History of New Netherland; or, New York under the Dutch [1]

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THE PUBLISHERS BEG THE LIBERTY OF PRESENTING THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE VALUE OF THE ACCOMPANYING HISTORY OF THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF NEW-YORK. From

the

Honorable

Col.

N.

S.

Benton, Secretary of State and Super-

intendent of

Common

Schools.

Albany, December

Deau Sir

:

—

I

have read your " History of

considerable attention, and

am much

pleased with

work and order of arrangement appear to the reader, in the

early

Colonial

New

to

it.

I take great pleasure 1

I

plan of the

details of our

commending

in

it

to

nm, very respectfully, yours,

N.

E

The

me, well adapted to present

most acceptable form, the interesting

History.

public patronage.

Dr.

13th, 1845.

Netherland," with

S.

BENTON.

B. O'Callaghan.

have read, with

much

pleasure and interest, a considerable part

of Dr. O'Callaghan's History of to have been sought

New Netherland.

The

seem

materials

and selected with great care and diligence

;

and

the work, as far as I have perused the manuscript, manifests scrupulous accuracy, and a respectful consideration of the merits of the early

who, to improve their condition, left their, and their homes, and encountered the privations and hardships incident to

colonists,

ment

in the wilds of the

New World. The

author appears also to cherish

a just estimate of the character of their descendants,

flourished such

men

as

fathers' a settle-

among whom

Arendt Van Corlear, Peter and Philip Schuy-

ler.

Dr. O'Callaghan's labor and researches have very opportunely coincided with the recent effort of the government of the State of

York

to collect materials for its History;

by the State have aided him

New-

and the documents procured

in preparing, as

it

seems tome,

as accurate

and complete

a history of the

Dutch

colonial period, as could reasonably

be expected. have no doubt that the work will prove highly gratifying to

I

who

take an interest in the early history of our country, and to

rightly view the bearing

and influence of

its

all

all

who

settlement, by Europeans,

on the progress of humanity. H.

BLEECKER.

Albany, 27th June, 1845.

have read with great interest the greater part of the MS. His-

I

New

tory of the

of this

I

city.

Netherlands, prepared by Dr. E. B. O'Callaghan,

can vouch

Dutch language

the

—

for

for

his

accuracy of his knowledge of

the

unwearied industry displayed during

several years in examining every available printed and manuscript authority,

and

I

add with great diffidence,

my

belief that the

work must

prove acceptable to the public, not only for the many new facts contained in

it,

but the interesting manner in which they are brought

T.

together.

ROMEYN

BECK.

Albany, June 23, 1845.

Albany, June 25, 1845. Having perused of

New

tion of

may

a portion of the

Netherlands,

I

of Dr. O'Callaghan's History

take pleasure in expressing

my

decided convic-

value and utility as a historical work, and ray opinion that

its

it

properly and advantageously form a portion of our District School

From

Libraries.

O'C.

I

am

a personal

also enabled to

acquaintance of several years with Dr.

add that he

upright and worthy man, and in to

MSS.

do

full

my

is

in

all

respects an estimable,

judgment, abundantly competent

justice to the subject he has undertaken, and to render

it

teresting and attractive, as well as accurate.

Very

truly

and respectfully,

Your

ob't serv't. J.

S.

RANDALL

in-

^«^mn,uJm/ii^ ^AJ^imuHM/^M^n/ai^.i^^ i£ry^^^

V& .^nl August 16 1 G

,

-^/^ -(S^et^e^ty^J^'vk'^

-

.^ft^it^m/

y,,/^ ^^/^a^u^MMt

c^^it^

^^^^yd-

t*'^^

^

HISTORY OF

NEW NETHERLAND; OR,

NEW YORK UNDER THE DUTCH. BY

E. B.

O'CALLAGHAN, M.

D.,

CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND HONORARY MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF CONNECTICUT.

VOL. "

I.

Pleraque EARUM QUjE referam parva forsitan et levia memoratu videri, non nescius SUM. Non tamen sine vsv fuerit intkospioere illa, primo adspectu levia, ex QUIS MAGNARTJM SJEVE RERUM MOTUS ORIUNTUR." TaCITUS.

D.

NEW YORK: APPLETON & COMPANY, 200 BROADWAY. PHILA.: G.

S.

APPLETON, 148 CHESNUT-ST.

BARTLETT & WELFORD, 7 ASTOR HOUSE, M DCCC XLVIII.

N. Y.

Entered, according to the Act of Congress, In the year 1845, by

E. B.

O'CALLAGHAN,

In the Clerk's OfBce of the District Court of the United States for the Southern Distriet of New York.

TO

THEODRIC ROMEYN BECK, ^\)i8 (tribute of

tl)e

ESQ., M.

D.,

^utljor's Hcgarlr, t

IS,

IN

RETURN FOR MANY KINDNESSES,

.

3£lespertfull5 Bnscrfbeli.

PREFACE.

Circumstances of a public nature induced the writer of the following pages to enter, several years ago, into a

somewhat extensive course of determine, for his

own

reading, with a

view

to

satisfaction, the nature, as well as

the extent of the constitutional rights enjoyed by the

American Colonies, previous

to the Revolution of 1776.

Such an inquiry necessarily led to the investigation, not only of the amount of civil liberty which the colonists possessed at that time, but to the examination of the

grounds on which that liberty

rested, so as to distinguish

between what had been guarantied by charter and the common law, and that which the colonists won for themselves in the course of their struggles against the prerogatives claimed

by the Crown, and the usurpations

sanctioned by Parliament. histories of the several nia,

To

master this subject, the

Colonies, beginning with Virgi-

and terminating with Georgia, were examined,

in

connection with the Colonial Charters, the Journals of the Colonial Assemblies, and the laws of the several

Provinces, so far as these were accessible.

The

history of the Province of

New York

happened,

not from any design, but by accident, to have been one of the last taken up, and then the author discovered that

he could not go farther back than the year 1664.

and others alluded

Smith

to the existence of a regular govern-

PREFACE.

6

merit previous to that date,

and Chalmers admitted that

the EngUsh, after the surrender, " prudently copied

what

had been akeady estabhshed by the Dutch," but what the institutions

were which the conquerors, instead of

changing, "prudently copied,"

—what was the

the country, or the character of

its

history of

settlers,

first

he was

unable to ascertain.

Such

possessing

all

curiosity.

satisfy,

the evidences of having been settled for

half a century before

Well

its

submission to the

Duke

of York.

with a goodly number of inhabitants

built towns,

and a moral, peaceable, and

richly cultivated farms,

community, whose

gious

was calculated to Here was a country

a termination to his inquiry

not to

excite,

history

was

;^

reli-

be gleaned

to

almost entirely from writers, who, by their position, the circumstances in which they were placed, their habits of thought, associations, and sympathies, were

calculated

rather to prejudice the mind, than to direct the

judgment

to a correct conclusion.

The

determination

was

once taken to examine this

at

apparently unexplored region, and though the writer had

no pretensions

teach others, yet he was desirous to

to

learn for himself,

who

those

men

were, who, leaving the

comforts of home, and of civiUzed society, into the depths of the forests

on these

first

coasts,

plunged

and bat-

which they what were the steps which they adopted to gain the confidence, or overcome the enmity of the Aborigines what their sufferings and their social condition whether they were worthy the land which gave them birth, or whether, as the humor of some

tled

against the repulsive circumstances by

were surrounded

;

;

;

has caused *

of

Chalmers

New

many

to believe, they

states, in his Political

merely vegetated

this

Annals, that the number of houses in the City

York, at the time of the surrender, was 343, and of inhabitants 3,430.

PREFACE.

7

which

through, leaving no impress on the times in

life

they

nor on the country they inhabited.

lived,

On

assertion, that " the

and

was met by the Dutch Colonial Annals are of a tame

the threshold of this inquiry he

pacific character,

He

proceeding.

and

and generally dry and uninterest-

This assurance did

ing."^

*

not,

patiently

however, deter him from

analyzed between

twenty

volumes of Manuscript Records in the Sec-

thirty

retary of

State's

office

at

Albany, and

became soon

convinced, maugre the peculiarity of the translation, that the opinion so confidently enunciated,

was

hastily form-

and did not accord with the evidence furnished by

ed,

the papers "

of being

left

Dutch predecessors.

us by our

tame, pacific, dry, and

Instead

they

uninteresting,"

were found teeming with every material which could render historical research a work of pleasure and im-

provement.

When

the contents of those volumes

had been ex-

amined, the propriety of arranging the notes for publication

was

suggested.

The

writer,

by

this time,

had become

himself interested in the subject, and he therefore willingly set about this task.

He was

thus employed

Mr. Brodhead, whose very valuable

labors,

as

cal Agent, cannot be too highly appreciated, sent

sixteen volumes of lected in Holland.

ever to

new

facts, or

when

Histori-

home

Dutch documents which he had It

became necessary

to collate

col-

what-

connecting finks these contained, and

examine various private papers which had been placed

in the

To

hands of the author. render

sententious

all

these available, and to avoid

Benson

calls " the indiscretion of

what the

attempting

the history of this country not well versed in the Dutch,"

*

Chancellor Kent's Anniversary Disc, before N. Y. Hist. Soc, 1828, p.

8.

—

;

I

PREFACE.

8

now

a knowledge of that language became

This

ble.

volume was of

indispensa-

having been surmounted, the present

difficulty

at length completed, bringing

New Netherland down

the History

end of Director

to 1647, or the

Kieft's administration.

In the course of composition

many

temptations offered

on points of minor

to enter into lengthy disquisitions

importance, regarding which some difference of opinion exists

and

;

narrative with

the

clothe

to

though not perfectly legitimate, traditions

which might

flatter

additional,

by embodying

interest,

national pride, yet not ac-

cord altogether with historical strictness.

These were

avoided, for the one would only fatigue, and the other

was

foreign to the author's plan

The

—

admit such facts

to

supported by unexceptionable

only as were

character of

that

be

evidence will

evidence.

seen by the

Notes and Appendix, which, though arranged in such a

manner

as not to interrupt the progress of the general

who may

reader,

not, perhaps,

have either leisure or

position to look for authorities, will,

who may

useful to those vestigation.

Like blazed

is

it

same

follow in the trees,

they

field

will, at least,

to the future traveller the path of those pioneers

preceded him in the

and the same

^

As

the

titles

of

forest,

of in-

point out

who have

affording the benefit, at

one

and their experience.*

time, of their errors

some

dis-

hoped, prove

of the authorities are abridged,

it

may

be proper to ob-

serve that

" Alb. Rec."

refers to

office of

" Hoi. Doc,"

*'

Van

der

Kemp's Translation

of the

Dutch Documents

in tho

the Secretary of State.

Dutch MSS. brought from Holland by Mr. Brodhead, and deposited in the same department. Lond. Doc," to the MSS. obtained by the same gentleman in England, and deto the

posited also with the Secretary of State.

For

translations of

De

Vries'

author

is

Van

Korte

der Donck's Beschryv.

Historiael

;

van N. N.

;

Lambrechten's N. N.

and Acrelius' History of

indebted to the Collections of the

New York

New

Sweden, the

Historical Society.

PREFACE. In reviewing the

mounted, courtesy

which have been to

forget

sur-

whose

those

much to facilitate the progress Though it may seem invidious to par-

done

has

of this work. ticularize

difficulties

would be wrong

it

9

where

all

have been equally kind,

justice to mention that the

Honorable

S.

is

it

only

Young, and

the Honorable N. S. Benton, Secretaries of State, and

the several gentlemen connected with that department, have, in the most polite manner, afforded every facility for

making

author

is

The

extracts from the records in that office.

indebted to the Honorable Mr. Corning, one

of the Trustees of the State Library, and to the Librarian

of the Albany

Institute, for the privilege of consulting,

many rare historical works which would not have been, otherwise, easy of access. To General Stephen van Rensselaer he is beholden, likewise, in a special degree, for the very handsome and unreserved manner in which that gentleman placed in

own

at his

residence,

his hands, his extensive

and valuable

collection of

MSS.,

from which the chapter on the early settlement of Rensselaerswyck has been almost exclusively compiled, and

many

interesting papers borrowed,

for the

first

and court records of that

"

which

From

time, to the public.

are

now

given,

the account books

Colonic" have,

also,

been

ar-

ranged the prices of imported merchandise, stock, and country produce

;

the

list

of the settlers under the

first

Patroon, and other tables which will be found in the

Appendix.

The Map this

volume,

of is

New

Netherland, which accompanies

in every particular

one of a very ancient

an exact fac-simile of

date, discovered at the

Mr. Brodhead, in 1841, and

is

Hague, by

now pubhshed

for the

That of Rensselaerswyck is a copy, on a reduced scale, of one drawn in 1630, by Gillis van Schen-

first

time.

2

.

PREFACE

10

The

del

Douw

author

is

indebted for the draft of

it

to

A.

Lansing, Esq.

Whether, with

all

these valuable accessories, the

be worthy of the subject,

Should

its

it

is

now

work

for others to say.

reception be such as to warrant the continu-

ance of the author's labors, the remainder of the History of

New

Netherland, comprising

the administration of

Director Stuyvesant, will follow, as soon as the materials

which have accumulated can be arranged and prepared for the press. In the mean time, as truth and historical justice are his main objects, the author hopes that those families, who possess ancient papers, however insignificant, will assist so far as to place them, for a limited sea-

son, at his disposal, receiving his assurance, that they shall

be safely returned whenever required.

—

CONTENTS. BOOK

I.

FROM THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA TO THE INCORPORATION OF THE DUTCH WEST INDIA COMPANY.

1492—1621.

CHAPTER Discovery of America by Columbus

—Jean

I.

and Sebastian Cabot

visit

the coast and

—

Verrazzano enters the Bay of New for the King of England York Revolt of the Seven United Provinces from Spain Interruption of Dutch commerce in consequence The Dutch determine to compete with the Spaniards claim the country

—

—

trade with

in the

India

— —Successive

Barentszoon and Jacob Heemskirk try

attempts to carry out that project to find

kirk winters in to

the

Nova Zembla

—Willem

a northern passage to India and

—Repeat the attempt, and are again unsuccessful—A

third effort

made

fail

—Heems-

—Returns Holland — Project of finding a passage —Several Dutch merchants send expeditions to to

India by the North abandoned

West

visited

Indies

New

— Vessels

in the

employ of the Greenland Company said

to

have

Netherland, and to have built forts on the North and South rivers

—The Company of Foreign India by way of the Cape — Ex-

there, for the purpose of shelter for the crew in winter

—Send four ships —Other expeditions follow— Dutch East India Company incor— A Dutch West India Company proposed— Plan therefor drawn up and published — Favorably received — Project interrupted by the truce with Spain search of furs— A private association Dutch the River of Canada London resolve a north passage to India — Dispatch a ship under command look to

Countries formed in Holland pedition successful

porated

in

visit

in

for

to

Henry Hudson who makes two voyages to the north, but is unsuccessful Hudson proceeds to Holland Is patronised by the Dutch East India Company of

;

—

Sails from

Amsterdam,

in the

passage to China and India

Half Moon, on a voyage

in search of a northwest

Page 25

— •

t

CONTENTS.

12

CHAPTER Hudson

sails

America

—Arrives of 41° — Proceeds

from the Texel

in the lat.

off

II.

—Reaches

Newfoundland

the coast of

thence south to Cape Cod, which he calls

—Arrives at the Chesapeake— Returns north and discovers a great latitude 39° — Continues bay northward course — Descries the Highlands of Navesinck—Rounds Sandy Hook, and enters the Great North River of New of the bay Netherland— Has communication with the Indians on the west Appearance of the country —Continues his course upward towards a narrow — Sends mate to sound the channel, who comes into with the natives and —Hudson retains two Indians as hostages—Explores the river—Goes New

Holland

in

his

side

river

his

is

collision

killed

ashore in the neighborhood of Castleton on a is

hospitably entertained

—Tries

—Concludes

visit to

—

among

duces intoxicating liquors

an Indian

chief,

his exploration of the river,

an experiment on some of the natives the Indians

—Continues

by

whom

his

he

and turns back

European who

Is the first

intro-

downward course

whom are —Leaves the —Sends an account of covery Holland — Proposes undertake a new voyage — ordered Holland, where he the following year— The Dutch decline and he Gets again into

mouth

collision

with the savages, several of

of the Great River, and arrives in

to

killed

England

to

his dis-

Is

arrives in

to

his proposition,

re-enters the service of the

London Company

Page 33

CHAPTER

III.

—Rivers therein—Appearance and condition of the country—The —Fruits—Plants—Wild Animals—Birds—Aquatic fowls— Natives Fish— Reptiles— the country— Enumeration of the various —Their physical appearance —Mode hunting—Agriculture — Food — Clothing— Ornaments— Dwellings— Furniture—Villages—Canoes — Indian Women — Marriage Polygamy—Travail— arrangements among the Indians—Wars—Weapons —Treaties peace—Circulating Medium—Burial of the —Treatment of dead—Religious opinions— Manittous—Immortality of the —Superstitions Opinions of the creation— Medicine men— Method of treating disease —Amusements— Gambling—Feeble means against the superior powers of the

Boundaries of the Dutch discoveries trees

of

tribes

of

Political

prisoners

of

soul

of resistance

white

men

43

CHAPTER Truce between the Dutch and Spaniards

—

IV.

Crisis favorable for

Hudson's discovery

Private adventurers resolve to send a ship to the Great River

—Establishment on the

upon

Visited

of

island of

by Captain Argal, and

obliged

—States General grant exclusive —Edict 27th March, 1614—Dutch send

England

tries

rights to all

of

aensen, and Comelis Jacobsen

Mey, with

Restless

—Explores

forts there-

who

discover

the East River

new coun-

Adriaen Block, Hendrick Corsti-

—They —Block's vessel burnt

five ships, in search of

proceed to the mouth of the Great River of the Manhattans

—Builds the

—Erect

Manhattan under Hendrick Corstiaensen to acknowledge its dependence on the crown

—Discovers

new lands

the Freshwater River,

—

CONTENTS.

13

—Passes through the Sound and meets Corstiaensen—Returns home—Progress of Mey— His —Captain Hendricksen continues explore the country before the States General — The counthe Restless —^Reports of time, the name of New Netherland—Charter or grant of try acquires, the October, 1614, United New Netherland Company— Rivier van den Vorst Mauritius an active trade among the —Forts erected each extremity thereof—Dutch Holland— His report— Expiration of the Indians — Captain Hendricksen returns 1614— Fort removed from Castle Island charter of the Noordtman's &c.

to

discoveries

discoveries laid

in

for

first

to

drive

at

to

Oct.,

to

Kill

Treaty of the Dutch with the Five Nations—Causes leading

thereto,

and impor-

Page 67

tance thereof

CHAPTER

V.

—The —That country becomes more generally known—Atten—Review the causes which drove these of the Puritans America—The Rev. Mr. Robinson, remove people Holland— Desire emigrate New Netherland—The managers of intimates wish

The New

Company

Netherland

Scheld sent

to

petition for

renewal of their charter

ship

Manhattes

of

directed thither

tion

to

to

minister,

Company

the Dutch Trading

to

to

their

their

to

lay this application before the States General and

Royal Highness on occasion— Termi—Request of the New Netherland Company on behalf of the Puritans decidedly refused— Captain Mey returns Holland — exclusive new countries he had discovered—Opposed—Incorporathe Prince of Orange

—Memorial

to his

this

nation of the twelve years' truce

to

Peti-

right to

tions for

tion of the

Dutch West India Company

BOOK

81

II.

FROM THE INCORPORATION OF THE DUTCH WEST INDIA COMPANY, TO THE OPENING OF THE FUR, OR INDIAN, TRADE TO THE INHABITANTS OF NEW NETHERLAND.

1621—1638.

CHAPTER Charter of

West

India

Company

those granted to other

not

commence

while, to

New

—

I.

Its various provisions

—Comparison between

Companies for making settlements

—Various

operations immediately

Netherland

in

America

—Excite considerable jealousy among the English

ested in planting Virginia

and

New

England, who remonstrate

it

and

—Company do

vessels licensed to proceed,

to

meaninter-

King James

— English Ambassador at the Hague urges the States General to stay the departure of the Dutch —Their High Mightinesses disclaim knowledge of the enterprise — English Ambassador's explanation thereupon the against the

Dutch

ships

all

to

—

CONTENTS.

14

voyage — Several families —Dutch vessels proceed, notwithstanding, on the matter the West New Netherland— States General move execution be India Company — They approve of the design, but suggest that

King

their

refer

to

desire to

to

.... its

postponed until a Director General be appointed

CHAPTER

Page 89

II.

Netherland— Several and on South River— Fort Orange on the — Fort Nassau the country as Director-general, ac—Peter Minuit, of Wesel, Walloons — settlement on Long Island— white companied by a colony Minuit's council — Duties of schout-fiscaal — born — Members of Manhatcaal— Colonial secretary— Imports and exports— Dutch purchase from the Indians — A blockhouse erected on Manhattan tans and adjoining Fort Amsterdam — Murder of an Indian by some Island, and Minuit's New Plymouth— Correspondence vants — Trade opened with the English settlement threats thrown out by and intercourse with that colony— Dutch alarmed Holland English neighbors — Apply a military force — Charles

The West

India

Company

New

takes possession of

servants sent out

settlers

river

built

Mauritius

arrives in

of

First

First

First schout-fis-

of

child

island

islands

called

of

ser-

at

at

to directors in

West

extends to the ships of the treaty of

Southampton on the

Renewed

efforts in

Holland

for

Company

India

promote the settlement of

to

to establish lordships or

—Charter

victory over the Spanish silver fleet

India

New Netherland— Associations

New

—Director

settle

Dutch

—The vessel

ing to Holland, to,

is

in

Zwanendal and Rensselaerswyck

dience of the

I.

Company's

—The king title

to

considerable jealousy of the of the

British

I.

in

declines

Company

government,

to

are returnfor

having

—Auconsequence — They demand —The West India Company

attention of the States General to the matter

Mightinesses a deduction of their solve to maintain the

Netherland"

Privileges

countries subject to the king of

Dutch ambassadors with Charles

the release of the Company's ship call the

—Evince

Plymouth by order of the in,

New

— granted —English Companies grant

Patroons

which Minuit and other servants

seized at

and obtained her cargo

99

Minuit recalled

patents for Massachusetts and Connecticut

traded

Netherland

III.

Company and

Patroons called into doubt

—The —Heyn's

Netherland

New

Patroons' colonies confirmed and " sealed with the seal of

Quarrels between Directors of the

of trade

acquire patroonships, or " colonies," in

Company

formed to

—Progress

" colonies" there

Patroons in

to

CHAPTER West

I.

the privileges conferred by the

States General

vessels of the

Assembly of the XIX. determine

Several directors of the

their

England

— Lay before

New Netherland—The

their

High

States General re-

—Lengthy reply of Charles the Dutch remonstrance — Refuse

right to that country

and the Lords Commissioners of England

to

to

permit the Dutch to encroach on and usurp one of his Majesty's colonies unless

they consent to submit to his Majesty's government

" saving of the

his

West

Majesty's rights" India

—Continued

Company and

" colonies" belonging

—The Company's ship

released'

misunderstanding between the Directors

the Patroons

—Commissaries

sent to the several

to Patroons, to prevent the latter interfering in the fur-trade

—De Vries

Colonic of Zwanendal destroyed by the savages

—

makes peace with the Indians

Profitable state of trade with

visits

New

South River and Netherland

121

—

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER WouTER VAN TwiLLER His council first

— Other

15

IV.

appointed Director-general

—Arrives

in

New

Netherland

—

company in that country First clergyman and Amsterdam An English vessel visits the Manhattans

officers of the

schoolmaster in

—

New

—Director and — Fort Orange, notwith—Opens a trade with the natives thereabout— opposed by the commissary that post— Indians prefer trading with the English who had been several years before, that quarter — Three vessels arrive with the Dutch for the purpose of trading

with the Indians on the Hudson's River

council refuse her permission to ascend the river

Sails to

standing

Is

at

factor,

service,

troops from Fort Amsterdam,

Pull

down

in

in

the English tent

to prevent the English trading with the

— Force

which they convoy out of the

their people

—Damages

river

and goods on board

inflicted

Indians their ship,

on the English

—Quarrel

—Van Twiller opposes De Vries, —Contentions consequence—De opinions of —Notelman, superseded — succeeded by Van Dinclage —Van Twiller determines build a on the Fresh River— Sketch of the quarrels between the Indians there —Tract of country called — Fort Good Hope Conneticock purchased— Deed of —New Plymouth a trading-house on the Fresh River— Proceedings people determine con—This protest disregarded—Writes the XIX. sequence — Van Twiller without success— Improvements dislodge the English by force Attempts New —Church and other houses erected—Improvements Fort Amsterdam— New Orange and Fort Nassau— Schuylkill purchased— Resources of the West India Company—Trade of New Netherland Page 141 between two English skippers at the Manhattans

who

wishes to

visit

Sound

the

the functionaries at Fort

in

Vries's

Amsterdam

schout-fiscaal, to

sale

Is

fort

built

to build

in

protests

to

to

in

;

fort

at

CHAPTER

V.

— Pretensions of —Referred the States General —Committee appointed —Articles submitted by the Patroons containing demands Replications of the Company — Rejoinder on the part of Patroons — Owners of the London damages—Threaten William apply Dutch ambassadors apply States General — Referred council — Application communicated to the king reply — Request that the matthe Assembly of the XIX. — Memorial of the the Dutch and English ambassadors — States General decline be referred — Quarrel between Van Twiller and Minister Bogardus—Peace made with New the Raritans— Imports and Exports — Superintendent over Pavonia

Continued misunderstanding between the Directors and the Patroons the respective parties vestigate the

to

to in-

same

their

to

for

at

to

to

in

to

latter in

to

to

ter

interfere

arrives in

158

Netherland

CHAPTER Encroachments of the

arms

New

England people on

of the States General at Kievitts

intruders,

Winslow

and makes representations to

London

to

Hoeck

VI. New

Netherland

—Van Twiller

down

the

—The English send Governor —He imprisoned there —Eng-

to the directors

complain against the Dutch

—Tear

protests against the

is

—

CONTENTS.

16

—Are taken and sent the New Amsterdam— Fort Amsterdam —Director-general and several members council approthemselves large of the domain — Settlement Flatlands, New Amersfoort commenced—Van Dinclage, opposes Van Twil— dismissed from —Returns Holland—Ulrich Lupoid appointed place — Van Dinclage brings the New Netherland the States Gen—Assembly the XIX. remove Van Twiller—Willem Kieft appointed tor-general New Netherland— New Amsterdam and on the Connecticut —Van Twiller adds a number — States General the the company the retrograding condition of New Netherland —Rethereupon — Queries submitted the —Their answers—Propose surrendering the Indian trade — Unfavorable of the colony —Causes thereof

lish

attempt a settlement oa the South River

—

Manhattans

—

prisoners

to

First English settlers in

finished

Irregularities there

of his

quantities

priate to

public

or

of

schout-fiscaal,

office

Is

ler

in his

to

before

affairs of

eral

of

direc-

of

Prices at

of islands to his estates

attention of

call

to

quire report

directors

to

state

States General insist on the adoption of

the settlement of the country, so that

...

away

some plan

New

to

encourage emigration to and

Netherland

may

not be lost or given

Page 168

CHAPTER

VII.

—His council—Colonial Secretary, —Other —Their —Condition New Amand there — Proclamations sterdam— and council —Organizacourt of —Proclamation against drunkenness—Arrival immigrants morals — Regulations —Purchase land on Long Island— State of the inspection of New Netherland tobacco— Rights the Dutch threatened the south— Swedish West India Company formed — Pieter Minuit, former of New Sweden—Arrives New Netherland, appointed the Delaware boarded by the Dutch Commissary — Opens a trade with with some Swedes— Fort Christina — Kieft the natives — Purchases land and against but vain — Minuit Sweden, leaving a colony of twenty Holland on her return from " the West Indies" men behind— Swedish — released—States General urge the permanent settlement of New Netherland and proposed by the Amsterdam chamber— a " new pro—New submitted by the Patroons — Patroons seek ject" enlarge manors and and reserve the country —States Genedisapprove of both these plans— Proclamation opening the trade New

Arrival of

Willem Kieft,

third Director-general

public officers

schout-fiscaal

of

salaries

Irregularities

tion of

of director

justice

of

public

of

for

of

in

director

director of

at

Is

erects

several times,

protests

hirai

returns to

in

ship seized in

Is

articles

conditions

parties friendly to

also

their privileges, ral

to

to

for

lordships

in

Netherland, and abolishing the monopoly hitherto enjoyed by the West India

pany

Com180

—

CONTENTS.

BOOK

17

III.

FROM THE OPENING OF THE INDIAN TRADE TO THE END OF DIRECTOR KIEFt's ADMINISTRATION.

1639—1647.

CHAPTER Consequences of the opening of the trade settlers in

ments

I.

—Encouragement

emigration

to

—English

New Netherland obliged to take an oath of allegiance — Further encroachEnglish — Settle New Haven — Hartford people oppose the Dutch at

of the

—Controversy between the —Grant Long Island the —An agent appointed by that nobleman that — FurDutch thereupon — English over and commence Long Island— Additional grants by the Dutch on the end ments on the —Cornells van der Huygens apwestern extremity — Lupoid removed from —Other appointments—Renewal the pointed between commissary Fort the English and the Dutch on the Connecticut — Change Hope — The Norwalk Islands purchased by the Dutch — Additional purchases on agent New Amsterdam— His pretensions Long Island— Earl English attempt a settlement west disregarded — A party Oyster Bay— Dutcli expedition sent prevent them — Prisoners taken and dismissed — Southampton and Southold commenced — English commence a settlement Greenwich— Protested Holland regarding New Netherland — A new charter against — Proceedings the XIX. — Provisions thereof— Laid before the States agreed upon by Assembly opening the fur-trade on the Indians — Director Kieft General — impose a on them — Indians discontented — Occurrences mines Staten the company stolen— Kieft enraged against the RaIsland — Property belonging — Sends an expedition against them—Attack—Result—Prices sundry comGood Hope

Fort

parties

of

Earl of Stirling

to

to settle

ther purchases by the

island

cross

settle-

of

east

office

schout-fiscaal

of

differences

of

at

arrives at

Stirling's

of

of

to

at

in

of

Effects of

deter-

tribute

to

at

to

of

ritans

modities at liquors

New Amsterdam — Still

erected on Staten Island

of one of the

other

Page 205

manufactured

CHAPTER Murder

—Brandy and

company's slaves by

which should be executed

—Scene

six other

II. negroes

—Lots drawn determine —Proclamations against to

at the place of execution

—New Haven people intrude on the on the Connecticut —Protested against—Renewal of the —Rev. Hugh Peters sent by Mas-

Drunkenness, and regulating the currency South River Collision

sachusetts to ties

difficulties

between the Dutch and English there

England

;

commissioned

between Connecticut and

New

to

proceed to Holland to

—Propositions

Netherland

3

settle

the difficul-

submitted to the

—

CONTENTS.

18

— — — —A —Other settlements Hoboken—Increased misunderstanding between the Indians and the Dutch — The a price on the heads of the Raritans Peace concluded between both —A Weckquaesqueeck Indian assassinates

West lies

Company by Governors Winthrop and Haynes Several English famiLong Island Privileges granted to new colonie planted behind Newark Bay Staten Island granted to

India

propose removing from Massachusetts to

them Melyn

at

latter set

parties

a Dutch

settler to

avenge the murder of

his uncle,

committed twenty years previ-

—Kieft demands murderer— surrender refused—The murder —Meeting of the commonalty consequence—Election " the Twelve Men" Their proceedings — Kieft displeased— Sends expeditions against the offending but nothing— The Twelve Men seek reforms the government funcAbsolute power of the Director-general — Exercises and —Demands of the Twelve Men—Answers the Director-general thereupon Meeting the Twelve Men forbidden on pain corporal punishment — Expedition against the Weckquaesqueecks — discovering the enemy — Peace with these ously

justified

^His

tlie

of

in

tribe,

in

effects

judicial

legislative

of

tions

of

of

Fails in

Page 229

Indians

CHAPTER

III.

Continued disagreements between the people of Hartford and the Dutch at Fort

—Kieft

— Greenwich comes un—Progress of the English the South River break up settlements— Measures adopted with that view Kieft determines New Haven consequence — Delegates from Hartford arrive Excitement negotiate the purchase of Fort Hope — Terms proposed by Fort Amsterdam England against New Netherland— Lord Say's reprethe Dutch — Movement Good Hope

forbids all intercourse with tlie former

der the jurisdiction of the Dutch

at

their

to

in

at

at

for

to

in

sentations to the

Dutch ambassador

from Massachusetts Surveyor appointed

New

to

—A

at

London

Netherland

—^Several English families remove

—Westchester,

fine stone tavern built in

or Vredeland,

settled

New Amsterdam— George

Bax-

appointed English secretary— consistory New —Measures taken the erection a new building— the proposed building— Inscription of the church Amsterdam — Contract Indians Miantonimo — conspires against — Renewal misunderstanding with the consequence — Some Dutch traders rob an Indian, the whites— General alarm revenge — Endeavors of the Indian to make who murders two the murder— Fail — Mohawks make a descent on the River Indians protection the Dutch —^Are hospitably entertained— Remove The determines attack them — opposed by the Corlaers Hook and Pavonia— not objections — The principal men New Amsterdam— Kieft on Long Island attack attack— Cruelties practised against the Indians—

Ruinous condition of the church at Manhattans

ter

First

of

for

in

in front

for

of

in

chiefs

settlers in

sat-

isfaction for

to

latter fly for

to

to

^Kieft

will

at

Is

listen

to their

Settlers

the Indians in their neighborhood

—

—•Eleven tribes proclaim war against the

Dutch

—Public discontents—Kieft endeavors ambassadors — A day of —The General Fast and Prayer ordered — Proposals depose the Director- general — An attack made on —Disorders consequent thereupon—Arrival of a flag of truce from the Indians on Long Island— Ambassadors sent them Fort Amsterdam— Speech of the Indian chief— Treaty of peace and cessation of hosAll the

Dutch settlements destroyed

propitiate the

Long

Island Indians

to

latter reject his to

his life

to invite

tilities

to

251

—

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Union

19

IV.

New England colonies—Congratulatory letters sent by Director and of New Netherland — Reply of the governor of Massachusetts — Proceedings

of the

council

of the Commissioners of the United Colonies regarding the

Ployden Earl-palatine of of the

dissatisfaction

Albion —^Boundaries of the —The Wappingers attack a

New

Indians

Dutch

— Ednuind —Continued Sir

Palatinate

Dutch boat and com-

— Several other boats attacked and Christians — Meeting of —Election of the Eight Men—Names of the present ou —Conclusions of the Eight Men—Expel one of the board, and nomiplace — Army raised against the Indians — The nate another attack on Staten Island and the colonic at Achter Cul —^Murder several some persons, and overrun the country — Mrs. Hutchinson and family —Attack on Lady Moody— Further deliberations of the Eight Men— Prices at New Amsterdam —Letters the Assembly of the XIX. and the States General—Rules the on guard— State of on the Island of Manhattans Page 279

mence i,he

hostilities

killed

commonalty

citizens

this occasion

in his

latter

in

settlers

killed

to

to

soldiers

for

affairs

.

CHAPTER

V.

— Expedition Staten Island— Mayn Mayano New Amsterdam — Expedition —His head brought Greenwich— Stamford — finding the Indians —'Returns between a Dutch —Attack on an Indian settlement—Detachand Captain Patrick— Latter the Manhattans — Expedition against the Weckquaesqueecks — Arment return of that but them abandoned—Pennawitz, chief of the at the Canarsee discovered the enemy — Expedition Schout's Bay on Long Island —'Attacks on the Heemstede and Mespath Indians—^Triumph of the Dutch— Consequent outrage on some prisoners— Underbill proceeds Stamford Expedition against the Indians of that quarter— Description of the Indian camp General attack thereupon— Important victory gained by the Dutch —Over hundred savages slaughtered — Public thanksgiving New Amsterdam therefor Savages sue peace — Treaties concluded between several of the and Long and the Dutch— Proceedings of the States General on the of Island render any assistance the Eight Men — The West India Company unable Their the States —^Two Spanish vessels taken and brought New Amof the colonial treasury — Kieft resolves sterdam — Low have recourse plan — The Eight Men object taxation —^Convokes the Eight Men — Submits Kieft becomes —Claims unlimited power—The Eight Men succumb— duties provisionally imposed — The Eight Men treated with disrespect by Director Kieft — The Dutch expelled from Maranham, a province of Brazil — Fly —Are sent New Netherland—'Arrive Cura5oa— Destitute condition of that continue the excise — The opportunely Fort Amsterdam —Council resolve burghers oppose arbitrary taxation — Prosecutions of the brewers — pay the excise — Execution issued against them consequence Public discontent becomes very high — Parties formed — against the Director-general— Complaints against him sent Holland, demanding —Letter

Offensive measures against the Indians

to

into

slain

to

'Fails

Collision

to

in

soldier

killed

to

rive

castles

tribe,

find

assisting

tribe,

to

to

five

at

river,

for

petitions

tribes

to

letter to

to

to

state

to

his

irritated

E-t-

cise

to

to

island

to

at

Persist in

this

their refusal to

in

^Protests

to

his recall

—

CONTENTS.

20 of the Eight

Men— Sad

condition of the country

—

Strictures on Kieft's

maladmin-

Page 296

istration

CHAPTER

VI.

by the Patroon—His — System of law the oolonie—Local courts— magistrates—'Population Tenures—Patroon's —Settlement of the Fuyck commenced—Beverswyck —Arrival of Adriaen van der Donck the as Schout-fiscaal — gyman sent out—Agreement with him—Arrives with several other respectable —A church erected— dimensions—Regulations concerning the Indian trade — Infractions thereof— Further regulations — Intrigues of Van der Donck Threatened mutiny of the —Return of the Mohawks from Canada—Are by Van Curler— Particulars of the interview with these —Efforts procure the release of a Jesuit and other French —Continued misunderstanding between Van der Donck and other —Van der Donck proposes erect a colonie Katskill — Orders from the Patroon forbidding — Dithe dismissal of Van der Donck should he —The " Arms Rensselaerswyck" sent out with a valuable cargo of goods— Arrives the Manhattans between the supercargo and the New Amsterdam —Vesand cargo seized— Protests and —Occurrences Rensselaer-stein

Oolonie of Rensselaerswyck

—

First settlers sent out

in

jurisdiction

First

privileges

First cler-

colonic,

in

settlers

Its

settlers

visited

to

tribes

prisoners

local authorities

to

in

this

rects

of

persist

at

authorities at

Difficulties

replications

sel

A vessel fired

into while passing that place,

at

because she refused to lower her colors

— Excitement consequence— Prosecutions entered against the commander of the post— Further —Death the Patroon — Nicolaus Coorn appointed Schout-Fiscaal— Quarrel between Van der Donck and Van Cur—Departure of the former the Manhattans—Severity of the winter— Deand bring

in

to

into

protests

ler

of

first

for

structive freshet,

and

visit

of whales to Rensselaerswyck

CHAPTER

.

.

.

319

.

VII.

New Netherland—Proceedings —Kieft recalled—^Van Dinclage appointed, place New Netherland— Recommendations contained therein — Proposed —Modifications the government, trade, &c.—Some

States General order an inquiry into the condition of of the

XIX.

provisionally, in his

Interesting report on the state of civil

in

list

Indian tribes desire a cessation of

hostilities

—'Several

of the

Long

Island tribes

—Kieft concludes a peace Fort Orange with the Mohawks and Mohegans — General peace between the aborigines and the Dutch — Low condition of the purchases on Long Island— Orders colony — Thanksgiving ordered — minerals— Proceedings explore the country consequence —The ship ceived come

at

in

^Additional

to

by which specimens were sent

—Pctrus

to Holland, founders at sea,

and

all

on board perish

Stuyvesant, Director at Cura9oa, besieges the island of St. Martin

obliged to raise the siege

—Receives

pointed Director-general of

agement

re-

in

for

of the

Departure of Stuyvesant of Kieft

—Returns —Submits a plan possessions —^Further

a severe wound

Netherland

company's transatlantic

—

Is

—

Is ap-

for the better

man-

to

Holland

changes proposed

—Differences of opinion the Assembly of the XIX. postponed— New Netherland continues under the mis-

regarding the colonial trade

management

New

in

347

—

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Fruits of faction

21

VIII.

— Quarrel between the Rev. Mr. Bogardus —Sufferings of the

gress of aiFairs at the South River solve to

abandon the

and

river

to

to the

—Pro—Re—Are prevented by

and Director Kieft

first

remove

Swedish

Manhattans

colonists

—Boundaries of New Sweden support — Printz appointed governor— His salary —Royal appropriations Strength of the Swedish establishment on the Delaware — anhual expense Printz — Swedish Fort Nassau — Instructions Dutch on the South the Indian trade — Loss accruing the Dutch River— Swedes consequence Holland— Proceedings attendant thereupon — Seizure of a Swedish Fort Nassau — Some Dutch merchants send a Hudde appointed commissary ordered by the Swedes — Several venture the South River—Their Dutch freemen receive grants of land on the Delaware — Measures taken extinguish Indian —Company's arms erected on the spot—Swedes tear them against the Dutch, who reply — High-handed measures of the down, and New Amsterdam—Renewal of Swedish governor—The Dutch traders appeal the controversy between Kieft and New Haven — Continued misunderstanding on the Connecticut — Correspondence with the commissioners of the United Colonies Holland — Instructions from the West —The Director-general the matters India Company — Patents new colonies Katskill and Yonckers— Breukelen the opportune arrival of additional supplies and settlers for

its

Its

to

force at

forts

to

seize

in

vessel in at

vessels

to

off

to

titles

protest

to

refers

to

....

at

for

obtains manorial rights and municipal privileges

CHAPTER —General

Page 362

IX.

—Slaves —Population New Netherland—Revenue—Causes of the backward the province — Advanced condition of New England — —Settlements enumerated—Their government—Transfer the municipal Holland New Netherland— Errors of contemporary of appeal from Character of Director Kieft — Denies the judgments

Termination of Kieft's administration

Their

lot

under the Dutch

condition of the country

of

state of

'Re-

of

flections

institutions of

writers

to

right

his

Harsh and tyrannical proceedings against the Rev. Mr. Doughty and Mr. Van Hardenbergh clusion

.

—General discontent—State of morals, .

.

.

.

religion,

and education

—Con384

CONTENTS OF

THE APPENDIX Page.

B.

—Charter the Dutch West India Company, —Agreement between the Managers and Principal Adventurers of

C.

—Names

A.

399

to

West

the

408

Company,

India

of the Directors of the

West India Company

to the

end of the year 411

1636,

D.

—Capt. Mason's and New

Sir

Ferdinando Gorges' Letters relative to the Dutch in

415

Netherland,

—Report, &c., on the Condition of New Netherland, anno 1644, — Patent of Mespath, or Newtown, L. Ff — Some Particulars of the Rev. Mr. Doughty, G. — Account of Expenses incurred hy Kiliaen van Rensselaer, as Patroon, anno E. F.

I.,

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

418

.

.

.

425

Rensselaerswyck, from 1630 1646, —Names —Legal Custom, &c., the Colonic Rensselaerswyck, —Contract between the Rev. Johannes Megapolensis, and

H. I.

to

of Settlers in

of

in

.

Jr.

J.

Rensselaerswyck

—^Memorandum

K.

;

for

Dominie Megapolensis, &c.

Colonie of Rensselaerswyck, L.

.

.

.

.

.

442

;

West

the Directors of

448

Catalogue of Books

for the

452

.

Rensselaerswyck, anno 1643 Patroon Letter —Arendt van Patroon, anno 1643, &c. on behalf — Patroon belonging the Estate the Account Credit Debit and — of

to

Curler's

M.

of

Insinuation, Protest,

Holland, at his decease,

—Van

Curler's

P.— Tenths

—Two R. — Prices

Rensselaerswyck

in

.

first

.

456

.

466

in

468

.

Account of the Quarrel between himself and Van der Donck,

and Minute referring the

Q,

.

to

of

7^.

O.

latter's

claim to Holland,

for 1642, 1643, 1644, 1645,

.... .

.

.

in

Rensselaerswyck from 1630

473

19th June, 1629

;

477

to 1646,

Notice of his intention to occupy the

469

.472

leases in Rensselaerswyck, 1646, 1647,

S.— Godyn's

433

the Patroon of

Dismissal of the Rev. Mr. Megapolensis by the

;

Patroon's consent that Amsterdam Company should approve said dismissal,

Classis of

India

427 429

1630, 1631,

Bay of

the South River, dated

and an Agreement, dated 7th Feb., 1635, between West India Company and Samuel Bloemmaert and

the Directors of the others, for the

dael,

conveyance

to the former of the

colonie of

Zwanen479

FAC-SIMILES OF THE SIGNATURES Offht' fTiw first Directors

Geturalj

of

t?u,J)utt^

Q^ffjimTv and at^-pnacW^i/

/9k^v-^

gallant and enterprising people under

Hudson had achieved

his brilliant discovery,

for freedom,

from a long, bloody, but glorious contest

which 1609.

they had waged with dogged determination against Spain since 1566.

Pursuing their tyrants into the remotest recesses of

their extensive

possessions, they soon

wherever they appeared, and at the

made themselves

felt

such a fearful blow

finally struck

maritime preponderance of the enemy, by the victory

gained in the year 1608 over the Spanish

Heemskirk, (the

bold

navigator

have already mentioned,

at

who had

Nova Zembla,)

fleet,

by Jacob

wintered, as

we

that the Spaniards

readily concluded a truce, in the course of the following year,

with the Dutch, whereby the independence of the virtually, if not formally It

after

was

at this crisis,

latter

was

acknowledged.

when peace had

at length returned,

an absence of more than forty years, and when numbers

of people must,

by the

transition,

have found themselves, de-

HISTORY OF

68

BOOK prived of their accustomed active employment, and habitual excitement, that the intelligence of Hudson's discovery broke 1609. on the public, affording to private adventure a the exercise of those energies

by

which had

hitherto

nevv^ field for

been absorbed

which now would naturally seek new employment of its capital.

the war, and

the

The commodities which abounded among newly discovered

The

Europe.

fields for

the natives of the

were objects of great demand

countries,

in

climate

that the rigors of the northern

furs

rendered indispensable to the inhabitants of Holland, and

which they had

were

traders,

to

Russian and other

hitherto obtained through

be had

now from

the Indians in exchange for

Stimulated by these by the hope of profitable returns, a vessel was dispatched by some Amsterdam merchants, freighted with

1610. the veriest baubles and coarsest goods. considerations, and

a variety of goods, to the Manhattans, in the course of the

following year.* 1611.

The

success of this venture seems to have given increased

New discoveries were were granted by the States General, on

stimulus to the spirit of enterprise. projected Feb.

licenses

recommendation of the Admiralty, and

Fox, Sept. 7.

;

Crane,

Little

two

to

ostensibly, to

northerly passage to China

and the

;

the Little

ships,

look

cities

of

again

for

a

Amsterdam,

Rotterdam, Hoorn, and Enckhuyzen, as well as several

pri-

vate merchants and citizens, applied for information to the

West

States of Holland and

newly discovered navigable

Friesland, relative to a certain

river,

and the proper course

to

be

These ships proceeded, on

1612. steered in proceeding thither.^

procuring the requisite information, to that quarter early in

ensuing spring

the

1613. country

now

one or two small

•

337

forts

Alb. Rec. xxiv., 167 ;

;

much

and of so

importance was the

considered, that the traders erected and garrisoned

Heckewelder.

;

on the

Hoi. Doc.

Mr. Gallatin

i.,

river, for the protection of the

211

;

De Laet Lambrechtsen ;

their first settlement

1610. the «

All

visit

this,

on the shore opposite

however,

rests

on mere

paid the Raritans in 1609.

Hoi. Doc.

i.,

12, 13, 14.

;

Moulton,

states in his Synopsis of the Indian Tribes,

p. 41, on the testimony of the Rev. Mr. Heckewelder, that the

New York

tradition,

and

island,

may

Dutch made

about the year

be confounded with

NEW NETHERLAND. which the new-comers began

fur-trade,

69 drive with the chap.

to

^-"^

Indians.^

The

merce was and

easily perceived

by

the Europeans from the

soon became the head-quarters of the traders.

it

com-

favorable position of the island of Manhattan for

now

establishment in that locality consisted

first,

Their

of four houses,

under the superintendence of Hendrick Corstiaensen, who, by

means

bay

of his trading-boats, visited every creek, inlet, and

in the neighborhood,

where an Indian settlement was

be

to

found, and thus secured for his employers the furs and other valuable produce of the country.

But the growing prosperity

of the infant post

an unexpected check.

to experience

returning in the

month

of

was now

fated

Capt. Argal, of Virginia,

November

of this year from a

seem-

ingly predatory visit to a settlement which the French had

made

at

Port Royal, in Acadia, touched

hattans, with a view,

it is

at the island of

Man-

said, of looking after a grant of land

which he had obtained there from the Virginia Company, and forced Corstiaensen to submit himself and his plantation to the king of England, and to the governor of Virginia under him,

and

to agree to

pay

tribute in token of his

dependence on the

English crown.^

Whether to the

the merchants in Holland,

who had

thus far traded

Manhattans, were alarmed by the intelligence of

this

threatening visit of the English commander, or anxious to se-

cure to themselves the monopoly of a commerce the value of

which they could now, well

known

;

in

some manner,

calculate, cannot

be

but active steps were taken, early in the next

year, to obtain an exclusive right to the trade of those distant 1614. countries.

Petitions

of Holland and

West

Oock mede onder het

'

were accordingly presented

Uwe Hooge

oppergebeit van

*

versien tot

138.

Heylen's Cosmography, anno 1669,

Plantagenet's

New

knap's America, 45.

b. iv.,

series,

i.,

333.

96 London documents Beauchamp ;

;

Albion; Burke's Virginia, 173; Stith's Virg., 133; Bel-

A

very interesting and valuable paper, written by the

Hon. Mr. Folsom, on Argal's incursion,

new

met volck

Memorial of West India Comp., Hoi.

bescherminge van denzelven handel. ii.,

Gen-

Moogende, alvoor den

jaar 1614, daar een ofte tweede fortieren syn geleght, en

doc.

to the States March

Friesland, praying that the States

will

be found in N. Y. Hist. Soc.

Coll.,

—

:

HISTORY OF

70

BOOK eral be recommended to pass an ordinance conferring on those 1614.

who may

making

new

lands the exclusive privilege of

thither.

In compliance with this re-

discover

voyages

six

was formally passed, a few days

March quest, the following Octroy after

"

The States General

whom

those to

all

of the United Netherlands.

these presents shall come, or

them

read, Health

stand

it

!

Be

who

We

known. Whereas,

it

would be honorable, serviceable, and

country, and for the promotion of

its

To

shall hear

under-

profitable to this

prosperity, as well as for

the maintenance of seafaring people, that the good Inhabitants

excited and encouraged to

should be

employ and occupy

themselves in the seeking out and discovery of Courses, Ha-

which have

vens, Countries, and Places

discovered or frequented

;

not, before

now, been

and having been informed by some

traders that they intend,

through God's merciful help, by

diligence, trouble, danger,

and expense,

thereat, as they should expect to derive

from,

if it

pleased

Us

to privilege,

to employ themselves handsome profit there-

octroy, and favor them,

that they should alone resort and sail to,

and frequent the

Courses, Havens, Countries, and Places, by them newly found

and discovered, lays, troubles,

for six voyages, in

and dangers

:

or indirectly to resort or sail

With to,

compensation

for their out-

interdiction to

all,

directly

or frequent the said Courses,

Havens, Countries, or Places, before and sooner than the

first

discoverers and finders thereof shall have completed the aforesaid six voyages

"

and

We,

:

therefore, having duly

weighed the aforesaid matter,

finding, as herebefore stated, the aforesaid undertaking to

be laudable, honorable, and serviceable the

United

be free and

Provinces, and wishing

common

for

all

to the prosperity of

that

the

trial

should

and every of the Inhabitants

of this country, have, and do hereby, invite of the Inhabitants of the United Netherlands said search, and, therefore, have granted

all

and every

to the afore-

and consented, grant

and consent hereby that those who any new Courses, Havens, Countries, or Places shall from

now henceforward discover, they

alone shall resort to the same or cause

them

to

be frequented,

foifour voyages, without any other person having the power

I

NEW NETHERLAND.

71

from the chap.

to sail, resort to, or frequent, directly, or indirectly

United Provinces,

the

said

newly found

and discovered

Courses, Havens, Countries, or Places, before the

and discoverer thereof

first

finder 1614.

have made, or cause

shall himself

to

be made, /owr voyages, on pain of confiscation of the ships and goods with which he

make

shall contrary hereto

the at-

tempt, and a fine of Fifty Thousand Netherlands Ducats, to the profit of the aforesaid finder or discoverer.

Well under-

standing that the finder, on completion of the

voyage, shall

be holden, within fourteen days

Us

age, to deliver to ery, that, his

first

after his return

from said voy-

a pertinent report of the aforesaid discov-

adventures thereupon being heard,

adjudged and declared by Us, according distance, within

what time the

to

it

may be

circumstances and

aforesaid four voyages shall be

fully completed.

Provided that

*'

or in any

And

if

way

We,

hereby, do not understand to prejudice

diminish our former Grants and Concessions

;

within the same time, or in one year, one or more

Companies

find

and discover such new Courses, Passages,

Countries, Havens, or Places, the same shall enjoy together

Our Grant and

there

Privileges

and

;

in case

any differences

or questions should arise concerning these, or happen other-

wise

to spring, or

proceed from these Our Concessions, such

be decided by Us, according

shall

bound

to regulate himself.

that these be published

"

to

which each

in order that these

known equally by

cessions shall be

in the

And

and affixed

all,

at the

have

shall

be

our Con-

We

ordered

accustomed places

United Countries.

Thus Given

Assembly of the High and Mighty

at the

Lords States General,

at

Gravenhague,

this

27th day of March,

year 1614.">

in the

Shortly after this, the attempt

was again renewed

to

com-

plete

and obtain the charter for the proposed West India Com-

pany

;

on the subject were made by the

several references

June2].

Aug.

States General, but these eventuated in nothing decisive, and

the charter remained unsanctioned during the continuance of

the truce between the Spaniards and the Dutch. »

Groot Placaat Boek,

Vaderlandts. Hist,

x.,

69.

i.,

563

;

Aitzema,

i.,

154; Hoi. Doc.

i.,

15, 17, 19;

Sept.

;

1

HISTORY OF

72 BOOK

In the

mean

27th March examong adventurers, Amsterdam and Hoorn

time, the Ordinance of the

I.

>"^v^

1614.

cited considerable animation

A number fitted

and

activity

of merchants belonging to

out and dispatched five ships

:

namely, the Little Fox,

the Nightingale, the Tiger, and the Fortune, the two last under

command

the

of Adriaen Block and Hendrick Corstiaensen, of

The

Amsterdam.

vessel

fifth

was called the Fortune also commanded by Captain Cor-

she belonged to Hoorn, and was

neHs Jacobsen Mey.

The

three last-named and

now well-known

navigators pro-

ceeded immediately on an exploring expedition

mouth

to the

of the Great River of the Manhattans, but Block had the mis-

which Dutch however, soon triumphed over a misfortune which

fortune, soon after his arrival there, of losing his vessel,

was

The

accidentally burnt.

skipper,

indomitable energy of the

would have arrested the further progress of many men of perseverance.

He forthwith set about constructing

less

yacht, thirty-

a;

eight feet keel, forty-four and a half feet long, and eleven and

a half feet wide,^ which, when completed, he called the " Restless,"

commerce

in

untiring industry

concluding, of vessels

its

known

is

own

of his

significant

would be justified which now pushes

into

Skipper Block proceeded

He

In this

the

name

of "

The

When

East River,

his (Block's) ship

ll^v^ General, when several of the directors of the Amsterdam chamber of the West India Company, to which department,

the

as

we have

of

New

already observed, the

management of

the affairs

Netherland was committed, had already taken meas-

ures to secure for themselves a share of those privileges and

advantages which

it

held out to enterprising capitalists.

Seven

days before the passing of that charter, the agents of Samuel

Godyn and Samuel Bloemmaert purchased, from proprietors of the

soil,

the native

the tract of country lying on the south-

west side of the South River bay, extending inland from

Cape Hindlopen

thirty-two miles, and

16

two miles

in breadth

June

HISTORY OF

122

BOOK which purchase was duly ^-"^ next year,

by

on the 15th July of the

ratified

Am-

the Director-general and council, at Fort

sterdam.^

Other wealthy and

1630. April

now

hastened

company

directors of the

influential

become patroons

to

and early

also,

in the fol-

lowing spring, Bastiaen Jansen Krol, commissary, and Dierck Cornelissen Duyster, under-commissary at Fort Orange, having learned that a tract of land called Sannahagog, lying on the west side of the North River, Island,

by

Island,

and

extending from Beeren

up

the Indians called Passapenock,

two days' journey, was

in breadth

Smackx

to

for sale, pur-

chased the same from Paep Sikenekomptas, Nancouttanshal,

and Sickoussen, the native proprietors,

West

rectors of the

Hoi. Doc.

^

van Rens-

for Kiliaen

a pearl-merchant in Amsterdam, and one of the di-

selaer,

i.,

176

India Company.^

— 180.

Three months

In the English translations of

(Liber GG.) in the secretary of state's

name

the

office,

of

after-

Dutch patent

this

Blommaert

is

omit-

ted as a party to the Cape Hindlopen purchase, and Moulton, following that translation, represents

follow the

name,

Godyn

Dutch patent

in the

accordingly as sole purchaser of this tract.

his council,

I

Holland documents, which contains Blommaert's

and the members of

as well as the signatures of the Director-general

and of Sheriff Lampo.

Kiliaen van Rensselaer, merchant of Amsterdam, director of the West

Company, and one

India

of the

first

New

patroons of

Netherland, was the

thirteenth descendant in a direct line from

Henry Welters van

He

whom

married,

who

firstly,

Hellegonda van Bylet, by

afterwards married

Elizabeth van Twiller.

his cousin,

selaer married, secondly, in 1627,

Anna van Wely,

Wely, merchant of Amsterdam, by whom he had

namely

:

1,

Maria

sen van Cortland

Wely ;)

5,

;

;)

2, Jeremias, 3,

Eleonora

;

6,

;

4,

Jan

Baptiste,

is

Susan, (who married Jan de la Court 8,

Rickert,

;)

7,

Nicolaus,

(who married Anna van Beaumont

van Twiller, and

;)

thus,

presumed, the relationship originated between Wouter van Twiller, second

director-general of

wyck.

Of

New

Netherland, and the

first

patroon of Rensselaers-

the above children, Maria and Hellegonda died unmarried.

hannes succeeded

his father

Ryckert were,

succession,

in

as Patroon, directors of

clergyman of the Dutch Reformed Church. II.,

and four sons,

(who married Susan van

Kiliaen van Rensselaer's sister (Maria) married Rykert it

Kiliaen van Rens-

daughter of Joannes van

four daughters

(who married Maria, daughter of OlofF Steven-

Hellegonda

(who married Alida Schuyler ;)

Rensselaer.

he had one son, Johannes,

and Jeremias, Jan " the

On

colonic."

Baptiste,

Jo-

and

Nicolaus was a

being introduced to Charles

then in exile at Brussels, he prophesied the restoration of that monarch to

the throne of England, which circumstance obtained for him afterwards a cordial reception at

the Court of St. James,

when he

visited

London

as chaplain to

:

NEW NETHERLAND.

123

wards, Gillis Hoossett purchased, in the presence of Jan Jan-

ciiap.

sen Meyndertsen, Wolfert Gerrittsen, and Jan Tyssen, trumpeter, for the

same gentleman, from Cottomack, Nawanemit, 1630.

Abantzene, Sagisguwa, and Kanamoack, the lands lying south juiy 27

and north of Fort Orange, and extending

within a short

to

distance of Moenimines Castle, then situate on what

Haver Island, from Nawanemit, one called

mouth

the

at

of

is

Mohawk

the

now and

;

of the last-named chiefs, his grounds,

called Semesseeck, stretching on the east side of the river,

and thence from Poetanoek, the Mill Creek, north

These conveyances

gonse.

Orange,

to a point facing Fort

from opposite Castle Island

to

w^ere subsequently ratified

Nega-

by

the Aug.

8.

respective parties, in the presence of the Director-general and

New Netherland, who signed an instrument to that Aug. 13. " sealed with the seal of New Netherland in red wax,"

council of effect,

the Dutch embassy.

In acknowledgment of the truth of the prediction, the

king presented him with a snufF-box, on the

This royal

miniature.

relic

is

still

lid

of

which was

set his

in the possession of the

Van

Majesty's

Rensselaer

family at Albany.

Mde. Anna van Rensselaer died in Amsterdam on the 12th June, 1670, after a sickness of seven weeks, having survived her husband twenty-four years. Intelligence of her death, in this country

by her

communicated by the following

sons, Jeremias

was received

letter,

and Ryckert, on the 18th

Sept.,

1670

" Amsterdam, 12th June, 1670.

« Dear Brothers

—On

the 9th

inst.

communicated

I

to you,

among

other

our beloved

Duke of York, Johannes Luyck, skipper, the low condition of mother, who accompanied me home, sick, from Cralo to Amster-

dam, on the

1st of April.

things, por ship

any great

After lying so long, without any strong fever, or

pain, troubled only with asthma,

accompanied by considerable cough

and phlegm, and the sprue, she took her departure with great piety from the Church Militant here, to the Church Triumphant above, on the 12th inst., being this day, about one hour after noon, in the presence of all our sisters and brothers in the

who

are in this country, and that with a

mercy

of God, the merits of her

full

understanding and trust

and our Saviour Jesus

Christ, which,

through the grace of the Holy Ghost and the belief in the Triune God, so strengthened her, that all her wishes were to bo set free and to be with Christ,

who hath taken her

so mercifully to himself, that

children, cannot be sufficiently thankful to

God

we

all,

for so gentle

though

afflicted

and holy a death.

be committed to the earth in a Christian manner, as in duty bound, on Tuesday next, being the 17th inst. There is no doubt of a stately

Her body

will

funeral.

May

at the last day.

God grant Amen."

the good

her,

and us with her, a joyous resurrection

:

HISTORY OF

124

BOOK on the same day that the charter of 1629 was proclaimed >^v^ Fort Amsterdam. 1630. on the 13th April,

Nearly seven years afterwards

—an

1637

intervening district called Pap-

sickenekas, or Papsskenea, as the

Island,

at

—namely,

name

is

and including the adjacent islands and

now

all

pronounced,

the lands back

into the interior, belonging to the Indian owners,

was pur-

chased " for certain quantities of duffels, axes, knives, and

wampum,"

also for

Mr. Van Rensselaer, who thus became

hundred thousand acres of

land,

which now compose the

counties of Albany, Rensselaer, and part of the county of

Columbia.^ '

The names

of Director Minuit, Bastiaen Jansen Krol, Dirck Comelisz

Duyster, Peter Bylvelt, Jan Lampo, (schout,) Reynert Harmenssen, Jan Jans-

sen Myndertz, are signed to the

first

other instrument

is

which

of these deeds,

aert Cole, assistant-secretary, " in the absence of

The

certified

is

Jacob Elbertzen Weissing, Jan Jansen Brouwer,

by Len-

Jan van Remund, secretary."

signed by Pieter Minuit, director

Pieter Bylvelt,

;

Symen Dircksen

Pos,

Rayn-

ner Harmenz, Lenaert Cole, assistant -secretary, in the absence of the secretary, " with the seal of

New

Netherland

in red

wax."

deeds are in the Book of Patents, secretary of state's 23, 24, 25, 26, and also i.,

181

— 184.

selaerswyck

The MSS.

among

MSS.

GG,

all

these

13, 14, 15, 16,

See

also Hoi.

Doc.

deed of the purchase of 1637 is likewise among the RensIt is endorsed, " Opdracht brief van 't landt aende Oostwal

en de eylanden van Papsickaen, 1637." Albertzsen Planck,

Copies of

office,

the Rensselaerswyck

officier, or sheriff,

This purchase was effected by Jacob

of the patroon, in the presence of Gerrit

de Reus and Brandt Peelen, both schepens, or magistrates of the colonic, and of Dirck Corssen

and Jan Tiebkins, the one commissioner, the other skipper of

The

the yacht " the Rensselaerswyck."

chamber

[bestelder

kamer] of the

Those who have not

papers were signed in the director's

colonie.

closely studied the deeds of 1630, will be

fused in reconciling dates and distinguishing landmarks.

The

somewhat conhave been

latter

the source of various lawsuits in the early settlement of the adjoining tracts.

When

application

was made

to the

Duke

of York, in 1678, for a warrant to

erect the colonie into a manor, the parties interested experienced a good deal of

trouble in consequence of this confusion, as tist

to

we

learn

Nicolaus van Rensselaer, dated London,

following

is

15-

by a

letter

from Jan Bap-

June, 1678, of which the

an extract

" I must further inform you of what was nigh doing us great injury here.

The

lord-chancellor required of

me

clearer proof that the land above

Fort Orange, mentioned in the deed of 13th August, 1630, only as

and below '

south and

Ann©

Ma|j of N5.

A' ISSO

dm

SAfjnlkf-ffl Kiltiaii

Viui

Hmssela^r nodi

d.-'Hi

h'ntprn

ran Faep

./"

!(:)

Sikaifkomptas, TfdnroiMaiuhal en Sickonssfn hare Landgrrfn tjouuml SanrJc liajiai

C/p

Kmrun Knde

kerften enAe

wareii

am

imder

./''/

On

ffieru'r

in. t

pariiculiiir syne J^tuidtrve/i

VnnrH/Meni'rer

lielfc'H.C'-/'^

kill /!,ui'dn^J''rd /ir'i to(. ^'eufufi'oce

s'v^ ment of America.

India

Company, or rather those M^ho composed its Amsterdam chamber, seem to have ruled New Netherland hitherto only with a view

promote

to

ment effort,

For the advance-

special interests.

;

on a large

to introduce,

should be inhabited

which,

They appear rather to desire that it merely by their own servants a project, ;

entertained,

if

when

sound and industrious popula-

scale, a

the country.

tion into

for

own

their

immense sums had been expended but no of any consequence by its permanency, had been made

of these,

was

as visionary as

it

would be

suicidal,

these dependents had completed their term of service,

most

they, for the

part, returned

home

dissipated and poor,

leaving the country worse than they found

it,

for

obtained,

it

through them, " a bad and hungry name,"^

The

charter to the Patroons tended also, in no small degree,

to retard the settlement of the province.

most

their energies

and means

in

sight, for the

competing with the company

ensued

the

;

croached on

for

a

Quarrels and mutual bickerings

share of the Indian trade.

one party accused the other of having enits

was monopo-

special privileges, and the consequence

The

fatal to the prosperity of the country.

which breathed throughout

ly,

Losing

part, of their first duties as planters, the patroons diverted

spirit of

that charter, discouraged private

enterprise and industry, so that individuals

who were

inclined

emigrate abandoned their design, " and durst venture no-

to

It is true that the

thing."

previous to this period

company introduced a few

but, unfortunately,

;

settlers

most of these did

not remain, and the directors did not persevere in the

Had

work.^

'

Het

liet

they

filled

sich aensien

the land, as the English

met den eersten

als ofF

de compagnie

dit

good

were doing.

landt

met haer

eygen dienaars souden hebben willen populeren, hetwelck groot misverstant moeste wesen

brengende

als

;

want

als

haer tydt uyt was, vertrocken die wear, niet mede-

wat voor haer

beurs, en voor het landt een

grooten honger en andersints geven. '

niet

Hadde men de met

quaden naem van

Vertoogh van Nieuw Nederlant.

eerste exemptie rechtsinnich betracht gelyckse leggen,

singulier insichten gepractiseert

;

bers

van N. Nederland benaersticht hebben, dat

De

andere clausulen oock, die

men

heeft

en

gewis daer souden haer meer liefhebte bevolcken

en

in te

nemen.

weten intevoeren, hebben de particu-

NEW NETHERLAND. with thousands of moral, hardy pioneers

179

had they transported chap.

;

and encouraged the planting of towns and villages

cattle,

in

the wilderness, instead of building solitary forts to serve as a

rendezvous for lazy Indians and a few isolated traders, render-

ed the more defenceless by their

ment from ened

New

wash

to

not, at this date,

Amsterdam

the walls of Fort

between the two

collision

isolation, the tide of

England would

would have been

;

encroach-

have threat-

possibly, that

which was now commencing,

races,

stayed, and that contest avoided,

which termi-

nated, after a continuance of thirty years, in the loss to the

Dutch

of every rood of land, to which they now, of right, laid claim.

The though

States General late, to

Assembly

to the

saw

the error, and endeavored, now,

apply a remedy. They enjoined on their delegates of the

XIX. to

insist,

the adoption of such a plan as

settlement of

New

geous proposals,

good and moral

all

Mightinesses, "this state

may

that,

promote the

by advanta-

of the mother

citizens

concluded their High

not be deprived of the said

Netherland by the mdirect intrigues of any inhabitants of

and the attacks and invasions of foreign princes

this country,

and

effectually

Necherland, and encourage,

country to proceed thither, so

New

before they adjourned, on

would

potentates."^

It

was

new

at this delicate juncture, that the

Director-general

entered on the performance of his duties.

lieren altyt

den moedbenomen en ondergehouden, soo dat sy van

van hadden, onderrecht synde,

niet

'Tis

dorsten bestaen.

compagnie wel eenige persoonen heeft overgevoert, maer nueert

;

rechteii

soodat het weynich voordeel gedaen heeft

aengangh, want het geschiede

offer

;

die der kennls

wel waer, dat de

niet daerby geconti-

bet hadde oock geen

geen meeninge by ware geweest.

Vertoogh van N. N. '

Soo hebben haer Hoog Moogende nae voorgaende

en verstaen voor

't

dat de

gemehe Heeren

deliberatie goet

effective

ordre

sullen helpen

beramen en

stellen

gevonden

derselver gedeputeerden,

scheyden van de aenwesende gecommitteerden

soodanige

op de populatie van Nieu

Nederlandt, en daertoe inviteren alle goede ingesetenen deser Nederlanden op soodangie voordelen en preeminentien alse, op approbatie van haer

gende, sullen goetvinden indirecte ondercruypinge

ende invasie van

die

alle coloniers

Hoog Moo-

aentebieden, op dat desen staet door

van eenige ingesetenen

deser landen, en opdringinge

van uytheemsclie princen ende potentaten van het voors

Nieu Nederland

niet

to the deputies.

Hoi. Doc.

en worden ontset. ii.,

190.

:

Instructions from the States General

—a

•

HISTORY OF

180

CHAPTER Arrival of tary,

Willem

and

VII.

Kieft, third Director-general

shout-fiscaal

Amsterdam— —Organization of

—Other

4

—His council—Colonial Secre—Their —Condition of salaries

public officers

and coun—Proclamations of —Proclamation against drunkenness— Arrival of immigrants — Purchase of land on Long Island— State of public morals — Regulations the inspection of New Netherland tobacco — Rights the south— Swedish West India Company formof the Dutch threatened of Now Netherland, appointed ed— Pieter Minuit, former — Arrives the Delaware with some Swedes— boarded Sweden of New by the Dutch Commissary— Opens a trade with the natives— Purchases land Fort Christina— Kieft against him several times, but and Sweden, leaving a colony of twenty men behind vain— Minuit returns Holland on her return from " the West Indies" — Is Swedish ship seized released— States General urge the permanent settlement of New Netherland and conditions proposed by —New Amsterdam chamber— " new project" submitted by the Patroons — Patroons

New cil

Irregularities there

director

court of justice

for

in

director

director

at

Is

protests

erects

in

to

in

the

articles

parties friendly to

also

seek to enlarge their privileges, and to reserve the country for manoi-s and lordships

— States

General disapprove

opening the trade with

Willem Kieft,

BOOK

New

of

—Proclamation

both these plans

Netherland, and abolishiiig the

monopoly

by the West India Company

hitherto enjoyed

the third Director-general, arrived at the

Manhattans on the 28th of March, 1638, in the Herring, one Ma^ch 28.

West

°^

India Company's

ships,

of two hundred and

eighty tons burden, carrying two metal, sixteen iron, and two

His

stone guns.

first step,

on

assumption of the reins of

his

government, was to organize a council of which he should retain the entire control. in the board

With

this view,

he appointed

to a seat

Doctor Johannes La Montague, a learned Hugue-

not gentleman,

who had

arrived in the country in the course

of the preceding spring or summer, to

whom

he gave one vote,

Cornehs van Tienhoven,

while he reserved two to himself.^

a native of Utrecht, and one of the oldest residents in the *

The

date of Kieft's arrival

is

in Alb.

Rec.

i.,

89.

De Laet gives

the ton-

nage and rate of the Herring. Dr. La Montagne must have arrived in the spring of 1637.

He

had a daughter bom

of Madeira.

He

He

is

to

styled, (Hoi.

derived his commission at

him January 26, 1637, at sea off the island Doc. v., 38,) " een wel gestudeerdt man."

first

only from Kieft, but

proved by the directors in Amsterdam.

Vanderdonck

one, while Kieft had two votes in the council.

it

was

afterwards ap-

states that

he had but

Vertoogh van Nieuw Nederlandt.

;;

NEW NETHERLAND. province,

who had

181

monthly chap.

hitherto acted as book-keeper of

wages, to the satisfaction of the company, was promoted to

be colonial secretary, with a salary of about two hundred and per annum, and sundry fees

fifty dollars

was continued

Among

as schout-fiscaal, or sheriff, and attorney-general.

the other officers and servants of the

company, we

mention made of Claes van Elslant, David Provoost,

find

commissaries of provisions sary of wares

;

Andreas Hudde,

assistant

ditto

;

Jacob Stoffelsen, overseer

Michel Evertsen, clerk of the customs superintendent of merchandise sheriff

Hans

;

Wybrant

;^

;

Hans

;

Gerrit Schult and

Steen, midshipman

boatswain

first

Hendrick Pietersen, mason

;

Pietersen,

William Breedenbent, under

Fredrick Lubbertsen,

;

Koorn, serjeant

Gouw

Good Hope

Gysbert

;

commissary

who came

at

Nic-

van

Tymen

;

op Dyck, commissary

Jan Jansen van Ilpendam, commissary

;

Fort Nassau, where Pieter

Janssen Crol,

Jan

;

;

Gillis

;

and Tomas Walraven, house-carpenters

Jansen, ship-carpenter

Fort

;

Philip de Truy, court messenger

Kierstede, surgeons

Jansen, gunner olas

commis-

first

Jacob van Curler, inspector of merchandise

;

Laurens Haen,

der

and Ulrich Lupoid

;

Mey

acted as assistant

;

out about the year 1624,

at

at

Bastiaen

was

still

Fort Orange, where Dirck Stipel acted as

wacht-meister, or serjeant, and Adriaen Dircksen, assistant

commissary, to which charge he was appointed because he spoke correctly the language of the Mohawks, and was " wellversed in the art of trading with them."

