Co. Copyright, 1873.

[2] Cotton Mather, son of Increase Mather, the president of Harvard
College.

[3] This work was entitled "Wonders of the Invisible World." It is
now much sought after by collectors of Americana.

THE ENGLISH CONQUEST OF NEW YORK

(1664)

BY JOHN R. BRODHEAD[1]

England now determined boldly to rob Holland of her American province.
King Charles II accordingly sealed a patent granting to the Duke of
York and Albany a large territory in America, comprehending Long
Island and the islands in its neighborhood--his title to which Lord
Stirling had released--and all the lands and rivers from the west side
of the Connecticut River to the east side of Delaware Bay. This
sweeping grant included the whole of New Netherlands and a part of the
territory of Connecticut, which, two years before, Charles had
confirmed to Winthrop and his associates.

The Duke of York lost no time in giving effect to his patent. As lord
high admiral he directed the fleet. Four ships, the _Guinea_, of
thirty-six guns; the _Elias_, of thirty; the _Martin_, of sixteen; and
the _William and Nicholas_, of ten, were detached for service against
New Netherlands, and about four hundred fifty regular soldiers, with
their officers, were embarked. The command of the expedition was
intrusted to Colonel Richard Nicolls, a faithful Royalist, who had
served under Turenne with James, and had been made one of the
gentlemen of his bedchamber. Nicolls was also appointed to be the
Duke's deputy-governor, after the Dutch possessions should have been
reduced.

With Nicolls were associated Sir Robert Carr, Colonel George
Cartwright, and Samuel Maverick, as royal commissioners to visit the
several colonies in New England. These commissioners were furnished
with detailed instructions; and the New England governments were
required by royal letters to "join and assist them vigorously" in
reducing the Dutch to subjection. A month after the departure of the
squadron the Duke of York conveyed to Lord Berkeley and Sir George
Carteret all the territory between the Hudson and Delaware Rivers,
from Cape May north to 41 deg. 40' latitude, and thence to the Hudson, in
41 deg. latitude, "hereafter to be called by the name or names of Nova
Caesarea or New Jersey."

Intelligence from Boston that an English expedition against New
Netherlands had sailed from Portsmouth was soon communicated to
Stuyvesant by Captain Thomas Willett; and