University of Virginia Library

5. CHAPTER V.

We have before taken occasion to allude to
certain disputes which were, ever and anon,
revived between the potent settlements of New-York
and Elsingburgh, which, from time to time,
menaced the very existence of the latter. The
storm thickened every day, inasmuch, as that
King Charles, who, unquestionably, was of happy
memory in his time, had granted all the
claims of the Dutch in North America to his
brother James, Duke of York, afterwards King
James the Second, also of blessed memory, in
his time. But, as the memory of kings, like
every sublunary thing, hath its day, it is but
fair to apprize the reader, who may be a little
rusty in history, in consequence of not having
paid due attention to the Waverley novels, that
neither of these illustrious princes are thought

much of in these days of impiety and republicanism.

However this may be, his Grace of York
forthwith took possession of the colony of New
Amsterdam, to which he obtained an undoubted
right; first, by conquest, and next, by christening
it over again, whereby it acquired, and still,
happily, retains the name of New-York to this
day. This fair and renowned colony, with its
beautiful city, its Dutch burgomasters, dumpling
dowagers, and cherry-cheeked girls, was
now governed in the name of the proprietary, by
Colonel Richard Lovelace, an old cavalier and
soldier, who had been an actor in the Parliamentary
wars, and cherished a mortal antipathy to
puritans, republicans, and all sorts of people
who refused to drink, and who sung psalms
through their noses. Indeed, his politics formed
the ruling principles of action with the Coloel,
who, among other matters, got tipsy every
afternoon, and turned his back upon all sorts of
meeting-houses; not so much out of an affection
for wine, or a hatred to religion, as because his
enemies, the puritans, or crop-ears, as he was
wont to call them, hated drinking, and loved
long prayers. With all this, he valued himself
upon his gallantry to the fair sex, and cherished

to the last a portion of that dignified courtesy
of damsels, particularly those that were young
and pretty, which constituted one of those beautiful
characteristics, that threw something like
an air of refinement even over the barbarous
ages of chivalry.

Governor Lovelace professed, moreover, a
most bitter and sovereign contempt for the king-people
of this free and high-spirited quarter of
our mundane sphere, derived from his early habits
of thinking and acting. Passive obedience,
and non-resistance, were his creed, and in his private
opinion worth all other commandments put
together; and if the Governor ever hated one
thing beyond all others, it was a person in private
life who meddled with public affairs.
Writing, on one occasion, to his valiant captain,
Sir Robert Carre, on occasion of some troubles
in the, then, newly acquired possessions on the
lower Delaware, the Governor gravely observes:
“as for the poor deluded sort, I think the advice
of one of their own countrymen is not to
be despised, who, knowing their temper well,
prescribed a method for keeping them in order,
which is, severity, and laying such taxes on them
as may not give them liberty to entertain any
other thoughts, but how to discharge them.”

This method we hereby humbly recommend to
Messieurs of the Holy Alliance, as summing up,
in the smallest possible compass, the quintessence
of a pure system of legitimate government.
That they may be sure of receiving the benefit
of this precious morceau, we have specially directed
our bookseller to transmit to each of the
“Three Gentlemen of Verona,” a copy of this
our work, with a reference to this particular
page.

There was one feature, and that a leading one,
in the character of Governor Lovelace, which,
however, in a great degree tempered and neutralized
his tyrannical maxims of government.
He was the most indolent of all the representatives
of majesty, that ever presided in this new
world, and his love of ease so equally balanced
his love of sway, that, although abstractedly the
greatest little tyrant in the world, he was not
guilty, so far as we have investigated the history
of those times, of a single act of oppression,
during the whole period he presided over the
colony. It is, indeed, a singular circumstance,
and only to be explained by this peculiarity in
his character, that this same Governor was the
identical person who voluntarily delegated a
great portion of his civil authority, in the city,

to a board of five aldermen, whereby he laid the
foundation of that puissant Council, which hath
since presided over our destinies, to the great glory
and advantage of the community. One of
his regulations, most peculiarly praiseworthy,
and the revival of which we strenuously recommend,
was, that no play should be performed,
and no book published, until it had been first
read, and approved of, by the board of Aldermen.
As these worthy censors had very little
time, and no inclination to read books, the number
of manuscripts multiplied exceedingly. His
Excellency boasted, that in consequence of this
simple expedient, the mischievous art of printing
became almost extinct in his dominion, and the
repose of his reign was not interrupted by the
intrusion of a single new book. Such was Colonel
Richard Lovelace; a brave soldier, an indolent
statesman, with a head none of the clearest,
and a heart never shut, except to Presbyterians,
Roundheads, and meddling politicians.