Bogardus continued dam, where '

Adam

to ofl^iciate as

The Rev. Everardus

clergyman

at Fort

Amster-

Roelantsen was schoolmaster.^

Four brothers of the Evertsen family, named Jacobus, Volckert, Myndert, (relatives of this Michel,) lived in prosperous circumstances, some

and Arendt, in Pavonia,

and some on Manhattan Island, anno 1638.

bacco with great success

;

one of them also had a tannery.

They

cultivated to-

Arendt Evertsen

Dutch captain on the Sound, where he captured several vessels belonging to the New England colonies, during the hostilities between the English and Dutch in the time of Cromwell. Many respectable

was

afterwards a celebrated

families of the

Alb. Rec.

247

;

ii.,

name i.,

6,

are

still

in this state.

12, 17,

1, 2, 13, 14, 15,

18, 26, 52, 65, 68, 99, 100, 101, 115, 148, 185,

125.

The following were the salaries of some of the above ofBcers La Montagne, The book-keeper of as member of council, 35 guilders [$M] per month. :

monthly wages, 36

gl.

[$14.40] per month, and 200

gl.

[$80] a year

for

board

^^^^

HISTORY OF

182 BOOK

The

council

managed

the general affairs of the government,

^-v^ and constituted, as under the preceding administrations, the fiOQ ordinary court of justice, as well as the court of appeal from

1

'

inferior tribunals. to adjoin to that

But on extraordinary occasions

mostly from among the company's servants, (who the principal part of the population,)

were

to

was usual

it

board a few of the other inhabitants, selected

when

be deliberated upon, or special cases

perhaps, one or other of the ordinary

formed

still

special questions

which,

tried, in

members

of the council

might be interested.

The government having been

thus far organized, Director

Kieft proceeded, pursuant to his instructions, to introduce some order into the company's

The

ruinous condition. at a

heavy expense, was

affairs,

in

which, in truth, were

in

a

completed but three years before,

fort,

an utter state of decay

;

open

at

every side, permitting everywhere free ingress and egress, " except at the stone point." All the guns were off their carriages

the house in the

;

as well as the church,

fort,

were

and the other public buildings,

entirely out of repair

the place

;

on which the magazine for wares and merchandise had been erected " could with difficulty be discovered," the building having disappeared

itself

;

and every vessel, except one

and another on the stocks, was

was

three windmills," only one

falling

in operation

;

afloat,

Of " the

in pieces.

the five farms

belonging to the company were unoccupied by tenants, and

thrown

into

commons, without a

goat," remaining

thereupon,

"not even a

single creature,

the property of the

company,

while the farms belonging to the late Director were well furnished with dwelling and farm houses, agricultural implements,

and stocked with brood-mares, milch-cows, oxen, goats, calves,

and every thing

mason, 20

36

stores,

board

;

ii.,

[$8] per month per month

overseer, 30

and 100 Rec.

gl.

gl.

gl.

else in the greatest abundance.^

gl.

;

;

gunner, 16

carpenter, 18

[$12] per

per ann. for board

gl.

month ;

;

gl.

[6.40] per

month

[$7.20] and 100

gl.

;

house-carpenter, 36

gl.

commissary of

[$40] a year

Indian interpreter, 12

gl.

for

per month,

per month.

Alb.

14.

^ By an inventory taken of Van Twiller's property, it appears that he had " on farm No. 1.," 4 mares, 1 stallion, 1 gelding, 10 milch-cows, 1 yearling, 1

heifer,

11 oxen,

1

bull, besides the

necessary farming implements

;

on the

NEW NETHERLAND. The

right

183

which the company had reserved

to itself of trad-

chap VII.

ing with the Indians, had been openly disregarded, for every person, whether in the public service or not, trafficked in pel-

without hesitation.

tries,

company's

more

Practices

injurious

1638.

the

to

Private individuals pur-

interests, also prevailed.

chased, or appropriated to themselves, the most valuable furs, leaving the refuse only to be shipped on account of the direc-

by which means

tors,

latter for sale in

the character of the furs, offered

by the

Holland, was seriously injured, and the com-

pany's receipts diminished, for they were undersold by the

Russian

The

traders,

who

furnished a better article at a lower price.

competition did not

land,

Those

here.

sto'^

who were concerned

in these

in

New

Nether-

clandestine proceedings,

shipped return cargoes, and thus the trade with the interior

became

To

entirely deranged.

put an end to these irregularities, the Director-general

issued proclamations, shortly after his arrival, forbidding the

company's servants trading

for the

future in peltries under a

penalty of loss of their wages, as well as of

might have against the company

;

and

all

claims they

all

disobeying this order

subjected themselves to confiscation of their goods and an ar-

No

bitrary correction.

articles

were hereafter

be exported

to

without the special knowledge and permission of the authori-

under pain of confiscation

ties,

;

nor was any person whatso-

ever to trade for themselves, or others, in any part of

New

Netherland, without a license, on pain of sequestration of their furs, arbitraiy

by

after

punishment, and loss of

company.

the

Sailors

all

were warned not

moneys due them to

communication from the shore with vessels

islands in Hellegat, stallion

remain on shore

sunset without leave from the Director-general, and

on Nut

;

1 dwelling-iiouse,

island,

milch cows, 3 bull calves

3 milch-cows, 3 bull calves,

a frame of a house, 21 goats ;

;

tobacco-house.

1

At

Forts

Hope and Nassau

Island, "

Rec.

i.,

which were now

had been

sold

1

1

good dwelling-

company had " 30 farms on Manhattan

destitute of a creature," 16 milch-cows, 10 mares,

of sheep and other stock 89, 91, 101.

mare,

now Green-

the

goats and three negroes," while from their five or six

number

1

on " farm No. 3," 3

on tobacco plantation at Sapohanican,

wich, on the North River, which was surrounded by palisades, house,

all

in the stream, or

and otherwise disposed

of.

a

Alb.

April 15.

;

HISTORY OF

184 BOOK from the

latter to the shore,

was

as strictly forbidden.

All

II.

^^v^ tradesmen in the company's service, of whatever ffrade, were directed to proceed

to,

and leave

off

their superiors

obey the orders of

and such as refused

work,

and not

at stated

to

hours

do any necessary work were

to

;

to

waste their time

punished as turbulent and seditious persons.

to

;

be

Finally, all per-

sons were seriously admonished " to abstain from fighting

from carnal intercourse with heathens, blacks, or other persons

from rebellion,

;

theft,

other immoralities," as

swearing, calumny, and

false

all

condign punishment would

certain

surely overtake the guilty, as a terror to

all

evil-doers

This proclamation terminated' by establishing Thursday in each week

of

all

and ad-

for the sittings of the court for the hearing

judication of

and criminal processes, and for a redress

all civil

grievances of which any person might have to complain.

Defaulters at this court subjected themselves to the payment, for the first time,

sum, and them.

for the

of one

shilling

second time, double that

;

judgment was entered against

third default,

In consequence of the great mischief which

was

daily

caused by immoderate drinking, another proclamation was subsequently issued, by which at a decent price, to sell

and

in

all,

" except those

who

sold

wine

moderate quantities," were forbidden

any liquor under a penalty of twenty-five guilders, or

$10, and the loss of their stock

;

and any person

who

dared to

provide lodgings, after sunset, for any sailor, or servant belong-

ing to the company, without leave from the Director-general, subjected himself to a similar fine.

on shore,

wages to

after the

All seafaring persons found

above hour, were to

for the first offence

;

forfeit

two months'

for the second, all their

be expelled the company's service

;

wages, and

and whoever was guilty

of selling powder or guns to the Indians was to be punished by death A few immigrants arrived this summer in the Dolphin from Fatherland, some of whom proceeded to Rensselaerswyck,

wl^ich

still

sequence."

continued to be, however, " a place of

A number

of horses

were

trifling

also imported

;

con-

and

in

anticipation of a greater influx of settlers, next year, Kieft

'

Alb. Rec.

ii..

3, 4. 8, 10, 11, 12, 188.

/

NEW NETHERLAND. sent, to

CuraQoa

tlements were being

The

Island.

and

for negroes, cattle,

made on

185 Additional set- chap.

salt.

the western extremity of

Long

^—

Director-general purchased, in the early part of

A'ugust, from the natives, for eight fathoms of duffels cloth, Aug.

eight fathoms of axes,

some

wampum,

l.

twelve kettles, eight adzes, eight

knives, corals, and awls, a tract of land two miles

broad, and four miles long, extending from the East River to

swamps

the

we believe, the On Manhattan Island, La

composing,

Mespeachtes,

of

present settlement of

Newtown.

Montagne, and other private individuals, were beginning

make improvements. a

tract of land at

to

Abraham, Isaacsen Verplanck took up

Paulus Hoeck, and there was every prospect

would multiply were the company's monopoly

that settlements

removed, and the trade of the country opened.'

The

state of

morals

in

New

Amsterdam was,

however, by no means healthy, owing as well tion of persons

which trade brought

in a great part, of

thither, as to the absence,

an agricultural population.

lewdness and thievery were frequent

for

at this period,

to the descrip-

;

public executions for manslaughter and mutiny thorities

using

were some

and the au-

complained that several persons were becoming rich

it

as

if it

was

their

forth proclamations, ever

own.

inhabitants

Abraham

were

strictly

This

state of things called

and anon, threatening

fiscations to evil-doers of

whatever rank.

laerswyck.

name was sometimes

He

is

Jacobs. Verplanck,

having an interest

and con-

written Planck. first

sheriff of

He

Rensse-

represented as having been a wealthy as well as an excellent

farmer, and to have been the proprietor of a large dairy.

ham

fines

But though the

forbidden to leave the Manhattans

Isaacsen Verplanck's

was, probably, a near relative of Jacob Alberts. Planck,

The

;

appropriating to themselves the company's property, and

by

*

Prosecutions

there

in the

was a leading merchant north part of the manor

in

Gulian, son of Abra-

New York

of Cortland,

in 1683,

moved

and

thither.

Verplancks of Dutchess, Orange, and Geneva, (Ontario county,) are the

descendants of this Gulian.

Isaac, third son of

Abraham

Jacobs., settled in

the neighborhood of Albany, where David, of Beeren Island, cousin of Philip, of Westchester,

married Ariantje, daughter of Barent Pieterse Coeymans.

This lady died without

named Brouwer,

issue.

of an ancient

Thereupon David Verplanck married a lady Dutch stock, by whom he had David, Johan-

nes, Ariantje, and Isaac, the father of Col.

Coeymans, whose

sons, again,

Abraham Verplanck

have moved west, and

see county.

24

of

Haquatuck,

settled in Batavia,

Gene-

Oct.

HISTORY OF

186

BOOK without a passport, the lust of wealth was apparently more "^v^ powerful than government placards.* 1638. ^j^g mean time, stimulated by the great

Europe

prevailed in

some years

to render that

The

ince.

demand which had been making for

for tobacco, efforts

weed one

of the staples of the prov-

New

rich virgin soil around and in the vicinity of

Amsterdam, was

time well adapted for the culture of

at the

the plant, and tobacco plantations consequently multiplied to

such a degree, that the Director and council considered

duty

now

by

to regulate,

bacco, and to subject

mode

statute, the

with a view to guard

to inspection,

it

against frauds, and to preserve

The

character abroad.

its

their

it

of cultivating to-

lowing ordinance was accordingly issued " Whereas, the Honorable Director and Council of the Aug.

fol-

:

Netherlands have deemed

'

GG, 57

Alb. Rec.

65

i.,

;

33

ii.,

;

advisable to

it

deceased, and or

1800

cost

two hundred acres

and

kills,

the two

gl.,

It

kills."

Isaac, settled at

wer-straat,

Three brothers of these De Foreests

now

New

Two

troubles.

Amsterdam, where we

He was

Stone-street.

The

whose name

third brother,

David C. de Forest, son

of

of these, Hendrick

lege.

and twenty

;

guilders, in 1655,

one of the city magistrates in

is

to

New

Benjamin, and grandson of Benjamin, one

in 1823, for the establishment of

This bequest

and

Brou-

cannot ascertain, settled at

I

of the descendants of this third brother, bequeathed, I understand, a

$5000,

hills

between

find the latter living in the

He was

to aid in paying off the public debt.

situate

originally emigrated to

taxed, in 1653, one hundred guilders

towards putting the city in a state of defence

Haven.

" between the

and a point on the East River called Rechgawanes,

America during the early Huguenot

1658.

La Montagne's farm was

;

belonged to Hendrick de f oreest,

It is described as lying

in superficies.

New

regula-

This farm was one hundred morgens,

$720.

or

419

iii.,

;

called Vredendal, or the Valley of Peace.

make some

a "

De

remain at an interest of

Forest

six

Fund"

in

sum

of

Yale Col-

per cent, until 1852, after

which $1000 a year are to be expended in the free education and support, at that institution, of the male descendants of the donor, as well as of Jno. H. do Forest, of Humphreysville

Ezra de Forest,

;

male children of David C. and said, the

above

Benjamin C. de Forest, of Watertown

of

of Huntington,

sum

is

all

of Connecticut

Julia, his wife.

;

name

De Forest, the men in indigent

of

education of young talents,

who

of these

young men, " no

will consent to

above

is

and fe-

In default of descendants afore-

to be applied to the education of others of the

family name, giving preference to the next of kin to the donor. dates of the

;

and of the sons of the

same

Failing candi-

then to be applied annually to the

circumstances, of good morals and suitable

assume the name of

De

Forest.

In the selection

religious or political opinions of the candidates or their

families are to operate against them."

«

NEW NETHERLAND.

187

tions about the cultivation of tobacco, as the chief

employ of many planters the high

to

;

pay due

to

condition

required

is

New

;

is

seriously

good

attention that the tobacco appear in

that the superfluous leaves

;

coun-

in foreign

which every planter

obviate

further, that the tobacco

than

obtain a large crop, and thereby

name which our tobacco has gained

tries is injured

warned

is to

aim and chap.

that

Netherland be

which

what

first

is

sponged

is

away

are cut

and,

;

not more wetted

is

intended to be exported from

carried to the public storehouse, to

be there inspected, weighed, and marked, and the duties which are due to the

company

;

to

be paid there

—

to wit, five of

every hundred pounds weight, in conformity to the grant from

Those who transgress this ordinance shall lose by confiscation, and besides be arbitrarily

the company.

their tobacco

all

corrected and punished."

Claes van Elslandt and Wybrant Pietersen were appointed tobacco inspectors, to carry out the provisions of the above act.

The

fees of inspection

were

fixed at ten stivers (twenty

cents) for every hundred weight, and none

unless

it

was

be exported

to

had been previously inspected and declared mer-

chantable.^

An

was issued, at the same time that the inspection was directed, that no contracts, engagements, bargains, sales, or public acts, should be deemed valid, except such as were written by the secretary of the province. This order

of tobacco

law gave room,

after a while, to a

surmised that

was issued

it

complaints emanating from authorities,

of the

for the

New

power

of

making

;

was

feel oppressed,

known

But such

The mass

or frequenting the Manhattans,

either to read or to write

It

Netherland against the local

their grievances

were promptly disclaimed.

cavil.

purpose of preventing any

and of depriving those, who might

pany, or to the States General.

at,

good deal of

to the

sinister

com-

motives

of the people resident

were unable

in transacting

or ill-qualified

commercial or other

accounts and papers which passed between them,

affairs,

written sometimes

drawn up *

by a

seafaring or laboring man,

were

either

imperfectly, or in total opposition to the intention of

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

19, 21.

The

fee in Virginia

was one per

cent.

^j'^^

HISTORY OF one or other of the parties, and led to constant misunderstand-

mere

ings and law disputes, sometimes for

was

difficult,

obviate such

if ill

not impossible, to

trifles, in

come

which

consequences for the future, the above order

was made, which,

was,

in the circumstances,

it

must be ad-

mitted, one of prudence, perhaps of necessity, though

be possible that

it

To

at the truth.

it

might afterwards have led

it

may

to abuse.-^

Director Kieft had not, however, been long settled in his

new government, nor had he well commenced his work of reform, when he was called to vindicate the rights of his superiors, which were now being menaced from an unexpected quarter, in the southern section of

New

Netherland.

William Usselinx, the projector of the Dutch West India

Company, he and

dissatisfied,

his

we presume,

at the

impediments which

plans experienced in Holland, proceeded to the

court of Sweden, and submitted a scheme to the

tion, similar to

that

monarch of

establishment of a commercial associa-

that country, for the

which he wished

to

have established by

the States General, with exclusive privileges to trade beyond the Straits of Gibraltar, and to plant colonies in Africa, ica,

and other parts of the globe.

appreciated

by Gustavus Adolphus,

Amer-

His plan was so warmly that an act incorporating

a Swedish company was passed in 1626.

In consequence,

however, of the breaking out of the German war, and the

doomed to see his hopes was postponed, until Peter Minuit, on being dismissed by the Dutch West India Company, directed his steps to Stockholm, and by his representadeath of the king, Usselinx was again blasted.

tions,

project

and the patronage of the celebrated Oxenstiern, induced

Queen

*

The

Christina to entertain a favorable opinion of the pro-

AIsoo in

Nieuw Nederlandt meest

landt-en

Zee-lieden wonen, en

om

cleyne saaken veeltyds malcanderen voor't gerechte doen roepen, en veele niet leesen

noch schryven connen, en veele geene duydelycke

schriften

noch

bewysen brochten, en of sommige yts voorbrochten, was somtyds by d'een matroos of beer geschreven, mennichmael heel ondistinetelyck, en gants tegens de mening van die geene die

't

hadde laten schryven, of syn verclaringe gedaen,

waeruyt quam, dat den Directeur en raaden de saaken naer behooren en vereysch van rechte niet conde naer waerheyt weten.

Answer

to

Vanderdonck's Remonstrance.

Van

Tienhoven's

NEW NETHERLAND.

189

which he renewed, to open a trade with, and estabHsh a Swedish settlement on, this continent.^ A man-of-war called posal,

Key

the

of Calmar,

and a tender called the

Griffin,

chap.

were

placed at his disposal, freighted with provisions, ammunition,

and a supply of goods suited

new

to this

in the early part of this year, for the

sail,

market.

He

set

South River, ac-

companied by a small number, not exceeding

whom

the greater portion of

Jamestown,

fifty Swedes, were convicts transported from

on account of their crimes,^ and arrived

their native country

in Virginia, in the latter

his sojourn at this port,

end of March.

he endeavored

to

procure a cargo of

tobacco for the Swedish market, but this was refused, as

was contrary

participation in that trade.

After a stay of ten days, during

supply of

in a

it

any

to the king's instructions to allow foreigners

which he took

at

During

wood and

water, he continued

and reached the Delaware a few days afterwards.^

his voyage,

Immediately on his arrival here, his ship was boarded by some of the Dutch residents, to whom he represented that he was on his way to the West Indies, and that he had called at the South River only for supplies, having obtained which,

was *

his intention to depart.

Holm's

New

Sweden,

This was soon found

in Hist. Soc.

Mem.

of Penn.

iii.,

63

to

;

it

be merely

Acrelius'

New

Sweden. *

" Synde meest banditen naer de gemelte Zuyt Reviere getransporteert."

Hoi. Doc.

viii.,

of people

who went,

This

34.

or

is

corroborated by

them

in various capacities

better their fortunes.

;

.

.

Holm, who says

:

"

The

generality

were sent over from Sweden, were of two kinds

principal of these consisted of the

the others were those

There was a

.

;

the

company's servants, who were employed by

and malefactors, who were to remain

who went

to that comitry to

third class, consisting of

in slavery,

and were employed

vagabonds in

digging

the earth, throwing up trenches, and erecting walls and other fortifications."

Holm,

73.

See Haz. Reg.

iv.,

374.

The

practice

was general throughout

" Such was the deto America. America," says Bancroft, " that convicts and laborers were

Europe, in those days, to transport criminals

mand

for labor in

and shipped to the colonies, where they were sold as in" The history of our colonization is a history of the crimes

regularly purchased

dented servants." of Europe."

rated by

and

Adam

United States ii., 250, 251. This remark is fully corrobo" It was not the wisdom and policy, but the disorder

Smith

injustice of the

America." '

Hist.

Wealth

:

European governments, which peopled and

of Nations, (Hartford Ed. 1818,)

ii.,

Windebanko,

in Lend. Doc.

i.,

57.

cultivated

77, 78.

Letter from Jerome Hawley, treasurer of Virginia, to

Mr. Secretary

April,

HISTORY OF

190

BOOK a pretext, for the Swedes, before long, exhibited signs of ^^v^ 1638.

May

6.

making a

Mey,

Pieter

settlement.

Dutch commissary

the

at

p^^^ Nassau, called on Minuit, then, to produce his commis-

But

sion.

this

he refused, as he already had declined

He

in Virginia.

proceed, without delay, to erect a

fort.

Nassau

sloop to the country above Fort tives,

to do queen had as much

his

Dutch, and that he should, by virtue of that

right there as the right,

now, that

asserted,

and when she returned with a load of

But

her again to the same quarter.

was not allowed

Dutch

to pass the

Amsterdam,

erable surprise.

a double

River

;

it

The Dutch

title

dispatched

however, she

fort.

may

been forwarded

well be imagined, consid-

considered that they already had

that of discovery

title,

—a

excited,

then sent a

furs,

this time,

Intelligence of these encroachments having to Fort

He

to trade with the na-

and occupancy,

to the

South

also " sealed with their blood."

which was

Strong in this conviction. Director Kieft expedited Jan Jansen

van Ilpendam, one of

his commissaries, to the

Delaware, with

orders to keep a sharp eye on Minuit, and should he discover in his proceedings

Company's

any thing prejudicial serve on

rights, to

him a

to the

West

protest with

India

which he

was provided.

On

Jansen's arrival he found that the Swedish

had already driven a considerable trade purchased a small creek, or the

commander

and had upon Paghaghacking and " included between six trees." in peltries,

tract of land, situated

Minquaas

Here he had erected a tation,

having paid a

at the

same

kill,

trading-house, and

trifle

for the land

;

commenced

a plan-

promising the Indians,

time, half the crop of tobacco to be raised thereon,

which, however, the savage afterwards complained he never got.^

*

The

On

the north side of this creek, which lies on the west

following

is

the declaration of Mattehoom, the Indian chief

the above tract to Minuit:

—" Dat

als

hadde en woonde

:

who

sold

Minuyt met een schip

voor de Minquaskil bleefF leggen, waerop

in 't lant quam, hy Sackema doenmaels een buys

—dat Minuyt hem aenboot en gafF een ketei en andere cley-

nichaden, versocht soo veel lant van hem, als hy Minuyt een buys coude opsetton,

en een plantagie tusschen ses boomen begrepen,

vercoft heeft

;

en beloofde Minuyt

tagie soude wasschen, hoe

wel

hem

hem

't

welck hy Sackema,

hem

de belfde van de tabacq die op de plan-

noyt gegeven."

—

NEW NETHERLAND. South River, some

side of the

Minuit had erected his

fort,

mistress, he called Christina, and

moreover

and there, on which he caused C. R.

S.,

crown.

191

(Dutch) miles from Nassau, ^^^pVi^hich, in honor of the queen, his five

set posts out, here

be engraved the

to

letters

surmounted, in token of sovereignty, with a royal

Jansen, in pursuance of the orders which he received

Fort Amsterdam, served on Minuit, hereupon, the follow-

at

ing protest

"

I,

:

Willem

residing on the

Kieft,

New

Netherland,

the Fort

Amsterdam,

Director-general of

island Manhattan, in

under the government of the High and Mighty States Gen-

West India ComChamber in Amsterdam, make know^n to thee, Peter Minuit, who stylest thyself commander in the service of her majesty the Queen of Sweden, that the United Netherlands, and the

eral of the

pany, privileged by the Senate

New

whole South River of

Netherland, both upper and

lower, has been our property for

our

forts;

many

years, occupied with

and sealed by our blood, which also was done when

New

thou wast in the service of

known

Netherland, and

is

therefore

come between our forts to erect a fort to our damage and injury, which we will never permit as we also believe Her Swedish Majesty hath not empowered thee to erect fortifications on our coasts and rivers, or well

to thee.

But

as thou art

;

to settle people

on the lands adjoining, or

other thing to our prejudice against

all

;

such encroachments, and

from the same, as bloodshed,

to

undertake any

now, therefore. all

sedition,

We

and whatever injury our

company may suffer, and declare that we shall our rights in every manner that may be advisable."

trading

This protest had no other result than tory answer from the

uit,

to ehcit

Swedish commander.

transmitted a second protest,

who, however, refused

his arrangements, returned

which was

to notice

protest

the evil consequences

it,

protect

an unsatisfac-

Kieft, thereupon,

also served on

Min-

but having completed

homeward, leaving behind him

at June.

Fort Christina, a garrison of twenty-four men, abundantly supplied with provisions and

*

all sorts

of goods.^

Kieft,

on

reflec-

Extracten uyt verscheyde missiven geschreven door Willem Kieft gewesen

Directeur in

Nieuw Nederlant aen de Bewinthebberen van de Geoctroyeerde

;

HISTORY OF

192 BOOK

tion,

found the force

disposal too slender, and his re-

his

at

sources too scanty, to authorize him to disturb the new-comejs, 1638.

|-jjgy

pj.Q^g(,^g(j

He

den.

-were

by a

Swe-

flag so respected as that of

contented himself, therefore, with communicating •

the particulars of the above intrusions to the directors at

all

These

Amsterdam.

however, received evidence

authorities,

themselves of the enterprise of the

Swedish Company

America, in a more direct and palpable manner than any

A

ters could convey. Oct.

Swedish

in

let-

vessel, loaded with tobacco,

having put into the Zuyder Zee, on her return voyage from the " West Indies," was seized at Medenblick, by order of the

branch chamber of the Dutch huysen.

was not

It

West

India

Company

Swedish resident

until the

at

Enck-

Hague

at the

called the attention of the States General to the circumstance,

was removed, and

that the arrest

The

home.

the ship allowed to proceed

skipper's papers, under the authority of the

crown

of Sweden, were then considered satisfactory.^

The

interest exhibited

vancement of

New

which they urged,

by

and the earnestness with

in the course of the last spring, the adoption

some well-digested plan

of

the States General for the ad-

Netherland,

for the

encouragement of a sound

and moral emigration, which would secure the permanent

set-

tlement of that country, caused those intrusted with the superintendence of the company's

affairs to

perceive that

if

they

did not desire seriously to compromise their influence, the time

had at length arrived when something must be done to develop more actively the resources of the fine and fertile province committed

to their charge.

In accordance with these considerations, a committee had

been appointed which devoted a considerable part of the sum-

mer Aug.

to the matters

and

interests referred to

submitted, through Johannes

De

them, and

at length

Laet, one of the directors of

the company, to the States General, a paper, entitled, " Articles

and conditions drawn up and concluded by the Amster-

dam

chamber, with the approbation of their High Mightinesses

West

Ind.

Alb. Rec.

N.

Comp.

ii.,

7,

8

;

ter

Kamer van Amsterdam.

Hazard's Register

iv.,

Andreas Hudde's Report, Alb. Rec. '

Hoi. Doc.

ii.,

228.

82

xvii.

;

Hoi. Doc.

riii.,

50, 51

Vanderdonck, Vertoogh van N.

—

NEW NETHERLAND.

193

the States General of the United Netherlands, in accordance chap.

with the authority of the XIX., whereby the respective coun-

and places

tries

in

New

Netherland, and circumjacent thereto,

henceforward be resorted

shall

to,

traded with, and inhabited,

according to such form of government and police as

may

at

present, or shall hereafter be established there

by the company or paper were as follows

The contents of this The company hereby retain unto

their deputies."

"

1.

such ministers of, all

to

whom

they shall commit the execution there-

high and low jurisdictions, together with the exercise of

and other appendages of public

this

:

themselves, and to

regulate,

affairs

;

to administer,

manage, and execute the same, subject

to their

Mightinesses, in conformity to the instructions

concerning them, from time to time, by their directors,

and

all

others holding office or authority, without

High

be given

to

officers,

being per-

it

mitted to any one, directly or indirectly, to oppose them, on pain of correction, according to circumstances, as breakers

and disturbers of the common peace. " 11. And inasmuch as it is of the highest importance, in the first

commencement and

that

planting of the population,

proper order should be taken for public worship, according to the practice established the

same

by the government of and preached

religion shall be taught

this country,

there, accord-

ing to the confession and formularies of unity here publicly

accepted in the respective churches, with which every one shall

be satisfied and content

this understood, that

shall

be hereby,

constrained or aggrieved in his conscience free to live in

peace and

all

it

being by

in

any wise,

without, however,

;

any person

;

but each shall be

decorum, provided he take care

not to frequent any forbidden assemblies or conventicles, less

collect or get

up any such

;

public scandals and offences, which the magistrate to prevent if

by

all fitting

much

abstain forthwith from

reproofs and admonitions

;

is

all

charged

and advise,

necessary, the company, from time to time, of what

may

be passing there, so that confusions and misunderstandings

may

be timely obviated and prevented. " III. The company shall give orders through their depu-

ties, that all forts,

strongholds, and public places, which have

already been built, or shall hereafter be erected there, shall be

25

HISTORY OF

194

BOOK properly maintained, preserved, and improved, to the best advantage of the commonalty, and that the general tax to be paid for the erection or building thereof, shall be levied

ed

w^ith the least

v^^ithout

it

and

collect-

inconvenience to the respective inhabitants,

being in the power of the Director or his council to

any of these before they have informed the company

collect

and obtained

thereof,

Which

their consent.

works and charges

specially affected to such

taxes shall remain

to the maintenance

commencement, were voted and granted. as improvement is more and more promoted by the cultivation and peopling of these lands, and in order that no person be prevented by private possession of

which they,

" IV,

at the

And inasmuch

and occupation from the use of the public streams, creeks, by the appropriation of any islands, sand-

bays, and rivers, or spits, or

to the

dry marshes lying therein,

company which promises

these shall,

all

by

to establish,

belong

first,

the Director

and council, such order concerning the use of these, that

all

inhabitants of those regions shall derive therefrom the greatest

company may by

possible profit and advantage, unless the

experience be hereafter advised to therein

make

other

disposition

which conclusions and dispositions every one

;

be bound to follow without any concernment or gainsay. if,

to,

shall

And

however, any person shall be found to oppose himself therehe shall be corrected, and brought

to his

duty by the public

authority.

"V. Equal

justice

be administered

shall

and others frequenting those countries,

to all inhabitants

in all civil

and criminal

matters, according to the forms of procedure and the laws and

customs already made, or

be enacted

to

every officer there to contribute to as far as

need be

and

;

that,

this,

;

Expressly charging

and actively and firmly,

without any regard to person or

persons, even in such cases where the matter affect the

specially

company bound to

itself

;

declare

or law, than such as

is

in

may

principally

which cases the judges

on oath,

to follow

shall

be

no other order

considered to apply to or affect

all pri-

vate individuals.

" VI.

And

whereas,

all

the population cannot be fixed on

one spot, but must be disposed of according to the inclinations of those going thither, and in order that the

management

of affairs

NEW NETHERLAND. be carried on, every inhabitant charges and

offices,

195

bound and holden,

is

all

public chap.

such as the magistracy and those of honor

and authority, and those which appertain

such

to pious affairs,

as churches, willingly, at his place of residence, to undertake,

and honestly and trustworthily according to his oath and

to

fill,

for the public advantage,

and the instructions given

troth,

therewith, without claiming any recompense or reward for the

But such charges and

same.

offices as are onerous, or require

the whole of a person's time, shall be rewarded at the discretion of the Director and his council, provided notification thereof

be given to the company, and their approbation therefor obtained. " VII. All public servants, director, councillors, military

commanders,

clerks,

skippers, and also

all

others receiving

ordinary wages from the company, shall not, unless

by

per-

mission from the same, follow any trading for themselves, or as factors, or on commission for others lands or farms

;

much

take any

less

but peaceably support themselves on their

;

And

ordinary wages.

case

in

happen

it

that they transgress

herein, they shall forthwith be degraded from such offices or

rank as they

pany

their

goods which article, or

may

to

forfeit to the

com-

may

be found

in their possession contrary to this

the value thereof, should they have traded or con-

veyed them away charged

be invested with, besides

earned monthly wages, and purchased lands or

;

and the respective

officers

and justices are

promote the execution hereof, without any conni-

vance. " VIII. For the maintenance of preachers, comforters of the sick, schoolmasters, and similar necessary officers, each

householder and inhabitant shall bear such contribution and public charge as shall hereafter be considered proper

;

and as

regards the form thereof, the Director and council there shall

be written

to, to

execute the same on receiving instructions,

with the least trouble and vexation. " IX.

The

inhabitants there

may,

for themselves, or

others as shall instruct or commission them, build tions of craft, either large or small,

others navigate

all rivers,

Newfoundland

;

and

such

descrip-

and with the same and no

and prosecute

barter, besides trade therein along the

rida to

all

their lawful trade

whole

in case they

coast,

happen

to

and

from Flo-

make any

^^v-.-

HISTORY OF

196

BOOK prizes of the enemy, they shall bring such to the place of residence of the director there, to be sent hither, or by him be divided there

one-third part for the company, and two-thirds

;

for the captor, provided, that in case the prize

the due portion of the

" X.

company

shall

be

be sent here,

deducted.

first

should any wares or merchandise from any neigh-

And

boring place there, or from any other kingdom or country, in

any foreign ships be landed on the coast of and places adjacent thereto, within the in possession

company, they

of the

New

limits of

Netherland,

our grants, and

be touched nor

shall not

unladen before being duly entered, and the recognitions there-

upon be

paid, which, in

and burdens fifteen

per cent,

worth there

;

consequence of the heavy expenses

company has to incur, shall be reckoned at on what the said goods shall be estimated to be

the

and

thirty per cent,

on whatever shall be exported

in said foreign ships.

"XI. The company shall take under its protection and safeall those who resort to, or inhabit the said countries subdeject to their High Mightinesses the Lords States General guard

;

fend them against

all

assaults or trouble

coming

either

from

within or without, with such force as may, at the moment, be there, or they

may

afterwards send

provided that every one,

;

whether trader or inhabitant, who happens to

to

be employed with others on such occasion,

under command of the respective

officers

every male emigrant take with him,

and side-arms, and be

;

at his

be there, consent for self-defence,

and

own

to this

end shall

cost, a

musket

enrolled, in case of apparent danger, into

proper companies or squads. " XII. In case any person shall discover or find any minerals,

whether gold,

silver,

or other base metals,

precious

stones, crystals, marble, or such like, they shall, if discovered

on the land of the after five years,

finder,

one

fifth

remain his property, on returning, part of the proceeds, without deduct-

ing any of the expenses, and that before such minerals, or be-

fore-mentioned specie shall be his benefit, or be removed from the place

where they may be found

;

but for such as

may be

discovered on another man's land, or on the domain of the

company, or on unappropriated

warded according

land,

the finder shall be re-

to the discretion of the director

and council,

NEW NETHERLAND.

197

among themselves they agree in a friendly manner, which agreement thus made shall be maintained. unless

" XIII. Besides these general

articles,

another shall be intro-

duced, to obey and respect such instructions, manifestoes, and

commands,

as have already been

established,

vi^ith

made, or

the approbation of their

be

shall hereafter

High Mightinesses,

concerning the planting of the country, and the trade there."

The

patroons, between

misunderstanding

still

whom

and the directors considerable

continued, were unwilling, seemingly, to

allow this occasion to pass without making an their

own

privileges, or to establish

effort to enlarge

them on such a

footing as

would render themselves more independent, and further beyond the control, of the company. Some parties, strong in their interest,

drew up,

therefore, a draft of a

new

" Freedoms and Exemptions for Patroons," or a " it

States General for

By

Pro-

was termed, modifying, and essentially altering of 1629, which they caused to be laid, also, before

ject," as

charter

charter of

New

this "

New

its

the the

sanction.

Project," the Patroons

were

to

be allowed

to extend their colonies six (Dutch) miles along the coast, or

on both sides of a navigable

river, instead of four miles

on one

original charter allowed.

two on both banks, as the

side, or

Instead of being obliged to send out, within four years,

persons over fifteen years, they

now demanded

that the

fifty

num-

ber should be forty-eight, without any regard to age, and that the time limited for their transmission should be extended from

four to six years, exclusive of the

They

first

further required that themselves,

year of admission.

and not the States

General and the company, should be invested with " the comof such bays, rivers, and islands, as they should have

mand

planted," and be invested with " high, middle, and low juris-

and all other feudal rights that they be discharged from the obligation which Article IX. of the original charter

diction,"*

;

imposed on them, of submitting

to the directors, for their ap-

proval, whatever instructions they ' life.

That

is,

Such

civil

may

send out or give for the

as well as criminal jurisdiction— extending to deprivation of

villages as

were invested with

these,

were called "

free," or

manors

with capital jurisdiction ; those not possessing them were simply, manors.

Leeuwen.

Van

iQ38

HISTORY OF

198

BOOK government of their colonies, and that they should,

in lieu,

pleased, subhave the right to send such instructions as they J r ject only to the loose provision of having these generally con'

1638 '

formable to the system of police and judiciary obtaining in

The company was, moreover,

Holland.

to

serve and appropriate the fourth part of other vessels proceeding to

New

be bound

to re-

their ships,

all

and

Netherland, to the accommo-

dation of the patroons, their freight, and people, while, once in

every year, a vessel should be dispatched from Amsterdam that country, for the special

and

their settlers, the

to

accommodation of the patroons

former of

whom

were

be always

to

vileged to send ships thither, which, in their outward and

pri-

home-

ward voyages, were to be invested, as far as the capturing of prizes was concerned, with all the rights of company's ships, and be permitted,

hood of

New

also, to trade

along the coasts and neighbor-

Netherland, and to purchase there

produce without any exception to the Patroons, but to

wampum, which

the

no

— thus proposing

It

sorts of

throw open

others, the trade in furs, corn,

company had

hitherto claimed as a

nopoly, and which had already produced so

tween the

all

to

much

and

mo-

trouble be-

parties.

was next proposed, by

New

the "

Project," that the Pa-

troons should be absolutely and forever free from

all

contribu-

and excise, an exemption which the

tions, imposts,

charter limited only to ten years

;

original

that they should share all

such freedoms and exemption's as the company then possess, or hereafter enjoy, and that the right of appeal from the

Pa-

troons' courts to the higher tribunal of the Director and council

should be abolished, as well as the clause prohibiting manufactures in the colonic,

"

New

Project."

of the charter of

It 1

which was

entirely omitted in the

was, further, required that Art.

that, in future, the resident-agent or

deputy of the Patroon

the Manhattes, should be, ex-officio, a tor's council,

XXVIII.

629, should be fundamentally altered, and

and have a seat and vote

member

at all

at

of the Direc-

meetings and delib-

erations of that body, in order to be enabled, thereby, to protect

and advance, as

it

was

alleged, the interests

of the Patroons'

colonists.

Imitating the policy pursued in those days

by other Euro-

•

NEW NETHERLAND. pean powers, who made who, by

for those

their

their

199

American colonies receptacles

crimes or misfortunes, forfeited their 1638

citizenship in their native land,

and were, therefore, banished

honor be — a policy which, corded, the Dutch never sanctioned—the Patroons demanded,

" beyond the seas"

it

re-

among

the

their

to

next, that the States General should furnish, from deserters, outcasts, paupers, vagabonds,

and convicts of the

parent country, a supply of servile laborers to be bound to

work

them for their clothing and food, a certain number of which they should be entitled to their freedom and

for

years, after

restoration to society

be entitled

and

;

that every colonic should

further,

to receive twelve black

men

and

women from

every

prize having negroes on board.

After enumerating a few other privileges of more or less importance, this "

New

Project" closed by proposing that

all pri-

vate individuals, and such as had not means, should be ex-

cluded from

all

participation in these proposed freedoms and

exemptions, and should not be allowed to purchase or acquire

any land

or

be forced troons

leged

ground from the Indians

but that

;

all

such should

to repair to the colonies of the respective

Lords Pa-

thus dividing and converting into manors, for a privi-

;

class, to the exclusion of the

hardy and industrious pio-

neer and sturdy and independent yeoman, whose wealth consisted

his strong right

in

arm and

a virtuous progeny, the

whole country, from the Connecticut

and except the

same

lands and islands adjoining the

Zwanendal and Pavonia, six thousand guilders,

were

to

Delaware, save

and Fort Orange, the with the colonies of

;

the latter of which the directors had

already purchased from Michel

Paauw

or $10,400.

be reserved exclusively

pose of more

to the

island of Manhattans

to

for the

sum

of twenty-

These different points the company for the pur-

efficiently enforcing their

revenue laws and com-

mercial regulations.'

Neither of these plans proved satisfactory to the States

That of the Amsterdam chamber was evidently

General.

'

This "

new

hoven gives the

project" will be found in Hoi. Doc. price paid for Pavonia, Hoi. Doc.

in that colonie, in the

Paauw must

name

of the

company,

v.,

ii.,

400.

144-166.

Van

too

Tien-

Kieft leased a farm

in July, 1638, (Alb.

have, therefore, been bought out before this date.

Rec.

i.,

55.)

—

HISTORY OF

200 BOOK diffuse

in several

of

its

clauses.

It

was not

a declaration of

nor a system of government for the administration

^-"-^ principles,

1638.

public affairs of the province that w^as required, but a

simple plan whereby the settlement of the wild lands, the introduction of cattle, and of a healthy and moral population, could

be advantageously, cheaply, and speedily effected, and the

De

country permanently secured to the United Provinces.

Laet's plan failed in embracing these views, and was pronounced by their High Mightinesses " unworthy to be enterSept. 2.

tained."

back

It

to the

was referred, together with the " New Project," Amsterdam chamber, with instructions to appoint

a committee from their body to meet deputies from the States

General on the following Monday,

whole subject of Mightinesses

New

to

examine and revise the

High

Netherland, in order that their

may come

to

some conclusion regarding

the plant-

ing of colonies and the introduction of stock into that quarter.^

The

New

Company had now abolished

;

and

De

voors

India

was

to

every person, whether denizen or foreigner it,

subject only to the conditions, regu-

restrictions contained in the following important

proclamation

"

West

enjoyed for fifteen or sixteen years,

chose to embark in

lations,

The

manifest.

Netherland trade which the

the trade, as well as the cultivation of the soil,

thrown open

who

became soon

result of this reference

monopoly of the

:

:

articulen door de vooi-s

dienst ende voortsettinge

:

Camer van Amsterdam

van de colouien

in

N. Nederlant,

niet

ingestelt,

met

en syn aenne-

melyck, gelyck deselve leggen, ende vinden haer H. M. oversulx goet, dat deselve geconcipieerde articulen ende conditien weder uyt gegeven sullen

aen Sieur Johannes do Laet, Bewinthebber van de

W.

I.

worden

Compagnie, ende

Nieuw Project, om hetselve aen de voors Camer van de W. I. Compagnie tot Amsterdam gecommuniceert te worden, ende hun van wegen haer H. M. aenteseggen, dat sy jegens Maendach naest coraende, den vi. deses, herwaerts willen stuyren eenige Gecommitteerden om met voorgaende Heeren Gedeputeerden van haer H. M. het geheele stuck van Nieuw daerby gevoucht het voors

:

:

Nederlant nader gevisiteert, ende geexamineert, ende

als

dan derselver ge-

stuk ter vergaderinge van haer H.

M. ingebracht te worden, ter einde by haer H. M. op de plantinge van colonien ende vee in Nieuw Nederlant soodanige resolutie genomen mach worden, als men

samentlyke consideratien op het voors

:

ten meesten dienste van desen staet ende voordeel van de compagnie bevinden zal te behooren."

224, 225.

Resolution of States General, Sept. 2. 1638.

Hoi. Doc.

ii.,

—

;

NEW NETHERLAND.

201

" Whereas, the Directors of the Privileged West India chap.

Company,

of the

solution of the

trade of

chamber

XIX.

at

Amsterdam, are authorized by re-

promote and improve the population and

to

New Netherland,

therefore do they,

vi^ith

the approba-

High Mightinesses, hereby make known

tion of their

to all

and

several the inhabitants of these States, their allies and friends,

who may be

inclined to sail thither and cultivate

and with that view

there,

countries, that they

pany's ships, such find advisable,

may

be able

may

to

make use

forthwith convey thither, in the

cattle,

com-

merchandise, and goods as they

and receive whatever returns they or

to obtain in those quarters therefor

that all the goods shall

any lands

of the harbors of those

first

be brought

to the

;

may

their agents

on condition

company's

store,

so as to be equally put on ship-board in the best manner, pay-

ing the following recognitions and freights, the directors taking care that they be dispatched thither by the earliest convey-

ance

;

" For

all

paid to the

merchandise going thither

company here

to their value

tum the

;

shall, as recognition,

centum

in

money, according

to the pleasure of

or their authorized agent, thus leaving eighty-five

per cent, for their proprietor. " And if any person should happen to valuation of his goods,

it

shall

be free

make

to the

a mistake in the

company

to take

such goods, paying one-sixth more than they are entered but

by

all

be

money, according

and those coming thence hither fifteen per cen-

there, in specie or

company

ten per

at

concealed and hidden goods, either here or there, which,

secret plans or other deceptions,

may

be discovered on

board the company's ships, shall be forthwith forfeited and confiscated to the benefit of the said company, without afford-

ing thereby any legal cause of action. " For the freight of cattle and goods which shall proceed

hence

thither, or

from that country here, the owners or

at the respective ports, shall agree ofiicers,

according to the value and description thereof, until a

final

arrangement and regulation be made

shall

be paid

shall

be permitted

it

factors,

with the company, or their

in

money to

;

and the

at the place of unloading,

freight

and no person

touch or remove the 'same before he

make

appear that both the recognition and freight have been paid

26

1

1638

;

HISTORY OF

202 BOOK in

full

II.

; '

centum

and further and above, one ^per

for

each month

-^v^ that they remain in the company's store over fourteen days 1638. for all which the foresaid cattle and ^^^^^ being discharged ;

goods

shall

be severally answerable, or the owners be spoken

to in their proper persons according to the choice of the directors or their agents.

"

And

whereas,

the lands there

it is

company to people them into a pro-

the intention of the

more and more, and

to bring

per state of cultivation, the Director and council there shall be instructed to

accommodate every

much

and means, with as

tion

family, can properly cultivate.

any person

in the

name

of the

one, according to his condi-

land as he,

Which

by him and

his

lands thus conceded to

company

shall

remain the pro-

perty of the same, his heirs and assigns, provided he shall

pay

to the

company,

after

it

shall

have been four [afterwards

altered to ten years] pastured or cultivated, the lawful tenths

of

all

fruits,

grain, seed, tobacco, cotton,

of the produce of

of cattle

all sorts

of

;

and such

like

;

also

which property a pro-

per deed shall be granted to them, provided that they undertake, in fact, the cultivation

and pasture thereof

:

and

failing

therein shall incur, over and above the loss of said lands, such

penalty and fine as shall be mutually agreed upon at the time for

which penalties and

shall

fines their successors, heirs, or assigns,

And in may occur

be conjointly holden.

fusion of interests which

order to prevent

all

con-

there, through former pro-

ceedings, and are hereafter to be expected, no person shall

henceforward be allowed

to

have any possessions there, or to

hold any lands or houses which have not previously been derived from the company.

"

The company

shall,

under obedience

to the

High and

Mighty Lords States General, take care that the places and lands there be maintained quietly and peaceably in proper police

and justice under

same, conformably

their ministers, or the deputies of the

to the regulations

and instructions there-

upon already estabhshed and furnished, or hereafter to be made and communicated, after a knowledge and understanding of the matter.

"

AH

those

who

purposes of trade,

proceed thither to shall,

settle the country,

or for

one by one, declare, under their

sig-

NEW NETHERLAND.

203

nature, that they will, voluntarily, submit to these regulations,

and

to the

commands

of the company, and allow

and differences there arising

to

all

questions

be decided by the ordinary

course of justice estabhshed in that country, and freely suffer the execution of the sentences and verdicts without any further provocation their persons

[the

room

;

and they

and board,

in the ship

Hoi. Doc.

pay

for the

conveyance of

one guilder

;

in the hutte

above the master's cabin] twelve

and between decks eight '

shall

in the cabin

u.,

stivers

per diem."^

146, 147, 148-164,205, 206-223.

stivers

;

—

BOOK

III.

FROM THE OPENING OP THE INDIAN TRADE TO THE END OP DIRECTOR KIEFt's ADMINISTRATION.

1639—1647.

CHAPTER Consequences of the opening of the trade English settlers in

New

I.

— Encouragement

Netherland obliged

to take

to emigration

an oath of allegiance

—

—

Settle New Haven Hartford peoDutch at Fort Good Hope Controversy between the parties Long Island to the Earl of Stirling Aa agent appointed by that nobleman to settle that island Further purchases by the Dutch thereupon English cross over and commence settlements on the east end of Long Island Additional grants by the Dutch on the western extremity Lupoid removed from office Cornells van der Huygens appointed Schout-Fiscaal Other appointments Renewal of the differences between the English and the Dutch on the Connecticut Change of commissary at Fort Hope The Norwalk Islands purchased by the Dutch Additional purchases on Long Island Earl Stirling's agent arrives at New Amsterdam His pretensions disregarded A party of English attempt a settlement west of Oyster Bay Dutch expedition sent to prevent them Prisoners taken and dismissed Southampton and Southold commenced English commence a settlement at

Further encroachments of the English

—

ple oppose the

—Grant

—

of

—

—

—

— —

—

—

—

—

—

—

— — —Protested against—Proceedings Holland regarding New Netherland— A new charter agreed upon by Assembly of the XIX. — Prothereof— Laid before the States General — Effects of opening the impose a fur trade on the Indians — Director Kieft determines on them — Indians discontented— Occurrences at Staten Island—Property belonging the company stolen— Kieft enraged against the Raritans— Sends an expedition against them—Attack—Result—Prices of sundry commodiNew Amsterdam— erected on Staten Island— Brandy and other Greenwich

in

visions

to

tribute

to

ties at

liquors

The

Still

manufactured.

opening of the trade with

commencement

of a

new

New

Netherland was the chap.

era in the history of that country,

and communicated a decided impulse both and the increase of

its

the company's servants

population.

were engaged

remained in the country

after their

to its settlement

Hitherto few,

if

in agriculture, or

any, of

indeed

term of service had ex-

HISTORY OF

206 But now

BOOK pired.

-^v~ several of these,

that free trade

who had

was

manner

in a

established,

enriched themselves in the employ-

demanded their discharge set about making plantations, and spread themselves abroad seeking out the best land, and the most favorable posiment of the

directors,

;

erecting houses,

Others purchased or built

tions for trade with the natives.

convey goods

vessels, to

New Amsterdam hammer,

The

and

to the north or south,

once

all at

rung with the sounds of the axe and the

for industry

became

filled

with

life

and

activity.

directors in Holland, on the other hand, encouraged

emigration by

all

means

Free passage for

power.

in their

themselves and families was offered to such farmers as were desirous of proceeding to

New

Netherland, where, on their

arrival,

they were promised to be furnished for six years with

a farm,

fit

number

for the plough, a dwelling-house, a barn, a suitable

number

of laborers, four horses, an equal

of cows,

sheep and swine in proportion, with the necessary farming implements, for which they were, however, to be bound to pay a yearly rent of one hundred guilders, (equal to f 40,) and

On

eighty pounds of butter. tenant

was

to restore the

the expiration of his lease, the

same number of

cattle

had

that he

received on entering into possession, retaining for himself

whatever increase there might have been,

from the original stock.

To

those

had not the means of providing cattle for a certain

number

stock,

the

were

time,

who

company loaned ;" that is,

number furnished were

on

restored,

was

In both cases, the risk of death

borne equally by the respective parties. free settlers

mean

farms, but

of years, " on halves

expiration of the contract the

with half the increase.

in the

who owned

In addition to these,

also assisted with clothing, provisions,

and

necessaries, on credit, at an advance of fifty per cent, on the

prime

cost,

and

in

some

instances, with loans of

money, with-

out interest.^

But the emigration, class.

with

Some

settlers,

this

year,

was not confined

and large quantities of stock.

Prominent among

these were Joachim Pietersen Kuyter, of Darmstadt, '

De

to this

wealthy individuals came out from Holland

maniere die de West Indische Compagnie gevolcht heeft

planten van Bouweryen.

Hoi. Doc.

v.,

155, 156, 157,

364

;

who had in

't

Alb. Rec.

eerste ii.,

189.

;

NEW NETHERLAND.

207

formerly been a commander in the East Indies in the Danish chap. service

and Cornehs Melyn, of Antwerp, Patroon of Staten •^v^

;

These gentlemen were encouraged by the Assembly

Island.

XIX.

of the

New

to settle in

Netherland, and were accom-

panied by their families.^

The

population received accession, likewise, from

England and

forgetting the principles for

remove

to

which they had been obliged

America, turned persecutors, and

privileges of citizenship from

all

who

belief according to prescribed rule, or

of a peculiar church

and

political rights, to

points,

;

now

to

withheld the

refused to square their

who were

not

members

and denying freedom of conscience,

such as differed with them on abstruse

which possibly neither party

clearly understood, pun-

ished a minority for their " heresy"

Such a course

ishment.

New

In the former colony, the persecuted,

Virginia.

by

incarceration or ban-

necessarily produced

discontent

New EngNew Nether-

escape from the insupportable government of

to

land," numbers, nay, " whole towns" land, to enjoy,

them by

their

removed

to

among the Dutch, that religious liberty denied own countrymen while several persons, whose ;

time of service had expired in Virginia, where they had be-

come

familiar with the process of raising

repaired

now

to the

and curing tobacco,

Manhattans, with a view to continue there

the cultivation of that plant,

which was

in

such general de-

mand, and from which such large returns were

to

be ob-

tained."

The number of English residents, now under Dutch tion,

became

ernment

to the necessity of obtaining

tee for their allegiance.

They were

We find mention made this year of Fort Amsterdam." first

jurisdic-

sufficiently large to direct the attention of the gov-

Alb. Rec.

i.,

" Cherry

109.

De

from them some guaran-

therefore called on to take

trees

Vries

and peaches on a farm near

saw the Peach

tree for the

time in Virginia in 1633.

Joachim Pieters Kuyter en ComeUs Melyn, met permissie en welgevallen van de Vergaderinge van de XIX. der Generael W. I. Comp., sich met '

vrouwen eude kinderen ende met burgerlyke middelen nevens een groote aental van beestialen in den jaere 1639 uyt dese landen naer N. Nederlandt getransporteert. °

Hoi. Doc. iii., 365. " Het lant heeft nooyt begonnen gepeupeleert te werden voordat de Vry.

held gegeven

was dat yder met de Wilden mochte handelen

;

alsoo tot die tyt

;

HISTORY OF

208

BOOK and subscribe an oath of

fidelity

"

to their

High Mightinesses

III.

1639 '

the Lords States General, his

Highness of Orange, and the

Noble Director and Council of

New Netherland

any of

or

Director,

faithfully to give instant

ment

to follow the

;

Council, wherever they shall lead

his

warning of any treason, or other

detri-

country that shall come to their knowledge

to this

utmost of

assist to the

their

power

;

to

and protecting

in defending

with their blood and treasure, the inhabitants thereof against enemies."^

all its

To the eastward, in the mean time, the English conti-nued their encroachments. They no longer looked on the Connecticut as They longed for the fertile lands betheir western boundary. tween

that

and the North River, and accordingly had, already,

Red name

established themselves on a spot called Roodeberg, or

by the Dutch

Hill,

New

of

but to which the English gave the

;

They

Haven.^

niemant maeckten aldaer

toe

purchased, likewise, several tracts te

verblyven

souden zyn, en daerover de culture van nie 't

't

dat zyn verbonden tyt uyt-

tot

lant luttel achten

was

selve

toegelaten, veele dienaars die te goet

jae

;

van Rensselaerswyck was noch van cleyne consequentie

selfFs

maer

;

de colo-

sooras als

hadden by de compagnie,

sochten haer paspoort, boude huyzen, ende maeckten plantagies, verstrooide

haer wyt ende breet, yder soeckende het beste lant, ende naest gelegen

van de Wilden

omme

dere koften barcken

manschappen

;

alsoo

omme

bequaemlyk met haer

cm Zuydt

daermede

te

connen handelen

ende Noordt

anderesyde

quamen mede beyde van

Virginia als

Nieuw

:

goede gelegentheyt van alhier taback tecomen planten gesinnen, ende entelyck by heele colonie,

omme

trekken, soo

'

A

an-

selfFs

;

Eerste-

omme

daernaer de huys-

gedwongen van aldaer

te ver-

vryheid van conscientie te genieten, also het insupportabel

gouvemement van Nieuw Engelant 1647

zyn

;

D'Engelsche aen

Engelant.

lyck veel servaants, die haer tyt by haer meesters uytgedient hadden,

lant,

te

vaeren coop-

ende alsoo de Heeren Bewinthebberen vrye passagie gaven van

Hollant herwaerts aen, heeft ter cock eenigen doen comen d'

te

te

ontgaen."

Journael van

Nieuw Neder-

Report and Advice, Appendix E.

;

complete

list

of those

who

subscribed this oath does not appear on the

The following are the only names Hathaway, Richard Brudnell, Abraham Lowmay, Willson, George Homes, William Williamson.

Record, owing to the ravages of time.

appended Francis

The

to

it

:

—John

Leslie,

three

last

Edward

attached their marks.

Belcher, Peter Buyley, Pither, Irishman,

time.

Alb.

"from Newheert,

in

Rec,

ii.

Abm. Page, Tomas

Somersetshire," and Richard

are also mentioned as residents under the

George Homes and Thos. Hall

built

a house

this year, at

Dutch

at

this

a place which

they called Hopton, near the Deutel Bay, two miles above Curler's Hoeck,

now "

corrupted to " Turtle" Bay.

" They desired that their friends at Connecticut would purchase of the na-

NEW NETIIERLAND. from the Indians in the adjoining

209

districts, north, east, south, chap.

and west, on which they planted numerous towns. did their settlements

fill

rapidly ^^v^

So

up, that Hartford already contained, at

a fine church, and more than one hundred dwell- June

this period,

and the mfant

New

Haven, a handsome place of worship, and more than three hundred houses. Strong in their ings,

city of

numbers, they now absolutely denied to

title

to the

Dutch

all

right or

any possessions on the Fresh River, and carried

their

pretensions to the length even of ploughing and sowing the

company's lands around Fort Good Hope, where they violently assaulted,

and severely wounded, some of the men

charge of that post,

whom

they found at work in the

in

fields.

Gysbert op Dyck, who had command of some fourteen or fifteen soldiers here,

promptly protested against

rantable aggression

but the English governor attempted to

justify the

by

tory

:

encroachments of his countrymen on Dutch

saying, that the lands lay uncultivated

improve the country

;

and that "

valuable lands uncultivated, raised from

them

may

it

—

that the

it was when such

a sin to leave such fine

crops could be

a course of reasoning which, however

appear

the party using

to

it,

cannot very

safely be received as a justification of the proceedings for it

was intended

once

aflTord to

terri-

Dutch

years, and had done nothing to

had been there already several

conclusive

unwar-

this

as an apology

every person,

;

since,

if

admitted,

who may incline

it

which

would

at

to covet his neigh-

bor's goods, a satisfactory plea to appropriate

them

to his

own

use.

became now evident, that the spirit which had overrun would not allow itself to be stayed by the narrow channel which intervened between that and the opposite and tempting shore of Long Island. The plea which justified the seizure of the Connecticut would be equally valid here, for Even were it not here, also, " the lands lay uncultivated." sufficient, an additional pretext was afforded by the fact that It

the main,

the

Plymouth Company had taken upon

tive proprietors for

them

all

the land that lay between themselves and

River, which was in part effected." *

De

itself to grant, at the

Magnalia, B.

Vries.

27

i.,

c. 6.

Hudson s

9.

HISTORY OF

210 BOOK request of Charles

1635, the whole of

in

I.,

William Alexander, Earl of *

Stirling,

who,

Long

Island to

in the early part of

the following year, appointed an agent to dispose of the lands,

thus conveyed to him, to

and

all

who were

desirous to purchase

them.

settle

Kieft clearly saw, soon after his assumption of the govern-

ment, the necessity of securing, by additional purchases from the Indians, this island, which

Dutch esteemed "

the

crown of the province," and which lay so contiguous

He

Amsterdam. Jan. 15.

the

to Fort

therefore purchased, in the beginning of this

year, from the native proprietors, that portion of the island ex-

Rockaway eastward

tending from

Sicktew-kacky on the

to

south side, and thence across to Martin Gerritsen's, or

Bay, on the north shore

;

by which purchase, and

Cow

that of the

preceding year, he embraced within the company's jurisdiction nearly the whole of the present county of Queens.^

The

English

first

Sound, shortly extremity of

settlers

after this,

Long

at the eastern

where Lyon Gardiner purchased,

Island,

from Lord

this year,

from the main land crossed the

and began a plantation

Stirling's agent, for a trifle, the

island of

Monchonock, containing an area of over three thousand This was the ^

first

acres.

English settlement within the present limits

Mechoswodt, chief of Marossepinck, Sinksink, otherwise called Schout's Bay,

[now Manhassett,] and the dependencies thereon,

sells to

the

W.

Co., with

I.

the consent of Piscamoc, his cousin Swatterwochkouw, Kackpohoc, Ketacliquas-

was, joint owners,

on the south

all

side of said island,

the said Sicketew-hacky in

from thence Vlaeck's fish

in its

kill,

on said

its

breadth to Martin Gerritsen's (or

Cow) Bay, and

length for the most part on and along the East River to the

the above Indians to have the privilege to plant maize, hunt and

15th January, 1G.39.

lands.

The Rockaway part of the

them belonging on Long Island, beginning from Reckouw-hacky to Sicketew-hacky, and

the lauds to

town

Alb. Rec.

GG,

59, 60

;

xxii.

8.

Indians (says Thompson) were scattered over the southern of

Hempstead, which, with part of Jamaica and the whole of

Newtown, were the bounds of their claim. The greater part of the population was at Near Rockaway, and as far west as the present site of the Marine Pavilion. Those Indians who resided at the head of Maspeth Creek in Newtown were a portion of this tribe. Hist. Long Island, 92. Martin Gerritsen's bay Three creeks empty themselves into it, two of which lies west of Oyster Bay. are navigable. On the smallest of the three was situated the Indian village of i.

Mattinekoock, which consisted, that date there

was a

ally disappeared.

vast

in 1650, of thirty

number

Indian families.

Previous to

of natives settled hereabout, but they gradu-

Van Tienhoven.

Hoi. Doc.

v.,

137; Alb. Rec.

xx., 1.

NEW NETHERLAND. of this state

;

settlements on

by many

Long

years,

Island had preceded those of the

were equally

Grants were made

tremity.

sundry individuals

Gowanus

;

we

in the

farm

find a

;

town Anthony Jansen of

who

Sallee, a

Eng-

on the western ex-

active

village of

Breuckelen

to

progress this year at

in

and a commencement made

spectability,

called Gardi- chap.

The Dutch, whose

ner's Island, after the original purchaser.^

lish

211

and the place has ever since been

Gravesend,

in

in

which

French Huguenot of

re-

arrived in the country, with his brother, in

1630, obtained a grant of one hundred morgen, or two hundred acres of land.^ Little else

the year,

if

worthy of note occurred during the remainder of

we

except the execution of one of the soldiers for

mutiny against the Director, and the removal of Ulrich Lupoid, the Fiscaal, or Attorney-general,

from

succeeded by Cornelis van der Huygens,

He was

office.

who came

out from

July

Holland with a commission from the directors of the company as Schout-Fiscaal of

New

Nctherland, at a yearly salary of

three hundred and sixty florins,

sum

and an additional

Lupoid continued, however,

three hundred for board.

of

in ihe

public service as commissary of wares and merchandise, and

member

occasionally assisted as tional regulations

among

were made

to

Some

of the council.

addi-

enforce order and regularity Aug.

the mechanics and laborers in the company's employ,

who were

directed to proceed to and cease from

" at the ringing of the bell."

Gillis

work only

de Voocht was appointed

Claes van Elslant and Wybrant

superintendent over them.

Pietersen were removed, in the course of the winter, from ofiice

as inspectors of tobacco, and commissaries Jacob van

Curler and David Provoost appointed in their stead latter

of neglect of duty,

was succeeded by vensen,

who had

and being incorrect

A

lineal

and

Olofl" Ste-

arrived in the colony in 1637, attached to

company, was transferred

m the

descendant of this gentleman was married recently to Mr. Tyler,

late President of the

United

Stal.es.

Thompson's Long Island,

Long

but the

in his accounts,

assistant Mauritz Jansen.

his

the military service of the ^

;

subsequently lost his place as commissary, on charges

Island, 9.

i.

304

;

ii.,

170, 218

;

Alb. Rec.

i.,

116

;

Wood's

July

1.

HISTORY OF

212 BOOK course of

—

summer

this

commissary

to the civil department, as

of cargoes, at a salary of thirty guilders, or $12, per month.'

1639.

Alb. Rec.

*

ii.,

Oloff Stevensen, his name, left

57, 61, 83, 99, 132.

VAN CoRTLANDT, as he subsequently signed

On

vice in 1648. in

New

becoming a freeman he embarked

or city trained bands, in 1649, in

Nine Men.

the to

He was

Amsterdam, and became wealthy.

He was

Oloff Stevens

or

the company's ser-

in trade, built

a brewery

Colonel of the Burghery,

which year he was

also appointed one of

one of the signers to the Remonstrance transmitted

Holland against the maladministration of Director Kieft, and the high-handed In 1654 he was elected Schepen of the city

measures of Director Stuyvesant.

New

of

filled

Amsterdam, and

1655 appointed Burgomeester, which

in

almost uninterruptedly to the close of the Dutch government.

of residence

was

in the Brouwer-straat,

acter of being a worthy citizen, and a

had seven

children, viz.

:

Stephanus,

who married Jeremias van married,

first,

Andrew

Teller

;

He

Stone-street.

man most

who and John, who ;

office

Jacob,

married

Maria,

who who who

Cornelia,

;

Phillips

died unmarried.

;

Catherine,

;

Phillips

Eva

He

in his charities.

liberal

he

His place

had the char-

who married Gertrude Schuyler

Rensselaer, twelfth of July, 1662

John Derval, and secondly, Frederick

married Barent Schuyler married

now

;

Sophia,

Oloff Stevens van

Cortlandt died some time subsequent to 1683, leaving his son, Stephanus, then

a highly respectable merchant in

On

New

York.

the death of his brother-in-law, Jeremias van Rensselaer, in 1675, the

affairs of

the colonie of Rensselaerswyck were administered conjointly, during

the minority of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, (then twelve years

old,)

by the Rev.

Nicolaus van Rensselaer, Mde. Maria van Rensselaer, and Stephanus van Nicolaus had the directorship of the colonie Mde. van Rensselaer was the treasurer and Stephanus van Cortlandt had the charge of the books. Four hundred schepels of wheat were appropriated to defray the yearly exCortlandt.

;

;

penses of this administration, of which

Dom. Nicolaus (who then officiated as half. The remainder was divided brother. Dom. Nicolaus dying in 1679,

second clergyman in Albany) received one

between Mde. van Rensselaer and her the chief

management

of the minor's affairs devolved

Stephanus van Cortlandt purchased, Indians, in for

what are now the

in

on

his

mother and uncle.

the year 1683, large tracts from the

Putnam, and Duchess,

counties of Westchester,

which he obtained a patent from Gov. Dongan

in

1685, whose fees for the

north half alone are said to have amounted to three hundred pieces of eight. since been called the Manor of Cortwho intermarried with the De Peysters, Bayards, De Lanceys, and Van Rensselaers. Though

Those lands were erected landt.

He

Beekmans, Skinners, the

manor

into

what has

died leaving twelve children,

has, in consequence of alienations

exist except

and

sales, long since

ceased to

on parchment, the Van Cortlandt family continues to be one of

the most respectable, as

it

is

one of the

most ancient,

in this state.

At

the

breaking out of the Revolution, one of the branches of the family was resident in

England, the descendants of which have since intermarried with

members

of the British nobility.

many

—

NEW NETHERLAND. The

spring of

1640 opened with a renewal of the

ferences between the

Enshsh and

necticut River, touching the

Dutch on the Con- ^"'^^TX 1640. Hope.

the

the soil around Fort

title to

Commissary op Dyck being about sowing the ground

213

to

make

preparations for

same

Mr. Hop-

in the rear of that post, advised

any of

time, against permitting

his people to in-

terrupt him.

Hopkins, however, pertinaciously denied the

validity of the

Dutch

title

to the

the English had acquired their that he

was prepared

and maintained that

land,

from the right owners

title

by a

to prove,

chief of the Morahtkans,

owned

residing near the Pequods, that the latter never

and that the right owners had

soil,

left for

English

knew

Whereupon

commissary "

we

are prepared to exhibit ours

this

op

Dyck responded

Show your

adding, at the

;"

in suitable terms.

But

to

Dutch

right," said he,

same

peace with the Dutch.

to live in

use the company's lands.

ernor,

the approbation of the na-

"

to exhibit his title.

he was desirous

On

made with

the English governor called on the

that

to

—referred

which dated many years before the

of the existence of the river, and to their pur-

chase, which had been tives.

on the con-

on the superior right of the company

to their long possession,

the

the purpose of ob-

Op Dyck,

taining assistance from their friends. trary, insisted

April

and warned him,

kins, governor of Hartford, of his intention, at the

dif- chap.

He

time,

To

all

wished only

this neither the

gov-

nor the English people, would in any wise consent.

the contrary, the constable

ten or eleven

was

sent with a posse of

some

men, who attacked the Dutch on the following

day, while engaged ploughing the field in dispute, beat the horses, and frightened

them so

that they broke loose.

April

24

They

then returned next morning, and sowed the ground which the

Dutch had ploughed. Commissary op Dyck protested forthHopkins refused to make any reply to this

with, but Governor protest, " as

it

was

written in

Low Dutch." He called again

the commissary to produce his

title.

"

The

on

king," he said,

" would support the English in their right as firmly as the

Prince of Orange would the Dutch." tained that he

was not bound

the king of England, he well desire to

to

The commissary main-

produce his

knew

title

;

and as

for

that his majesty did not

do any thing that should injure another.

Hereupon

April

HISTORY OF

214

BOOK he took his departure, and sent a party to plant barley in the -^v~ '

Op Dyck

field.

These were

self to

do the work, but the English remained on the watch,

and would not

also driven

suffer

him

off.

then went him-

Evert Duyckingh,

to proceed.

another of the company's servants, having, in the

succeeded in getting into the

field

with a hat

mean

time,

full of barley,

commenced sowing the grain but had not proceeded far when he was knocked down with an adze, from which he received a severe wound on the head. Op Dyck was, thereupon, ;

obliged to withdraw his men, having previously warned the

English of the injury and wrong which his masters had sustained at their hands.

These criminations and recriminations

did not terminate here.

The English

termined to hunt the Dutch from the

were, evidently, de-

river.

They,

therefore,

continued their aggressions in every possible shape during the

May remainder of 30-

June

The clergyman Dutch

of Hartford

was conveying

driver

own use

They seized the horses and cows beGood Hope and impounded them for trespass.

the year.

longing to Fort

seized a load of hay, which a to the fort,

and applied

without giving any thing in return

;

it

to his

and when the

crop became ready for the sickle, the English drove off the Aug.

men

sent

vested

it

by the Dutch commissary to cut it down, and harIt was in vain that op Dyck protested,

themselves.^

They

or the Director-general remonstrated.

lacked either

means to vindicate their rights, and the people Op Dyck proceeded, of Hartford treated them accordingly. Oct. 25. some time after this, to Fatherland; and Jan Hendricksen Roesen was appointed commissary of Fort Hope, with a the will, or the

$173 per

salary of thirty-six guilders per month, equal to

num, and

The

an-

his board.^

Director and council were, in the

mean

engaged purchasing the claims of the Indians neighborhood

of the island of Manhattans.

staying the incursions of the English,

time, actively

to the soil in the

In the hope of

who

continued to extend their settlements westward, and in order " to maintain the charter and privileges granted

1

Hoi. Doc.

ix.,

"

Alb. Rec.

u.,

by

their

High Mightinesses

192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197. 104.

to

NEW NETHERLAND. West

the Noble the

India

Company,

in

215

New

Netherland," chap.

Cornehs van Tienhoven, secretary of the province, was patched early in the spring that group of islands,

River, " and

which lay

;

dis-

Archipelago," to purchase

mouth

at the

Norwalk

of the

^— ^p^jj' 19-

the adjoining lands, and to erect thereon the

all

standard and arms of the

General

to the "

to take the

High and Mighty Lords

the States

savages under our protection, and to pre-

vent effectually any other nation encroaching on our limits, or

making incursions on our land and

In further obe-

territory."

dience to instructions directing the purchase, in the names of the States General, of the Prince of Orange, and of the

Company,

India

of

all

lands

deemed proper

West

for tillage

and

pasture. Director Kieft bought, in the following month, from

" the great Chief Penhawitz," head of the Canarsee

him by

the land left to

hereditary rights and

his father

titles

tribe, all

on Long Island, with

all his

This purchase, together

thereto.^

with that from the Rockaway Indians, before mentioned, completed the

Dutch

title to all

folk,

by

which two points embraced

Island, over

bounded on the west by

the lands

the East River, and on the east

the present county of Sufthe territory on

all

which the Dutch ever exercised

While Director Kieft was fancying himself against

had thus secured

that he

further encroachments

all

Long

jurisdiction.^

ori

the part of the

named Farrett, presented himself at Fort Amsterdam, and claimed Long Island, under a commis-

English, a Scotchman,

sion from the Earl of

Stirling.

But

his

draw, followed by the jeers of the mob.^ not well gone,

'

now

Alb. Rec.

when

to with-

was, however,

a party of emigrants from Lynn, in the

The Canarsee

78, 83.

He

tribe

claimed the whole of the lands

included within the limits of Kings County, and a part of the town of

Jamaica. ^

ii.,

pretensions were

and himself dismissed, and forced

utterly disregarded

Thompson,

i.,

The Hon. Samuel The possessions

93.

Jones, in his Notes on

says, "

of the

Dutch on Long

New

De Witt

Clinton's Discourse,

Island never extended above

iii., 324. York." N. Y. by den Directeur Kieft gecomen een Schotsman, met een Engelse commissie en pretendeerden dit Lange Eylandt doch zyn pretens

thirty miles east of ^

In den jaar 1640

Hist. Soc. Trans,

is

;

warde

niet veel geacht

als alleenlyck dat

toogh van N. N.

