jurisdiction and authority in this Province, we were finally compelled and obliged to defend and publicly proclaim their right and the limits of the Fort. This proclamation having been communicated to the said Commander, with an order and directions to publish the same in the Colony; he, to the disparagement of ourselves and our official position, of the high and sovereign authority of our Fatherland which we represent here and to the special affront of the LordsDirectors, the Patroons of this Province, most insultingly and indecently dared to tear it out of the hands of the Clerk or Assistant and to throw the seal of the Province on the ground. The said Commander having by this insult and affront offered to the Supreme Government violated all neighborly obligations and our previous accommodating moderation, provisionally not to enforce the claim to the limits of the Fort's liberty until further orders were received from the Lords Directors, we are now by that unwarranted action and their derisive proclamation induced and constrained to revoke our previous favor and to direct our Commissary, as we herewith order him, not to permit any building or frame of a house to be erected either West or North West of the Fort within 600 geometrical paces of five feet each or 250 Rhineland rods, about the range of a cannon shot and that no one may hereafter plead ignorance, we command our Commissary, after having posted and published this, to erect or cause to be erected North, South and West of the Fort a post marked with the Honble Company's mark at the distance aforesaid, as determining the provisional jurisdiction of the said Fort. Thus done and enacted, saving the claim of the Fisc to proceed on and against the Commander and others for this and other misdemeanors committed by them, in our Council this 5th of March 1652. P. STUYVESANT. FORM OF A CONTRACT FOR THE IMPORTATION OF NEGRO SLAVES FROM AFRICA, PRESCRIBED BY THE DIRECTORS OF THE W. I. COMPANY. To-day the undersigned Director and Council of New Netherland, authorized thereto by a resolution of the Department of Amsterdam, parties of the first part, and the owners of the ship whereof is commander, measuring about tuns, parties of the second part, have agreed and contracted, that the aforesaid skipper shall receive a license and the necessary documents enabling him to trade for slaves on the coast of Africa and to make such other bargains as he shall deem to their best advantage: he shall further return to the Manhattans with the said slaves and such other freight, provided however, that the above licence shall not authorize him to trade on the Gold Coast and that he shall not come any further West than Ardre or at most Popo* under penalty of forfeiting the said ship and its cargo. The Director and Council shall be allowed to put a supercargo on board of the said ship, (whom the skipper shall be held to treat as cabin-passenger) and if necessary to administer a pertinent oath to the crew. For this consent and license the said owners promise to pay promptly upon the return of the said ship and before its freight is unloaded, to the said Director and Council fifteen guilders for each negro as duty without exception or computation, binding therefor their persons and property under renunciation of the benefit ordinis divisionis et excusionis, as having full knowledge thereof. Done at New Amsterdam this *Both in the present Kingdom of Dahomey.-B. F. DEED OF 15 MORGENS OF LAND ON THE EAST RIVER, (BROOKLYN). This day, date underwritten, before me, Andreas Johannes Christman, clerk, appointed by the Honble Director and Council of New Netherland, appeared Jacob Leendersen, attorney of his father-in-law, Frederick Lubbertsen, of the one part, and Jan Hendricksen Stelman, of the other part, who acknowledged in the presence of the undernamed witnesses [that they had agreed] about the sale of a certain parcel of land situate on the East River, between the lands of Harry Breser and Edward Wiscock, containing fifteen morgens, fifty-two rods, as appears by the ground brief thereof, signed by the Honble William Kieft, late Director, dated the fourth of September, A 1645,* for the sum of four hundred and fifty guilders. The Vendor hereby surrenders all right and claim of ownership to the above mentioned lands to and for the behoof of Jan Hendrick Stelman, or his assigns, henceforth for ever. The vendor Jacob Leendersen, promises to guarantee the same against all challenge and pretension that may be set up thereto by any one in the world, parties promising this their bargain, contract and conveyance to hold inviolable, and to observe and execute the same. All under bond as by law provided. In testimony, this is signed in the record by parties, with the witnesses hereunto invited, this 7th of March A° 1652 in New Amsterdam in New Netherland. Fiat transfer. JACOB LEENDERSEN VAN DER GRIST. Furthermore, we on the part of the Company, do hereby ordain the ratification of the sale. P. STUYVESANT. