charge & command all Justices of the Peace Sheriffs Constables & all other officers within this Province that they take due care that all the laws made & Provided for the suppressing of Vice & encouraging of Religion & virtue particularly the observation of the Lord's Day be duly put in execution as they will answer the contrary at their peril. Given under the seale of said Province this eighth day of April Anno Dom. 1698. in the tenth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord William the third over England &c. King.

Coppy of a Lett' sent home by the Councell of West New Jersey.

May it please yo Hon" BURLINGTON Apr 14th 1698 Our Letter to yo' Hon" of the 23 of Decemb! last past may in Some measure evidence our great joy at the appearance here on the 12th inst of ye Honble Coll! Basse in the qualy of Governo! for which Post he

brought your Com'ission which the same day he Opened to the Councell & by their advice forthwth published it: But a faithful transcript of those transactions, we passed between the Late Gov!no! & Representatives on the one part, & ye Councell of the Other - the first designing by all Such Mediums as they thot Safe to make use of, to defeat not only, yo' present Com'ission but yo! Authority also: for the future, over the province, the other Studious to Obviate & Baffle such designe, wold more Sensibly comemorate y reasonableness of our Motives for such our Joy: and the Natural & necessary inducements wee had, to applaud and Congratulate o' Common happiness; in Soe Seasonable a Change then any expressions our tongues or Pens can pretend to be capable of. On which accott wee Could not forbear to close with the first opp'tunity to make you a Cordiall tender of our thanks having plenary assurance y' dureing his Administration, Vertue will be cherished & encouraged merits Discriminated, and Vice Subdued, and Such prudent measures taken to promote the generall Welfare of the province in all respects as will prove effectuall in theire Application and that hee will neither abbet, encourage, or connive, at pervertion of Judgm' in the majesticty, or Suffer oppression to pass unpunished His Conduct & principles & his long experience of the Constitution of this Province, and of the peoples tempers & interest therein, has largely qualified him to answer that excellent performance & raised of expectations beyond the degrees of hopes even to the enjoyment of an assurance of it. And yett Such rude perversness has seized and Captivated that Class of people called Quakers y' not one of that Rank wold set one foot forward to meet him upon the Road or Conduct him into Town (the notice was given long before of his Coming at a prefixt day) nor pay Soe much Regard to his person or quality as the

civillity of a visit at his Lodgings: the Other people both from the town and Countrey received him with unanimous demonstrations of Joy, & their hearty congratulations, & all the Instances of their regard & deference they were Capable to express. Wee shall not presume to enlarge further now then to wish yo health & prosperity & to request y' Leave to Subscribe May it Please y! Hon'

Yo' Hon's most faithfull and Obed' Servants

In the Behalf of the Rest

JOHN TATHAM

THO: REVELL

JOHN JEWELL

EDWARD RANDOLPH

Instructions to Governor Basse, London 14th April, 1698.

[From Grants and Concessions, p. 220.]

Further Orders and Instructions to JEREMIAH BASSE, Esquire, Governor of the Province of EAST NEW JERSEY, in AMERICA, sent from LONDON, by the Committee of the Proprietors, there to be observed by the said Governor,

VIZ.

IMPRIMIS, You are not to call a General Assembly of the said Province, until at least two Months be past, after the Receipt of these Orders and Instructions, but after the Expiration of the said Time, they meet with all convenient speed.

II.

Whereas George Willocks, our Fellow Proprietor, is appointed our Agent or Commissioner for selling our

Quit-Rents, and recovering and collecting the Arrears of the same as by his Article and Instructions more at large appears, to which we referr you. You are to give him all possible Assistance therein, and in every Thing else, wherein he is employed in the Proprietors concern, pursuant to their Agreement with and Instructions to him.

III.

That after the sale of at least, one half of the Value of the Quit-Rents, then at the General Assembly's desire you consent to a Law, for securing the Tittle to all Purchasers of Quit-Rents, against all such Proprietors, or Sharers in Proprieties, as have not, or shall not have signed the Commission or Articles and Instructions to George Willocks. As also the said Law do make Provision for securing the Purchase Money, to such Persons according to their respective Interest and Shares each one has in Proprieties.

IV.

You are to use your endeavour to oblige the General Assembly to raise a grateful Sum of Money, to be remitted to London, toward some ease of the great Charge these Proprietors have paid, and the great trouble and expense of Time, which they have been at in struggling many Years for the Freedom of the Port of Perth-Amboy, for Navigation and Trade, which is now obtained at last, Free from the Encroachments and Pretensions of any Neighbouring Colony, the Benefits and Advantages whereof will chiefly redound to the Inhabitants of the said Province

V.

You are also to endeavour to get a law passed by the Representatives of the General Assembly for establishing a good lasting Fund, for Support of the Charge of the Government.

VI.

That upon the Peoples Purchasing at least one half of the Value of the Quit-Rents, and the Purchasers paying all their Arrears in ready Money, as also upon the establishment of a sufficient Fund for the Support of the Government, to be done by the Representatives of the People of the said Province in a General Assembly; You then consent to a Law (at their desire) to grant them the Privileges following, (viz) That annually on a certain Day, a General Assembly shall be called by you to meet and sit at the principal Town of Perth Amboy, in the said Province, and that the said Representatives have Liberty to Name double the number of Persons to serve as Justices of the Peace necessary for each County, and shall present their Names in Writing to you the Governor, out of which you are to chuse half the said Number, which shall be Commissionated by you to serve as Justices of the Peace, in the respective Counties of the said Province: And the like priveleges of Naming double the Number of Coroners and Captains, and other inferior Officers of the Militia, for Military Service in the Province, you the Governor to chuse one half out of them, and grant them Commissions accordingly: Which Justices of the Peace, Coroners and Military Officers so Commissionated by you, are to continue in their respective Offices at least for one Year, unless found Guilty of Maleversation in his or their respective Office, and may be continued for any longer time, without new Nomination, unless you 'the Governor shall require the Representatives in General Assembly as aforesaid to make a new Nomination; but it is to be understood, that all the Members of the Provincial Council, shall be first commissionated for Justices of the Peace from Time to Time within the said Province. Nevertheless if the Major Part in Number of Persons, or Value of Quit-Rents, in any Town or County, refuse

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