;

hy het

dus vertrock hy weder sender yetwes uytterechten, slechte volck

wat induceerden.

Van der Donck, Ver-

May

HISTORY OF

216

BOOK colony of Massachusetts, crossed the Sound, and landed

Cow

--•^ west side of

commenced

they

-where

May

advanced

far

Neck, on

in

territory belonging to the

They were not Sachem Penha-

settlement.

a

when

operations,

their

at the

Dutch,

witz gave information to the authorities at Fort Amsterdam, *'

some

that

foreign strollers had arrived at Schouts Bay,

where

they were actually engaged building houses, felling trees, and that the said vagrants

had even hewn down the arms of

High Mightinesses."

expected intelligence. Director Kieft immediately sent

missary van Curler

their

])oubtful of the correctness of this un-

to inquire into,

Com-

and report on the matter.

This messenger corroborated, on his return, the information

The arms

given by the sachem.

of the

High and Mighty

Lords the States General had been contumeliously torn down, and a

fool's

had been

head carved,

in derision,

on the tree to which they

affixed.

This intelligence created considerable sensation Secretary van Tienhoven

sterdam.

at

was ordered

Am-

Fort

to proceed,

without delay, with an armed force to the ground, " to surprise

and surround the English, but to inquire

nesses

;

to avoid

having recourse to arms

who pulled down the escutcheon

by what

authority

it

of their

was done, and

;

High Mighti-

to bring the tres-

passers to the fort to defend their conduct, taking beforehand

an inventory of to

their goods."

conquer the English by

avoid bloodshed by

all

If,

however, there was no hope

force, the

was then

secretary

means, and to protest against the

to in-

truders.

May

At the break of day, Secretary van Tienhoven departed, accompanied by the under-sheriff, a sergeant and twenty

May

diers,

and arrived,

at the

on the ground where the

He found

ment.

being raised. ever,

one house

Howe,

built,

and a second

in progress of

the leader of the squatters, had,

withdrawn from the threatened danger, with

except " eight men, one woman, and a babe,"

answer

for the trespass

sol-

same hour on the following morning, English had commenced their settle-

how

all his parly,

whom

he

left to

and outrage which had been commit-

ted.

On demanding this party

the authority under

which they had

answered that they were empowered to

acted,

settle there

NEW NETHERLAND. by

Scotchman named

a

for the

left

Red

six

of

Lord

217

Stirling's

agent,

who

chap.

he had thrown down the Dutch j-^^

Hill, after

Thereupon

arms.

Farrett,

the trespassers, viz. Job

Gears,

George Wells, John Farrington, Philip and Nathaniel Cartland, were conveyed

or Kertland, and William Archer, or Harcutt,

Amsterdam

to Fort

been and

left

behind

in

two men, the woman and

;

charge of the property.

his prisoners arrived at the fort

On

child having

Van Tienhoven

on the 15lh May.

the following day, the prisoners

were examined on

terrogatories before the Director and council.

It

in-

May

appeared that

they came originally from Buckinghamshire in England, and

had been afterwards induced by Howe and Farrett to remove from Lynn, in Massachusetts, to Long Island. Their innocence of any intentional trespass having become manifest, they were liberated by the Director-general a couple of days May that they

afterwards, " on condition that they should leave the territory

This they engaged

of their High Mightinesses."

to

do under

their signatures.

Director Kieft forwarded a statement of these proceedings to

Governor Dudley

time to complam of

at Boston,

at the

same

territory.

But

and took occasion

this invasion of the

Dutch

the English governor represented that he had no authority over

those people.

They had

voluntarily departed from his juris-

diction.

Howe in the

and

fall.

them a

his associates returned to

Immediately

tract of

easternmost

the

land point

Long

Island again

after their ejection, Farrett granted

"bounded between Peaconeck and of Long Island, with the whole

breadth from sea to sea," " in consideration," as he acknowledges, " of barge-hire, and of having been driven by the

Dutch from

the place

where they were by

me

planted, to their

great damage, together with a competent sum, amounting to four hundred pounds sterling," for which he gave his receipt.

Here they planted the flourishing town of Southampton, in which they remained undisturbed. The ad-

the possession of joining

was

town of South Old, on the north side of the island, about the same time by some people from New

settled

England, without any opposition from the Dutch, to

who seem

have paid no attention to that section of the country.

28

This

June 12 q. s.

HISTORY OF

218

BOOK indisposition did not extend, however, to the parties

who haa

^-"^ estabHshed themselves east of the Manhattans, on the main,

1640 '

from

that they should be driven

Green-

called

Director Kieft protested against them,

wich.

them

now

Petuquapaen,

in the spring of this year, at

and warned

their holdings, if they

did not submit to the authority of his government.

were some of the salutary

by the

effects

Such

of the firmness exhibited

States General in 1638, and of the determination which

New

they then expressed, to protect

Netherland against the

attacks and invasions of foreign princes and potentates.^

The

New

interests of

Netherland were, meanwhile, occu-

The

pying the attention of the authorities in Holland. Jan.

General had already appointed,

Assembly of

several deputies to confer with the

States

beginning of the year,

at the

the

XIX.

concerning the differences between the Patroons and the com-

These were some plan whereby

pany.

served, but

its

same

settlement promoted, and

best possible

the

instructed, at the

time, to suggest

the country itself might not only be pre-

This

privileges.

inhabitants obtain

its

subject

reference

of

engaged the consideration both of the Assembly and of the July

of "

Freedoms and Exemptions,

private persons,

New

to July

midsummer, when, with High Mightinesses, a new charter

deputies from the States General until the approbation of their

who

for all Patroons, Masters, and

should plant colonies

in,

A

Netherland," was agreed upon.

or convey cattle

copy of

this im-

was laid before the States General, a few days afterwards, by the Honorable Elias de Raedt, who was duly accredited by his co-directors for that purpose. portant paper

Alb. Rec.

^

ii.,

4,

The

5,

7

6,

ii.,

;

84, et seq.

;

Winthrop's Journal, 204

Leechford, 44

;

Hoi. Doc.

ix.,

198

;

date of Farrett's deed of the Southampton grant

mentioned "document" error here in the year

1640.

to ;

have been 12th June, 1639.

all

the

Dutch and English

Mr. Thompson represents Farrett

(Hist.

L.

Winthrop's N. Eng.

;

Lond. Doc. is

i.,

stated

There

is

60, 61, 62. in the last-

evidently an

authorities fix the date in I.

ii.,

53)

as protesting

against the English for having entered on the above lands, of which proceeding, lished

it

is

added, he disapproved.

must have reference

to

The

protest

Mr. Thompson has pub-

some other transaction, as

it

will

be seen by the

extract above given from Farrett's deed of sale, that he acknowledges the English

had been planted by him.

protested against them.

He

could not, therefore, very properly have

NEW NETHERLAND,

219

This charter essentially modified that already granted. the

by the charter of 1 629 Company, were now ex-

place, the privileges confined

first

"members"

to

In chap.

tended to "

of the

India

good inhabitants of the Netherlands," who

all

were permitted

West

to

send three or four agents in the company's

ships to examine the country, cabin-passengers paying fifteen

a day

stivers

;

who went

those

in

" orloop," or 'tween

the

decks, to have their conveyance and board gratis.

In case

by these should not turn out afterwards as good as was expected, they were privileged to change it for the land selected

more

suitable localities

;

but the period allowed Patroons for

completing the number of

of four years

The

ly.

;

which they were

settlers,

fifty

obliged to convey to their colonies,

was

limited to three instead

one-third of the quota to be sent over annual-

extent of future colonies

(Dutch) mile, calculated

at

was

to

be confined

1600 Rhineland

four, along a coast, bay, or navigable river,

into the interior of the country. different sides of a river or

and

;

and

all

one of

two only

But no two Patroonships on to

right oppo-

itself,

the lands between colonies, to dispose thereof as

proper

to

bay should be selected

each other, the company reserving

site

to

rods, instead

it

as before,

might think

Patroons and colonists were to allow free pas-

sage by land and water to each other at the nearest point, and

with the least damage, submitting themselves, in case of dispute, to the decision of the Director-general for the time being.

To

these Patroons were to be continued the feudal priv-

ileges of erecting towns, appointing ofiftcers over the

same,

(saving the company's rights,) with "high, middle, and lower jurisdictions," exclusive hunting, fishing,

(grinding,) within

their

fowhng, and milling,

manors, to be holden as an eternal

heritance, to devolve as well to females as to males, and to

be redeemed on each such occasion, on the renewal of and homage

to the

fealty

company, by the payment, within a year,

of one pair of iron gauntlets and twenty guilders,' with the

understanding, that in case of division of the

'

Soo wel op vroiiw-oor

telckens

als

fief,

man-oor, te versterven ende te verheergewaden

met een paar ysere handschoenen aen de Compagnie

twintig gulden, &c.

or manor,

te

redimeren met

HISTORY OF

220

BOOK the parts were to possess the same privileges as the whole, -^v-^ each part to pay a similar fee as the whole, in case it should devolve to the original grantors.

Whoever should

hereafter convey himself, and five

souls

over the age of fifteen years, to New Netherland, was to be acknowledged " a master, or colonist," and entitled to claim

one hundred morgen, or two hundred acres of land, with the privilege

of hunting in the public forest, and fishing in the

public streams.

by these means,

If,

the settlement of masters,

or free colonists, should so increase as to

company was bound

lages, or cities, the

become towns,

vil-

to confer subaltern or

municipal governments on them, to consist of magistrates and which were, however, " to be selected ministers of justice ;

and chosen by the Director-general and council, from a

triple

nomination of the best-qualified in the said towns and villages, to

whom

shall

all

complaints and suits arising within their district

be submitted

;"

but from these courts, as well as from

those of the Patroons, an appeal

general and council, where the

hundred guilders, or forty tach to the sentence nal proceedings,

Fatherland.

;

was

sum

dollars, or

to lie to the Director-

in dispute

exceeded one

where infamy might

as well as from

all

judgments

at-

in crimi-

where the same was allowed by the custom of

The

protection of the

in case of war, to the colonists

;

company was

guarantied,

but these were bound to take

proper measures for self-defence, each male adult emigrant providing himself, in Holland, at his lock, or musket, of the

same

own

expense, with a

fire-

calibre as those in use in the

company's service, or a hanger (verjager) and side-arms. " No other religion was to be publicly tolerated or allowed

New

in

Netherland, save that then taught and exercised by au-

thority in the

Reformed Church in the United Provinces," for company promised to support and

the inculcation of which the

maintain good and

fit

preachers, schoolmasters, and comforters

of the sick.

The commercial privileges, accorded by the charter of 1629, were not only continued unchanged as far as Patroons were concerned, but now extended to all free colonists and inhabitants of

New

Netherland, and to the several partners of the

company, on the following conditions

:

That

all

goods

to

be

NEW NETHERLAND, sent from Holland to that country,

whether by the company, the be brought

to the

221 for sale, chap.

and intended

colonists, or the partners, should

company's warehouses

to

be examined, and

the duties thereon paid at the rate of ten per cent, on their

prime cost

;

the cargo not to be broken before the arrival of

the vessel at

company may

New

Amsterdam, or such other place as the

designate

;

and

cargoes, the value of which

five

was

to

per cent, on

be determined

all

return

in Holland,

beavers, otters, and other peltries excepted, which were to to the Director-general

cent, in cash, before leaving

of which a receipt of the furs.

was

pay

and council an export duty of ten per

to

New

Netherland, for the payment

be produced on pain of confiscation

But no person was

to leave

New

with any goods obtained in barter there, without

Netherland,

first

register-

ing them and obtaining a permit from the Director and council,

and binding themselves

to return, with their vessel

cargo, to the United Provinces, their freight into the

where they were

and

to discharge

company's magazines according

to their

manifest, under the penalty of losing both ship and cargo, in

case they had broken bulk, or of having any goods on board not duly entered.

This charter having, next, abolished the clause prohibiting the manufacture of woollen, linen, and cotton cloth, and other stuffs, and repeated the pledge to supply the colonists " with as

many

blacks as possible," the

reserved unto themselves estrays

;

forests

;

towns, and churches

that they

same ;

in

money

;

waifs

;

making roads peace and war founding

the right of coining

erecting forts, and using the cities,

company declared

great and small tithes

all

;

;

;

maintaining the supreme and

sovereign authority, the interpretation of

all

differences arising

out of these privileges, with the express understanding that nothing already granted to the Patroons, relating to " high,

middle, and low jurisdiction," should be, hereby, changed or

diminished.

The company,

finally,

pledged

itself to

appoint and support

within the province a governor, competent counsellors, officers, and other ministers of justice, " for the protection of the good

and the punishment of the wicked." council were to be committed

all

To

this

governor and

questions touching the free-

^^^^

HISTORY OF

222

BOOK doms, sovereignty, domain, finances, and rights of the General

West

^-'v^' '

Company

India

complaints in cases of privilege, un-

;

New

usual innovations, whether by foreigners, neighbors of

Netherland, or by the inhabitants of the latter country gether with the supervision of

all

with power to declare the same

corrupt, or to abolish

bad,

if

found so

be

to

to-

;

customs, usages, or laws,

them

as

they were also invested with the care

;

of minor children, widows, orphans, and other unprotected

persons, regarding

be made as of

whom,

whose

or

application

affairs,

to this court holding prerogative jurisdiction

;

was

matters relating to possession of benefices,

all

cases of

lesse majestatis, religion,

and

of

interests

such importance was several provinces

all

matters in

company were concerned.

the

new

this

fiefs,

criminal affairs, and

all

the administration of the laws and justice in

which the

to

as well

Of

charter considered, that the

composing the States General demanded

copies thereof, with a view of communicating to their respective constituents, and of the favorable conditions on

New

vited to

Though

first

increase of population of stock

—

same

pro-

—planting

cultivation of tobacco

new

lands,^

it

benefit,

of bouweries

by the

— introduction

and corn, and clearing and

must be acknowledged,

at the

time, that the temptations of the fur-trade were, on the

other hand, so great,

which habits

was

it

was

instance, on the island of Manhattans and

immediate neighborhood, of considerable

preparation of

in-

Netherland.^

the opening of the trade with the interior

ductive, in the its

making more generally known,

which immigration was now

to the

quick and

excessive profits

promised or produced, and the free and careless

it it

owing

engendered, that

it is

a matter of great doubt whether

eventually, a greater injury than service to the

not,

community, and an obstacle rather than an encouragement to

234, 235, 239-262.

'

Hoi. Doc.

'

In plaats van seven bouweryen ende twee a

waren, sagh

ii.,

men

dartich

bouweryen soo wel

als in Europa en hondert plantagies, die meerde bouweryen sonde geweest hebben. ;

drie plantagies, die alhier

geboiivi't

in

ende met bestiael versien

twee a

Want

drie jaaren

gront was, wort daer koren ingesmeten sonder ploegen.

men

besich

omme nieuw

landen te prepareren.

oock gefor-

Tabak uyt de Des Winters was

naerdat den

Journal van Nieu Nederlant.

NEW NETIIERLAND.

223 For a chap.

the prosperity and settlement of this infant province.

many, under the impression

great

time to

make

now was

that

the accepted

their fortunes, spread themselves abroad

own countrymen, whom

the Indians, far from their

garded with suspicion, as

rivals in

this

among

they re-

alluring trade

;

and

thus reduced to a dangerous degree the strength of the country, as

well as jeoparded their

own

of this indiscreet course

;

Too

individual safety.

was

great a familiarity with the Indians

also the

consequence

secure the friendship and

for to

preferences of these uncivihzed people, every sort of allure-

ment was had recourse to their tables

;

by

to

They were

the trader.

invited

helped to wine and other liquors, and other-

wise treated on such an equality, that quarrels and misunder-

Add

standings ensued rather than esteem and respect. the Indians,

whom

the

Dutch were

in the habit of

as servants, indulged in their natural propensities

more than

their

municated

to

wages came

their

to,

the domestic arrangements of the

tribes

their

and usages, so that they were enabled

knowledge

afterwards

often stole

;

and then running away, com-

Europeans, and made them acquainted with strength,

to this,

employing

account,

to

in

their

habits,

to turn this

wars, or other

attacks.^

The

Indians, on their side,

if

they were slow to perceive

the encroachments of the whites on their homesteads, were

soon

made

The

to feel the pressure of their presence.

cattle

of the new-comers, wandering abroad through the woods, un-

tethered and without a herdsman, destroyed the Indians' cornhills,

which were unprotected and unfenced

authorities,

with a fatuity not easily

broiled as they

were with

their

to

;

while the Dutch

be accounted

for,

em-

English neighbors, came to the

determination to levy tribute off the savages in corn, furs, or

wampum,

in return for the

red by the

ment

company

heavy expenses which were incur-

in the construction of forts,

and the pay-

of soldiers, and under the shallow pretence that the In-

dians were thereby defended from their enemies the savages, at the

same

;

threatening

time, that measures should be taken,

in case of non-compliance with these unjustifiable

" to remove their reluctance."^ >

Ibid.

«

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

65, 81.

demands,

^"^

HISTORY OF

224 BOOK

of unfavorable

This combination

circumstances required

but a sVmht addition to convert into estrangement M^hatever

'-'v^

1640 '

good understanding or friendship hitherto existed between the natives and the new-comers

and

;

this provocation

was not

long wanting.

The

inhabitants of

many

time as

Rensselaerswyck, who numbered

at the

traders as individuals, noting the avidity with

which the Mohawk

sought after fire-arms, willingly paying the

English twenty beavers for a musket, and from ten to twelve guilders for a

pound of gunpowder, were desirous

fire-arms to these

came soon known, and

traders

from Holland soon introduced

large quantities of guns and other munitions of

The Mohawks,

interior.

to share so

They commenced, accordingly, to furnish Indians. The profits which accrued be-

profitable a trade.

war

hundred warriors, swept the country from Canada coast,

levying

tribute

into the

thus provided with arms for four

on

surrounding

the

to the sea-

terror-stricken

tribes.^

The

latter,

especially such as dwelt along the

North River,

endeavored not the less to place themselves, as far as weapons went, on an equality with the Mohawks, and importuned the

Dutch

But

settlers for fire-arms.

forbidden the furnishing guns or

as the Director-general had

powder

to the Indians,

on pain

of death, the solicitations of the river tribes were in vain, and

they remained, comparatively speaking, as defenceless as before. It

was while the

aborigines

tated, that Director Kieft

alleged, to orders

were thus indisposed and

had recourse,

from Holland,

to the highly impolitic

ure of taxing the Indians, as before mentioned the '

more unwise,

as

it

;

eventuated in a long and ruinous war.

Dese extraordinaire winste wert

mennichte overgebracht, soodat vierroers,

kruyt en

loot

hebben haer voordeel weten

meas-

a proceeding

niet lange secreet

gehouden

den uyt Holland comende, hebben haest vernomen, ende van tyt

met

irri-

in conformity, as he

men

naer advenant. te

;

de Coopluy-

tot tyt groote

de Maquaas in corten tyt gesien heeft Vier hondert gewapende manneu

gebruycken, voomamentlyck tegen haer vyan-

den, woonende langs do Riviere van Canada, daer sy nti veel profytelyck togh-

ten opgedaen hebben, ende vantevooren luttel voordeels hadden

oock ontsien syn van de omiegende wilden, generalyck

tribtiyt

moeten geven.

tot

;

aen de zeecust

Journael van N. N.

dit doet

haer

toe, die haer

NEW NETHERLAND.

225

The

Indians expressed their astonishment at this proceeding chap. in loud murmurs against " the Sakema of the fort, for daring

make such exactions." Sneers and reproaches followed The Sakema," they said, " must be a mean fellow he had not invited them to come and live here, that he should now take away their corn." The Dutch they reviled and despised. *' They were Materiotty, or men of blood they had neither Great Sachem nor Chief," alluding to their country being a republic, " and though they may be something on water, they

1040

to

"

:

;

were good

The from

for nothing

Indians towards the Dutch assumed,

and such an appearance of

this date, a manifest change,

Director-general considered

hostility, that the

call

on land."^

feelings of the

it

necessary to May

on every inhabitant to provide himself with a gun, and

keep the same

in

good

Notice was issued

order.

at the

to

same

time to the people, that they should be warned, in case dan-

ger occurred through the night, by the discharge of three can Daerover de Wilden niet minder

*

gretracht

hebben

om

becomen

roers te

ende door de gemeensaamheyd die sy met de onse hadden, begonden haer

omme,

soliciteeren

roers

ende kruyt

maer

;

alsoo sulx

te

op de galge verboden

selve niet sekreet sonde

connen blyven, door de groote conversatie,

800 hebben sy niet connen obtineren.

Dit heeft, beneiFens de voorige cleynach-

was, ende

't

beweeght heeft tegen ons

tinge, de haet seer vermeerdeert, dat haer

con-

te

spireren, beginnende eerst door injurien die sy sonder discretie overal uytstrooy-

den, ons scheldende voor Materiotty

wy wel

:

yets te water mochten wesen,

(dat

is

maer

te

te

sonder Groote Sackima, ofte oversten waren. Vries

;

also

Report and Advice

in

seggen

:)

Bloode Menschen

Journael van N. N.

Appendix E.

;

Van

that Kieft alleged that the tribute on the Indians

der

was

Donck

:

dat

wy De

;

says expressly,

levied conformably to or-

ders from the directors in Holland, and that this led to the war.

—" Ja, het

;

en dat

compare

lande niet en dochten

His words

van den oorloch, volgens het seggen van den Dr. Kieft is mede eerst gesaeyt. Want de Directeur seyde expres ordre te " De oorhebben, om de contributie van de Wilden te vorderen." And again saake van desen oorloch oordeelen wy te wesen het vorderen van de contributie, daer de Directeur ordre van de Majores toe secht te hebben." Vertoogh van are

:

staet

in het Vaderlandt

:

Van Tienhoven

N. N.

ministration, to injustice,

does not undertake, in his defence of the colonial ad-

deny the exaction of

by saying

—

this tribute,

that no contribution in

but endeavors to palliate

com was

its

ever received from the In-

dians without having been paid for twofold, " for these people," he adds, " are 80 stingy that they

The ever,

would not give a herring unless they got a codfish

directors positively

been cognizant of is

its

deny having ever authorized any such

having been

levied.

inserted at length in Alb. Rec.

Hoi. Doc.

ii.

29

v.,

30.

in return."

contribution, or

Kieft's order,

how-

9.

HISTORY OF

226 BOOK non shots, ^-""^ fort,

at

which

signal they

each person under

When little is

were

to appear,

armed,

indisposed the one towards the

parties are

at the

his respective corporal.^

Some

required to produce collision.

of the

other,

company's

servants landed, about this time, on Staten Island to take in

water, on their

way

embarked, they

stole

and

to Captain

ment on

who

the

to

South River.

some hogs belonging

De

David

who

Vries,

Before they reto their

employers

then had an infant

settle-

The blame was thrown on the Indians

that island.

some fifteen or twenty miles distant, seemed the more probable, as they were charged

lived on the Raritan,

and whose

guilt

with having made an attempt, only a short time previous, to seize a yacht sent to that quarter for furs, and to kill

who, however, escaped with the Prudence,

it

among

to pass

over, in the present excited state of

the Indians, these petty aggressions, and to

have endeavored

to

moving the causes prudence formed no

calm

by inquiring

irritation

and

into,

of any discontent that might exist. trait

few swine, and an

of a

crew,

might reasonably be supposed, would have

prompted Kieft feeling

its

loss of their canoe.

The

in Kieft's character.

stealing

which

isolated attack on a boat,

uated in scarcely any loss of property, and no loss of

re-

But event-

life,

was

declared to be " a case of great consequence," affecting the dignity of the States General, the respect due to the July

and

its interest,

with an armed force of the

command

Neptune,

many

as for

fifty soldiers

of Hendrick

and twenty

sailors,

under

(Jerritsen, skipper of the ship the

to attack the Indians, destroy their corn,

and

to

make

prisoners as he could, unless the savages should sue

peace and pay damages.

Van Tienhoven lost who demanded permission to The secretary, Indians at once.

Arrived on the ground. his

company

and Secretary van Tienhoven was dispatched

followers,

plunder the

insubordination, quitted the party, warning

all

control over

slaughter and irritated at this

them

that they

should have to answer for whatever mischief might result

from

their disobedience.

garded.

He

had not

But

all

his monitions

were

retired three-quarters of a mile,

>

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

82.

disre-

when

—

;

NEW

NETIIERLAND.

one of the Indians was shot

227

the chief's brother,

:

whom

the chap. I-

party had taken prisoner,

was barbarously butchered by Go-

Loockermans, one of the party.

vert

were committed by

others, after

^^^

Similar acts of cruelty

which the

soldiers returned,

having burnt the crops belonging to the Indians, leaving, however, one Ross, the supercargo of the

Neptune, dead on the

field.

The

proceeding were soon per-

effects of this injudicious

Cornelis Melyn, Patroon of Staten Island, brought

ceptible.

number

out a

of farmers to settle his colonie, but in conse-

quence of these

them were deterred

several of

hostilities,

from going on the

island, as they originally intended,

and the

.

progress of this settlement was, for the moment, interrupted.^

The

settlers in

New Amsterdam

and around

were generally

supplied at this period from the company's store with what-

ever goods they required, at fixed prices, being, as already

advance on their prime

stated, fifty per cent,

these prices

follows

$3.25

:

was posted

The

spection.

—Indian

pork, 5 stivers stiv.

;

dried

;

fish,

of

list

conspicuous place for public

in-

value of produce and imported goods was as

wheaten

;

in a

A

cost.

60 cents

corn,

dollar,

flour, 1

fresh meat, 5 stiv.

12

barley, 2 dollars

;

butter, 8 stiv.

;

2 York shillings) per

stiv. (or

peas,

;

per schepel of three pecks

lb.

;

;

;

tobacco, 7

hard bread,

15 stiv.; cabbages, $12 per 100; staves, $32 per 1000 of

1200; a hog, 8 stiv.,

dollars

corn bread, 4

rye bread, 5

;

per loaf

stiv.

Spanish wine, 4

stiv.,

French wine, 10

and 24

lb.

grogram,

cloth, ell

;

stiv.

per

;

2 dollars, white

children's shoes,

40 cents

kettles,

'

;

a complaint

Alb. Rec.

i.,

263

;

ii.,

18

stiv.,

to

goods

stiv.

20

or six

per quart; sugar, 17

stiv.,

York

red flannel, $1.20 per shillings a pair

inhabitants

in the

wheaten bread, 7

kersey flannel, $1.20,

dollar,

1

The

apiece.

right to add, that the

valued

linen,

36

stiv.,

sour wine, $31 per hhd.

;

which was subsequently admitted

95, 96

and plunder.

;

Hoi. Doc.

been composed of " eighty is

accused of having given

is

iii.,

165

;

v.,

314.

De Vries it

says

was

I follow the text of the Alb. Rec.

moment Van Tienhoven.

to the soldiers themselves, at the

kation, even harsher orders than those he gave to

have

to

Another authority represents the party

soldiers."

it

company's store were over-

Tienhoven took one hundred armed men along with him, but that his orders to kill

brass

;

complained,

Van

against to

have Kieft

of embar-

-

:

HISTORY OF

228 BOOK

sufficient foundation in fact, for Ulrich

Lupoid, the storekeeper

•"^^ in charge, was found guilty of extortion and malversation, and *

sentenced by the Director and council, by and with the advice of the principal inhabitants, to removal from office in addition, a fine of eighty dollars,

and

to

to pay,

;

be banished

to

Hol-

His sentence was, however, afterwards remitted on Lupold's petition but he was ordered to satisfy the compa-

land.

;

ny

for his malversations.

The

first

factured,

ardent spirits ever

it is

made

said, at the close of this

by Willem Hendricksen, a

native of

in

America, were manu-

year in

New Netherland,

Wesepe

in Holland,

who

De& erected a private still on Staten Island, for Director Kieft, from which, during six or seven months that it was in operation,

he ran a considerable quantity of brandy and other strong

Hendricksen was allowed twenty-five guilders per month while thus employed.*

liquors.

Alb. Rec.

m »

i.,

156, 231, 232, 240, 248

;

ii.,

107, 116.

Hoi. Doc.

105,

v.,

/

NEW NETHERLAND.

CHAPTER

229

II.

—

Murder of one of the company's slaves by six other negroes Lots drawn to determme which should be executed Scene at the place of execution Proc-

—

— —New Haven —Protested against—Renewal of the

lamations against drunkenness, and regulating the currency people intrude on the South River culties

on the Connecticut

—Rev.

Hugh

—

Collision

diffi-

between the Dutch and English there

Peters sent by Massachusetts to England

proceed to Holland to

settle

;

commissioned to

the difficulties between Connecticut and

New

—Propositions submitted the West India Company by Governors Winthrop and Haynes— Several English families propose removing from Massachusetts Long Island—Privileges granted to them— A new colonie planted behind Newark Bay— Staten Island granted to Melyn— Other tlements at Hoboken— Increased misunderstanding between the Indians and the Dutch—The set a price on the heads of the Raritans — Peace concluded between both parties— A Weckquaesqueeck Indian assassinates a Netherland

to

to

set-

latter

Dutch

avenge the murder of

settler to

his uncle,

committed twenty years

—Kieft demands the murderer—His surrender refused—The mur—Meeting of the commonalty consequence— Election of " the der Twelve Men" —Their proceedings — Kieft displeased— Sends out expeditions against the offending but nothing— The Twelve Men seek forms the government — Absolute power of the Director-general — Exercises and functions— Demands of the Twelve Men — Answers of the Director-general thereupon— Meeting of the Twelve Men forbidden on pain of corporal punishment— Expedition against the Weckquaesqueecks —Fails discovering the enemy—Peace with these Indians. previously

in

justified

tribe,

re-

effects

in

judicial

legislative

in

To

those

who were

superstitiously disposed, and

whose an-

chap. n.

of

ticipations

the future received a coloring from passing

ill

omen.

many

New

Amsterdam, with an month of the new year had not counted

events, the year 1641

days,

The first when that

opened, in

" village"

was thrown

into considerable

excitement by intelligence that a murder had been committed

behind the

fort.

the horrid deed.

was no

Six of the company's slaves had perpetrated

A fellowslave

was

As

their victim.

evidence, however, against them, torture, the

there

common

expedient of the law in such cases, was resorted to for the

purpose of extorting self-accusation from the prisoners.

But

to avoid this terrible engine, the latter confessed that they

had

all

jointly

committed the

act.

The

court

was

in a

dilemma.

1641.

HISTORY OF

230

BOOK The company could not ^^-^ lose six of 1641 ja^jj_

by a resolution determine which of the

was

difficulty

in order to

The

afford, in the scarcity of laborers, to

Justice could not be defrauded.

neffroes.

its

solved

that lots should be six should

on Manuel de Reus, " the

lot fell

gia:nt,"

The drawn

be executed.

and he was ac-

cordingly sentenced to be hanged. Jan.

On

appointed day, the village

the

poured forth

its

He was

the murderer.

two strong

Amsterdam

placed on a ladder in the

halters around his

The

neck.

fatal

fort,

with

signal

was

man was

turned off, when, horrid both the ropes broke, and " the giant" fell prostrate

given, and the unfortunate to relate

New

of

scanty population to witness the execution of

!

Forthwith the inhabitants and bystanders cried

to the ground.

aloud for pardon with great ardor

and so strong were

;

their

appeals, that the Director-general granted the culprit his

life,

under a pledge of future good behavior. April

Some

municipal regulations were issued in the course of

observance of the Sabbath, and to

this spring for the better

The

check the prevailing vice of drunkenness on that day.

tapping of beer during divine service, or after ten o'clock at night,

was

strictly forbidden,

terioration of the

to prevent the de-

currency, which heretofore consisted, en-

of " the good splendid seawan, usually called Manhat-

tirely,

tans'

under a penalty of ten dollars for

Measures were also taken

each offence.

seawan," four beads of which were equal to one

But now, "

rough seawan,"

nasty,

surreptitiously introduced

fifty

stiver.

per cent, cheaper, was

from foreign places.

This drove,

according to the laws of currency, the better sort out of circulation nay, threatened " the ruin of the country." This ;

^p^jj 18.

inferior article

was

therefore

stiver during the following

which

rate

'

Alb. Rec.

Kieft ging de ses stucx in afFgeset

is,

the

at

one

six, at

unstringed

loose,

served the community as change.^ of these municipal reforms was, however, " Ter tyde van den Directeur

108, 109, 110, 111, 118, 119.

Seewan voor

vier die goet

een stuyver gestelt

om

Tienhoven.

ii.,

to pass at five for

month, and afterwards

subsequently,

circulated,

wampum, which The progress

condemned

;

was

de redenen

;

ende losse lompen wierden op

waerom de

losse

seewan

datter geen gelt anders hebbende, veel verliesen souden."

niet

is

Van

NEW NETHERLAND.

231

New territory. A

•now interrupted by the further attempts of the EngUsh at

chap.

Haven to usurp another section of the Dutch number of families some fifty in all belonging to that quarter, had become dissatisfied with their settlement on account

—

—

of the sickliness of the place, and concluded, in the

fall

of the

past year, to seek a more favorable climate and to remove to the South River, which country they claimed as part of Vir-

This expedition

ginia.

bark belonging

east,

New Haven

the encroachments of the

New Haven

people at the

and of the Swedes on the Delaware, fresh

lection. Director Kieft could not

eye on

merchant,

and communi-

in its progress south,

designs to the Dutch authorities.

its

With

sailing in the beginning of April, in a

a Mr. Lamberton, a

New Amsterdam

put into cated

to

this

movement, which

in his recol-

but look with an unfavorable

w^ould, in the nature of things,

only add to the competition the Dutch were already contending against on the South River, in their trade with the natives, as well as to the difficulties which their

He

already encountering.

duty

to express his

considered

to the

title it,

soil

therefore, to

was

be his

disapprobation of the proceeding on the

threshold, and accordingly ordered the following protest to be

served on the interested parties " I, WiLLBM Kieft, Director-general in behalf of the High :

and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Provinces, of his Highness of Orange, and the Noble Lords Directors

West make known

of the Privileged

Netherland,

Company,

India to you,

associates, not to build nor plant on the

within the limits of the

New

residing in

New

Robert Cogswell, and your

South River, lying

Netherlands, nor on the lands

extending along there, as lawfully belonging to Us, by our possessing the same long years ago, before

by any

Christians, as appears

thereon

;

and also the mouth of the

it

was frequented

forts

which we have

rivers

sealed with our

by our

most of which has been purchased and paid for by Us, unless you will settle under the Lords the States, and the Noble West India Company, and swear blood, and the soil

allegiance and

have done.

itself,

become

subject to them, as the other inhabitants

Failing whereof,

we

protest against

all

damages

April

8.

HISTORY OF

232 BOOK and losses which

may

accrue therefrom, and desire to be

^''^ holden innocent thereof." 1641 To this protest, Cogswell,

who

Fort Amsterdam, replied, that

under any government, but

to

States General had no authority

was

be found,

to

it

was

subject,

;

and

no such place

in case

his determination to return

settled within tlie limits of their

and swear allegiance

tion the party

lay in the stream opposite

was not his intention to settle select some spot over which the it

was allowed

or, if

;

he

High Mightinesses, to become With this explanato them.'

On

to proceed.

their arrival at the

place of their destination, they purchased from the Indians large tracts of land on both sides of the South River to plant

and

set

up trading-houses on Varken's

Creek, and a short time afterwards

;

began

Kill, or

Hog

a post on the

fortified

Schuylkill.2

With

the return of the season for putting in the crops, the

difficulties

were renewed between the Dutch and the English Pieter Colet, Evert Duyckingh, and

on the Connecticut. April

Sybrant Sybols, set about preparing the company's lands

around Fort Good Hope, but had not progressed far when a " Ye are smart farof Hartford people came along.

number mers

to

salute

;

be abroad so early in the morning," was their " but the ground ye work on

ours

is

!"

would not submit

first

Pieter Colet

We

"

to any such pretension. plough our ground," he replied, " and we are determined to maintain !" " retorted the Englishmen, " will ye What our right,"

own

And thereupon

three resist the whole English village ?" fell

off the ground. to

Colet and Duyckingh proceeded immediately

Governor Hopkins and Mr. Haines

question of

April.

they

on the Dutch servants, and beat both them and their horses

title

was here mooted

left,

repeating their

God

!"

Two

—

plough

to

their

own

soil.

the

Dutchmen

the

Almighty

They kept

their words.

days afterwards they proceeded again to work, and were

again driven off by the Hartford men, their

But

for redress.

again, and the

determination — " please

implements of husbandry into the

'

Hoi. Doc.

'

Hazard,

ix.,

ii.,

who

river,

not only threw

but ran a strong

205.

213.

Acrelius, Hist, of

New

Sweden.

NEW NETIIERLAND.

233

fence of palisades across the road leading from the fort to the chap,

woods, in order to cut off

mer and

communication between the

all

Dutch could procure

the interior, so that the

for-

neither

any other necessaries. In addition to this, they impounded the company's hogs and cows, and, though the Dutch fuel nor

broke down the fence and threw the palisades the English continued their annoyances in

all

24.

into the river,

possible ways.

Hendrick Roesen, the recently appointed commissary of this post,

having deceased shortly after his arrival on the Con-

widow, Elsje Goosens, transmitted

necticut, his

intelligence of

these unneighborly and unjustifiable proceedings to Fort

The

sterdam.

Director-general and council ordered Doctor

Johannes La Montagne

to

couple of yachts, to Fort

Good Hope,

repair, with fifty soldiers

prevent a recurrence of these

hostilities

The

understandings with the Indians. to

have

Dutch, as the

They

as

felt

much

and a June G.

defend that post and

to

was subsequently countermanded, owing seem

;

but this expedition

to the continued mis-

authorities at Hartford

aggrieved by the resistance of the

latter felt injured

by the attacks of the English.

took immediate steps to confer with the governor and June

council of Massachusetts on the subject, but the

latter,

with-

out determining the case for either side, recommended the

Hartford people to be more moderate in their proceedings,

and

to allow the

were the

limits

Good Hope.^ The news

Dutch more than thirty acres of land, which to which the English had restricted Fort

of the

fall

revolutions

were

at

Laud had now

of Strafford and of

"

reached the English colonies.

Upon

the supposal that great

hand," the general court concluded to send

delegates to England, to congratulate the people of that country

'

May

Am-

on

Hoi. Doc.

State Papers,

N. Eng.

happy success

their

ii.,

ix.,

to assist

199, 200, 201, 202, 203

N. Y.

ii.

;

Hist. Soc. Coll.

i.,

Alb. Rec.

274, 275.

their advice in

ii.,

123.

Hazard's

Winthrop alludes

(Hist.

32) to this order of Kieft's to send troops to the Connecticut, and

then adds, " but

it

pleased the Lord to disappoint their purpose at that time, for

the Indians falling out with them, killed

Orange,"

;

them by

[this is

an

error,

some

of their

men

at the Fort of

was at Staten Island ;] " whereby they were home to defend themselves." Winthrop's Joum.

it

forced to keep their soldiers at

224, 225.

30

234

HISTORY OF

BOOK establishing a right form of church-government, and

*

The

remittances at that time.

important mission

bury

;

to explain

reasons which prevented them sending

their creditors the

to

individuals selected for this

Welde, pastor of Rox-

the Rev. Mr.

vi^ere

Mr. Hibbins, of Boston

mem-

Mr. John Winthrop, a

;

ber of the Massachusetts council

and the Rev.

;

Hugh

Peters,

pastor of Salem, since -well knovv^n on account of the active

part which he took against Charles the First, the unhappy

monarch of England he suffered

after the Restoration,

on the

'

was born

and which terminated only

scaffold.^

The Rev. Hugh Peters,

family,

in 1599,

the descendant of a wealthy and ancient English

and graduated

at

Cambridge, England,

received holy orders from Dr. Mountain, Bishop of

London

;

He

in 1622.

but in consequence

was

which he took against the bishops, he

of the active part

in favor

and the great misfortunes which

;

by

his death

which he evinced

the fiery zeal

;

Cromwell

of the usurper

forced to leave the

country, and to retire to Holland, where he officiated as minister to an English

He

congregation at Rotterdam.

proceeded

to

New

England

in 1634,

and was

there elected minister of the church at Salem, and officiated afterwards in the great meeting-house in Boston, at which place he enjoyed a high reputation

and was much respected. he was sent by the for the purposes

On

mercial privileges.

tached himself

to

He

judgment."

ambassador

in the text,

his arrival,

and

England

of seven years,

to the parliament of

also to obtain

he found the

civil

war

was under the

Holland

at

in 1643, in several cities of

height,

its

and

at-

I.,

which country he

that the English ambassador. Bos-

necessity of complaining of

him

to the States General.

which he accused the king

of exciting the Catholics of Ireland against

well and his partisans in that country it

is

said,

;

and such

effect

to

in

Crom-

had these sermons,

gave their wedding-rings

He

Amsterdam,

delivered a series of discourses to the English congregation at

crowds of women,

England,

some favorable com-

the Parliamentarians with a " zeal which overwhelmed his

visited

preached so violently against Charles well,

New

After a residence in

colonies as their

mentioned

that

supply the English

The Dutch connived at the whole of these proceedwas subsequently appointed chaplain to Cromwell, of whom he thorough a partisan, that he gave God thanks for the Drogheda mas-

malecontents with funds. Peters

ings.

was

so

sacre, blood.

where between three and

four thousand people

In the part he took against Charles

character of the bitterest passion, and he

most

terrible denunciations

which he preached

is

I.,

against that unfortunate

said to

is

have taken

tlu-one of

monarch

assumed the

in the

God."

fetters of iron,"

sermon

" Bind

fast

were the words

when he compared Charles to Baand saints, " not inferior to those who sur-

for his text,

rabbas, and the red-coats to saviours

round the

to death in cold

opposition

before his majesty previous to his execution.

your king with chains, and your nobles with

which he

were put

his

represented as having uttered the

But

it

is

to be

hoped that in

this particular the

NEW NETHERLAND.

235

As Mr. Peters had, by his previous residence in Holland, become well acquainted with many of the directors of the West India Company, the governors of Massachusetts and

chap.

^^^jj^

Connecticut considered this a favorable opportunity to en-

deavor to enter into such arrangements with that body, as

might obviate the recurrence of those

collisions

late

which In

had disturbed public harmony on the Connecticut River.

hope, they furnished the Rev. Mr. Peters with the follow-

this

by a

ing letter of credence,^ accompanied

which,

tions,

if

series of proposi-

concurred in by the directors, would, they ex-

pected, be productive of beneficial results.

" Whereas, the bearer, Mr.

Hugh

Peters, mmister of Salem,

England, to negotiate with

sent, at the public request, to

is

the present parliament there about such matters as concern us,

which we confide him,

and

to his care

with the

West

Company

India

there, concerning a peaceable

neighborhood between us and those of

whatever he dies

shall further think

we have

wherefore

;

authorize

fidelity, this is to

occasion permit him to go to the Netherlands, to treat

if

is

Dr. Lingard says, "

overcharged, for

that Dr. Juxon, Bishop of London,

West

In-

agreed and consulted with each

honor of that fanatical preacher," that

God

it

was

it

willing, to

should be recorded to the

at the request of

had been permitted

Hugh

Peters,

attend on Charles

to

After the Restoration, the Rev. Mr. Peters was ac-

preparatory to his death.

His

cused as a regicide.

Netherland, and

such great importance,

other, in a matter of

accusation

New

proper touching the

trial

was a scene

allowed no counsel, and was sentenced to not substantiate the charges on

He was

of flagrant injustice.

though even

die,

false witnesses did

He was

which he was condemned.

hanged on

the 14tli Oct. 1660, exhibiting, even at the gallows, the most indomitable cour-

"

age. tioner life

You may

do your worst," was his

and with these words " the

;

for opposition

to

first

last

address to his unfeeling execu-

freeman of Massachusetts who

monarchy," was launched

into eternity.

lost his

His course and

Those

his character have been differently appreciated by friends and enemies.

praise

and these asperse, according as

ever wishes to arrive at a just conclusion,

32

ii.,

;

Aitzema,

ii.,

Lingard's Hist. Eng. 1

Winthrop's

x.,

New

Eng. 371, 432, 433.

936

may

Von Reaumer's

;

it

will

be seen,

Who-

judgment.

their

consult Bancroft's U. S.

Eng.

Pol. Hist, of

ii.,

i.,

399

383 ;

;

and

257.

Eng.

ii.,

25, 26, 31, 32

;

Journal, 225

;

Hubbard's

New

Hubbard, copying Winthrop, says that Peters did not

carry a commission with him to treat with the this,

swayed

bias has

all

these

New

England

West

India

Company.

authorities are in error.

But

in

Oct.

—

HISTORY OF

236 BOOK reduce the particulars

be treated

to

such propositions as

of, to

"•"^ shall be presented on coming together. " John Winthrop, (Signed)

Gov. of Massachusetts. " John Haynes,

Gov. of Connecticut. " This lOth day of Oct. 1641, of Massachusetts, in

The

Bay

in the

New

England."

" propositions" referred to in the above

West

mitted to the

Company, were

India

letter,

and sub-

:

" 1. That the Honorable Company will be pleased to devise some expedient for the settlement of the limits between New England and New Netherland, or at least to define for us their limits.

"

II.

That

their

Honors

will

wholly abstain from molesting

our people on the Fresh River,

we

alias the Connecticut, since

are willing that indifferent persons,

may examine

found,

our

" III. That the said

if

any such can be

title.

company

will set a price

on their plan-

they have any intention to part with it. " IV. That if any Englishmen should remove from our dis-

tation, if

trict to

the continent of the

West

Indies, being provided there-

for with all necessaries, except ships

company should to require

furnish,

and ordnance, which the

what conditions would they be willing

?

" V. That the company, knowing that the English in America

amount

to about fifty

inform us in what manner the great selves,

work

may be

thousand souls,

we

there, being of the

and such as we hope

pleased to

can be employed in advancing

may

same

religion with them-

be trusted, and furnish us

with an analysis of such government as they, in conjunction with us, would be willing to grant there. " VI. That the company would be pleased in see in the inhabitants of

New

forty thousand souls, a people

who

the planting of the gospel above trouble or injury in any •

Hoi. Doc.

possibly

may

ix.,

224, 225.

not accord in

all

England,

all

is

things to

about

covet peace in their ways, things,

manner whatever The above

all

who number and not

to cause

to the company."*

a translation from the Dutch, and

expressions with the English original.

NEW NETHERLAND. What

237

issue followed these propositions

The

determine.

terrible

crisis

we

are unable to chap.

had overtaken Ensrland

that

and the English monarchy, absorbed exclusively

New

tention.

moment

New

England and

men's

at-

Netherland were for the

It is evident,

alike forgotten.

'^^ 164X

all

however, that a desire

among the English at the east, to remove to the territories of the West India Company, A considerable number of " respectable Englishmen" came in the course of this summer from Lynn and Ipswich, Massachusetts, to examine the Dutch lands on Long Island, and to treat very generally prevailed

with the Director-general for permission to

with their

settle,

This permission was readily accorded on

clergyman, there.

the following very favorable terms, in conformity with the pro visions of the charter of 1640,

Dutch

future grants from the

They were

which formed the basis of

High Compa-

the oath of allegiance to their

to take

West

Mightinesses the States General and the

India

ny, and in return, to enjoy free exercise of religion, and

desired to have a magistracy from

were

be allowed

to

to

all

to the English.

among

if

they

themselves, they

nominate three or more persons from the

most respectable among them, from which the Director-general

would

select one or

invested with the

power

amount of

sum an

more schepens,

forty guilders, or sixteen dollars, above

appeal was to

lie to

punishment.

by

to

be shown

ground they might taxes for ten years

to

them

select, ;

at

free

but not

to,

They were empowered

could not construct forts except

were

which

the Director-general and council.

In criminal cases, they might proceed tal

or magistrates, to be

to decide definitively in all civil cases to

inflict

capi-

to erect towns,

special

leave.

but

Lands

of expense, and whatever

they were to hold free of rent or

the expiration of which time, they

should be holden to pay the tenths of the produce.

They

were, in addition, to enjoy free hunting and fishing, and unshackled commerce, conformably to the privileges granted to

New

Netherland, but they were bound, in return, to

make use

of the weights and measures of the country.^ '

Alb. Rec.

manor.

ii.,

122, 123, 169.

The above

privileges

were those of a simple

Schepens were town magistrates whose authority was confined to

causes between private individuals

;

matters of municipal polity

;

management

June

6.

;

HISTORY OF

238 BOOK j^^^

The

families above referred to did not follow

moving

tention of

" very

fair

Long

to

Though

Island.

up

their in-

satisfied

with the

terms" which the Dutch authorities offered, and

which, with few exceptions, were similar to the immunities

which they enjoyed

in Massachusetts their court was offended at their " strengthening the Dutch, our doubtful neigh;

them

bors," and at their accepting from

had already granted by patent

to the

which the king

that

They

Earl of Stirling.

viewed, also, with particular displeasure, the assent which the English had given to the " oath of fealty." The consequence, Oct. 6. therefore,

was, that the proposed emigration was prevented,

and the parties were persuaded

to

remain

in

New

England.^

Respectable Dutch planters continued, however, to take an

A

interest in the settlement of the country.

" colonic,"

new

which Meyndert Meyndertsen, the Heer Nederhorst, was Patroon, was established in the beginning of this year on the of

main behind Staten

and extended from Achter Cul, or

Island,

Newark Bay, north to Tappaan. Cornelis Melyn, 1640. merchant, who visited New Netherland in 1639, had July

3.

from the directors authorizing

him

to

in

Holland an order

erect the

same

kirkers,"

who had

obtained

Staten Island,

for

a " colonic."

into

1641. having, on his voyage out, been taken prisoner Feb.

Dutch

a

also captured his vessel,

by

the "

But Dun-

he was obliged

to

apply to the company for a passage for himself and family, Aug.

which

obtaining, he arrived in

20.

New

Netherland

in the

middle

.

of the following

summer, with

his

wife, children, servants,

and a small venture valued

at

about one thousand guilders,

Eyckenboom,

or

Oak Tree.

the ship the

On

town revenues, and the welfare and security of

of

same was permitted by people of a double or

their locality, so far as the

the above-mentioned charter.

triple

The nomination by

number, from which the executive was

the person or persons to be commissioned as magistrates, the custom prevalent in various localities,

down

many

parts of

to 1672,

in

the 19th June,

was

in

the

to choose

conformity

to

Holland, where the inhabitants of

submitted a double

list

to the

Stadtholder,

from which he selected one half to be magistrates. A somewhat similar custom prevails in England and Ireland, where the circuit judges submit the names of three gentlemen as sheriffs, from which list the crown " pricks" one to be

commissioned as high

also Institutions Judiciaires, '

Winthrop's N. Eng.

ii.,

sheriff" of

the county.

165, 166.

iii.,

34

;

Journal, 226, 227.

See Van Leeuwen's Cora.

NEW NETHERLAND.

239

1642, letters patent were issued, constituting him patroon of chap. the

whole of Staten

Vries ^j^^^

him with

and pre-eminences appertaining

De

bouwerie of Capt.

Island, the

excepted, and investing

the powers, jurisdictions,

all

to that privileged order.

Aert Teunissen van Patten took a lease, this year, of Hoboken, situate in Pavonia, which he stocked with all sorts of cattle, and on which he erected a respectable bouwerie, and planted a considerable number of fruit-trees. So favorable, indeed,

became

the prospects of the country, that the

Director-general and council

Amsterdam

one

;

two

established

fairs

October, for cattle generally

;

the other on the

New

at

Sept.

15

be holden annually on the

to

fifteenth

first

of

No-

vember, for hogs.'

The

some time between summer, to increased misunderstanding, accompanied by the shedding of Staten Island became again the theatre of these sad blood. the

which had existed

ill-feeling

Dutch and

The

deeds.

for

the Indians, led unfortunately, this

Raritan

tribe,

smarting under the attacks of the

Dutch in the preceding spring, which they considered the more unjustifiable, inasmuch as they were guiltless of the charges made against them, determined now that the " Swannekins," as they called the Europeans, should have dead

They

instead of dead hogs to fight for.

descent on the bouwerie belonging to Captain

This

assault,

which was the

been suing

as the Indians had

more unexpected

a

Vries, on

and burned his

four of his planters,

Staten Island, killed

dwelling and tobacco house.

De

men

made

accordingly

for peace, and had assured the Dutch that the " talk" of their chief

would be forthcoming in a few days, excited considerable anger in the mind of the Director-general. He forthwith resolved

—

contrary, however, to the express

superiors, cultivate

who

good understanding with the Indians

of extermination against

247

Alb. Rec. ;

about

ii.,

134

;

De

Vries Voyag. in

time were gl.,

:

or

13

iii.,

this

milch cow, 150

of his July

him to wage a war

who

for

ii.

;

xix.,

N. Y.

;

to

resided in the neighborhood, to 143, 144

;

GG,

Hist. Soc. Col.

a mare 400

$60

—

Raritans, and with that view in-

tlie

vited his savage allies, '

commands

seriously and particularly enjoined on

Alb. Rec.

gl., i.,

or

$160

266.

i.,

;

102, 103

;

264.

The

a

250

colt,

Hoi. Doc.

iv.,

prices of stock gl.,

[f 100

;]

a

4.

HISTORY OF

240

To

BOOK take up arms in favor of the Dutch.

he offered ten fathoms of

thirst for blood,

stimulate their

wampum

every

for

jl^^ "

head of a Raritan, and twenty fathoms

who murdered

of the Indians Sept.

for

each of the heads

the people on Staten Island.

a further measure of precaution, he ordered a small redoubt to be erected on that island " at the lowest expense."*

These rewards did not some of the neighboring

fail

arouse the bad passions of

to

Pacham,

savages.

who

Tankitekes, or Haverstraw Indians, of Sing Sing, soon

made

chief of

the

resided in the rear

his appearance at the fort with the

hand of a dead man dangling longed to the chief who had

at the

end of a

stick.

killed the planters

It

be-

on Staten

Island and the savage, in presenting it, boasted that he had thus avenged the wrongs of the Swannekins, " whose friend ;

Peace was fortunately concluded, some time subDutch and the Raritans, which, to

he was."

sequently, between the their

honor be

it

said, the latter forever after faithfully pre-

served unbroken, even

when

tribes raised the hatchet

and the warwhoop against the inhab-

itants of

New

the whole of the neighboring

Netherland.

Peace had not been concluded, however, before another murder was to be recorded. The child, whose uncle had been assassinated by the servants of Director Minuit, in 1 626, had now grown to manhood. His uncle's spirit was still unappeased his murder was unavenged. His voice was heard

—

in the roaring of the storm

sighing of the winds spirit

—

in the rustle of the leaves

and

;

Alb. Rec.

for the

ii.,

for a victim to offer to the

This disgraceful practice of offering rewards

128, 129, 133.

murder of Indians, was common

for

a long time after this in the Amer-

Gov. Hunter, of Pennsylvania,

ican colonies.

Indian or

offered, in 1756,

enemy over twelve years of age child under twelve, $130 or $50 for

male Indian

;

;

Dunlap's N. Y. "

in the

could not find rest until vengeance should be had, the

young Weckquaeskeeck^ sought '

—

of the conviction that that

full

Opposite

ii.,

App.

Tappaan

Van Tienhoven,

De

River, five (twenty) miles above ;

for

every

a female

woman.

clxx., clxxxi.

[says

Vries] lies a place called

describing this place, states

land for cultivation

$150

for his scalp, or for

the scalp of an Indian

New

contains considerable

planted, rismg from the shore

;

:

Wechquaesqueeek.

" Wechquaesqueek, on the North

Amsterdam,

is

mayze

in the interior the

a right good and land,

suitable

which the Indians

country

is flat

and mostly

—

NEW NETHERLAND. manes of the dead.

Shrouding his

cloak of a friendly, or business

visit,

one Claes Cornelisz. Smits, the

evil

241

purpose under the chap.

he called

at the

house of

Raadmaker," an aged

set-

resident on the west side of the river, under pretence of

tier,

making some purchases.

The

had been

(for the Indian

old

man

suspecting no harm,

in the habit of w^orking for his son,)

some food before him, and then proceeded to get from a which it lay, the cloth which the other wished to purchase. The moment he stooped, the savage seized an axe, struck him dead, and then withdrew, having rifled the house set

chest, in

of

all its

contents.

This aggression on an old and helpless

man

excited,

when

became known, considerable feeling at Fort Amsterdam. Director Kieft promptly demanded satisfaction from the chief to whose tribe the murderer belonged. But the sachem reit

fused to

"

make any atonement.

Christians

He was

had not been immolated

sorry that twenty Aug.

the

;

Indian had but

avenged, after the manner of his race, the murder of a rela-

whom

tive

On

Dutch had

the

taliate,

slain nearly

armed

receipt of this answer,

twenty years before."

parties

were sent out

to re-

but they returned, having effected nothing.^

In this state of

Director Kieft, in order to obviate

affairs.

public censure, concluded to submit matters

munity

dents of

New

now

to the

all

com-

All the masters and heads of families, resi- Aug

at large.

Amsterdam and

neighborhood, were, there-

its

on the 28th day of August, then and there to determine on " something of the first importassemble

fore, invited to

ance."

The

in the fort

people met.

It

was

the

first

time that their exist- Aug.

ence as a component part of the body politic had been recognised, or their influence

acknowledged.

Three propositions

them by the Director-general and council was not just that the recent murder should be avenged, and the village destroyed to which the murderer

were submitted Firstly,

even

;

to

Whether

it

very abundantly watered with small streams and running fountains.

is situate between two rivulets called Sintsinck and Armonck, lying between the East and North rivers." Bedenkinge over het aenvaerden van de landeryen in N. Nederlant.

This land

'

Journael van

1641

;

also Hoi.

Nieuw Nederlant

Doc.

v.

314.

De

;

Capt. Patrix brief in dato den 21 Aug.

Vries corroborates the statements in the text.

31

Oft

HISTORY OF

242 BOOK belonged,

—

if

he were not surrendered or punished

Secondly,

?

In what manner this object ought to be accomplished *

By whom

Thirdly,

On

Aug.

the project should be effected

the day following, the

commonalty of

and the adjoining settlements, handed

The

propositions.

woods

tered through the tance.

was

It

harvest

was

many

;

New ;

on these

the cattle scat-

of the inhabitants at a dis-

therefore considered prudent to wait for a

more

" Mean-

opportunity to prosecute this undertaking.

fitting

and,

Amsterdam,

in their opinions

unsaved

still

1

?

all the means were to be got ready, and the Director-genwas requested to procure two hundred coats of mail (malj

while eral

rocken) from the north, as well for the soldiers as for the free-

men who may be was

It

trade in corn,

willing to

may

their share in these expenses."

;

in

order to throw the

and that no person, of whatever rank

any account adopt any

be, should on

and the

that kind intercourse,

be continued as usual,

savages off their guard

he

pay

recommended

further

hostile

measures,

except against the murderer, until the hunting season, when, it

— one

was suggested, two expeditions should be got up

land in the neighborhood of " the Archipelago," or Island

—

the other, at

Director-general the van")

to

Norwalk

Wechquaesqueck on which occasions the it was significantly hinted should " lead ;

(who

was advised

to

employ as many of the most

active

negroes as he could spare, to be armed each with a tomahawk

and half-pike.

In the

mean

time,

it

was strenuously urged,

that

a messenger should be sent once, twice, " yea, even a third time," to demand, in a friendly manner, the surrender of the

murderer, in order that he be punished according to his deserts.

Twelve men were then chosen by to co-operate

the

commonalty

at large,

with the Director-general and council, in the exe-

The names of these delebody of which we have any

cution of the foregoing conclusions. gates

—the

mention

first

in the

representative

annals of this state

—were, Jacques

Jan Dam, Hendrik Jansen, David Pietersen

De

Bentyn,

Vries, Jacob

Maryn Adriaensen, Abram Molenaer, Fredrik LubJoachim Pietersen, Gerrit Dircksen, George Rapelje, and Abram Plank.* They were immediately sworn into office. StofFels,

bertsen,

»

Hoi. Doc.

v.,

327, 328, 329.

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

136, 137.

NEW NETHERLAND. De

Capt.

Vries having been

named

243 president

their

but, chap.

;

though in every sense of the word the representatives of the ^^v~ people, their influence over the councils or determinations of

the Director-general does not appear to have been very great.

made

Kieft

concession to popular rights neither willingly

this

nor in good

faith.

It

was wrung from him rather by the nehim from

cessities of the times, to serve as a cloak to protect

responsibility or censure

;

be cast aside when

to

it

ceased to

serve this purpose.^

He was sions to

not,

seems, altogether pleased with the conclu-

it

which the commonalty had come

to attack the Indians, against

whom

judices and dislike, and, therefore,

he called the Twelve

Men

when

the winter approached,

—

to obtain

—not

in a Nov.

1.

consent to an

their

"as the time and opportunity were presenting themselves

to surprise the Indians

majority

still

on their hunting expeditions."

The

counselled patience.

ficiently lulled

—

were

it

better,

from Patria

of a vessel

val

he was impatient

again into his presence

body, however, but separately attack,

;

he entertained strong pre-

;

But

the

savages were not suf-

some added,

to await the arri-

and thus Director Kieft was

obliged to defer, to a future time, his attack on the unsuspecting natives.^

But

*

purpose against the Indians did not sleep, for

his

The moment

that.

Van

der

Donck

says, very plainly, that Kieft allovped these representatives to

be chosen merely " to serve him as a cloak, and as cats-paws" neither vote nor voice in the council, ions differed

the country.

De

who

maar sy waeren

;

oorloch en eenige andere voorvallende saaken gekoren,

cattepooten te dienen als

;

anders

;

endat

quamen

in

geen

om

ten opsien van den als

consideratie,

deckmantel en

en werden wey-

sy tegens des Directeurs meyninge yetwes verstonden

sich doch inbielde, ofte

wesen

their opin-

looked upon himself as sovereign in

12 mannen" (he says) " en daernaer de acht, hadden in

gerechtsaacken noch stem, noch advys

nich geacht,

— that they had

and were of no moment, when

from that of the Director, "

alles. in

Men

were

to

have any participation

was one

of the

correct one. "

die

in the

management of public

affairs

Twelve ;

though

Twelve) alleges that they were elected to take of the government with Kieft. Van der Donk's view is, no doubt, the

Vries (who

the reins

;

immers andere wilde doen geloove, als ^ouverain te Kieft stont te doen en te laten."

zyn handt absoluyt

himself repudiated, before three months were passed, the idea that the

De

all

the winter effectually set in, and the rivers

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

140, 141.

1642.

I

HISTORY OF

244

affain called on the Twelve Men, to take into their consideration the three propositions which he had already submitted to them, and to decide what was best to be done. They could no longer, now, refuse their

BOOK and streams became frozen over, he

^— III.

.

'

concurrence in the wishes of the Director-general. er of Claes Smits

They Jan.

for

The murder-

had neither been delivered up nor punished.

therefore consented that preparations should be

an expedition,

which they promised

in

made

their co-operation,

provided, however, the Director himself accompanied them, to

prevent

all

disorder

and on condition,

;

powder and

furnish, in addition to for the expedition, "

ball,

also, that

he should

provisions necessary

such as bread and butter

and appoint,

;"

moreover, a steward to take charge of the same, in order that " If any person required any all waste should be prevented. thing

more than bread and " But

therewith."

if it

butter, he

was

to provide himself

happened that God Almighty were

pleased to permit one or more of the freemen to be wounded in the expedition, or in the attack on the savages, the noble

Director and council were to remain obliged to support such

wounded

persons, and their families, in a decent manner, and

have them cured

to

at

the expense

of the provident com-

pany,"^

Having made these concessions to the personal wishes of Twelve Men turned their attention

the Director-general, the

government

to the faulty composition of their local

unlimited

power

of the executive

municipal authority in the

were gradually

Though

;

and

to the

settlements

and

;

to the

absence of villages

all

which

rising up.

a servant himself of the

West

India

Company,

nominated by the Assembly of the XIX., and commissioned

by the

New As

States General, the Director

Netherland, and beyond

all

was

in fact absolute in

control within the colony.

representative of the sovereign authority, he extinguished

Indian

titles

aborigines.

and sanctioned

to land,

No

contracts,

all

purchases from the

engagements, transfers, bargains,

nor sales were valid, except such as were passed before and written

by

his

secretary.

'

He

Hoi. Doc.

v.,

erected courts

330, 331.

;

appointed,

—

NEW NETHERLAND.

245

either directly or indirectly, all public officers, except

came out with commissions from Holland sued ordinances fines

;

inflicted penalties

man's property of

incorporated towns

;

at a

wampum, which

He

and

legislative,

;

is-

;

levied

any

affect the value of

raising or lowering the value

constituted the chief

period, of the country.

made laws

;

imposed taxes

;

and could

;

moment, by

such as chap.

currency, at this

not only acted in an executive

but also in a judicial capacity.

He

decided

and criminal questions, without the intervention of a jury, such an institution being unknown in the province and all civil

;

before

him were brought

When we

add

to this the fact, that all

tions as circumstances

council, left

we

appeals from' inferior courts.

all

cannot be surprised

undone which ought

to

to learn that

be attended

were performed, which might and that

such municipal regula-

demanded, emanated from him and to

;

been

better have

dissatisfaction necessarily prevailed

sons of that republic,

who

his

many things were that many things left

among

undone

;

the sturdy

ever evinced a lively and honorable

jealousy of despotic power.

The colonial we have already remarked, of the Diand Mr. La Montague, and as the management

This, indeed, could not well be otherwise. council consisted, as rector-general

of the various interests of the country, and the performance of the numerous duties which

we have

enumerated, devolved to call in

some

servants of the

com-

on these two, they were necessarily obliged of the

common

people,

usually the

pany, dependents on the pleasure of the to assist in the

administration of justice,

Director-general,

—a

from the nature of things, excited suspicion,

course which,

distrust,

and

dis-

content.

This faulty composition of the council the early attention of the

Twelve Men.

attracted, therefore,

To

obtain a reform

of that, and other grievances under which they labored, their principal exertions

were now

directed.

With

this view,

they jan

addressed a respectful memorial to the Director-general, at the

same time that they offered which they called his

dians, in

that in their native country

—

their services against the In-

particular attention to the fact, their beloved " Fatherland"

the smallest village had a board of from five to seven schepens,

2J.

HISTORY OF

246

BOOK or magistrates, for the management of

They

local affairs.^

its

'"'^ asked that the same privilege should be extended to them, and "

New

that the council of

Netherland should be increased, as

by

the Director already proposed,

the addition of four

more

persons, so that the board should consist in future of at least

And

members.

five

wholesome

should annually

many

so

bench

in office was a good and demanded that two of these be succeeded by two others from

rotation

retire, to

" the twelve men."

among to

as

practice, they further

of the

They objected, in the next place, common people" having seats on the

and required that the Director and council should

;

hereafter,

judgment on any accused persons, or

in

sit

unless, as

doers,

"

schout-fiscaal, five

They

court.

was laid down in members of the

not, evil-

the instructions to the

council preside

the

in

further proposed, with a view to render the de-

fence of the country more perfect, that there should be an

annual muster of

each

man

all

to attend

company, on

male persons capable of bearing arms,

with his gun, and to be furnished by the

that occasion, with half a

pound of powder

;

that

every freeman should be allowed to visit all vessels amving from sea, " whether Dutch, English, or French," after the

had been on board, " as

fiscaal

and that

all

is

the custom in Holland

the inhabitants, " be they

the right to repair to and return from

belonging to friends and

may

goods as they

and

allies,

who

to

they may," have

places round about,

all

transport thither such

please, on receiving the necessary permit,

and paying such duties as the company

may demand.

Hav-

ing thus disposed of those general matters, they next repre-

sented that in consequence of the sale, in

^

Dan

les lieux oil les

des Echevins

ment nne

les

sent

un

nombre plut6t

Communes avaient acquis plus nommes par le souverain. II

juges

Echevins Communaux, de

classe,

de rendre

comme

sans que

tribunal permanent. est

un

m6me que

ou un ^tat de personnes designees

la justice

si

New

le

nombre

total

Plus tard

le

les

d'autorite,

on trouve

parait qu'ancienne-

Scabini des Francs, formaient

comme

fCit

Netherland, of

plus propres k se charger

determine, ou qu'ils constituas-

nombre des Echevins

souvent tellement petit qu'on ne pent douter

tribunal stable que des juges appel^s selon la

fut fixe

;

et ce

qu'ils n'aient ^t^

convenance du

Bailli.

Ce n'est que vers le quinzifeme siecle qu'on trouve gdn^ralement les Echevins nommes pour un certain tems, et positivement d^signe comme formant un tribunal qui jugeait

h.

la

semonce du

Bailli.

Institutions Judiciaires, 165, 166.

\

NEW NETHERLAND.

247

COWS and other stock bv the Endish, the cattle owned and " introduced by the Dutch were held in small esteem, and were not so valuable as they had heretofore been.

asked

— and

it

was

demand

a

They

as injudicious as

was near-

it

sighted and destructive to the improvement of their

—

therefore

own

stock

that the English should not be permitted, hereafter, to sell

either

cows

or goats within the

this privilege

Dutch

currency of the country was the

memorial raised,

jurisdiction,

but that

The

should be confined to oxen and poultry.

They

referred.

asked,

on the fallacious plea that

in the province

last subject to

it

and not be carried

which

their

that its value should be would thereby be retained

off

by foreign

nations.

Director Kieft lent a favorable ear, for the moment, to

He

this representation.

informed the petitioners that he had

already written to Holland on the subject referred to part of the memorial, and that he expected

first

ship, the arrival of "

some persons of

furnished with a complete council.

mon

and

The

to

people" on the bench was caused, he said, by the fewness

of the council, but he doubted

had, he should like to to select four

and

first

be also presence of " com-

quality,"

if

any persons had grounds

complain of unrighteous judgments on that account.

know who they

were.

;

public

He

to

If they

consented

persons to assist in the administration of justice,

to sit in the council at certain times,

do

to

in the

by the

when summoned

so

with the further privilege of assembling together on affairs,

and voting on such propositions as should be

submitted to them

which extent

to

;

should be confined

;

and

that

their authority

two of these should

and power

retire

every

Twelve Men, he told them that they were not invested by the commonalty with any greater power year.

But

as for the

than to give their advice as to the proper course to be adopted

revenge the murder of Claes Smits.'

to

He

Dat den Raed van Nieuw Nederlandt van nu worden van raden, temeer, alsoo in 't Vaderlant den '

III.

agreed that there

af sal compleet gehouden raet op een cleyne dorp,

by vyfF a 7 schepens bestaet meede dat van nu voortaen by den Directeur en Raed genige misdadigen en sullen veroordeelt worden, ten ware sy vyfF raden in 't getal sterck waren, endat, omdat de gemeene man daer veel plaets ;

van

heeft.

Answer d'eerste

:

Daer

is

in

Hollandt

om

geschreeven, soo dat

schepen eenige persoonen van qualiteyt

te

wy

vertrouwen met

becomen, en alsoo een

chap. II.

HISTORY OF

248

BOOK should be an annual muster, but refused to furnish the half

pound of powder, '

company was bound

as the

to provide set-

with ammunition, in cases of emergency, and furnish

tiers

the Patroons, besides, with sufficient selves and property from attack. to permit the

structions

It

freemen

means to defend themwas contrary to his in-

to

arriving

visit

vessels.

" Such a course would lead to disorder," as several of the

company's ships were expected

at the

Manhattans with prizes.

But the

This part of the memorial was, therefore, refused. inhabitants

were allowed

to visit the neighboring country,

the ports of friendly governments, on

and

payment of the proper

dues, on condition that the goods should not be sold to any of

tlie

The

public enemy.

promising that

cows or

for

goats,

the

by

Director-general concluded

English should not be permitted to

tlic

New

within

future,

sell

Netherland,

and that the value of the currency should be raised, as requested.

Having thus disposed of these various demands, without, however, carrying

out, afterwards, the

reforms in the council

which he had so solemnly promised, Director Kieft seems Dat de geemene man veel

geheele geformeerde Raet te hebben.

van swaackheyd des offer

oock iemant

is,

raets,

can wel wesen

wy

dan

;

to

plaets heefl,

wenschten wel

te

die sich heeft te beclagen, over onrechte sententie,

weten en wie

de geene syn, die daer veel plaets van hebben.

Van

IV.

Raed

wy

gelyck, indien U. E.

meer

supplianten wel te vreden, te

worden, sender de 12

Answer : in

4 persoonen

alhier acces sullen hebben, gelyck voor

gelieft te verkiezen, die in

desen by U. E.

aisoo het lant

voorgestelt,

den

zyn

met beswaert mach

te vergaderen.

Wy syn wel te vreden 4 persoonen te verkiesen die de

haer recht helpen mainteneren, die

wy

oock

meede seekere tyden

gezamentlyck over des

saken

te

vergaderen

beraemen, hoe hooch haer auctoriteyt

sal

strecken

lants

ons niet bekent dat zy wyder

;

Gemeenten

onzen raed willen

in

roepen, als den noot vereischt,

is

is

;

in

't

sullen

om

jaer bcstemmen,

oock eenige articulen

de 12

mannen

te

belangende,

macht van de gemeente ontfangen heb-

ben, als alleen haer advys te geven, over de moort aen de zaliger Claes Smitz

begaen. VI. Ingevalle U. E. vier de bequaemste

quam

vergaderingh te compareren, gelyck geseyt

is,

te verkiezen,

staet te

omme

in U. E.

noteren datter

alle

jaren twee van den 4 sullen afgaen, en ander twee in plaets gecoren worden

uyt de

12.

Answer: Zyn wel Hoi. Doc.

iii.,

176.

te vreeden dat alle jaren

twee van de 4 verandert worden.

NEW NETHERLAND.

249

have had enough of popular movements, and popular repre- chap.

He,

sentalions.

shortly after, issued a proclamation extin-

guishing the " Twelve Men,"

whom he

forbade, on pain of cor-

poral punishment, to hold any further meetings, without his

express permission

and

"as they tend

;

to

dangerous consequences,

injury both of the country and of his au-

to the serious

thority."^

Being now untrammelled, and

rid of those

who were

hitherto

a check on his actions, Kieft proceeded forthwith to indulge

He

his desire for war.

company's

in the

New

stationed at

men

against the

ordered Hendrick van Dyck, ensign

service,

who had been

Amsterdam,

tribe, w^ith fire

plete success, the expedition

This party started

to execute

and sword.

to

summary ven-

To

was placed under

a trusty guide, who professed

homes and haunts

already over two years

proceed with a force of eighty

Wechquaesqueeks,

geance upon that

the

to

ensure com-

the direction of

be intimately acquainted with

of the savages.^

in the forepart of

March, and pushed ac-

tively forward towards the Indian village, but fortune favored

The

the red-man.

and when Van Dyck called a halt, men to push on, ere the

night set in clouded and dark

the expedition reached Armenperal,

notwithstanding the entreaties of his

An

savages should have warning of their approach.

a half was thus

'

Hoi. Doc.

iii.,

of this placard

:

lost

hour and

the guide then missed his way, where-

;

175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180.

