George Ritter, in Bern, proceeded to carry out the suggestion of Michel for sending a memorial to the English crown. On 19 Mar 1705, he submitted the following petition to the Council of Bern:
Respectful Petition to the Mayor and Council, made by George Ritter, Druggist, of Bern --
"Your Lordship's obedient citizen, George Ritter, druggist, begs to submit herewith in all humility that he plans to transport himself with a colony of four to five hundred persons from here to Pennsylvania, in America, under the English crown, and to settle there, if it will be acceptable to and please her Royal Majesty in England to concede and grant most graciously to him and to his companions the enclosed articles of agreement. Now, in order that your petitioners and his companions may all the more surely and certainly gain their intended purpose, he requests your Lordships in his and in all his associates' name that you will be pleased to grant them graciously not only the necessary permission of the government, but also aid them that the enclosed articles, proposed by them (which we meanwhile submit to your most wise correction and approval), will be sent to the English envoy, now residing in the Cantons, to transmit them to his government; and that at the same time they may be accompanied with your strong and weighty recommendation, so that we may all the better secure their acceptance. For this favor, granted by you, your petitioner and his associates will implore the Highest, that your noble Lordships in all your blessed undertakings may to continue to flourish forever."
This petition was accompanied by the following proposals, written in French which translated into English, read:
To The Queen:
"George Ritter, citizen of the city of Bern, submits with profound respect, which is due to your Majesty, that the Noble Francis Louis Michel, citizen of the said city, having settled at a favorable opportunity in Pennsylvania, has induced your petitioner to solicit a number of persons of the laudable Canton of Bern, to go and settle near him in America, and having a desire for this, after having obtained the permission of the noble Lordships of the laudable Canton; said Ritter has been charged, in the name of all, to entreat most humbly your Majesty to give your consent to the establishment which is proposed to be made of a Swiss colony and which is intended to be formed, in order to settle some land located either in Pennsylvania or on the frontiers of Virginia, with the Divine assistance and the royal and powerful protection of your Majesty. This colony may number at first from four to five hundred Swiss persons, Reformed Protestants, as many merchants and manufacturers as agriculturists. In whose behalf the said Ritter, who acts for them, petitions your Majesty most humbly to grant them, if it is your pleasure."
[To be continued]
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