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SOME MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE NINE MEN AND INVESTIGATE A SLANDEROUS CHARGE AGAINST THE DIRECTOR GENERAL. The Honble Councillors La Montagne and Captain Nuton are hereby requested and authorized to present themselves in company with Secretary van Tienhoven at the meeting of the Nine Men (Gemeens mannen) of this city, and to communicate and read to them our written propositions placed in the hands of the abovementioned Secretary; to hear and write down, or cause to be written their opinions thereon; also, if the Honble Councillors consider it necessary, to compare the contrary opinions and to dispose matters for the best advantage of the public. The aforesaid Honble Councillors are particularly requested, in the presence of the Nine Men, or of a committee of their Board, to examine and to hear Francis Fyn late Captain, and Andries Cristman, clerk, touching the calumnious language, the defamation and slander uttered, as we are informed, at the house of Captain Fyn in our absence against our person and dignity. Which doing etc. New Amsterdam the 21st March A° 1652. P. STUYVESANT. * See the patent on page 61, ante. PROPOSITION OF THE DIRECTOR SUBMITTED TO AND APPROVED BY THE COUNCUIL. Without mentioning the various misbehaviors of the Fiscal van Dyck, of which he has made himself guilty, by connivance, negligence and general failing to do his duty, he has now had the audacity, to insult, calumniate and scold us and the Honble Council repeatedly, as his own confession and the evidence of trustworthy witnesses proves, especially his own petitions of July 4th, 1647 and September 1651, the petition of the Honble Council of 1648, all of which we have patiently borne and overlooked on his promise of reforming. Nevertheless, he has again been pleased to insult, calumniate and scold the writer hereof at the house of Captain François Vyn, calling him in the presence of Vyn, his wife, the nurse and Andries Christman, "Scoundrel, Murderer, Tyrant, Hound, Baby" and other like names. Although we have a different opinion of ourselves and because so far respectable people never held us in such an estimation or were persuaded to believe it of us, yet as such insults and calumnies have been uttered repeatedly behind our back and in our presence we cannot bear it any longer, without causing our good name and reputation to be suspected. We are therefore compelled for the sake of the Honble Company's, our subjects' and our own honor to suspend the said Fiscal Hendrick van Dyck from his office and duties, until further orders from the Lords Directors shall have been received and in the meantime to communicate this to your Honors for approval or for the Fiscal's defence, as your Honors may deem best for our honor and the public welfare. New Amsterdam, the 27th of March 1652. After the Director General Petrus Stuyvesant had read the foregoing to the Council and the Nine Men, they declared, that they could not produce anything to prove the innocence of the Fiscal and saw no reason, why he should not be suspended. New Amsterdam, 28th of March 1652. LA MONTAGNE. WILH. BEEKMAN. POUWELIS LEENDERTSEN VAN DER GRIFT. The Fiscal Hendrick van Dyck came before the Council, where the Honble Director General informed him that he, Hendrick van Dyck, was reported to have wounded the Director General in his reputation, which he herewith expressly denies and protesting against his suspension requested a copy of these proceedings. March 28th 1652. The Director General has suspended the Fiscal and charges him not to meddle any more in the Company's affairs. The Secretary is directed to give him copies of the letter, which he, van Dyck, calls a pasquil, and of the above proposition of the Director General, made in regard to the letter to the Honble Council and the Board of Nine Men. PATENT TO FRANCIS SOLEIL AND FRANCIS GRION, ALIAS LA CAPELLE, OF 50 MORGENS OF LAND AT MESPATH KIL, WITH THE VALLEY ADJOINING. Petrus Stuyvesant, Director General, and the Council residing in New Netherland for the High and Mighty Lords States General of the United Netherlands, his Highness of Orange, the Honble Directors of the General Incorporated West India Company, hereby acknowledge and declare that we have on this day, date underwritten, given and granted unto Francis Soillel and Frans Grion dit La Cappel a plantation containing fifty morgens situate on Mespachtes kil, with the valley thereunto belonging, on the express condition and stipulation that the abovenamed Francis Soillel and Frans Grion and their assigns shall acknowledge the Honble Directors as their Lords and Patroons, under the sovereignty of their High Mightinesses the Lords States General of the United Netherlands, and obey their Director and Council as good inhabitants are bound to do, and further submit themselves to all such customs and taxes as are already imposed or may be imposed by their Honors. Therefore constituting the abovenamed Francis Soillel and Frans Grion, or their assigns in our stead real and actual possession of the aforesaid plantation and valley, hereby giving them full power and authority and special command to enter on, occupy, cultivate and make use of the land and valley aforesaid as they might do with other their patrimonial lands and effects, we, the grantors, in quality as aforesaid, desisting from all henceforth for ever; further promising this conveyance firm, inviolable and irrevocable to hold, observe and execute, under bond as by law provided. In testimony this is by us signed and sealed with our seal the Amsterdam in New Netherland. April A° 1652 in New LETTER FROM THE DIRECTORS IN HOLLAND TO STUYVESANT; THEY HAVE WRITTEN TO THE COLONISTS IN NEW NETHERLAND; PROCLAMATION AGAINST TRAFFIC IN POWDER ETC; NEW AMSTERDAM INCORPORATED; A NEW-NETHERLAND BUREAU IS TO BE ESTABLISHED, TO CHECK THE ABUSES IN LAND GRANTING; CONFLICTS ARISE BETWEEN THE PURCHASES OF BARON VAN DER CAPELLE AND VAN WERCKHOVEN; WAR BETWEEN THE MOHAWKS AND CANADA INDIANS; REvds DRISIUS AND GRASMEER. 