A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PROVINCE OF East-Jersey IN AMERICA.  
PUBLISHED By the present PROPRIETORS thereof, VIZ, 

William Penn,  
Robert West,  
Thomas Rudyard,  
Samuel Groom,  
Thomas Hart,  
Richard Mew,  
Thomas Wilcox,  
Ambrose Rigg,  
John Heywood,  
Hugh Hartshorne,  
Clement Plumsted,  
Thomas Cooper,   Who intent to take in Twelve more to make the number of Proprietors Twenty four.  
For Information of all such Persons who are or may be inclined to Settle themselves, Families, and Servants in that Country.  
LONDON, Printed for Benjamin Clark in George-Yard in Lombardstreet, Bookseller, M DCLXXXII.   

A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PROVINCE OF East-Jersey IN AMERICA, etc.  
TO say any thing in the Praise, or much in the Description of a Country so well known, would seem needless. The late Accounts and Descriptions of the adjacent Countries West-Jersey and Pennsilvania, which are much of the same nature, etc. might suffice. But considering that in Foreign Colonies, yea, here in England, every particular County has some Excellency in Soil, Product or Situation, that may Affect and Delight many Persons beyond the places adjacent, We may for the Satisfaction of such, give some brief Account thereof.  
I. This Province or Colony lies between 39 and 41 Degrees of Latitude, being about 12 Degrees more to the South than the City of London: And is bounded Southeast by the main Sea; East, by that vast-Navigable Stream called Hudsons-River, which divides this from the Province of New-York; West, by a Line of Division, which separates this Province from West-Jersey; and N●●●h, upon the main Land; and extends itself in length on the Sea Coast, and along Hudsons' River one hundred English Miles and upwards.  
II. The conveniency of Situation, temperature of Air, and fertility of Soy●● is such, That there's no less than seven considerable Towns, viz. Shrewsbury, Middletown, Burgin, Newark, Elizabeth Town, Woodbridge, and Piscataway: which are well inhabited by a Sober and Industrious People, who have necessary Provisions for themselves and Families; and for the comfortable entertainment of Strangers and Travellers. And this Colony is experimentally found Generally to agree well with English Constitutions.  
III. For Navigation it hath these Advantages, not only to be Scituate along the Navigable part of Hudsons' River, but lies also Fifty Miles on the Main Sea. And near the midst of this Province is that Noted Bay for Ships, within Sandy Hook, very well known not to be inferior to any Harbour in America, where Ships not only Harbour in greatest Storms, but there Ride safe with all Winds, and Sail in and out thence, as well in Winter as Summer.  
IV. For Fishery the Sea Banks there are very well stored with variety of Fish, not only such as are profitable for Transportation, but such also as are fit for Food there: As Whales, Codfish, Cole and Hake-fish, large Mackerill, and also many other sorts of Flat and small Fish. The Bay also and Hudsons-River, are plentifully stored with Sturgeon, Great Basse, and other Scale Fish; Eels, and Shell Fish, as Oysters, etc. in great plenty, and easy to take.  
V. This Country is also plentifully supplied with lovely Springs, Rivulets, Inland Rivers, and Creeks which fall into the Sea; and Hudsons-River, in which is also much plenty and variety of Fresh Fish, and Water Fowl.  
VI There is great plenty of Oak-Timber, fit for Shipping, and Masts for Ships, and other variety of Wood, like the adjacent Colonies, as Chesnut, Walnut, Poplar, Cedar, Ash, Fir, etc. fit for building within the Country.  
VII. The Land or Soil (as in other places) varies in goodness and Richness, but generally fertile, and with much smaller Labour than in England. Produceth plentiful Crops of all sorts of English Grain. Besides, Indian Corn, which the English Planters find not only to be of vast increase, but very wholesome and good in in its use. It also produceth good Flax and Hemp, which they now Spin and Manufacture into Linen Cloth. There's sufficient Meadow and Marsh to their Up-lands. And the very Barrens there (as they are called) are not like some in England, but produce Grass fit for Grazing Cattle in Summer Season.  
VIII. The Country is well stored with wild Deer, Coneys, and Wild Fowl of several sorts, as Turkeys, Pigeons, Partridges, Plover, Quailes, wild Swans, Geese, Ducks, etc. in great plenty. It produceth variety of good and delicious Fruits, as Grapes, Plumbs, Mulberryes, and also Apricocks, Peaches, Pears, Apples, Quinces, Water Melons, etc. which are here in England, planted in Orchards and Gardens: These, as also many other Fruits which come not to perfection in England, are the more natural product of this Country.  
IX. There is also already great store of Horses, Cowes, Hogs and some Sheep, which may be bought at reasonable Prizes, with English Moneys, or English Commodities, or man's Labour, where Moneys and Goods are wanting.  
X. What sort of Mines or Minerals are in the Bowels of the Earth, Aftertime must produce, the Inhabitants not having yet employed themselves in search thereof. But there is already a Smelting-furnace and Forge set up in this Colony, where is made good Iron, which is of great benefit to the Country.  
XI. It is exceedingly well furnished with safe and convenient Harbours for Shipping, which is of great advantage to that Country, and affords already for Exportation great plenty of Horses; And also Beef, Pork, Pipestaves, Board's, Bread, Flower, Wheat, Barley, Rye, Indian Corn, Butter and Cheese, which they Export for Barbados, Jamaica, Nevis, and other adjacent Islands, as also to Portugal, Spain, the Canaries, etc. their Whale Oil and Whale-Finns, Bever, Mink, Raccoon and Martin Skins, (which this Country produceth) they Transport for England.  
XII. The Situation and Soil of this Country may invite many who are inclined to Transport themselves into those parts of America. For,  
1. It being considerably Peopled and Scituate on the Sea Coast, with convenient Harbours, and so near adjacent to the Province of New-York, and Long Island, being also well Peopled Colonies, may be proper for Merchant's Tradesman, and Navigators.  
