Constable & under-sheriff by y^e Command of y^e Court apprehended y^e s^d Borden upon w^ch severall of y^e persons in y^e Court assaulted y^e Constable & undersheriff (the Drum still beating & y^e people thronging up Staires w^th their armes) & Rescued y^e two Bordens upon w^ch y^e Justices & Kings Attorney Generall of the province after Commanding y^e Kings peace to be keept & no heed being given thereto drew their swords & Endeavoured to Retake y^e prisoner & apprehend some of y^e persons Conserned in y^e Rescons but was Resisted & assaulted themselves & y^e Examination of y^e prisoner torn in peices & in y^e scutle both Richard Borden & Benj. Borden were wounded but y^e Endeavours of y^e Court were not Effectuall in retaking y^e prisoner for he was Rescued & Carried off & made his Escape and the people viz: Capt Safetie Grover, Richard Borden, Benj: Borden, Obadiah Holmes, Obadiah Browne, Nicholas Stephens, George Cooke, Benj: Cooke, Richard Osborne, Samll Willett, Joseph West, Garret Bowler, Garret Wall, James Bollen, Samll foreman, Willm Winter, JONATHAN STOUT, JAMES STOUT, Willm Hendricks, John Bray, Willm Smith, Gersom Mott, Abner Hewght, George Allen, John Cox, John Vaughan, Elisha Lawrance, Zebulon Clayton, James Grover, Junr, Richard Davis, Jeremiah Evrington, Joseph Ashton, with others to y^e number of about one hundred persons did traytorously seize y^e Governour & y^e Justices the Kings Attorney Generall & y^e under-sheriff & y^e Clerke of y^e Court & keept them close prisoners under a guard from twesday y^e 25th March till y^e Saturday following being y^e 29th of y^e same same month & then Releast them.

Vera Copia                                                                                          P me GAV: DRUMMOND Clark

Whitehead, William A., ed., Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, 1687-1703 [New Jersey Archives], Volume 2, Newark, NJ: Daily Advertiser Printing House, 1881, pp. 394-397.

To The Kings Most Excellent Majesty.
The Humble Pet^on Your Maj^tys Loyall Subjects inhabiting in your Maj^tys Province of East New Jersey in America.

Humbly Sheweth.

          That M^r. Jeremiah Basse was sent over by the Proprietors of this Your Maj^tys Province in the year 1697 with a Commission from them to govern the said Province, whose Authority was by many opposed, for that (as it was alleged) he wanted our Maj^tys Royall approbation as by Act of Parliament is required, whereupon very great disturbances have arisen amongst the Inhabitants of this Your Maj^tys Province.
          That the Councill here did give an account to the said Proprietors, of those disturbances & at the same time did advise and assure them that no Gov^r by them commissionated would satisfy the People here without Your Maj^tys Royall approbation.
          That yet notwithstanding (in contempt of your Maj^tys known Laws and against the advice of the Councill aforesaid) They the said Prop^rs have sent over Colonell Andrew Hamilton (in the year 169_ ) to govern the s^d Province by virtue of a commission from themselves only, not having your Maj^tys Royall approbation, who has thereupon assumed the Government; and by force of arms holds Courts to the great terrour of your Maj^tys good Subjects; and has pressed Sundry Persons to his assistance therein, some of whom he has imprisoned, and fined for no other cause but for refusing Obedience to his Illegall Authority commanding them to take up Arms against their peaceable Neighbours.
          We Your Maj^tys Loyall Subjects labouring under these and many other grievances and oppressions by the Proprietor of this your Maj^tys Province of East New Jersey, do in most humble manner lay ourselves prostrate before your Maj^ty (the fountain of Justice) humbly imploring your Maj^ty will be graciously pleased, according to your Princely Wisdome, to take into consideration Our evill circumstances under the present Prop^rs. And that Your Maj^ty will be graciously pleased to give Your Royall Command to the said Prop^rs (if the Right of Government is invested in them) that with Your Maj^tys Royall approbation they commissionate for Gov^r a fitt Person, qualifyed according to Law, who as an indifferent Judge may decide the Controversies, arising between the Prop^rs and the Inhabitants of this Your Maj^tys Province, and settle all the differences which at present they labour under, or if otherwise Your Maj^ty be graciously pleased to take the Government immediately into Your Maj^tys own hands. We humbly pray (if it may be for your Maj^tys Service) That East and West New Jersey's may be one distinct Government.
         And Your Pet^rs as in duty bound shall ever Pray &c.

[Transmitted in a letter of Mr. R. Yard, Secretary of the Lords Justices, July 17th, 1701.]