Governor Lovelace, soon after being quietly
settled in his government, despatched a summons
to the Heer Piper, to surrender his town
and fort of Elsingburgh forthwith “to the obedience
of his Majesty King Charles the Second,”
&c. The Heer declined the invitation, inasmuch

as King Charles and his master were at
peace, and he had no inclination whatever to
disturb the harmony that reigned between them.
Anticipating, however, that this summons would
be followed by a visit, Governor Piper despatched
the Long Finne and a party with presents
to the neighbouring Indians, willing them
to take arms in his favour. This they declined,
with secret wishes, however, that the two belligerants
would mutually exterminate each other.
In addition to this, the Heer fell into a violent
bustle, and incontinently busied himself for several
days in doing nothing, as is customary
with people who talk a great deal and swear
roundly.

Thus waned away the time, until one morning,
a fine south wind blowing right up the river,
the little colony was alarmed with the sight
of three vessels of war, bearing upwards, their
sails all set, and colours flying, in gallant trim.
They came like birds upon the wing, each, as
the sailor say, when the white foam gathers in
waves at the bows, “carrying a bone in her
teeth,” and advancing so rapidly, that, ere the
wise heads of Elsingburgh could guess, or
reckon, what they wanted, or whither they were
going, conjecture was at an end, by the ships

coming to anchor directly opposite the town, as
if in scorn of the formidable battery of swivels
erected for its defence. Lob Dotterel wanted
to call out the posse comitatus, and take these
intruders into custody, but his ardour was restrained
by the Heer, who anticipated, with exceeding
low spirits, the speedy termination of
the Sweedish dynasty in this new hemisphere.
He felt his greatness tottering, and undoubtedly
soliloquized on the slippery nature of human
power, after the manner of Cardinal Wolsey,
and other great men.

In less than an hour, a boat put off from the
largest ship, bearing a white flag, in token of
peace, as is customary, when a message is sent,
which, if not complied with, is to be followed
by blows. This boat conveyed the famous Sir
Robert Carre, one of those brave and hardy
adventurers, who preceded, or followed, the discovery
of this new world. They were a species
of knights errant, who, instead of being enlisted
in the cause of love and beauty, set forth to
seek their fortunes on the high seas, or in the
new world, where rumours of boundless wealth
allured them to risk all, and float on the tide
which then began to set towards the west. The
greater portion of these were most devout enemies

to the pope and the Spaniards; against whom they
waged perpetual war, pretty much regardless
whether the respective countries were at peace or
not, religious zeal and antipathies being held as
sufficient causes for making war, independently of
those grounds of complaint which are usually
put forth to justify an appeal to arms. These
adventurers were, unquestionably, men of talents
and bravery, but, if the truth must be fold, they
were no great respecters of property, and thought
little of plundering a town on the Spanish Main,
or boarding a galleon, without the ceremony of
inquiring whether the laws of nations justified
the act. They belonged, generally, to the
race of younger brothers; which, in countries
like England, where the estate is principally monopolized
by the first born, has produced a
large portion of those whose crimes have dishonoured,
or whose bravery and talents have
exalted and ennobled the national character.
Although it would be gross injustice to class
these wild, adventurous spirits, with the bloody
and desperate race of buccaniers which succeeded
them, still we think, it cannot be doubted that
they in some measure prepared the way for those
remorseless enemies of the human race. The
custom of making war upon the Spanish settlements
in the new world, in the loose and unauthorized
manner practised by the first adventurers,
gradually loosened the restraints imposed
by the laws of nations, and in the end led to that
entire abandonment of principle, and that total
disregard of the claims of justice and humanity,
which characterized those wretched miscreants
called the buccaniers, whose very courage constituted
the greatest of their crimes, since it
conquered the only restraint which villains acknowledge
in the commission of enormities.

Sir Robert Carre was a man of few words,
which peculiarity rendered him particularly disagreeable
to the Heer, who liked very much to
talk a great deal before he came to a decision.
The knight laconically, and categorically, demanded
the surrender of Elsingburgh and its
dependencies to the Governor of New-York, as
representative of the King of England, to whom
the right to all these territories appertained, by
discovery, purchase, conquest, and various other
grounds, each of which was amply sufficient to
establish the right of the strongest. Governor
Piper comprehended, pretty clearly, that he
must positively comply with this request, or demand,
because the hostile force was amply sufficient
to level his town and fort to the dust in

two hours at farthest. But the good man wisely
determined to put a bold face on the business,
and not ignominiously surrender, without a long
discussion, which he looked upon as the next
best thing to a stout defence vi et armis. In
short, he was resolved upon a negotiation, let
what would happen, and privately stipulated
with himself to have at least threescore and
ten articles for the security of the persons and
property of his people, and the honour of his
government, in the capitulation. Preparatory
to this he pompously demanded four and twenty
hours to consider of this summons. But Carre
was a person equally averse to wasting time as
words; he, therefore, very unceremoniously,
replied, that as it was impossible to make any
defence, there was very little use in considering
about it; he therefore allowed him twenty-four
minutes, instead of twenty-four hours, to decide.

“Der teufel!” quoth the Heer, “that is not
time enough to decide which side of the mouth I
shall smoke my pipe this morning, much less to
settle about the surrender of a whole province.”

