In testimony this is signed by parties respectively, and witnesses this 3rd of Janaury 1650 on the Island of Manhattan in New Netherland. Before me, Jacob Kip appointed clerk here, appeared Teunis Jorisen van der Veere, husband and guardian of Aeltie Douwesen, late widow of Jan Jansen from Ditmaersen, who in the presence of the undernamed witnesses, declared that they transferred and conveyed as they do hereby, to Gysbert Arentsen from Bullick and Lewis Papelyon, in company, a certain plantation situate on Long Island, south of Peter Schoorsteenveger, as large and small as appears by the ground brief granted by Director Kieft to Jan Jansen from Ditmersen under date 23d of March 1647, in one, true, free, right ownership, with renunciation of all action, right and property had thereto, and acknowledges to be fully satisfied and paid the purchase money agreed upon therefor, according to the bill of sale; therefore placing the abovenamed Gysbert Arentsen and Lewis Papelyon in his stead, real and actual possession, and promises to guarantee the same against all challenge and pretension to be set up thereto by any one in the world, reserving only the acknowledgment of the Honble Lords Patroons mentioned in the ground brief; therefore promising this his conveyance to hold, observe and execute firmly and inviolably, under bond according to law. In testimony this is signed by the principal and grantor, with the witnesses, this 11th of July, A° 1651, New Amsterdam. On the date hereof, 11th of July 1651, this foregoing deed and conveyance was, in the absence of the Honble Director General, fully approved and ratified by the Honble Council of New Netherland, by order of the Honble Director General. In testimony signed, dated as above. New Amsterdam. LA MONTAGNE. H. VAN DYCK. LETTER FROM SHERIFF UNDERHILL OF FLUSHING, L. I., TO DIRECTOR STUYVESANT: THE DIRECTOR TO BE SUED BY AN ENGLISH INHABITANT OF HEMPSTEAD IN THE COURTS OF NEW ENGLAND. Most noble Generall. Thomas Lawrence being at Newhaven was vnder arrest by Jonas Woode, who exclaimed against your worship that hee coulde haue noe iustice of you and would prosecute you in new England at the Commission Courte; Mr. Eaton writes to mee for evidence that the money attached in the hands of Thomas Lawrence due to Jonas was by order from yourselfe and soe to remaine untill the saide Jonas came hither to answer such particulars as shoulde bee laide to his charge. I sent my deposition that by order from your worship the money was attached and that I questioned not but at your returne from the Southriver they might receiue better satisfaction in case you iudged it meete to giue them an account, this Jurisdiction not being subordinate to theirs, matters in difference falleing out here not among them wee haue alsoe sent you inclosed the list of the names of the people according to your order: also the examination of the unfortunate death of Nicholas Bully, thus commending you to the protection of almightie god I rest and remaine yours to command. flushing this 24th of August 1651. JOHN UNDERHILL. To the Righte Worshipp' Peter Stuyvesant Esquire, Governor Generall of this Province at his house in the fforte New Amsterdam these present. This day, this 29th of August A° 1651 before me, Jacob Kip, appointed clerk by the Honble Director General and Council of New Netherland appeared Henry Breser, of the one part and Sieur Cornelis d' Potter of the other part, who in the presence of the undernamed witnesses, declared that they had agreed and contracted together about the purchase of certain lands and cattle on the conditions underwritten to wit: Henry Breser sells to Sieur Cornelis de Potter, who also acknowledges to have bought a certain piece of land situate on Long Island at the East River, between the land of Cornelis Dircksen Hoochlant and Frederick Lubbersen, as large and as small as appears by the ground-briefs dated 4th of Sept. 1645 and 9th of June 1646, granted by the Honble Director General William Kieft, deceased, to the beloof of Henry Breser, with all whatsoever the vendor has thereon and is belonging to him, together with thirty-five and one-half (sic) goats, consisting of milch, buck and gelded goats, which the purchaser now takes at his risk and hazard, likewise, two milch cows and one calf which are at John Morris's at Gravesend, and are to be delivered to the purchaser on Amsterdam Fair,* * An ordinance of 1641 ordered a cattle fair to be held at New Amsterdam each year on the 15th of October and a fair for hogs on the 1st of November. Stuyvesant established by Ordinance of 1618 a weekly market each Monday and an annual free market to be held for 10 consecutive days beginning on St. Bartholomew's Day, (August 24th). From 1656 the weekly market was held between what are now Whitehall and Moore streets, N. Y. In 1658 two cattle fairs were established, one for lean cattle during the whole month of May, the other for fat cattle from the 20th of October to the last of November, during which several periods, no stranger in the City could be arrested or tried.