—" Whereas

sioned and charged the

;

The

following

a translation

is

the commonalty hath, at our request, commis-

Twelve Men

communicate

to

their

good council and

advice concerning the murder of one Clses Comelissen Smitz, committed by

now being done, We thank them for the trouble they have make use of their written advice, with God's help and fitting

the Indians, which taken, and shall

time

;

and

as

we

propose no more meetings, as such tend to dangerous conse-

quences, and to the great injury both of the country and of our authority therefore, do

soever

Done ^

sort,

in

Op

;

We.

hereby forbid the calling of any assemblies or meetings, of what-

without our express order, on pain of being punished

Fort Amsterdam, 18th Feb., 1642, in

New

for disobedience.

Netherland."

dien tyd hadde den oorlochsucht den Directeur alingenomen, toch dese

byeenkomste van de voors

:

12

mannen

heeft niet langer als den 18 February

daeraen mogen standgrypen, off men heeft dieselvige op

komste laten verbieden

;

lyffstrafFe

haer byeen-

een weynich tyts daeraen den oorloch met die van

Wesqueeckqueeck naer zyn eygen zyndelyckhied aengevangen, request van de 12 mannen. Letter of the Eight Men, Hoi. Doc.

32

als blyckt iii.,

by

214, 215.

>^v-L.

YeKiS.

HISTORY OF

250 BOOK upon Van

Dyck

lost

temper, and

made

a retrograde

movement

•"-^ to Fort Amsterdam, whither he returned without having ac*

comphshed the

object for

which he had been

The The Indians while men, how narrowly

was not without

expedition, however,

had observed, by the

trail

of the

detailed.

its effect.

they had escaped destruction, and therefore immediately sued peace, which Cornelis van

for

Tienhoven concluded with

them, in the course of the spring,

named Jonas Bronck, who name,

his

situate east of

Westchester.

One

at the

house of a

settler

resided on a river to which he gave

Yonkers, in the present county of

of the conditions of this peace was, the

surrender of the murderer of Claes Smits, dead or alive condition which, however,

was never

fulfilled,

owing

;

a

either to

unwillingness or inability on the part of the Indians.^

Joumaelvan Nieu Nederlant; Hoi. Doc. iii., 107, 146, 166. Alb. Rec. ii., " The tract between the Harlem River and the large stream iii., 25. JonEis Bronck was the first proprietor of it." Benson's Mem. 27. Armenperal was the Indian name for one of the streams *

202

;

next eastward, was Bronck's land.

in that vicinity.

NEW NETHERLAND.

CHAPTER

251

III.

Continued disagreements between the people of Hartford and the Dutch at Fort

Good Hope

—Kieft

forbids all intercourse

with the former

—Progress

under the jurisdiction of the Dutch River

—Kieft

—Greenwich comes

English at the South

of the

— Measures adopted consequence — Delegates from

determines to break up their settlements

with that view

— Excitement

at

New Haven

in

Hartford arrive at Fort Amsterdam to negotiate for the purchase of Fort

—Terms proposed by the Dutch— Movement England against New LonNetherland — Lord Say's representations the Dutch ambassador don— Several English remove from Massachusetts New Netherland— West Chester, or Vredeland, —Surveyor appointed—A stone tavern New Amsterdam— George Baxter appointed English secretary — Ruinous condition of the church Manhattans— Measures taken the erection of a new building— consistory New Amsterdam— Contract the proposed building— of the church— Renewal of misunderstanding with the Indians — Miantonimo conspires against the whites— General alarm consequence — Some Dutch rob an Indian, who murders two in revenge — Endeavors of the Indian make the murder — Fail — Mohawks make a descent on the River Indians — The protection the Dutch — Are hospitably entertained—Remove Corlaers Hook and Pavonia— Kieft determines attack New Amsterdam —Kieft them— by the principal men not —The attack—Cruelties practised against the Indians — on Long Island attack the Indians neighborhood— Eleven proclaim war against the Dutch— All the Dutch settlements destroyed the Long Island Indians —Public discontents—Kieft endeavors ambassadors— A day of General Fast and Prayer —The dered— Proposals depose the Director-general — An attack made on —Disorders consequent thereupon—Arrival of a of truce from the Inthem Fort Amsterdam dians on Long Island — Ambassadors sent —Speech of the Indian chief—Treaty of peace and cessation of Hope

in

at

to

families

to

fine

settled

built in

at

for

First

in

Inscription in front

for

traders

in

chiefs to

settlers

satisfaction for

to

latter fly for

to

to

Is oppos(!d

at

will

listen to their objections

Settlers

in their

tribes

to propitiate

latter reject his

or-

to

his

flag

life

to invite

to

hostilities.

The

proposals conveyed to the

West

the governors of Massachusetts and

no

disagreements between the

result, the

India

Company from

Connecticut having had settlers

at

Hartford

and the inhabitants of Fort Good Hope continued without any abatement.

were

Complaints, similar to those already enumerated,

daily repeated against the English,

to say, accused, to the Indians

;

on their

side, the

of having

who,

it is

Dutch of having

demeaned themselves

wards the people on the Connecticut

;

but justice sold

guns

insolently to-

of having entertained

chap.

HISTORY OP

252

BOOK fugitives guilty of violating their laws ^--^^

der confinement, to

their irons,

file

away from

'ed servants to run

and

;

helped prisoners, un-

to

break

jail

;

persuad-

and purchased

their masters,

goods stolen from the English, which they refused afterwards to restore.

Kieft finding himself unable, under these circumstances, to obtain any satisfaction for the injuries

and

which

his

government

his people had, notwithstanding his repeated protests, sus-

tained, resorted

now

to the

extreme measure of forbidding

all

intercourse with the people of Connecticut, or the purchase, either directly or indirectly, of

borhood of Fort Good Hope, succeed

any produce raised

in the neigh-

in the expectation that

he should

exacting from the necessities and self-interest of

in

what he had

the English,

failed to obtain

from

their sense of

justice and gratitude.^

With

those established at Greenwich he

These people having become, April 9. they were on Dutch territory, gave ful.

Amsterdam,

authorities at Fort

on condition

at

was more success-

length, convinced that

adherence to the

in their

whom they

to

swore allegiance,

be protected against the Indians,

that they should

and enjoy, as a manor, the same privileges as Patroons.^ >

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

*

Hoi. Doc.

ix.,

158

Trumbull's Conn,

;

The

204.

following

is

i.,

122.

a translation of the agreement passed

>n occeision of Greenwich coming under Dutch jurisdiction

:

—" Whereas, we,

Captain Daniel Patrick and Elizabeth Feake, (°) duly authorized by her hus-

band Robert Feake, now

sick,

have resided two years about

five or six

miles east of the Netherlanders, subjects of the Lords States General,

(Dutch)

who have

protested against us, declaring that the said land lay within their limits, and that

they should not whereas,

suffer

we have

any person

to

usurp

it

against their lawful rights

;

and,

equally persisted in our course, during these two years, hav-

ing been well assured that his majesty of England had pretended some right to this soil

;

presume

and, wheresis, to

we

understand nothing thereof, and cannot any longer

remain thus, on account both of the

strifes of

the English, the dan-

ger consequent thereon, and these treacherous and villanous Indians, of

we

have seen sorrowful examples enough

;

We,

whom

therefore, betake ourselves un-

der the protection of the Noble Lords States General, His Highness the Prince of Orange, and the

West

India

Company,

or their Governor-general of

Netherland, promising, for the future, to be faithful to them, as jects are

bound

ture, provided

to

we

be

;

whereunto

we

be protected against our enemies as

joy henceforth the same privileges that (») This lady

is

said to

all

New

honest sub-

bind ourselves by solemn oath and signa-

all

much

Patroons of

as possible,

New

and en-

Netherland have

have been a daughter-in-law of Gov. Winthrop.

NEW NETHERLAND. The

South River, were,

to the

Hog

it

limits,

fore, in strong

time, in active progress

was not their intention to was not prepared for the

He

they had forgotten that promise.

terms

when he heard

mined

that this

which they had settle

within the

intelligence

that

expressed himself, therethat they

the South River without his permission.

ments on the Fresh River strong

chap.

creek and the Schuylkill.

trusting to the assurances

Director Kieft,

company's

mean

in the

with their infant settlements on

given him, that

253

who had proceeded from New Haven

party of English

had

With

in his recollection,

young colony should not take

on May

settled

the encroach-

root,

he deter-

and accord-

ingly dispatched the sloops St. Real and St. Martin with a

May

strong force to the Delaware, with orders to Jan Janssen van

Ilpendam, the commissary in that quarter, to proceed with

demand of the English by what authority they had landed and traded there require, also, of them to withdraw, should they not be

these vessels to the Schuylkill, and

set-

tlers

;

nished with a royal commission. retire,

to

fur-

In case they should refuse to

he was further instructed to arrest them, and have them

conveyed on board the

sloops, taking a full inventory of their

goods, and then to destroy their trading-posts.

These orders were executed had not two hours

to

so promptly, that the English

dition next proceeded to

Hog

New

settlers,

Haven.

expe-

creek, and, with the aid of the

Swedes, destroyed the English settlement

veyed these people, and and the

The

prepare for their departure.

there,

their goods, first to

and a part of

and then con-

New

Amsterdam,

their property, afterwards to

Mr. Lamberton, of the

latter place,

was con-

sidered the principal instigator of these encroachments, and

gave particular offence

;

having, though protested against, con

tinned injuring the trade which the Dutch carried on with the Indians on the South River.

It

was, therefore, determined to Aug.

prevent him interfering with that trade for the future, unless he

should submit to the authority of the company, and pay the regular duties.

He

was, accordingly, compelled,

when

pass-

ing the Manhattans, shortly after, to give an account of what obtained, agreeably to the freedoms,

dam, (Signed) Daniel Patrick raan, witnesses."

;

ixth of April, 1642.

In Fort Amster-

Everardus Bogardus and Johannes Winkel-

HISTORY OF

254

BOOK peltries he had obtained on the Delaware, ana

The English

on the whole. '^^^^

pay duties

to

estimated their damages, on these

occasions, at five thousand dollars.

The

excitement

known, was very

New

at

great.

Haven, when these things became

Threats of retaliation were publicly

uttered, and to so great a height did this angry feeling extend,

by approving

that Kieft found himself obliged, his servants, to

assume the

of the inhabitants of

wards

"

at the

the conduct of

Such

responsibility of their acts.

New Amsterdam

as

Red Mount," were under

had business

after-

the necessity of pro-

viding themselves with passports, in which this responsibility

was fully avowed.^ The authorities at Hartford began at length to experience some inconvenience from the system of non-intercourse which Director Kieft ordered to be observed. With a view to arrange, m some way, the differences which existed, they commissioned Messrs. Whiting and Hill, the former a magistrate ford, to

proceed as delegates

to

the purchase of the company's lands, around Fort

These gentlemen

Hart-

at

Fort Amsterdam, to negotiate

Good Hope.

arrived at the Manhattans in the

course of

July, and received a detailed explanation of the grounds on

which the Dutch that the

title

Dutch were

rested, as well as

documentary proofs

in possession of that quarter before

any

As it was desirable, some arrangement should be made for the ter-

Christians arrived on the Connecticut.

however, that

mination of the existing misunderstanding, the Director-geneJuly

9.

ral

and council proposed ceding

to the

English the land on the

Fresh River, on condition that they should annually pay, so long as they

may occupy such

land, agreeably to the ordinances

of the United Netherlands, the tenth part of the produce of the

land at Hartford, whether cultivated by the plough or other-

'

Alb. Rec.

Conn,

i.,

123.

162,

ii.,

177,

Acrelius' Hist.

185.

New

Hazard's State Pap.

Sweden.

Van

der

ii.,

214.

Donck

statement that the Swedes assisted the Dutch against the English. Kill,"

he says, "

is

situate on the east

bank

creek, within three (Dutch) miles of the

(of the

mouth

against them, having

mined together

to

Some

them away, and

been somewhat assisted by the Swedes.

keep the English out of there."

" Another

South River) called Hog

of the river.

established themselves here, but Director Kieft drove

Trumbull's

corroborates the

English

protested

They

Vertoogh van N. N.

deter-

—

NEW NETHERLAND.

255

wise, orchards and kitchen gardens excepted, provided these chap.

Dutch acre each,

did not exceed a

heu of such

or in

such rent as should be agreed upon.

tithes,

These conditions were

home

provisionally accepted, and the delegates returned

-"^^ 1642.

to

submit them to their government, but they were not productive

any better

of

the

The English

state of feeling.

Dutch

assing the

;

impounding

common, and even preventing

Netherland of

These

The

be, this

agents from

summer,

known

plaints

the

transport

New

to

belonging to them.^

cattle not

feelings of animosity

necticut.

persisted in har-

found grazing on

their cattle

were not confined

New

who happened

England,

London, were active

Con-

to the

making

to

their

com-

to those interested in the settlement of the

Eng-

lish colonies in

in

America

in

so that even persons of quality had

;

their feelings strongly prejudiced against the

Lord Say, who had a personal

interest

Dutch.

in

New

England,

and was one of the founders of Connecticut, was among the

most prominent of these

;

and the representations which he

had received, had so great an influence on

his mind, that his

lordship took the earliest opportunity to remonstrate with Joa-

chimi, the

whom terms "

Dutch ambassador, then

Many Englishmen,

said

at the

English court, to

he addressed a memorandum, couched in the following :

lordship,

his

"

with a view to avoid

(his majesty's subjects,) incorporated," July

by

his

majesty's letters patent, having,

all difficulties,

purchased land from the

acknowledged and lawful owners

thereof,

have

established sundry factories on the river Connecticut, in

New

natives, the

England, where they have experienced various molestations

and animosities from the Netherlands nation, who, having merly erected a small trading-post on the aforesaid up, by virtue thereof, a right to the whole

but to

all

and not only

that,

Bay to the Hudson name of New Nether-

the country, from Narragansett

River, which they designated by the land, although granted jects,

;

for-

river, set

by

his majesty to

sundry of his sub-

and exclusively inhabited by English people.

Many

protests have they presented against the peaceable proceedings

'

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

171, 172.

N. Y.

Hist. Soc. Trans,

i.,

276.

HISTORY OF

256 BOOK of the English, and

in various

'•'^ gressed against them, '

at the furthest,

are,

trans-

and

sundry threats

All these did the English read, and al-

haughty arguments. though there

ways and forms have they

adding thereto

not

more than

five or

six

Netherlanders resident on the said river Connecticut, vi^here there are

more than two thousand English, yet these have had

recourse to no violent proceedings against the others, but have treated

them with

all civility

—yea, under God, have they been

a means of preserving their lives. " 'Tis true, the Netherlanders sometimes aver that they pur-

chased a portion of land, situate on the aforesaid the

Pequod

Indians, and pretend a right thereto

said purchase.

But

it is

very well known,

river,

by

from

virtue of

any such pur-

(if

chase has been made, which as yet has never appeared,) that the

Pequods had no other than an usurped title. And herein becomes apparent that the

the weakness of their pretensions

;

English having addressed sundry

letters

to

their governor,

Willem Kieft, residing on Hudson's River, to refer the settlement of the said question to impartial arbitrators, he would not accept the proposal. " It were desirable that they might be ordered to demean

themselves in the place where they are, in a peaceable, neighborly manner, and to be content with their

own

limits, or to

leave the river, which would tend most to their master's profit, it

being very manifest that the returns have, and

Moreover, they

repay expenses.

way

beseeming,

;

in

live

will,

never

there in an ungodly

no wise, the Gospel of Christ.

Their

residence there will never produce any other effect, than ex-

pense July

to their masters,

and trouble to the English."

Violent language having been used about the others,

who

did not hesitate to threaten that

if

same time by

the difficulties

on the Fresh River were not shortly arranged, the Dutch should be forcibly ejected from that quarter before the end of the year, Aug.

8.

M. Joachimi thought

it

his

duty to communicate

the States General, not only Lord Say's letter, but also, of the irritable state

of feeling

some

to

report

which existed abroad on

recommend that their High Mightinesses King Charles, and request his majesty to

the subject, and to

should write to

command

those of

New

England not

to disturb the

Dutch

NEW NETIIERLAND.

257

New

Netherlands, of which country they had possession chap " For," his excellency -^v~ before the arrival of the Enghsh. added, " such commands must proceed from his majesty, and in

might be taken

it

House

ill

should be sought from the

that redress

whose orders probably would not be

of Parhament,

received

He

those far distant quarters."

in

urged, again and

again, the necessity of losing no time in this matter, and in a

subsequent dispatch, reminded their High Mightinesses of the

how much it behooved them would obviate all chances of These communiin America.

near approach of the winter, and

make such arrangements

to

between the

hostilities

cations

endeavor

to

parties

were duly referred

Company, and

directors of the

to the

West

India

the States General instructed their ambassador

to allay all

presumed

not to be

as

irritation,

by representing,

that the Dutch,

that

it

was

who were too weak, could who were much the

succeed in overpowering the English,

As for the threats which were utHigh Mightinesses did not regard them " The power of that nation was rent as of any consequence. stronger, in that country.

tered in England, their

twain

in

one part contending against the other

;

she

fore

was not

be dreaded by foreign

to

;

meanwhile, religious persecution caused numbers

New

from

England

The Rev.

frying-pan into the fire."

New

assert " that

But,

remove

Netherland.

But here he discovered

bounds of

to

Francis Doughty, a dissenting minister, had emi-

Massachusetts, like

grated to sake.

New

to

and there-

states."^

many that

Being

Plymouth,

others, for conscience'

he had plunged "out of the

at Cohasset,

on the northern

1642, he happened publicly to

in

Abraham's children should have been baptized,"

which gave so much offence to his hearers, that he was dragged out of the assembly, and otherwise harshly used.^ This unchristian treatment determined him to remove to Long Island, whither he was accompanied by Richard Smith and several other settlers, then residents of

On »

ii.,

application to the Hoi. Doc.

ii.,

Dutch

Cohannock and other places. New Amsterdam,

authorities at

278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 293, 294, 305, 306.

Aitzema,

932. "

Leechford's

1635,

when

it

News

was

from

called

New

England.

Hingham.

33

Cohasset was originally settled in

Oct. 17

HISTORY OF

258

BOOK they immediately obtained a patent for thirteen thousand three -"v-w

hundred and thirty-two acres of land ^

March' 28.

originally called,

f

Mespath, as Newtown,

at

which was endowed with the

usual privileges of free manors, such as free exercise of religion,

power

trates,

administer civil and criminal justice, subject, however,

and reservations contained in the patent,

the conditions

to

which was

nominate magis-

to plant towns, build churches,

keeping with the charter of

in

to that already offered in the

1

640, and similar

preceding month of June, to the

people from Lynn.

Mr. Throgmorton, with a number of his

friends,

who had

already been driven with Roger Williams from Massachusetts Oct.3.

by"the

fiery

Hugh

thirty-five families,

now named

at a place

time

this

Peters," procured permission to settle

some twelve miles

called

West

east of the Manhattans,

Chester, but which the Dutch at

Vredeland, or Land of Peace, a meet appel-

lation for the spot selected as a place of refuge

by

those

were bruised and broken down by religious persecution.

Lady Moody, who had become " imbued with

the

who And

the errone-

ous doctrine that infant baptism was a sinful ordinance," and had, in consequence, been excommunicated

England, "

to avoid further trouble," took

by those

New

of

among

shelter also

Henry and their followers, Her ladyship located at the

the Dutch, with her son Sir

in the

course of the next year.

south-

west corner of Long Island " by the express will and consent of the Director-general and council of "

called the settlement

New

Gravenzande,"

's

village (originally a walled

city) of that

Netherland," who.

after the picturesque

name

at the

embou-

chure of the river Maas, where the ancient counts of Holland held their courts previous to their removal to the Hague.^

'

Alb. Rec. XX.,

7.

The

Gov. Winthrop notices these emigrations, Hist. N. En^.

i.,

42

is

inserted in Latin, in the

;

ii.,

85.

original patent to the Rev.

Dutch Rec. G.

Mr. Doughty and

G., 49.

The MS.

is

his associates,

peculiarly

dif-

ficult to be deciphered, being in the contracted chirography of the seventeenth

century. tinet's

Long

A

translation of the

Beschryv.

iii.,

Island, derived

end, in England,

is

document

will

be found in Appendix

F

;

Mar-

The supposition that the town of Gravesend, on name from the first settlers having sailed from Graves-

279. its

altogether gratuitous.

powers who had possessions

in the

the mother country, to their

new

It

was the

fashion with

all

European

New World, to transfer the names of towns in

settlements in America.

The Dutch were

as

NEW NETHERLAND.

259

In order that regularity should be observed boundaries and division

lines,

drawing

in

Andreas Hudde was

c^'^jIP-

year

this

appointed surveyor, at a salary of two hundred guilders, or

^^^^

$80, per annum, with an additional fee of ten shillings per diem, and two stivers per morgen of two acres, besides the

payment of

his travelling

expenses and ferriage.

who way from New England

Increased accommodation for the numerous strangers

touched

New

at

to Virginia,

Amsterdam, on

their

became now necessary,

Director-general

much

they occasioned the

as

A

"

inconvenience.

fine stone tavern"

w^as therefore erected for their use on a lot fronting the

River

and, " as

;

many

various consequences, arise

English which daily come turb

harmony and

Kiefl, "

on account of the number of

among

to reside

us,

more

social intercourse

and which

dis-

or less," Director

though roughly acquainted with the English language,

and somewhat

some one letters.

East

questions of law processes, with their

initiated in the law,"

to assist now^

found himself

and then with advice and

in

need of

to write

his

George Baxter was accordingly appointed English

secretary to the Director-general and council of

New

Nether-

land}

The church

erected by Director

time, shared the fate

common

Van

by

Twiller, had,

to all the public buildings

was now

structed during his administration, and

in

this

con-

such a

of dilapidation, that it was considered nothing better The necessity of a new church was adthan " a mean barn." state

mitted

by

the Director and council so far

back as

1

640

;

when,

with a view to supply the funds requisite to defray the ex-

new

penses of a

building, a portion of the fines

the court of justice

was appropriated

imposed by

nothing practical eventuated from this arrangement.

commodation continued tion,

to

when Captain David De Vries urged

said, " that the

observant of

this

English should see,

'

De

Vries

;

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

map

ac-

anew on was a shame,"

the matter

"

It

when

custom as any other nation, of which

fy himself by looking over a

The

be of the most wretched descrip-

the consideration of the Director-general.

he

But

to that purpose.

fact

they passed, noany person can

satis-

of Holland.

169, 187,

surveyor bears date 26th June, 1642.

202

;

iii.,

409.

Hudde's commission aa

Dec.

HISTORY OF

260

BOOK thing but a mean barn in which public worship

The

>^v~ '

New

thing they did in

first

some dwellings, was, on the

We

contrary, to build a fine church.

ought to do the same," he continued

terials,

from

oak wood,

fine

oyster-shells,

performed,

is

England, when they raised "

;

we had good ma-

building-stone, good lime

fine

which was better than the lime

made

in Holland."

This reasoning, backed by the intelligence that the colonists of Rensselaerswyck had also,

it

ed desirous

memory

to leave

church

in contemplation to raise a

He

had considerable weight with Director Kieft. behind him a monument

to

seem-

perpetuate the

who

of his zeal for religion, and forthwith inquired

There were not wanting

should superintend the good work.

"friends of the reformed religion." Joachim Pietersen Kuyter, "

who was

a good Calvinist, and had a good sett of hands,"

elected deacon, and with Jan

Director Kieft, " formed the

Dam, Captain De

first

was

Vries, and

consistory to superintend the

erection of the projected church."^

These

points having

decided was, the

site

erected within the of " a

wheel

fifth

among

sition

been arranged, the next question

But

fort.

this

to a coach,"

small,"

be

It

and excited considerable oppo-

the commonalty,

was already " very

to

was ordered to be was looked upon in the light

of the building.

and

who that

represented that the fort stood on the point, or

it

extremity of the island, whereas a more central position ought to

be selected for the accommodation of the

It

was, moreover, particularly urged that the erection of a

church within the

fort,

faithful generally.

would prevent the southeast wind reach-

ing the grist-mill which stood thereabout, and thus cause the

people to suffer, especially in summer, through want of bread.^

These '

^

objections w^ere, however,

De Vries. Men spraake,

overruled.

dan, van de plaatse waerse staende soude.

It

was with

De

Directeur

wilde en oordeelde datso in het fort staen moest, daerse oock tegens wil en dank

van de andere

wagen

;

geset

is

;

en immers soo wel past

want behalve dat het

fort

porteren soude in cas van populatie. tight hebben,

eygen behoort

te

cleyn

is,

als

die

de gemeente, diese becos-

wesen, soo breeckse en beneemt den zuyt-

oosten wint aen de koren-molen, die daeromtrent staet

oorsaek

Van

is,

dat

der Donk.

men

het vyfFde wiel aen een

op een punct leyt, dat meer im-

De Kercke

des zomers dickwils by gebreek

;

het welcke een made

van maalen sonder

broot

is.

NEW NETHERLAND. justice

remarked

that the building

261

would be more

safe

from chap.

As

the attacks of the Indians, within than without the fort.

being an impediment to the working of the wind-mill,

to its

-^--^

it

was remarked that the walls of the fort then impeded the action of the southeast wind on the mill, and prevented its working even before the erection of the church.^

now remained but sary expenses.

Naught, therefore,

ways and means

to find

to defray the neces-

Director Kieft promised to advance a few

The remainder was

thousand guilders from the public chest.

be raised by private subscription.

to

It

happened about

this

time that the daughter of the Rev.

Mr. Bogardus was being married.

This was considered a

So

favorable opportunity for raising the required subscription.

when

wedding party was

the

mellow with the on the guests

in the height of

good-humor, and

good cheer, the Director-general called

host's

The disposition to be generous vi^as Each guest emulated his neighwas made out. When the morning

to subscribe.

not wanting at such a time. bor,

and a handsome

list

came, a few were found desirous of reconsidering the transac-

But Director Kieft would allow no

tions of the wedding-feast.

They must all pay without

such second thought.

He

exception.^

entered, as churchwarden, into a contract, forthwith, for

the mason-work, with John and Richard Ogden, of Stamford,

who engaged

church of rock-stone, seventy-two feet

to build a

long, fifty-two feet bread,

and sixteen feet over the ground,

a good and workmanlike manner, for the five

hundred guilders, equal

churchwardens were *

sum

one thousand

to

to furnish the

lime

,•

The

dollars.

to transport the stone

Eer de kercke gebouwt was, conde de coornmolen met een zuyt oosten

wint niet malen, doordien de wint door de wallen van't

Tienhoven's Answer to ^

in

of two thousand

De

hem

plaetse daer het

waer

Van

fort gestut wiert.

Van

der Donck.

Directeur hadde dan besloten een kerck te doen timmeren, en dat ter

die te

Het man queert hem aan de penningen en Het gebeurde om desen tyt, dat den Predikant Eve-

goet docht.

becomen ?

;

rardus Bogardus eene vrouw-voordochter bestede.

de Directeur een bequame tyt

tot

vierden oiF vyfFden drouck oock in

exempel voorgaende, geven wilde.

liet

Ider, dan,

tegen de ander

;

Dese gelegentheyd oordeelde

zyn voornemen 't

werek

stelde,

te

wesen, dat hy, naer den

en hy

selffs

met een goet

de bruy-loofFsgasten teyckenen, watse tot de kerck-

met een licht

hoofFd,

teyckende ryckelick weeh, de een

en hoewel het eenige wel beroude, doen de sinnenweder

quamen, sy moesten even wel

betalen, daer viel niet tegen.

't

huys

Van der Douck.

May.

HISTORY OF

26a BOOK from the river-side ^^v~ erected '

and

;

who were

tractors,

spot

to tlie

where the building was

be

to

use of the company's boat to the con-

to allow the

to receive also a

guilders, equal to i40, should the

douceur of one hundred

work be

finished to the satis-

faction of the employers.'

With such energy now was

work pushed forward,

the

that

the walls soon rose to their proper height, and the shingle roof

To commemorate

soon followed.

tor-general and of the slab

the zeal both of the Direc-

commonalty on

was placed conspicuously

the following inscription engraved thereon

Anno 1642

"toUkmKkft, " HEEFT DE ^

The

following

New

a copy of the contract

;

:

—" Appeared

in their

name

Wm.

:

me

Churchwarden,

Kieft,

Church

in

New

to conclude the following business

Churchwarden, agree with John Ogden, about a church ner

before

Cornells

Com-

General Privileged West India

in behalf of the

Netherlands, the Hon'ble

and

—

W\x'stttnx^(Bzmxad;

quest of his brethren, the Churchwardens of the to transact,

:

GEMEENTE DESEN TEMPEL DOEN BOTJWEN."^

is

van .Tienhoven, secretary pany, in

marble

this occasion, a

front of the building, with

in

;

at the re-

Netherlands,

So

did he, as

man-

in the following

—^John Ogden of Stamford, and Richard Ogden, engage

to build, in behalf

of said Churchwardens, a church of rock-stone, seventy -two feet long, fifty feet broad,

and sixteen

manlike manner.

feet high,

They

shall

shore near the fort at their

above the

own

expense.

where

is

it

the

work

2,500 wit

shall at their

The Churchwardens aforesaid

:

if

which payment

Churchwardens

shall

be

made

in

will procure as

much

lime

John and Richard

shall

pay

to

them the sum

of

beaver, cash, or merchandise, to

the Churchwardens are satisfied with the work, so that in their judg-

ment the 2,500 gl. shall have been earned, then the reward them with 100 gl. more and further promise ;

den

on

charge pay for the masonry, &c., provided, that when

shall be finished, the

gl.,

—

own

it

shall

intended to build the church,

as shall be required for the building of the aforesaid church.

Ogden

a work-

in

whence the Churchwardens

expense, from

further convey the stone to the place at their

good order, and

soil, all in

be obliged to procure the stone and bring

own

to assist

them whenever

it is

in their

tate the carrying the stone thither,

power.

said

Churchwardens

further agree to

and that John and Richard Ogden

during a month or six weeks the company's boat

;

shall

John and Richard Og-

to

They

facili-

may

use

engaging themselves, and

the aforesaid John and Richard Ogden, to finish the undertaken

work

in the

manner they contracted. Done in Fort Amsterdam, in New Netherlands. (Signed) Willem Kieft, John Ogden, Richard Ogden, Gysbert op Dyck, Thomas Willett." Alb. Rec. iii., 31. These Ogdens are the ancestors of the present families of that

""Anno

name

in

1642: William

New

York,

Kieft,

New

Jersey, &c.

Director-general;

hath the Commonalty

NEW NETHERLAND. The immediate completion doomed

of

be interrupted by the

to

263

church was, however, chap.

tliis

spirit of faction,

and continued

misunderstanding with the aborigines, the progress and ruinous

consequences of which

it

becomes our duty now

to relate.

Shortly after the conclusion of peace with the Wechquaes-

queeks

in the spring of this year,

Narragansett eignty over

aimed

spirit

at

sover-

the eastern Indians, visited the neighborhood of

all

Dutch settlements with a band it was represented,

the

Miantonimo, chief of the

whose ambitious

tribes,

with a view, as

of one hundred warriors, to

urge the Indians into a

general conspiracy against the English and the Dutch. full,

throughout the land, were men's minds of fear

So

at the re-

port of the intended massacre, that the strangest alarms seized

hold of

man

and a

all,

could not halloo

the night, but

in

it

was supposed that he had fallen into the hands of the Indians, and was tortured by them unto death. Even Director Kieft became affected by these wild reports to such degree that he suspected the Indians not only of endeavoring to poison him,

but even of making him the object of their diabolical incantations.^

In this conjuncture of terror and distrust, some traders stole

a dress of beaver-skins from a savage ously stupified with brandy. tribe,

who

Enraged

senses, he vovv^ed

shoot the

to

He more

at

his loss,

first

than kept his word.

and

in a

van Vorst was also

slain,

shortly after

this

Hackingsack

;

Temple

1817, says that

to be

when

on coming

to

his

" Swannekin" he should

siding on Staten Island, in the service of

caused

they had previ-

of the

inhabited the country opposite the Manhattans, on

the western shore.

meet.

whom

He was

An De

Englishman,

re-

Vries, wsis killed

few days following, Gerrit Jansen while engaged roofing a house " be-

built."

Van

der Donck.

Judge Benson, writing

in

was taken down " a few years since," the marwas found, with the Dutch inscription on it, buried in

the fort

ble slab, above alluded to,

the earth, and then removed to the belfry of the church in Garden-street, N. Y., belonging to the latter building '

Sommige

te steken,

Dutch Reformed Congregation.

by the great

fire

On

the destruction of the

of 1835, this slab totally disappeared.

van de omleggende Wilden practiseerde ons kruyt in den brant

ende den Directeur

te

vergeven, ofte met haer duyvelerye te beto-

veren, gelyck naderhandt haer quade wille gebleecken heeft, soo door effect als report.

Jouniacl van

Winthrop's N. Eng.

Nieuw Nederlant.

#

ii.,

78, 79.

^-^^

HISTORY OF

264 BOOK hind the Cul," as

Newark Bay was

called, in the colonic of

^-^^ the Lord of Nederhorst.

A

deputation of chiefs from Hackingsack and Reckawanck,

foreseeing the evil consequences of these outrages, hastened to

New Amsterdam

to make reparation, after the fashion of by paying one or two hundred fathoms of wam-

the red-man,

pum,

as an expiatory offering, to

memory

of the deed.

promise.

Nothing

wipe away, as they

But Kieft would not

listen to

said, all

any com-

murderer would be accepted.

less than the

In vain did the chiefs plead that the Dutch were themselves " You ought not to sell brandy to the cause of the murder. the Indians to

make them

crazy, for they are not," they said,

" accustomed to your liquors.

used

We

drunk.

more

Your own

wish you, so as

to

prevent

"

"We

You must

cannot do

Tankitekes

;"

mischief, to

all

when sell

no

This reasoning was of no

fire-water to our braves."

avail.

people, tliough

them, fight with knives and commit fooleries

to

surrender the murderei'," repeated Kieft.

it,"

sachems

the

replied,

"he

off to the

is

and again they presented their expiatory

offer-

But these would not be received so they returned to their homes, hopeless of effecting any reconciliation, for the man whom Kieft required at their hands, " was also the son of a ings.

;

Hereupon

chief."

Pacham, chief of tion

had as yet been made

savages, and advising

much 1643.

Director-general sent a message to

the

him

the Tankitekes, warning

for the Christian

him

that the

that

no repara-

blood shed by the

Dutch would not wait

longer.^

Winter came, and while the earth was yet buried

in

snow,

a party of armed Mohawks, some eighty or ninety in number, a descent upon the

made

Wechquaesqueeks and Tappaen

Indians, for the purpose of levying tribute. ror, these,

amounting

to

between four and

Struck with five

ter-

hundred, fled

in despair to the island of Manhattans, leaving seventy of their

men

on the

in the Feb.

7.

field,

and numbers of

hands of the enemy.

women

their

and children

Half dead with hunger and

cold,

these poor creatures presented themselves at the houses of the Dutch,

^

by

whom

Journael van

they were hospitably received and hu-

Nieuw Nederlant

;

De

Vries

;

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

212.

NEW NETHERLAND. manely treated

265

for the space of fourteen days.

Even

Kieft's chap.

better feelings gained, for the

moment, the ascendency, and ^^v^

he ordered corn to be furnished

to the half-famished wretches.

But

terror

had entered so deep

into their souls that they did

not think themselves safe even here.

Once more they

fled,

•

scattering themselves abroad, like leaves before the winter's

wind, in various directions

;

some

to Pavonia,

Feb. 21

where the Hack-

and others to " Rechtanck," a point a short distance east of Fort Amster-

ingsacks

bivouacked one thousand strong

;

dam, now called Corker's Hook.^

During the whole of these misunderstandings with the aborigines, the inhabitants of

New Amsterdam

were divided

in

opinion as to the proper policy to be pursued towards them.

One

more numerous,

portion, the

David Pietersen

De

at

and kindness, by which course they civilized

Indians, though cunning enough, to

them."

which was the un-

felt satisfied that

heathen would eventually be

harm were done tary

the head of

counselled patience, humanity,

Vries,

won

over

;

for " the

would do no harm unless

Another party, headed by Secre-

Van Tienhoven, and made up

of restless spirits and

men

of strong passions, clamored for the extermination of the savages, masking, however, the ferocity of their desires behind

professions of great indignation at the shedding of innocent

Christian blood, which they were anxious to revenge.

At

this crisis,

when wisdom might have taken advantage

of

the feelings of gratitude excited in the breasts of the Indians, in return for the hospitable shelter recently afforded

the Dutch, and have thus converted

them

them by

into lasting friends,

Maryn Adriaensen, Jan Jansen Dam, and Abraham Planck, members of the late board of the " Twelve Men," and

three the

most

violent of the exterminators, took

upon themselves,

one of their houses, in the amusements of Shrovetide, when wine and " mysterious toasts" while Kieft

were

was

in free

request, in the

participating, at

circulation, to present to the Director-general a

name

of the commonalty, for which, however,

they had not a shadow of authority, in which they reminded

'

The

Report and Advice, &c., Appendix Indian

name

for Corlaer's

Hook

is

E

;

Journael van

found in Alb. Rec.

34

Nieuw

Nederlandt.

Feb

HISTORY OF

266

BOOK His Excellency that the Indians had not as yet naade any reparation for the blood they '

of the

The

had shed, nor

peace concluded

at

fulfilled the conditions

Bronck's the preceding spring.

Dutch nation was

character of the

suffering, they alleged,

was crying aloud

in consequence, while innocent blood

to

" But

God having now delivered the enemy evidently into our hands, we beseech you to pernait us to attack them, for which purpose we offer our persons, and pro-

heaven

for revenge.

pose that one party composed of freemen, and another of diers, Feb.24.

be dispatched

sol-

them."^

to different places against

Kieft resolved " to

The counsel of the violent prevailed. make the savages wipe their chops." In vain did Bogardus warn him not to be too rash, and La Montague point to the defenceless condition of the colony, and advise patience until

a vessel should arrive from Patria, for by his proceedings the Director-general " was about to build a bridge, over which

war would

De

did

stalk, ere long,

through the whole country

;"

in vain

Vries represent that such an attack could not be

made

without the order of the Twelve Men, nor without his consent as chairman of the board

;

in vain did

he describe the mischief

which overwhelmed the colonic of Zwanendal

and

in 1630,

Staten Island in 1640, in consequence of "jangling with the

Indians

;"

in vain did

he foreshadow the ruin that would

on the Dutch themselves, who were

had received no warning

to

he

"

it is

You go," said own nation

qur

Nobody in the country knows any But these words " would take no hold."

!"

Every thing had been pre-arranged.

^

;

are about to destroy.

thing of this

Hoi. Doc.

letter.

light

around, and

to resist, the assaults of

should survive the attack.

"to break the Indians' heads

to Kieft,

you

who

all

be on their guard, so that they

might escape, or prepare themselves those Indians

settled

iii.,

146

;

Van Tienhoven was

Secretary

;

op dien tyd seggen wy,

Tienho-

accused of having originated

" In de jaar 1643 den 24 Feb. [22d] met

in vreede-saten

Van

als

alle

this

dese omieggende wilden

wanneer den Directeur met

drie

van zyn consultanten, het vastenavondspiel ten huyze van een derselfder heeft gehouden, en zyn E. Jan Dam een verborgen sante daer op heeft gedroncken en weynich daagen daer aen, heeft laten executeren

die vervloeghte acte

met de vermooden van zoo

veel onschuldige wilden over op Pavonia en

tans.

Men.

Letter of the Eight

Hoi. Doc.

iii.,

220.

Mana-

NEW NETHERLAND.

267

ven and corporal Hans Stein had already been

to

Pavonia, to chap.

examine the ground and

to mark the position of the Indians, ^j-^ was panting to perform a feat worthy of the ancient Rome, and he was determined not to listen

Director Kieft

heroes of

To

to reason.

order

every remonstrance he only replied

gone forth

is

;

it

shall not

be recalled

— " The

!"^

In the dead of a bleak winter's night, between the 25th and .

26th of February, two armed parties went forth from Fort

One, composed of freemen, headed by Maryn

Amsterdam.

who had

Adriaensen, a noted freebooter,

from Rensselaerswyck temper and quarrelsome

recently removed

man

Manhattans, a

to the

disposition, proceeded,

by Govert Lookermans, against the Indians

of violent

accompanied

at Corlaer's

Hook.

The other, consisting of a troop of soldiers under the command of their sergeant, and guided by one well acquainted with the retreat of the red-men, crossed over to Jan de Lacher's

hoeck slept,

in Pavonia,

where the principal body of the Indians

behind the settlement of Egbert Wouterssen, and ad-

joining the bouwerie of Jan Evertsen Bout, unsuspicious of

any attack from those who, but a few days before, had tered

and fed them.

To

secure

success,

Heaven was blasphemously invoked on " Het woordt

shel-

the blessing of

the expedition.^

isser uyt het moet 'er uytblyven." Hoi. Doc. iii., 161, 174. " Voordat dese tochten geschieden, ende den oorloch in den Raadkamer (daer'

;

:

mede

present den Predikant Bogardus

:)

beslooten zynde,

is

Comelis van Tien-

hoven en Hans Steen gecommandeert van den Directeur en Raden Pavonia tegaen, ende de

situatie

sy rapport gedaen hebben."

van Indianse huysen

Hoi. Doc.

v.,

51, 52

te besichtigen

De

;

Vries,

;

omme

op

waervan

Korte Histo-

riael. '

The

following are transcripts of the commissions issued to the leaders of

these expeditions

:

—" Whereas, the inhabitants

reside in the country

in our

neighborhood continue to

under great alarm, and cultivate their land in anxiety,

who now and then have murdered some of them in a most villanous manner, without any previous provocation, and we cannot obtain any satisfaction for these massacres we must, therefore, appeal to our arms, so that we may live here in security. In the full confidence that God

through fear of the savages,

;

will

crown our

resolutions with success

on the 22d Feb., 1643, that we authorize

Maryn Adriaensen,

may

;

moreover, as the commonalty

execute the same

;

solicit,

we, therefore, hereby

at his request, with his associates, to attack a party

of savages skulking behind Corlaer's

Hook, or

plantation,

and act with them

hi

every such manner as they shall deem proper, and the time and opportunity shall permit.

Done

this

25th February, 1643."

Feb. 25.

HISTORY OF

268 BOOK

" I remained that night at the Director's," says an eye-wit'"^^ ness, " and took a seat in the kitchen near the fire. At mid1 643 night, I heard loud shrieks, and went out to the parapet of the *

and looked towards Pavonia.

fort,

flashing of the guns.

They were butchered

dians.

The

saw nothing but the

I

heard no more the cries of the In-

I

in their sleep !"

when we

horrors of this night cause the flesh to creep

ponder over them, now, two hundred years

after their occur-

Eighty Indians were slaughtered

rence.

thirty at Corlaer's

were torn from

Hook, while sunk

their mothers' breasts,

parents' eyes, and their

" fastened

—

into

to pieces while

their primitive cradles

alive into the river

and

Sucklings

butchered before their

Babes were hacked

boards"

to little

Pavonia,

mangled limbs thrown quivering

the river or the flames.

were thrown

at

repose.

in

!

—

others

and when their parents, im-

;

pelled by nature, rushed in to save them, the soldiers prevented their landing

and, thus, both parents and offspring sunk into

;

Children of half a dozen years

one watery grave.

decrepit

;

Those who escaped and begged for shelter next morning, were killed in " Some came running to cold blood, or thrown into the river. us from the country, having their hands cut off; some lost both arms and legs some were supporting their entrails with their hands, while others were mangled in other horrid ways, too

men

of threescore and ten, shared the

same

fate.

;

horrid to be conceived.

well as

many

of the Dutch,

sion that the attack had

And

these miserable wretches, as

were

all

the time under the impres-

r)roceeded

from the

terrible

Mo-

hawks."^

" Sergeant Rodolf

a troop of

soldiers,

is

commanaea and

and lead them

to

command away and destroy the much as is possible, their

authorized to take unaer his

Pavonia, and drive

savages being behind Jan Evertsen's, but to spare, as

He may watch

wives and children, and to take the savages prisoners. for the proper opportunity to

Stein, ing,

who

is

make

his attack successful

accompanies him.

He,

24th, 1643." '

Do

Vries

for

there

which end Hans

therefore, shall consult with the

The exploit to be and prudence. Our God may

Stein and the corporals. est caution

;

well acquainted with every spot on which the savages were skulk-

Alb. Rec. ;

The

ii.,

210, 211.

Journael van

aforesaid

Hans

executed at night, with the greatbless the expedition.

Hoi. Doc.

iii.,

Nieuw Nederland

Done, Feb

148, 204.

says, the

both places was eighty, and that thirty were taken prisoners.

numbei

killed at

NEW NETHERLAND. On

269

man, named Dirck Straatmaker,

the following day, a

proceeded with his wife to Pavonia,

in

company with some

Englishmen, "to plunder maize or anything

were warned by the

soldiers to return

" There was no danger

;

there

if

^^^^ TheyFeb.26'

else."

home, but they refused.

were a hundred savages, not

The soldiers, hereupon, withwhen they heard a shriek. Straat-

one of them would injure us."

drew, but had not gone far

maker lay mortally wounded, and

his wife

dead by his

side.

could have escaped, but he " did not wish to leave his poor wife." The Enghshmen, " who had

The

unfortunate

but one gun

man

among them," were

fortunately rescued.'

Flushed with victory, the respective parties returned

Amsterdam, bringing with them of several of the

enemy.

thirty prisoners,

to

Fort

and the heads

Kieft, notwithstanding several of the

commonalty protested against

his proceedings

and those of his

three friends, received his soldiers and freebooters with thanks,

rewards, and congratulations

;

while

Van Tienhoven's mother-

in-law, forgetful of those finer feelings sex,

amused

the dead

herself,

it is

which do honor

stated, in kicking

to

her

about the heads of

men which had been brought in, as bloody trophies The spirit of animosity against

of that midnight slaughter. the Indians soon

became epidemic.

Settlers on

Long

Island,

not to be behind their countrymen at the Manhattes, presented a petition, signed in their

Wolfertsen,

name by

Gerritt Wolfertsen, Jacob Feb

Lambert

Dirck Wolfertsen, and

Huybertsen

Mol, requesting permission to attack the Marreckkawick Indians, residing

between Breucklen and Amersfoort.^

Kieft re-

These Indians had been always

fused to sanction this step.

the friends and allies of the Dutch, and an attack on them,

now, would not only lead

to a destructive war,

especially as

was on its guard and " hard to conquer," but it would the number of the public enemy, and be productive of

this tribe

add

to

ruinous consequences to the petitioners themselves. ever, these Indians should

demean themselves

Alb. Rec.

iii.,

117.

Joumael van N.

Hoi. Doc.

v.,

320.

These Wolfertsens were

in 1636.

how-

N

1

^

Gerrittsen,

If,

in a hostile

who, with Hudde, purchased the

sons,

Flatts,

we

presume, of Wolfert

near the town of Flattlands,

HISTORY OF

270

BOOK manner, every one was permitted to defend himself as best he could 1643.

.-^

rpj^g

by the

latitude allowed

construed by the petitioners,

movement on

latter part of this reply,

who were ready

the part of the Indians into a

to construe

show

any

of hostility,

They imme-

as authorizing the execution of their projects. diately got

was

a secret expedition, and plundered the Marreck-

up

The

kawicks of two wagon loads of corn.

A rencontre

to prevent the robbery.

latter

endeavored

ensued, and two Indians

lost their lives.^

This unjustifiable outrage led

to

consequences almost

fatal

Long Island Indians, the warmest of their friends, who now formed an alliance with the river Indians, whose hate knew no bounds when they discovered that it was the Dutch, and not the Mohawks, who The had attacked them at Pavonia and Corker's Hook. Dutch.

to the

It

tomahawk, the with

estranged the

and scalping

firebrand,

the ferocity of phrensy, and the

all

knife,

were clutched

warwhoop rang from

the Raritan to the Connecticut, for eleven tribes of savages

Every

proclaimed open war against the Dutch.^

whom

they laid hands was murdered

dragged

into captivity

Amsterdam extended,

;

—women

settler

on

and children

and though the settlements around Fort at this period, thirty

English miles to

enemy

the east, and twenty-one to the north and south, the

burned the dwellings, desolated the farms and farm-houses, killed the

cattle,

destroyed the crops of grain, hay, and

bacco, laid waste the country tlers, panic-stricken, into

the flames of

'

Hoi. Doc.

v.,

their

337, 338.

all

The answer was drawn up

Journael van N. N.

^

Genootsaack geworden tegens :)

Mine eyes saw

Roger Williams in

;

"the

council, in the fort,

Rev. Bogardus, Ensign

Gysbert op Dyck, and OlofF Stevensen.

^

opstaende

"

Fort Amsterdam.'*

towns," says

in the presence of the Director-general, the Fiscal, the

Van Dyck,

to-

around, and drove the set-

elfF

nation van wilden

den openbaar oorloch aentenemen.

(:

ten deser oorsaecke

Report and advice, Ap-

pendix. *

Two

thousand Indians by them armed

Dutch, destroyed to their

New

up

all their

fort, forty

Albion, 19.

....

fall

into

scattering farms and boors, in forcing

leagues up

that river,

and to Manhatas.

war with them

the

to retire

Description of

NEW NETHERLAND. friffhts

271

and hurries of men, women, and children, and the chap.

present removal of

The

that could to Holland."^

all

planters,

despairing of effecting a settlement in the country, threatened

now

to

New

abandon

wyck.

Netherland, or to

move

to Rensselaers-

Dreading the removal of the people en masse, the

Director-general found himself obliged to take

company's service

into the

had not soldiers

Pent up

all

the settlers March

two months,

for a period of

for

he

sufficient for the public defence.^

who

in the fort with all

could escape the vengeance

of the savages, Director Kieft experienced, and had to bear,

men and women who

the wrath of the in flames,

beheld their bouweries

and found themselves reduced

moment, by

in a

his

insane conduct, from the comforts of competency to beggary.

Women

asked him for

and children

and

;

all

moment,

;

men

for their

wives

taunted him with the ruinous conse-

quences which followed ored, for a

husbands

their

He

his obstinate rashness.

endeav-

stem the torrent of public discontent,

to

by sending Adriaensen again force but no good resulted.

forth at the

head of an armed

Adriaensen, though backed by

;

an English company, came back from

his bootless expeditions

with the additional chagrin of having witnessed, in the destruction of his

own

property, the misery he inflicted on others

returning, with tenfold severity, on his

sent a delegation to the

Long

they were discontented, and to

But these were

friendship.

upon

;

own

head.

make them

too simple-minded to be

Ye

?

why

a proffer of his

too indignant to listen to his professions.

yourselves our friends

Kieft next

Island Indians to inquire

imposed

" Call ye

are nothing but corn-thieves,"

they shouted from a distance, while they refused to hold any

communication with the Dutch messengers.^ Foiled in

all

his plans,

and now smarting under the ad-

having his advances for a peace rejected

ditional disgrace of

by

the uncivilized savages, Kieft cowered

all

other resources, determined to

'

Rhode Island

'

Alb. Rec.

°

Den

weten.

ii.,

Hist. Rec.

iii.,

;

and deprived of

humble himself before

that

156.

213.

Directeur

Do Wilden

.

.

.

sont voort eenigh volck

overomme de reden

haer van verre verthoonende, riepen

vrienden? gy zyt maer cooren dieven."

Journ. van N. N.

:

te

" Zyt gy onse

^'

HISTORY OF

272

BOOK Heaven whose laws he had offended, •--v-w

1643

hope of obtaining

in the

from the Most High that mercy which he had refused "

fellow-men.

We

continue to suffer

many

from the heathen, and

and property

lives

quence of our March publicly

was

to his

trouble and loss

of our inhabitants behold their

which

in jeopardy,

sins,"

much

doubtless the conse-

is

humble confession which he

the

made on proclaiming

a day of General Fast and

by true penitence and unremitted supplication, to invoke God's mercy, " so that Prayer, and soliciting every one to prepare,

His holy name may not be slandered by the heathen through our

iniquities."^

All this, however, had not the

allaying popular

effect of

The

discontent, nor of diverting public censure.

general

was

of the

25th February, which was

still

by

detestation

Director-

held responsible for the massacre on the night

now

held in such general

some among them by the

the honest burghers, that

seriously proposed to imitate the precedent offered

neighboring province of Virginia, by deposing the Director,

and bundling him back

From

port.^

himself,

him

Holland in the Peacock, then in

to

this responsibility Kieft

by throwing

the petition in the

blame the freemen

endeavored to extricate

the fault on those

name

for

who had

what has occurred."

presented

"

of the commonalty.

You must

"You

forbade

those freemen to meet on pain of corporal punishment," the retort thrown back at

make no reply Maryn Adriaensen, one

him

:

"

how came

it

then

was

?"

He

could

letter,

who had

of the three

became soon aware of the

direction

signed the

which Kieft was

giving to public opinion, for he found himself the object of public reproach, and heard himself assailed as a murderer,

and stigmatized as the chief cause of his fellow-citizens

Goaded by that he

had

had

to

endure

the recollections of lost,

the freebooter

'

Alb. Rec.

'

" Hendrick Snyder Kip

ii.,

all

See

the sufferings

which

hands of the Indians.

that he

had risked, and

armed himself with a

all

cutlass

214, 215. said,

We ought

Director) back to Holland in the Peacock." '

all

at the

affidavits of

to

send the Kievit (meaning the

Alb. Rec.

iii.,

109.

Evertsen Bout, StolFelsen, Arentsen, Comelissen, Derek

sen Blaauw, in Hoi. Doc.

ill.,

149, 150, 151, 152, 154.

NEW NETHERLAND. and loaded

pistol,

weapon

tor-general, where, presenting the

exclaimed, " of

me

What

The

?"

at Kieft's breast,

he ^^^^

devilish lies are these you've

assault

been

would of a certainty have been

the Director, had not Counsellor to

273

and rushed into the presence of the Direc- chap.

telling Marcli fatal to

La Montagne, who happened

be near, grasped, with becoming presence of mind, the

pistol

with such quickness as to cover the pan with his hand,

and thus the weapon fortunately missed

fire while Robert Pennoyer drew the sword from the scabbard and flung it on

With

one side.

;

the assistance of the attorney-general and

was immediately overpowered and com-

others, the assassin

mitted to prison.

The among

attack was, however, the signal for a general rising

Adriaensen's

In an hour, the prisoner's

followers.

accompanied by another desperado, presented himself, armed with a pistol and a gun, at the fort where Kieft was son,

On

walking. ral retired

at

perceiving their approach, the

on his retreat by young Marynsen, who,

shot

down by

the sentinel,

to a gibbet.

A

accomplices

now

his

crowd of some

These demanded to

return,

five

fired

was

affixed

and twenty of Adriaensen's

collected around the Director's door

at once, Kieft ordered four of their

to,

in

head being afterwards

well relishing a personal interview with

be acceded

Director-gene-

towards his room, but was, notwithstanding,

all

number

the prisoner's pardon

;

;

but not

these lawless to

men

be admitted.

but as this could not

the Director-general expressed his willingness

submit the whole matter

to the citizens at large, to

in the case as their consciences should suggest,

sion to the prisoner's friends, to

select

adjudge

with permis-

some Srom among

themselves to assist in the investigation. Instead of communicating this proposal to the congregation,

amounting now

to

over five hundred men, Maryn's friends

selected twenty-five or thirty persons

mand

that the

refused."

" one of

who

reiterated the de-

prisoner be released, " which of course

was

They then elected eight from among themselves, whom was already a convicted criminal," who, with-

out hearing any of the parties, or taking cognizance of any complaints or papers, ordered Adriaensen's release on pay-

ment

of a fine of five hundred guilders, (#200,) and on condi-

35

^i.

HISTORY OF

274

BOOK tion that he absent himself from the Manhattans for and durinff ° III. This proceeding being entirely the space of three months. .

'

irregular,

was refused

De-

the sanction of the authorities.

however, of paying some deference to public opinion,

sirous,

Director Kieft determined, " in accordance with the invariable

custom

consequence,"

in affairs of

commonalty

some

to adjoin

of the most

to the council,

which, notwith-

standing the Director's solemn promise to the

Twelve Men in But owing

respectable of the

January, 1642, to either his

No

own

unpopularity, or to the fear of Maryn's asso-

"none

Kieft found

ciates,

"

consisted of only two persons.

still

him reverence."

so poor to do

The

one would or dared to assist us."

Director-general

March thereupon resolved to send the prisoner, with

ments appertaining

to

tried there, " lest

might be insinuated that

it

the case, to

Thither Adriaensen,

passion."

it is

all

the docu-

may

Holland, that he

said,

we

be

acted in a

was shipped

in irons

accordingly.^

Spring, the season for fishing, hunting, and planting, was

Alb. Rec.

'

216, 217, 218, 219

ii.,

and

bard, Trumbull,

all

the

New

;

iii.,

94.

England

action, represent that Adriaensen,

whom

Winthrop, and after him Hub-

who

authorities

they

call

allude to this trans-

" Marine, the Dutch Cap-

having preferred Capt. Underhill to him as commander,

tain," assaulted Kieft for

about this time, of the Dutch forces against the Indians.

Records and

tlie

Journael van

Nieuw

personal statement, make no mention of

movement solely

to irritation at

which embody

this motive.

They

telling of

me ?

mo ?"

this year, several

not, therefore,

months

New

What

Why Dutch

above assault.

The

New

England

have you

do you put another over

did not enter into the after the

devilish lies

thereby

service until the latter's

writers, in general,

fall

of

promotion could Kieft.

In

on matters occurring

Netherland, must be received, for obvious reasons, with extreme cau-

They

tion.

"

and not.

made

have been the cause of Maryn's attack on Director

truth, the statements of in

his complaint,

is

Besides, Underhill

Kieft's

Maryn's

ascribe

being assailed as a murderer, and

the scape-goat for public censure to centre on.

been

But the Albany

Nederlandt,

serve to embarrass rather than to facilitate the labor and progress

of the historian.

The

freebooter,

it

New

seems, returned to

Netherland some years

after this,

and, notwithstanding the above outrage on the Director-general's person, ob-

west side of the North River,

May, 1647, known by the name

bounded on the south by the

kill

tained a grant from Kieft, on

next

kill,

tlie

11th

of

of " a piece of land on the

of Awiehaken," which " is Hoboken, and runs thence north to the

and with the same breadth into the woods,

gens of land."

Alb. Rec.

GG,

491.

until

it

contains 50 mor-

^

NEW NETHERLAND. now

at

The

hand.

their wars, to

275

Indians saw the necessity of intermitting chap.

They ^^^^

prepare food for themselves and famihes.

made advances,

therefore, for the re-estabhshment of peace.

Three Indians, messengers from " the great chief Pennawitz," March sachem of the Canarsee tribe, approached the fort, bearing a white

They were sent to inquire why the Dutch had who had never injured them ? The op-

flag.

murdered

his people,

portunity

was seized

De

Captain David P.

go

to

Rockaway,

to

a cessation of hostihties, and

to obtain

Vries and Jacob Olfertzsen volunteered

to

have " a talk" with the Indians. They wigwam of the " one-eyed" chief,

arrived in the evening at the

whom

by

was

they were hospitably entertained.

some miles from

situated

His residence

the shore, and he

was surround-

ed by between two and three hundred warriors, the owners of

some

thirty horses.

The Dutch ambassadors were Seated

rival.

in the centre,

a bundle of

little

When

"

let

you

you

food.

and then one of the

in the following

He

proceeded "

'

mayz

until

We

Saysoen te

was

the

of the

first

little

sticks,

and then

om

begeren.

te planten,

left

here at your

first

trip, to

gave them our daughters for wives, and by do beestialen uyttejagen comt

Van

:

dit

verobligeerden veele den

d'anderezyde de wilden oock sienden dat het tyt was

waren nietmin begerigh

om

te vredcn, soo dat naer eenige

Journael van N. Nederlandt. (the Indians) follow fishing.

summer, they

wild herbage begins to sprout up in the woods, the

and then many

barter

your return, we cherished as we would our

spring and part of the

;

We

count in the in-

commuuicatie de pays beslooten wert.

ing

often in

and now, for a recompense,

;

It

down one

laid

The men whom you

't

pays

you were

arrived on our shores,

gave you our beans and our corn.

:

your goods eyeballs.

and address-

:

first

you murder our people." Here the sachem paused dictment.

words

We

eat our oysters and fish

into

chiefs, holding

sticks in his hand, slowly arose

ed the Dutchmen

morning

chiefs awaiting their ar-

placed the delegates from the

in a circle, these

Manhattans

want of

led forth next

where they found sixteen

the woods,

of their

young men leave the

first

" In the

When

the

hunting season begins,

fisheries for the

purpose of hunt-

but the old and thoughtful remain at the fisheries until the second and

principal hunting season."

Van

der Donck's Descript. of N. Netherland.

HISTORY OF

276

There are now numbers of who come from the mixed blood of the Indians and Swannekins. Your own blood have you spilt in this villanous manner." And here he laid down another stick. Many more remained untold in his hand. Many more were the

BOOK these have they had children. III.

Indians

'

complaints which the red-man had to record.

At the conclusion of the the sachems to

De

chieftain's speech,

accompany him

to

Vries invited

Fort Amsterdam.

They

consented, and gave each of the Dutch delegates, in token of

wampum, equal in value to sixmoment of embarkation, another armed with bows and arrows, came running towards

their sincerity, ten fathoms of

But

teen dollars. Indian,

just at the

the shore, and endeavored to dissuade

ceeding.

the

chiefs

from pro-

" Are ye fools," he asked, " to go to the fort to

who have murdered your

those villains

go, the governor will

keep ye

all,

friends

When

?

For a moment the sachems hesitated

without chiefs."

ye

and the Indians will then be ;

but

De

Vries pledging his word, they became reassured, and consented to proceed, " for the Indians had never heard a he

on

from him, which was not the case with many of the Swannekins."

March

This party, twenty

in

number, arrived

at

Fort Amsterdam

about three o'clock in the afternoon, and concluded a treaty of

peace with the Dutch,

were made

in ratification of

Long

to these

which some presents

Island chiefs,

to bring in the river Indians, in order that

cluded with them

*

De Vries

since

requested

also.^

Alb. Rec.

;

his time,

who were

peace might be con-

Winthrop, and

215.

ii.,

who have

all

New

the

England

referred to the above treaty, represent that

writers it

was

mainly brought about by the influence and interference of Roger Williams. " The issue had been uncertain but for the presence of Roger Williams at Manhattan, on his

way

Bancroft's U. S.

ii.,

copying Knowles,

to England.

291.

(art.

Life of Williams, in Sparks's

the fiery zeal of the Indians settlements.

Historical truth,

the purely-minded

His mediation gave a truce to Long Island."

was by the influence

It

and no

Rhode Island

ness of these statements.

De

of Williams, says Gamell,

Am.

was appeased, and peace desire to detract

Biog. xiv., 117,) that

restored to the Dutch

from the high merits

of

philanthropist, requires us to doubt the correct-

Vries,

who was

the principal actor in bringing about

Y. Hist. Soc. Coll. New Series, i., 270) the several steps which preceded its conclusion, with a minuteness and fidelity commanding convic-

this peace, relates (N.

:

NEW NETHERLAND.

277

Nearly a month elapsed before these could be persuaded believe in the sinceritv of the Dutch.

Hackingsacks appeared

the

clude a peace both for his record of which

"This day,

the neighboring tribes, the

1643, between

of April,

and the council of the

Dircctor-general,

Netherlands on the one

1643.

:

the twenty-second

WiLLEM KiEFT,

New

own and

last to the

Island, the chief of

with authority to con-

at the fort,

these words

is in

Trusting at

Long

representations of his brethren on

to chap.

side,

and Oratatnin, Sachem of

the savages residing at Ack-kin-kas-hacky,

who

declared that

he was delegated by and for those of Tappaen, Reckgawa-

wane, Kicktawanc, and Sintsinck, on the other

Peace concluded

in the following

" All injustices

manner,

side,

is

a

to wit

committed by said nations

against

the

Netherlanders, or by the Netherlanders against said nations, shall

be forgiven and forgotten forever

;

reciprocally promis-

one the other, to cause no trouble, the one to the other

ing,

;

but whenever the savages understand that any nation, not

mentioned

tion,

be plotting mischief against the

The Indians made the first one had the courage to go" to Long Island but was with them alone that the Indians had the hesitated to come to New Amsterdam when

but makes no mention or allusion to Mr. Williams.

"

overtures to the Dutch.

De

may

in this treaty,

No

Vries and Olfertszen.

It

" talk," and when the latter " the issue" was truly " uncertain,"

—

it

was on the

representations of

alone, that the chiefs ventured to place themselves in the

the Indians

had never heard a

Mr. Williams's name at one time,

vi^e

is

lie

In the whole of

from him."

That he

not once mentioned.

presume

at

some

power of

earlier date,

is

De

probable, from his letter to the iii.,

But he

155.)

used his influence with the Dutch, and not with the Indians, and his

was

"

The name

foolish and odious to

of peace, which

them

bouweries were in flames, &c."

" for

this transaction,

did endeavor to mediate,

general court of Massachusetts, (Rhode Island Hist. Coll.

then were unavailing.

Vries

Kieft,

Before

In no part of

some

efforts

offered to mediate,

we weighed anchor

this letter

their

does Mr. Williams

encourage the idea that he used his influence with the Indians, or persuaded

them

to

make

peace.

On

the contrary, he endeavored to influence the

—Director we suppose—but he

failed.

De

Vries's

Dutch

minute testimony, and Mr.

Williams's silence as to any participation of his in bringing about the treaty, afford conclusive evidence, in our opinion, of the incorrectness of the positions

assumed by the

New

England

historians

on

this point.

The

fact that Winthrop

places the date of the treaty in June, while the actual record shows

been

in

March,

in the matter.

is

enough,

we

it

to

have

should think, to invalidate any statement of his

April

HISTORY OF

278

BOOK Christians, then will they give to them a timely warning, and "•^^ not admit such a nation within their

To

own

limits."

secm'e this peace, presents were mutually exchanged,

and the Almighty God was implored observe

its

conditions

;

to direct the savages to

but the latter were not satisfied with

—

what they had received, and presage ominous of evil they went away grumbling.*

—

'

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

220.

was Kicktawanc, and

De

Vries.

The

original

of the lands adjacent to

it

name

further

of the Croton River

on the south, Sintsinck.

—

NEW NETHERLAND.

CHAPTER Union of the

New

IV.

—Congratulatory sent by Director Netherland — Reply of the governor of Massachusetts

England

New

and council of

279

colonies

letters

—Proceedings of the Commissioners of the United Colonies regarding the Dutch — Edmund Ployden Earl-palatine of New Albion— Boundaries of the Palatinate — Continued of the Indians — The Wappingers attack a Dutch boat and commence — Several other boats attacked and Christians — Meeting of the commonalty—Election of the Eight Men—Names of the present on occasion — Conclusions of the Eight Men — Expel one of the board, and nominate another place Army raised against the Indians—The attack some on Staten Island and the colonie Achter Cul — Murder persons, and overrun the country — Mrs. Hutchinson and family —Attack on Lady Moody — Further of the Eight Men — Prices New Amsterdam—Letters the Assembly of the XIX. and the States General Rules the on guard— State of on the Island of ManSir

dissatisfaction

hostilities

killed

citizens

this

in his

latter

settlers

at

in

several killed

deliberations

at

to

for

to

soldiers

affairs

hattans.

The

principal

men

in

New

England having taken

serious consideration the troubles which in the

mother country, and the unprotected

nies in consequence these, the claims

;

into their chap.

were now prevailing -^v^

and duly weighed,

'

state of the colo-

in connection with

which the Dutch so pertinaciously put

for-

ward, together with the restless and hostile demonstrations of the surrounding Indians, considered their safety could be effectually secured only

by forming

a confederation, offensive

and defensive, of the separate colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth,

New

Haven, and Connecticut, which was accord-

ingly completed on the nineteenth of style

and

title

of "

The United

May

this year,

Colonies of

New

under the May

England."

Intelligence of this union having reached Fort

Amsterdam

shortly after, the Director-general and council considered such

an occurrence

to furnish a

fitting

opportunity to obtain a re-

dress of grievances, and to establish a better understanding in

He

therefore dispatched, in the course of July,

to Boston,

with letters written in Latin, and signed by

that quarter.

a sloop

Secretary

Van Tienhoven,

addressed to the governor and sen-

July

HISTORY OF

280

New

BOOK ate of the United Provinces of j-^^ in the '

eration

England.

place, congratulated his excellency

first

which had been entered

After having,

on

the confed-

between himself and the

into

other colonies, Kieft took occasion to repeat his complaints of

wrongs and insufferable

the grievous

New Haven

attention to the misrepresentations

committed

injuries

and Connecticut on the Dutch

;

by-

he next directed

made by Lord Say, Mr.

Dutch ambassador at London and concluded by inquiring of Governor Winthrop whether he

Peters, and others, to the

;

should aid or desert him, so that he might

from

The governor

July

know

his friends

his enemies.

of Massachusetts submitted this communi-.

cation to such of his council as

were

Boston, after which

at

he replied, expressive of his sorrow for the differences which

had arisen between the Dutch and his brethren

He

hoped

that the

at

Hartford

good understanding which had existed be-

tween the people of Massachusetts and the Dutch ever since they had come to these parts might continue, and suggested present differences

the

that

tration in

ever,

by way

arranged by arbi-

be

was obliged

own who were

should be duly weighed by those

further answer

;

in the

mean

made

all

;

that his to give

while, he trusted that their an-

cient friendship should not be interrupted,

would carefully avoid should be

added, how-

to study the welfare

interests of the other colonies as well as its

letters

at

He

of explanation, that according to the articles of

confederation, each colony

and

might

England, Holland, or America.

injuries

either here or in

and that each party

until

Europe

final ;

arrangements

as the controversy

Hartford about a small piece of land, in so vast a continent

as that of America, was, he wisely remarked, too trifling to

cause a breach between Protestants so intimately related feelings Sept. 7.

The

in

and religion as were the Dutch and the English. question

sioners, held

came up

soon after

at the first

at

meeting of the commis-

Boston, at which the

New Haven

delegates presented a statement of what they considered the hostile

and oppressive conduct of the Dutch towards the Eng-

hsh, at the

made

South River, and other places.

various complaints.

Connecticut also

Hereupon the president was

or-

dered to communicate these several charges to the Director-

NEW NETHERLAND. general at the Manhattans, and to injuries of

demand

satisfaction for the

Governor Winthrop was,

which they complained.

also, directed to write respecting the

Dutch

title

to the land at

Hartford, which the commissioners could not acknowledge

they had more light

until

and

;

to assure the Director that as

they would not wrong others, so would they not desert their

These

confederates in a just cause.

He

Kieft.

urging the soundness of the Dutch

While

replies did not

satisfy

again wrote, reiterating his complaints, and re-

the Director-general

title to

Hartford.^

was thus engaged,

vindicating

the company's jurisdiction over the lands on the Connecticut River, a

new

claimant appeared at Fort Amsterdam, and as-

serted his right to

all

New

that part of

Netherland embraced

betw^een the North and South rivers, (now constituting the state

of

New

Jersey,) together with a portion of Virginia.

This personage was Sir the province of

New

Edmund

Ployden, Earl-palatine of

Albion.

Straitened in circumstances, and circumscribed in means,

worthy knight happened

to be thrown into jail in England whereupon he solicited from King Charles the First But having been una patent to settle the Delaware River.

this

for debt,

successful at court, he addressed himself to the king's favorite, Strafford, then viceroy of Ireland,

who

took upon himself to

grant to his friend, in 1634, a tract of land beginning at Cape

Mey, whence

it

extended west forty leagues up the Delaware

thence north forty leagues the

same

distance to the

after

;

Hudson

we presume, Sandy Hook

as

which

it

from which place the

;

south along the coast to the cape from which

This grant included, moreover,

all

the

;

inclined east for

River to " Sand-heey,"

it

line

or,

ran

first started.

islands in the

sea

" within ten leagues of the shore of the said region, called by

names of Pamonk, (or Long Island,) Hudson's, or Hudby whatever other name, with all ports for shipping and creeks of the sea to the same adjoining." This territory was, at the same time, erected into a province, or " free county palatine," over which the patentee was cre-

the

son's River Isles, or

'

Winthrop's Journal 303, 304, 305

Hubbard's N. Eng. 133, 434, 435.

;

Winthrop's N. Eng.

Trumbull's Conn,

36

i.,

ii.,

129, 130, 157;

126, 134, 135.

;

HISTORY OF

282

BOOK ated Earl-palatine, and for formed,

settlement

its

forty-four

of

consisting

a

company was

barons,

lords,

baronets,

knights, gentlemen, and adventurers, under the style of

"the

Albion Knights for the conversion of the twenty-three kings" of Charles River, as they called the Delaware.

It

was

however, by lords and baronets that colonies were planted in America.

and the daring.

were too

It

not,

to

be

was, rather, by the poor, the patient,

Either the means of this goodly company

what

slender, or their plans too crude, or,

was

probable, their patent

more

is

utterly valueless, and this colony had

The company,

no other but a pseudo-parchment existence.

the colony, and the Earl-palatine, have disappeared from the

face of the earth, leaving scarcely a trace to

whereabouts or

their existence.

to Virginia shortly after his

Sir

mark

either their

Edmund Ployden

appearance

at

" for he would not quarrel with the Dutch,"

New

retired

Amsterdam,

who now became,

again, a prey to all the horrors of an Indian war.^

The

peace, which had been concluded in the spring, was

considered by the River Indians in every respect unsatisfactory.

The

presents they had received were looked upon as

by no means commensurate

enormous losses which

the

to

they had experienced at the hands of the white Kieft, July

when

came

their complaints

tunately, no pains to

presents, but

remove

the

men

and

;

his ears, took, unfor-

their dissatisfaction

aggravated

rather

to

existing

by opportune ill-feeling

by

abusing the Indians, and inducing, by a bribe of two hundred

fathoms of

wampum,

their chief,

his danger, " to kill those boobies

who came to warn him of who desired to war with the

Swannekins."^ In the

mean

Pacham,

while,

tekes of Haverstraw, visited ulated the

the crafty leader of the Tanki-

all

the Indian villages, and stim-

The

savages to rise and massacre the Dutch.

spirit of evil

found minds too well-disposed to receive

his

The Wappinecks, or North River, about half way be-

counsel and to take up the tomahawk.