1652, 4th April. Honorable, Worshipful, Pious, Dear, Faithful. Our last letters were dated the 21st, 22d and 26th of March of last year, in which we wrote as much as was then necessary; in the meantime we have duly received your letters of the 26th-27th of November 1650 by way of English Virginia and of the 21st, 29th and 30th of September of last year by the ships "Geldersche Blom" "Bonte Koe" and "het Hoff van Cleeff," "Kayser Carl" and "St. Michiel"; we received besides several documents and papers, which we shall answer as briefly and as much to the point as possible. The satisfaction given to the people of our own as well as of the English nation by our address to them has decided us to continue this measure by the present ships, besides copying the aforesaid addresses, which might be unnecessary, if some unruly spirits did not try to persuade the community that these letters were not written by the whole board, but only by some of the Directors: therefore the duplicates are signed by all the Directors, now in office, so that the community and our good inhabitants may see and learn, what the intentions of these false and mutinous fellows are. We have no doubt, that we shall be amply able to crush their malicious undertaking. The same community will feel still more assured of our good intentions, when they have learned of our favorable decisions upon divers requests made by them. They complain bitterly of the improper trade in powder, lead and guns carried on there by private parties. To prevent this as far as possible, we send herewith a printed placat with the execution of which the Fiscal is strictly charged. From our secret resolution, which we entrust herewith to the Honorable General, regarding the vexations by the savages, of which the inhabitants complain and to which they are exposed through the instigations of evil-minded persons, who make the savages believe, that we are not allowed to punish them for their illdoings, your Honor will perceive, that if necessary, in an emergency a league may be made with our English neighbors, that thereby the insolence and mischief-doing of the barbarians can be held in check; we cannot however consent, to give them a preponderance in the council, for we consider that dangerous. We consent to their request to abolish the duty of 8 per cent upon tobacco raised there; we are besides petitioning the government, that when the duties are again farmed out, the toll upon New Netherland tobacco may be left out: that would be a great advantage to the planters there and to promote such plantations still more, we consent herewith upon the request of the inhabitants there, that they may, in their own ships, fetch from the coast of Africa as many negroes, as they shall require for the cultivation of the soil under the enclosed conditions and regulations. There remains now only to grant their request concerning the freighting of one or two ships for their own account, regard being had to their obligations to and engagements with our colleagues Edward Man and Isaac van Beeck; they have of course in view the profits to accrue by such freighting from the return cargoes and the transport of many people, which for some years past private traders have been enjoying. Our answer must be, that at present many difficulties present themselves to this plan; notwithstanding we had already undertaken to freight a ship of 200 lasts, armed with 20 guns, for which we had offered 8000 guilders and would even have given a little higher price, when the following happened. We were first summoned by the Burgomasters, who offered us 150 boys and girls from the orphan asylums, willing to be carried to New Netherland, at 30 guilders passage money per head or 8 stivers per day for board; the said gentlemen had already made an order that all private freighters should carry over indigent passengers at this rate and this is the reason, why so many people are coming over in these ships. We had made provisional arrangements with some skippers for the passage of the young persons, also agreed with the Burgomasters upon the conditions under which the children were to be placed with good masters, namely they were to be bound out for the term of 4 years and to receive besides the necessary food 50 to 60 guilders annually for clothing or as much more as you might obtain for them; if the girls should marry with your consent before the expiration of their time of service, they were to become free, and if after having served their time they coutinue to remain in their masters' services, they may do so upon. such conditions, as they may themselves make, while to those, who desired to remain free, 25 morgens of land each were to be allotted or as much as they were willing to cultivate. These conditions were approved by the Burgomasters and pleased many of the young people and we believed, that the community there would have gained their point by these means, but when we thought we were quite sure of it, it happened that the ships of the English Parliament, commis |