Page:Augustine Herrman, beginner of the Virginia tobacco trade, merchant of New Amsterdam and first lord of Bohemia manor in Maryland (1941).djvu/72

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THE DIPLOMAT
53

lated “hitherto uncultivated”, but more properly, “hitherto unsettled”) by Europeans” in reference to the boundaries of the province indicative of how far the colonists might go in relation to other settlements. In other words the Marylanders were authorized to settle anywhere which was not already occupied by the European stock or territory not claimed on rights of previous discovery. No one in Maryland paid much attention to the phrase, holding it to be merely descriptive. It was, however, this very phrase which the judicious Herrman seized upon at the conference with Governor Fendall. With “exemplary gravity” the Dutch envoys proceeded to show how the Dutch as the rightful heirs of Spain were only claiming that which had been discovered by Columbus and claimed for Ferdinand and Isabella.[1] Upon this unlooked for piece of deduction and erudition Colonel Utie lost his temper at being so completely routed by Herrman and Waldron, that Governor Fendall had to call him to order, and apologized to the Dutchmen for this discourteous breech of diplomatic etiquette.[2] That evening, however, complete harmony was restored at a dinner given in honor of the two distinguished and learned Dutch ambassadors, at which Philip Calvert was present. On the 20th of October, 1659 Waldron started on his return trip to New Amsterdam while Herrman proceeded to Virginia to “inquire of governor (Bennet) what is his opinion on the subject to create a division between them both, and purge ourselves of the slander of stirring up the Indians to murder the English at Accomac.”[3] In Virginia Herrman met his brother-in-law, Nicholas Verlett and Captain Bryan New-

  1. Tansill, Chas. C. Pennsylvania and Maryland Boundary controversy, Washington, 1915, p. 19; Macdonald’s Select Charters, p. 12.
  2. Tansill, p. 21.
  3. Terra Mariae, p. 160.