In the mean time, however, notwithstanding the claim of the English in general to North America, and the particular grant to Sir Thomas Gates and associates, above mentioned, the Dutch got footing on Manhattan or New York Island, pushed up Hudson’s River, as high as Albany, and were beginning to spread on its
banks when, in 1614, they were compelled by Sir Samuel Argal to acknowledge themselves subjects of the King of England, and submit to the authority of the Governor of Virginia.[2]
For the better enabling them to accomplish their American undertakings, the Plymouth Company, in 1620, obtained a new patent, admitting new members of rank and fortune. By this they were styled “The Council, established at Plymouth, for planting and governing the said country called New England;” and to them were now granted all the lands between the fortieth and forty-eighth degrees of north latitude, and extending east and west from the Atlantic ocean to the South Sea, except such as were then actually possessed by any Christian prince or people.[3]
Not long afterward, the patentees came to the resolution of making a division of the country among themselves by lot, which they did in the presence of James I. The map of New England, etc., published by Purchas in 1625, which is now become scarce, and probably the only memorial extant of the result, has the following names on the following portions of the coast:
| Earl of Arundel, | ⎫ | |
| Sir Ferdinando Gorges, | ⎬ | Between the rivers St. Croix and Penobscot. |
| Earl of Carlisle, | ⎭ | |
Lord Keeper, | ⎫ | |
| Sir William Belassis, | ⎬ | Between Penobscot and Sagadahoc river. |
| Sir Robert Mansell, | ⎭ | |
Earl of Holderness, | ⎫ | |
| Earl of Pembroke, | ⎪ | |
| Lord Sheffield, | ⎪ | |
| Sir Henry Spelman, | ⎪ | |
| Sir William Apsley, | ⎪ | |
| Captain Love, | ⎬ | Between Sagadahoc and Charles river. |
| Duke of Buckingham, | ⎪ | |
| Earl of Warwick, | ⎪ | |
| Duke of Richmond, | ⎪ | |
| Mr. Jennings, | ⎪ | |
| Dr. Sutcliffe, | ⎭ | |
Lord Gorges, | ⎫ | |
| Sir Samuel Argal, | ⎬ | Between Charles River and Narraganset. |
| Dr. Bar. Gooch. | ⎭ |
In the above map, no names appear on the coast north of the river St. Croix, i. e., Nova Scotia, which was relinquished by the patentees in favor of Sir William
Alexander; the coast west of Narraganset is not exhibited by Purchas, so that it is uncertain whether the division above mentioned extended to that or not. Probably, it was not then sufficiently explored. However, in 1635, the patentees, from the exigency of their affairs, thinking a surrender of their patent to the king, with reservation of their several rights with regard to the property of the land, an advisable measure, a new division of the coast was struck out, consisting of twelve lots, extending to and comprising lands on the west side of Hudson’s River, and, of course, the Dutch settlement at Manhattan. The following is an account of these lots:
- 1. From the river St. Croix to Pemaquid.
- 2. From Pemaquid to Sagadahoc.
- 3. The land between the rivers Amarascoggin and Kenebec.
- 4. From Sagadahoc along the sea-coast to Piscataqua.
- 5. From Piscataqua to Naumkeak (or Salem).
- 6. From Naumkeak, round the sea-coast by Cape Cod to Narraganset.
- 7. From Narraganset to the half-way bound, between that and Connecticut River, and so fifty miles up into the country.
- 8. From the half-way bound to Connecticut River, and so fifty miles into the country.
- 9. From Connecticut River along the sea-coast of Hudson’s River, and so up thirty miles.
- 10. From the thirty miles’ end to cross, up forty miles eastward.
- 11. From the west side of Hudson’s River thirty miles up the country toward the fortieth degree, where New England beginneth.
- 12. From the end of the thirty miles up the said river, northward thirty miles further, and from thence to cross into the land forty miles.—(“Hutchinson’s History of Massachusetts Bay.”)
These divisions were immediately, on the above-mentioned surrender, to be confirmed by the king to the proprietors, and proposed to be erected into so many distinct provinces, under one general Governor of New England. It is certain that this plan was not then carried into execution in the whole. Several, if not all of the lots were formally conveyed to their respective owners previous to the resignation of the patent. How many were confirmed by the king is not known; there is positive evidence of but one—to Sir Ferdinando Gorges.
The eighth and ninth lots nearly form the province of Connecticut, taking its name from the great Indian king who reigned when the English made their first inroads into the country.