Wappingers, residing on the »

Hazard's State Papers

i.,

160, 161

Barker's Sketches in Hazard's Reg. Bancroft's United States *

De

Vries.

ii.,

296

;

;

Van i.,

der Donck's Vertoogh van N. N.

180; Plantagenet's

Alb. Rec.

iii.,

224

;

xviii.,

349.

New

Albion;

NEW NETIIERLAND.

283

tween the Manhattans and Fort Orange, with never had any dispute, were the

first to

whom

Dutch

the

commence

chap.

hostihties. ^j^^^

They

attacked an open boat coming from the latter post, laden ^yg_ with four hundred beaver skins, and murdered Willem Cor-

The booty acquired on make similar attacks on two

nelissen Coster, one of the crew.^

occasion tempted others to

this

other boats, which were also overpowered. to surprise a fourth, the

men.

Nine Christians

and one

woman and two

six

But

in

lost their lives in these rencontres,

children

were led away

at the

under pretence of

same

some beavers, and

selling

wounds on an unfortunate

time, five

captives.

whom

Another party of Indians murdered an old couple, visited

an attempt

savages were repulsed with a loss of

they

inflicted,

settler,

who

succeeded, however, in making his escape to Fort Amsterdam bearing along with him, in his arms, a

in a boat

;

who had

already lost both father and mother in the

and now was deprived of

tack,

its

little

child,

first

at-

grandfather and grand-

mother, having been thus twice miraculously snatched, by the interposition of Providence,

ere

it

also

was yet two years

murdered about

this

from the clutches of the savages

of age.

Numbers

time by the Indians,

the guise of friendship to

warn

of others

were

who came under

the Christians of approaching

danger.^

The hour

of peril brought with

consulting the people

;

it

again the necessity of

and Kieft, who never respected

either

popular rights or popular representatives, found himself, after a lapse of six or seven months, compelled to call the com-

monalty together anew

to take into consideration

such pro-

positions as he should submit for the general good.

people met accordingly

in the fort.

They were

The

called on " to

from among themselves," to consider which the Director-general and council

elect five or six persons

maturely the

articles

were prepared

to

But they preferred leaving the

propose.

responsibility of choosing the " select

men"

to the executive,

reserving to themselves, however, the right to reject such per-

son or persons as might not be pleasing to them, and against • Alb. Rec. *

iii.,

143.

Journael van N. N.

;

Winthrop's N. Eng.

ii.,

130.

7"

HISTORY OF

284

whom

BOOK

'

A

they might have any thing to object.^

Eight Men was subsequently chosen, a certificate election was recorded in the following terras

board of of

whose

:

Sept.

13

"We,

undersigned,

the

declare

we

that

have

elected

•

Joachim Pietersen, Jan Damen, Barent Dircksen, Abraham Pietersen, Isaack AUerton,

Thomas

and Cornells Melyn, maturely

to

Hal, Gerrit Wolfertsen, consider the propositions

submitted to us here by the Director and Council of

New

hereby what the aforesaid persons

approving

Netherland,

and determine. (Signed,) " Philip Grave, Cornells x Swilwan, Jan X Haer, Albert

shall herein treat of

Hoi. Doc.

cord

:

"

We,

The

141.

iii.,

following

is

a translation of

interesting re-

this

the undersigned, having appeared in the fort at the request of the

Noble Director and Council,

to express

our opinions on their Honors' proposal,

as they have required of us to elect five or six persons from

among

ourselves to

vpeigh maturely the articles laid before us, so have

we

leave to the Director and Council the doing that

namely, the selection of

those persons

whom there

provided that

;

we may

might be any thing

;

considered

it

wise to

reject the person or persons against

to object,

and are not pleasing

to usl

(Signed.) J. p.

X

Barent

X

Louis

Claes

Wolpherts,

Jan

X

X

Hansen,

Cornells

X X

X

Losman,

Souleman,

John Pathaway, Cornelis Melyn, Sibert Claessen,

Cornelis Lambertsen

X

X

Cool,

Jan Jansen Damen,

Jacobse,

Cornells Volckers,

Claes

X

Cornelis Twits,

de Forest,

Abraham

Homs,

Colfex,

Pieter Linde,

X

X

Richard

Jan Snediker, Isaak

Montelaar,

Ambrosius

Pieces,

Richard

X

Claes Jansen Ruter,

George

Barent Janssen,

Hans

Grain,

Heindrick Heindricksen Kype,

Pietersen,

X

X

Pieter Colet,

Hille,

Govert Lookmans, Gerrit

Gerrits,

Abraham Planck,

Dircksen,

Cornells Wittensen,

Cornells Jacobs.

Abm.

X

Wolfert

Kuyter,

Isaak AUerton,

Jacob Couwenhoven,

Caerlessen,

Willem Adriaensen,

Jan Verbruge,

Thomas Thomas

Hall,

Cornelis Dircksen Hoochlant,

X

Wilheim Goulder,

Sanderson,

Benj'n. Pawley,

Heyndrick

X

Pieter Adriaensen,

Heyndricksen,

Laurens

X

Pietersen,

P. R. Gichhous."

Such as have a

X

affixed to their

names made

their

mark.

NEW NETHERLAND.

285

x Cray, Jacob x Stoffelsen, Cornelis Wil- chap. lemsen, Claes x Corslersen, Richert x Gebbers, Reyner x ^^^^ Jansen, Joris x Bastelaar, Egbert Woutersen, Pieler Linde, Wolphert x Gerrits, Isaak x de Forest, Ab. x Jacobse, Jansen, Teunis

Couwenhoven, Wil-

Pieter Colet, Govert Loockmans, Jacob

lem Adriaensen, Jan Verbrugge, Thoman x Sandersen,

x Losman, Wilheim Goulder, Jan x Pieces, Pawley, Laurens x Pietersen, John Pathaway."

brosius

The

first

two days

Am-

Benj'n.

meeting of the above representatives w^as held pursuant

after their election,

summons from

to a

the

Director-general, " to consider the critical circumstances of

One

the country."

of their earliest acts

was

to

mark

tack the Indians.

who had demanded permission With this view, they required the

sion of Jan Jansen

Dam

disapprobation of those

twenty-fourth of February

whose

this

Dam

last.

protested in strong

But these excuses availed him naught.

excluded, and Jan Evertsen Bout selected by the

other seven to the

fill

war "

the vacancy.

either

by

It

was then resolved

they commit no

Long

as the

;"

and

to

freemen could

Island tribes,

encourage the latter, " if bring in " some heads of the

hostilities ;" to

they could be persuaded," to

murderers

to re-

force or stratagem," against the river

Indians, but to preserve peace with the if

by

misrepresentations, he averred, he had been deceived

He was

"

to sit

letter of the

proceeding, and especially against Kieft,

into signing the letter.

new

exclu-

from the board, as they refused

with him, he being one of the signers of the

terms against

their to at-

engage and arm as large a body of aff"ord to

pay.

At

this

men

meeting, several

good and wholesome regulations were passed forbidding tippling and taverns, in lieu of which a course of religious exercises,

accompanied by preaching, was ordered

of a week.

was tion.

This order,

entirely neglected

we

regret,

however,

for the space

have

by the minister charged with

The Eight Men

then adjourned,

agreed to meet on every Saturday evening gress of

to

its

to add,

execu-

having previously to

watch the pro-

affairs.'

^ Hoi. Doc. iii., 144, 145 v. 323 Alb. Rec. ii., 231. " Desen acht mannen hebben wel eenige goede en behoorlycke articulen beraemt, voorbiedende ;

;

Sept.

HISTORY OF

286 BOOK

The

arm

Director-general immediately proceeded to

the

and company's servants, and to engage the English

settlers '

(who were now threatening to quit the country,) commonalty having agreed to defray the third part of their expenses. This corps, consisting of between fifty and eighty inhabitants,

the

men, shortly

swore "

after

fidelity to

the

High and Mighty

Lords the States General, the Prince of Orange, the West

Company,

India

Netherland

;"

and

try's service,

soldiers are

to

and the

to

bound

The enemy

Director

New

Council of

obey

and

the Director, as dutiful officers

to do."^

much

did not allow Kieft, or his troops,

A

for preparation.

time

small force, consisting of " five soldiers,

and one man," detailed

five boys,

and

" sacrifice their lives in their and the coun-

nic " behind the Cul," (or

for the defence of the colo-

Newark Bay,

as

it

is

now

called,)

belonging to the Lord of Nederhorst, was attacked by a strong Sept. 1

party of savages in the course of the night of the 17th Septem-

ly

and

ber,

retreat

after a desperate

resistance,

were

finally obliged to

They

the house having been fired over their heads.

;

escaped with considerable

difficulty in a canoe, saving

nothing

Another small force, which had been

but their arms.

dis-

patched to the same quarter for the protection of the farm Oct. 1.

of Jacob StofFelsen,

was

visited

some ten

or fifteen days after-

wards, by a party of nine Indians, under a pretence of friendship,

who

finding the

unarmed, murdered

soldiers

house, except the farmer's step-son,

Tappaen,

tafemien en

all

weeck

alle

Hoi. Doc.

iii.,

Soo wert

alsser in

trecken

't

;

the

Stelden weder in plaetse een

by de ordre gesien can worden, toch

gebracht."

niet

all in

they carried olf to

the farm-houses and produce,

all

andere onhebbelyckheden.

predicatie, als

tot executie

'

having burned

after

whom

Letter of the Eight

't

is

by den OfRcier

Men, 28th October,

1644.

215. 'er

goetgevonden dat

lant te

becomen waren,

men die

soo veel Engelsche souden

aennemen

nu togh van meeningh waren

waervan de Gemeente een derde

part sonde betalen

;

te ver-

dese beloften

maer de betalinge volght niet. Journael van N. N. by the commonalty was, according to another authority,

geschiet by de Gemeente,

The number fifty

men.

represents

to

be paid

"

fifty

Englishmen"

to

person, as " he could not trust himself " error.

Trumbull [Hist. Conn, have been a bodyguard to

Report and advice. Appendix E. these

among

the people.

But

i.,

139]

Kieft's

this

is

an

NEW NETHERLAND. while Aert Theunisseii, a planter at Hoboken, was surprised,

he was trading

as

Bcargat, outside Sandyhook, and

the

at

murdered by the savages, who afterwards destroyed both cattle

and

The

^

plantation.*

Pavonia, Ach-

greatest terror prevailed everywhere.

Manhattan, and most of Long

ter Col, the greater part of

and were

^^^^

his

in the

hands of the enemy, amounting,

different tribes,

While

dred warriors.

was

it

now

Isl-

consisting of seven

estimated, to fifteen hun-

work of destruction was going on

the

in

the above quarters, other parties of savages crossed over to the

main, and cleared

from her persecutors

their

as far east as Stamford.

Anne Hutchinson had

retired

Massachusetts, but the Indians had

in

They appeared

discovered her retreat.

was

them

before

all

celebrated Mrs.

Thither the

wont when making

friendly, as

at first

But on discovering

their visits.

the defenceless condition of the inmates, they killed her and

her son-in-law, Mr. Collins, with her all

the other

members

own

son, Francis,

of her family, besides a

number of

and

other

persons in the neighborhood, belonging to the families of Mr.

Throgmorton and Mr.

Eighteen persons,

Cornhill.

in all, fell

victims here to these barbarians, who, putting the cattle into barns, burnt the whole.

Passing, thence, over to

they attacked the plantation of the Lady

who would

several times,

Moody

Long

Island,

Gravesend

at

have, doubtless, shared the fate of

had a

the unfortunate Mrs. Hutchinson, had not her ladyship

guard of forty the Indians

men

to protect her.

become,

Indeed so bold now had

that they hesitated not to attack isolated

bodies of the Dutch in their visits to the outposts around Fort

Amsterdam, on one of which occasions Ensign van Dyck had a narrow escape of being killed, having received a ball in his right arm,

'

Alb. Rec.

Doc.

iv.,

2

iii.,

247.

153

De

;

Vries

Beeregat, the

Benson's

shore.

346

which passed across

Mem.

Winthrop's Journal, 308 ;

Rec.

Alb. Rec. ii.,

59.

ii.,

238

;

;

;

Van

first inlet

See

21.

also

his body, grazing his chest.^

der Donck's Vertoogh van N. N.

without the cape on the

Van

New

;

Hoi.

Jersey

der Donck's Beschryving van N. N.

Winthrop's N. Eng.

ii.,

135, 136

Gorton's Simplicity Defended, in

;

Hubbard, 345,

Rhode

Isl.

His. Soc.

Wilde's Rise, Reign, and Ruin of the Antinomians contains this

pious exultation at the destruction of Mrs. Hutchinson

them and slew her and

all

her children

;

:— " The

Indians set upon

save one that escaped, (her

own

hus-

Oct

HISTORY OF

2SS

To oppose these wild hordes the Dutch force amounted to no ^v~ more than two hundred and fifty or three hundred settlers, and

BOOK 1643

between

fifty

ammunition

soldiers, badly provided, however, with while Fort Amsterdam, " open to the enemy

and sixty

;

day and night," was nothing better than a ruin, around whose crumbling walls helpless women and children lay huddled together in huts of straw

Such was

!

the condition of things in

New

Nelherland

at the

close of September, and beginning of October, when Director Kieft again convoked the Eight Men, to deliberate on what

—

was best to be done. Two vessels the Seven Stars and Neptune were at anchor in the harbor, laden with provisions destined for Cura^oa. It was at once proposed to unload these turn their cargoes into the fort retain the greater numships

—

—

—

ber of the crew and marines Oct.

6.

New Haven for

next to apply to

against the savages

aid

to,

;

and

an auxiliary force of one hun-

To meet expenses, the Director-genfifty men. was recommended to draw a bill of exchange on the company for twenty-five thousand guilders, ($10,000,) and to

dred and eral

New

give the English a mortgage on security for the

The

payment of

With a

self-will for

he sent away the ships

band being dead

before)

her to death with

fire,

not able to affirm

men moment he was under the

—a dreadful blow

her house and

by what kind

which he was character-

refused to retain the

;

longing to these vessels, at the

am

collateral

greater portion of this plan was, however, rejected by

Director Kieft. istic,

Netherland as

this debt.^

all

Some

!

bene-

write that Indians did burn

the rest that belonged unto her, but I

God's hand

of death they slew her

more apparently seen herein to pick out this woful woman, to make her, and those belonging to her, an unheard of heavy example of their cruelty to others." ^ De vreese meer over 't lant comende, de Aght Mannen vergaderen foris

meren een

propositie

by

geschrift,

waerinne sy versoecken dat

Noordt souden senden by onse gebeuren

nen

hulp te versoeken

tot

brief verleenen

;

d'

tot betalinge

Engelsche

van vyffentwintigh duyzent gulden, ende

men N. Nederlant soo .... gelyck cock weynich dagen van te

deselve voldaen worden, sonde

verpanden dat

om

men na

de

hondert vyftigh man-

van deselve sonde men een

wissel-

tot versekeringe dat

lange aen de Engelsche

vooren hadde beslooten,

de victualie gedestineert naer Cura9oa, uyt de schepen sonde lossen, meeste volck vandeselve behouden, ende de Schepen alsoo ledigh weg-

men

ende

't

senden.

Det wert den Directeur nogh

Joum. van N. N.

niet

aengenomen nogh goetgevonden.

NEW NETHERLAND. New England

cessity of applying to

for

289

an auxiliary force, and

exported provisions while the people around scantily supplied or

;

chap.

him were but

for peas sold at this period for three florins

$1.20 per schepel, (three pecks

;)

rye bread for eight cents,

wheaten bread 14 cents per loaf; hard bread, 6 cents, pork, ten cents, dried fish, five cents, beef, nine cents, and tallow,

per pound

for five cents

and blubber

oil for

Agreeably derbill,

Spanish wine for thirty-two cents,

;

twenty cents per

to the

who now was engaged

ceeded to

New

pot.^

preceding arrangement. Captain John Unto lead the

Dutch

Haven, with Mr. Isaac AUerton,

forces, pro-

hope

in the

of engaging the government of that colony to raise the auxili-

ary force which was required.

But this application had no was prohibited by the articles of confed-

New Haven

effect.

eration

from joining separately

and Governor Eaton

in war,

and the general court not being

satisfied of the justice of the

Dutch and

the Indians, rejected the pro-

posal which Kieft had made.^

In this abandoned condition,

quarrel between the

the Eight

Men were

They addressed

land.

XIX. and ever sent

letters

Hol-

to

both to the Assembly of the

General which memorials, the first Europe from a popular body in this state,

to the States to

interesting for

ty

under the necessity of writing

their

truth,

and pathos, were

terms " Honorable Lords

;

and affecting

couched

for their

simplici-

the

following touching

— Rightly hath one

of the ancients said,

in

:

that there is

no misery on

manifest itself in time of war.

Netherland, have

now

however

earth,

We,

great, that does not

poor inhabitants of Ne\y

to complain, that

having enjoyed for a

long time an indifferent peace with the heathen. Almighty

hath

finally,

God

through his righteous judgment, kindled the

fire

war around us during the current year with the Indians, in which not only numbers of innocent people, men, women, and children, have been murdered in their houses, and at their of

work, and swept captives away, (whereby its

inhabitants

eries

is

come

and plantations

»

Alb. Rec.

iii.,

to the greatest ruin

this place ;)

but

all

with

the

at Pavonia, with twenty-five lasts

»

159.

37

3 Mass. Hist.

Coll.

vii.,

244.

all

bow[2700

Oct.

HISTORY OF

290

BOOK bushels] of corn and other produce have been burnt, and the cattle destroyed.

"

Long

Island

destitute also of inhabitants and stock, ex-

is

cept a few insignificant places over against the main, which

The English who have settled They too, except one place, are

are about to be abandoned.

among us have

not escaped.

murdered and burnt.

all

" Staten Island, where Cornehs Melyn established himself,

unattacked as yet, but stands expecting an assault every

is

hour.

"

On

Manachatas, [Manhattans,] from the

of

the island

north unto the Fresh Water,^ there are no more, at this date,

than five or six places inhabited Indians, every night, with

fire,

;

these are threatened by the

and by day, with the slaughter

of both people and cattle.

" Achter Cul, where the Honorable

a colonic, for us,

is

Van der Horst founded Thus no other place remains

altogether in ruins.

where we can lodge ourselves with women and chiland adjoining Fort Amsterdam, on the

dren, than around

Manachatas. " No resistance

is

The

phed.

fort is

resembles (with

want of men, arms, very slenderly sup-

defenceless and entirely out of order, and

On

the other hand, the

They have formed an

with more than seven different

powder, and

kets,

for

this place is

submission) rather a molehill than a

against the enemy.

and mighty.

enemy

offered the

and ammunition, with which

ball,

alliance,

tribes,

enemy

is

fort

strong

one with another,

well supphed with mus-

which they have procured and daily

receive from private traders, in exchange for beaver, and with

The woods and

which they murder our people.

now also useful to them, women, children, and old men

for they

are

the warriors daily

menace our

with

lives

all their

mg

We

'

and is

of fifteen hundred

There was formerly a " its

vicinity, in

made

above.

New

The

into the interior.

threaten to attack the fort with

men.

fresh water"

York, are now

the thickets

have removed

fire

all

their

rest of

and sword, and

strength,

now

have to guard

consist-

this post at

pond where a part of Centre-street

situate.

It is to this

pond that

allusion

—

NEW NETHERLAND. all

hours, for

Thus

all

through their good-will that any

it is

291

the outside places are mostly in their hands, chap.

whole country. How wretched it

remain

cattle

alive

^^^^

in the

"

fares with us afflicted people through-

out the land, your Honors can easily conceive, for the coun-

welfare and prosperity are composed principally of peo-

try's

ple, cattle,

expended "

Our

and houses,

in

means

the

all

which we

that

and severally have

jointly

we have been

able to realize.

population consists, for the most part, of

The freemen

children.

two hundred

in

their families,

number, who must

which now

women and

(not counting the English) are about

lie

protect,

by

force of arms,

concealed in straw huts, around

outside the fort.

"

The

cattle

conveyed

are

partly burnt and killed

to the fort

forage, they

must

starve through the

It is

Those yet standing

much

to

the remainder

coming winter,

immediately slaughtered. " The houses have been, for the most stroyed.

;

on the Manhaltes, where, for want of

part, fired

but the beginning of

this is

our troubles, especially as these Indians

kill

one after the other, which they will continue are burdened with our muskets, our wives and

off

put this

fall

our people,

to do, little

" While the people are ruined, the corn and little

not

are in danger of being also burnt.

be apprehended that

duce burnt, and

if

and de-

all

while

we

ones.

other pro-

or nothing saved, not a plough can be

into the ground, so that not a

much

hundred schepels If

any

provisions should be obtained at the cast from the English,

we

will

be sown hereabouts, and

know

not wherewith

less in the spring.

we poor men

pay

will

for

them

;

while

private traders have, for the last three or four years, drained

us by their extortions, and ;

is at

a stand-still.

for this

"The

made

must follow so long

poor

cattle

being destroyed,

this

country wretchedly

as the industry of the land

the

dwellings burnt,

mouths of the women and children must remain

shut.

the

We

speak not now of other necessaries, such as clothes, shirts, Matters, in fine, are in such a fix, '„hat shoes, and stockings. it

will

Who

be with us according

draws the sword,

to

the words of the prophet

shall die of

hunger and

cold.

:

—

:

HISTORY OF

292

We

"

BOOK

Honorable Lords General

turn, then, to you,

we

;

pray and beseech your Honors, with humble hearts, to be '

pleased to assist us in this sorrowful plight, and to extend,

by

the earliest opportunity, a helping hand, with such

means as

your Honors may,

We

in

your wisdom, consider

Lords, wherein

and we

all,

we have

besought of them, that

with wives and children,

commonalty of

New

have

this place,

be delivered over

faithful subjects, lawfully elected

by the Honorable

ized

may not

Relying on which,

a prey to these cruel heathens.

your Lordships'

best.

High and Mighty

sent herewith a remonstrance also to the

we remain

and author-

whole

the Director and council, and the

(Signed,) Cornelis Melyn,

Netherland.

Abm. Pietersen, Gerrit Wolphertsen, Isaack AUerton, Thomas Hall, Jan Evertse Bout, Barent Dircksen, Joachim PieDone at Fort Amsterdam, this 24th Oct., in New tersen. Netherland, anno 1643."^

The remonstrance Nov.

"To

4.

Men

which the Eight

to

was

close of the above letter,

High and Mighty Lords,

the Noble,

refer at the

to this effect

the Noble Lords

the States General of the United Netherland Provinces

" Noble, High and Mighty Lords

God

acceptable to our

:

more

sacrifice is

than an humble spirit and a contrite

heart, so nothing should, in like all

As no

!

manner, be more pleasing to

Christian princes and magistrates, than to lend an ear to

and to extend their hand to their distressed

their complaining,

subjects.

" So land,

is it,

then, that we, poor inhabitants of

were pursued

in the spring

barbarous savages, with elly

fire

and sword.

murdered men and women

in our

with hatchets and tomahawks struck their parents' arms,

away

'

into captivity.

Hoi. Doc.

name

is

iii.,

all

134, 135, 136, 137, 138,

signed to the above,

was one

" Pilgrims," who came out from Holland to

Governor Bradford

1641.

He

for

died in 1659.

many

years,

Nether-

Daily have they cru-

houses and

;

fields

;

and

children dead in

little

or before their doors

Cattle of

New

by these wild heathens and

or taken

them

far

descriptions are destroyed

139, 140.

of the in the

Isaac Allerton, whose

memorable hundred and one Mayflower.

and removed

to

He was

New

assistant

Netherland

in

NEW NETHERLAND. and killed, and such as remain, must

293

perish this approaching chap.

^^^^

winter for want of fodder.

" Every place almost

is

abandoned

must skulk, with wives and

We,

:

ones,

little

wretched people,

that

are

still

left,

in

poverty together, by and around the fort on the Manhattes,

where

we

While

are not one hour safe.

overwhelm

threaten to

us,

can be planted

little

much less next spring so we all, who may survive, shall

and

;

the Indians daily

that

must come

it

autumn,

to pass, that

women and children God take pity

with

die,

this

next year, of hunger and sorrow, unless our

upon "

us.

We are

all,

out counsel or

stands

fenceless,

company

Were

us.

ere

all

but

we

open

hath, here, it

were

not for

lost,

this,

fifty

or sixty

Fort Amsterdam, utterly de-

enemy day and

to the

few or no

some

The enemy meets

garrison consists of but

without ammunition.

;

to the greatest, with-

wholly powerless.

;

The

with no resistance. soldiers

from the smallest

here,

means

effects, as the

there

had

night.

been time

still

The

Director informs to receive,

assistance from the English at the east;

helpless inhabitants, while

we must abandon

all

our

property, are exceedingly poor.

" These heathens are strong

in might.

an alliance with seven other nations

;

They have formed

are well provided with

guns, powder, and ball, in exchange for beaver by the private traders,

who have had

for a long time free course here.

whom

they murder.

The

rest

they take from our brethren

we

experience the greatest misery, which must astonish a

In

fine,

Christian heart to sec or to hear.

"

We

turn, then, in a

body to you. High and Mighty Lords,

acknowledging your High Mightinesses and the Fathers of Fatherland.

and

for the love

their poor

which

their

as our sovereigns,

We supplicate

for

God's sake,

High Mightinesses bear towards

and desolate subjects here

in

New

Netherland, that

High Mightinesses would take phy on us, their poor people, and urge upon and command the company, (to whom we also make known our necessities,) to forward to us by the earliest opportunity such assistance as their High Mightinesses should

their

deem most

may

not be

proper, in order that we, poor and forlorn beings, left, all at

once, a prey, with

women

and children,

—

HISTORY OF

294

For should

BOOK to these cruel heathens.

very quickly, according

-^v-^ arrive ^^'^^^

to

suitable assistance not

we shall be who remain, to English, who would

our expectations,

forced, in order to preserve the lives of those

remove ourselves

among

to the east

the

have possession of

like nothing better than to

this place

espe-

;

on account of the superior convenience of the seacoast,

cially

bays, and large rivers, besides the great fertility of this

soil

yea, this alone could provision and supply yearly twenty, twenty-five to thirty ships from Brazils or the

with

Done

necessaries.

all

3d Nov., 1643.

lands, this

at

Manhattans

petitions to

some

sistance, Kieft set about introducing

Nov. 12

"

to

With

muster.

were ordered

to

this

Nether-

Holland

for as-

sort of order

and

view the following regula-

be enforced "

Whoever abuses

1.

Indies,

New

heterogeneous force which circumstances

discipline into the

enabled him

West

Rom.''^

Stil.

Having dispatched these urgent

tions

in

the

name

when on guard :"— God when on guard

of

shall

•

pay a 20

fine for the first offence, of ten

stivers

"

he

is

on guard,

" HI. shall

for the third,

;

He who

n.

" IV. cause,

;

for the second,

stivers.

speaks scandal of a comrade during the time

pay

shall

He who

pay twenty

30

stivers

arrives

thirty stivers.

tipsy or intoxicated on the guard,

stivers.

He who

be present without

neglects to

sufiicient

fifty stivers.

" Lastly,

He

who, when the duly on the guard

formed, and the sun

risen,

is

and the

ket without his corporal's orders, shall

With

is

well per-

reveille beat, fires a

pay one

mus-

guilder."

these rules and regulations, the state of affairs on

all

the island Manhattans

presence of even

this

was by no means improving.

The

small garrison seems to be productive

made

of

the stealing and killing of hogs, goats, as Avell as of other

ir-

Complaints were daily

rather of increased disorder.

regularities,

in plunder

" at '

was

last

which increased so

and robbery," and

it

murder one another,"

Hoi. Doc.

ii.,

fast, that it

was feared

in

Men

in the

that people

would

consequence of the impunity

323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328.

signed by the Eight which precedes it

" threatened to end

This memorial or remonstrance

same manner

as the petition to the XIX.,

NEW NETHERLAND. The

of the delinquents.

incursions of the

295 savages continued chap.

unnoticed and unopposed, so that, at length, the community

began loudly

Kieft, desirous to shake the

to complain.

olf himself, cited Sheriff

Vander Huygens

blame

before him, and en-

tered a strong protest against that officer for his neglect of

"

duty.

The

fault alone is

chargeable to you," said he, ad-

dressing the fiscal in terms of strongest censure, " and you dare to blame the Director that you are not duly supported!

You may cil,

are

now commanded

to execute

not skulk behind that pretext.

and

all

your

The

office,

so that

you

Director and coun-

the soldiers are at your service, besides your under-

sheriff, jailer,

and the negroes."^

>

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

236

;

iii.,

169

—

— —

HISTORY OF

296

CHAPTER V. —Expedition

Offensive measures against the Indians

Mayano

slain

—His

— Fails

Greenwich

tween a Dutch Indian

in finding the

soldier

settlement

against the

head brought

into

Staten Island

— Mayn to

—Returns Stamford— be—Latter —Attack on an the Manhattans — Expedition return

Indians

to

Collision

and Captain Patrick

—Detachment —Arrive

Weckquaesqueecks

— —

to

New Amsterdam — Expedition killed

to

at the castles of that tribe, but find

them abandoned Pennawitz, chief of the Canarsee tribe, discovered assisting the enemy Expedition to Sellout's Bay on Long Island Attacks on the Heemstede and Mespath Indians Triumph of the Dutch Consequent out-

— — — —Underbill proceeds Stamford—Expedition against quarter— Description of the Indian camp — General

rage on some prisoners the Indians of that

to

at-

—Important victory gained by the Dutch — Over hundred savages slaughtered — Public Thanksgiving at New Amsterdam therefor Savages sue peace — Treaties concluded between several of the and Long Island and the Dutch— Proceedings of the States General on the of the Eight Men — The West India Company unable render any assistance — Their the States— Two Spanish taken and brought New Amsterdam —Low of the treasury — Kieft have recourse taxation — Convokes the Eight Men — Submits plan — The Eight Men object— Kieft becomes —Claims unlimited power—The Eight Men succumb— Excise duties provisionally impased The Eight Men treated with disrespect by Director Kieft—The Dutch expelled from Maranham, a province of Brazil — Fly Curacoa — Destitute condition of that island — Are sent New Netherland—Arrive opportunely at Fort Amsterdam — Council resolve continue the excise — The burghers arbitrary taxation— Prosecutions of the brewers— oppose pay the excise— Execution issued against them consequence Public discontent becomes very high— Parties formed — Protests against the Director-general— Complaints against him sent Holland, demanding —Letter of the Eight Men—Sad condition of the country—Strictures tack thereupon

five

for

river

tribes

petitions

to

letter to

vessels

to

state

resolves to

colonial

to

his

irritated

to

to

to

this

Persist

refusal to

in their

in

his

to

recall

on

Kieft's maladministration.

Preparatory arrangements having at length been commovements were commenced against the

BOOK

-^v^ pleted, offensive

savages, and the Director-general considering that he might, at the

same time,

the privateer

West '

beneficially

La Garce

to

annoy the Spaniards, authorized

proceed on a cruise towards the

India Islands.'

This privateer was owned by the following persons

msmder,

:

—Capt. Blauvelt, com-

Jan Jansen Dam, Hendrick Jacobsen, Pater Vaer,

Jacob van

NEW NETHERLAND. One of year, was

the

expeditions

first

frona

297

Fort Amsterdana, this chap.

against the Indians on Staten Island,

who had

off all

communication with the western bank of the

party,

consisting of forty burghers,

Pictersen Kuyter

Baxter

thirty-five

;

cut -^v^

A

under Captain Joachim

Englishmen, under Lieutenant

supported by several of the soldiers under their ser-

;

whole being under the command of

geant, Peter Cock, the

Counsellor

La Montagne,

late in the evening, sition,

river.

proceeded

whole of the expected

to

They had

crossed over from the Manhattans

and having made a landing without opposcour the island.

to

On

night.

They marched

their arrival at the spot

the

where they

meet the enemy, they found the place abandoned.

the good fortune, however, to

fall

in

with and se-

cure five or six hundred schepels of corn, with which they returned, after having set

Mayn Mayano, tween

The

bow and

their return

head

Stamford,

who

resided be-

some twenty-five miles to attack,

arrows, three Christians

about this

whom

he had

home, and who were armed with muskets.

savage had already succeeded in killing one of the three,

and was engaged

was

and

Amsterdam, had dared

northeast of Fort

met on

the village.

a stout and fierce chief,

Greenwich

time, with

fire to

in close

fortunately slain into the fort,

combat with the second, when he

by the

third,

who brought

and communicated intelligence

rector and council of the

numerous

the fellow's to the Di-

injuries the settlers in that

quarter had suffered at the hands of this chief and his

tribe,

though they and these savages had had no previous

differ-

ences.

A

detachment of one hundred and twenty men was

immediately detailed under the above-named

officers, in three

yachts to Greenwich, where they landed the same evening,

and thence marched the whole night, to the place where they were informed the Indians were encamped but they did not succeed in meeting the enemy. The latter had been advised ;

of the approach of the Dutch, or these had been led astray.

The

detachment, thereupon, returned in no very good humor

to Stamford,

where a

halt

was

called.^

Couwenhoven, Adriaen Dircksen Coe, Jan Labatie, and Adriaen van der Donck. *

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

250

;

Joumael van N. N.

38

HISTORY OF

298 BOOK

^—

One

happened

of the party

to fall in, at the

house of Captain

Underhill in this village, on a Sunday afternoon while the inhabitants

were

church, with

at

Captain Daniel Patrick of

Greenwich, on whose representations the troops had been patched from Fort Amsterdam.

dis-

Feeling naturally nettled that

so

many men had been

deluded, at such a critical time,

into

what appeared an

wild-goose chase, the Dutch

idle

The

charged Patrick with treachery.

Jau. 2. dier

and then turned

in his accuser's face,

Dutchman drew

insult, the

at the

He

the back of the head.

The

word.

soldier

go away.

to

sol-

latter retorted, spat

Incensed

a pistol and shot Patrick in

dead, never uttering another

fell

was apprehended, but escaped afterwards

from custody.^

mean time

In the

four of the Stamford people had volun-

teered to go as scouts, and endeavor to find

had removed

On

to.

the return of

where the savages some of these, five and

twenty of the boldest of the detachment were sent

to

an ad-

where a prospect was held out of success. a forced march, they came undiscovered to a small Indian

joining village,

By

which they attacked, slaying eighteen or twenty

settlement,

of the savages, and taking one old man, two children, prisoners, with a tians

view

women

and some

exchange them for Chris-

to

The Indian wigwams were The detachment returned after

of a like age and sex.

otherwise

unoccupied.

all

Manhattans.

this to

The

old Indian thus taken prisoner, proposed

Dutch, in the hope of obtaining favor

any of

their troops against the

now

Weckquaesqueecks, who were

said to be intrenched in three castles at the north.

'

Winthrop's Journal, 320

Winthrop, says of

there

—

to

mitted a vicious,

of

member

he was

of the church of

left

of

God

by the hand

he had

whose

Hist.

Winthrop's N. Eng.

fled

discipline

151.

Lieu-

Hubbard, copying

entertained in the

Massa-

one of the Prince's guard

He was made

a freeman, ad-

Watertown, but being proud and otherwise

to a profligate

life,

which brought him at

of one of that people from

from the yoke of Christ

N. Eng., 426.

ii.,

—" He was —having been

teach the people military discipline.

destruction after

;

Captain Patrick

this

and brought out of Holland

chusetts,

to the

at their hands, to lead

he could neither bear Patrick's wife's

in in

whom

last to

he sought protection,

the Massachusetts, the strictness

the church nor yet in the country."

name was Annetje van Beyeren.

married subsequently Tobias Feeck, sheriff of Flushing.

She

—

NEW NETHERLAND. tenant Baxter and Sergeant

proceed under the guidance of

men

But

against this tribe.

fortunate than those

this old

party

this

man, with

was

in

no

which had already gone on

They found

ditions.

299

Cock were, thereupon, ordered

to cirAP.

sixty-five

way more

similar expe-

the castles of the Indians formidable in

construction, and well adapted for defence.

They were

built

bound around with Though it was thick beams, and studded with port-holes. of five-inch plank, nine feet high, and

calculated that thirty Indians could hold out, in one of these,

against two hundred soldiers, strange to

The Dutch,

tell,

whole were

the

thereupon, burnt two

of

these strongholds, reserving the third as a point to retreat

to,

found uninhabited.

From

in case of necessity.

tween

thirty

this place

save a few huts.

They now

retraced their steps, having

whom

with only one or two Indians,

women

and children, of

whatever corn

fell in

whom

their

was now received

Intelligence

much

derhand

confidence,

way

;

they

made

in

at

whom

prisoners, burning

Fort Amsterdam, that the

was countenancing

his people

met

they killed, and a few

way.

Pennawitz, of Long Island, so

they next marched be-

and forty miles further, but discovered nothing

Dutch had generally the

enemy

in

an un-

having been discovered secretly

ing the Christians, and burning their houses.

A

kill-

body, one

hundred and twenty strong, composed of burghers under Capt. Pietersen, of Englishmen under Sergeant-major Underbill,

and the old soldiers under Peter Cock,-^the whole expeunder the command of Counsellor La Montague,

dition being

were ordered

to

proceed in three yachts to Schouts or Sheriff's

Bay, on Long Island.

Having landed without

molestation,

they marched to Heemstede, and having succeeded in killing an Indian spy, whom they had discovered on the lookout, they divided themselves into two sections. the head of one of these,

Underbill proceeded, at

composed of about fourteen English-

men, against the smaller Indian settlement.

Eighty

men

were dispatched against the larger village, named Matsepe, (Mespath,) and such was the success with which both these excursions were crowned, that they left one hundred and twenty savages dead on the side

was only one man

field

killed,

;

own The tri-

while the loss on their

and three wounded

j-^^

HISTORY OF

300 BOOK

umph said, '

thus achieved was, however, afterwards tarnished, brutal outrages openly committed

by

a couple of Indians

whom was

hacked

who had been

to pieces

were cut from the off in

Beaver Lane.

;

is

taken prisoners

one of

;

with knives, while stripes of flesh

other's yet living body,

wise shockingly mutilated

it

by the soldiery on

which was

head having been

his

other-

finally cut

Director Kieft and Counsellor

La Mon-

tague are accused of having countenanced these tortures by their presence.^

On

from Heemstede, Capt. Underbill was ordered

his return

Stamford, to obtain particulars of the whereabouts of the

to

savages.

He

some

hundred strong

five

brought word back, that they were encamped in that direction,

guide urged the forwarding a body of thither, as

former

he was desirous, on the one hand,

ill

and that the old immediately

troops to

prove that the

success of the Dutch was not his fault

other hand, anxious for protection, as his

life

was

;

on the

in constant

danger.

One hundred and

Feb.

thirty

men embarked, Van Dyck,

Captain Underhill and Ensign

landed the same evening in,

The

when

at the foot of a

had

to crawl,

feet.

The

weather, however, moderated towards

the party set forward, and arrived, soon after,

rocky mountain, over which some of the

with considerable

however,

evening, about eight o'clock, brought them to with-

now impeded by two

two hundred ^

The

men

on their hands and

difficulty,

a few miles of the enemy.

in

and

But a severe snow-

Greenwich.

detained them at that settlement the whole

storm having set of that night.

morning,

at

accordingly, under

in three yachts,

feet wide,

Their further progress was, rivers,

and three

one of which was some

in depth.

It

was considered

particulars of the above expeditions are taken from the Journael

Nieuw Nederlandt.

Allusion

is

made

to the outrages

dians in the following query proposed to

van

committed against the In-

Van Tienhoven

at the

Hague,

1650

in

:

Off niet seekere twee Wilden, op de cortegarde gevangen, waren van Heemstede gehaelt, door de Soldaten in

't

gesichte van alle de wereldt, d'eene

messen, in coolenbloede, gesneden en doodgesteken

riemen uyt het

lyff

gesneden

;

voorts syn

afFgesneden, in het beverspad, daer sy Kieft en

La Montagne

daer niet

levenden lyff gesneden wierden?

hem

mede

;

met

den anderen levendich

mannelyckheyd, noch levende,

daernae het hooft afFsloegeu

?

Off

present by waren, als de riem uyt der

Hoi. Doc.

v.,

320, 321.

NEW NETHERLAND.

301

best to remain here awhile, in order to refresh the

make arrangements

for the

comins

men and

to chap.

After a rest of a

attack.

1644,

.

couple of hours, the party again set forward at ten o'clock.

was

full

moon, and the night so clear

not be brighter"

—

at a distance.

It

ranged in

that the Indian village

streets,

was soon discovered

each eighty paces long, and backed by a

But the Indians were

it

as

from the northwest wind.

much on

the alert as their enemy.

discovered the Dutch troops,

camp, sword

with, surrounding the

in

who charged forthThe Indians

hand.

made a

evinced, on this occasion, considerable boldness, and rush, once or twice, to break the

way

for

escape.

Dutch

and open some

line

in this they failed, leaving one dead,

But

ind twelve prisoners in the hands of the assailants, kept up such a brisk

besieged

to

It

day could

consisted of three rows of houses, or huts,

mountain w^hich sheltered

They soon

— " a winter's

escape.

fire,

that

it

was impossible

for

who now any of the

After a desperate conflict of an hour,

one hundred and eighty Indians lay dead on the snow, outside their dwellings.

Not one

of the survivors durst

They remained under

his face.

rows from behind, Underbill

now

to the great

seeing no other

now show

cover, discharging their ar-

annoyance of the Dutch troops.

way

to

overcome the obstinate This

resistance of the foe, gave orders to fire their huts.

der was forthwith obeyed in

;

or-

the wretched inmates endeavoring,

every way, to escape from the horrid flames, but mostly

without success.

The moment

they

made

their appearance,

they rushed, or were driven, precipitately back into their burning hovels, " preferring to be consumed by fire, than to fall by our weapons." In this merciless manner were butchered, as some of the Indians

afterwards

reported,

five

hundred

Others carry the number to seven hundred

;

human

beings.

" the Lord hav-

ing collected the most of our enemies there, to celebrate

some

more than

eight

pecuhar

men

festival."

escaped

Of

the whole party, no

this terrible slaughter

of these were badly wounded.

nage, not one of the suflferers

heard

to utter shriek or

by

fire

and sword.

Throughout the

—man, woman,

Three

entire car-

or child

was

moan.

This expedition having been thus crowned with complete

!

HISTORY OF

302 BOOK success, the wounded,

fifteen

number, were attended

in

to,

III.

and sentinels posted

Large

prevent surprise.

to

then kindled, as the weather was

were

fires

excessively cold, and

still

the conquerors bivouacked, during the remainder of the night,

on the

They

field of battle.

order, "

good

return, in

set out next

morning on

their

marching with great courage over that

wounded with

harassing mountain, the Lord enduing the

ex-

traordinary strength," and arrived at Stamford at noon, after a

march of two days and one

night, during

The English

repose and less comfort.

which they had

little

received the soldiers

with friendly hospitality, proffering them every possible kind-

Two

ness.

days afterwards the detachment arrived

at

Fort

Amsterdam, where a public thanksgiving was ordered for the brilliant success which attended the New Netherland arms.^

Though

the savages continued

such a degree as

March solid fence " from the of

Emanuel,"

ture, the

now

to

The

be troublesome to

to

as a protection for the cattle

few settlements

be relieved,

dians.

still

Dutch at Manhattans great bouwery across to the

to oblige the

late

that

a

out at pas-

remained unscathed were about

for awhile,

punishment

when

to erect

plantation

from the attacks of the Li-

inflicted

on these, and the ap-

proach of spring, made them desirous for peace, and they therefore solicited the intervention of

procure a cessation of

Mamaranack, chief wanc,

of the Indians residmg on the Kickta-

Croton River

or

Captain Underbill to

hostilities.

Mongockonone, Pappenoharrow,

;

from the Weckquaesqueecks and Nochpeem Journael van N. N.

*

bull,

—

Island

Hist. i.,

Conn,

106,

i.,

—as

that part of Horse

fix

But

is

and the

the battle alluded to by

IGlj Wood's Long Island, 34, note

;

WapTrum-

Thompson's Long

" the great battle fought between the Dutch and Indians in

Neck

Greenwich, Conn." the Dutch.

This, I presume,

;

all

called Strickland's plain,

now

included in the town of

Trumbull says that three hundred Indians were

killed

by

the above writers, the one copying the error of the other,

the date of the battle in 1646

;

but this evidently

is

a mistake, for a general

peace was established between the Indians and Dutch in August, 1 645. It is stated, in a pamphlet entitled " Second Amboyna Tragedy," that the Indians offered Underbill a

hogshead of

wampum

if

he would retreat with his

forces,

but that he refused, hazarded the above attack, and killed fourteen hundred of the

enemy

NEW NETIIERLAND.

303

pings from Stamford, presented themselves, in a few days, at

ci^ap.

Fort Amsterdam, and having pledged themselves that they

should not, henceforth, commit any injury whatever on the in- Ap^i habitants of New Netherland, their cattle and houses, nor

show themselves, except in a canoe, should the Dutch be at war with any and having further promised

q

before Fort Amsterdam, of the Manhattan tribes

;

up Pacham, the chief was concluded between them and the Dutch who promised, on their part, not to molest them in any way, but to allow them to cultivate their fields in peace, to deliver

of the Tankitekes, peace ;

and as a guarantee of

their sincerity, surrendered several of

their prisoners.

Ten days sachem of fered so

after the conclusion of this treaty,

the Mattinecocks, on

much

peared also

in the late attack at

at the

fort,

Gonwarrowe,

April

Long Island, who had sufHeemstede and Mespath, ap-

and went security

adjoining

for the

villages of Matinnecock, Marospinck, as well as for Ack-kin-

kas-hacky, on whose behalf he soUcited peace, which was granted, on the condition that neither of

harm

to

the Dutch, nor afford shelter to

them should attempt any of the

tribes at

Rocken-hacky, (Rockaway?) "the Bay," and Marechhawick

;

that they should separate articles

their

to

from them, and communicate these sachem on " Mr. Fordham's plains." If,

however, any should be

among less.

the latter,

To

all

by

slain

by any

the Dutch, these

these conditions the

of the hostile tribes, or

were

to

be held

sachem assented,

after

guilt-

which

" he was favored with some presents."^

The urgent appeals for succor and relief, which Men had transmitted at the close of the last year to

the Eight tlie

States

General and the West India Company, had already reached their destination.

Their High Mightinesses, moved by the

urgency of these representations, immediately had them

'

to

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

247, 248.

As

it

may

be interesting, at

this distance of time,

understand the locality of those Long Island Indians,

that the

re- April

we would mention

Matinnecocks owned Flushing, Newtown, Cow-harbor, and other

The Marsapeagues (Marospinck?) extended from Rockaway to Huntington. " The Bay" adjoined Jamaica and the Marechhawick " The great plains" are those of Indians dwelt between that and Brooklyn.

neighboring places.

;

Hempstead, L.

I.,

which were granted

to

Mr. Fordham.

5.

:

t

HISTORY OF

304

BOOK ferred to the Assembly of the XIX., with a strong injunction

prompt measures for the protection of the petitionThese representations were, notwithstanding, unproductive The West India Company was bankof any good effect. its its directors without means and without credit rupt to adopt ers.

;

;

different

chambers torn with dissensions and

trust, the

one against the other, and unable to defend their co-

filled

with dis-

which the revolution progressing through at this moment from the gripe of Great

lonial possessions,

England only saved

To

Britain.

save themselves from utter ruin, the directors in

Holland were endeavoring

to

form a union with the richer and

more powerful East India Company. dition they April

"

It

has grieved us, collectively and individually,

nermost hearts," said they, " ble

In this helpless con-

wrote to the States General

to learn the desolate

condition of the poor people

there

our in-

in

and misera-

the rather, finding

;

ourselves so utterly unable not only to bring those precious colonies to such a state for the company, as

would

for

once

authorize us to expect, with time, the long looked-for profits

from thence, but

who have

left

to send, at present, to the

their Fatherland, in the

means of honorably maintaining supplies

there, those

their

so earnestly

poor inhabitants

hope of finding the wives and children

demanded

the main-

for

tenance and defence of their lives against the barbarous tribes

And though we

of the country.

are of opinion that long de-

lays will cause additional suffering, as well in

land aforesaid, as

in

other distant places,

New

whereby

Nether-

the

com-

pany, and, consequently, this nation, must apprehend no less

danger from the scarcity of divers required and necessary provisions, ammunition, merchandise, &c., it behooves us to represent,

respectfully, to

company has

such impotency and dis-

cannot, without effectual assistance from the

credit,

that

States,

any longer

it

your High Mightinesses, that the

fallen altogether into

either supply those distant places, or con-

tinue even the further necessary payments here.

We,

there-

most humbly beseech your High Mightinesses to be pleased to take these embarrassments into such consideration

fore,

as the constitution of the said company, for the welfare of the state, so

urgently requires.

The good and

willing sharehnlf^

NEW NETHERLAND. ers,

who have

305

contributed so largely to the advancement of chap.

and have already, provisionally, passed

this nation's prosperity,

^^^^ a profitable resolution, authorizing a union with the East India

Company let their High Mightinesses not discourage, nor make them despond of contributing to so wholesome a work ;

as the union of these two eminent companies should be for this

and

The

state. its

vigorous continuation of the said

foreign affairs, at least the

would, thereby, be not a

iture,

payment of its

company

daily expend-

promoted, and placed,

little

with a present subsidy of about one million, in good, prosperous, and profitable order."

Urging these views

in

terms which evidently prove the de-

rangement and embarrassed condition of

by

the directors concluded

their financial affairs,

committee

whom

was authorized

to re-

stating, that the

they had deputed to present their

letter

High Mightinesses' conclusions thereupon, which they earnestly hoped would be favorable to their prayers. ceive their

No The

immediate

result,

however, followed

to the provincial

Company,^ and consequently

moment,

New

this application.

States General ordered copies of the directors' letter to

be forwarded

all

chambers of the West India action

was postponed

for the

as regarded the relief of the suffering colonists of

Netherland, whose condition,

was by no the Assembly of the

all this

while,

means one to be envied, and to whom XIX., in the mean time, dispatched letters expressive sympathy and desire to afford them every assistance

of their in their

power.

The

peace, or rather the hollow truce, which had been en-

Dutch and the Indians was of

tered into between the

no advantage. hostile

as

The

principal

w^ere

tribes

whose

Hollanders,

ever to the

still

The pay

monalty went on,

in

com-

were

avail-

time, and no funds

able to provide for this portion of the public expense.

prospect of relief from

and cheerless

home was,

in the extreme.

»

Hoi. Doc.

ii.,

every

of the soldiers engaged by the

mean

in the

or

and as

few remaining

bouweries and dwellings they continued to harass possible way.

little

out,

as

we have shown,

A bill

of exchange,

329, 332, 333, 334, 335, 337.

39

The

slender

drawn

in

April

HISTORY OF

306 BOOK the course of -^v^ for the ^^^'^^

two

November on

last

sum

trifling

the directors in

Amsterdam,

of two thousand, six hundred, and twenty-

guilders, ($1045,)

had been returned protested

acceptance,' and thus misfortune

seemed

voted country from every quarter.

for

non-

to threaten this de-

In the midst of these dis-

May couragements. Captain Blauvelt entered

port with

the

two

Spanish prizes, laden with sugar, tobacco, ebony wood, and wine, which the privateer

bean Sea,

La Garce had captured in

after a severe contest.^

the Carib-

But though valuable, these

made

prizes and their cargoes could not be

available at this

precise time, since they could not be declared confiscate with-

out due course of law.

Under such deplorable cn-cumstances,

recourse was had, for the

first

time in the annals of the colony,

unpopular expedient of imposing taxes on the impover-

to the

To

obviate

which such a step would necessarily create

at first,

ished commonalty to defray the public exigencies. objections

the Director-general and council determined to call again to-

gether the Eight Men.

This popular body had not been assembled since the fourth of

November

of the past year, though various measures of

public importance had been adopted, and though

agreed upon

at their first

Now, however,

weekly.

meeting could no longer June 18

meeting that their

it

had been

sittings sho\jld

be

money was required, their be deferred. The state of the public that

treasury was, therefore, submitted to them, as well as the exi•

To meet

gencies of the public service.

the latter,

posed that certain excise duties should be

which

it

was impossible

to retain the

They

Men.

at first,

were by the war

;

was

and gave

it

first

This

of the Eight

beggared as they

as their opinion that the imposi-

the attribute of a higher authority than that

possessed by the Director-general.

and be

without

represented the difficulty of raising funds in that

in the present condition of the people,

tion of taxes

was pro-

English soldiers.

course did not meet the approbation,

way,

it

levied,

It

should emanate from

ordered by the Lords Majors.

Kieft was not prepared to allow his authority to be thus im-

pugned.

*

The

Alb. Rec.

refractory board

ui.,

212.

was

told, in

•

sharp terms, that

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

250, 251.

—

NEW NETHERLAND

307

he had more power in the country than even the company, chap.

and

that

he could do as he pleased, for he derived his commis-

from the Directors, but from the States General.^ The Eight Men succumbed. But in yielding the point, they sion not

^— 1644

suggested, that the more proper and least burdensome course

would

be, to oblige the private traders,

merce with the

who by

gains, to contribute something to the treasury, lieve the

A

commonalty.

plan,

few days

re-

was concluded upon and was issued, ;

following proclamation

after the

establishing for the

and thus

embracing an excise, and an

additional duty on certain exports, in a

com-

their

and natives had realized such large

settlers

time, in this country, an excise on

first

wines, beer, and other liquors

:

" to

Whereas, the general war, which we have been forced wage against the surrounding savages, hath obliged us, in

order to retain the country, and to employ an extraordinary

who must

quota of soldiers, the other

necessarily be paid, together with

heavy expenses caused by the war

which we have spared none of the Hon'ble the

West

obliged to raise as

India

Company, but have,

much money

as

we

are

now

devoid of

all

accomplish

means

of the

been

in addition,

could obtain on

exchange drawn on the honorable the directors

we

to

;

available

and, whereas,

;

means, and despair of suddenly

ceiving any assistance from Holland, in this our necessity therefore, are constrained to find out

some means

re-

We,

;

pay the

to

them, which, according to

soldiers, or else to dismiss

of

bills

all

ap-

pearances, will tend to the utter ruin of the country, especially as the farming season live,

at hand,

is

whereby

the people

and fodder must be procured for the remaining

for neither grain nor hay can be cut without

things, then, being gravely considered, so

vice of the Eight

Men

soldiers.

is it,

that

must

cattle

;

These

by the

ad-

chosen by the commonalty, no better

nor more suitable means can be agreed upon, after duly weigh-

Hierover heeft

gemoet tegens ons

hem den (

:

Directeur seer vergramt, en met een gealtreert

in presentie

Ick hebbe hier meerder macht landen doen en laten wat

hebbe

myn

Commissie

Letter of the Eight

myn

niet

Men.

van den Fiscaal en Montaigne

als

de Compagnie

gelieft

;

;

dierhalven

:)

mach

gesecht

:

ick hierte-

voochde daer verder hy, want ick en

van de Compagnie, maer van de Heeren Staten.

June

—

HISTORY OF

308 BOOK ing ^-v-^

the premises, than to impose some duties on those

all

wares from which the good inhabitants will experience the least inconvenience, as the scarcity of money is very general " We have, therefore, enacted and ordained, and hereby do :

enact and ordain, that there shall be paid on each

by the tavern-keeper, two brewer, and half by the tapster

(or barrel) of beer tapt to

be paid by the

who

does not

—

retail

it,

to

pay half

as

much

Spanish wine and brandy four stuyvers stuyvers,

brought der

;

be paid by the tapsters

to

to the port,

ing the goods officer,

;

June

French wine two

in proportion.

limits,

one guil-

All on pain of forfeit-

one third for the informer, one third for the

and the remainder for the company.

sionally, until the shall

;

the burgher

on each quart of

on each beaver-hide

and purchased within our

and halves

triplets

;

;

half vat'

'

guilders, half

All this provi-

good God should grant us peace, or

that

we

be sufficiently aided from Holland."

The

duties on the beaver were,

was ordered

subsequently, reduced to

that all then

on hand should

fifteen stivers,

but

be brought

and marked, under the penalty of being confis-

cated.

in

it

These imposts, however, continued

dissatisfaction.

The commonalty,

to

cause

much

especially the traders, looked

on the whole proceeding with an unfavorable eye, and Kieft to have attributed much of the discontent to the Eight

seems

Men.

He

took an early opportunity to manifest his displea-

sure against

Towards

some

of the

the end of the

most prominent members of

month he

Kuyter, Cornelis Melyn, and

that body.

sent for Joachim Pietersen

Thomas

Hall, for the purpose,

them on the subject of these These gentlemen waited on him accordingly. But duties. instead of giving them an audience, he left them to dance attendance in his ante-chamber, from eight o'clock in the mornostensibly, to confer further with

June

•

ing until past midday, without condescending to see

them,

though, as they allege, they had frequently sent in word by his servant, that they were in waiting to hear what he had to propose.

They were,

finally, obliged

spective abodes, " as wise as ^

to depart to

their re-

when they came."^

Dat men de acht mannen met cleyne

reputatie heeft bejegeert, en

weynich

syn geacht, hetselve hebben wy, onderschreven, in compagnie met Thomas Hal, by experientie bevonden, sulx dat den Heer Kieft ons, ultimo Juny, 1644,

NEW NETHERLAND.

309

While these quarrels and misunderstandings were going on between the Director-general and the Eight Men in New Am-

chap.

sterdam, the Dutch authorities at the Island of Cura9oa were

much

perplexed by the mopportune addition to the population

of that place, of between four and five hundred persons, in the

West

India

Company's

who

service,

Ma-

arrived there from

ranham, one of the northern provinces of Brazil, whence the

Dutch had been expelled with severe Curagoa had already been frequently

by

loss

visited

the Portuguese.^

by

failure of the

crops and actual famine, and was, at this time, suffering from May-

As it was impossible to furnish, or indeed many people, it was determined to re-

want of provisions.

procure food for so

to

move

the greater part of

them

to

New

tor of that place having already sent

men

of

to assist

thirty soldiers

of Captain Jan de Fries, and a

the whole amounting to about

liet

that he

over 12 in de saele heeft laten

alhoewel

wy

sitten,

;

were accord-

en van 8 uyren

toll,

doch ons

is

een wort

niet

tot

sender dat ons een wordt werde gevraecht,

syn E. door den boode meermalen lieten aendienen, dat

gecomen en daer wachten om aentehoeren het geene syn stellen

want

he was

other persons,

souls,

beroepen, wegeiis het opsteleen van den geeysten

in

under the com-

number of

two hundred

was

whom

against the savages, with

One hundred and

then at war.

mand

him

Netherland, the Direc-

word

tot

openinge van

't

E

wy waren

E. ons geliefde voor-

E

syn

E. toegesonden,

en hebben derhalven onverrecht de saecke wederom moeten vertrekken, soo wys

alswy gecomen waren. Stuyvesant.

1647.

Joachim

Hoi. Doc.

Kuyter and Cornelis Melyn

P.

to

Director

192.

iii.,

While Portugal was under the dominion of Spain, Brazil was attacked by the Dutch, who got possession of seven of the fourteen provinces into which it is '

divided.

covered

They its

expected soon

when

conquer the other seven,

to

Portugal re-

independence by the elevation of the family of Braganza

to the

The Dutch, then, as enemies to the Spaniards, became friends to the Portuguese, who were likewise the enemies of the Spaniards. They agreed,

throne.

therefore, to leave that part of Brazil

who agreed

of Portugal,

which they had not conquered

to leave that part

government soon began

Portuguese

to oppress the

their

own

assistance from the mother country, drove

Wealth

of Nations,

is

to

ii.,

63.

full

be found in Aitzema

in Southey's Hist, of Brazil,

at the

A ii.,

who, instead of

new

masters, and

hands of the Portuguese

at

30

xxix.

;

in Vaderlant. Hist,

The W.

280 tons of

I.

gold.

Company

xii.,

any

Smith's

of Brazil.

report on this revolt against the

iii.,

c.

them out

king

them,

valor and resolution, with the connivance, indeed, but without

avowed Brazil

their

to

But the Dutch

allies.

colonists,

amusing themselves with complaints, took arms against

by

to the

which they had conquered,

as a matter not worth disputing about with such good

Dutch

11, 12

estimated

;

in

and

its loss

HISTORY OF

310

BOOK mgly embarked on board the Blue Cock, commanded by Captain jyj^y

'

Willem Cornelissen Oudemarkt,

for

New

where they unexpectedly, but providentially

Amsterdam,

arrived in the be-

ginning of the following month of July, to the great relief and

26.

joy of the inhabitants, of

who were

already beginning to despair

succor.*

all

Kieft

was now considerably embarrassed

tion of this force

;

as to the disposi-

whether he should retain them

at Fort

sterdam or distribute them through the interior; and,

how they were

A July

Am-

if retained,

be supplied with clothing and provisions.

to

meeting of the council was called to consider these grave

difficulties.

It

was attended by the

Janssen Crol, Mr.

La Montagne,

Huygens, Capt. Jan de

Director-general, Bastiaen

termined to retain Capt. de Fries

Oudemarkt, who de-

at the

Manhattes

command with old soldiers one hundred and fifty men and to dismiss

the ranks under his

of

Van der

Attorney-general

Fries, and Capt.

;

fill up number

to

to the

;

gradually, " in

the most civil manner," the remaining English soldiers.

was

It

further concluded to billet on each of the commonalty, ac-

cording to his rank and circumstances, one or more of the

above

soldiers, for

whom

company was

the

pay whenever

to

it

should have means.

But clothing remained yet

The

Director-general

be provided

to

avowed

for these troops.

his inability to furnish these ne-

The company's stores were empty. Winter was " Naked men were useless nay more, they were a severe burden." The council was again convoked. The same members again assembled, and they resolved to concessaries.

approaching.

Aug.

4.

;

tinue the duties and excise sionally" imposed, with a

troops.

The

dollar

to supply

means

to clothe the

duties on beaver remained unaltered, but every

tun of beer which

twenty-two

which had already been " provi-

view

the brewers sold to the tavern-keepers for

florins, or

$8

80,

was

to

pay three guilders, or

and a quarter, while every brewer was required

to

a

send

in a return of the quantity manufactured by him before he

Willem de Key was

could dispose of any part thereof,

»

Alb. Rec.

Journal, 342

;

ii.,

260

;

xii.,

49, 50,

52,

Winthrop's N. England,

ii.,

55

;

Hoi. Doc.

179.

iii.,

187

;

ap-

Winthrop's

NEW NETHERLAND.

311

pointed receiver of these imposts, with an allowance of five per chap.

and loss of time.

cent, for his trouble

Nothing could surpass the excitement produced by

The

bitrary taxation.

first

duties

^^^^ this ar-

were imposed with the ex-

understanding that they should be continued only until

plicit

That rehef had now been received, but

relief should arrive.

instead of proposing to remove the burdens temporarily en-

was issued

acted, a decree for w^hat it

was one

from

indefinitely. soldiers,

of the company's obligations to protect

foreign and domestic wars.

all

them

to continue

For the clothing of the company's

?

its

And when

subjects

If the settlers could

be

obligated to furnish clothing for the troops, they might, with

equal propriety, be required to furnish ammunition, cannon, or

The tax in question was, moreover, arbitrarily imThe commonalty had its chosen representatives, whose

transports.

posed.

prerogative

it

was, and not that of the paid and dependent ser-

vants of the

West

necessary.

It

ment of

Company,

India

to

impose these taxes,

if

was, therefore, determined to resist the pay-

the excise.

The

attorney-general was, on the other

hand, ordered to collect the tax with the utmost rigor of the

The contumacious brewers were summoned before the same council that imposed the tribute, and asked why they re" Were we voluntarily to pay the fused to obey the placard ? three florins," they rephed, " we should offend the Eight Men

Au^r 18

law.

and the whole commonalty." thwarted

by such

given against the

achieved in

New

But Kieft had no idea of being Judgment was

constitutional scruples.

brewers, and thus

another victory

Netherland over popular

This triumph was, however, purchased, tories, at the price of the

section

Men

;

all

such vic-

in twain.

sided with the Director, the other with the

One Eight

and henceforward the impression became a conviction,

that neither justice nor the istered.

like

peace and harmony of the commu-

and party rent the citizens

Factions

nity.

was

rights.'

government was impartially admin-

" Those on the Director's side could do no

badly soever they demeaned themselves

;

those

him were always wrong, however well they '

Alb. Rec.

'

Van

ii.,

260, 261, 264, 265, 267

der Donck, Vertoogh van N.

N.

ill, how who opposed

acted."^

In the

Aug.

:

HISTORY OF

312

BOOK bickerings and personalities which ensued, the attorney-gener-

seems

al

to

have had his hands

full of

prosecutions against

One of these weeks of the summer, and that at a time when the Indians were prowling actively around unmolested, committing whatever damage they pleased on the inon Kieft's character.

individuals, for attacks

alone

trials

consumed

and

habitants

their

six

property,

attending, undisturbed, to

or

securing their crops or their catch of valuable season since,

by the

was

arrivals

more

the

still

to

fish.

be regretted,

This waste of a not censured,

if

from Cura^oa, Kieft now could bring

in-

between three and four hundred men,

a force of

to the field

allowing

was

a sufiicient

number

So strong was highly detrimental to already the Indians had commenced for garrison duty.^

the opinion that this inaction

the public interests, for killing the

Dutch

settlers, that

Thomas

Hall and Barent Dirck-

sen protested against the Director-general in strong terms for Aug.

6.

adhering to

it.

Cornelia

Mclyn wrote

to

M. van Nederhorst,

and addressed a remonstrance to the States General, calling their attention, in urgent terms, to the

things in the colony.

The Eight Men

deranged condition of

home

also sent

plaint, in tlie fall of the year, to the directors of the

which they reviewed

in

at length,

and

terms, the course and administration

whose "

Oct.

recall they insisted in the strongest

We

com-

condemnatory

in highly

of

a

company,

Director Kieft, on

manner

:

have been greatly gladdened," they began, " by the

miraculous arrival of the Blue Cock here, as

we

expected that

the field would be taken with between three and four hundred

men, (not counting the

sailors

and

settlers,) divided

companies, each one hundred and thirty strong this

force, the

;

mto three

and that by

neighboring savages, from fifteen to twenty

miles around, would have had their produce destroyed, and

'

The

following

Men Old

was the estimated

available force at this time

Cock

130

numbering between 40 and 50

45

arrived in the Blue

soldiers

English in the pay of the Dutch

50 55

Mariners willing to serve

Freemen, not including the English nor the company's servants Total available force

200 480

Hoi. Doc.

iii.,

187.

NEW NETHERLAND.

313 they have collect- chap.

which

their tribes stript of all the provisions

ed against the winter, whereby great injury would have been

on the enemy, and their people brought

inflicted

But nothing

the least has been done.

in

moved on

scarce a foot has been

In

land, or

to

terms.

this time,

all

an oar laid

in the

water.

"

The

Indian prisoners,

who

could have been of great ser-

away

vice to us as trusty guides, have been given diers,

and allowed

to

go

to

to the sol-

Others of them have

Holland.

been sent to the Bermudas, as a present to the English gover-

The

nor.^

most experienced

oldest and

acquainted for several years with

soldiers,

who were

the paths here, have ob-

all

tained their passports, and been permitted to return home.

mean while have

the

their pleasure, the fish caught

on the

by

their people this last

buildings are burnt

sown

;

Lord permitted

remain on the

field

same way

the

our dwellings and other

;

not a handful can be either planted or

on the deserted places

this fall

summer

which they made use as they wished, and

river, of

without hinderance. " Our fields lie fallow and waste

the

In

the savages conveyed away, according to

come

to

which God

the crops

;

forth during the past

summer,

standing and rotting in divers places, in

as the hay, for the preservation of

poor people, cannot obtain one man.

We

which we,

are burdened with

and barbarians,

we have no means to provide necessaries for and we sit here amidst thousands of Indians from whom we find neither peace nor mercy.

We

our beloved father-land, and unless the Lord

heavy families

;

wife or children

have

left

;

God had been

our

our comfort,

we must have

perished in our

misery.

" There are

among us those who, by the sweat and many long years, have endeavored, at

of their hands for

The

practice of reducing Indians to slavery

America.

It

was continued

for

fifteen

with ter

boys and two

Bermuda, but the skipper having missed that

signment to Providence, and sold them there. several

as old as the discovery of

nearly two centuries by the English colonies.

In 1637 the colony of Massachusetts sent 'slaves to

is

Indian slaves by

on ancient and

will

;

women

For a very

as

island, took the con-

Governor Winthrop bequeathed

and frequent mention of such " chattels"

New York. modem slavery,

in the annals of

labor

great

interesting

see Bancroft's U. S.

i.,

and

is

met

instructive chap-

159, (10th Ed.)

j-^^

HISTORY OF

314 BOOK expense,

improve their lands and

to

their private capital

^j-^^ '

own

villages

have equipped, with

;

others with

necessaries, their

all

which have been captured by the enemy in coming though they have continued the voyage with equal and at considerable cost. Some, again, have come

ships,

hither, zeal,

company, freighted with

hither with ships, independent of the

a large quantity of cattle, and with a

number

of families,

who

have erected handsome buildings on the spots selected their people

;

cleared

their plantations

be an ornament

away

the trees and the forest

;

for

enclosed

and brought them under the plough, so as to the

to

country and a profit to the proprietors,

after their long laborious toil.

"

The whole

now

of these

hankering after war

;

lie

in ashes

through a foolish

for all right-thinking

men

lambs among us,

that these Indians have lived as

know

here

until a

few

years ago, injuring no man, affording every assistance to our nation, and in Director

were sent

Van

Twiller's time,

for several months,)

(when no supplies

had furnished provisions

to

several of the company's servants, until, as they state, they

These hath

had received supplies.

the Director,

by various

uncaUed-for proceedings, from time to time, so

estranged

from that

us,

and so embittered against the Netherlands nation,

we do

not believe that any thing will bring them and

peace back, unless that the Lord God, hearts to his will, propitiate their people

hath very truly observed set the people

again,

" last

A

is in

the

:

who bends

Any man can

one against the other

power of God

;

all

men's

so that the ancient

;

create turmoil, and

but to estabhsh harmony

alone.

semblance of peace was attempted

to

be patched up

spring with two or three tribes of savages towards the

north,

by a

stranger'

whom we,

for cause, shall not

now name,

without one of the company's servants having been present, while our principal enemies have been unmolested.

peace hath borne

fruit

little

reputation of our Lords

savages had stowed

for the

maize

their

into holes, they

again to murder our people in various directions.

'

This

advantage and

for so soon as these

;

away

common

Captain Underhill

;

vide ante p. 302.

began

They

rove

NEW NETHERLAND.

315

day and night, on the Island of crap Manhattans, slaying our folks not a thousand paces from the -^v^ in parties continually around,

fort

and

;

move a

'tis

now

arrived at such a pass, that no one dare

foot to fetch a stick of fire-wood without a strong es-

cort.

"

The two bouweries

in

'

the Bay,' and the three on this

one of which belongs to the Honorable Company, run

island,

great danger of being burnt this winter, for never have these

savages shewn themselves so bold and insolent. of this

that they have experienced

is

mer from

us, nor

have

lost

The cause

no opposition

any of their crops

;

sum-

this

and thus have

they circumvented us by a stratagem under pretence of peace.

Had

the season, as

(which

is

we

requested, been employed diligently,

most necessary

in time of war,)

with the force of the

Blue Cock, beyond a doubt the Indians would have made advances themselves, and there would be some hope of en-

new

joying, against the arrival of a

governor, a general peace.

" But httle heed has been taken of

The

this.

wished-for

time has been allowed to pass away, and people have been

occupied with private quarrels and prosecutions, especially about sending pearls

Holland] by Laurens Cornelissen,

[to

Skipper of the Maid of Enckhuyzen, whose

who

weeks, and

six

trial

" Two guides have been recently sent from whom Captain De Vries was dispatched with

22d

instant,

men

;

but

it

to

a party,

on the

to that country, killing

men

For every new enemy we

is

as

say,

'

wade through

rivers

and creeks,

We

in frost

new and naked soldiers, who have for so many years

with these climates

the north, with

on an expedition

another stands next morning in his place.'

have

continued

was, moreover, banished

eight

shall

kill,

now

and snow,

resided in

warm

" A want of powder is again beginning to be felt. Over 2500 pounds were taken from Pieter Wyncoop, of which, up to this time, not five hundred weight have been consumed against the enemy.

" Little or nothing of any account has been done here for the country.

Every place

Men

is

is

power and

sovereignty, about

taken.

going to ruin.

Neither counsel

talk of nothing else but of princely

nor advice

which La Montague argued a

HISTORY OF

316

BOOK few days ago in the tavern Director here 1644.'

maintaining that the power of the

;

was greater, o

so far as his

'

and commis-

office

were concerned, than that of His Highness of Orange

sion

in

the Netherlands."

The Eight Men next refer, dition against the Indians at

beginning of the

last year,

check that outrage

to

manner

supercilious

Kieft

;

;

at considerable length, to the

expe-

Pavonia and Corlaer's Hook,

in the

and

Twelve Men

to the efforts of the

to the election of the

Eight

Men

to the

;

which these were always treated by

in

to the imposition of direct taxes against their will, as

they pretended this power belonged only to the authorities at

home.

They

then explain the proposition they had

made

to

oblige the private traders to contribute to the support of the

and more obnoxious plan was adopted,

soldiers, while the other

at the same time that they put the directors on their guard against a " Book" " orna-

which they

join in

still

condemning,

mented with sundry water-colors," which Kieft had transmitted to them by the Blue Cock, in which his Excellency treated in a very prolix

manner about

contains," say they, " as

many

ed by the minister, and by those

who have

we

read

are inform-

what

They

it."

will not dispute, they add, about the nature of the birds

are in the forests, nor

" It

the origin of the war.^

lies as lines, as

which

sort of fish are in the rivers, nor

about the length and breadth of the land, which is merely a copy of what has been written long years ago. " It would be well to inquire," they hint, "

how

the Director-general can so

aptly write about these distances and habits, since his Honor,

during the six or seven years that he has been here, has constantly resided

from

on the Manhattans, and has never been farther

his kitchen

and bedroom, than the middle of the afore-

said island."

Reverting again to the attack on " the shelterless Indians,"

on the night of the 24th February, 1643, the Eight the secret proceedings of those

tail

who planned

nate expedition, preparatory to setting ^

The fragment

of the

" Journal of

New

it

on foot

Men

de-

that unfortu;

Netherland" found

and, promin the

Royal

Library at the Hague, by Mr. Brodhead, looks very like a part of this " book," for

it

inclines strongly to Kieft's side,

colored.

and contains statements somewhat highly

NEW NETHERLAND. some

ising to send the directors at

of

what occurred

in the ,

,

,

years, they conclude

" Honored Lords

317

future time a full account cuav.

precedinff country for the r o six or seven r;^^ 1644.

