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Remarkable archive of scarce documents associated with King William's War, highlighted by two documents signed by King William III of England and two documents signed by Queen Mary II, plus letters by governors of New York and Massachusetts, housed together in a custom-made full red morocco presentation folder. Includes:
- LS by William III, signed "William R," one page both sides, 9 x 13.5, March 1, 1692/3, to Edmund Andros, colonial governor of Virginia. In part: "It having been represented unto us by Our Governor, Councill and assemboly of Our Province of New York, That Our Revenue in that Province is very much Exhausted by the Great and Continued charge of Maintaining and Securing Our Fort of Albany the Frontier of all Our Plantations in the Northern Part of America against the French, We do therefore charge and require you to cause the sum of Five hundred Pounds out of our Revenue of Quit Rents in Virginia to be forthwith Transmitted to Our Trusty and Welbeloved Chidley Brook Esq'r, Our Receiver and Collector of Our Revenue of New York…to be Employ'd for our service against the French in those Parts." Signed at the head in ink by King William III, and countersigned at the conclusion by Commissioners of the Treasury Edward Seymour, Richard Hampden, and Charles Montague. In fine condition.
- LS by Mary II, signed "Marie R," one page both sides, 9 x 13.5, October 11, 1692, to Edmund Andros, colonial governor of Virginia. In part: "Whereas it has been represented unto us in Councill in behalf of Our Province of New York in America, That the same having been at great Expence for the Preservation and Defence of Albany its Frontiers, against the French (by the loss of which Province the Inhabitants of Maryland and Virginia would not be able to live but in Garrison) and having hitherto Reserv'd that Post the burthen thereby is now intolerable…We think it reasonable and necessary that our severall colonies of New England, Virginia, Maryland and Pensilvania should be aiding and assisting from time to time the Governor or Commander in Chief of Our said Province of New York in the Maintenance and Defense of it during the Present War." Signed at the head in ink by Queen Mary II and countersigned at the conclusion by Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham. In very good to fine condition, with small edge splits to folds.
- LS by Mary II, signed "Marie R," one page both sides, 9 x 13.5, August 22, 1694, to Edmund Andros, colonial governor of Virginia, ordering him to send soldiers for the defense of New York, "a Quota or Part of Our Militia of Our Colony of Virginia, not Exceeding two hundred and forty men," citing the evasion of previous such orders. Signed at the head in ink by Queen Mary II and countersigned at the conclusion by John Trenchard. In good to very good condition, with chipping and fraying to edges, partial splitting to folds, and the partial integral address leaf detached but present.
- Vellum manuscript DS by William III, in Latin, signed "Gulielmus R," 20.5 x 29, March 30, 1700, being a warrant for the appointment of commissioners to meet with French ambassadors to discuss claims between England and France for possession of areas in the Hudson Bay region. In this important document, William reiterates two of the articles included in the Treaty of Ryswick (1697). By this treaty, Louis XIV recognized William's claim to the throne of England and settled the Anglo-French contest for possession of the Hudson Bay and Newfoundland. Included in the present document is the articulation in full of article seven which concerns the agreement of each party to restore to the other all territory held before the War, excluding areas seized from England by France during the preceding peace. Also articulated is article eight which concerns the nomination of commissioners. In very good to fine condition, with heavy intersecting folds.
- LS by the first royally appointed governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, signed "William Phips," one page, 9.5 x 14, March 16, 1692/3, to "the President and Councill of their Maj'ties Colony of Pencilvania." In part: "The Queens most Excellent Maj'tie haveing directed mee, upon application of the Governor, to give assistance, unto the Province of New York in Case of Necessity, and alsoe to agree with the Governors of Virginia, Maryland, & Pencilvania; upon a Quota of men: or other assistance, to be given by Each Colony, or Province, for defence of New York dureing the present Warr, I have thought it convenient, to signifie unto Your Hon: and Councill: that I shall have especiall regard unto Her Maj'tie's directions…as far as the safety of this Government will permitt." Professionally silked and in very good to fine condition, with repairs to seal-related paper loss.
- LS by Colonial Governor of New York Benjamin Fletcher, signed "Ben. Fletcher," one page, 8.5 x 12, September 24, 1694, to Edmund Andros, colonial governor of Virginia. Fletcher advises Andros of a "treaty with the Indians—of the five Nations" and explaining that Frontenac had succeeded in getting them to come to Montreal for a treaty: "I have advice of Counte frontinace being at Mount Riall with the greatest part of his forces… This Small Province is harrassed and oppressed with the frontiers and yet but weakly and ill Secured." He asks Andros for Virginia's help towards maintaining a garrison of men and officers at Albany and on the frontier. In fine condition.
- Manuscript document, three pages on two adjoining sheets, 8.5 x 12, September 24, 1694, sent with the above letter, being a true copy of a document detailing the aid in men and money necessary to defend the border of New York. The text begins: "We have made the Computation what amount for maintaining of five hundred soldiers with their Proper officers which of absolute necessity are required to be continued at Albany and the out Garrisons of that frontier." In fine condition.
- ALS by William Stoughton, signed "Wm. Stoughton," one page, 6 x 7.5, September 19, 1699, to Rev. Rowland Cotton, concerning payments to Indians, presumably in an effort to keep the peace. He writes that he hopes to send "the remainder of what will bee due to your & Capt. Tuppoes Indians for 98 & 99…You & Capt. Tuppoe may advise…what the reasonable sum may be." Laid down to a larger sheet and in good to very good condition, with mottled dampstaining and areas of paper loss affecting a few words. Although Stoughton served as Acting Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay for most of the period from 1694 to 1701, he is better known as a judge who presided over the Salem witch trials.
Created in the midst of King William’s War, the papers in this archive document an early and unusually direct effort by the English Crown to compel its North American colonies to act in concert against a common enemy. New York’s exposed frontier—especially Albany and the Hudson corridor—was regarded as the defensive barrier protecting the colonies to the south from French forces and their Native allies, yet its small population could not sustain the burden alone. William III and Mary II therefore ordered Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New England to contribute money, militia, and supplies, anticipating the intercolonial cooperation that would become increasingly necessary in later imperial wars. Together, these documents reveal both the strategic importance of New York and the persistent difficulty of transforming a collection of separately governed colonies into a coordinated system of continental defense.