-B. F. according to contract; and that for the sum of eleven hundred and twenty-five guilders, payable one half in Rix dollars, or Reals of Eight, computed at three guilders a piece, the other half in choice wampum, or merchantable wares at the seller's option, all prompt pay; the ownership, claim and possession of which lands and cattle the vendor hereby surrenders henceforth forever to the behoof of the abovenamed Mr. Cornelis de Potter, or his assigns, promising to guarantee the same against all challenge and claim that any in the world will bring against it. And parties promise this their agreement, purchase and conveyance firmly and irrefragably to hold, observe and execute, under bond of all laws and judges. In testimony this is signed by parties and witnesses, dated as above. Manhatan, New Netherland. On this 31st of August 1651, this foregoing deed and conveyance is approved by the Director General and Council of New Netherland. In testimony signed by the Honble President, New Amsterdam. P. STUYVESANT. LEASE OF A BOUWERY ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HANS HANSEN'S BOUWERY, CALLED IN INDIAN RINNEGACKONCK. To-day, this 31st of August 1651, before me, Jacob Kip, appointed clerk here, appeared Remmert Jansen of the one part, and Barent Jansen Bal and Hendrick Dircksen in partnership, of the other part, who in the presence of the undernamed witnesses, declared that they had, in an amicable and friendly manner, agreed and contracted together about the hire of a certain bouwery, on the conditions under written, to wit: Rem Jansen leases to Barent Jansen Bal and Hendrick Dircksen, in partnership, who also acknowledge to have rented a certain bouwery lying and situate on the south side of Hans Hansen's bouwery, called in Indian, Rinnegackonck, for the term of four years, commencing on the first September of this year and ending on the first of September 1655; on which bouwery the Lessor has already had built and will yet build a house and bergh, and is to deliver two horses, one mare and one gelding, each five years old; two milch cows and one heifer of two years; two sows which the Lessor shall send from Fort Orange. The Lessees shall annually pay as butter rent for each cow, 16 pounds of butter, and for each horse annually 15 skepels of hard grain, either rye, wheat or barley; which cattle the Lessees acknowledge to have received on condition that each shall receive half the increase, and the risk of death shall be in common; and if it happen that any of the aforesaid cattle come to die, the capital stock shall be completed again from the increase at the termination of the Lease, when it shall be divided and distributed. The Lessor, moreover, delivers to the Lessees with the bouwery one plough and what belongs to it, and half the land enclosed complete with posts and rails, which the Lessees promise to deliver enclosed as they now receive it at the expiration of the lease, and they shall join the land together which now lies in two parts; and the Lessees may, if they consider it for their interest, place two or three tobacco planters, at their pleasure on the land. For all which the Lessees, jointly and severally, promise and pledge themselves to pay annually as rent in addition to what is aforesaid, the sum of one hundred and fifty Carolus guilders, payable in the produce of the land at current rates here, or in such pay as they can receive for such produce. The Lessees shall, at the termination of the lease, deliver up the land which they now receive unsowed, and the aforesaid house and everything in the same condition as now received. Parties promise this their agreement firm and irrefragable to hold, observe and execute, all under bond of all laws. In testimony this is signed by parties with the witnesses; date as above. Manhatan, New Netherland. REM YANSEN VAN YEVEREN. This is the 4 mark of BARENT JANSEN BAL, made by himself. This is the mark of HENDRICK DIRCKSEN, made by himself. OLOFF STEVENSEN, Witnesses. To my knowledge, JACOB KIP, Clerk. LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL TO THE NINE MEN ON THE CONDITION OF THE FORT AND THE NECESSITY TO PROTECT IT AGAINST STRAY HOGS AND CATTLE. Worthy and Dear Friends. We have several times informed you individually as well as in the meeting of your Board of the orders and instructions from their High: Might: and from the Lords Directors, our