:

—This

our hearts, to complain of

is

;

what we have,

that one

in the

sorrow of

man, who has been sent

out sworn and instructed by his lords and masters, to

whom

he

is

ty,

according to his will and pleasure, in a manner so arbitrary,

responsible, should dispose here of our lives and proper-

that a king

would not be

suffered legally to do.

We

shall

terminate here, and commit the matter wholly to our God,

whom we

will move your Lordships'

pray, and heartily trust,

minds, and bless your Lordships' deliberations, so that one of these two things

may happen

may be

that a governor

;

speed-

with a beloved peace to us, or that their Honors will

ily sent

be pleased

to

permit us to return, with wives and children, to

our dear fatherland.

For

it

impossible ever to settle this

is

country until a different system be introduced here, and a

who

governor be sent out with more people,

shall settle

new

them-

selves in suitable places, one near the other, in form of villages

and hamlets, and

elect

from among themselves a

schout, and schepens (magistrates)

who

send deputies to vote on public

affairs

council

;

so

shall

or to

with the Director and

may

the country

that, hereafter,

bailiff,

be empowered

not be again

brought into similar danger."^

The settlement of New Netherland experienced, as may now readily be conceived, a severe check by the continuance Some English families had, however, crossed the of the war. Sound from Stamford, tation

in the spring,

and commenced a plan-

on the north side of Long Island, east of Martin Gerrit-

sen's, or

called

Cow

same name, land.

Bay,

Heemstede,

at a quarter

in the island of

In the

fall

which the Dutch had already

after a place of

some

respectability of the

Schouwen, and province of Zea-

of the year they obtained a liberal patent of Nov.

incorporation from the Director-general and council, similar to

by which they were emmanage their own local affairs establish courts of civil and criminal jurisdiction; and nominate such

that already granted to other towns,

powered limited

to

;

Hoi. Doc.

iii.,

206-222.

HISTORY OF

318

BOOK among them as possessed public confidence,

— '

general.^

to

be afterwards

town by the DirectorBoth the English and the Dutch settlers placed a

commissioned as magistrates of

1644,

their

high value on the privilege of electing, and of being governed by, their

*

own

Heemstcde

wen.)

freely chosen magistrates.

...

Hist.

Long

born in

het fraaste en belangrykste dorp des eilands, (Schou-

Isl.

iii.,

ii.,

318. 4, 5.

The

patent will be found at length in

Robert Fordham, John Sticklan, John

Wood, and John Carman, were the first Paof this town. Caleb Carman, son of John, was the first white child Heomstede. He was blind from his birth, which took place on the 9tb

Ogden, John Lawrence, tentees

is

Martinet Beschryv.

Thompson's

Jan., 1645.

Joneis

—

NEW NETHERLAND

CHAPTER Colonie of Rensselaerswyck

— in

Population

colonie

by the Patroon—His —Local courts— magistrates — Settlement of the Fuyck com-

sent

settlers

Van

der

him

—Arrives

dimensions

— Infractions thereof— Further regu-

—Threatened mutiny of the —Are by Van Curler— Particu— procure the of a

Donck

interview with these tribes

Jesuit and other

in the colonie, as

Its

settlers

Return of the Mohawks from Canada lars of the

van der Donck

out— Agreement with —A church erected—

Regulations concerning the Indian trade

— Intrigues of

juris-

First

privileges

of Adriaen

First

with several other respectable

lations

VI.

First settlers sent out

—System of law the —Tenures— Patroon's menced— Beverswyck — Arrival Schout-fiscaal — clergyman diction

319

French prisoners

visited

release

Efforts to

—Continued misunderstanding between Van

—Van der Donck proposes erect a —Orders from the Patroon forbidding — Directs the missal of Van der Donck should he —The " Arms Rensselaerswyck" sent out with a valuable cargo of goods — Arrives the Manhattans — New Amsterdam —Vessel between the supercargo and the and cargo seized — Protests and —Occurrences at Rensselaer—A while passing that place because she refused lower her and bring — Excitement consequence—Prosecutions against the commander of the post — Further entered — Death of Patroon — Nicolaus Coorn appointed Schout-fiscaal — Quarrel between the the ManhatVan der Donck and Van Curler— Departure of the former and of whales tans — Severity of the winter— Destructive der

Donck and

other local authorities

to

colonie in Katskill

this

dis-

of

persist

at

Difficul-

authorities at

ties

replications

vessel

stein

fired

into

colors

to

in

to

protests

into

first

for

freshet,

to

visit

Rensselaerswyck.

The

charter of 1629 having provided that every colonie chap.

should contain, within four years after least

fifty

its

estabhshment,

at

persons over fifteen years of age, one fourth of

vv^hom should be located within the

first

year, the parties inter-

ested in the settlement of Rensselaerswyck lost no time in

complying with these conditions. following year, a

number

Early

in the

provided with farming implements, stock, and saries, sailed

from the Texel,

dracht, Capt. Jan at the

spring of the March

of colonists, with their families, and

in the

all

other neces-

company's ship the Een

Brouwer, commander, and arrived

in safety

Manhattes, after a passage of sixty-four days.

In a

short time afterwards they landed at Fort Orange, in the vicinity of

which they were furnished with comfortable farm-

houses and other dwellings,

at the

expense of the Patroon and

May

HISTORY OF

320 BOOK his associates. '^^^^^

1630 "

Other

settlers followed,

witn aaditional stock,

succeeding season, and thus were laid the foundations of

those moral, wealthy, and prosperous

now

we

settlements which

behold in and around the present city of Albany.^

Roman

Invested as well by the

law, as

command and lower jurisdiction,

by the

charter, with

became empowered to administer civil and criminal justice, in person, to appoint local officers and or by deputy, within his colonic he chief

the Patroon

;

magistrates

;

and

erect courts,

to

rimes committed within his limits

were required,

keep a gallows,

to

if

for the execution of malefactors, subject,

ever, to the restriction that

accident, to

take cognizance of

to ;

fall,

if

all

such

how-

such gallows happened, by any

pending an execution, a

new one

could not be

erected, unless for the purpose of hanging another criminal.^

The rily

right to inflict

punishments of minor severity was necessa-

included in that which authorized capital convictions, and

we

accordingly

throughout the record

find various instances,

of the local court, of persons

who

by breaking

had,

the law,

rendered themselves dangerous to society, or obnoxious to the authorities, having

been banished from the

Utgeef ende betaelinge van

^

't

colonic,^ or con-

gunt Kiliaen van Rensselaer

als

Patroon, &c.

behout van de gemelte colonie by zyn leven uytgegeven ende betaelt heeft.

tot

A translation removal of

of this highly interesting record of the expenses incurred for the

settlers,

containing the

Edmond

l)ears honorable nie. ^

&c., to Rensselaerswyck in 1630, 1631, as well as a table

names

of the

first settlers,

The date The name

be found in the

ting the late

The

be found in Appendix G, H.

testimony to the labor of the of the sailing of the Eendracht of the " Scherprechter," or list

first is

Duke

Wolf Nysen,

fl.

38."

" For so

Sir

of York, anno 1678,

Patroon in settling the colo-

given in Alb. Rec.

hangman

to

i.,

199.

Rensselaerswyck, will

of the early inhabitants of the colonie.

item at the credit side of his account.

'

will

Andros' report to His Royal Highness the

The

much coming

to

following

him

for

is

an

execu-

Greet Boek, No. F. 96.

following translation of a sentence of banishment pronounced on one

" By the President and CounHaving heard the free confession of That he on Saturday

of the colonists will serve to illustrate the text. cil

of the Colonie of Rensselaerswyck.

in confinement, to wit

Adriaen Willemsen, at present

ral,

:

—

the 6th of Aug., at the house of the Patroon, where the Commissary-gene-

Isist,

Arendt van Curler, resides, climbing in through the

stole

window

of said house,

seven beavers, and at noon of the following Monday, eight beavers and

one " drieling," [third of a skin]

;

also, that

from the cellar of the said house a half

on Saturday aforesaid he had stolen

[skin]

which remained.

And

having.

NEW NETHERLAND. demned

321

to corporal chastisement, fine, or imprisonment, ac- chap.

cording to the grade of their offences.

In

disputes between

civil cases, all

relating to contracts,

ries to property, person, all

other

or character

demands between

;

whether

;

by these

claims for rents, and

courts

in matters affecting life

;

were

from the judg-

and limb, and

exceeded twenty

in litigation

inju-

;

the Patroon and his tenants,

also investigated and decided

ment of which, where the sum

man and man

possessions, or boundaries

titles,

in suits

dollars, appeals

lay to the Director-general and council at Fort Amsterdam.

But the

local authorities,

this privilege that

it

must be added, were

so jealous of

they obliged the colonists, on settling within

their jurisdiction, to promise not to appeal

from any sentence

of the local tribunal.

The laws Netherland,

in force

the

here were, as in other sections of code,

civil

the

enactments

of

the

New

States

West India Company, and of and council, when properly published

General, the ordinances of the the Director-general

within the colonic, and such rules and regulations as the Patroon and his co-directors, or the local authorities might establish

and enact.

The government was

vested in a general court, which exer-

cised executive, legislative or municipal, and judicial fimctions,

and which was composed of two commissaries, (" Gecommitteerden ;") two councillors, styled indiscriminately " Raetspersoonen," " Gerechts-persoonen," or " Raedts-vrienden," or

" Schepenen," and who answered to modern justices of the Adjoined to this court were a colonial secretary, a

peace.

moreover, examined the

demand

of the prosecutor against the aforesaid delin-

quent, observing what appertains thereto

and do order and adjudge, that the place where justice

is

;

We have hereby ordered and adjudged,

said delinquent shall be taken to the public

executed, and there be igttominiously tied to a post for

the space of two hours, with some of the stolen property on his head

which he

shall prostrate himself at the feet of the

;

after

Worshipful Magistrates, (de

Edele Heeren van den Gerechte,) and beg of God and

justice for forgiveness

;

that he, moreover, shall be henceforward, and forever, banished out of this colonie,

and never more return

August, anno 1644.

By

thereto.

Done

also

Van

13th day of

order of their worships the President and Council of

Arendt van Curler."

this Colonie of Rensselaerswick.

See

in Collegio, this

Tienhoven's Cort Bericht.

41

Hoi. Doc.

v.,

380.

1630

HISTORY OF

322 BOOK

sheriff, or

" schout-fiscaal," and a " Gerechts-bode," court mes-

III.

Each

^^v~ senger, or constable. sation, either in the

missaries and magistrates,

fifty,

and

fifty,

;

com-

the

the secretary

;

and the court messenger one hundred

with the addition of

The

service of papers.

;

one hundred, or two hundred

guilders annually, according to their standing

one hundred guilders

compen-

of these received a small

shape of a fixed salary or fees

trifling fees for the transcript

and

magistrates of the colonic held office

for a year, the court appointing their successors

from among

the other settlers, or continuing those already in office, at the expiration of their term of service, as

The most

it

deemed

proper.

important functionary attached to this government

was, as throughout the other parts of the country, the " Schoutfiscaal,"

by

who,

in discharge of his public functions,

was bound

instructions received from the Patroon and co-directors,

similar in tenor to those given to the

hattans. life

No man

or property unless

five persons,

to a

in the colonic

and

all

was

same to

officer at the

be subject

by the sentence of

a court

trial.

The

of

composed of

who were under accusation were

speedy and impartial

Man-

to loss

entitled

public prosecutor

was

particularly enjoined not to receive presents or bribes, nor to

be interested in trade or rectly

;

and

in order that

commerce,

either directly or indi-

he might be attentive

perform-

to the

ance of his duties, and thoroughly independent, he was se-

cured a fixed salary, a free house, and

fines

all

amounting to

ten guilders, [$4,] or under, besides the third part of feitures

Jacob Albertsen Planck was the

wyck.

all

for-

and amendes over that sum, were his perquisites.

Arendt van Curler,

ant commissary,

who

first sheriff

originally

was appointed, soon

of Rensselaers-

came out

as assist-

after his arrival,

com-

missary-general, or superintendent of the colonic, and acted as colonial secretary until 1642,

thony de Hooges.

when he was succeeded by An-

Brant Peelen, Gerrit de Reus, Cornelis

Teunissen van Breuckelen, Pieter Cornelissen van Munick-

endam, and Dirck Janssen were,

if

not the

first,

at least

among

the earliest magistrates of the settlement.*

'

Arendt van Curler was one of those characters who deserve

tory.

to live in his-

His influence among the Indians was unlimited, and in honor of his

NEW NETIIERLAND. Freemen, who emigrated from Holland

of three classes.

own expense

their

323

population of the colonic consisted at this remote period chap.

The

sent out

by

;

at

farmers

and farm-servants, who were

who

judiciously applied his large re-

the Patroon,

sources in promoting the early settlement of the country, and

To accom-

in assisting the struggling industry of his people.

plish this laudable object, a

number

of farms were set

on

off,

both sides of the river and adjoining islands, on which he barns, and stables

caused dwelling-houses,

memory,

name

these tribes addressed

all

He possessed

of " Corlaer."

be erected.

to

New York

succeeding governors of

by the

humanity, and actively

feelings of the purest

exerted his influence in rescuing from the savages such Christians as had the

misfortune to

On

fall into their

visited Holland,

and on

ing a cousin of the

return

his

He was

had a farm.

lie

hands, of whose danger he might receive timely notice.

marriage with Antonia Slagliboom, the widow" of Jonas Bronck, ho

his

Van

where he was a magistrate

nic,

moved

proprietor of a

in

Beverwyck,

;

and the

afTairs

Be-

interests

of the

one of the

and on the surrender of

Netherland, was specially sent for by Governor Nicoll,

Indian

in 1661.

He was

to the time of his decease.

ieaders in the settlement of Schenectady in 1661-2

New

where

the Flatts above Albany,

to

brewery

Rensselaers, he liad considerable influence in the colo-

to

be consulted on

He was

country generally.

highly re-

spected by the governors of Canada, and the regard entertained for him by

de Tracy, Viceroy of that country, tract of a letter

April, 1667

as

I

M.

judged of by the following ex-

:—

" If you find to hope,

will be best

which that high personage addressed him, dated Quebec, 30th

you

it

will

agreeable to

come

hither this

summer,

as

you have caused

be most welcome, and entertained to the utmost of

have great esteem

for

my

me

ability,

you, though I have not a personal acquaintance with

Believe this truth, and that I am. Sir, your affectionate and assured ser-

you.

Tracy."

vant,

Having accepted

this

invitation,

Mr. Van Curler prepared

for

his journey.

Gov. Nicoll furnished him with a letter to the Viceroy. It bears date May 20th, 1667, and states that " Mons'r Curler hath been importuned by divers of his friends at

Quebec

to give

hands, he hath entreated

M.

Fontaine,

who

my

them a

visit,

and being ambitious

pass and liberty to conduct a

unfortunately

fell

into the barbarous

and by means of Mons'r Curler obtained

his

liberty."

hands of

On

to kiss

your

young gentleman, his enemies>

the 4th July

fol-

lowing, Jeremias van Rensselaer, writing to Holland, announces, that " our cousin Arendt van Curler proceeds overland to Canada, having obtained leave

from our General, and been invited thither by the Viceroy, M. de Tracy." In an evil hour he embarked on board a frail canoe to cross Lake Champlain, and having been overtaken by a storm, was drowned, I believe, near Split-Rock. In a

his

death this country experienced a public

warm and

efficient friend.

loss,

and the French of Canada

^-^^

HISTORY OF

324 BOOK These farms were

suitably stocked with

oxen, and, occasionally, sheep

-^v--' '

wagons, and

necessary agricultural implements,

other

or

cows, horses,

and furnished with ploughs,

;

which preliminary expenses were defrayed by

all

the proprietor,

so that the farmer entered on the property unembarrassed

by

the want of capital, which often tends to impede the progress

new

of settlers in

Some

countries.

valued, and an annual rent

was

of those farms were then

fixed, equivalent in

some

sort to

the interest of the capital expended on their improvement, and

payable semi-annually in grain, beavers, and

farms were

let

the Patroon

wampum.

Other

out on halves, or for the third of their produce

was

entitled, at the

same

;

time, to half the increase

from the stock, and reserved to himself one-tenth of the pro-

duce of each farm, and

in

various instances stipulated for a

yearly " erkentenis," or acknowledgment, of a few pounds of

The

butter.

payment

the

tenant

was

privileged, however, to

He was

or for his halves or thirds. to

compound, by

of a fixed annual sum, for the tenths of the farm,

bound,

at the

same time,

keep the fences, buildings, or farming implements,

in re-

and to deliver them up in the same good order

which

pair,

he had received them, subject

in

but the Patroon bore

all

and

tear,

all

cases to ordinary wear

risks

buildings, cattle, and other property

in

of destruction of the

which might accrue from

war, or misunderstanding with the Indians.

Wild

or

unim-

proved land was usually leased for a term of ten years free of rent or tenths, subject, however, to all

improvements

falling to the

In addition to the

lease.

be improved by the

lessee,

Patroon on the expiration of the

facilities

above enumerated, each of

the settlers, on leaving Holland, were, like those sent by the

West

India

Company

to the Manhattans, generally furnished

sum

with clothing and a small at

some

in

cash, the latter to

future occasion, in produce or

vance on the principal of proportionate

it

may now

able or extravagant, at the time,

forty per cent., while

per cent.

This, however dis-

it is

colonial

understood that the difference,

and Holland currency was nearly

between the

latter

and the value of wam-

pum

it

same

time, to supply his colonists with a sufficient

was

vastly larger.

be repaid,

with an ad-

seem, cannot be considered unreason-

when

between

fifty

wampum,

The Patroon was bound,

at the

number

of

NEW NETHERLAND. laborers to assist

them

work

in the

325

As

of their farms.

a com-

pensation for his trouble in engaging these, and for his ad-

vances

sum

conveying them

in

America, he was entitled to the

to

annum

of sixteen guilders, or six dollars, per

wages which

borer, over and above the yearly

for

each

the farmer

such servants, and which ranged from forty

to allow

hundred and

fifty guilders,

la-

was one

to

This sum provided

and board.

these servants with necessary clothing, and in the course of

time placed at their disposal wherewith their

own

account.

It is to

to enter

Patroon seriously complained that his

first

on a farm on

be remarked, however, that the settlers not

only

threw altogether on him the payment of these wages, but took large quantities of goods from his store, for

which they made

no returns whatever, though they were bound

end of each year, and

to

hand

to settle at the

an account of the produce of

in

the farm, distinguishing the Patroon's tenths, halves, or thirds,

amount paid

the

for

wages, and their own expenses, so as to

allow him to ascertain what his

own

profits

and losses were

at

the close of each annual term.

In return for his outlay and trouble, the

must be always borne

in

colonic, vested in the

was bound he had for

by

to

hand

such produce.

him

we

to

amount of grain which

was

or his

commissary the preempit,

then the

same elsewhere. The like When these were to be cattle.

sell

rule obtained in regard to sold, the first offer

common

harvest, the farmer

In case he refused to buy

farmer was at liberty to

der,

it

deducting what was due to the landlord

the lease, and offer to

tion of

of the

in a return

sale, after

code, which,

Patroon several privileges

At the close of the

the feudal system.

civil

mind, was the fundamental law of this

the

also to be

made

to the Patroon, in or-

presume, that he should have an opportunity of

retaining the stock within the

colonic.

Every

settler

was,

likewise, obligated to grind his corn at the Patroon's mill,

and the

latter

was equally

mill in repair, at his colonists.

No

obligated to erect, and keep such

own expense,

for the

accommodation of

his

person could hunt or fish within the limits of

the colonic, without license from the Patroon, who, on the ex-

change, tion,

sale,

was

and purchase of real estate within his jurisdic-

entitled to the first offer of

such property

;

or if he

^^hap.

;

HISTORY OF

326 BOOK declined

resume

to

it,

a certain portion of the purchase

to

money, except such mutation occurred 1630. Finally,

descent. to

succeed

it

was

to the estate

his right, as

and property of

in the natural line of " lord of the manor," all

persons

who might

die intestate within his colonic.^

Under

the fostering care of

dent management of

its

Patroon, and the pru-

its first

local magistracy, the colonic of

Rens-

selaerswyck progressively, though slowly, advanced. Portions of

its

inhabitants occasionally returned to Fatherland, to spread

the tidings of their prosperity, and to invite their friends and

them

relatives to join

new homes, which, from

their

in

abundance and cheapness of provisions, deserved truly called " a land flowing with milk and honey."^

On

gradually arose.

account,

it is

A

be

hamlet

said, of the crescent

of the bank of the river at this point, this hamlet

the

to

was

form first

1634. called the " Fuyck," or " Beversfuyck," and afterwards " Be-

verswyck," by which name the present city of Albany was legally

known

until

1664, though

Fuyck," by the Dutch, had passed

*

into the

Charter to Patroons

for

many

it

was

familiarly called " the

years after the entire country

hands of other masters.^

Van Tienhoven's Korte

;

Bericht

;

Jus Patronatus in

Civilis, t. iii. Doinat's Civil Law, t. ii., Van Leeuwen, 43, 44 Gebruyck tegen het Misbruyck vande Openstaende reckeninge. [For a translation of this edict, in which the Patroon recapitulates many of the obliga-

Corpus Juris

;

Reglit

tions

of the colonists, see

Appendix

Several of the above arrangements

I.]

common to all new countries, and still exist in the seignories many manors in England. * The creeks running through the settlement, as well as the

are in

abounded with

were caught bought

for

fish

in

;

the woods with deer and other game.

of

Canada, and

river in front,

Pike and sturgeon

the Fourth, or J'ox, Creek, and one of the latter could be

a knife.

"

The year

came

before I

Mr. Megapolensis, " there were so

many

here," (1641,) writes the Rev.

turkeys and deer that they

came

the houses and hogpens to feed, and were taken by the Indians with so trouble, that a deer

was

sold to the

Dutch

for

to

little

a loaf of bread, or a knife, or

Short account of the Maquaa Indians. The names of the first hamlet, or village, are taken from the Rensselaerswyck MSS. The earliest mention I have met of " Beverswyck," or " Beverwyck," as the name is indifferently written, was in a minute, dated 1634, the

even a tobacco pipe." ^

original of

which was on a small, almost

illegible

scrap of paper which

I

found

among the above MSS. That the Dutch continued to call Albany " the Fuyck," long after the surrender of the country to the English, is evident

accidentally

from

letters

among

the Rensselaerswyck

MSS.

"

De huysen

in de

Fuyck"

is

:

NEW NETHERLAND.

327

In order to give greater stability to his settlement, and to chap.

become laer,

better acquainted with

it is

stay in the country,

Mr. Van Rensse-

or resignation of Sheriff

new

quired the appointment of a of the

tion

condition,

His

he ever did come, was, however, not very

if

The demise

long.

its

alleged, visited the colonic in person in 1637.

surrounded on

settlers,

Planck now

re- 1640.

and the peculiar posi-

officer,

sides

all

by rude and

unconverted savages, demanded the guardian supervision and solacing comforts of religion, for as yet neither church nor

clergyman existed cient

To

Rensselaerswyck.

in

administration

of justice, and

secure an

provide

to

a

effi-

properly

consequently became a

qualified clergyman for his people,

paramount duty. der Donck, " a free citizen

Adriaen van lineal

of

Breda,"

famous turf-sloop

a 1641.

which a party of Dutch troops were

in

clandestinely introduced,

commanding

1590, into the castle

High Mightinesses

He

by

that stronghold fell into the hands of their

the States General,

University of Leyden,

Planck.

the year

in

that city, then in the hands of the Spanish,

which stratagem

was

— and a graduate of the

selected as the successor of Sheriff

entered on the performance of his duties, as

schout-fiscaal of Rensselaerswyck, in the course of a

two

—

descendant of Adriaen van Bergen, part owner of the

after his

month

or

appointment, having, previous to his departure

from Holland, taken a lease from the Patroon of the west half of Castle Island, called " Welysburg."^ an

expression in one of S.

1681, as well as '

van Cortlandt's

in several others of

De Laet makes

letters,

an anterior

dated N, Yorck, 20th April,

date.

mention, in his Hist, of the

Adriaen Ver Donck, who was

commissary on the coast of

in the

West

Indies, p. 200, of one

employ of the West India Company as

Brazil, in 1630,

and who was placed under

on suspicion of holding correspondence with the enemy, but liberated wards, as nothing tangible could be brought against him.

have no means of determining. " in

der

Donck

are

Memorandum

Amsterdam.

among

Whereas

the Fatroon's laborers,

and strangers out

who

The

this indi-

same

person, I

following instructions from the Patroon to

the Rensselaerswyck

for the officer

after-

Whether

vidual and the sheriff of Rensselaerswyck were one and the

Van

arrest

MSS.

Adriaen Van der Donck,

divers farmers pass

not only must go

of the service of the

this 18th July, 1641,

by the carpenters and other of

idle, but,

Patroon,

moreover, employ others

whom

they must pay at a

higher rate than his people, which tends greatly to the injury of the Patroon,

July.

HISTORY OF

328

The Rev. Johannes Megapolensis, " the pious and well-

BOOK 1642

^^^^"^^ minister of the congregation of Schoorel and Berge,"

March Under the classis of Alkmaer, was duly called to disseminate ^the light of the gospel among the Christians and heathen in

commissioned "

the colonie, and regularly

March there

to

preach God's word

sacraments of baptism and the

to administer the holy

;

Lord's Supper to set an example, in a Christian-like manner, by public precept to ordain elders and deacons to keep and govern, by and with the advice and assistance of the same, ;

;

God's congregation

;

in

good

God's Holy Word, and

to

and order,

discipline

in

according

all

conformity with the government,

confession, and catechism of the Netherland churches, and

the synodal acts of Dordrecht."^

The allowance guarantied

to the downfall of the

charged

clergyman was free passage

and

colonie, to the transgression of his ordinances,

directly contrary to their promises therefore,

to this

to prosecute all

and concluded contracts

The

:

officer

is is,

such before the commissioners of the Noble

Patroon, and to bring the matter also before the council of the colonie, (excluding those

who may have been

accessories to such proceedings,) in order to

provide therefor by stricter statutes or ordinances, and to punish the delin-

quents by penalties and truth,

"

fines,

And

agreeably to law.

in

testimony of the

have these been signed on the date above written. " KiLiAEN VAN Rensselaer, " Patroon of the Colonie of Rensselaerswyck.

He

shall also inquire touching the person who had charge of De Laetswas left there by Gerrit de Reus. The said bouwerie had, in May, among other things, thirty-one morgens of winter grain [winter coorn]

burg, and

1638,

taxed on the

gen

[of

by

field,

two acres

fulfilled his

;]

four farmers, at five

where the

if

;

discovery of the guilty, to punish

mentioned

in the letter to

been

left,

guilders [$30] the

and now

he hath been a defaulter

happened that from so great a number of

is

and seventy

said corn has

engagements or not

them

acres, so

little is

;

is

;

forthcoming

as an example to others, as

mor-

he hath

if

in fine, ;

how

it

and on

more

fully

Arendt van Curler. " KiLiAEN VAN Rensselaer.

" In case the individual refer

(which

I

whom

Gerrit de

Reus

left

do not expect) to the heir of his master,

the heir hath given

me

on the bouwerie, should let

him be advised that

a procuration which I have sent to Director Kieft."

In the " Maentgelt Boeck van den 1638

tot

1649," kept in the colonie.

Van

der Donck's account opens on 9th Sept., 1641. '

This gentleman was the son of the Rev. Joannes Megapolensis, minister of

Coedyck teld

in

Holland, and of Hellegond Jansen.

He

married his cousin

Willemsen, daughter of Willem Steengs, or Heengs,

by three

years.

See Appendix J

1

;

also Alb.

Rec.

v.,

who was

323, 339.

Mach-

his senior

NEW NETHERLAND. and board

for

himself,

accompanied him

to

wife

his

New

and

Netherland

329

four

children,

an

;

annual stipend,

butter, or in place thereof, should he prefer

This salary was

and an

dollars,

of eleven hundred

for the first three years,

two

guilders, (8440,) thirty schepels of wheat, and

in cash.

who

of three

outfit

hundred guilders, or one hundred and twenty

chap.

it,

firkins of

sixty guilders

be further increased by an

to

addition of two hundred guilders a year, for the second term

of three years,

A

vices.

if

were

the Patroon

with his ser-

satisfied

pension of one hundred guilders per

secured to his wife,

in case

annum was

of his demise within the above

term, for and during whatever time might remain unexpired of his engagement.

These preliminaries having been thus arranged, an obstacle was unexpectedly thrown in the way of Mr. Megapolensis' departure by the directors of the West India Company, who claimed the exclusive right to approve of his appointment.

To

this,

however, the feudal lord of Rensselaerswyck demurred

and

it

was not

until after a lapse

compromise was agreed

to,

of several

months

;

that a

the directors approving of the ap-

pointment under protest on the part of Mr. Van Rensselaer, saving his rights as Patroon.

The Rev. Mr. Megapolensis and

family embarked, together June

6.

with Abraham Staes, surgeon, Evert Pels, brewer, and a number of other freemen, farmers, and farm-servants, shortly after this,

in

the

ship

the

Houttuyn, or Woodyard, which was

freighted with a quantity of goods for the colonic

two and three hundred bushels of malt thousand

tiles,

and

thirty

for

— between —four

Mr. Pels

thousand stone for building

some vines and madder, the cultivation was desirous of introducing among his

of

—besides

which the Patroon

people.*

On

the arri- Aug.

val of Mr. Megapolensis at Rensselaerswyck, a contract

was

concluded for the erection of a dwelling for himself and family,

'

Mr. Pels erected a brewery

the council in 1643, and

and had sion.

colonie

in the

was appointed

salary of 100 florins ($40) per

annum.

;

Dr. Staes became one of

president of the board in 1644, at a

He

obtained license to trade in furs,

also a considerable bouwerie, besides pursuing the practice of his profes-

He was

the ancestor of the Staats of the present day, the original

having assumed shortly afterwards the termination

42

it

now

bears.

name

HISTORY OF

330

BOOK but the contractor having

^-^ house belonging '

oak,

was subsequently purchased

three hundred guilders, or

constructed entirely of

settlers

at

was next

Beaver's Kill, (where

it still

of

Tuscameatick, (as

was

at the opposite side of the river,

Indians,) a ferry

sum

for his use, for the

one hundred and twenty dollars.

For the convenience of the Greenbush,

agreement, a

failed in fulfilling his

Maryn Adriaensen,

to

by the

called

established near the foot of the

continues to ply

and as

;)

it

was

the

Patroon's intention that the church, the minister's dwelling, the attorney-general's residence, and the houses for the trades-

people and mechanics, should be erected in one vicinity, so as to constitute a " Kerckbuurte," or settlement around the church,

were transmitted

orders

no persons (farmers and tobacco

that

planters excepted) should, for the future, establish themselves, after the expiration of their

term of service, elsewhere than in

the vicinity of the church, and according to the plan

out by the Houttuyn

" for,"

;

one resides where he thinks tlers, they,

it

fit,

was

separated far from other set-

as sorrowful experience hath

lives,

A

strated around the Manhattans. '"^

and nineteen

wide

feet

—the

its

dimensions,

demon-

church, thirty-four feet

first

in

—

was Though humble

this quarter

erected in the course of the following year. in

sent

should trouble occur, would be unfortunately in

danger of their

long,

now

justly observed, "if every

when compared with modern edifices of a it was considered, at this time, suffi-

similar sacred character, ciently

ample

for the

accommodation of the

next three or four years, after which

it

faitliful,

A

a school-house, or a dwelling for the sexton."

mented with a canopy, was soon added well as *'

pews

for the magistrates

" for the

might be converted into

and

pulpit, orna-

for the preacher, as for the deacons,

and

The expense of all this sum of thirty-two dollars.

nine benches" for the congregation.

necessary furniture amounted to the

While providing accommodation not forgotten.

The

for the living, the

west, of the Patroon's trading-house rectly called "

*

Patroon's

Church"

Memorandum

lation of this interesting

dead were

" church-yard" lay in the rear, or to the

street

for

paper

:

and

—

in

what

is

Dom. Megapolensis, 3d June,

will

now very

in order " to

be found in Appendix K.

cor-

be safe from

1

642.

A trans-

NEW NETHERLAND.

331

ravages of the Indians," the infant hamlet, hving and dead,

llie

nestled close under the guns of Fort Orange.^

One

of the principal aims of the

laerswyck seems

to

have been

first

founders of Rensse-

secure for themselves the

to

valuable trade in furs, the chief mart for which centred at the

made

point where they

To

settlement.

purchase and commenced their

their

engross this the more effectually,

and unlicensed traders were

rigidly excluded

foreign

all

from the colonic.

The Patroon and

his partners were the only privileged imEuropean merchandise, the company having, in con-

porters of

'

The

date of the erection of the above church

letter to the Patroon,

L

Appendix

;

Kieft,

is

taken from

Van

Curler's

dated June, 1643, which will be found translated in the

when

New Am-

proposing, in 1642, to erect a church in

sterdam, referred to the then contemplated erection of this church in Rensse-

That

laerswyck.

it

was erected

on the Maquaas, published

selaerswyck," anno 1645-6,

in 1643,

is

evident from Megapoleusis' tract

1644, in which allusion

in

pense of the pulpit, pews, &c.,

is

p.

56, in

Frederioksz" the following entry

is

made

to

The

it.

ex-

taken from the " Groet Boek der Colonic Rens-

:

which we

—"Voor dat

een Predickstool, het verwulf, een

find to the credit of "

hy

in de

kerck heeft gemaakt

de overicheyt, een

stoel voor

Willem

ditto

voor de

Diaconie, een cosyn met 2 lichten, een kruys cosyn dicht gemaackt, en daerin

een kusje, een hoeckje nevens de

stool,

haeck, en 9 bancken, te saemen voor, 80

wealthy

in 1647,

(May

29,) to loan

met een banck

in

een winckel-

This church was

fl."

200 guilders

sufficiently

to the Patroon, for

which the

Diaconie, or deacons, received the obligation of the colonial court, payable in

one year after date, at 10 per cent.

MSS.

also the obligation itself in the GerechtsroUe.

;

was added

in 1651, to the front of the

faithful until 1656,

are

See account-book F. Rensselaerswyck

now

when a second church was

State and Market streets.

A new

" stoop," or steps,

above building, which accommodated the

In 1715, a

erected at the junction of

what

new church was erected on the The church of 1715 was

latter site, including within its walls that of 1656.

finally pulled

down

in 1806.

Fort Orange stood at the lower part of what

is

midway between Denisson and Lydius streets. Patroon's trading-house was on the north side of the fort, on the verge This trading-house disapof the moat by which the latter was surrounded. peared some time previous to 1649, when the ground on which it stood was

now The

Market-street, nearly

leased for " a garden" to Pieter Hertgers and

Anthony de Hooges,

at

a rent

In the lease was reserved the right to " garden" " to the churchyard," [tot kerckhof,]

of one guilder, or 40 cents, a year.

run a

street

through

which lay west of the

of this

this lot,

on what

is

now

Beverswyck, " near the bend of the river," safe from the ravages of the Indians,"

Alb. Rec.

iv.

—

is

The hof, or yard, The first location of

Church-street.

Patroon's house lay north of the trading-house.

—"

close

by the

fort"

—"

to

be

mentioned with minute precision in

HISTORY OF sequence of the war and other causes, ceased

Orange supplied with foreign goods.

to

keep Fort

All settlers were

bound

purchase any peltries from the Indians, on pain of forfeiting their goods and wages, unless duly licensed

under oath not

to carry

to

on such trade, for such a privilege was exclusively

vested in the Patroon by the sixth article of the charter.

The

majority of the settlers subsequently obtained such permission

;

received goods on credit from the Patroon's store, and every

De

farmer, as

Vries observes,

however, obliged to the Patroon's

became a

to bring in all the furs

he retaining, as his share, half the

to

him,

This condition was

profits.

afterwards modified so far as to allow sixth beaver,

They were,

trader.

which they purchased

magazine, to be sent over to Holland

him

to retain only the

and one guilder recognition, or duty, on each of This system soon produced results

the remaining five-sixths.^

which were naturally

to

be expected.

Competition raised the

price of peltries nearly one hundred per cent. the price of a merchantable beaver, ell

was

square,

six hands,

or fathoms, of

course of that year the article

and a half

;

but

when

Prior to 1642 which averaged about an

wampum.

commanded from seven

In the to

seven

the traders found that the agents of the

Patroon, as well as the ofi[icers at Fort Orange, did not refuse paying that price, they immediately offered nine and in the following year advanced the rate to ten fathoms of white wam;

pum by

for

each skin.

A joint proclamation was

hereupon issued

the authorities of Rensselaerswyck, and those of the Fort,

fixing the price of furs at nine

half of black

wampum, and

fathoms of white, or four and a

forbidding

all

persons whatsoever,

whether servants of the company or residents in the colonic, from going into the woods to trade in advance with the Indians, on pain of seizure of all their goods. Another proclamation ' Rensselaerswyck MSS., Appendix I. Master Abraham (Staes,) HenReyer StofFelsen, Sander Leendertsen en anderen die met de Hear Patroon gecontracteert hebben om te moogen handelen waren gehou-

rick Albertzen,

deu

alle

de selve pelteryen, telcke reyse in specie het getal aentebrengen, ende

aen de Patroon, en nymant vreemts overtesenden, ende daerenboven van yder beever een gulden en dan noch het seste part aenden Hr. Patroon, ofte zyn gecommitteerden te betaelen, op confiscatie van alle de pelteryen en voorts van al des efFecten, volgens

den 3 December, 1648,

de voors. persoonen haer contracten. in re Claes Gerrittsen.

GerechtsroUe ady

NEW NETIIERLAND. was

issued,

also

prohibiting

all

333

traders to

come with

their chap.

sloops within the limits of the colonic under the penalty of forfeiting the

And on

same.

the following court-day a third

proclamation followed, for the better securing the monopoly of the import trade to the Patroon,

by which

the inhabitants

of the colonic were absolutely forbidden purchasing any goods

from the

Orders were given at the same time

local traders.

Donck

to Sheriff

Van

strictness

and severity.

der

enforce these regulations with

to

whom

This functionary, between

and Van Curler, and the

other officers of the colonic, considerable jealousy and feeling already existed,

had no desire

ill-

render himself un-

to

He should not," he said, popular with the colonists. " make himself the worst man in the colonic, nor be suspected "

by

the colonists, for his term as officer

was but

short."

He

therefore not only refused to enforce these regulations, but

when, a few days afterwards, the

colonists,

contrary to

the

prohibitions of the court, did purchase duffels and sundry other

goods which had been at

their proceedings,

surreptitiously introduced, he connived

and either told the suspected parties

put their goods out of his his duty, or to

make any

sight, or neglected entirely to

Not content with

seizures.

to

execute this dis-

obedience of orders, he proceeded, next, secretly to foment feelings of discontent and

whom light,

mutiny among the people, before

he placed the abovementioned placards

and

whom

in a

most odious

he persuaded into the belief that Van Curler

was endeavoring "

bread out of their mouths." His

to steal the

representations had eventually such an effect on the public

mind, that a conspiracy was formed against the commissarygeneral

among

several of the colonists,

who drew up

a strong

protest against that officer, which, in order that they might re-

main undiscovered, the ringleaders signed in the form of a " round robin," by affixing to the paper their signatures in " a circle." This done, they next denounced Van Curler in the

most vehement terms.

from the colonic as a rogue

;

bulent, insisted on taking his

life.

for the character of the settlers,

overt act.

Van

der

Donck

Some proposed

others,

more

These

driving

him

and

tur-

vindictive

threats, fortunately

were not followed up by any

professed,

all

the while, an honest

-^v-^

X643

HISTORY OF

334 BOOK desire

second the wishes of the constituted authorities.

to

But when the time

sincerity arrived, he

for testing his

was

found wanting in the fulfilment of his promise.^

While these contentions and the

altercations

were

distracting

hamlet of Beverswyck, intelligence was received

little

of the neighboring

Aug. that war-parties

Mohawks had

returned

victorious from one of their wild forays against their hereditary

enemies, the Hurons and the French, and had brought with

them

several

whom

Christians

they had taken prisoners.

Arendt van Curler, weighing well the necessity of maintaining, in

the feebleness of the colonic, a

good understanding with

these wild tribes, and full of hope that he could rescue the

French captives from

Mohawks, with

of the

company with

their danger, proceeded, in

Jan Labadie and Jacob Jansen van Amsterdam,

to the

country

suitable presents, in order to confirm

the ancient friendship which had hitherto continued uninter-

rupted between them and the Dutch, and to obtain

new

antees for the security of the inhabitants and property in

selaerswyck.

who

This

visit

was highly pleasing

guar-

Rens

Dutch ambaswas fired in honor of Van Curler, " diffused

detained, at each of their three castles, the

sadors a quarter of an hour, until a salute

my

" for

their visit,

arrival," writes

among them."

Parties were sent out in quest of game, who returned with some " excellent turkeys," and feast-

great joy

ing and good cheer gave substantial proofs of a sincere and

hearty welcome.

Van

Curler's benevolent

mind was, however,

the midst of these rejoicings.

doomed

to

The

ill

at ease in

Christian captives might be

undergo, in a few days, at the stake,

all

the tortures

which savage cruelty and ingenuity combined could invent render death more

was

terrific

and appalling.

Among

to

the prisoners

the mild and disinterested Father Jogues, a learned J esuit

missionary gan, and

— " one

now

the

of the first

to

first

to carry the cross into

bear

it

Michi-

through the villages of the

Mohawks." Despising ease, comfort, hfe, and every attachment which nature renders dear to man, he preferred captivity,

suffering,

*

Van

and mutilation,

to

-

to the Indians,

an abandonment of his

Curler's letter to the Patroon,

Appendix L.

NEW NETIIERLAND. tender converts

and now awaited,

;

crown of martyrdom

the

which

for

335 and prayer, chap.

in resignation

his

had so long

soul

1642.

panted.

To

the chiefs of the different their

Van Curler

save these unfortunate men.

Mohawk

minds the friendship and

ed between them

exist-

their captives,

time, for their ransom, presents to the

Dutch

recorded, the

recalled to

which had so long

hundred guilders, which,

six

He

castles.

alliance

— and demanded the release of

same

offering, at the

amount of

called together

differences of creed, and actuated

by

honor be

to their

of the colonic,

settlers

it

forgetful of all

the holy impulses of

the Gospel, had generously subscribed to purchase the freedom

The

of their Christian brethren. to be

moved,

either

by appeals

They

Dutchmen's presents. allies w^iatever

was

in their

by the

w^ere willing to grant to their

power, but on the point under dis-

cussion they would remain the French treated those

savages, however, were not

to ancient friendship, or

silent.

who

Curler well into their hands.

fell

knew how Had the

chief not been successful in his attack, the Iroquois would

have been burnt.

For the

could not

In a few months the warriors of the several

nations

treat.

liberation of the

would assemble, and then

disposed

All

of.

Van

French prisoners he

the matter

would be

Curler could effect was

to

savages to spare the lives of their prisoners, and restore

them

to their country.

Beverswyck,

their

minds

to

promise to

Escorted by a party of ten or

twelve armed Indians, the Dutch ambassadors to

finally

persuade the

filled

now

returned

with admiration of the lovely

country through which they travelled.^

The

disinterested missionary continued

captivity

by spreading

niglitcd region into

his labors

which Providence had

were most signally

were brought

blest,

to

had been received

'

to

solace his 1643.

cast his

lot.

Though

and numbers of converts

into the fold, the hearts of the principal savages

continued hardened against him.

some Indians

now

the light of Christianity through the be-

Fort Orange, that

the

In one of his visits with

he learned that intelligence

Mohawks were

defeated by the

Daer leyt"ualyck een halven daegh van den colonie, op de Maquaas Kill, men met oogen bezien mach. Van Curler's letter.

dat schoonste iandt dat

July,

HISTORY OF

336 BOOK French

at

Fort Richelieu, and that he, on his return, would

III.

"^v-w

1643

The commander

assuredly be burnt.

A

him, thereupon, to escape.

There he would be

Virginia.

ed

morrow

until the

The

was

proceed to

which greatly

finally accepted,

where close

air

He

followed.

difficulties

ceeded in secreting himself

that he

offer

to

Father Jogues demand-

safe.

so easy to evade the vigilance of his savage

Innumerable

ions.

of the fort counselled

was about

to consider this proposal, "

surprised the Dutch."

was not

vessel

but

it

compan-

at length

suc-

in the hold of a sloop in the river,

and a horrid stench made him almost regret

had not remained among the cruel Iroquois, who now,

enraged

at the

escape of their victim, crowded to Beverswyck,

and demanded, with violent gestures and angry words, the sur-

The Dutch were much

render of their prisoner.

They

The

the tortures and barbarities of the heathen. eral

had sent out orders power.

make any renewed

to

On

was

Gen-

be used to

who might

the other hand, the colonic

fall

into

too feeble to

In this dilemma the offer was again

resistance.

ransom the

States

that every .means should

rescue from the savages those Frenchmen their

embarrassed.

could not consent to deliver over a Christian brother to

fugitive

;

after considerable wrangling,

the Indians accepted this offer, and presents to the amount of

about one hundred pieces of gold were accordingly delivered

Nov.

5.

them. Father Jogues was sent to New Amsterdam, where he was most kindly received and clothed by Director Kieft, who gave him a passage to Holland in a vessel which sailed shortly But misfortune was not yet weary of persecuting the after. The vessel was driven in a storm on Christian missionary. the coast of Falmouth, where it was seized by wreckers, who, as merciless as the savages, stripped Father Jogues and his

companions of every left

of their wearing apparel,

article

them bruised and naked

to

pursue

their

and

journey as best

they could. 1644.

In the course of the following year Father Bressani, another " Beatfell into the hands of the Iroquois.

Jesuit missionary,

en, mangled, mutilated

;

driven barefoot over rough

through briers and thickets scarred, he ions

was eye-witness

who was

;

burnt,

tortured,

one of #iis companYet some mysterious awe

to the fate of

boiled and eaten.

paths,

wounded, and

—

;

NEW NETHERLAND. protected his the Dutch,"

life,

and he too was

who purchased

his

337

humanely rescued by chap

at last

freedom

at a large

sum, and, ^-^^

with true Samaritan kindness, dressed his wounds and nursed

he was perfectly convalescent, when they supplied him with clothing, " of which he stood in much need," and sent him

him

until

Here he was received

Manhattans.

to the

manner by

table

his departure for

in the

most hospi-

who

furnished him, at

Europe, with the following

letter of safe-con-

the public authorities,

duct " We, Willem Kieft, Director-general, and the Council of :

New

Netherland, to

greeting

:

all

those

who

shall

see these presents,

Francis Joseph Bressani, of the Society of Jesus,

some time a prisoner among the Iroquois savages, commonly called Maquaas, and daily persecuted by these, was, for

when about to be burnt, snatched out of their hands, and ransomed by us for a large sum, after considerable difficulty. As he now proceeds with our permission to Holland, thence to humaneby those into whose hands he may happen to fall. Wherefore we request all governors, viceroys, or their lieutenants and captains, that they would afford him their favor in goreturn to France, Christian charity requires that he be ly treated

ing and returning, promising to do the same, on like occasion.

Dated

in Fort

Amsterdam,

in

New

Netherland, this xxth Sep-

tember, anno Salutis, 1644, Stylo Novo."

These and many other

acts of similar kindness secured ever

afterwards, for both the inhabitants and authorities, as well of Rensselaerswyck as of

warm

New

Netherland generally, the

attachment and regard of the Jesuit missionaries,

at the risk of health

and

life

were disseminating the

who

truths

of the Gospel among the Indian tribes in the valley of the Mohawk, and along the shores of the great lakes, and who, it may

be safely

said,

allowed no occasion to pass without giving ex-

pression to their gratitude and respect.^

'

Van

Curler's

letter

Megapolensis'

;

Charlevoix, Hist, de la Nouv. France,

352, 386, 389, 391, 403 134.

;

The Rev. Father Jean

niontogen," 6th Nov. 1667

reQu de

vtfus

i.,

Short

Account of the Maquaas

240

Creuxius, Hist. Canadensis,

;

Bancroft's Hist, of the United States,

:

Pierron writes to Mr.

" Je

me tiens tellement

Van

k Schenect6 qu'^ternellement j'auray de

43

iii.,

132, 133,

Rensselaer from " Tin-

oblige de I'honneur I'aiFection

que j'ay

pour votre

Sept.

—

HISTORY OF

338 BOOK

became apparent now from the

It

-"v^ between Sheriff

Van der Donck and

ill-feeling

which existed

the other functionaries in

the colonie, and which had already caused in two instances an

exchange of blows, that the former could not comfortably prolong his stay in Rensselaerswyck,

much

agreeably,

Holland

in the

He

longer.

or hold his

very

office,

determined, indeed, to return to

course of the next year, as he was desirous to

become a Patroon

himself, with

which view he proceeded,

with several colonists, to Katskill,

to

purchase the lands

from the Indians, for the erection of an independent

there

But

colonie.

moment

the

the Palroon of Rensselaerswyck

received intelligence of this " dishonest"

move on

the part of

" his sworn officer," he immediately forwarded instructions to

Van "

Curler, couched in the following stringent terms

The Patroon

on the sixth of Sept.

:

of the Colonie of Rensselaerswyck having,

this

month, given a commission

Wyn-

to Pieter

coop, commis. on board his ship, to purchase for a reasonable price from the natural owners and inhabitants, chiefs, their lands lying

tain information

sworn

officer,

about Katskill,

which he had

in

and from their

consequence of cer-

that Adriaen van der

to the prejudice of him,

by

and twenty-sixth

virtue of the sixth

doms and Exemptions, doth claim

no person

Free-

against

shall,

;

also,

Le

noir et

blanc, ni la diversite de la religion n'empecheroiit pas cette amitie."

And

compagnie, le

that

Therefore

articles of his

approach within seven or eight miles of him

his will,

his

the Patroon, his lord and master, the

said lands, lying under the sliadow of his colonic.

he,

Donck,

dishonestly designed to purchase for him and his,

et

de rinclination k

I'obliger, si

Father Joannes de Lamberville,

who was

jamais j'en ay

I'occasioii.

a missionary at Onoutague (Onon-

daga) in 1685, addresses Jeremias van Rensselaer in terms testifying equal respect for his character, though he never si

de facie nec ego

—

saw him " Illustrissime Domine, Etsis, tuum tamen mihi nomen, tuaque

nec tu mihi cognitus

tibi,

mihi probe nota sunt merita, dignusque es cui quacunque data obsequy

tibi

defe-

rendi occasione, pronoe voluntatis specimen exhibeatur." Viceroy Tracy, writing to

Gov. Nicolls

Dutch

in these

words

:

—

ledge courtesies, not to the French

redeemed

humane conduct of the " The French nation is too much inclined to acknowconfess that the Dutch have had very much charity for

in 1667, also bears testimony to the

who have been prisoners with the Maquaas, and that they have who had been burnt without their succor. They ought also them, and to any others who shall exer-

divers,

to be assured of our gratitude towards cise

such Christian deeds as they have done."

NEW NETHERLAND. he hath power

that

on condition of

enlarge his colonie,

to

number of

planting a proportionate

colonists there,

which num-

ber was, even by this vessel, so increased that he hath already-

included the same, from Ransselaers-Stein

remaining on the same

side,

down

having obtained certain information that such true,

Arendt van

the commissary-general,

to Katskill,

And,

within his resort.

is,

further,

indeed, also

Curler, together

with the aforesaid Pieter Wyncoop, are charged not to inquire of the above-named the Patroon hath

Van

der

by him

Donck

if it

be

constrain, should he have

done

make

from, and to cede and to

so, to desist,

to

(inasmuch as

him

be true and faithful specially

to his oath,

to

to

de facto, there-

over to him, the Patroon,

whatsoever he hath acquired, conformably

sworn

true,

sufficient proof thereof,) but

all

having

him, his injury to

prevent and his advantage to promote, both which in this matter

have not happened

;

and

in

case the said purchase be not

yet effected, that he, in presence

of the

commissaries and

council of the colonie, do promise, under oath, not to proceed therewith, but to respect

(agents)

all

him the Patroon, and

favor and help, that they

may

to afford to his

make

be allowed to

the aforesaid purchase to the best advantage

;

and should he

refuse the one, or the other, to secure his person, inasmuch as

he also endeavored, per fas to return

home

charge him

in case the

et nefas,

ofte

onminne,) to dis-

and inasmuch as the lease of his bouwerie,

;

which he hath taken and agreed iiath still

(met minne

Patroon should not consent

for in

person with the Patroon,

long to run, which he cannot set aside without con-

sent, but shall

be bound

to

keep during that time.

And

in

witness of the truth hath the Patroon subscribed these with his

Am-

hand, and sealed them with his and the colonie's seal, in sterdam, this 10th September, 1643.

"KiLiAEN Van Rensselaer, [seal]

" Patroon of the Colonie of Rensselaerswyck.

" In case Van der Donck should prove be degraded from his

office,

and

left

obstinate, he shall

on his bouwerie

plete his contracted lease, without allowing

him

to

com-

to depart,

and

his office shall be conferred, provisionally, on Nicolaus Coorn,

HISTORY OF

340 BOOK

But

his charge. '

him

further orders, divesting

till

j^^^

if

of

all

papers appertaining to

he will desist, then his

office,

Actum

werie, shall he be allowed to hold.

and his bou-

as above.

Van Rensselaer,

" KiLiAEN

"in quality as herein above stated."^

This

order,

which had the

Donck's intended colonic Sept.

effect

Katskill,

at

Netherland by the Patroon's ship, "

of arresting

was conveyed

The Arms

Van to

der

New

of Rensselaers-

wyck," which was dispatched with an assorted invoice of merchandise, consisting of woollen, linen, and cotton goods,

ready-made

clothing,

glass,

silks,

crockery,

leather,

fruit,

cheese, spices, brandy, gin, wines, cordials, tobacco-pipes, nets, looking-glasses, beads, bells, nails, spoons,

axes,

adzes, razors, knives, scissors,

thimbles,

kettles,

rings, shoes, stockings, gloves,

pins, needles, threads,

combs, buttons, muskets,

tols,

swords, shot, lead, canvass, pitch and

ery,

and various other commodities, valued

tar,

at

pis-

candles, station-

twelve thousand

eight hundred and seventy guilders, to

be bartered with the

Indians and other inhabitants

country for tobacco,

furs,

and ^other produce.

To

of the

ensure entire success for this

venture, the skipper, supercargo, and pilot of the ship were

allowed a direct pecuniary interest in the proceeds of the voyage.

The system profits

which

of licenses introduced

by

the Patroon, and the

had already incited a number of private

resulted,

embark in the fur-trade. As a consequence, was altogether taken out of the hands both of the Patroon's and the company's servants, who could purchase

individuals to this

staple

scarcely a skin, while private traders exported thousands of peltries.

A

the colonic,

number

of unlicensed traders

who drew

the Indians

away

now

resorted to

into " secret trading-

by means of higher prices, they got possession of the most valuable furs, " not caring whether or not the

places," where,

trade

was

so injured as to render the Patroon unable to meet

the expenses of his colonic."

*

Having thus " debauched" the

Naerder ordre aen Arendt van Curler en Pieter Wyncoop wegen

Rensselaerswyck

MSS.

Katskill.

—

:

NEW NETHERLAND.

341

savages, these interlopers succeeded next, by means of " wine chap. and strong drink, which they sold at an usurious rate," in ^-^^

" perverting"

many

of the colonists, from

whom

they got,

not only peltries, but even large quantities of grain, which

farmers disposed of without either respecting the Pa-

the

troon's pre-emption right, or paying the tenths, or accounting

which they were bound by lease

for the halves or thirds

to

pay.i

To

arrest these

illicit

proceedings, the Patroon adopted two

measures which would, he expected, put a stop

which

was then exhausting and impoverishing

was

these

to the injuries

were sustaining from the competition that

interests

his

One

his colonic.

of

the erection of a fortified post and trading-house at

Beeren, or Bear's Island, the southern boundary of his estate,

which, by commanding the channel of the clude

all vessels,

Company, from

own and

but his

river,

would ex-

West Hudson. The

those of the

the upper waters of the

India other

was, to send out a stock of goods sufficient to supply, through his establishments at

hawks and

Beverswyck and Beeren and

river Indians,

may require

whatever they furs or corn.^

It

" the

Island, the

Mo-

the neighboring settlers, with

in barter for their

was with

of this project, that

all

produce, whether

a view to carry out the latter part

Arms

now

of Rensselaerswyck"

sailed with the above-mentioned valuable cargo.

She '

Insinuatie, Protestatie ende Presentatie

1643. *

fort

arrived at the Manhattans while the

van weghen den Patroon 8th

Sept.,

twofold character of the Patroon's establishment at Beeren Island

and trading-house

—as

such posts

all

by the following entry

charge of the establishment

:

in the

which

is

in those

days were

F.,

for the

to invoice for Rensselearstein,

For carpenters'

tools

armory

['t

clearly estab-

fl.

71. 7

1094.10 44.19

flag besides

171.15

necessaries for the boat is

913.10 671. 8

[timmergreetschap]

For paper, pens, and a Beeren island

who had

on

waepen buys]

For ammunition

For

is

23

charged cent, per cent, advance

For materials

—

account current with Coorn,

—Groet Boek, No.

For merchandise according

a small precipitous island, containing eight or ten acres,

situate immediately south of

Van

In-

Appendix M.

The

lished

war with the

Rensselaer for $500.

Coeyman's landing.

It

was recently

sold

by Mr.

HISTORY OF

342 BOOK dians was

—

at its height,

and

at the

moment when Kieft was

'

requisition

sorely

which he had enhsted.

distressed for clothing for the troops

was immediately made on

supercargo of the ship, for a supply of

Wyncoop,

Picter

fifty pairs

A the

of shoes to

be distributed among the soldiers, payment for which was offered " in silver, beavers, or wampum," at such price as the super-

But Wyncoop, perceiving

cargo might demand. sell

these goods to

more advantage

comply with

the Director, injudiciously refused to

A

sition.

forced levy

was

the result, and as

The

this requi-

many

soldiers

hun-

consequences of Wyncoop's

evil

The

refusal did not stop here.

he could

ship, as " killed five

were equipped with shoes from the dred of the enemy."

that

to the inhabitants than to

ship

was immediately

over-

hauled by authority of the Director and council, and a considerable quantity of

powder and

a

number

of guns found on

board, which were not enumerated in the manifest, and which

Wyncoop was

charged with intending to

These

having been made contraband by law, and their

articles

sell

to the

savages.

introduction forbidden on pain of death, were, together with

March the ship, forthwith confiscated. 8

Wyncoop now, either his

too late, perceived the

error into

which

instructions or his covetousness had plunged him.

March In the hope, however, of retrieving his loss, he

instituted

an action against Cornelis Van der Huygens, the Fiscaal March at Fort Amsterdam, against

whom

terms, for having unloaded his ship,

nounced an

insult, a

reproach, and a

Honorable Patroon, " the and

for

first

in

strong

wrong

inflicted

on the

and oldest patriot of the land,"

which aggression he now demanded redress from the

Director-general and council. cal,

he protested,

which proceeding he pro-

It

was much

fitter for

the

fis-

he added, to discharge and to confiscate such ships as

came and traded

hither without

any qommission, and thereby

brought contempt on the country and affront a

New

Patroon

who hazarded

Netherland.

He

finally

so

its

much

government, than to for his colonists

and

maintained that the powder

which he had on board was

for the ship's use, and for the defence of " Rensselaers-Stein," or Castle Rensselaer, as the

March fortification on Beeren Island was called. nothing.

The powder was

This plea profited

not mentioned in the manifest, and

NEW NETHERLAND. the explanation

which was

" It

cloak" to cover the real desim.

ed the attorney-general, "

we

trary,

But

his colonic.

it is

is far

him

in

from us," conclud-

On

Patroon.

to insult the

are willing to aid

343 as " a

was merely used

offered

1644. the con- March

promoting the welfare of

you who are endeavoring

to frustrate his

noble plans, by associating exclusively with private traders, and striving to take to the

to

them with you

commands

keep

to the colonic in direct opposition

who

of the Patroon,

free traders

from that place.

hath sent out this ship

If

your conduct

free

merchants cannot be prevented trading

will

be

justified in so doing.

I

deny

that

thither,

is

any damage what-

Are you of a contrary opinion ? before any court of justice, whenever you please."

ever has been done.

me

just,

and they

Cite

Arendt van Curler, finding that no satisfactory issue was

be expected from

litigation,

this

finally

to

proposed that the

ship should be released, and the whole case referred to the

Directors in Holland for their decision.

As

the vessel

suffering considerable injury from detention, this proposal

was was

to,

" so that the Patroon should have no reason to

;"

on the express condition, however, that no goods

acceded

complain

should be landed from the vessel until permission was obtained from the company, and that such articles as were

al-

ready seized by the attorney-general should remain confiscated, as they had not been included in the invoice. sailed soon after for Holland, whither

ceeded

to give

Van

The

vessel

Curler also pro-

an account of his stewardship.'

mean time Nicolaus Coorn, " Wacht Meester," or commander in the service of the Patroon, had completed his In the

fort

on Beeren Island, on which he mounted a number of canits defence, but for the complete

non, sufficient not only for

command

of the river.

boldly set

up

;

a

toll

A

claim to " staple right" was then

of five guilders, or two dollars, imposed

on every trading-craft passing up or down, which were

also

obliged to lower their colors in honor of Rensselaers-8tein.

And

thus a sovereign jurisdiction

gable highway against vants of the '

Alb. Rec.

wyck MSS.

West

il.,

all

India

244, 246, 277

was

asserted over this navi-

persons, save and except the ser-

Company. ;

iii.,

192, 193, 194, 195, 277.

Rensselaers-

Oct.

HISTORY OF

344

was in the summer of 1644, that the yacht the Good Hope, of which Govert Lookermans was master, sailed from 1644. Fort Orange for New Amsterdam. Passing Beercn Island, the craft was hailed, and peremptorily ordered " to lower his On being asked for whom, the commander replied, colors." " For the staple right of Rensselaerswyck." But the skipper BOOK

It

.

*

refused, with an oath, to strike his flag "for any individual

save the Prince of Orange and the Lords his masters July

5.

upon Coorn

;"

where-

shots at the vessel, one of which,

several

fired

says the record, " perforated our princely flag," about a foot above the head of the skipper, " who kept the colors constantly in his hand."

Such an outrage as this could not fail to create exciteNew Amsterdam, when the particulars became known.

ment at

Philip de Truy, Aug. Oct.

2. 8.

ed Coorn

The

conduct.

his

But

troon.

condemned pain of obtain

" marshal of

this

in

damages, and forbidden

Rensselaer's

justification.

approval

He was

of

on

further required to

the

fail, if

sentence, which

that approval

were

This proceeding was followed soon after

not forthcoming.

a strong protest from Attorney-general

Van der Huygens,

against the establishment on Beeren Island, which to

summon-

to repeat 'the offence

He was

should be executed on him without

by

Netherland,"

pleaded the authority of his Pa-

latter

was considered no

corporal punishment.

Van

New

appear immediately at the Fort to answer for

to

be inconsistent with the privileges granted

No

to

was declared Patroons and

was maintained, could exof the charter, more than four miles along one bank, or two miles on both sides of the river, while Beeren Island was more than two miles from the lords of manors.

tend his colony, by the

of the colonic.

limits

there, to

command

;

it

was

it

fifth article

The

bold attempt to construct a fort

the river, and to debar Fort

free navigation, would,

pany

Patroon,

it

Orange from

was added, be ruinous

therefore peremptorily ordered that

whatsoever,

much

less

beyond the

limits

of Rensselaerswyck, and

to the

com-

no building

a fortification, should be constructed

Coorn was

for-

mally threatened with further prosecution should he persist in his lawless transactions.

But Nicolaus

Coorn, commander of

Rensselaers-Stein,

NEW NETHERLAND. was not

be intimidated by the paper

to

As

"

Kieft's attorney-general.

not

presume

Bear's Island

;

trouble, as

to

me

defraud

to it

my

to invest

any manner, or

to

and make

it

I

act of violence and assault committed I

cause

me

them

leave

extend and

to

powerful in every respect.

persist in so doing

Majors, which

18.

on

designs

High Mightinesses Privileged West India Company,

Patroon and his heir with the right

fortify his colonic,

you

in

Netherland,

has been the will of their

the States General, and the

If

New my

and frustrate

oppose

of the -^--^

replied, " I call on you, Cor- ^^q^'

van der Huygens, attorney-general of to

any

bullets of Director chap.

the vice-commander

Honorable Van Rensselaer," he nelis

345

.

.

protest against the

by the Honorable Lords

to settle, while this

undertaking

has nothing else in view than to prevent the canker of free traders entering his colonic.'"

In the

spirit in

which

this protest

was

drafted,

were the

feudal pretensions of the Lord of Rensselaerswyck asserted

and maintained, notwithstanding the conviction of Coorn and the warning of Van der Huygens, during the remainder of the Patroon's

The same

life.

policy

was

steadily continued

his executors for several years after his death,

by

which event took

place in Amsterdam, in the year 1646.^

With

the demise of the

Patroon terminated,

first

also.

Van

1646.

He was succeeded der Donck's connection with the colonic. He did not, in his ofiice of " fiscaal" by Nicolaus Coorn. however, quit Rensselaerswyck before experiencing a heavy loss in the destruction of his

house on Castle Island by

in

consequence of which he and

to

Van

Curler's residence,

the

generously offered to him by opinion

party on

now

arose between

whom

gave Van Curler the '

219. '

Alb. Rec.

i.,

A

lessee.

90

;

ii.,

Curler, as to the fall

berichte.

Hoi. Doc.

latter

v.,

der

;

the

Donck

ordered him outFeb.23.

;

iii.,

187, 188,

364.

Kiliaen van Rensselaer's be found in Appendix N.

44

one main-

;

Van

192, 234, 235, 263, 273, 275

A debit and credit account of

at the time of his decease, will

ensued.

whereupon the

lie,

2, 35,

Van Tienhoven, Corte

quarrel

Jan. 17

which were

of the Patroon

at the risk

fire,

removed

Differences of

proprietor.

him and Van

was

of

hospitalities

its

the loss of the house should

taining that the property other, of the

his wife temporarily

estate in Holland,

HISTORY OF

346

Van der Donck removed immediately

BOOK of his house.

^^^^

when he proceeded

tion, April

Fort

to

Orange, where he remained until the opening of the navigatime, his claims

Manhattans.

the

to

were referred

mean

In the

for adjustment to the proprietors

in Holland.^

The

winter which had just terminated, was remarkably long

The North River closed at Rensselaerswyck on November, and remained frozen some four months.

and severe. the 25th

A very

high freshet, unequalled since 1639, followed, which

destroyed a number of horses in their stables

away

and

inflicted

age in the colonic.

"A

certain fish

snow-white

round

ried

out of

the

fort,

in color,

made

head,"

its

at

the

Lord only knew."

the

wonder, for "

we had

the

first

All

same

at the

What

the

fins

manner, high in the

air.

been

to

whale.

his appearance, portended, " God

inhabitants

when

were

The

was

in

Some

seafaring people,

now pronounced

Intelligence

was

had

strange visiter a

the

mouth of

in like

"who

shortly after received that

at the

public

seen, of a

on his back, and ejecting water

Greenland,"

grounded on an island

lost

another monster of

forty feet in length,

at

having

color,

it

thunder and lightning this year."

deep, estimated

brown

size,

instant that this fish appeared to us,

astonishment had scarcely subsided, April

dam-

and blowing water

same time

the

nearly carother

of considerable

in the body,

March stemming the impetuous flood.

;

considerable

had

it

Mohawk, and

the

the

people turned out in numbers to secure the prize, which was, forthwith, subjected to the process of roasting, in order to extract its

great

Though

oil.

was

the

large quantities

mass of blubber, the

were obtained, yet so river

grease for three weeks afterwards, and the

was covered with air infected to

such

a degree with the stench, as the fish lay rotting on the strand, that the smell

was perceptibly

to leeward.

The

stranded, on

its

'

The minute of the These

two (Dutch) miles

ascended the

river,

some

river,

forty miles

near which place four others

also, this year.^ quarrel between

with the minute of reference of the "

first

return to sea, on an island

from the mouth of the grounded,

offensive for

whale, which had

Van

Curler and

latter's claims, will

particulars are taken from

Van

der Donck, together

be found in Appendix O.

an old book kept by Antonie de Hooges,

—

NEW NETHERLAND.

CHAPTER

VII.

States General order an inquiry into the condition of

ceedings of the XIX. in his place

New

Netherland

—Kieft recalled—Van Dine! age appointed,

—Interesting

report on the state of

—Proposed —Some Indian

mendations contained therein ernment, trade, &c.

347

civil list

tribes desire

New

—Pro-

provisionally,

— Recom-

Netherland

— Modifications

in

a cessation of

tlie

gov-

hostilities

— Kieft concludes a peace Fort Orange with the Mohawks and Moliegans— General peace between the aborigines and the Dutch— Low condition of the colony — Thanksgiving ordered — additional purchases on Long Island — Orders received explore the country minerals — Proceedings consequence — The ship by which specimens were sent Holland, founders and on board perish — Petrus Stuyvesant, Director Cura9oa, besieges the island of Martin — obliged the siege — Receives a severe wound— Returns Holland— appointed Director-general of New Netherland — Submits a plan the better management of the company's transatlantic possessions — Further changes proposed regarding the trade — Differences of opinion the Assembly of the XIX. — Departure of Stuyvesant postponed— New Netherland continues Several of the

Long

Island tribes

come

in

at

to

for

in

at sea,

to

all

at

St.

to raise

Is

to

Is

for

colonial

under the mismanagement of

The

affairs

of

New

in

Kieft.

Netherland had

now reached

a crisis chap. VII.

which necessitated again the intervention of the States General. Complaint had followed complaint from

that country

management had accumulated on mismanagement ministration of

postponed.

West

India

its

affairs,

in the ad-

and an inquiry could no longer be

The country was a source of no profit to Company the opening of the trade had not ;

vanced

its

thither,

remained not

trade,

—mis-

settlement, for those in the

whom commerce

nesses, in appointing deputies this year to the

would not be better

particularly,

the

Their High Mighti-

but did not add to the population.

XIX., instructed them,

ad-

attracted

They deranged

provmce.

the

to

to confine the trade

Assembly

of the

inquire whether

it

with the interior of

Secretary of Rensselaerswyck, endorsed, " Copye van eenige acten ende andere aenmerckelycke notitien," and from

N.

The

visch, or

"

many

island at the

Whale

Island.

mouth

of the

De Hooges

Van

Mohawk

der Donck's Beschryv. van N.

goes since by the

name

of

Wal-

refers to the visit of a similar large fish

years ago," which caused great wonder at the

time, but he does not

mention the year, nor furnish any further particulars of the circumstance.

HISTORY OF

348 BOOK

New and

Netherland to the resident inhabitants of that quarter,

to grant these the additional privilege of trading to Brazil,

'and thence back to the Manhattes

;

and enjoined,

same

at the

time, on those delegates, to report fully on the condition of the

country, as well as to state what, in their opinion,

promote

to

its

The whole Dutch,

its

was required

welfare and prosperity. subject of the

origin, progress,

war between the Indians and

the

and unfortunate consequences, were

discussed, accordingly, at this meeting of the various branches of the company, and the complaints of the colonists fully conDec,

The immediate

sidered.

result was, the recall of Director

Kieft, in order that he should justify the various acts of his ad-

and the appointment, provisionally,

ministration,

New Netherland

ly served in

by the Indians."^

liked

previous-

and was " well

as schout-fiscaal,

was

It

in his place,

who had

as Director, of Lubbertus van Dinclage,

further resolved,

to refer all

the letters and papers from the colonists, as well as those relating to the affairs of the colony, to the

company's Rekenka-

mer, or chamber of accounts, to examine the same, and to re-

Assembly

XIX.

what manner the

in-

which the colony had sustained could be repaired,

its

port to the next juries

population advanced, and

of the

itself

in

rendered profitable to the com-

pany.2

*

Mr. Van Dinclage had been dismissed from

Van

He

Twiller, in 1636.

XIX. and

to the States

he had been

company

in office

for his

mise seems

to

for redress,

having been withheld.

wages

now, eight years

;

it

will be recollected,

have been,

still

He

had, in the interim, sued the

be found in Hoi. Doc.

we

find him,

petitioning for his pay.

at last, effected with him,

chamber of the company does not appear

to

relish

his

A

even

compro-

though the Amsterdam appointment as Kieft's

Full details of his struggles against the

ii.,

by

to the

during three years that

his salary

without any success, however, for

after his dismissal,

successor, even provisionally. will

office,

had been since that time a yearly applicant

General

company

167, 169, 171, 173, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182,

232,275, 313, 316, 318, 321, 322. '

In order to remedy various disorders which had crept into the

West

India

Company, a bureau,

consisting of six accountants

;

or board of accounts,

each of the other departments.

It

was the duty

be prepared for the meeting of the XIX., and to advice

;

to

was

affairs of

the

established in 1643,

two from the Amsterdam chamber, and one from

keep accounts with

all

of these to consider assist that

what should

Assembly with

the chambers in the United Provinces,

their

and

the foreign conquests, and therefrom to form a general book, which should at

NEW NETHERLAND. A

New

Tracing the growth and progress of

ence.

from troons

;

India

thence to the passing of the charter to the Pa-

;

after that, to the

which

detailing the ruin

proceeded

to pass in

breaking out of the war, and then

on that

this involved

fertile

country,

review the various propositions which

Men

Director Kieft and the Eight

had submitted,

to correct,

as well as to prevent the recurrence of the existing unfortunate

The

state of things.

former, estimating the Indians only at

three hundred strong, advised their extermination, and ed, for that purpose, a force of one

The

hundred and

demand-

fifty soldiers.

enemy at some thousands, were was impossible, and that the country would be better secured by a gen-

others, calculating the

of opinion that their destruction tranquillity of the

eral peace, of which,

however, they entertained but slender

hope, so long as Kieft remained at the head of

affairs, as

the

They

Indians entertained a particular aversion against him.

recommended

that colonists, in order to obviate future wars,

should be obliged to

settle

nearer each other in towns and

villages, so

as to be better able to assist one another in time

of danger

that Fort

was now

;

in

Amsterdam should be

such a ruinous condition that

the walls instead of going through the gate

;

repaired, as

men

it

strode over

and that

should

it

be built of stone, the expense attending which, was estimated at

from twenty

The

thousand guilders, or $10,000.

to twenty-five

settlement of the bounds between the English and

possessions

was

Dutch

particularly urged, as well as the promotion

by

of the population of the country,

by

the cost of their passage, and

crediting emigrants with

the introduction of a large

number of field-laborers and negroes. New Netherland, it was next advised, should be made a rendezvous for ships of war, being better adapted for that purpose than Cura9oa, by abundance of provisions and building-timber, and the

its

all

times exhibit the condition of the

company

expenditure and income, and decide

all

maintain good correspondence between

all

lutions of the

321.

