John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 494

THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS [continued from the previous note here]

  1. That they be treated and regarded as the true subjects of your Majesty.
  2. That to this colony be granted a district of land, well situated as regards climate, soil and water; near some river, navigable for commerce.
  3. That to each person be given 100 acres of land in the said settlement, which shall be named Bern [or Berne].
  4. That materials for building be conveyed to the place which will be convenient.
  5. That there be full liberty to trade, as the natives of the country, as well as other subjects of your Majesty have.
  6. That they be exempted from all taxes during the first six years of their settlement, after that, they shall pay them as the other subjects of your Majesty.
  7. That they shall have liberty to choose ministers of the Gospel, officers of justice and the police, at all times under the direction of the Governor, whom your Majesty will have appointed in that country.
  8. That, after having prayed publicly for your Majesty, they be permitted to pray also for their noble Lordships of the Republic of Bern, who have the honor to be allied with your Majesty.
  9. That the same favors and privileges will be accorded later also to all those who in future will come from Switzerland, to enlarge their colony, notably those from the Canton of Bern.
  10. And as this colony will not be able to pay the expenses of their voyage to America, your Majesty is most humbly petitioned to have the goodness to give orders that said colony be conducted thither with every possible safety, in such a way that it may embark at Rotterdam in Holland and that it be transported, at the expense of your Majesty, to the place appointed for their settlement.  To that end, said Ritter, being advised in time, will betake himself, with the help of God, with said colony to Rotterdam, at the time which shall be appointed for him.

"Meanwhile said Ritter and his associates pray God most fervently for the happy and long preservation of the sacred person of your Majesty, for the prosperity of your flourishing kingdoms and for the glory of your victorious arms."

[After a review of these proposals, a clean copy was made to be submitted to the Councillors of the Queen.]

In the library at Bern, the following are preserved:

19 Mar 1705.  The Council of Bern to Mr. William Agliomby, the English envoy at Zurich.
3 Apr 1705.  The answer of Mr. Agliomby.
11 Sep 1705.  A letter from Mr. Agliomby from London.
25 Aug 1706.  A memoir to the English envoy, Mr. Stanian.
15 Mar 1707.  Letter to George Ritter from Wrest in Bedfordshire.  The writer, Mr. Gaudot, mentions Mr. Ochs.

[To be continued]

We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.