patroons, concerning the repairing of the Fort New Amsterdam. Having made several fruitless representations to the late Board and asked their assistance in vain, I begun the highly necessary and very urgent work with the few negroes and servants of the Company. During the last two summers of 1650 and 51 I have made tolérable progress considering the small numbers of laborers and would have enclosed the Fort all round and put it in good shape, if for the Company's and the country's service, my and the Company's servants had not been obliged to go to the South river and remain there the greater part of last summer in order to build there a new Fort for the better maintenance of the Company's rights and the defense of our territory. In the meantime, we regret to say, the newly erected work has through neglect of our proclamation and orders been destroyed and trampled down by horses, cows and hogs, as may be seen daily to our shame and reproach. We have spoken to you or some of you several times of the vexation and disgust, caused by finding our new works, erected without the community's help, rooted up, trampled down and destroyed by the community's hogs, cows and horses, thus losing the advantage of our hard and diligent labor. It is true, that the negligence and connivance of the Fiscal has caused this, as he did not enforce or execute our twice or thrice renewed proclamations. We are therefore compelled to leave the Fort, to our shame and the detriment of this place, as we found it and to suspend all work on it or to execute and enforce our orders and proclamations, now already three or four times published and affixed, namely to impound the horses, cows and hogs, henceforth found on the Fort and confiscate them for the benefit of the Honble Company. Otherwise it is impossible to keep the newly repaired Fort in good order and to do, what has yet to be done. Before taking such extreme measures, at the risk of being blamed for it, and to prevent all excuses of ignorance and all reproaches, we have thought best for our own sake, first to inform the Board of Nine Men of our intentions and to warn through them the community, which has paid no attention to our former orders, against the impending losses, for it is disreputable for this place, dangerous for the inhabitants generally in time of need and for ourselves disgraceful and unbearable, to see the Fort demolished, our good intentions and hard labor frustrated and wantonly trampled under foot. Awaiting here upon the written answer of your Board I am and remain New Amsterdam, in N. N., Novbr 15, 1651. Worthy and Dear Friends, DEED OF A LOT OF LAND HOUSE AND BARN ON THE SHORE OF LONG ISLAND, NEAR THE FERRY. This day, this fourth of January, Anno 1652, before me, Andries Johannis Christman appointed by the Ione Director General and Council of New Netherland, appeared Cornelis Dirricksen, ferryman, of the one part, and Sr. Cornelis de Potter of the other part, who in the presence of the undernamed witnesses, declared that they had agreed and contracted together about the purchase of a certain piece of land on the condition underwritten : Cornelis Dirricksen sells to Sr. Cornelis de Potter, who also hereby acknowledges to have bought a certain piece of land surveyed and situate near the Ferry on Long Island, adjoining Henry Breser, granted to him by the Hone Director General William Kieft, as appears by the groundbrief, dated 28th of April 1643, and now surveyed by Claes van Elslandt on the 7th of November 1651, being in breadth on the shore or north side 39 rods, thence ranges from the shore towards the wood as far as the marked tree, being the east side 63 rods, back again towards the shore, being the west side, 76 rods. The surveyed piece of land lies in a triangle, containing altogether 2 morgens, 674 rods, together with a house, barn and all depending thereon, as appears by the fence now standing; and all this for the sum of two thousand guilders, good, current wampum; and it is expressly stipulated that the aforesaid sum shall be paid in four installments, to wit: The first installment shall be paid down; the second installment on the first of May 1652, the third installment on the first of May, 1653, and the fourth and last installment on the first of May, 1654; so that the aforesaid two thousand guilders shall be then fully paid without any exception. The vendor hereby surrenders the right and claim of ownership, to the abovenamed lands and buildings to the behoof of Sr. Cornelis de Potter or whomsoever obtains his action, henceforth and forever; promising to guarantee all this against all challenge and pretension which any one in the world may set up thereto. And parties engage this their agreement, purchase and |