XIX.

to

;

to

make a

repartition of the

disputes arising, therefrom

;

also, to

the chambers, and to cause the reso-

be inmiediately and diligently executed.

f'^AP.

Netherland

West

discovery to the incorporation of the

its

Company

it

349

copious and most interesting report followed this refer-

Hoi. Doc.

iiL,

jyi^rch'

HISTORY OF

350

BOOK readiness with which vessels can thence reach the

West

^'v^ dies, and there discover the designs of the enemy. further

demanded

that the

furnished store and cellar at

It

In-

was

company should maintain

a well-

New

supply

Amsterdam,

for the

of necessaries, at certain reasonable prices, for cash or barter,

who

to the inhabitants,

upon by

however, allowed

bound

otherwise would be seriously imposed

Should these private traders be,

private traders.

to

to remain,

dispose

of

it

was urged

goods

their

at

that they should be

a certain fixed

price.

demanded that the Director's council be four or five members, in order that justice and of the company may be efiiciently maintained,

Finally, the colonists

composed

of

the authority

and the respect of the neighboring provinces properly secured. It will

be seen from the preceding review, continues

report, into

en, in

what ruin and confusion

New

Netherland has

consequence of foolishly waging an unneccssaiy war

without either the knowledge or the authority of the here, and in opposition to the will of the

No

isting misfortunes.

as

it

;

to repair ex-

made

returns have been

That country, on

XIX.

commonalty there

and what excessive advances are now required

years.

this fall-

for several

the contrary, has cost the

company,

appears from their books, over half a million of guilders,

[$220,000,] from the year 1626 to the year 1644 inclusive, over and above the returns received from thence

very questionable fited

by the

if

the

company would

New

loss altogether of

so that

it

is

Netherland, than by the

continuance of these heavy expenses. for the directors,

;

not be more bene-

As

was impossible

it

however, to disembarrass themselves of

this

charge consistently with their obligations, and as there was still

a prospect that matters were not irremediable,

recommended

that

some

effort

should be

made

country, by settling such questions as were

to

still

it

was

improve the undecided,

and by introducing such reforms as prudence and experience might suggest.

With this view, it v^^as advised that the differences between Dutch and their English neighbors at the east should be

the

settled as early as possible,

were found

to

and then that such of the

be on Dutch

soil,

latter as

should be obUged to submit

—

NEW NETHERLAND. to

... Dutch

original

above

things, advised, as

it

would be " not only impossible

but unchristian" to adopt the exterminating advice Director-general,

whose

recall, as

cause

for,

and justify

to the

of

the

well as that of his council,

particularly insisted upon, in order that they

is

Assembly of

the

may show

XIX., the man-

ner in which they administered the public affairs, especially " the bloody exploit of which they were guilty on the 28th

February, rector,

1643;"

and that a person be sent

out,

in-

company, and the welfare of the commonalty

on the other,

to

;

maintain a good understanding with the Eng-

and more particularly with the Indians.

The

New Netherland,

plan of forming hamlets and villages in

after the

manner of

was advised

New

England, was highly approved of

sible expense,

smallest pos-

soldiers, at the

was considered advisable

it

maintain in the colony for the administration of well as for the garrisoning of the above

expense of

and

guilders,

Estimate of the expenses tlie

above plan

or

eight

to

its

the total annual

twenty thousand

be defrayed by the

in all to sixty-nine

West

India

Yearly,

1

Director,

1

Second, to act as koopman and receiver,

1

Fiscaal, .

.

.

.

.

fli.

3,000

"

.

"

.

720

"

.

720

1,440

720

1 Clerk of Merchandise, 1 Assistant, 1

Company, ac-

:

1 Secretary and bookkeeper,

Clergyman,

"

.

300

"

.

1,440

"

,

360

1

Constable,

"

.

240

1

Provost,

"

.

"

.

180

"

.

720

1 Schoolmaster, reader,

1 Corporal, to act as

1

Commander,

and sexton,

gunsmith,

.

to

affairs as

thousand and sixteen dol-

This force amounted

our currency.^

cording to

fort,

their support being estimated at

forty-six

lars of

it

and a schedule was submitted with the report,

establishment which

of the

;

Amsterdam should be repaired " with

that Fort

good clay and firm sods" by the

'

as Di-

duly qualified, on the one hand, to advance the

terests of the

lish,

^— VII.

Immediate peace with the Indians was,

subjects.

all

351

and ffovernment, and be considered as chap.

jurisdiction

.

.

.

.

Carried forw^ard.

180

10,040

HISTORY OF

352 BOOK persons,

fifty-three of

-'-^ the small '

number of

whom

were mihtary

but to

;

the latter, the colonists

were

to

make up for be bound to

provide themselves and servants, under certain penalties, with fire-arms and other weapons,

forcement to the garrison,

and

all others,

soldiers,

were

to act, in case of need, as a rein-

the Director, colonists,

for, hereafter,

be expressly forbidden

to

whether few or many,

to

engage any

at the expense of the com-

pany.

was next advised

It

general, as president Fiscaal, as adjoined

New

Council of the

that the

lands should consist of three persons

the Second, or Vice-director

;

counsellor,

Nether-

namely, the Director-

;

by and

before

and the

;

whom

all

mat-

touching pohce, justice, the sovereignty and rights of the

ters

company should be standing,

however,

and decided

treated

take the place of the fiscaal joined to the court from

;

criminal affairs

that in

;

with the underthe

commander

two capable persons being ad-

among

As

the commonalty.

the re-

were allowed, by the 28th clause of the chardepute one or two persons, at least every twelve

spective colonies ter of 1629, to

months, to acquaint the Director and council of the state and it was now suggested that those summons of the Director-general, hold

condition of their colonies,

deputies should, at the

an Assembly every tion,

six

months, for mutual intercommunica-

and the general advancement of the welfare of the people,

with power, moreover,

to

deliberate

might concern the prosperity of of the

on

all

questions which

their colonies, the propitiation

Indians, and the neighboring provinces, the Brought forward,

mainte10,040

Ensign,

Yearly,

2 Sergeants,

"

.

600

2 Corporals,

«

.

432

1

540

.

"

.

"

.

720

Soldiers,

"

.

6,240

Surgeon,

"

.

300

1 Skipper,

«

.

300

4

"

.

624

«

.

1

Drummer,

4 Cadets, 40 1

Sailors

1 Boy,

156

108 fl.

20,046

$8,016

NEW NETHERLAND.

353

nance of free privileges, the correction of abuses, and the up- chap

The Amsterdam

holding of the statutes and the laws.

stand-

ard of weight and measure only, was, however, to be used

throughout the whole country.

Emigration from Holland was recommended ted

by every means,

tlement of the

New

Manhattans, where

much "

to

be

facilita-

order to promote the peopling and set-

Netherland, especially of the island of

settlers,

it

was suggested, should obtain as by planting tobacco,

land as they could cultivate, either

which the

for

in

soil

was considered well adapted,"

other produce, as they might find most profitable. further added, that colonists,

it

would be wise

and other farmers,

to

And

it

was

permit the Patroons,

import as

to

or grain, or

many

negroes from

the Brazils as they could purchase for cash, to assist them on their farms

work

as

;

(it

was maintained) these slaves could do more and were less expensive, than the hired

for their masters,

laborers engaged in Holland, and conveyed to land, "

The

New

Nether-

by means of much money and large promises." Patroons, colonists, and freemen inhabiting the country,

should,

it

was

further

recommended, have the exclusive

to trade with the natives,

from which

all

right

commission-merchants

should be rigidly excluded, contenting themselves with the privilege of being allowed to exchange their cargoes with the

inhabitants for peltries, tobacco, wheat, and other produce of

But on no account were munitions of war

the country. sold

by

the freemen to the Indians, nor

The

freemen.

latter,

by

to

be

the importers to the

however, were, as already suggested, to

provide themselves for self-defence with one good musket and

a

set of side-arms,

by

which were

be inspected every six months

to

the Director-general.

The Assembly sider, if

it

of the

would not be

XIX. were

strongly advised to con-

advantage of the colonists to

for the

permit them to trade directly with the Brazils, as they could export thither meal, groats, peas, beans, pipe-staves, plank,

and other timber useful

and

to

encourage the fisheries by allowing them, and none other,

to

sell the fish

and house-building

for ship

;

and caviary caught, salted down and pickled there;

with the privilege of taking Siara, or the

West

Indies

;

salt

to

on the coast of Brazil, about

use the same

45

for the preserving

HISTORY OF

354 BOOK of green and dry

fish

also to erect salt-pans in

;

New

Nelher-

^v-^ land to refine the above, in order to furnish fine salt for the ^^^^* cure offish and meat ; on the condition, however, of delivering

such exports into the company's stores

all

on paying,

in specie or

at the Brazils,

cargoes, without, however, being allowed to take

money

away any

or specie in return, but only slaves, sugars, confection-

ary, ginger, tobacco, cotton, after

and

coin, the proper duties, to sell their

and other produce of the country,

having duly entered the same

Netherland

direct,

and neither

to

New

to sail therewith to

;

sell

or exchange

any part

thereof on any pretext whatsoever, receiving a supercargo from

company

the

furnish a correct report of the voyage, and

to

binding themselves to touch at Paraiba, to be there visited

company

the

now, the report concluded, should be

strictly

enforced on

imports and exports, in order that the increased expenses

be met and defrayed, and that some

wards

to the

by

all chance of smuggling may be payment of the proper duties secured, which

again, so that

obviated, and the

company on account

profit

may

all

may

accrue after-

of the increase of popula-

tion.'

mean

Spring, in the

time, brought with

on the part of the Indians

as usual, a desire

Some

Fort Amsterdam with whom a peace was concluded, in honor of which " a grand salute of

themselves

tribes presented

April

it,

for a cessation of hostilities.

three guns"

was

fired

at

by Jacob Jacobsen Roy, who, however,

unfortunately received a severe injury in the discharge of this

by the explosion

duty,

him

to

of one of these pieces, which caused

be a long time under the care of Surgeon Kierstede,

A large

and ultimately deprived him of the use of his arm.

number

of the

enemy

still

continued the war,

and

therefore resolved, at a meeting of the council, at

Director-general, tains

M. La Montague,

it

was

which the

the attorney-general,

Cap-

De Vries, Ensign de Leeuw, OlofF Steand Gysbert Op Dyck, commissaries, and Jan Evert-

Underbill and

vensen,

sen Bout, and Jacob Stoffellsen, delegates, attended, to take

some '

of the friendly Indians into the public service, and

Hoi. Doc.

length, in

ii.,

368-395.

Appendix E.

A

translation of the

employ

above report will be found, at

—

NEW NETHERLAND.

355

them against the enemy. Whiteneywen, sachem of the Mockgonecocks, from Long Island, was therefore engaged,

chap.

with forty-seven of his warriors, and dispatched by water,

^^y'

with a commission to do

He

the hostile tribes."

his

all in

power "

to beat

and destroy

;

;

chief of Meranta-hacky, to declare that he and they had taken their protection the villages of

Ouheew-hacky, Suchta-

hacky, Sichetany-hacky, Nisingqueeg-hacky, (at which place

were then

the Matinecocks

which desired

to

residing,)^

make peace with

and Rechou-hacky,

all

whom

he

the Dutch, for

pledged himself, that neither they nor any of their tribes should in any

now

way

them with

treat

injure the Christians

on the contrary,

but,

;

respect, and as a proof of his sincerity, he

proffered " the head and hand of one of our enemies."

A

was accordingly entered into with the foregoratification of which a present was made to the

treaty of peace

ing tribes, in

Sachem Whiteneywen, and pledges exchanged

of

eternal

among

his ene-

amity.^

Having thus succeeded

in creating division

mies, Kieft turned his attention to the propriety of securing

Mohawks

the friendship of the dreaded

residing around Fort

Orange, whose name alone inspired terror among

whom

west of the Connecticut, over reign,

whom

and from

he repaired, with

wyck, he succeeded powerful nation

officers

With

La Montague,

to

this

view,

that

post.

and authorities of Rensselaers-

in negotiating a treaty not

— the

the tribes

all

they claimed to be sove-

they exacted tribute.

Counsellor

Here, assisted by the

only with that

strongest and fiercest of the country

but with the Mohegans, or Mahicanders, and the other neighboring tribes.

To make

suitable presents to the savages, in

token of the ratification of

'

The Matinecock

town

this

peace, Kieft was, however,

Indians claimed jurisdiction over the lands east of

as far as the west line of

Nissaguag River, which

falls

Smithtown, and probably

into

Smithtown Bay

to the

in the

Harbor, and were considered a wealthy Alb. Rec.

ii.,

298, 300, 301.

tribe.

New-

west side of

Sound.

large settlements at Flushing, Glen Cove, Cold Spring, Huntington,

»

24.

returned in a few days, empowered May

by Rockow, surnamed the Greatest, chief of the Cotsjewannincks Mamawicktow, chief of Cotsteyick Weyrinteninck, under

^—

They had and

Cow

;

HISTORY OF

356

BOOK obliged to borrow money, so low were his funds

among

others,

from Adriaen Van der Donck,

at this period,

Rens-

sheriff of

selaersAvyck.* July

These precautions had the

effect of

persuading the remain-

ing outstanding tribes of the utter hopelessness of any further opposition. Aug.

Philip de Truy, the court-messenger,

was

short-

ly after ordered to invite the citizens to assemble in the fort

on the next day,

at the hoisting of the colors

and the ringing

of the bell, to hear the articles of the proposed treaty of peace read,

when, they were assured, "

if

any one could give good

advice, he might then declare his opinions freely."

He

All the

answered kindly " except one Hendrick Kip, a

citizens

tailor."

had already suggested the propriety of deposing Director and the sturdy burgher was not now willing

Kieft,

to

do him

any honor. Aug. 30

At the hour appointed, the sachems tribes

of the

surrounding

Oratany, chief of the Hackingsacks, Sessekennick and

;

Willem, chiefs of the Tappaans and of Rechgawawank, Pa-

cham and Pennekeck, who answered

for

Onany, Majanwette-

Long

nemin, Marechhawick, Nyack, and their neighbors on

and Aepjen, chief of the Mohegans,

Island,

who spoke

for the

Wappinecks, the Wechquaesqueecks, the Sintsings, and the Kichtawancks, seated themselves,

silent

and grave,

in front of

Fort Amsterdam before the Director-general and his council

and the whole commonalty

smoked

and there, having religiously

;

the great calumet, concluded, " in the presence of the

sun and of the ocean," a solemn and durable peace with the Dutch, which both the contracting parties reciprocally bound themselves honorably and firmly

By

to

maintain and observe.

pledged themselves to apply, in

this treaty, the Indians

case of difficulty or difference with the Christians, to the authorities at

New

promised

complain

to

Amsterdam to the

for satisfaction, while the latter

proper sachem, should any Indian

be guilty of aggression, so

that justice

ministered on the guilty.

No

may

be directly ad-

Indian should for the future

approach, armed, the dwellings of the Christians on Manhat-

'

Van

Alb. Rec.

der Donck's viii.,

80.

New

Neth.

N. Y. Hist. Soc. Trans. (2d

Ser.)

i.,

127, 161

NEW NETHERLAND. tan Island

;

and the Dutch, on

their part,

357 engaged not

to visit

the Indian villages with their guns, except conducted thither

by one of the aborigines. duct the English

girl,

^^^^ ^j^^^

Finally, the latter promised to con-

the daughter of the late Mrs. Hutchin-

son, v^rhom they retained in captivity, to Stamford, to be sur-

rendered

to the inhabitants of that place, or else to

in safety to Fort

Amsterdam,

pay the ransom

the

vi^hich

convey her

Dutch guarantied to English had promised for the vvrhere the

maiden.

The

ratification of this important treaty terminated, to the

great joy of high and low, the disastrous and unrighteous

which had been waged, with but a

war

short interval of five

'

months, between the Indians and the Dutch, from July, 1640, to

August, 1645,

incalculable injury of the colony, to

to the

the manifest displeasure of the authorities in Holland, and in violation of the received laws of nations.

At

its

conclusion,

there were found around the Manhattans, besides private traders, no effects

more than one hundred men,

on the population

sands strong, and the

tween happy

fifty

so desolating

were

its

while the Indians were several thou-

New

England colonies contained be-

and sixty thousand souls.

event,

throughout

;

In celebration of the

and in order "to proclaim the good tidings

New

Netherland," the sixth of September was Aug.

ordered to be observed, in the several English and Dutch

God

churches, as a day of general thanksgiving, that

mighty might be praised

had been pleased, by

for the

Al-

numerous blessings which he and mercy, to bestow on the

his grace

country.^

Advantage was

taken of the re-establishment of good under-

standing with the natives, to purchase from the

Sept.

10

Long

Island

Indians the lands extending along the North River from Conynen, or Rabbits Island, to

Gowanus, and

to

Weymit

Spritten

which were now added to the public domain. And Thomas Ffarrington, John Townsend, William Lawrence, Robert Ffirman, and others, who were forced to remove from Massachusetts

in

the

spring

of this

shortly after the peace, for

»

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

year,

obtained

a patent,

sixteen thousand acres of land Oct. 19.

312, 314, 315, 316, 317

;

iv.,

11

;

Hoi. Doc.

iii.,

365

;

iv.,

41.

HISTORY OF

358 BOOK

to

^'v-^

the

^Dec^' 19-

the

east

Mespath, which was duly incorporated by

of

of Vlissingen, after the ancient trading-city of that

title

J^Eime situated

on the island of Walcheren.

ing equally liberal municipal

months afterwards

to the

privileges,

A

patent, convey-

was granted two

town of Gravenzande.^

While Kieft was engaged concluding these various he received instructions from Holland

Ores of copper,

the mineral wealth of the province.

treaties,

to turn his attention to iron,

and

lead had been already discovered in various parts, specimens

some

of

of

dividuals. •

which had been conveyed

The

to

was

Director-general

Europe by

private in-

therefore

ordered to

forward specimens of the various metals to the company, for the purpose of being tested.

The

first

opportunity which of-

fered for complying with these instructions, negotiation of the peace at Fort

The

Indian interpreter

fashion of his nation.

was observed

The

was during

the

Orange with the Mohawks. to paint his face, after the

Director-general obtained a speci-

men

of the substance which was used on that occasion. It was remarkably heavy, and of a greasy, shining appearance. Suspecting it to be some valuable mineral, he caused it to be

The

subjected, in a crucible, to the action of a strong heat.

was encouraging. It yielded, in appearance, " two pieces of gold, worth about three guilders." result of the experiment

July

An

oflScer,

the sample

with a few men,

was

was

sent to the mountain

where

obtained, for a quantity of the metal, which,

having been procured, was tested in the same manner as the first,

and pronounced equally good

though not exactly gold,

it

;

and so

it

For

was.

was, equally, iron pyrites.

Some

time afterwards, samples of other minerals, found in one of the ^ug.

Nevesink mountains, near the Raritain, were brought by some Thompson's Long Island

'

ii.,

67, 68, 178

;

Stuyvesant's time," in the Secretary of State's

a volume of " Letters in Gov. office,

Albany, contains " sev-

upon by the inhabitants of Gravesende att several times," appears that the first patentees of that town held a meeting about

eral orders agreed

from which

titie

by

it

time att Amorsforte, at which they determined to fence in a certain quan-

this

of land to containe 8

lott,

and 20

shares.

The

said 8

and 20 shares were divided

and every one was enjoyned, on penalty of forfeiture of the land, to towne by a day agreed uppon, for the mutual strength-

build and inhabit in the

ening of one another, " for the peace with the Indians being their

was

still

feares of theyr vprising to warre."

new and

rawe,

NEW NETHERLAND. Indians,

359

which having been deemed valuable, a party were

chap.

sent out to explore the locality, and Kieft expressed the reso-

^^^^ iution to build a fort in the neighborhood, to secure the treasure,

should the mines prove advantageous. " A few samples of a certain mineral which yielded'' (what was represented to be) " gold

and quicksilver," was the

result of this exploring expedition

;

and so sanguine now became the Director-general of realizing a rich harvest

in this

were dispatched

to

new

field,

that an officer

New

Haven.

The

all

covered

way

Oct. 12.

of

Year's,

The

Dec.

ship

Amsterdam promised

This ac-

on board."

did not, however, discourage the

directors at

New

destination.

its

drowned, and " misfortune attended

qualified person to

men

Arent Corssen, Kieft's messenger, was

foundered at sea.

The

Holland by

to

vessel sailed at Christmas or

but the treasure never reached

cident

thirty

minerals to Fort Amster-

Samples of the whole were sent

dam.

and

continue the search, with orders to send as

large a quantity as possible of the

to

Dutch

authorities.

send out a properly

examine and report on the iron mine

and near the Raritan,

at Staten Island

for they

disstill

entertained the hope that the prosecution of the search would

prove of advantage to the company.^

But while these

authorities

were thus engaged, circum-

stances had unexpectedly occurred in other portions of the

company's possessions, which influenced considerably future arrangements regarding

Petrus Stuyvesant,

New

Netherland.

Director of Cura9oa, determined, in 1644.

the beginning of 1644, to

make an

attack on the island of St.

Martin, then in the possession of the Portuguese, with a view to reduce that place. tal,

He

accordingly laid siege to the capi-

which he continued closely

to

invest for the

space of

But he was eventually obliged to abandon his object, succor having been thrown into the town by the enemy. In the course of these operations, he happened to re-

twenty-eight days.

ceive a severe

wound

in the knee,

which obliged him

to return

autumn to Holland, to obtain surgical aid, hot climate of Cura^oa having been found unfavorable to recovery of his health. He embarked accordingly in the following

»

V«i

der Donck's Descript. of N. N.

262, 312, 318, 323

;

xii.,

397.

Hoi. Doc.

Magiialia, B.

i.

ii.,

c. 6.

362, 363

;

April 4.

the the the

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

Sept.

HISTORY OF

360

BOOK Milkmaid, but a violent storm overtook the vessel

in the Brit-

III.

The supply

ish Channel. *

reduced

of fresh v^rater

was then found

be

to

about two hogsheads for sixty-one persons, the

to

many of whom were laboring was therefore forced to put into the first harbor in Ireland, whence Stuyvesant passed over in safety to Holland. His health was so far improved in the course of the next summer, that the company concluded to apnumber on board

at

The

under scurvy.

the time,

vessel

point him, instead of Mr.

New

Van

Dinclage, Director-general of

Netherland, the expenses of which government, as well

Assembly of the XIX. had now common, among all the Chambers, instead

as of Stuyvesant's outfit, the July

6.

agreed to divide, of confining

it

in

to that of

however, charged

itself to

Amsterdam, which

last

department,

equip two vessels to convey the

new

Director-general and his suite to the Manhattans.

General Stuyvesant submitted, some time

Sept.

sembly of the XIX., then

in session at

after, to the

As-

Middleburg, a memorial

containing various suggestions for the better

management of

the company's interests in their transatlantic territories.

This,

together with the instructions drawn up, in conformity with the

suggestions contained in the report already referred

to, for

the

guidance of the Director-general, and for the future govern-

New

ment of

Netherland, was submitted to a special com-

mittee, which, after a laborious and protracted sitting, reported Oct. 12.

resolutions that revolutionized, in a manner, the whole trade

of the colony.

From the

the

first

incorporation of the

commencement

West

India

Company

to

of Kieft's administration, this trade, both

internally with the Indians,

and externally with the mother

by the company and its servants. A change took place in 1639, when a modification was introduced so far as to open the in-

was

country,

a close monopoly, exclusively carried on

ternal trade to all subjects of the States General,

powers trade

to

India

Company,

to

throw

this

still

and of foreign

The

carrying

retained

by the

or permitted only to vessels belonging

Patroons or other privileged persons.

mined to

peace with the Dutch Republic.

between Holland and America was

West Oct.l4.

at

open

It

to the ships of private

was now

deter-

merchants^ and

permit these, in future, to carry merchandise and other freight

NEW NETHERLAND. New

to

361

Netherland and the other Dutch American colonies, chap. VII.

The

under certain regulations.

principal object of these

have been the concentration of

to

New New

x\.msterdam, for

of

be conveyed

all

it

was ruled

seems

commerce

colonial

all

that all merchandise sent to

Netherland, or to countries there adjoining, should to the

above

^'

at

port, before

first

being carried else-

where, in order that the ships' papers should be there examined and registered, the vessels visited, and

contraband trade

from whence the homeward-bound vessels

to the Manhattans,

were

all

All return cargoes were likewise to be brought

prevented.

Holland

to clear, giving notice, at the time, of the port in

which they were destined, and binding themselves

to

to pay chamber from which

the duties on their return cargoes into that

make

they originally received a permit or license to

age

leave

New Amsterdam

until their arrival at their port of des-

tination in Fatherland, to

which they were

proceed

to

rect a course as possible, without touching at

on pain of ed

the voy-

they were not to break bulk, from the time they should

;

forfeiting ship

to place

and cargo.

It

was

in as di-

any other place,

further determin-

Cura^oa, Aruba, and the other adjoining islands

under the superintendence of the Director-general of

New

Netherland, and to reduce the company's establishment at the first-named place to a Vice-director and one hundred and

fif-

The committee stated, at the same time, that would be much more advantageous to the company to aban-

teen persons. it

don

that island altogether,

if

such could possibly be done, with

the consent of the States General.

of opinion

Difference

now ensued among

the

directors.

Eventually, the arrangements agreed upon in July were reconsidered.

Some

of the chambers objected to pay their share

of the expenses attendant on the change of management, and the consequence was, the department of illegally

was

Amsterdam

retained,

and contrary to the wishes of the other chambers,

alleged,) the exclusive administration of the affairs of

Netherland.

(as

it

New

General Stuyvesant's departure was indefinitely

postponed, and the colony continued for over twelve months

more under »

Hoi. Doc.

Alb. Rec.

viii.,

the iii.,

mismanagement of Willem

Kieft.^

33, 40, 42, 46, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63

39, 40

;

xii.,

45, 46, 47, 48, 63, 70.

46

;

v.,

124;

viii.,

153

HISTORY OF

362

CHAPTER Fruits of faction

—Quarrel

—Progress of —Resolve

affairs at

onists

to

VIII.

between the Rev. Mr. Bogardus and Director Kieft

the South River

abandon the

river

—Sufferings of the

and

to

remove

to

first

Swedish

col-

—Are — Bound-

Manhattans

prevented by the opportune arrival of additional supplies and

settlers

support — Printz appointed —His salary— Strength of the Swedish establishment on the Delaannual expense — Dutch force at Fort Nassau — Instructions to ware— on the South River— Swedes the Indian Printz — Swedish consequence — Seizure of a Swedish the Dutch trade — Loss accruing Proceedings attendant thereupon— Hudde appointed comHolland — vessel Fort Nassau — Some Dutch merchants send a venture missary the South River—Their vessels ordered ofTby the Swedes — Several Dutch freemen extinguish Inreceive grants of land on the Delaware — Measures taken dian —Company's arms erected on the spot—Swedes tear them down, and protest against the Dutch, who reply— High-handed measures of the Swedish governor— The Dutch traders appeal New Amsterdam— Renewal of the controversy between Kieft and New Haven — Continued misunderstanding on the Connecticut — Correspondence with the commissioners of the the matters United Colonies— The Director-general Holland — Innew colonies at structions from the West India Company — Patents Kattskill and Yonckers — Breukelen obtains manorial rights and municipal

New Sweden—Royal appropriations for its

aries of

governor

Its

seize

forts

in

to

in

at

to

to

titles

to

refers

to

for

privileges.

BOOK

The

spirit

among 1646.

faction,

which the war engendered, had, eflfect

of destroying the

good undcrstanding which had previously existed

j^g^pjyj^Qj^y

among

of

other bad consequences, the

number of citizens who resided in New AmThe Rev. Everardus Bogardus had, from the be-

the small

sterdam.

ginning, been suspected of siding with the

commonalty and

their representatives, in their differences with the

A

general.

Director-

rupture between the latter and the minister

the result, which eventuated

now

was

in a public quarrel, to the

great scandal and affliction of the staid and religious portion

of the community.

The

habits of the

nately, far violent,

He

Rev. Mr. Bogardus had been, unfortu-

from temperate

and oftentimes

;

his

his passions

were consequently

language coarse and unbridled.

had already had a personal quarrel with Director Van

Twiller, towards

whom he

had behaved

in

an indecorous man-

NEW NETHERLAND. ner, attacking

him even from the

pulpit,

363

which he

is

accused chap.

of having ascended in a state of inebriety.

Director Kieft, as much, perhaps, to vent an old spleen as to check this disorderly conduct, had already taken Bogar-

dus

house of the attorney-general,

to task, at the

in the early

part of the past year, for having gone into the pulpit " drunk."

He

took occasion, also, to accuse him of uniting with the

greatest criminals in the country

defending them sen,

who had this

—fountains

of but to plunder

banish

of taking their part

of

;

Maryn Adriaen-

He

men of the country but receptacles wo and trouble ? Nothing is thought

of

to transport to Holland."

To

ill-

most brutal manner." " What,"

in the

other people's

"

minister

attacked Kieft on the following

—

public acts told.

The

in favor of malecontents.

reprimand.

Sabbath from the pulpit " he asked, " are the great of wrath

;

of embracing the cause of

attempted to assassinate the Director-general,

and of writing brooked

;

property

—

dismiss

to

These hard

—

to

hits at Kieft's

avoid giving greater scandal, the Direc-

But

his

absence from church did not save him.

At weddings,

at

christenings, in church and out of church,

Bogardus spared

tor-general no longer assisted in the congregation."

him

In vain Kieft admonished him by

not.

refused to receive his

"

When

letters,

you preached on the 22d of

the Director-general to him, "

last

Bogardus

letter.

and persisted

in

his

attacks.

December," writes

you publicly

stated that

you

had often administered the Lord's Supper without partaking of it, and that you wished those who were the cause of this separation were cut is

off,

for

when

the customary house-visiting

performed, they cannot give reasons for their continued ab-

sence.

Your bad tongue

is,

and your obstinacy that of

in

its

our opinion, the only cause,

encourage you to proceed in that road. ber,

who Decem-

continuance, with those

On

you informed your congregation how

the 24th

in Africa,

'

owing

the intense heat, different animals copulate there together,

which various monsters are generated.

you added, from whence, '

such monsters of ones,'

you

said,

Children might

men

'but tell to

it

in

not,'

such temperate chmates as ours,

are produced.

was

But you knew

to

by

They

are the mighty

desirable that they

whom you

here alluded.

were weak.' Similar ser-

IQ4S

HISTORY OF

364 BOOK mons,

which you have frequently indulged, have occasioned

in

our absence from church."

Having

number

thus, and in a

of other articles, enumerated

the various misdeeds Vi^hich he charged against the minister, Year's offering :" Director Kieft thus concluded his "

New

Jan.

" Inasmuch as your duty and oath imperiously

2.

maintenance of the magistracy stirs

divided

when they

—causes schisms and abuses

and makes us a scorn and a laughing-stock all

the

are already

in the church,

our neighbors,

to

in a country

which cannot be tolerated

demand

and whereas your conduct

the people to mutiny and rebellion,

much

too

;

•

where

justice is

maintained, therefore our sacred duty imperiously requires of

us to prosecute you in a court of justice, and ingly ordered a

copy of

we have

accord-

be deliver-

these, our deliberations, to

ed to you, to answer in fourteen days,"

A

controversy, opened

by

a

well be passed unnoticed.

bill

of indictment, could not

Bogardus,

turned Kieft's missals unopened, was Jan.

3.

Jan.

who had hitherto renow forced to reply ;

but his answers were declared useless and absurd idle

calumnies, and injuries

subterfuge,

God's holy word,

was ordered that his

to

to vilify justice

;

filled

with

a profanation of

;

and the magistrate, and he

send in a more explicit answer.

But finding

answers were already considered unsatisfactory and

" insolent," Bogardus, after repeated replies, wisely declined proceeding any further in " a deep discussion of this affair March and Kieft found himself embarrassed in a prosecution in which the charges

were matter rather

than by the

state.

for investigation

In order to obviate

all

by

the church,

pretext of slander,

he now invested the Rev, Mr. Megapolensis and the Rev.

Mr. Doughty, both ministers of the Gospel, and two or three other impartial persons, with

their

power

to

decide the matter in

Bogardus consented, previously,

issue, provided

to abide

by

judgment, (which the Director-general, on his part, prom-

ised to do,) and not to offend the latter, directly or indirectly, in public or in private. April

appealed to the it

new

This proposal Bogardus rejected, and

Director and council,

seems, had already become

however, would not allow of

when

the

new

known

whose appointment,

in the colony.

this appeal, as

it

was not

Kieft,

certain

Director should arrive, and ordered the prose-

NEW NETHERLAND.

365

cution to proceed, " to put a stop to the scandal and disorder

But

which were prevaihng more and more." in the

mean

time.

The

Director-general

ciiap.

friends interfered

made

a last appeal

be reconciled, and requested him to permit the Rev. Mr. Megapolensis to preach in the church on the following Sabbath, " as was his usual custom when in New

to the minister to

Amsterdam,"

was

This request

so that Kieft might hear him.

granted, and the quarrel terminated, like

all

derstandings, to the apparent satisfaction of

all

such misunthe parties

concerned, and seemingly for want of food to nourish

iti

Dutch on the South River had, all this time, been subjected to serious damage at the hands of the

The

interests of the

Though

Swedes.

the

West

Company had

India

'

obtained

complete control of the mouth of the Delaware, by the purchase, from the Patroons and their associates, in the year 1635, of the colonic of Zwanendal, for the sum of fifteen thousand six hundred guilders, or #6240,^ the Swedish settlers

continued undisturbed in their possessions in that quarter, ever since Kieft had protested against Minuit, and had managed,

by

underselling the

•

Indians, to export no less

Dutch with the

than thirty thousand skins in the course of the year succeed- 1689. ing their

first arrival in

that country.

This competition, however, proved well nigh the ruin of For, having received no support either that infant colony. from the Swedish government or the Swedish West India Company, the first emigrants were so reduced that they found themselves, in the course of the second spring, necessitated 1640. to

choose one of two alternatives

abandon

latter choice,

:

to

remain and perish, or

to

Like prudent men, they made the

their settlement.

and resolved

to

move

tans, the authorities at that place

in a

body

to the

Manhat-

having given them every as-

surance of the most hospitable reception and entertainment.

But

just

on the eve of

their departure, a

in sight, having on board Peter

Swedish ship hove

Holland, or Hollandaer, as Sept

deputy-governor, together with a considerable

Alb. Rec. »

For a

troons of

ii.,

number

of set-

334, 336, 338, 340, 342, 343, 346, 347.

translation of the

Zwanendal on

deed passed between the

this occasion,

Company and

and other papers, see Appendix

the PaS.

HISTORY OF

366 BOOK

tiers,

^v-L.

the chagrin of Director Kieft,

The Swedes, much to now abandoned all idea of leav-

and a fresh supply of goods.

ing the South River, and purchased, it is said, from the Indians an additional quantity of land, extending as far as " a cannon bullet shot" from Fort Christina, " over against Mekaquats-

above

hoe, eight miles

They

present town

the

shortly after added also,

Duck

the above fort to

who had

Burhngton."

of all

the land from

Creek, where they erected, in token of

sovereignty, " the arms of the

Kling,

by purchase,

Mounce

crown of Sweedland."

acted as deputy to Peter Minuit, followed

with two vessels, some time afterwards, and purchased Up-

Tinnecum, and several other

land,

may

The

1641.

places, and from this time

New

be dated the permanent colonization of

by

limits of that province, as claimed

Sweden.^ government,

its

extended " from the borders of the Sea to Cape Henlopen returning southwest

in

Godyn's Bay

towards

wards the Great South River, as

where Fort Christina

is

constructed

wards South River, and the whole ages

Sankikan,"

call

about thirty

German

far as the ;

thence to-

Minquaaskil,

and thence again

to a place

now Trenton

;

This

Falls.

was

district

In width, " as

miles in length.

to-

which the sav-

much

of

the country as they chose to take."

The Swedish a

priori,

be led

authorities

within their jurisdiction. Q '

•

•

nie on the east side of the Delaware, four or five miles distant

from Fort Christina, the provisions of which were, spects, similar to that granted to Patroons in Jan.

30

Holland

Mr. Henry Hochhammer obtained,

the early part of this year, a charter for the Xplanting a coloCD

Jan. 24. in

O

were not as indisposed as we might,

to infer, to the settlement of natives of

Joost de Bogaerdt

was commissioned bv Queen

florins, or

this colonic,

two hundred

Swedish resident

*

at the

dollars,

Hague.

re-

The

For the more

in this river

living

said " ancient

deposition dated 11th January, 1683, that " the

possessed of said river."

five

com-

hundred

payable to his banker by the

and deposition of certain ancient Swedes

Delaware, 25th June, 1684.

and planted

most

Christina

with a yearly salary of

Extracten uyt versheyde missiven geschreven door

tificate

in

Netherland.

•

•

mander of

New

Wm.

Kieft

;

MS

cer-

on the west side of the

Swedes" declared,

first

sup-

efficient

in

another

of their nation that

and the creeks thereunto belonging, did

find the

came

Dutch

NEW NETHERLAND. New

port of the province of

Sweden

367

generally,

Her Majesty

^^^p.

appropriated two millions, six hundred and nineteen dollars, to 1642.

be collected annually from the excise on tobacco, and the fines

imposed on those importing that weed

summer

out license, and, in the

governor of

New Sweden

ance of twelve hundred

of 1642,

of cavalry

(a lieutenant-colonel

Printz,

kingdom with-

into the

in

appointed John Aug.

her service,) as

three years, at a yearly allow^-

for

^

same

placing at the

dollars,

silver

q. S.

time at his disposal, a force sufficient to support the rights of

her crown on the South River.^

Governor Printz arrived and a number of friendly

in the

by two

year, accompanied

Delaware

He was

settlers.

men

at

Fort Nassau,

explain to

;" to

Fame,

the

instructed to observe a

demeanor towards the Dutch

occupied by about twenty

in the fall of this

Swan and

vessels, the

them

"now

the inten-

crown of Sweden in planting the South River, and Dutch would respect the title of the latter, then to leave

tions of the if

the

them undisturbed in their possessions New Amsterdam, on the North River.

Fort Nassau, and at

at

But, on the contrary,

should any hostile disposition be evinced, then force should be

employed

to repel

He was

it.

part of the east coast from

Raccoon Creek,

to the Narraticon, or

few miles below the present

(a

Hog

including

delphia,)

likewise directed to claim that

Cape Mey

city of Phila-

Creek, where sixty Enghsh

had commenced a plantation, but

to respect the

settlers

Dutch

colonic

under the command of De Bogaerdt, and the privileges conceded them, obliging these, however, should he think proper, to

to

remove

their settlement to a greater distance

tina, as

they were but three

German

from Fort Chris-

or twenty English miles

from that post. In his trade with the natives he was to treat them " with much humanity and kindness," and " see that ^Appropriation for the government of nor,

800 Rix

to

1

;

mer, 60

96

dollars

;

1

corporal, 72 ditto

ditto

ditto ;

;

24

;

1

soldiers,

1 barber,

120

gunner, 96 ditto

the above

New

named

Series of N.

Y.

;

Sweden, anno 1642.

1

;

1

ditto

;

1 provost,

72

ditto

;

Gover-

1

Sergeant Major, 120

trumpeter, 72 ditto

1,152 ditto; 1 paymaster, 120 ditto

ing an annual total of 3,020 Rix dollars. scription of

New

Lieu. Governor, 192 ditto

;

1

dit-

drum-

1 secretary,

and one man, 48

Beauchamp

;

ditto

;

be-

Plantagenet, in his De-

Albion, and Acrelius, in his Hist, of

New

Sweden, allude

In the translation of the

latter

work

Bogaerdt.

Hist. Soc. Trans, p. 411, the

name, however,

is

in the

misspelled.

to

New

/

HISTORY OF

368

BOOK neither violence nor injustice be done them." On the contrary, he was to take care that they be instructed in the Christian religion,

and furnished with whatever they required "

their neighbors, so that they

lower

or the English

may by this means

be disengaged

from these people, and accustomed more"

was

at

Dutch

prices than those they received from the

to the

He

Swedes.

particularly enjoined to turn his attention to the culture of

tobacco

to inquire if

;

silk-worms and

silk

could be raised there

;

encourage the propagation of flocks of sheep and cattle, so that " a considerable portion of good wool may be sent here," to

and

comwhomsoever

for the better securing of the trade in furs, to establish

missaries, and take especial care " that no person

be permitted be done

to trade in peltries with the Indians, but that this

in the

name and on

the account of the Swedish

pany, by the agents appointed for that purpose." of the vine, the manufacture of

salt,

The

Com-

culture

by evaporation, were

also

enjoined, as well as the exploration of the mineral wealth of

the country.

be sent

to

"

A

Sweden

by pressure may

good quantity of oak and nut wood" was as ballast, as "

not furnish oil."

to

we must also try if the nuts The fisheries were also to

be attended to, the country cultivated, and the colony governed " according to the laws, customs, and usages of Sweden," punishing by death or otherwise all offenders, " but not otherwise than according to the ordinances and legal forms, and after

having sufficiently considered and examined the

affair

with the

most noted persons, such as the most prudent assessors of justice that

he can find and consult in the country," Before all, to " labor and watch that he render in all things

he was enjoined to

Almighty God the true worship which

the praise, and the

good measures

is

homage which belong

that the Divine service

to the true confession of

is

his due, the glory,

to

him, and to take

performed according

Augsburg, the Council of Upsal, and

the ceremonies of the Swedish church, having care that

men, and especially the youth, be well instructed parts of Christianity, and that a good ecclesiastical

all

in all the

discipline

be observed and maintained." The Dutch colonic established within her majesty's hmits must not, however, be disturbed in the rights guarantied to »

it

Hazard's Register of Penn.

in religious matters.'

iv.,

177, 178, 200, 219, 220,221, 314, 373

NEW NETHERLAND. Immediately on the

arrival of this

369

Swedish governor, he

es- chap. VIII.

lablished his residence at Tinnicum, or ate

some

erected a pretty strong

To

one on the other.

and

its

New

Gottenburg,

situ-

ten or twelve miles below Philadelphia, where he

trade,

he built

by

fort,

secure

Hog

at

laying heavy hemlock logs the

more effectually the country Salem Creek, on the east bank

still

or

of the river Delaware, near

its

mouth, a

which he

fort,

called

Elsinburg, or Elsborg, and which he garrisoned with a lieutenant and twelve men, and

By means

twelve-pounders. the

mouth

of the river

tion, entering the

and bring

;

and

strengthened with six or eight of this fort, he effectually secured

all

vessels,

no matter of what na-

Delaware, were obliged

to here, to

be visited

until

lower their colors

to

they obtained from Tin-

nicum Printz's permit to proceed. Fort Christina, which Minuit had erected

in 1638,

and which

was situate on the west side, about half a mile up the Minquaas Creek, commanded the passage to the country of the Minquaas. It was the principal Svi^edish trading-post, and contained a magazine well supplied with every description of mer-

The avenue

chandise.

secured by a third kill,

fort

to the

Indian country was

on an island

at the

mouth

right in front of fort Beversrede, erected

still

further

of the Schuyl-

by the Dutch

in

1633, and thus every valuable point was seized on and garrisoned, so that finally no access to the Minquaas to the

The

Dutch.

trade with the savages

was

left

open

consequently,

fell,

altogether under the control of the Swedes, and the Delaware

became

of

little

or no value to their rivals,

Fort Nassau, on the east bank of that

who

river, a

maintained at

miserable trad-

ing-post, scantily supplied with goods or merchandise.

The

loss experienced

by the Dutch

thus, in a manner, driven

from

in

consequence of being

this valuable district, will

be

more correctly estimated by reference to the opinions of wri" We acknowledge freely," says Van der ters on the spot. Donck,

we

"that

are

unable fully to describe the value

and the advantages which dition

to the

this

river possesses

;

are fourteen navigable rivers, creeks, and streams into

this

river.

great distance,

for in ad-

navigation and trade, which are great,

there

which

fall

Some of these are large, and beatable to a and may be well named rivers, as the ordi47

1643.

HISTORY OF

370

BOOK nary tides flow several miles up the same, where the wa^^v-^ ters meet and are fresh, and still remain wide and are tolerably ^^^^*

There are also many streams, presenting rich and ex which afford good situations for villages and

deep.

tensive valleys,

The

towns.

river itself

roomy, wide, clean,

is

clear, deep,

The

not foul nor stony, with good settings and anchorage. are strong, and flow

tides fine

and

on both

level

up near

to the falls.

sides, not too high,

land

is

but above floods and

Above

some reed land and marshes.

freshets, except

The

the falls

the river divides into two large beatable streams, which run

unknown to us. There are several fine many other delightful advantages which are estimated by those who have examand who have seen much of the world, not to

far inland to places

islands in this river, with

and conditions, ined the river,

be surpassed by any other river that

many

known.

is

respects the celebrated river of the

Equalling in

Amazons, although

not in greatness, yet in advantages with which this river and the neighboring land are favored,

we would

regret to lose such

a jewel by the devices and hands of a few strangers,"

—mean-

ing the Swedes.

The Dutch

1644.

had, in truth, sufficient cause for such regret.

In the active prosecution of the advantages they had secured, the

Swedes

freighted, this year, the

Fame with two

Key

Calmar and

of

the

valuable cargoes, consisting of 2,127 packages In consequence, howwar between Denmark and Swe-

of beaver, and 70,421 lbs. of tobacco. ever, of the breaking out of

den, and owing to stress of weather and other causes, these ships

were obliged

put into Harlingen, a seaport in the

to

province of Friesland, to revictual and repair. Oct.

6.

West

Immediately

Company, claiming the sovereignty of the country in which the cargo was obtained, placed officers on board, and demanded, by virtue of their charter and of other privileges granted them by the States on their

arrival,

the

India

General, the payment of import duties on the cargoes, and eight

on

all

per cent, additional accruing to them, as recognitions,

goods purchased and brought

transatlantic possessions. Oct.

29

and rather

warm

sador at the

to

Holland from

This demand gave

rise to a

their

lengthy

correspondence between the Swedish ambas-

Hague and

the States General, in

which the

for-

NEW NETHERLAND. mer

laid claim to the

371

country around the South River, by right chap.

of purchase, preoccupation, and lawful possession, and main-

power had any

tained that no other

just pretension there.

He

protested, also, against the detention of these vessels belong-

King

ing to the

his Master,

on the ground that

was

it

a viola-

between both countries, which guar-

tion of existing treaties

antied to the ships of either power, freedom of

the east and north seas

;

and qualified

it

commerce

to

as an unjustifiable

piece of insolence, affecting in a serious degree the respect

due

Swedish Majesty, who never

to his

any of

their

High Mightinesses'

whether prizes or

not,

visited

nor searched

ships touching at his ports,

whatever were the goods or cargoes

with which they were freighted

;

and concluded by demand-

ing the removal of the company's officers, and that no part of the

should be

ships' cargoes

disposed of for payment of

the recognitions, as he categorically refused to pay any such exaction.

This representation had, eventually, such

High Mightinesses ordered the discharge payment simply of the customary import

effect, that

their

of the cargoes, on duties, but without

the exaction of the eight per cent, recognitions

by the West

India Company.^

The

question of the right of sovereignty over the South

River and the land thereabout was not discussed, and matters continued, in that quarter, in an unsettled and in quite an unsatisfactory position.

The posed

Amsterdam were not, however, down and allow the valuable trade of

authorities at Fort

to sit quietly

rich section of the country to

hands, without making thereof.

quarter,

some

be wrested entirely out of

dis- 1646.

that their

effort to save, at least, a portion

Jan Jansen van Ilpendam, the commissary

in that

had been found guilty of fraud, and manifested other-

wise an unfitness for his situation, " having paid the Indians too high a price for furs."

Andreas Hudde was ordered

He was to the

therefore removed, and

South River,

to superin-

tend the company's commercial interests in that quarter.

•

Alb. Rec.

xvii.,

342-345, 350-361

;

321

;

Acrelius, Hist.

iv., 1,

New

2, 13, 14, 15, 18.

Sweden; Hoi. Doc.

ii.,

340, 341,

Feb.

HISTORY OF

372 BOOK

new

This functionary had not been long at his

when who now,

post,

he became embroiled with the Swedish governor,

Jl^^ '

claiming supreme authority over the whole of that country,

would not allow any Dutch merchants

any Dutch farmers

A

number

to settle

to trade, nor, indeed,

on or about that

of enterprising residents of

river.

New Amsterdam

had

dispatched a vessel to the Delaware, with a cargo to be ex-

changed with the Indians June

arrival,

its

Hudde

for furs, corn,

ordered

it

had scarcely cast anchor, when he was ordered

Swedish

In vain did

officer.

Hudde

had been always a rendezvous counsel discretion

— inquire

was forbidden

trade there

to

General and the 1.

for traders

by what

off

by a

represent that the place in vain did

;

authority the

he

company

and, finally, plead the alliance

;

High Mightinesses the States Swedish Crown. Printz peremptorily order-

which existed between

July

await

But Skipper Blanck, who commanded the

the Minquaas. sloop,

On

and other barter.

to the Schuylkill, there to

their

ed the skipper to quit the place, and threatened to confiscate his ship and cargo if

he disobeyed.

As

the

Dutch commis-

sary could not afford any protection in the premises, and as the

Swedish commander manifested every disposition

to exe-

cute his threat. Skipper Blanck withdrew, and nothing July

left to

Hudde but

was

matter to his superiors at

to report the

Fort Amsterdam.

Governor Printz manifested

his jealousy of the

Dutch

in

every possible way, and as he was instructed to preserve the

monopoly of the Indian bone of contention

same

trade,

which commerce was the great he endeavored

in those days,

feeling into the

minds of the

natives.

To

to instil the

effect this

pur-

pose the more certainly, he spread a rumor among the Indians that the Dutch intended to build a fort near " the great falls" (of Trenton,) to be garrisoned that they

the river,

above coming low.

by two hundred and

fifty

men

;

would slaughter all the Indians on the lower part of and, by means of the proposed post, prevent those to the assistance of their brethren situated be-

So effectually did he succeed

in spreading

alarm through-

out the villages of the Indians, that the latter opposed every

attempt which

Hudde made

he attempted,

in

to penetrate into the interior,

when

pursuance to orders received from the Direc-

NEW NETHERLAND. tor-general, to proceed to the

373 to ex- chap.

upper part of the country

—

plore that section for minerals. It

was

Abraham Verplanck, Simon

in this state of things that

1

646

*

^^^^

Root, Jan Andriessen, and Pieter Harmanse, obtained a grant of land on the west side of the South River, "lying almost over against the

'Vogelsang'

island called

little

(now Egg)

island," for the purpose of

it

within a year.

orders to extinguish

Hudde concluded

plantations

be void

there, conditionally that the grant should

not settle on

or singing bird

making four

they did

if

Commissary Hudde received

by purchase the Indian

to the soil. Sept

title

7.

the purchase, and erected, with the consent

of the natives, and as

was

the custom on such occasions, the

arms of the company, on the spot on which the Dutch freemen

were making preparations

This proceeding excited

to build.

fresh opposition on the part of the Swedes.

They

tore

down

Oct. 8.

same time, that they of their High Mightinesses,

the company's ensign, declaring, at the

should have pulled

down the

colors

had even these been raised on Swedish

soil,^

Governor Printz

followed up this aggression by this emphatic protest

"Andreas Hudde!

remind you again, by

I

:

this written Oct. 10.

warning, to discontinue the injuries of which you have been guilty against the

Queen; and

•

against

Royal Majesty of Sweden,

Her Royal

showing the

land, without

Van

least respect

der

Donck

:

—" The arms

nesses were erected over Machchachansio,

among

Director Kieft, in token that the river, with

all

rounding lands and

try tore

soil,

fruit did this bear,

and lessening of respect ?

them down

especially

by

;

flag,

of their

we meet

the adjoining country, and sur-

For the Swedes, with an insolence

have been a

true that several protests have been

made

with

High Mighti-

the Sankikans, by order of

their

High

save lasting reproach to the coun-

and now that they are allowed

their governor, to

soil,

Her Royal

to

remained under the power and possession of

But what

Mightinesses.

Dutch

insult offered to the

In corroboration of the above

the following passage in

my most gracious

Majesty's rights, pretensions,

to

remain

Roman

intolerable,

so, it is considered,

achievement.

It

is

very

as well against this, as against other

crow overhead.

much And it is supposed that if this governor had a supply of men, we should have as much trouble with him as we have had with the English, or any of their gov-

occurrences, but they have had as

ernors.

pany's

This, in fine, officers

is

what appertains

to the

can make pertinent declaration,

papers, documents, and journals

N.N.

effect as the flight of a

which remain

Swedes, about for

we

whom

the com-

further refer to

in their hands."

all

the

Vertoogh van

*

HISTORY OF

374

BOOK Majesty's magnificence, reputation, and dignity and to do so no more, considering how little it would be becoming Her ;

^—

1646,

j^^y^i ]y[ajesty to bear such gross violence, and

might originate from

disasters

it

what great

yea, might be expected.

;

Secondly, with what reluctance, as I think, your nation, or

your masters would,

for

such a

trifle,

come

into collision with

Majesty, as you have no shadow of right for this

Her Royal

your gross conduct

particularly, for

;

your secret and unlawful

purchase of land from the savages, by which you evidently betrayed your conviction of the justice, equity, and antiquity of your pretended claims, of which

which, by

you

so loudly boasted, and

purchase, have been brought to light

this

showing

;

you had no shadow of right to that place, of which you have taken possession, no more than to others on this river which you now claim, in which, however, you were never moclearly that

lested I

by her Royal Majesty

me

from

ing,

all

stil.

at

it

which

up

all

we

give you a warn-

New

Gothenburg,

1646." his protest,

by forbidding

any business with the Dutch.

hand, disclaimed

All this

defence, to exculpate

Dated

your account.

veteri.

Printz followed to transact

my own

future calamities, of

and place

30th Sept.

Oct. 22.

or her plenipotentiaries.

can freely bring forward in

the

Hudde, on

Swedes

the other

intention of encroaching on the rights of

the Swedes, or to act in an unjust and clandestine manner.

" The place we possess we hold in just deed," he rephed, " perhaps before the name of the South River was heard of in

Sweden."

He

complained of the insolent and hostile manner

with which the arms of the company had been torn down, and of the insulting declaration that, had they been the colors of the Prince of Orange, they should have been trampled under foot.

He

warned Printz

that these proceedings

ually cause great calamities disasters that

;

would event-

protested his innocence of

all

might follow, and concluded by impressing on

his attention that, as Christians, they should not,

by

their dis-

agreements, render themselves a stumbling-block or laughingstock to the savage heathens.

This paper obtained a very cavalier reception from the

Swedish commander.

He

flung

it

of his attendants to take charge of

on the ground, ordering one it,

and when Hudde's mes-

NEW NETHERLAND. senger requested an answer to the the bearer, Printz

(whom De

letter of

375

which he had been

chap.

man who

^^v^

Vries describes as a

weighed upwards of four hundred pounds, and drank three drinks at every meal) threw the Dutchman out of doors, and having taken a gun from the wall, threatened

him,

to shoot

which, however, was fortunately prevented by the timely

in-

terference of the bystanders.

In this wise was the general behavior of the Swedes towards the Dutch on the South River at this period.

Whenever any

of the latter visited Printz's head-quarters, they were sure to

be abused in an unwarrantable manner, and frequently returned " bloody and bruised." Commissary Hudde urged, in vain,

by

rights acquired

The Swedish Governor

prior possession.

answered him with a profane jeer

:

— " The

devil

times admit a younger one," coarse, expressing, at the

—with

same

was

the

would some-

oldest possessor in hell, yet he, notwithstanding,

other language equally

time, the greatest contempt for

by High

the States General, as well as for the commissions issued the company, under the authority derived

To

Mightinesses. last,

such a pitch did

Dutch

that the

traders

who

from

their

this insolence

proceed

at

resorted to the Delaware,

complained to the commissary in the strongest terms, and

him to forward to the Director-general and council Amsterdam, a remonstrance oh their part against the annoyances to which they were subjected, together with obliged

New

at

their claims for the

redress of the various grievances which

they suffered.^ In the

mean time

Dutch, for

Swedes.

another controversy had sprung up with

New

Haven, which diverted the attention of the the moment, from the encroachments of the

the people of

Some

of the inhabitants of that colony had pur

chased land from the Indians, between twenty and thirty (Dutch) miles up the country, towards the northwest, some

twenty miles east of the North River, and about sixty miles

from Fort Orange, and '

Alb. Rec.

xvii.,

built a trading-house there

321, 322, et seq

;

Hazard's Reg.

iv.,

119

;

Director Acrelius,

New

Sweden.

Van der Donck, in allusion to this post, has the following " The English of New Haven have a trading-post on the east or *

statement

:

southeast side

HISTORY OF

376 BOOK Kieft,

who was

movement

jealous of every

of his

Enghsh

neighbors, wrote in strong terms to Governor Eaton, claim-

Au^

t^^^^

3"

New Netherland, and protesting He accused the New. Haven peo-

place as a part of

against such a settlement.

ple with entertaining an insatiable desire to possess that

belonged to the Dutch

which

with having, contrary to his protests,

;

against the law of nations,

and

contravention of ancient

in

leagues between the kings of England and the States General,

New Netherland, and usurped And, he continued, " because you and

indirectly entered the limits of

divers places therein.

yours have of

determined to fasten your foot near the

late

Mauritius River, in this province, and there not only to disturb

man

our trade, of no

to protest

draw

hitherto questioned, and to

yourselves, but utterly to destroy

it,

we

it

to

are compelled again

and by these presents do protest against you, as

;

against public breakers of the peace and disturbers of the pub-

He

quiet."

lic

concluded by threatening that

if

the

New Ha-

ven people did not restore the places they had usurped, and repair the losses

which the Dutch had experienced, the

would manfully recover them by such means English responsible for

afford, holding the

all

as

latter

God should

the evils that

might ensue. Aug. 22

To

this

letter

Governor Eaton replied by the return of

knowledge of such a

latterly,

River,^

which

plantations,

Magdalen

own

limits

miles, nay, leagues,

Island, not

for this island lies

or,

in

any other

re-

on

" Paugussett

into the sea in the midst of the

falls

many

title,

admitted that they had recently built

small house within their

a

of

He

them.

all

and denied having,

entered upon any place to

which the Dutch had any known spect, injured

utterly disclaimed

river as the Mauritius,

any time, formerly or

at

.

He

Lieut. Baxter, Kieft's messenger.

more than

six

English

from the Manhattoes,

(Dutch) miles from the North River

;

towards the upper part of the North River, twenty -three

(Dutch) miles and a half higher up than Fort Amsterdam, on the east bank. It

is

erected v/ith no other view than to encroach on the whole trade of the

North River,

or to destroy

Magdalen Island

is

it

altogether, for

it is

now

free for all to resort to."

on the east side of the Hudson's River, a

little

below Red-

hook, upper landing, Dutchess county. '

The

ancient Indian

which empties

name

of Derby, Conn., and of the river Naugattuck,

into the Housatouic.

Am.

Hist.

Mag.

i.

203, note.

NEW NETIIERLAND.

377

from the Dutch trading-house, or from any port on Hudson's River," but that they had not built, even there, until they had ^^'^^ 1d4o» first purchased a title from the true proprietors. Governor Eaton next alluded to the injuries and outrages which the people of

New Haven Delaware,

had received, both

withstanding

all

he declared

;

that, not-

these injuries and the very unsatisfactory an-

swers Kieft had hitherto given

New Haven

Manhattans and on the

at the

hands of the Dutch

at the

to their various complaints, the

colony had, as he conceived, done nothing repug-

nant to the law of God, the law of nations, nor to the ancient

home

confederation and friendship between their superiors at

and concluded by assuring the Director, refer all differences

between

his people

any

that he

was ready

and the Dutch,

for

examination and adjudication,

to

country or in Europe, feeling

satisfied that his majesty,

;

to

due

authorities, either in this

King

Charles, and the English parliament, then assembled, would

maintain their

own rights

against

all

unjust encroachments, and

that even Kieft's superiors would, on eration,

due and mature consid-

approve the righteousness of the course pursued by

New Haven people. The commissioners of the New England colonies met at New Haven shortly after this, when the above correspondence Sept. 9. was duly laid before them. The people of Hartford embraced the

same

the occasion of bringing forward, at the

accusations against the Dutch,

who had

"

time, several

now grown

to

Connecticut, where they

insufferable boldness" on the

an still

maintained a distinct establishment and an independent gov-

ernment

at

Good Hope

Fort

while the Hartford colony, on

;

the other hand, claimed obedience to-its laws from the inhabitants of that post,

in

English

which, they averred, was established with-

territory.

The Dutch were

likewise charged

with having inveigled an Indian slave, who, having become liable to public

punishment, had fled from her master

to the

Dutch fort, where she was protected, notwithstanding she had been demanded by her master as his servant, and by the magistrates as a criminal. It was insinuated that she was retained for purposes of wantonness, and as " such a servant was part of her master's estate, and a

more considerable

part than

a

beast," they insisted that she be restored, for their children

48

HISTORY OF

378 BOOK would not

lonff "

III.

be secure

if this

were

With

suifered.

this

had already dispatched a recover the woman, even by lorce ii necessary.

conviction, the Hartford authorities

guard

to

David Provost, the Dutch commissary, had, however,

resisted

drew his rapier against them, and broke it on their after which he withdrew into the fort, where he de-

the guard,

arms

;

fended himself, successfully, against these invaders, of what

he considered,

his just jurisdiction.

These complaints having been duly heard, the commissionSept.

duty

to

address Director Kieft concern-

ing them, which they did at

some length, expressing, at the examine carefully into the

gj.g

considered

same

it

their

time, their great desire to

various differences so long existing between their confederates

and the Dutch,

in order that

peace

may be

preserved.

They

reminded him that the governor of Massachusetts had written to him,

some

three years before, regarding the difficulties on

the Fresh River, to

which he had returned an ignoramus,

all

with an offensive addition which would be consideration.

They

ces at Fort Hope, and declared that

been

slain in the

proud

would have been on swer

affront

own

his

if

the

his better

head.

would give

it

commissary had

which he had given, and

satisfaction,

should receive such a reply to their

his blood

Governor Eaton's an-

to Kieft's protest they considered fair

expressed a hope that

left to

next recapitulated the recent occurren-

own

just,

and then

and that they

dispatch,

by

the re-

turn of their special messenger, as would testify to them his

agreement with them "

to

embrace and pursue righteousness

and peace." In the course of the following week, the messenger returned with the answer of the Director-general and council, " To the most noble and worthy Commissioners of the Federated

English met together at the

New Sept.

The

Red Mounte,

or

New

Haven,

in

Netherland," couched in strong and indignant terms. inhabitants of Hartford, they asserted,

commissioners with

had deceived the

false accusations, as could easily

be prov-

by Dutch testimony, and other auA few thentic documents, if it were proper now to do so. particulars out of such a mass would, however, suffice, " as by ed, as well

by English

the claw they

as

may judge

of the talons of the lion."

NEW NETHERLAND. The

379

Director-general then proceeded to rebut the several

charges contained in the commissioners'

letter.

He

S^j^j^-

maintain- -^"^ 1

ed that the shedding

blood of the Dutch, of which the

tlie

inhabitants of Hartford had been guilty, and the selling the

company's

this oath,

seems

proved sufficiently the equity of their pro-

cattle,

"

ceedings.

And

Credo

therefore your prejudgment, supported

you

coxtius, as if

v^^onderful to us,

say,

vi^ould

and contrary

to the

by Amen, Amen,

modesty

requisite

such an assembly, which should always keep one ear for

in

He

the other party."

in war,

woman who had been

denied that the

Hope was

detained at Fort

a slave.

nor bought with a price."

" She

was neither taken She was placed with the

Director-general by her parents, to be educated.

standing

all

fully detained

;

but whether her master should be indemnified,

or she restored, he insisted that she

she be

fore

watches were

the

should be baptized be-

As

allowed to marry.

Dutch commissary on that as

Notwith-

he promised that she should not be wrong-

this,

watch

for the

at Hartford,

for the defence

attack

of the

he considered

of towns against ene-

mies, and not for the purpose of preventing friends returning to their

own

houses, the most prudent policy would be, to

trust to men of experience, and not to ignorant when they once find arms placed in their hands, think they may also lawfully cry out etiam nos poma natamus. " Certainly," continues the Director-general, " when we hear the inhabitants of Hartford complaining of us, we

commit such a boys, who,

:

seem

to

hear yEsop's wolf complaining of the lamb, or the

admonition of the young

man who

chiding one of her neighbors, her, lest she first

swer of those of pected.

—

"

The

commence

New

'

cried

out to his mother,

Oh, mother, mother

attacking you.'"

Haven,

it

was such, he

As

revile

!

for the an-

said, as

he ex-

eagle always despiseth the beetle-fly."

He

continued, notwithstanding, determined undauntedly to pursue his

own

right "

by

just

arms and righteous means," and wound

up with these emphatic words "

We

protest against

all

:

you Commissioners met

at the

Red

Mount, as against breakers of the common league, and also as infringers of the special rights of the Lords the States, our superiors, in that ye have dared, without express commission,

646

HISTORY OF

380

New

BOOK to hold your general meeting within the limits of

Neth-

erland."

With

commissioners, as they well might,

this missile, the

much dissatisfied. Director Kieft had, they insisted, left many of their charges untouched, while on The Indian girl, they maintainothers he was misinformed. expressed themselves

ed,

had been taken

handed over

in war,

and for her misconduct had been

to the civil authorities

and taken refuge missary had

in the

she

adftiitted,

commissioners add, "

Dutch

was

she had fled from these

;

fort,

where, as the Dutch com-

Such a

defiled.

we would condemn

practice, the

one of ours with

in

any unmarried, much more with an imbaptized Indian. What order you have taken that she be returned what satisfaction

—

we

you have given

for this

watches are in

all

mischiefs which

may be done by

sons,

and

ed.

He

wrong,

conceive

places set to prevent inconveniences and

in all places a soberly

that

We

hear not.

draws and breaks

enemies, or disorderly per-

and comely answer

expect-

is

his rapier on a watch, neiiher

attends his duty nor his safety."

The commissioners

fer to the points in their last letter,

next re-

which Director Kieft had

passed unnoticed, and expressed their doubts that he could, either

by witnesses or otherwise, prove that they had been deceived. " Your other expressions your proverbs or allusions," they continue, " we leave to your calmer consideration." As for

—

the protest with

which the Director-general had closed

dispatch, they observed that though

with the general strain of his

letter,

it

was

harsh,

his

agreed

it

and concluded by stating

had more reason

to

be offended with his protest, than

he had with their meeting

at

New Haven

that they

;

he could

Thus terminated

On

however good

a review of the whole,

Winthrop's N. Eng.

seq.;

N. Y.

168

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

Hist. Soc. Trans, xii.,

398

268, 276 i.,

;

it

his case, the

commission-

By

lack of tem-

had the best of the argument on paper.

;

one as

Director Kieft's correspondence with the

at the east.

will be admitted that,

*

for the

for the other.^

English colonies

ers

aught they

as, for

knew, they could show as good a commission

Hazard's State Papers,

189-199; Trumbull's Conn,

i.,

ii.,

55, 56, et

155, 156, 157,

NEW NETHERLAND. per,

and by an undignified

an impression on the mind,

381

style, the Director-general leaves

vi^ell

high and delicate position cannot, at the

provocation

same

1d4u,

.

as to his capacity for filling the

which he was then occupying.

It

time, be denied that the English afforded

suflSicient to

chafe a temper less irritable than that

of Director Kieft, who, to his other troubles, had ditional

SJ^j^''-

at this distance, unfavorable to his ^^^^ .

ability as a diplomatist, as

now

the ad-

misery of feeling that his government was overwhelm-

ed with debts

a large amount, which

to

it

was out

of his

means to liquidate which, he should be obliged to draw on the company in Holland, who were already too much dissatisfied with the manner in which he had administered the affairs of New Netherland, to honor any more

power

to meet,

and

for the

of his drafts.

He took, however, the earliest

opportunity to communicate the Nov.

intelligence of the progress of the English encroachments at the

northeast to the directors at Amsterdam, selves with instructing

him

tion, particularly as to the

had

to sell to the

to collect the

who

contented them

most correct informa-

pretended right which the Indians

English the

soil

limits in the direction of Fort

situated within the

Orange.

He was

Dutch

further in-

by the former of any tradingmeans short of such dangerous proceedings as might provoke a war, of which the to directors seem to have already had more than enough structed to prevent the erection

post in that quarter,

by

all

possible

;

watch, in the

mean

time, the actions of his neighbors,

who

seemed now intent on appropriating to themselves the whole of the Dutch possessions in North America, and to oppose all further encroachments on their part.'

The

annals

of

this

year

are

marked by two extensive

grants on the North River, for the purpose of establishing additional colonies.

Regardless of the claims of the Patroon

of Rensselaerswyck, the rich and fertile

were patented

to Cornelis

len, in return

for the

lands

of

Katskill Aug.

Antonissen van Slyck, of Breucke-

eminent services he had rendered

in

bringing about a general peace, and in ransoming prisoners in the hands of the Indians, " which well-known services should

»

Alb. Rec.

xii.,

398.

HISTORY OF

382

and Adriaen van der Donck,

BOOK of right be duly acknowledged •"^^

now disappointed in

his attempt to plant a colonic in the neigh-

borhood of Rensselaerswyck, obtained,

in consideration of the

assistance he afforded in negotiating the treaty between the

Director-general and the

Mohawks, and

in return for the ad-

vances he then made to enable the government

to

purchase

presents for those Indians, the tract of land called Nepper-

The

'

following

a translation of

is

General of

We,

"

patent.

this

Director-general, and council, on behalf of the

Willetn Kieft,

High and Mighty Lords States

United Netherlands, His Highness of Orange, and the Noble

thef

Lords Directors of the Privileged West India Company, residing

Netherland

To

:

all

who

shall see or

New

in

Where-

hear these presents read, Health.

as Cornells Antonissen, [Van Slyck,] of Breuckelen, hath appeared before Us,

and with

his associates requested permission to settle in free possession the land

of Katskill lying on the River Mauritius, there to plant with his associates a

Colonie, which he hath promised to do, according to the freedoms and tions of

New

Netherland

We,

:

exempwhich

therefore, considering the great service

aforesaid Cornelis Antonissen hath conferred on this country, as well in the

tlie

making

of peace as in the

ransoming of

prisoners,

and

it

notorious services should not remain unacknowledged,

and Council, conceded and granted

being proper that such

We

have, as Director

to the aforesaid Cornelis Antonissen, the

above-mentioned land of the Katskill, to plant there a Colonie, within the time therefor enacted,

Lords Majors.

a

true, free,

and

in the order appointed, or to

We,

Wherefore

and perpetual

said lands of the Katskill, giving

mand,

be appointed, by the Noble

in the quality aforesaid,

deed and transport in

possession, to the said Cornelis Antonissen, the afore-

him

full

power, authority, and special com-

and make use of the

to enter on, cultivate,

said lands in the

same man-

ner as he should conclude to do with his other patrimonial estate, without our in

any manner,

part, action, or authority in the least, but as regards the all

henceforth and forever

lably,

and irrevocably

;

to

;

same, desisting from

promising to maintain this transport firmly, invio-

perform and to

fulfil

every part thereof under the

penalty of answering therefor according to law, without art or guile. subscribed, and with our Seal in red

Fort Amsterdam, in

New

This

is

wax, fully and perfectly confirmed. Done

in

Netherland,

Lord and Saviour one thousand

six

this

hundred

22d of August, six

and

By

of the year of our

forty.

"

[Signed,]

"

any

having, reserving, or retaining thereon

in quality aforesaid,

Willem

Kieft.

order of the noble Director-general and council of N. N.

" Cornelis van Tienhoven, " Secretary."

Book

of

Dutch Patents,

GG

157, translation 363.

The

original of the

patent, on a small piece of parchment, and written in fine old

among

the Rensselaerswyck

this last-montioned

MSS.

in

Dutch

a high state of preservation.

document that the above

translation

above

text, is

It is

was made,

not discovered the record in the Secretary of state's office at the time.

from

as I

had

NEW NETHERLAND. haem, but now known as Yonkers.

was

north

by

New

and

Nepperhaem

River, about six-

^^^^p-

—

was bounded on the

etor thereof

was

;

eastward to the river Bronx.

stretched

it

of this colonic

title

It

thence to the Shorakapkock Papirinimen Creek, called by the Dutch " Spuyten-

to

to

duyvel," whence

The

Amsterdam.

which the Indians called Maccakassin,

the Saw-kill,

and ran south kill

Hudson

situate on the east side of the

teen miles above

383

This valuable property

was " Colen Donck," and

invested with

the propri-

the rights and privileges

all

contained in the charter of 1629.^

The in

Breuckelen was also incorporated

village of

this year,

consequence, possibly, of the serious and urgent complaints

made by of

that

the Eight village

magistrates, with diction,

their

Men

in the fall of

were authorized

power

to

and

;

number, should the duties of

Any

inhabitants

two schepens, or

to decide all cases within their juris-

according to their charter

onerous.

The

1644. elect

to adjoin others to

their office

become

deprived of their share in the land around the village. privileges

were unable

against cases of violence and trespass.

pointed to assist them.

New

>

Alb. Rec.

viii.,

»

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

A

to provide

Schout was ap-

Jan Teunissen was commissioned

this office, dependent,

fiscaal at

These

were subsequently further enlarged, on the repre-

sentation of the schepens that they

fill

too

persons obstinately opposing these were to be

Amsterdam.^ 79, 80

;

Hoi. Doc.

357, 358, 385;

to

however, on the company's schout-

iii.,

vi.,

118

362, 363.

;

Book

of Patents,

i.,

56.

Nov.

—

HISTORY OF

384

CHAPTER IX. —General condition of the country under the Dutch — Population of New Netherland— RevSlaves— Their of the province — Advanced condition enue— Causes of the backward of New England — Reflections — Settlements enumerated— Their governof Holland New Netherment — Transfer of the municipal land — Errors of contemporary writers — Character of Director Kieft — Deof appeal from judgments — Harsh and tyrannical proceednies the ings against the Rev. Mr. Doughty and Mr. Van Hardenbergh — Genera! discontent— State of morals, and education—Conclusion.