2. It's likewise proper for such who are inclined to Fishery, the whole Coast and very Harbour's Mouths being fit for it, which has been no small Rise to the New-England people, and may be here carried on also with great advantage.  
3. For its Soil it's proper for all Industrious Husbandmen, and such who by hard Labour here on Rack Rents, are scarce able to maintain themselves; much less to raise any Estate for their Children, may, with God's blessing on their Labours, there live comfortably, and provide well for their Families.  
4. For Carpenters, Bricklayers, Masons, smith's, Mill-wrights and Wheel-wrights, Bakers, Tanners, Tailors, Weavers, Shoemakers, Hatters, and all or most Handicrafts, where their Labour is much more valued than in these Parts, and Provisions much Cheaper.  
5. And chiefly for such of the above mentioned, or any other who upon solid Grounds, and weighty Considerations are inclined in their minds to go into those Parts; without which, their going there, cannot be comfortable, or answer their expectation.  
XIII. The Indian Natives in this Country are but few, comparative to the Neighbouring Colonies; and those that are there, are so far from being formidable or injurious to the Planters and Inhabitants, that they are really serviceable and advantageous to English, not only in Hunting and taking the Deer, and other wild Creatures; and catching of Fish and Fowl fit for food in their Seasons, but, in the kill and destroying of Bears, Woolves, Foxes, and other Vermin and Peltry, whose Skins and Furs they bring the English, and sell at less price than the value of time an Englishman must spend to take them.  
XIV. As for the Constitutions of the Country, they were made Anno Dom. 166 and in the Time of John Lord Barclay, and Sir George Carteret, the late Proprietors thereof; in which, such provision was made for Liberty in matters of Religion and Proper●●●●y in their Estates, that under the Terms thereof, that Colony has been considerably Peopled, and that much from the adjacent Countries, where they have not only for many years enjoyed their Estates, according to the Concessions, but also an uninterrupted Exercise of their Particular persuasions in matters of Religion. And we the present Proprietors do determine, so soon as, any persons here in England, or elsewhere are willing to be Engaged with us, we shall be ready and desirous to make such farther 〈…〉 litions and Supplements to the said Constitutions, as shall be thought fit for the encouragement of all Planters and Adventurers; And for the farther settling the said Colony with a sober and Industrious People.  
XV. Having with all possible brevity given an Account of the Country, we shall say something as to the disposition of Lands there.  
1. Our Purpose is, if the Lord Permit, with all convenient expedition, to erect and build one Principal Town; which by reason of Situation, must in all probability▪ be the most considerable for Merchandise, Trade and Fishery in those Parts. It's designed to be placed upon a Neck or Point of Rich-land called Ambo-point, lying on Rariton-River, and pointing to Sandy-Hook-Bay, and near adjacent to the place where Ships in that Great Harbour commonly Ride at Anchor; A Scheme of which isalready drawn, and those who shall desire to be satisfied therewith may treat for a share thereof.  
2. As for Encouragement of Servants, etc. we allow the same Privileges as was provided in the Concessions at first.  
3. Such who are desirous to Purchase any Lands in this Province, Free from all Charge, and to pay down their Purchase Moneys here, for any quantities of Acres; Or that desire to take up Lands there, upon any small Quit Rents to be Reserved, shall have grants to them and their Heirs, on moderate and reasonable Terms.  
4. Those who are desirous to Transport themselves into those Parts, before they Purchase, if any thing there present to their satisfaction, we doubt not but the Terms of Purchase will be so Moderate, Equal and Encouraging, that may Engage them to settle in that Colony.  
Our Purpose being withal possible Expedition to dispatch Persons thither, with whom they may Treat; and who shall have our full Power in the Premises.  
As for Passage to this Province, Ships are going hence the whole Year about, as well in Winter as Summer, Sandy-hook-Bay being never frozen. The usual price is 5 l. per Head, as well Master as Servant, who are above 10 years of Age; all under 10 years, and not Children at the Breast pay 50 s. Suching Children pay nothing. Carriage of Goods is usually 40 s. per Tun, and sometimes less, as we can Agree. The cheapest and chiefest time of the year for Passage is from Midsummer till the latter end of September, when ma●y Uirg●nia and Mary-land Ships are going out of England into those Parts; and such who take then their Uoyage, Arrive usually in good time to Plant Corn sufficient for next Summer.  
The Goods to be carried there, are first for people's own use, all sorts of Apparel and Householdstuff, and also Utensils for Husbandry and Building; and 2dly, Linner and Woollen Clothes; and Stiff fitting for Apparel, etc. which are fit for Merchandise and Truch there in the Country, and that to good Advantage for the Importer; Of which further Account will be given to the Enquirer.  
Lastly, Although this Country, by reason of its being already considerably inhabited, may afford many conveniencies to Strangers, of which unpeopled Countries are destitute, as Lodging, Victualling, etc. yet all persons inclining unto those Parts must know that in their Settlement there, they will find their Exercises, they must have their Winter as well as Summer. They must Labour before they Reap. And till their Plantations be cleared (in Summer time) they must expect, (as in all those Countries) the Muscato Flies, Gnats, and such like, may in Hot and Fair Wether give them some disturbance, where People provide not against them, which as Land is cleared are l●ss troublesome.  

And all such Persons who desire to be Concerned, may repair to Thomas Rudyards or Benjamin Clark in George-Yard in Lombardstreet, where they may View the Constitutions, the Scheme of the intended Town, the Map of the Country, and Treat on Terms of Purchase.   
FINIS.