Beschreibung:

NEW JERSEY, Colony]. Manuscript Minute Book of the Lords Proprietors of East Jersey, 1664-1683, comprising transcripts of all the significant early charters, concessions and grants from the Duke of York, Sir George Carteret and others, "The Fundamental Constitutions for the Province of East New Jersey in America, Anno Dm. 1683"; Minutes of the meetings of the Lords Proprietors of East Jersey (41 meetings in London, 6 June 1682-4 March 1683/4), 45pp. ; a complete register of the 24 Proprietors listing lands sold or leased; transcripts of over ninety letters (incoming and outgoing), proclamations and documents concerning all aspects of the governance, survey and settlement of the new colony and its relations with other colonies, 1682-1688, ca 240pp. ; "Extracts from Robert Barclay's Journal or Pocketbook," 1682-1688, 31pp. ; five printed documents; manuscript Index, 3pp. . 2 o (368 x 240 mm, and smaller). Ca 316 pages. Large papered seal of the Colony of East Jersey ("Magna Sigilla Provinciae 1684") on front flyleaf. Texts in a number of typical English court hands, some pages with bold decorative headings and calligraphic touches, on various papers, watermarks similar to Heawood no. 1786, dated 1683-84). (Minor marginal tears to some leaves, scattered spotting, vellum documents laid down and repaired.) Nineteenth-century morocco gilt, upper cover gilt-lettered (slight rubbing). Provenance : Robert Barclay of Ury (1648-1690), arms on binding. Barclay, Governor of East Jersey (1682-1688) was a friend of William Penn and George Fox and the foremost Quaker theologian of the 17th century, author of the influential exposition of Quaker principles, The Apology for the True Christian Divinity (1676, frequently reprinted). For an extensive account, see DNB. OFFICIAL RECORDS OF WILLIAM PENN'S OTHER "HOLY EXPERIMENT": THE MINUTE BOOK OF THE LORDS PROPRIETORS OF EAST JERSEY, 1664-1684, INCLUDING THE 1683 FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTION, GRANTING FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION THE ONLY SUCH COLLECTION OF IMPORTANT EARLY AMERICAN COLONIAL RECORDS REMAINING IN PRIVATE HANDS As the persecution of Quakers grew in Great Britain, George Fox the founder of the movement, began to urge the establishment of colonies in America where religious freedom could be chartered. Fox even visited America in 1672, and found present-day New Jersey to be a virtually unoccupied wilderness, ideal for such a plan. In 1675 William Penn was named co-trustee for the bankrupt Edward Billing, one of two proprietors of West Jersey (roughly half the present state of New Jersey) under grant from the Duke of York. In 1676, New Jersey was divided into East and West Jersey by the Quintipartite Deed of Revision: Sir George Carteret received East Jersey and Penn and his company were granted West Jersey. In 1681, Penn and other Quakers purchased the tract of East New Jersey at auction from Cartaret's heirs for the princely sum of £3,400. In September 1682, probably due to his friendship with Penn, Barclay was named Governor and one of the 24 proprietors of East New Jersey. The transcripts comprising the present Minute Book were intended to allow Barclay to consult all relevant records of the Colony, from its earliest inception, in his duties as Governor in absentia. Included were fundamental documents concerning the colony: charters, patents, concessions, commissions as well as extensive correspondence from the inception of the colony in 1664. The first document is "The Concession of John Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, Anno 1664," which promises liberality in government and rights to all who would settle there. William Penn's continued close connection with the new province is suggested by an interesting letter from him to the proprietors, dated Philadelphia, 11 May 1683 (no. 21), on governance and the state of the province. Further documents include Charles II's Patents to the Duke of York, 12 March 1664 and 29 June 1674, the Quinpartite Deed of Partition of 1676, the Grant