“Well, but if there is no choice, where is the
use of taking time to consider? If a man must,
he must, Governor.”

“Must!—du galgen!—I see no must in

the case. I would have thee to know, sir
Knight, if it were not for the shedding of christian
blood, to which I have much disinclination,
being partly convinced by my friend William
Penn, that there is no use for it in this world, I
would, peradventure, blow thee and thy ships
sky high, henckers knechts and all.”

“No use in shedding christian blood!” exclaimed
the Knight. “Why, d—n my blood,
Governor, if I don't think you've turned papist.
Why, 'sblood! what would become of us soldiers,
if there was to be no cutting of throats,
hey? Would you make rascal leather aprons of
us, and set us cheating in a small way for a living,
instead of growing rich by plundering
towns, and noble feats of arms? But come, the
time is just out; is it capitulation, or must I
wipe thy town out of the map of the universe in
the twinkling of an eye?”

“Patience—patience, Sir Knight; where is
the use of being so hasty? You see I am in no
hurry.”

“Faith, Governor,” replied the other, “that is
generally the case. There is all the difference
in the world between one who gives and one
who takes; but come, security of person and

property is the word, and where these are safe,
what signifies a change of masters, hey?”

“And the honour of the Swedish crown?”
replied the Heer.

“Oh! as to that it shall be as full of honour as
an egg's full of meat. I shall take special care
of that myself!”

“And our religion?”

“Nobody shall touch a hair of its head. You
may have just what you like, and as much as
you will, always excepting popery, which I
have sworn against, and Presbyterianism, which
his Excellency Governor Lovelace doth not
abide, drunk or sober.”

“Well, well,” quoth the Heer, with a long
and deep-drawn sigh, “if I could keep it from
thee, I would bury thee, thy comrades, thy Governor,
and thy King, in the sand of this good
river, ere I would give up my sword. As
it is—here, take it; and now I am resigned to
the lot of a private man, a situation which all
great persons fall in love with, when they can
do no better. I will retire unto my little farm
yonder, and plant cabbages, like another Dioclesian.”

So saying, the Heer delivered up his trusty
blade; and thus the dominion of New Swedeland

passed from the superintendence of the
Heer Piper forever. No prodigy, that we know
of, accompanied this transfer of empire, which,
by the way, Dominie Kanttwell pronounced a
judgment upon the people of Elsingburgh, who
about this time began somewhat to relapse into
the wicked practice of ballad singing.

After taking formal possession of Elsingburgh
and its dependencies, in the name of his sovereign,
firing a salute in honour of his conquest,
and appointing a provisional junta, Sir Robert
Carre weighed anchor, and returned with his
fleet to New-York, where, on reporting his
success, his Excellency Governor Lovelace
gave a great turtle feast, at which his five
newly created aldermen are reported to have
done great credit to the Governor's selection,
by their excellent judgment in eating. The
only remarkable circumstance which followed
the capture of Elsingburgh was the mysterious
disappearance of the Long Finne, who was
missing from the time of Sir Robert's departure;
but whether he went with him, was kidnapped,
or forcibly carried off, or what was become of
him, none knew, or, at least, if any one did
know, the secret was kept with singular discretion.

Various were the conjectures of the people of
the village, as to the strange disappearance of
the youth; but, as not one of these came near
the truth, we shall not trouble the reader with
reciting them. The good Heer was sorely perplexed,
and could not help reverting to those
suspicions which had arisen in his mind on the
first appearance of the Long Finne, as related
in the early part of this history. These suspicions
were strengthened by the insinuations of
Othman Pfegel and the Dominie, who both related
certain mysterious facts concerning Koningsmarke,
which, whether true or false, afforded
grounds for a suspicion that there was a
good understanding betwixt him and the English
commander. As to our poor blue-eyed
village maid, the fair and gentle Christina,
though her feelings were kept to herself, or, at
least, vented only in solitude and darkness, yet
we can venture to affirm, that she had her own
thoughts of this mysterious affair. Young women,
and especially young women in love, judging
by themselves, are prone to ascribe every
action of their lovers to the influence of that
single passion, which, while it subsists in all its
youthful warmth and purity, is their own guide
and polar star. Christina thus attributed the

disappearance of Koningsmarke, not to any
treasonable practices against the colony, or any
fear of discovery and punishment, but to pique
or disappointment, on account of her having so
often resisted his persuasions for a speedy union.
“But if so, he will think better of it, and return
speedily,” would she say to her innocent heart,
which, even at that moment, trembled with a
latent fear, lest the promised hope should never
be realized. Every hour that passed away
without bringing him back, diminished her confidence
in the hope of his return; and when a
fortnight had elapsed, without either seeing or
hearing of him, her pale cheek and dim eye, her
careless dress, and her indifference to those little
domestic cares and incidents which so pleasantly
and beneficially employ the hours of woman, all
combined, served to indicate to an observing eye,
that harassing state of feeling, which, when
long continued, either triumphs over the body
or the mind.