This Province lies in the forty seventh Degree of Northern Latitude, and is thus bounded: It begins Southerly from the middle part of a certain Neck of Land or Promontory, situate between the two Harbours, Fermose and Aquafort; and from thence following the Shore towards the North unto the middle part, or half way over a little Harbour, call’d in that regard Petit Port, or Petit Harbour, which boundeth upon the South part of the Plantation of St. Johns, including the one half of a certain fresh River, that falleth into the said Port of Petit Harbour; and so tending along the South Border of the said Colony of St. Johns, extendeth it self to a certain little Bay, commonly call’d Salmon Cove, lying on the South side of the Bay of Conception, including the one half of the River that falleth into the said Cove, as also one half of the Cove it self; from whence passing along the Shore of the said Bay towards the South, and reaching unto the bottom thereof, where it meets with the Lands of the fore-mention’d John Guy, nam’d Sea-Forrest, is bounded with a certain River or Brook, which there falleth into the Sea, and from the Mouth of the said Brook ascendeth unto the farthest Spring or Head thereof; from thence passing towards the South for six Miles together along the Borders of the said John Guy’s Plantation, and there crossing over Westward in a right Line, reacheth unto the Bay of Placentia, and the space of one League within the said Bay from the Shore thereof; whence turning again towards the South, passeth along the Harbour of Placentia, with the like distance from the Shore, and descending unto New Falkland towards the North and West part thereof, stretcheth it self in a right Line Eastward, continuing the whole Southerly length upon the Bounds of the said New Falkland, unto the middle part or Point of the Promontory, or Neck of Land before mention’d, between the Ports Fermose and Aquafort; at which place is describ’d and finish’d the Perambulation of the whole Precinct, whose Extent may be thus computed, commencing from the Promontory between the Ports Fermose and Aquafort, which is fifty or sixty Miles from South to North distant from Petit Harbour; from whence crossing Westward to the Bay of Placentia, is judg’d to be sixty Miles more or upwards, from East to West.
And thereby was also granted to the said Sir George Calvert and his Heirs, all Islands and Islets, within ten Leagues of the Eastern Shore of the said Region towards the East, together with the Fishing of all sorts of Fish, saving unto the English free liberty of Fishing, as well in the Seas as in the Ports and Creeks of the Province aforesaid, and the Priviledges of salting and drying their Fish upon the Shores of the said Province, as heretofore they reasonably us’d and enjoy’d the same, so as they do no injury or notable loss or detriment unto the Lord Proprietary, his Heirs and Assigns, or to the Inhabitants of the said Province, in the Ports, Creeks, and Shores aforesaid, and especially in the Woods growing within the said Province.
And by the said Patent all Royal Jurisdictions and Prerogatives, both Military and Civil, within the said Province and Islands thereunto belonging, were farther granted to the said Sir George Calvert and his Heirs, and he and they thereby created the true and absolute Lords and Proprietaries of the said Province, saving the Allegiance due to His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, to be held of them in Capite, yielding and paying unto them therefore a white Horse, when, and as often as any of them shall come into the said Province, and the fifth part of all Gold and Silver Oar which should be found there.
Sir George Calvert, before the obtaining of this Patent, had caus’d a fair House and Fort to be built in the said Province, at a place call’d Ferryland, and in the Year 1624. having obtain’d a Dismission from his Employment of Secretary of State, and being then created Lord Baltemore of Baltemore in Ireland, he did in the Year 1627. Transport himself to Avalon, to inspect his Concerns there in Person; from whence returning the same year, he Embarqu’d himself again, together with his Lady and all his Family, except his eldest Son, for Avalon the year following; at which time (there being then War between England and France) he redeem’d above twenty Sail of English Ships, which had been taken there that year by French Men of War, whereof one Monsieur De la Rade had the chief Command, and shortly after took six French Fishing-Ships upon that Coast, and sent them the same year, with a great many French-men Prisoners, into England. Coming thence, he left a Deputy there, and continu’d the Plantation till his Death, which was in April 1632. After whose Decease it descended of right to his Son and Heir Cecil, now Lord Baltemore; who thereupon sent one Captain William Hill as his Deputy thither, to take possession thereof, and to manage his Interest there for him. Captain Hill, according to his Commission, shortly after repair’d thither, and liv’d some years at the Lord Baltemore’s House at Ferryland above mention’d.
