176 The Htflory of Book IL 



This reduction of the Ifland under the power of the French^ 

 as we have defciib'd it, happen d in the Year M. DC. L. 

 • The Dutch had built a very fair Church upon a pleafant ac- 

 cent of this Ifland, in the form of a Crofs, which may ftill be 

 lfanding, if the Spaniards , who fhould have a refpeft for that 

 facred Sign which was on the top of the Steeple, have not ru- 

 in'd it. The French are oblig'd for that Houfe of Prayer to 

 the devotion and zeal of a certain Company of Merchants be- 

 longing to Flnjhing, who firft peopled the Ifland by a Com- 

 miffion from the States-General. 



The prefent King of France being informed of all the glori- 

 ous actions done in thofe parts by Monfieur de Toincy, and 

 considering how neceflary his continual refidence in America 

 was, granted him new Letters Patents, whereby he confirnid 

 him in the Charge of Governour and Lieutenant-General in 

 thofe places 5 and the Queen, during her Regency, gave him a 

 great commendation for his noble Enterprizes, and Fidelity to 

 the Kings fervice. 



In the Year M. DC. LI. the French Governour, with the 

 Kings content, treated with the Gentlemen of the Company 

 we mentioned before, and having reimburse! them all the 

 charges they had been at in the eftablifliment of that Colony, 

 purchased to himfelf the Seigniory and Fee-fimpleof the Iflands 

 ot'S.Chriftophers, S. Bartholomew , S. Martin, Santa-cruce, and 

 other adjacent Iflands, and that in the name, and for the bene- 

 fit .of his Order of Malta ^ and it is one of the nobleft, richeft, 

 and molt honourable Seigniories of any that Order enjoys un- 

 der the Sovereignty of his Majefly of France : And fince that - 

 time the faid King hath made an abfolute bequeft of all thofe 

 Iflands to the Order of Malta, referving to himfelf the Sove- 

 reignty thereof, and the homage of a Crown of Gold, to be 

 prefented at every change of King, of the value of a thoufend 

 Crowns 5 as it appears by the Letters Patents dated in March 3 

 iM.DC.LIII. 



Monlieur du Parquet, Governour of Martinico, did the like 

 for the iflands of Martinico, Granada, and Saintaloufia: Mon- 

 fieur d' Howell, Governour of Gardeloupe, did the fame thing 

 for the Iflands of Gardeloupe, Marigalanta, Defirado, ajnd the 

 Saints. The two laft mentioned are not yet inhabited 5 but 

 he hath purchased the Seigniory of thofe places by way of ad- 

 vance, that others might not without breach of civility pofTefs 

 ihemfelves thereof : For it is to be obferv'd, that the Company 

 which had the direction of the Iflands of America, but is now 

 difiolv'd, had obtain'd of the King ail the Iflands of the Carib- 

 hies, as well thofe then inhabited, as thofe in procefs of time to 

 be fa: So that thefe Gentlemen, who have treated with the 

 Company, would needs have mentioned in their Grant, fame 

 Iflands which are not yet inhabited, yet lye neer and very con- 

 venient 



