PREFACE. THE papers in the State Paper Office are arranged upon principles which are extremely simple. Derived from the offices of the Secretaries of State, they fall, almost as of course, into three great branches or divisions, corresponding with the offices whence they are transmitted. Those from the office of the Home Secretary constitute one principal division or series of volumes, technically termed the Domestic, with a subdivision for Ireland; the papers from the office of the Foreign Secretary form a second or Foreign division or series; whilst those from the Colonial Office are arranged in a third division or series, named the Colonial. The present volume is a Calendar of the last-named series of papers only, from the year 1574, the date of the earliest paper, down to the year 1660. The period of time embraced, from Elizabeth to the restoration of Charles II., or nearly a century, will at once suggest that it must contain papers upon many topics of deep and general interest; and, indeed, it may be said, that upon nearly every subject of moment in our colonial history, during that period, the student will find something to gratify his curiosity or reward his research in this great mine of historical treasure. The names of the several colonies, islands, or plantations in the Index * at once open up the comprehensiveness and interest of the contents of this volume. Some of them seen here in their infancy have now risen into colonies; they might almost be termed independent states of the very highest importance; whilst others have combined into a mighty republic, whose power and influence extend throughout the world. The history of NEW ENGLAND and of VIRGINIA, the parents of the northern and the southern States of America, is largely illustrated in this volume; the first possession of CANADA and its restitution to the French; the settling of BERMUDAS OF SOMERS ISLANDS; the first grants of Barbadoes, ST. CHRISTOPHER'S, ANTIGUA, NEVIS, and other islands in the WEST INDIES, of NEWFOUNDLAND and NOVA SCOTIA, will also be found, together with an account of the efforts of the * During the period embraced by the present volume charters were granted by the English Crown for settlements in the following places :Acadia or Nova Scotia. Florida. New Hampshire. New York. Nova Scotia. Providence Island. Quebec. Redendo. Rhode Island. St. Bartholomew. St. Brandon. St. Christopher's. St. Eustache. St. Martin. St. Vincent. Surinam. New England, i.e., New Tadousac. Fernando de Noronho. Newfoundland. Virginia. |