In the thirteenth Year of King Charles the First, of England, &c. about the Year of our Lord 1638. Marquess Hamilton, Earl of Pembroke, Sir David Kirk, and others, under pretence that the Lord Baltemore had deserted that Plantation, obtain’d a Patent of all New-found Land, wherein Avalon was included, and shortly after dispossess’d the Lord Baltemore of his Mansion House in Ferryland, and other Rights there, and during the late Rebellion in England kept possession; but His now Majesty King Charles the Second, immediately after his most happy Restauration in the Year 1660, upon the now Lord Baltemore’s Petition, thought fit to refer the whole Matter to be Examin’d by Sir Orlando Bridgeman, then Lord-Chief-Justice, now Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, and others, to report the true state thereof to His Majesty, together with their Opinions thereupon: The Referrees accordingly, upon full hearing of Council on both sides, certifi’d, That they conceiv’d the said Patent to Sir George Calvert, to be a good Patent, in force, and not avoided by the later to Sir David Kirk and others; and that the Title and Interest to the said Province did therefore belong to the Lord Baltemore. Whereupon His Majesty, on the twentieth of March in the same Year, Order’d the Possession thereof to be re-deliver’d to his Lordship, which was accordingly executed: Since which time his Lordship has peaceably enjoy’d the possession thereof, and continues the Plantation to this day, by deputing Lieutenants there from time to time, for the better Government of that Province, the rest of New-found Land remaining still to the aforesaid Proprietors, claiming by the Patent of 13 Car. 1.
The Commodities that are either by Art or Nature produc’d there, are the same with those of the remainder of New-found Land. The Winter there is extream cold, the Summer very hot, but withal pleasant; and during that Season there is great plenty of Pasture for Cattel.
The Coast of this Province is very safe, and as well furnish’d with variety of bold and pleasant Harbors, as any other part of New-found Land; where the English likewise Fish for Cod, the lesser sort whereof is call’d Poor-John, which is there caught in great abundance, especially at Ferryland, and in the Bay of Bulls. Besides these two there are divers other excellent Harbors on the Eastern Shore of Avalon, as Capling Bay, Cape Broyle, Brittus, Isle of Spears, Barrom Cove, Whitburns Bay, and Petit Harbour above mention’d. On the West are the Bay of Placentia, and several other good Harbors.
There are no Indians in Avalon, and but few English, by reason of the excessive Cold in Winter, though Sir David Kirk and his Lady, and also his Family, liv’d in the Lord Baltemore’s House at Ferryland for the space of ten years and upwards.
The Soil seems to promise great store of Mines, which probably may in time be discover’d. The late Lord Baltemore took accidentally a piece of Oar up that lay there upon the surface of the Earth, and brought it with him into England, which was found upon trial to yield a greater proportion of Silver, than the Oar of Potosi in the West-Indies, but hitherto no Mine of it hath been discover’d there.
The Trade of Fishing being of so great concernment to the Nation of England, the same (if it be well manag’d in this Island of Terra Nova) will employ every year above two hundred Sail of English Ships, and ten thousand Mariners, besides the great benefit which may accrue unto the Nation by Imposition upon Strangers there, which would amount to several thousands of Pounds per Annum; with which those Coasts may be Guarded, and Ships Trading thither secur’d: besides the great Customs by the Ships call’d The Sacks (being commonly in great numbers every year) who carry Fish from New-found Land into the Straights, France, Portugal, and Spain, and who bring their Returns into England, as Bullion, and all other native Commodities of those Countreys.