a town was marked out for their accommodation, which he called
Purisburgh, from the name of the principal promoter of the settlement.
Mr. Bignion, a Swiss minister, whom they had engaged to go with them,
having received episcopal ordination from the bishop of London, settled
among them for their religious instruction. On the one hand the Governor
and council, happy in the acquisition of such a force, allotted each of
them his separate tract of land, and gave every encouragement in their
power to the people: On the other, the poor Swiss emigrants began their
labours with uncommon zeal and courage, highly elevated with the idea of
possessing landed estates, and big with the hopes of future success.
However, in a short time they felt the many inconveniencies attending a
change of climate. Several of them sickened and died, and others found
all the hardships of the first state of colonization falling heavily upon
them. They became discontented with the provisions allowed them, and
complained to government of the persons employed to distribute them; and,
to double their distress, the period for receiving the bounty expired
before they had made such progress in cultivation as to raise sufficient
provisions for themselves and families. The spirit of murmur crept into
the poor Swiss settlement, and the people finding themselves oppressed
with indigence and distress, could consider their situation in no other
light than a state of banishment, and not only blamed Pury for deceiving
them, but also heartily repented their leaving their native country.

[Sidenote] Eleven townships marked out.

According to the new plan adopted in England for the more speedy
population and settlement of the province; the Governor had instructions
to mark out eleven townships, in square plats, on the sides of rivers,
consisting each of twenty thousand acres, and to divide the lands within
them into shares of fifty acres for each man, woman, and child, that