128 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1681. 



interest in the matter. In one instance, a fine of 1000 gilders 

 was thus remitted. An open acknowledgment in Court of the 

 offence committed, or the asking of forgiveness from the offended 

 party, sometimes constituted a part or the whole of a sentence. 



The Justices were uneducated, but well-meaning men. A com- 

 mendable desire to maintain the dignity of the positions they 

 occupied had some little influence upon their acts. Otherwise, 

 the most careful scrutiny of the Records will show that they 

 acted with the strictest regard to justice and the preservation of 

 the public morals. 



This Record, and that of New Castle Court, give us a good 

 idea of the condition of our people in these early times, socially 

 and otherwise. 



Common labor, per day, was worth from 50 styvers to 4 gil- 

 ders, according to the season. "Wheat was worth 5 gilders, rye 

 and barley 4, and Indian corn 3 per scipple. Tobacco or pork 

 was worth 8 styvers per lb., and bacon double as much. In 

 1677, Newcastle Court ordered " that the gilder pay should be 

 recond ag'' Tobb* in Maryland at 6 styv" pr lb." A cow was 

 appraised at 150 gilders, and other cattle at rather less prices. 



It was the practice of the Swedes to erect their dwellings 

 immediately On the margin of the river or tide water creeks. 

 Up to this time, very few if any houses had been erected in any 

 other situations, — the few English settlers following the example 

 of the Swedes. 



With the recent accession of English Friends from New Jersey, 

 the entire population of Upland County could not have exceeded 

 five hundred, at the arrival of Governor Markham ; of these, less 

 than one-third resided within the territorial limits of Delaware 

 County. 



It has generally been supposed that Col. Markham was accom- 

 panied to Pennsylvania by emigrants; and Proud, in his History 

 of Pennsylvania,^ leaves it to be inferred that this was the case, 

 and that he did not arrive till near the close of the year. His 

 commission as Deputy Governor, first published in Hazard's 

 Annals,^ is dated on the 10th of April 1681, and we find it was 

 laid before the government at New York, previously to the 21st 

 of June following. Col. Markham doubtless proceeded directly 

 to his government, and entered upon the responsible duties with 

 which he had been entrusted. He could have made but little 

 delay; for we find that on the 13th of September, — the very day 

 to which the old Upland Court had adjourned, — a newly orga- 

 nized Court for Upland County was sitting, and transacting 



1 I. p. 194. 



* See p. 503. Mr. Hazard unexpectedly found this commission among the Records 

 of the Secretary of State's office at Boston. 



