pect We may receive Injury by the Confederacy between them and the said Susquahannos upon such reasonable terms as to them shall seem meet, and convenient according to his Instructions. And forasmuch as the said Indyans do now Reside for the most part wthin the Territory of his said Royal Highness or at least cannott be treated with but by a Journey to be had through his said Highness, his Territory and I do hereby constitute ordain appoint and authorize the said Henry Coursey to treat with Edmund Andros Esq seigneur of sausmarez and Lieut. and Governo! Genral under his Royall Highnesses James Duke of York and Albany &c. of all his Territory under his Governm! to the treaty with the Indyans aforesaid and to request his assistance in the procuring of a firm and lasting Peace for all his Matis subjects in his mates colony of Virginia as well as for those of his Province with the Indyans aforesaid Wherefore I do request that the aforesaid Henry Coursey (according to the Laws of nations) may be Received creditted and believed Promising to Ratify confirm and approve whatsoever shall be done by him in the Premises according to this my commission as if it were done by myself: Given at St Maryes under my hand and the Great Seal of this Province this thirtyeth day of aprill in the second year of his Lordshipps Dominion Anno Domini 1677.

THOMAS NOTLEY

No 55. At a Council held at Fort James in New York October the 9th year 1683.

Present.

The Governor

Capt. A. Brockholls

Mr F. fflypson
Mr Step: V. Courtland.

J. Spragge

The Governor acquainted the Sachem of the Ma quais, that the reason he sent for them was to tell

them that the King and his Royall Highness had a great kindness for them, and that he himself would be gladd to have a good Correspondence and Friendshipp with them as other Governors before had, and spoke to them to treat no more with the ffrench, nor goe there if sent for without leave of his Government and to permit no ffrenchmen to live amongst the n except the Jesuits and each of them a man and such as shall have a passe from the Governor of New York and a Seal (of which they are to have a mark in wax) and that they should strive to bring as many of their friends as they could from the ffrench Government and to make peace with those Indians they now warre against and trade with them, and if it be thought fitt the Governor will send one with them, and that they bring the trade to this Govern the Governor further required of them to tell him what the ffrench said to them when they sent for them to Canada, and they are allso to acquaint the rest of their neighbours with what hath been now imparted to them the Governor promissing them that he will allways look upon them as his children and treat them with all respect and Kindness accordingly, and by par ticular order from the King of Great Britain and his Royall Highness our Master.

The Indians being asked if they were only for the Maquas, they answered yes; and came from the three Castles of the Maquas, their names were Odianah, Rodie Yo non droh Ninok Ogar and Hugar, the names of the queens were Caunichack Ouyodah harah, they first produced a Wampum girdle, and presented it to the Governor to show their sorrow for the Death of Captain Clark they said he was a Brave man and treated them as they are now treated in this fort, and was all one as a Maquas.

The Governor returned them thanks and said the successor of Clarke should be as kind to them as ever he was, and they shall receive all the kindness from this Government, as if they were children of so Great a King as his ma of England, they thanked the

Governor for the title of children and the Governor accepts their tokens.

The Speech of the Sachim Odianah. That as soone as they received the message they came hither, and are very glad to be so well received and that his ma' hath so great a Kindness for them, as for the Indians that are gon to Canada they are very gladd his Hon! speaks of it and they will endeavour to get them back againe they desire the Governors assistance in it that they may go hand in hand to promote it and they doubt not to get them back again.

That when they were sent for hither they did not know what might be proposed to them &c for Corlear's proposition to make Peace with those Indians they war against they say, that as soone as they come home they will have a general meeting of all the Castles and will tell them what is here proposed, and doubt not but it shall be Effected, for the former Governor said the same, and they obeyed and made peace, and why should it not be also at this time performed for they have been allways obedient to his Govern. That his honor hav ing told them to have an eye to the ffrenchmen, they give his Hono! their thanks and will allways have an eye to those people, and they desire if any thing happen to be informed for they are and have been allways belonging to this Govermt and expect no favour from the ffrench, but will put themselves under his Honor protection, that the Governor having wondered why they bring so little Beaver and formerly did bring so much, and that it may be the Governor thinks they carry it to some other Government they answer no, they do not, they never had so firm a Friendship with any, as with this Govrn, but the true reason is they having a war with other Indians there Indians would not dare to come on their hunting places, but now they are all in peace, the Indians catch away their Beaver so fast that there be but very few left, His Hono! having told them they should harbour no ffrench, but the Jesuits and each of them a man, they answer they will never suffer any

straggler ffrenchmen amongst them, but those Jesuits who are very good men and very quiet and yet if his honor shall please, they will send them away allso: and that none hath had any land from them and they are resolved never to sell or give them any, or any others except the People of this Goverm', that they were sent for by the Governor of Canada, who told them they should make a peace with all the Indians and that the Governor took their axe, and threw it into the water, but did not bury it because if it had been buried it might have been taken up again, and that nothing shall come to their ears but they will acquaint this Government with it, and expect the same from this Government.

They allso say the Governor of Canada promised them to have free passage up all Rivers and Creeks, and said they should suffer all other Indians to have the same, and the Governor took them as his children and told them they should be all of the ffrench Religion.

That all their Land is under the Goverm of His Royall High that there has been some stranger at Albany to buy the Susquehannah River, but they have considered and will not sell it to them except by the particular leave of His Hono!

The Governor desired them to make up the Difference amongst themselves about Susquehannah River in a civil and peaceable way that being done to send word to the Governor and that then he will give them further orders about it.

The Sachem spake for himself

That one Arent Van Corlaer bought all Schannectadi and payed them for it, but now there be some who have bought only the Grasse and pretend to the Land allso, they say allso that they have bought the first flatt, but that is not so, for it belongs to Acques Cornelistin, who is to have it and none else, for he is of their people and it is his Inheritance, that there is writings made of a sale of Land, but it was never sold but only the Grasse, that it may be som Drunken fellows may have made some writings without their knowledge.

That they have only bought the grasse and are now going to live upon it, but they ought to pay for the Land as well as the grasse, and that they had given some to that woman Hillah and another Leach who have the propriety of it, the other have only the grasse.

That now he has declared this matter he desires notice may be taken of it, and says that blame shall never come upon him, as to be found in a lye, that they came down in an open boat, and suffered much cold therefore desires a sloop-upon which it is granted

The Governor desires of them as they are friends, not to trade with the ffrench or any other nation, excepting the Province and the Indians who live afar off as the Octogymists and other remote Indians, as well to the Southward as the Northward, and that they will give them free passage to come through their Countries to Trade hither, and that the Governor would be very gladd for them to bring one or two of the most considerable of them hither, and that they will use all their Endeavors to perswade them to Trade with this Government, and to send an answer as soone as may be what the remote Indians, and particularly the Octogymists say to them.

That no Christians be amongst them or Trade with them but such as have a passe from the Governor under his Seal of which he will give the impression, and that they are to give notice of what is done here to all the other nations who are friends to them, that they when they bring their friends from Canada, the Governor desires it may be in a civil quiet way; and not by force or in a war-like manner.

That all on the side of the lake of Canada, belongs to the Govern of New York, and that the Governor desires that they may be all acquainted with it, and expects their submission.

That if the Governor have any occasion for Land near their Castles, when a Castle may be built or for a greater conveniency of trade with them, that the Governor may have it paying for the same.