warr, but we have yett no cause of just quarrell with the Mohaukes nor is it safe for us to engage in a controversy which wee neither doe nor have means satisfyingly to understand, the Mohaukes neither being in subjection to nor in any confederacon with us: wee are free to hold a naighbourly correspondency with you, and would have settled a free comerce betwixt the English and French collonies, but your Agents thought it either unseasonable till maters were composed betwixt the Mohaukes and your Indians, or els propounded such restrictions as would have taken away all conveniency and freedome from the trade. What hath hindred our present closure, the enclosed writing will shew; but if a fitter oppertunitie bee offered, wee shall not bee wanting to contribute to a more satisfying Issue. In the meanetime wee rest.

NEWHAVEN, Sept. 6, 51.

VI.

AN ANSWARE TO THE PROPOSITIONS PRESENTED BY THE HONORED FRENCH AGENTS TO THE PRESIDENT AND COMMISSIONERS OF THE ENGLISH UNITED COLONIES.

(HAZARD, Historical Collections, II. 184.)

1. Upon due consideracion and respecte to what the honered deputyes from the illustrius Governor of New France have enformed, and upon experience ourselves have had of the insolency and treachery of som of the barbarians, wee can conseaue and graunt, that the French and those easteren Indians may have just grounds to theire owne satisfaction for a warr against the Mohaukes.

2. The English looke upon all such Indians as receive the yoake of Christ with another eye than upon others that worship the Divill.

3. The English desire by all just meanes to keep peace (if it may bee) with all men, even with these Barbarians.

4. The Mohaukes liveing at a Distance from the Sea have little entercourse in these parts; but in the warr the English had with the Indians 14 or 16 yeares sence, the Mohaukes shewed a reall respecte, and have not sence donn any knowne hostele actes against them.

5. The English engage not in any warr, before they have full and satisfying evidence, that in all respects and

considerations it is just, and before peace upon just tearms hath been offered and refused.

6. The Mohawkes are neither in Subjection nor league with the English, soe that wee can neither require any accoumpt of theire warrs, or other proceedings;-nor have wee meanes to enform ourselves, what they can say for themselves. If all other considerations were cleered,

7. To make warre with the Mohawkes may endanger all our naighbour Indians (of which divers profess Christianitie) and the rest doe rather expect just protection from us than that wee should expose them, by our volentary inroadeing the Mohawkes.

8. Though the English in these Jurisdictions are free to performe all naighbourly offices of Righteusness and peace, towards the French Collonie: yett they foresee they can neither permitt volenteers or auxiliarye forces to bee taken up against the Mohawkes, nor that the French or Easteren Indians to pase through the English Jurisdictions to envade them, but they shall expose both the Christian and other Indians, and some of the smaler English plantations to danger.

9. The English are much unsatisfied with that mischievius trade the French and Dutch have had and still continew, selling gunns, powder, and shott to all the Indians, of which wee have dayly complaints; and by which the Indians are animated and apt to grow insolent not onely against Indian Converts and Chatechumeni, but against the Christians of Europe.

10. If the English Collonies were assured of the Justice of this warre, and engaged with the French to prosecute against the Mohawkes, yett wee have noe such short and convenient passage either by water or land to approach them, as may be had by Hudson's River, toe and bejond Aurania Forte, which is in the Dutch Jurisdiction.

11. They hope the antient peace and Amitye betwixt England and France wil bee continued and confeirmed, which they both desire and as fare as lyes in them shall by all due meanes readdily promote.

12. They conceive that the honered Deputies have power and authoritie at present to agree and settle a free comerce betweene the English and French Collonies in these parts. But if the said Deputyes upon reasons knowne to themselves see cause to limitt the English Collonies to such Restrictions

or rather prohibitions as the unpriviledged French are under, that they may not trad untill they have first procured a particulare lycense from the Governor and Counsell of New France, at least till they have issued the present differences and settled peace with the Mohawkes; a fitter Season for these treaties must bee attended, which the Comissioner shall readdyly improve when it is presented.

[The English Colonies as in the second Article are ready upon a fit opportunity to shew all due respect to all truly converted and Christian Indians, and much more than to others, but while they live at such a distance from the English Jurisdiction they neither may promise nor afford them. any protection to secure them from danger.]*

* This last clause we add from HUTCHINSON, Collection of Papers, page 166. The rest we have given from Hazard, where it forms part of the letter of the Commissioners to Edward Winslow.

ORTHOGRAPHY OF DRUILLETES' NAME.

The name of this Father is uniformly written Dreuillettes, by Charlevoix, and is so in the Journal: but from his own signature it is evidently Druilletes, although in one case we find Druillettes. A fac-simile of his signature is given in Shea's History of the Catholic Missions among the Indian tribes-p. 204.

IX.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

FIRST ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA,

1619.

COMMUNICATED, WITH AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE,

BY

GEORGE BANCROFT.