Termination of Kieft's administration lot

state

institutions

to

his

right

religion,

The

BOOK

administration of Director Kieft, though he

may now be

superseded in fact until 1647, '

Serious

tually terminated.

complaints, charging

nothing less than tyranny, extortion, murder,

heinous crimes, had, as

was

not

said to have vir-

theft,

him with and other

we have already seen, been transmitWest India Company, and produced

ted to the directors of the his

But though

recall.

successor

his

was

appointed,

the

States General did not issue his commission immediately on

They were desirous of undermade of the complaint^'

having been demanded.

its

standing, what disposition had been

from

New

been

iterated

ordered a

What period, ture,

Netherland, and

it

was

more than once,

new commission

to

not until the application had

that their

High Mightinesses

be expedited.

was

the actual condition of the country

may,

in the

absence of

all

at this

remote

materials of a statistical na-

be easily gleaned from the remonstrances of the com-

monalty, and the proceedings of the

home

authorities conse-

quent thereupon. Slaves constituted, as far back as 1628, a portion of the population.

the

The

was facihtated by Dutch possessed in Brazil and well as by the periodical capture

introduction of this class

establishments which the

on the coast of Guinea, as

of Spanish and Portuguese prizes, and the circumstances at-

tendant on the early settlement of the country. of obtaining labor from Europe

was

great,

The expense

and the supply by

NEW NETHERLAND. no means equal

to the

To add

demand.

385 embarrass- chap.

to these

ments, the temptations held out by the fur-trade were so that

sistible,

the

or " boere-knechts,"

servants,

irre-

who were

brought over from Holland, were soon seduced from the purof agriculture. Farmers were consequently obliged to employ negroes, and slave-labor thus became, by its cheapsuits

ness and the necessity of the case, one of the staples of the country.

The

lot of the

African under the Dutch, was not as hopeless He was " a chattel,"

as his situation might lead us to expect. it is

true

but he could

;

still

look forward to the hour

he too might become a freeman.

who had

several negroes and their wives,

originally

been cap-

tured from the Spaniards, had been manumitted,

quence of to

and

their long

when

In the years 1644 and 1646,

To

faithful services.

conse-

in

enable them

provide for their support, they obtained a grant of land

;

but as the price of their manumission, they were bound to

pay yearly twenty-two bushels and a half of or beans,

and one

fat

hog valued

corn, wheat, peas,

at eight dollars, faihng

which,

they were to lose their liberty and return again to their former state of servitude.

The emancipation

however, carry with

it

of the parents did not,

" All their chil-

that of their offspring.

dren already born, or yet to be born, remained obligated to

company

serve the

obhgated

to serve

The

to do.

*'

as

The

slaves."

by water

or

fathers

were moreover

by land" when

called

upon so

price of a negro averaged between one hundred

and

and one hundred

fifty dollars.

The

detention

of the

children in slavery, after the emancipation of the parents,

was

highly disapproved of by the commonalty, who considered it " How any one born of a a violation of the law of nature. slave,

and It

was impossible tempted

to

Christians."

The

for

palliate

But

iii.,

them

to explain it."

the act.

this

351

;

Van

"

Alb. Rec.

ii.,

The

They were

was considered

population, comprising

»Van Tienhoven; Doc.

all

authorities at-

treated just like

alike unsatisfactory.^

who came under

243, 378; xx., 296;

der Donck's Vertoogh, van N. N.

49

I

be a

be obliged to remain such, passed their comprehension.

free Christian mother, could, notwithstanding,

xxi.,

the

416, 417;

title

Hoi.

HISTORY OF

386 BOOK of the " Gemeente,"

amounted, in 1643,

commonalty of New Amsterdam, hundred men. This would give a

or

to five

hundred

total of twenty-five

souls.

Allowing that Rensse-

laerswyck and the few towns on Long Island contained four hundred more, we should then be justified in estimating the

New

whole population of

Netherland

at that

about

date, at

three thousand.

The public revenue was computed to amount to sixteen thousand guilders, or six thousand four hundred dollars per annum-

The

was

population

Fort Orange

been

;

seriously affected

Many had removed

with the Indians.

others returned to Holland

by the savages.

slain

by

to the ;

the difficulties

neighborhood of

and numbers had

The consequence was,

that in

and around Fort Amsterdam, the male adult population was reduced

to

one hundred

moval of the the country

diminution

was it

not,

administration, the is,

close of the war.'

By

the re-'

however, actually decreased.

The

was by emigration and

loss of

experienced,

and, these considered,

This figure

at the

portion of the inhabitants, the population of

first

we

we

doubt

much

if,

population exceeded a thousand

souls.

admit, low, and after a lapse of so

when

life,

at the close of Kieft's

years, creditable neither to the founders nor

province, especially

only

many

managers of the

contrasted with the progress and

flourishing condition of the adjoining English colonies.

But

was one of the natural consequences of the imperfect system and mismanagement of which the country was the victim. For the first thirteen years after its discovery, it was abandoned to the casual and rare visits of a few private trading-ships, which came for the mere

it

could not well be otherwise.

It

purpose of taking away the furs that their servants or agents

might have collected

When

the

West

system was not ation

India

at

Fort Orange or the

Company became

altered.

Those

merely took the place of

in the

Manhattans.

incorporated, this

employ of

their predecessors.

that associ-

The

visits

^ In Hoi. Doc. iii., 369, it is asserted, that in 1648 not much more than one hundred males could be found besides the free traders. The population of New

England then was 50

to 60,000.

NEW NETHERLAND. of the company's ships

were

made

still

387

for the sole

of carrying back to Holland the collected peltries Minuit's and

Van

Twiller's

was everybody absorbed

that the colonists depended,

little

season under

Van

was

we may

country for their supplies.

and during -^v^ exclusively

Indian trade, so few were the

in the

agricultural settlers, and so

;

administrations, so

purpose chap.

agriculture attended

to,

say wholly, on the parent

These unfortunately

one

failed

Twiller, and the consequence was, that the

around Fort Amsterdam were thrown for food on the

settlers

charity of the Indians.

The

evil

consequences of the policy pursued by the direc-

New

Holland towards

tors in

Netherland became apparent

shortly after the removal of the

Company

Massachusetts

to

This association adopting a wiser system, encour-

America.

aged immigration by every means compatible with the peculiar principles of their municipal government.

came soon

inhabited

by industrious

The

settlers,

country be-

full

of energy,

who, stimulated by the freedom of trade which they enjoyed, and unfettered by those special privileges which followed

wherever the civil law was established, spread themselves abroad in every direction,

Dutch

and soon seized on the richest portion of the

possessions.

Entertaining, as the

West

India

Company

no feeling for the prosperity of the country, except so

did,

were concerned

as the returns of the fur-trade state

of bankruptcy by

tracted

by

its

;

reduced

vast undertakings elsewhere

internal dissensions, each

chamber

;

far

to a

dis-

striving to secure

for itself the largest share of profit at the expense of the small-

est

amount of disbursements,^

it is

cess.

Numbers

not prevent

;

effected

self-interest

supported, and the

not surprising that the en-

New

croachments of the people of

England resulted

in suc-

what unprotected feebleness could overpowered what national law alone

Dutch were

forced, though unwillingly, to

yield.

The

reflections of the historian

nor alter the course of *

Alle

human

can neither recall the past,

events.

But the review of those

de iiiwoonders in Nieu Nederlandt gelooven dat de Bewinthebbers

gants geen acht off regard op Nieu Nederlandt nemen, dan alsser wat te ont-

vangen

is

;

der Donck.

hetwelcke, nochtans, maeckt dat sy te minder oiitfangen.

Van

HISTORY OF

388

...

BOOK transactions will teach nations III.

this abiding lesson

«^v^ in vain to have either right or justice at their side, not, at the

same time, the means

force the other

;

and

to

:

—

if

that

governments

all

is

to maintain the one,

and en-

statesmen this wholesome truth, that

government of an exclusive mercantile company

as the

worst of

it

they have

for

is

the

any country, so colonies can never

be fostered or promoted by the commercial monopolies of such privileged associations.^

With means

the exception of the

tations, the

mass of the inhabitants of

the case in

is

Donck

der

all

new

countries,

by

were

New

Netherland, as

Van

from wealthy.

far

represents that the greater portion of them " brought

nothing" to the country out

few individuals who possessed

found Patroonships, or to establish plan-

sufficient to

a statement which

;

the fact that the government

ally, to assist

was

amply borne

is

called on, occasion-

immigrants by advances, or loans of money, with-

them to make a beginning. number of the houses around forts Amsterdam and Orange were, in those days, low-sized wooden buildings, out interest, to enable

The

greater

with roofs of reed or straw, and chimneys of wood.

water mills were erected, here and there,

Wind

or

to grind corn, or to

saw lumber. One of the latter, situate on Nut or Governor's was leased in 1639 for five hundred merchantable boards

Island,

Saw and

yearly, half oak and half pine.^

grist mills

were

built

on several of the creeks in the colonic of Rensselaerswyck, where " a horse mill" was also erected in 1646.^ A brewery

*

' '

Smith's Wealth of Nations Alb. Rec.

155, 185

;

being, to the great

fifth kill

nie,

i.,

ii.,

vii.,

31 January, 1646: Contract

64.

105, 114. for

damage

a Horse-mill.

The

mill

situate

on the

of the Patroon, and inhabitants of the colo-

[Rensselaerswyck,] for a considerable time out of repair, or unfit to be

worked, either by the breaking of the dam, the severity of the winter, or the high water, or otherwise

;

besides being out of the

way,

to the prejudice of the

inhabitants in going and returning, a contract, after being duly proposed to the court,

is,

therefore,

made with

Pieter Cornelissen to build a horse-mill in the

Pine grove, whereby not only the colonic, but

come

hither,

may be

ter Comelisz. shall fl.

200

in stones,

ns, half

and

half.

encouraged

to provide

complete the work for

two good

also, if so be,

fl.

300, ($120.)

horses, the expense of

The standing work,

the navigators

themselves with other things.

which is

I furnishing

to be divided

who Pie-

him

between

plank, labor, and other expenses,

we

NEW NETHERLAND. had been constructed previous

389

same

to 1637, in the

quarter, chap.

by the Patroon, with the exclusive right of supplying retaildealers with beer. But private individuals were allowed the

brew whatever quantity of beer

privilege, notwithstanding, to

own

they might require for consumption within their

fami-

lies.^

The settlement of the country beyond the precincts of New Amsterdam received, as we have seen, a serious check by the Indian war. On the eastern extremity of Long Island, the English had established the towns of South Hampton and South

The

Old.

plantations at the west end, under the jurisdiction

more numerous, and now

of the Dutch, were, however, far

comprised Breukelen, Amersfoort, (Flatlands,) Gravenzande,

Heemstede, Mespath, (Newtown,) There was a smah hamlet called Bergen, be-

(Flushing,)

Vlissingen,

and Gowanus. sides a

number

sey side of the speaking,

is

common, and on

tion of the mill,

bearing, each, equal profit

and

On

loss.

demand

great a

shall

day.

for his

arise,

ileged to er.ect, in

Should

it

happen, as

we

company with

P. Cornelisz.

is

MSS.

horses stood, in the course of the last century, as I

*

lot

Signed, Anthony

am

A mill worked by

informed by an aged

forming the northeast corner of Hudson and Grand

There was a

26 Dec. 1646.

the Patroon

alone authorized and priv-

Rensselaerswyck

Hooges, Pieter Cornelissen.

on the

;

expect, that so

the Patroon, another such mill, on these or such

other conditions as are now, or shall hereafter bo agreed on.

Albany.

on the 3d or Rutten

mill also

Whereas

their

kill, in

Honors of the Court of

to

meddle with what

is

not his business

—with

streets,

1646.

this

Colonie find that

Cornells Segsrsz. notwithstanding former placards and prohibitions, has

sumed

laid

the comple-

so that the mill will not supply all the colonie or

strangers, (buytenwoonders,) then

citizen,

the Jer-

being ready to go, Pieter Cornelissen shall work one

its

himself and the other day for the Patroon, and so forth

for

paying him one Rix dollar

de

now

but this section suffered, comparatively

more than any other from the savages, who

shall defray in

day

of valuable bouweries on what river,

still

pre-

—directly

beer brewing

contrary to the grant and authorization given to the brewery of this colonie

;

Therefore their honors expressly forbid the said Cornells Segersz. to brew, or

cause to be brewed, or otherwise to manufacture any beer, except so shall five

be required by him for his

own

nance shall

shall

cloak, or idle excuse shall

The

said Cornelis Segersz. is further

hereafter avail, but that this ordi-

be maintained and executed on the spot, without court process,

make any

mistake.

Let him, therefore, prevent

selaerswyck, 26th October, 1646. magistrates of this colonie.

as

housekeeping, on pain of forfeiting twenty-

Carolus guilders, besides the brewed beer.

warned that no

much

Pursuant

his loss.

if

he

Actum Rens-

to the resolution of their honors the

A.

De

Hooges.

HISTORY OF

390

BOOK waste every cultivated spot from the Nevesinck to Tappaan. ^'v-- Rensselaerswyck was the only " colonie" which remained un1646.

—

a consequence

^]^g ^g^j._

jjj.gj

ly prospered, and sundry farms

population general-

its

Beverswyck

were taken up.

continued, however, in swaddling clothes, for the city which

1845 holds over forty thousand inhabitants, contained in Several farmers had at an

in

1646 no more than ten houses. early date

begun another settlement south of Beverswyck, to A few bouweries

which they gave the name of Bethlehem.

were

also cultivated on the east side of the river, opposite Fort

Katskill and

Orange.

fertile

its

early date the attention of the

bottoms had engaged

settlers

at

at

an

Rensselaerswyck,

but the pretensions of opposite parties prevented any planting of consequence in that quarter, and

Van

received a patent for lands there, had as yet

The

mencement.

who had

made no com-

country between Rensselaerswyck and the

Manhattans, on both sides of the ness.

Slyck,

It is true that

the

river, still

Dutch had

remained a wilder-

built a fort at

Esopus, in

the year 1614, contemporaneously with the erection of their

This possibly might have been

post on Castle island.* lovv^ed

by

vicinity,

the clearing of

but

it

is

some small

very doubtful whether any such settlements

survived the destructive

war

in like

commenced manner

Van der Donck had many years elapsed be-

of 1644-5.

also received a grant of Yonkers, but

fore he

a settlement there.

to the

Delaware, which,

These remarks apply at this date,

was, with

the exception of Bogaerdt's colonie, destitute of any settlers,

fol-

portions of land in that

Dutch

and entirely under the control of the Swedes.

In the municipal government of these settlements, two systems, essentially different in principle, obtained. In the " colonies" the superintending power was lodged in one indi vidual,

*

who, though the immediate vassal of the sovereign

Moulton alludes

Indians in 1617. eral,

to the settlement of

some Hollanders among the Esopus

But the following passage

in the

answer of the States Gen-

dated Feb. 1665, to Sir George Downing, fixes the date

High Mightinesses say

:

"

II

y a plus de quarante ans

earlier.

Their

qu'elle possede la ville de

Nouveau Amsterdam avec ses forts et plus de cinquante qu'elle est en possession des forts Orange et Esope les ims et les autres avec les terres et pais qui en dependent." Hoi. Doc, xi., 86. ;

;

NEW NETHERLAND. authority from

paramount

which he derived

in his

391

his lands,

was himself

lord chap.

manor, where he not only represented the

sovereign, but exercised feudal jurisdiction over his colonists,

who

stood, towards him, in the

same

towards the supreme head of the

relation that he occupied

For as he was bound

state.

acknowledge, by fealty and homage, his dependence on

to

the latter

they

so

;

whom

they vassals of their Patroon, to

vt^ere

whose summons they were bound, if take up arms to whose special courts,

sv^rore allegiance, at

occasion required, to edicts,

ordinances,

;

and laws

they owed

being

obedience,

same time to the discharge of all the minor obligations due to him by virtue of the Roman law. In return for this obedience, the Patroon was bound to protect his colonists, who had the additional right to address themselves by appeal to the supreme authority at New Amsterdam, in case they were either aggrieved or oppressed. subject at the

In the transition of society, towards the close of the middle ages, from this state of servitude to a

some communes,

more enlarged

liberty,

or towns in our acceptation of the word,

acquired for themselves, either by special favor or their right hands, all independence of these feudal nobles, their privileges

But

own

and held

and immunities immediately from the crown.

as the feudal system, acknowledged no other relation than

that of vassal and sovereign,

some bond,

or invent,

it

or link,

became necessary to imagine, whereby these semi-indepen-

dent commonalties should be connected to the head of the

By

state.

a fiction of law, each of them

became

to

be con-

sidered, abstractly, a moral and responsible body, capable of

the

same

duties, obligations,

They were

and constraints as an individual.

incorporated, and in this corporate capacity, hold-

ing immediately from the state, they were considered as vassals

;

as such held land in fee, tendered fealty and homage,

military service, and possessed, in fine,

all

the rights of Pa-

troons.

One arrangement between

this

became necessary

whom

all

still

remained

to render the

connection

body and the supreme authority complete. that

it

have a representative,

It

through

communications should pass, from the commune, or

town, to the sovereign, and from the

latter to the district.

For

HISTORY OF

392

BOOK this purpose the inhabitants

were authorized,

the fifteenth century, to elect from

^^^^*

number, double or

triple, that

in the course of

among themselves

required

;

a certain

from which the head

of the government selected and appointed such as

it

considered

best qualified to act as " schepens" or magistrates.

by which

constituted a board, or council,

were made

tions

they constituted,

:

all

same

the

at

These

such communicatime, a local

court to administer justice within their respective limits, to the extent and according to the provisions of their patent or charter

;

and

to enable

a schout, or

But

them

perform more effectually their duties,

to

secretary,

sheriff,

and marshal were adjoined.

in order to prevent the magistrates

and with a view

enjoy, in turn, the dignities

was

their duration in office ciple,

to

becoming too powerful,

to equalize their functions,

and

to allow all to

which municipal honors conferred,

limited, in conformity to

one year, at the end of which a

new

sound prin-

election took

a new set of names was sent in to the chief magiswho again made his selection from that list, and from the actual " schepens" in commission, who " were always con-

place

;

trate,

sidered as nominated."^

For more than a century previous

we now

hundred manors

write, three

land alone, enjoyed

all

which

to the period of

Hol-

in the province of

the rights of free municipalities, and

exercised civil and criminal jurisdiction, to a limited extent.

In removing

to

another hemisphere, the Dutch lost not their

affection for their native country

and

its

They

institutions.

brought with them the names of those places to which they

were most attached, and

new homes

to their

in the course of time transferred also

the municipal system

which we have de-

scribed above, and with which they were most conversant.

" Those colonists

who

shall

form within

their limits

such a

settlement of people, as to constitute hamlets, villages, or even cities, shall

obtain in such case middle and low jurisdiction,

and the same '

rights as

Institutions Judiciaires,

221.

"

It

is

customary

manors iii.,

in the province of

Holland

47, 48, 49, 165, 166, 170, 171

in our Fatherland,

;

;

and

Alb. Rec.

x.,

and other well-regulated govern-

ments, that annually some change takes place in the magistracy, so that some

new ones Alb. Rec.

are appointed, and xix., 131.

some

are continued to inform the

newly appointed."

NEW NETHERLAND. shall, in like

names and

manner, be capacitated

and hamlets,

cities, villages,

nominate

to

And

thereof.

titles

also,

393

to bear and use the chap.

the qualified persons of such

shall, in

such case, be authorized

for the office of magistrates, a

double number of

made by

persons wherefrom a selection shall seasonably be

the

Director and council, the appointment of a schout, secretary,

and court messenger, remaining

to the

company

with the

;

understanding that the jurisdiction shall be holden in

by

fief

the respective colonists and founders of cities and villages, to

be disposed of and renewed,

who

be named,

shall

in

order of the province of Holland, and the thereof, to

same

which end the courts there is

And

jus-

to the style

and

stated.

be administered therein according

tice shall

the

demise of those

in case of the

manner hereinbefore

and manors

cities

shall follow, as far as

Am-

possible, the ordinances received here in

sterdam."

was then

It

to

that

Republican State

there,

and not

—

that

to

the wise and

" the puritan idea of popular freedom" intro-

to

duced by emigrants from Connecticut claim

—

of the feudal code which obtained

beneficent modifications

New

— as

some

incorrectly

Netherland and the several towns within

its

confines were indebted for whatever municipal privileges they

The

enjoyed.^

charters under

which they were planted, the

immunities which they obtained, were essentially of Dutch, and not of Connecticut origin, and those

who

look to

land as the source of popular privileges in fall,

New

Strange as

it

may

most every hamlet, had

New Amsterdam,

by

law, nor

by al-

local

its

magistracy, the citizens of

the capital of the whole province, continued,

greatly to their discontent, without a voice in the

of their municipal affairs.

remained

in the

Mr. Bancrott,

in Hist.

U.

S.

from Connecticut engrafted on freedom."

In

this

The government

management

of that city

hands of the Director-general and

The high-handed and

'

Eng-

seem, while every colonic, and

therefore, into an error, sanctioned neither

history.

New

Netherland,

he did

dictatorial

ii.,

in

which Kieft

304, represents that " the large emigrations

New

Netherlands the Puritan idea of popular

injustice to the

every one must acknowledge

manner

still

his council.

Dutch

who has examined

50

—inadvertently, no the subject.

doubt

—as

— 1646

HISTORY OF wielded his power, brought him into with the democratic

riod,

spirit

He was

Dutch republicans.

flated with the idea of his

collision, at

an early pe-

inherent in the breast of the

a man of unpliant temper inown importance ill-disposed to ;

;

brook contradiction, and construing

objections to his will,

all

even though emanating from the pulpit, as attacks on his prerogative,

"

treated,"

was

Had we been under

this remained,

to

not be worse

One check

which the colonists looked

to

This was the right

ments

we could

a king

the complaint of the people.

appeal from the Director-general's judg-

But

to the court of Holland, or the States General.

privilege Kieft cut off as early as 1643.

hattans

was

to all

for protection.

New

the capital of

The

this

Manwas re-

island of

Netherland, and to

it

served the exclusive right, as the chief court of that country, to

hear appeals from tence,

it

all

surrounding colonies

was maintained

;

and, on this pre-

that no appeal could lie

cisions of the Director-general

and council

from the de-

New

at

Amster-

dam.^

The Rev. Mr. Doughty, the English clergyman at MesVan Hardenbergh, merchant at New Amsterdam, were among the first to dissent from this conclusion. The path, and Mr.

former had complained against what he considered an unjust decision of the court at Manhattans, in regard to claims which

he

embraced within the Newtown

set forth to lands

The

patent.

other had been appointed curator to the estate of one

Aert Teunissen, who,

as

we

murdered by the Indians

at

Beeregat.

have already related, had been

Some

property belong-

ing to this estate had been seized on board a vessel, and in

consequence of not having been entered, was confiscated.

Appeals were lodged,

in both these cases,

from Kieft's judg-

ments. Doughty was immediately fined ten dollars, and imprisoned twenty-four hours for his presumption.^

Against the

other appellant w^as pronounced the following sentence

*

Wat

omdat

in

belanght 't weygeren van appel naer

de exemptien

't

'

The

against

als

't

Vaderlandt,

't

selve

is

geschiet,

eylandt van de Manhattans voor de hooft-plaats van

N. N. wort gereserveert, en dat ben soude

't

:

alle

hof van dat quartier.

omleggende colonien haer appel daer heb-

Van Tienhoven.

reader will find in the Appendix Ff. the statements in favor of and

Doughty

in the above case.

NEW NETHERLAND.

395

" Having seen the written demand of the Honorable Fis- chap. caal

Van

Huygens

der

against Arnoldus van Hardenbergh, in ''v-^

the case of appeal from our sentence dated 28th April

ult.,

as

appears by the signature of the aforesaid A. van Hardenbergh,

from which sentence no appeal can from the commission of

lie,

as

evident to

is

High Mightinesses

their

States General and His Highness of Orange

New

noble Director-general and council of

;

him

the Lords

therefore, the

Netherland, ob-

serving the dangerous consequences which tend to the injury

of the supreme authority of the magistracy of this land, as an

example

to others,

denbergh

go

to

condemn

pay forthwith a

to jail until the said fine

Owing to these and liar,"

were

fines

be paid." " Traitor," " villain,"

to a high degree.

epithets flung at the Director-general with un-

sparing hand

heavy

Har-

various other harsh measures, the public

mind became inflamed "

the aforesaid Arnoldus van

fine of twenty-five guilders, or to

banishments and

and, notwithstanding that

;

were imposed on the

libellers,

many

threatened

he should " take off the coat

him with rougher usage when with which he was decorated by the Lords "

Where

his masters."

Drunk-

the shepherd errs the sheep go astray."

enness and broils were of common occurrence. The people were " without discipline, and approaching to a savage state." " fourth part of the city of New Amsterdam consisted of

A

grog-shops and houses where nothing

and beer."

Religion and education

these evil influences.

1642, remained

in

tressed for

this

unfinished, as

The

money, applied In the

to convert the heathen,

»

Alb. Rec.

own use

gelt, in

between

Wei

;

whom iv.,

the country were

1

;

the fines and for-

to aid the

mean while no

160, 190, 262, 369

ii.,

and the

vii.,

completion of

efforts

were made

settlers

an un-

Van

28, 29, 38, 300.

der

waer dat den Directeur Kieft, verlegen synde syn huys hadde hangen een bos, daer de Diakenen een sleutel van

Donck's Vertoogh,

om

to his

if

Director-general being dis-

which had been appropriated

sacred edifice.^

be got but tobacco

the baneful effects of

The church which had been commenced still

without timber or a sawmill.

feitures

is to

felt

hadden, daerin

c. xi.

alle

gesteken waren

;

een moye somme

is

cleyne breuken en boeten, die op de rechtdagen voor vielen

met kennisse van de diaconen was, op intrest genomen.

heeft geopent, en

Van Tienhoven

't

gelt dat

Cort Bericht

NEW NETHERLAND.

HISTORY OF

396

BOOK licensed intercourse generally prevailed.

And, though a

col-

some nine years Netherland made little or no

lege had been founded in Massachusetts before, the authorities of effort,

in

up

any part of

tered into

New

to this time, to establish a this country.

Some

by the commonalty

school-house in

New

common primary

school

subscriptions had been en-

for the

purpose of erecting a

Amsterdam, but these funds were

also

misappropriated, and this laudable undertaking failed in con-

sequence.

Such was affairs

had

the state of disorganization into

fallen,

which the public

when General Petrus Stuyvesant assumed

the government of

New

Netherland.

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

A.

A

High and Mighty Lords, the States General, West India Company, dated the 3d of June, 1621.

Charter given by the the

The

States General of the United Netherlands, to

ents or hear

them

read, greeting

Be

:

it

all

who

to

shall see these pres-

known, that We, knowing that the prosperity

of these countries, and the welfare of their inhabitants, depend principally on naviga-

and

tion

trade,

which

in all

former times by the said countries were carried on hap-

and with a great blessing

pily,

to

all

and kingdoms

comitries

;

and desiring that the

aforesaid inhabitants should not only be preserved in their former navigation, traffic,

and

trade, but also that their trade

may

be increased as

much

conformity to the treaties, alliances, leagues, and covenants, formerly

made with

stand must be

that without the

for traffic

punctually kept and adhered to

common

and

help, assistance,

:

and navigation

We give them to underWe find by experience,

other princes, republics, and people, which

in all parts

as possible in special

And

interposition of a

General Company,

the people designed from hence for those parts cannot be properly protected and maintained in their great risk from pirates, extortion, and otherwise, which will happen in so

very long a voyage.

We

have, therefore, and for several other important rea-

sons and considerations us thereunto moving, with mature deliberation of counsel, and for highly

necessary causes, found

in the parts of the

West

it

good, that the navigation, trade, and commerce,

and Africa, and other places hereafter described,

Indies,

should not henceforth be carried on any otherwise than by the

common

united strength

of the merchants and inhabitants of these countries, and that for that end there shall

be erected one General Company, which

We,

out of special regard to their

common

well-being, and to keep and preserve the inhabitants of those places in good trade

welfare, will maintain and strengthen with

Our

help, favor,

the present state and condition of this country will admit

:

and assistance, as

and, moreover, furnish

with a proper charter, and with the following privileges and exemptions, for the

to wit:

and

far as

them That

term of four and twenty years, none of the natives or inhabitants of these

countries shall be permitted to sail to or from the said lands, or to traffic on the coast

and countries of Africa, from the Tropic the countries of America, or the

Nova, by the

of

Cancer

to the

Cape

of

Good Hope, nor

in

West Indies, beginning at the fourth end of Terra La Maire, or any other straits and passages situated

Straits of Magellan,

:

APPENDIX.

400

thereabouts to the Straits of Anian, as well on the North Sea as the South Sea, nor on

any

on the one side or the other, or between both

islands situated

nor in the western

:

or southern countries, reaching, lying, and between both the meridians, from the of

Good Hope,

name

in the

in the east, to the east

presume, without the consent of

shall

end of

Company

of this United

New

this

company,

places within the aforesaid limits granted to this

and the goods which

found

shall be

for sale

benefit

and behoof.

to sail or to traffic in

company, he

countries or havens they

have

any

of the

shall forfeit the ships

shall be

by them kept

the

;

for their

And in case such ships or goods shall be sold either in other may touch at, the owners and partners must be fined for tlie

value of those ships and goods charter, shall

And whoever

upon the aforesaid coasts and lands

which being actually seized by the aforesaid company,

own

Cape

Guinea, in the west, inclusive, but

of these United Netherlands.

:

Except only, that they who before the date of

been sent out of these or any other countries

sailed or

to

any

this

of the

aforesaid coasts, shall be able to continue their trade for the sale of their goods,

come back again, or otherwise, until any before, and not longer Provided, :

the expiration of this charter, that after the

first

and

they have had

if

of July, sixteen hundred and

twenty-one, the day and time of this charter's commencing, no person shall be able to

send any ships or goods to the places comprehended fore the date hereof, this

therein, as

is

company was

becoming, against those

in this charter,

not finally incorporated

who knowingly by

:

although that bebut shall provide

fraud endeavor to frustrate

for the public good Provided that the salt trade at Ponte del Re maybe continued according to the conditions and instructions by Us already given, or that may be given respecting it, any thing in this charter to the contrary notwith-

our intention herein

:

standing.

That moreover, the

II.

aforesaid

the limits heroin before prescribed,

company may,

make

in

Our name and

contracts, engagements,

authority, within

and

alliances,

with

the princes and natives of the countries comprehended therein, and also build any forts

and

fortifications there, to appoint

cers of justice,

and other public

and

order, police,

justice,

and

and discharge governors, people

officers, for

in like

for

war, and

offi-

the preservation of the places, keeping good

manner

for the

promoting of trade

;

and again,

others in their place to put, as they, from the situation of their affairs, shall see

moreover, they must advance the peopling of those

do

fruitful

and unsettled

parts,

fit

and

that the service of those countries, and the profit and increase of trade shall re-

all

quire: and the

and

tracts

company shall

successively

alliances as they shall

and likewise the

situations

communicate and transmit

to

Us such con-

have made with the aforesaid princes and nations

of the fortresses, fortifications, and settlements

;

by them

taken. III. Saving, that

they having chosen a governor-in-chief, and prepared instruc-

tions for him, they shall be approved, ther,

and a commission given by Us

ficers, shall

IV.

And

be held to take an oath of allegiance to if

the aforesaid

company

in

any

Us and

also to the

that fur-

money

may use

of-

company.

of the aforesaid places shall be cheated

under the appearance of friendship, or badly treated, or shall their

And

:

such governor-in-chief, as well as other deputy governors, commanders, and

or goods, without having restitution or receiving

suflfer loss in

payment

for

trusting

them, they

the best methods in their power, according to the situation of their affairs, to

obtain satisfaction.

v.

And if it

trade, to take

should be necessary, for the establishment, security, and defence of this

any

troops with them,

We will,

according to the constitution of this

APPENDIX, country, and the situation of

401

furnish the said

affairs,

company with such

troops, pro-

vided they be paid and supported by the company.

VI.

swear

Which

troops, besides the oath already

taken

to

Us and

obey the commands of the said company, and

to

utmost of their

interest to the

to

to his Excellency, shall

endeavor to promote their

ability.

VII. That the provosts of the company on shore

may apprehend any of the military may confine them on they may be found provided,

that have enlisted in the service of the aforesaid company, and

board the ships in whatever

city, place, or jurisdiction

;

the provosts this

first

We

VIII. That

company, IX. ileges,

for the

and places where

cities

will not take

any

ships,

selves

ordnance, or ammunition belonging to the

use of this country, without the consent of the said company.

We having moreover incorporated this company, and favored them with privWe give them a charter besides this, that they may pass freely with all their

and goods without paying any toll

ships

this

inform the ofiicers and magistrates of the

happens.

may

to the

use their liberty in the same

United Provinces

manner

a member of X. That

and that they them-

who

is

not free

may

be

company.

this

the goods of

all

;

as the free inhabitants of the cities of

country enjoy their freedom, notwithstanding any person

this

company during

carried out of this country to the parts of the

the eight next ensuing years,

West

may be

Indies and Africa, and other

places comprehended within the aforesaid limits, and those which they shall bring in-

from thence shall be exempt from outward and home convoys

to this country

vided, that

if

at the expiration of the aforesaid eight years, the state

pro-

;

and condition of

these countries will not admit of this freedom's continuing for a longer time, the said goods, and the merchandises coming from the places mentioned in this charter, and

exported again out of these countries, and the outward convoys and licenses, during the whole time of this charter, shall not be rated higher by ly been rated, unless said goods last list in

XI.

We should be

that this

in the

to the

all

concerned.

one chamber at Maeze,

one-ninth part

;

and the

We

have ordained that the said gov-

chambers of managers

shall be vested in five

have the management of four-ninth parts ;

former-

the afore-

time of war.

And

ernment

all

company may be strengthened by a good government,

shall not be rated higher

general profit and satisfaction of

parts

Us than they have

again engaged in a wax, in which case

by Us than they were

and merchandises

for

;

one chamber in Zealand,

one-ninth part

chamber

fifth

;

one at Amsterdam,

;

—

this shall

for two-nintli

one chamber in North Holland,

for

with the city and country,

for

in Friesland,

one-ninth part, upon the condition entered in the record of Our resolutions, and the act passed respecting

commodated with

it.

so

And the provinces in which there are no chambers shall be acmany managers, divided among the respective chambers, as their

in this company shall entitle them to. XII. That the Chamber of Amsterdam shall consist of twenty managers the Chamber of Zealand of twelve the Chamber of Maeze and of the North part, each of fourteen and the Chamber of Friesland, with the city and country, also of fourteen managers. If it shall hereafter appear that this work cannot be carried on without a

hundred thousand guilders

;

;

;

greater

number

of persons

;

in that case,

more

may

be added, with the knowledge of

the Nineteen, and our approbation, but not otherwise.

XIII.

High

And

the States of the United Provinces are authorized

to

lay before their

Mightinesses' ordinary deputies, or before the magistrates of the cities of these

51

APPENDIX.

402

agers,

if

they find they can do

own

has not of his

man-

election of

according to the constitution of their Provinces.

it

in the

Moreover, that no person

who

members, together with the

for registering the

any order

Provinces,

Chamber

in the funds of the

Amsterdam shall be chosen a manager company, the sum of six thousand guilders

of

;

and the chamber of Zealand four thousand guilders and the chamber of Maeze, of the north part, and of Friesland, with the city and country, the like sum of four thousand ;

guilders.

XIV. That the like third part

;

first

managers

number

third part of the

shall

be changed by

sively, the oldest in the service shall be dismissed

any that

or of

term of

shall serve for the

managers

of

and the two next following years, the

any other reason bo

shall die, or for

and

:

and then one-

six years,

lot

and two years

;

last third part

;

and

after

a

on succes-

so

who go

in the place of those

off,

dismissed, three others shall be nomi-

nated by the managers, both remaining and going

together with the principal ad-

off,

venturers in person, and at their cost, from which the aforesaid provinces, the deputies,

make a new

or the magistrates, shall

the vacant places

and

;

shall

it

manager, and successively supply

election of a

who have

be held before the principal adventurers,

as

great a concern as the respective managers.

XV. That

the accounts of the furniture and outfit of the vessels, with their depen-

made up

dencies, shall be

month

and

three months after the departure of the vessels, and one

be sent to Us, and to the respective chambers

after, copies shall

of the returns,

their sales, shall the

chambers

(as often as

:

and the state

We see good,

or they are

Us and to one another. XVI. That every six years they shall make a general account of all outfits and returns, together with all the gains and losses of the company to wit, one of their required thereto by the chambers) send to

;

business,

and one of the war, each separate; wliich accounts

an advertisement, it,

in

and

the end that every one

to

who

is

made public by may, upon hearing of

shall be

interested

by the expiration of the seventh year, the accounts are not made out manner aforesaid, the managers shall forfeit their commissions, which shall be apattend

;

if

propriated to the use of the poor, and they themselves be held to render their account as before, fenders.

such time and under such penalty as shall bo fixed by us respecting of-

till

And

notwithstanding, there shall be a dividend

business, so long as

XVII.

No

one

We

shall,

sum advanced from

find that ten per cent, shall

this

company

nor shall any

;

the expiration of four and twenty years or to erect a

new

and any one

or continue this

;

bers

which do not think

the Nineteen, with

XVIII. That

fit

in

new members

it

shall

and estimate

shall in

it

shall

in the

company

from Zealand, four

many more

as

expen-

money as in

mem-

such times as

approbation, shall think proper.

whom

Amsterdam

;

his

same proportion

their share, at

from Friesland and the city and country, two

for the

all their

may withdraw

be necessary to have a general meeting of the

be by Nineteen persons, of ;

If at

the Nineteen,

such case take the remainder, and pay the

to continue

Holland, two

Us

made by

in part, in the

the chamber of

teen persons, or so

be admitted.

be found good to continue this company,

whole or

Our knowledge and

so often as

aforesaid chambers,

of the profits of the

that belongs to the company, and also of

all

new company

new company

and the

shall

after the aforesaid settlement

in the

it

it

one, a final account and estimate shall be

with Our knowledge, of ses,

made

have been gained.

d uring the continuance of this charter, withdraw his capital or

We shall

at

;

eight shall

from the Maeze, two ;

any time think

;

come from from North

provided, that the ninefit,

shall be

deputed by

purpose of helping to direct the aforesaid meeting of the company.

APPENDIX. XIX. By which general meeting

company which

come

shall

XX. The they shall

them

before

vided, that in case of resolving

out,

and how many

all

the business of this

be managed and finally settled

shall

upon a war. Our approbation

summoned,

aforesaid general meeting being

fit

403

of the aforesaid chambers,

meet

shall

it

to resolve

same

to the foregoing resolution, but shall be held to carry the

And

any chamber

if

contravening

it,

We

We,

to

cause reparation

being desired, will

XXI. The

assist

meeting

said general

two

common

resolution, or

made

to be

of every defect or contravention

and

;

years in the city of

on from time

so

to

whom

the affairs of the

company

shall be

time in the

to

committed,

go from home to attend the aforesaid meeting or otherwise, shall have

expenses and wages, four guilders a day, besides boat and carriage hire those

who go from one

city to another, to the

no wages or travelling charges,

shall receive

XXIII. And

should happen that

if it

in

equally divided, the same shall be

who

for their

Provided, that

chambers, as managers and governors,

at the cost of the

Our

to

left

:

company.

the aforesaid general meeting,

matter should come before them, wherein they cannot agree, or

mined upon

Am-

places.

XXII. The managers shall

;

them.

shall be held the first six

sterdam, and two years thereafter in Zealand aforesaid

in

opposition

have authorized, and by these presents do authorize, the said

meeting immediately wherein

in

effectually into execu-

found not following the

shall be

when

each place, the company

vessels they will send to

general observing that no particular chamber shall undertake any thing

tion.

pro-

;

shall be asked.

decision

in

;

any weighty

case the votes are

and whatever

shall bo deter-

shall be carried into execution.

XXIV. And

all

these countries, and also of other countries,

the inhabitants of

be notified by public advertisements, within one month after the date hereof,

shall

that they

may

be admitted into

company, during

this

five

months from the

first

they put into the stock

in three

payments

;

of

money

July, this year, sixteen hundred and twenty -one, and that they must pay the

to wit, one-third part at the expiration of

the aforesaid five months, and the other two-thirds within three next succeeding

In case the aforesaid general meeting shall find

years.

members

time, the

XXV. The and

if,

by

another,

stress of

— as

shall be notified

ships returning

Amsterdam

or from Zealand in Holland

—each

it

whence the

and goods are

XXVI.

If

North Holland,

shall nevertheless

chamber

where the

for travelling,

situation of the case

more. of

And

in like

any persons

;

chamber which and

in the

;

Maeze,

the city and country, in

if

manner,

same

the

to

do

or other vessels

this business

they shall commit

;

:

Provided

where the

but

in

case

this business to the

vessels arrived.

any chamber has got any goods

to the

Zealand or

in

shall be held in person to find the place

or returns from the places included

within the limits of this charter, with which another

send such goods

tlie

from

have the direction and management

and not appoint factors

they shall not be in a situation

chamber

necessary to prolong

to the place they sailed

sent out, and shall send and transport the goods to the

arrived,

of the place

or

ves.sels sailed, either in

that the managers of that vessels

come

—or those from Friesland, with

chamber

of the vessels and goods places from

shall

weather, the vessels which sailed out from one part shall arrive in

those from

anotlier part,

it

by an advertisement.

from a voyage

is

is

not provided,

unprovided, on

its

it

shall

be held to

request, according to the

they have sold them, to send to another chamber if

for

the managers of the respective chambers have need

for fitting out the vessels, or otherwise,

from the

cities

where there are

:

APPENDIX.

404 chambers or managers, they

and employ the managers of

shall require

company,

this

without making use of a factor.

XXVII. And money from the dividends, the

if

any

of the provinces think

and

inhabitants,

chamber

fit

to appoint an agent to collect the

make a fund

to

shall be obliged to give

any chamber, and

in

such agent access, that he

for

paying

may

obtain

information of the state of the disbursements and receipts, and of the debts

vided that the

money brought

in

by such agents amount

to fifty

;

pro-

thousand guilders or

upwards.

XXVIII. The managers and

mission shall be divided

—

;

chamber

of

on gold and

cent,

city

silver

Amsterdam, four-ninth

the Maeze, one-ninth part

;

and Friesland, with the

XXIX. sliips

commissions one per cent, on the

for

and a half per

to the

of Zealand, two-ninth parts

part

have

shall

returns, besides the prizes,

and country, a

;

parts

outfits

which com-

;

;

the

chamber

North Holland, one-ninth

like ninth part.

Provided that they shall not receive commissions on the ordnance and the

more than once.

They

shall,

nance, and other things with which

money which they

moreover, have no commission on the ships, ord-

We

company, nor on the

shall strengthen the

company, nor on the

shall collect for the

they receive from

profits

company with any expenses of travelling, or whom they shall commit the providing a cargo and purchasing

the goods, nor shall they charge the provisions for those to

goods necessary for

XXX. The

it.

book-keepers and cashiers shall have a salary paid them out of their

commissions.

XXXI. The managers shall not deliver (jf their own ships, merchandise, or

any

or

to the

sell

goods

company,

in

whole or

in part,

nor buy, or cause to be bought of

;

the said company, directly or indirectly, any goods or merchandise, nor have

any

portion or part therein, on forfeiture of one year's commissions for the use of the poor,

and the

loss of ofRce.

XXXII. The managers

by advertisement,

shall give notice

as often as they

have

may

have

a fresh importation of goods and merchandise, to the end that every one seasonable knowledge of

XXXIII. And into

if it

happens that

in either

chamber any of the managers

make good what was

and

any

shall be liable for the

which

shall also

in consequence thereof

damage, and

cases relating to their stock and

respective cashiers

XXXV. That

all

the

become debtors

XXXIV. The managers

loss shall

shall also be specially

be the case with

chased, or otherwise, shall all

before they proceed to a final sale.

such a situation, that he cannot

his administration,

tion,

it

intrusted to

bound

for their administra-

members who, on account

to the

company, and so

what may be due

to

shall get

him during

happen, such chamber

of goods pur-

shall

be reckoned

the company.

of the respective chambers shall be responsible for their

and book-keepers.

all

the goods of this

be sold by one weight,

to wit, that

of

company which shall be sold by weight, shall Amsterdam and that all such goods shall be ;

put on board ship, or in store, without paying any excise, impost, or weigh-money

Provided that they, being sold, shall not be delivered in any other

and provided that the impost and weigh-money alienated, in the

same manner

XXXVI. That

shall

way than by weight

;

be paid as often as they are

as other goods subject to weigh-money.

the persons or goods of the managers shall not be arrested, at-

tached, or incumbered, in order to obtain from

of the company, nor for the

payment

of the

them an account

of the administration

wages of those who are

in the service

APPENDIX. of the

company

bound

to refer the

who

but those

;

same upon them,

be

shall

matter to their ordinary judges.

XXXVII. So when any manders of the

405

shall pretend to take the

Us

be obliged to come and report to

fleets shall

voyage of such ship or

com-

ship shall return from a voyage, the generals or

ships, within ten

days after their

the success of the

and

arrival,

Us a report in writing, if the case requires it. XXXVIII. And if it happens (which We by no means

shall deliver

and

leave with

in

any manner hurt

pany, contrary

common

have given concerning

We

XXXIX.

and the contents

right

shall defend

and covenants, they

We

expect) that any person will

or hinder the navigation, business, trade, or traffic of this

to the

it

against them, and regulate

it

by the

million of guilders, to be paid in five years, whereof the guilders shall be paid

instructions

it.

We will defend this

have, moreover, promised, and do promise, that

against every person in free navigation and traffic, and assist

company

com-

of the aforesaid treaties, leagues,

them when the

first

payment

them with a

two hundred thousand

first

shall be

made by the members

Provided that we, with half the aforesaid million of guilders, shall receive and bear profit

and

risk in the

XL. And traffic,

war.

by a

if

same manner

as the other

members

We

company

shall

be brought to an open

the situation of this country will in any wise admit of

will, if

for their assistance sixteen ships of

war, the least one hundred and

with four good, well-sailing yachts, the least forty ly

company.

of this

and continued interruption of the aforesaid navigation and

violent

the business within the limits of their

mounted and provided

lasts

burden,

in all respects, both with brass

it,

fifty lasts

—^which

give

them

burden,

shall be proper-

and other cannon, and a

proper quantity of ammunition, together with double suits of running and standing rigging, sails, cables, anchors, to be provided

manned,

and used

to

:

to

as are proper

upon condition that they

shall

manned

all

the ships of

and

four yachts,

war and merchantmen

as aforesaid) shall be under

be

company, and that the com-

at the expense of the

mounted

be used in like manner for the defence of trade and

war Provided that

those provided and

according

;

obliged to add thereto sixteen like ships of war,

and provided as above, ploits of

in all great expeditions

and supported

victualled,

pany shall be

and other things thereto belonging, such

all

ex-

(that shall be with

an admiral appointed by Us,

the previous advice of the aforesaid general company, and shall obey

Our commands, together with the resolutions of the company, if it shall be necessary, so, notwithstanding, that the merchantmen in the same manner as in time of war ;

shall not unnecessarily

XLI. And

if it

hazard their lading.

should happen that this country should be remarkably eased of

burdens, and that this

company should be

We have further promised,

and do promise,

laid

to increase the aforesaid subsidy in

as the situation of these countries will admit,

manner

its

under the grievous burden of a war,

and the

affairs of the

such a

country

will require.

We have moreover ordained that, in case of a war, all the prizes which taken from enemies and pirates within the aforesaid limits, by the company

XLII. shall be

or their assistants

;

also,

the goods which shall be seized by virtue of Our proclamation,

after deducting all expenses

each

prize, together

resolution of the officers, sailors,

first

and

managers of the

and the damage which the company

with the just part of of April, sixteen

soldiers,

aforesaid

hundred and two

who have taken company

:

shall suffer in taking

his excellency the admiral, agreeable to

the prize,

—

—and the tenth part

for

our the

shall await the disposal of the

Provided that the account of them shall be

APPENDIX.

406

kept separate and apart from the account of trade and commerce and that the not proceeds of the said prizes shall be employed in fitting out ships, paying the troops, ;

and

fortifications, garrisons,

matters of war and defence, by sea and land

like

amount

there shall be no distribution unless the said net proceeds shall

and

be

on account of

distribution

members

for

of this

the use

company,

trade

done separate and

be

and the

:

distribution

be

shall

United Netherlands, and the remainder

the

of

but

;

much,

to so

without weakening the said defence,

distributed

paying the expenses of the war, which shall

after

apart from the

made, one-tenth part for the

may

share

a notable

that

exact proportion to the capital they have

in

advanced.

XLIII. Provided, nevertheless, that proclamation shall be brought sellors

and the

in,

right laid before the judicature of the coun-

which they are brought, that they

of the admiralty for the part to

cognizance of them, and determine the legality or

and that under a proper inventory

what may be done by the sentence

may

illegality of the said prizes

process of the administration of the goods brought in by the nevertheless, pending,

Our

the prizes and goods taken by virtue of

all

;

take the

:

company remaining,

and saving a

revision of

of the admiralty, agreeable to the instruction

given the admiralty in that behalf: Provided that the vendue-masters and other cers of the admiralty shall not have or pretend to

company, and

this

shall not

XLIV. The managers

company

of this

they will act well and faithfully accounts of their trade the company, and, as

they

much

offi-

right to the prizes taken

by

money than

solemnly promise and swear, that

shall

administration, and

their

in all things will consult

make good and

members any

the least

That

:

greater advantage in the payments or

That they,

:

just

the greatest profit of

as possible, prevent their meeting with losses

will not give the principal

distribution of

in

That they

:

any

be employed respecting them.

in getting in

standing debts, will not favor one more than another

:

and receiving out-

That they,

for their

own

account, will take, and during the continuance of their administration will continue to take,

such

sum

of

money

that they will, as far as

as

by

their charter

is

allotted to

them

;

and moreover,

concerns them, to the utmost of their power, observe and

keep, and cause to be observed and kept,

all

and every the particulare and

articles

herein contained.

XLV.

All which

privileges, freedoms,

herein before mentioned, in

all

and exemptions, together with the assistance

their particulars

and

articles.

We

knowledge of the business, given, granted, promised, and agreed

have, with

ful!

to the aforesaid

company giving, granting, agreeing, and promising, moreover, that they shall enjoy them peaceably and freely ordaining that the same shall be observed and kept by ;

;

all

the magistrates, officers, and subjects of the United Netherlands, without doing

any thing contrary erlands,

welfare

that

We will

all treaties

in life

;

of peace, alliances, and agreements with the neighboring princes,

kingdoms, and countries, without doing any thing, or suffering any thing

which

will

Neth-

and goods as obstacles to the comof this country, and transgressors of Our ordinance promising, moreover, maintain and establish the company in the things contained in this char-

on penalty of being punished both

mon

ter, in

thereto, directly or indirectly, either within or out of these

weaken

their establishment

;

to

be done

charging and expressly commanding

all

governors, justices, officers, magistrates, and inhabitants of the aforesaid United Netherlands, that they permit the aforesaid to enjoy the full effect of this charter,

company and managers peaceably and freely agreement, and privilege, without any contra-

APPENDIX. diction or

hereof,

or

We

impeachment

command

to the

contrary.

And

407

that none

may

pretend ignorance

that the contents of this charter shall be notified by publication

an advertisement, where and

in

such manner as

is

proper

for

;

We have found

it

ne-

cessary for the service of this country.

Given under Our great

Hague, on the

third

seal,

and the signature and

day of the month of June,

seal of

in the

Our

recorder, at the

year sixteen hundred and

twenty -one.

Was

countersigned, J.

Magnus, Sec.

Underneath was written,

The Ordinance

of the

High and Mighty Lords the States General. It

was

subscribed,

C. Aerssen,

And had

a seal pendent, of red wax, and a string of white

silk.

:

:

APPENDIX.

408

B.

An

Managers and Principal Adventurers of the West India Company, made with the approbation of the High and Mighty Lords the States General. Agreement between

The

the

States General of the United Netherlands, to

Know

all to

whom

these presents shall

made to appear to us by certain deputies of the Incorporated West India Company, of the chamber of Amsterdam, that they have been engaged in several ways, as well in the meeting of manabe shown, greeting

:

gers, as also frequently

may

government

good members

be

selves to this work,

whereas

it

with their committees,

made and

that they

;

ye, that

may

has been

to the

end that, in time, good order and

among them,

established

the better and with

and get subsequent matters

more

into

to the satisfaction

of the

profit speedily ap})ly

them-

a proper channel

beseeching

;

our approbation, that they, by the form of an amplification of their charter, or otherwise by framing an order of the aforesaid particular chamber of Amsterdam, or in

such manner as

we

in council shall think proper,

to us for that purpose,

thought

fit

to

and that we, as

and have presented several things

before, should resolve thereupon

send a copy thereof to the respective chambers of the

pany, that they should maturely examine

and Deputies, and

to

it,

West

:

we have Com-

India

confer with the Principal Adventurers

send some deputies of the principal adventurers to us, fully

powered and authorized for

this purpose,

and whatever

else

may

em-

serve to promote so

necessary a business, to meet in mutual conference, and so to agree practicably and finally,

tive

And that

with our approbation.

a suitable

number

chambers, the directors, and principal adventurers

and superintend the following, different conferences,

and

gers, directors,

— the

of deputies of the respec-

may meet

for that purpose,

induction and debates of our committees in their

communications, and deliberations

;

and

finally, that the

mana-

adventurers, without prejudice to the provinces and

principal

respective cities, for promoting the

West

India business, have mutually agreed upon

the following articles I.

That no

cies, shall

alteration, extension, or interpretation of the charter or its

dependen-

be desired by the managers nor principal adventurers, or any others, except

by a previous meeting and communication, and the approbation of a majority managers and principal adventurers who shall be present in that meeting. That

II.

engaged

in all

meetings

in

which the managers and

by putting

III.

and without the manmade with one name at

in business together, or the principal adventurers alone

agers, all nominations, deputations,

once,

of the

principal adventurers shall be

tickets into the

and

elections shall be

hands of the president, or in some other secret manner.

That the company shall take up no money on

interest or deposite, but

with the

advice and consent of the major part of the managers and principal adventurers nevertheless, the respective

chambers may,

each take up the twentieth part of the shall not take

IV. That

up any more before that

all

in case of necessity, for

capital of their is

paid

one voyage only,

chamber, and the said chamber

off.

accounts, mentioned in the 15th article, shall be

drawn out

in the

APPENDIX. style of business,

by the committee

409

nominated by the principal adventurers, and

to be

admitted under oath in the time mentioned

15th

in the said

which committee

article,

And

shall report thereon only in gross to the other principal adventurers.

the said com-

mittee sh^l be bound by an oath not to divulge, but to keep every thing secret which

They

the managers must keep secret.

by the 31st

shall,

moreover, be under the prohibition

managers, respecting buying and

article of the charter for the

made

selling

dur-

ing the time of two years.

That the

V.

said committee shall have,

and exercise,

for the principal adventurers,

the right given and granted by article 27 to the agents:

And, moreover,

examine

to

the books, invoices, and other documents, at their pleasure, and inspect merchandise

and

letters

concerning business.

VI. That the

first

of Zealand, and the

and

up by the

filled

two vacant places of the managers

chamber

in the

first

of the

Maeze,

at

Amsterdam, the two

plurality of voices, the elected being

first

shall successively be supplied

chambers absolutely by

principal adventurers of the respective

bound by the same oath with the other managers, directors, and shall be obliged to communicate

and having administration as the other

what concerns them,

to the principal adventurers

to preserve their right

meetings of the managers, according to the situation of

and

shall be specially

bound

in the said

them

affairs, to call

and revokable by the aforesaid

to

together,

principal adventurers,

the rest of the directors remaining successively eligible by the respective chambers according to the charter, or so as their respective provinces

:

already ordained, or shall be hereafter ordained in

is

And

by

that

provision,

two of the

principal adventurers of

each chamber of Amsterdam and Zealand respectively, and one of the chamber of the Maeze, shall be a committee, besides that mentioned in the foregoing article, to take care

mean

of their aforesaid right in the

VII.

When

tee aforesaid, that he

chamber

of

time, until one or two places shall be vacant.

the Nineteen shall meet together, the

chamber of Amsterdam

shall choose

may

Amsterdam.

In

like

adventurer of the

principal

one of the two managers or provisional commit-

be one of the eight managers

manner

in the said

meeting

for the

the principal adventurers of Zealand shall

choose one of the aforesaid two managers or provisional committee, by them absolutely appointed, to be one of four managers for their

And

chamber

in the

meeting of Nineteen.

the aforesaid principal adventurers, as well of the chamber of

Zealand, shall each choose one of the sworn committee, mentioned

Amsterdam in articles

as of

4 and

5,

to assist each of the aforesaid deputies, in the aforesaid meeting of Nineteen, nevertheless,

without that, those

chambers

may know

Amsterdam

shall

are

Maeze

met

shall

have a separate

the cause of such meeting, those

communicate

the city and country those of the

who

;

who

are

met

to the principal adventurers of

it

And

vote.

that the other

of the

chamber of

North Holland, and

and those who are met of the chamber of Zealand

of the business of the aforesaid meeting, as far as

it

shall advise

may

be com-

municated. VIII. That hereafter no person shall be chosen a manager the East India

Company

:

manner a

in like

father

or half blood, shall not be chosen managers shall receive

IX.

no commissions

Whereas

scribing to this

longed,

—

it is

until

is

in the service of

son, or brothers, of the

one charnber.

And

in the other

whole

the managers

company.

necessary for the satisfaction of every one, that the time of sub-

company

new

and

they give up their service

shall

be prolonged, therefore the aforesaid subscription

for inhabitants, to the last of

ber next, both

in

who

style,

and

it

August, and

shall be

52

is

for foreigners, to the last of

made known by

the advertisements

:

pro-

Octoafter

APPENDIX.

410 no person

that,

day

tal the first

each other

be admitted, but every chamber shall bo obliged

shall

the company, and that those it,

and eight days thereafter

after the last of October,

provided, that the outfit

:

which

who have

is

money

furnished

And

send a copy to

for others, or shall

yet furnish

Nineteen.

shall receive interest therefor at the discretion of the

X.

to close its capi-

to

got ready shall continue for the use of

concerning the general account mentioned in article 16 in the charter, and

the changing of a third part of the directors in article 14, to maintain good order and

a general equality count be made,

new

1621,

chambers,

in all the

it is

found necessary that the said general ac-

years from the date of the

(six

charter beginning the third of June,

according to the custom of trade, in public with the advice of the

style,)

aforesaid committee of the principal adventurers of the respective chambers,

make

successively every six years to

and so on

a like'general account: but the remainder of the

accounts shall be deliberated upon, in order, by the meeting of the Nineteen, to the

end that the

And

the

who go

directors

may

off

depart with clear accounts

change of a third part of the directors

first

made

be

shall

if it

be practicable.

six

years after the

and so on successively every two years, agreeable

third of June, this year, 1623,

to

the charter.

And

XI.

and

company may be under good government

that this

satisfaction of all the participants,

shall consist of five

chambers of

administration of four-ninth parts

chamber

in the

ninth part

Maeze,

and the

;

one chamber in Zealand,

;

chamber

in

to the greatest profit

ordained that the same government

— one within Amsterdam, who

one-ninth part

for

fifth

we have

directors,

;

one chamber

shall

have the

two-ninth parts

for

in the

;

one

north quarter, for one-

Vreezelandt, together with city and countrj^

(Stadt ende Landen,) also one-ninth part, upon condition entered in the register of our resolution

and the

acts passed

accommodated with

shall be

And, XII.

If

and the provinces

:

so

bers, as they shall furnish one

many

they

may

(if

which there

to the

among

possible

;) if

not, to

common

act therein with

cfo

communicate

all in it

advice, in such

shall

be no chamber,

the respective

cham-

company.

any thing should happen from which lawsuits

advantage of the company, the directors shall ter amicably,

in

directors, divided

hundred guilders

their

may

power

arise to the

to settle the

dis-

mat-

to the principal adventurers, that

manner

as shall be found most to

the advantage of the company.

We

having examined and considered the aforesaid

articles,

and being desirous

to

promote unity and concord between the directors and principal adventurers, and the

advancement

of the

Orange, thought thereof,

and

directors,

fit

India

Company, have, with

and approve

same

shall

of,

in the charter

Company. Given under Our great

;

the advice of the Prince of

and do hereby agree

to,

and approve

be punctually attended to and observed by the

members, and every person concerned

they were inserted

West

West

to agree to,

direct that the

because

we

therein, in the

find

them proper

same manner

seal,

the

rubric

if

and signature of Our recorder, at the

Hague, the one and twentieth of June, Sixteen hundred and twenty -three. It

was

countersigned,

N. VAN BOUCKHORST, Vt.

Underneath was written,

The

ordinance of the High and Mighty Lords the States General. (Subscribed)

It

as

for the service of the

India

had a

seal in red

wax, pendent by a white

silk string.

C. Aerssen.

APPENDIX.

411

c.

Names of

the

Lords Directors who have served

the

Company from

the

beginning to the end of the year 1636. [De Laet, Jaerlyck Verhael.]

In

De Heeren

Jacob

the

Amsterdam Chamber.

Gerritsz. Hoing,

Bur-

gomaster,

Marcus van Valckenburgh, Carel Looten, Principal partner director.

Jonas Witsz., Burgomaster,

Michiel Pauw, Lord of Achtienhoven,

Jan Gysbertsz. de Vries, Schepen, Jacob Pietersz. Hoog-Camer,

Jaques de

Albaert Coenraets Burgh, Schepen,

Abraham Oyens,

la

Myne,

Jehan Gras,

Adriaen Krom-hout,

Warner Ernst van Bassen, Schepen,

Reynier Reael,

Pieter Evertz Hulft,

Cornelis Bicker,

Willem Bruyn,

Joris Adriaensz,

Dirck Cornelisz. van Swanenburgh, on

Hendrick Hamel, Pieter Beltens,

Johan van Haring-houck,

Elias Pels,

Nicolaes van Sitterich,

Matthias van Ceulen, Principal partner

Guilliam Bartilotti,

Samuel Godyn,

director.

Hendrik Broen,

Toussain Blanche,

Gommer

Abraham

Spranger,

Spiers,

Samuel Blommaert,

Jaques Beurse,

Hans van der Merckt, Rombout Jacobsz.

Marcus de Vogelaar, Daniel van Lieberghen,

Eduard Becker, Guillaum van Everwyn, on behalf

Jacob Reepe-maker, of

Gelderlandt,

Willem van Moerbergh

on behalf of

en, Schepen,

direc-

on behalf of the Province of Utrecht,

Johan Uyttewael, Oliver UyttenhOve,

Johan van Hemart, on behalf

of

Gysbert van Hemart, on behalf of Deventer,

Pieter Jansz. Blaeuwen-haen, on behalf

Leyden,

Joannes de Laet,

De-

of Deventer,

Matheus de Pauw, on behalf of Utrecht, Pieter Varleth, on behalf of Utrecht,

Cornelis

van Wyckersloot,

Dirck van Helsdingh,

venter,

\

"

"

Jacob de Key, on behalf of Haerlem,

)

^^t'"^'^^^-'

Pieter Ranst,

Jehan Raye, Principal partner tor,

Matheus Joyen, on behalf of Haerlem,

Kiliaen van Rensselaer,

'

behalf of Utrecht,

^""rector.

Simon van der Does, Schepen,

Mr. Jacob van Broeckhoven, on behalf of Leyden,

APPENDIX.

412

Ferdinando Schuylenburgh,

Mr. Jehan Panhuysen, on behalf of

Frederick de Vries,

Leyden,

Johan Wentolt

Bartels,

Johan Bartringh,

on behalf of

Johan van Gheel,

Gelderlandt,

Abraham de

Eduard Man,

On

—

De Heeren

^Joos

behalf of the Zealand Chamber.

van der Hoo-

ghen, Burgomaster,

Mr.

Symon

Mr.

on behalf

Woulter Teunemans,

Jan de Moor,

Abraham van Pere, Bouwen Meissen Schot,

ghen,

on behalf of Mid-

^

^

Jehan van der Merckt,

delburgh.

Cornells Coornne,

Adriaen de Ketelaer, on behalf of Vlis-

Cornells Claesz Elfsdyck,

singhen,

Abraham

Droogh-broodt, on behalf of

Pieter

Abraham

Adriaen Velters, on behalf of Ter-Veere, Pieter Muenic,

)

Galeyn ten HaefF,

)

on behalf of Mid-

Bisschop,

Pieter Joosten Duyvelaer,

Steven Becker,

delburgh,

Pieter Alleman,

Willera Snellen, on behalf of Vissinghen,

Jeremias Waelens, on behalf of Thoo-

Abraham

Schooten,

Nicolaes Velinx,

len,

Boudaen Courten, on behalf of

Cornells Lampsens,

Hendrik Liens,

Middelburgh,

Mr. Job Porrenaer, on behalf of Vlissin-

Pauwels Jansz. Serooskercke,

Jan Louys,

ghen, Pieter

van der Velde,

Jehan Gysselingh,

Middelburgh,

Pieter

Beaxmiont,

Jean van der Poorten,

Rogier Cobbert, on behalf of Vlissin-

Pieter Beurdt,

Symon van

Mid-

delburg.

of

Schotte,

Antonio Godjm,

Visscher.

van Essen,

Jan Velinx,

Principal partner director on behalf

)

of Middelburgh,

Nicolaes Swancke,

David Taetse.

Barents, on behalf of Ter-

ChristofFel

Verre,

On

behalf of the

Maeze Chamber,

At Dordrecht.

De Heeren—Cornells van Terensteyn, Mr. Jacob de Witte,

Dirck van der Hasghe, Johan van der Mast,

Michiel Pomp^,

Arendt Martenz,

Comelis Nicolay,

RoelofF Francken,

Wynandt

Comelis van Beveren,

Jansz. Rutgers,

At

—

De Heeren

Philips Doublet,

Delft.

Adriaen van der Goes,

Hendrik van Milligem,

Adriaen Pietersons,

Jacob Hoghenhoeck,

Mr. Johan de Voocht,

APPENDIX. Geerard van Fockenstaert,

Mr.

van den Heuvel,

Pieter Antheunisz.

413

Wm.

Schade,

Arendt Jacobsz. van der GraefE

At Rotterdam.

De Heeren

—Corns. Claesz. van Driel,

Hendrik van Eck,

Jacob Velthuysen,

Thomas

Dirck Pietersz. van Veen,

Adriaen van der Dusse,

Henrick Nobel,

Sarich Hairwyck.

Varver,

Johan Robberts,

On De Heeren—Jr.

Floris

behalf of the North Quarter Chamber.

van Tey-

Gerrit Jansz.

Meyndert Thomasz., of Enkhuysen, on be-

hughen, Burgomaster,

van der Nieuw-

burgh, Burgomaster,

Alcmaer.

maer.

Jacob Volckertz, of Enkhuysen, Comelis Sweerssz, of Enkhuysen,

Pieter Willemsz. Kessel, Olfert Barentz,

Pieter

Johan van Foreest,

Jr.

Adriaen Cornelisz. Schaghen, of Alk-

half of

Claes Willemsz. Crap, Burgo-

on behalf of Hoorn.

master,

Symon

gomaster,

Lantman,

Pietersz.

on be-

sen,

half of

Pieter

Enk-

Burgomaster,

huy-

Jacob Menten,

zen.

Edam, Hoorn,

Pauw,

of Alcmaer,

Burgomaster at

Pieter Dircksz. Ben,

Hoom, Gerritsz. Juel, of

Hoorn,

Mr. AUert de Groot, of Hoorn,

Boudewyn Heynsz. '

Jacob Pieter Mienses,

[

on behalf

Mr. Pauwels Swanenburgh, of Alc-

of Edam.

Claes Syraonsz. Dolphyn, on behalf of

maer, Claes Adriaensz. Clock, of Hoorn,

Monnickendam,

Pieter Claesz. Bosch-Schieter, Burgo-

Willem Dircksz. Everhardt, on behalf

Burgomaster,

of

Burgo-

Vanninghs,

Me-

denblick.

master of Edam,

Dirck Willemsz. Everhart, of Medenblick,

master,

Martin Boudewynsz., Burgomaster of

Sasker Comelisz. Schaghen, of Meden-

Edam,

blick,

Mathysz. Schaghen, Burgo-

master of Medenblick,

Jacob Schaghen Hooghlandt, Dirck Jacobsz. Haghen, of Monnicken-

Hoom, Hoom,

dam.

Claes Jacobsz. Roch, of

Jan Jansz. Sus,

of

On

behalf of the

Chamber of Stadt en Landen.

De Heeren-^ochim Altingh, Burgomaster, Hugo van Nyeveen,

Burgomaster,

Albert Condors,

Jr.

Johan Seckinghe,

Jr.

Jr.

Onno Tamminga, Remt Rangers,

Pieter Isebrants, Councillor,

Jr.

at

Maertsz. Lievens, Burgomaster

Dr. Johan

Pieter Hardebol,

Cornelis

Enkhuysen,

Dirck Codde van der Burgh, at Enkhuy-

Gerrit Jacobsz. Trompet, Bur-

Pieter

of

at Medenblick,

Fredrick Broeker,

Comelis

Huygh,

Pieter Claesz. Teenghs, of

Jan van Neck, Burgomaster

Jr.

Sygert Syghers,

APPENDIX.

414 Jr.

Edzard Jacob Clandt,

Jr.

Diderich Scharff,

Bartoldt Wickeringhe, Councillor, Jr. ChristofFer

van Eussum,

Hillebrandt Gruys, Councillor,

Albert Wyfrink, Councillor, Joost

van Cleve, Councillor,

Hendrick van Royen, Jr.

Rempt Jensema,

Jr.

Johan Horenken,

Jr.

Barent Conders,

Heer Folckert

Folckertsz.

Bernhard Julsingh, Burgomaster, Jr.

Lambert van Starkenburgh,

Nicolaus Mulerius, Professor,

Heer Tobias Iddekingha,

Heer Willem van Vyrssen,

Pieter Eyssinghe, Burgomaster,

Heer Barent

Jansz.,

Hendrick Schonenburgh, Councillor

Edzard Rengers, Councillor, Jr.

Evert Leeuwe.

APPENDIX.

415

D. Capt. Masori's Letter

[Mr. Secretary Coke

to

New

[London Documents,

Right Honorable

?] relative to the

Dutch

in

Netherland, 2d April, 1632.

—In

Hollanders were upon the coast of

Cape Codd and Bay de la Warre, that country which was granted to

New

in

vol. I.J

Lord God 1621, or thereabouts, certaine

yearo of

w*

England, tradeing

40 degrees of northerly

y^ Indians, betwixt

latitude, being

a parte of

Walter Rawleigh by Queene Elizabeth,

Sir

1584, and afterwards to diverse of their subjects, under y^

title

anno

in

of Virginia

which

;

countrey was divided by agreement of y^ Virginia Company, and the Northeast parte thereof confirmed afterward by sell for

King James,

in

anno 1606,

to ye President

and Coun-

ye plantations there, which have beene settled in Virginia on y^ one hand to

now

the westwards,

about

fortie

yeares, and in

ys eastward, above 25 yeares since.

published a

mapp

Low

in

Cape Codd,

Virginia and

New

The sayd

ye middle betwixt the sayd plantations, and at

England on the other hand,

Hollanders as interlopers

theii-

Countries of y^ sayd sea coaste comp'hended betwixt of New Netherlands, giveing ye name of the

undi" y" tytle

Prince of Aurange to the comitrie and river of Manahata, where ye Dutch are planted, (which sayd countrey

men

in their

voyages

was many yeares

a.s

farr as

Cape Codd,

merly discovered and traded unto diverse tymes by

And

goe and

sitt

tyme when

Samucll Argall, Kn* wth

downe the

Dutch

intruded,

my

wch

sev'all

to other places to

had beene

all w

After the death of the late Van Rensselaer, and sale of his property and payment of debts, there wets still found in his Corpse house remaining at the opposite side from the surplus of his Estate

fl.

403,510

fl.

107,994

O 67,471

for Father's Estate

fl.

40,523

[Equal to $16,207.]

5.912

N. B. Which aforesaid Father's property must be divided into ten parts, to wit For one child by the first marriage, and eight by the second, their father has left, whereof two deceased have made their mother their heiress ; and then still a child's share for mother herself, make altogether ten parts. :

800

2,800

is

154,761 189,925 58,824

5,091

2,000

fl.

This above stated account or balance Rensselaer, deceased.

fl.

....

Remains

.

with the equipage of the ship The Arms of Rensselaerswyck is earned For the sold jewels of the surviving widow, wherefrom cash has come into the common estate :— 1 Diamond ring Bracelets 1 Collar that is not to be found

By By

Estate hereinbefore (folio 1) amounting, according to valuation thereof purchase of Pearls, (folio 2, 3 and 4,) amounting to debts to be received, (folio 6) .

Deduct the items 29,668

for the agio of the

vi^ere to

were

fl.

CREDIT.

By Real

403,510

draw^ her ad-

to

And for her jointure by marriage contract After the death of the deceased is paid for interest of the

And

192,360 103,156

N

.

—

B. This

whom

is

independent of our share in the Colonie, which

is

besides.

67,471

made up by Johan van Wely,

as Executor

and Administrator of the Estate (Sterfhuys) of Father Kiliaen van

APPENDIX.

469

o. Van

Curler's Account of the

Quarrel between himself and Donck.

Van

der

[From the Rensselaerswyck MS.]

Whereas, sence and

I have great reason to

when

his disposition,

am

I

Mel

may

away,

in ore,

presume that Adriaen van der Donck,

way

thought well to note the following by the recollection, and the trutn

happened then

It

Van

der

he gave

it

up,

memorandum,

of

had

as I

also

for

But

this afterwards

would

there, I

appeared otherwise, which as

first insist,

mer questions and Donck and I fell to I,

particular question

Out

said,

Many

ab-

have

mentioned

was

right, that

is

him

to

I

that before

fall

no

too long here to detail.

Secondly,

he should have nothing to do with

for-

Van

der

He

maintained firmly

on the Patroon, as he undertook

and that

;

De

on the conditions of

it

I should prove it

it

prove out of

to

from

his

contract,

happened, as

I after-

No

other reasons were given, not worth recapitulating.

grew out

of them, so they

of the foregoing words then

another, I stated to

my

so

after-writing broke not a contract.

law, and contained a special condition as

all

wards showed him.

in

know well

in order that the time,

talk over the late burning of his house.

on the contrary,

which excluded

;

but every thing must be given to him clear, so

losses,

that the loss of the house should books.

lies

which purpose they had come together at

come

be remarked, that he must resign

to

(for I

with Michael Jansen about hiring him his bouwerio

Vos and Van Es, which he denied, maintaining that as Michael

blame me,

not be obscured.

was concerned,

And

was

it

may

in treaty

the aforesaid place.

to

house of our worthy pastor Dominie Megapolensis, that

at the

Donck was

for so long as his lease

by backbiting,

seek,

Fel in corde,) and in other ways to impute

him some

we

things

fell

may

into

be passed over as irrelevant.

a quarrel, and one word borrowing

which he had reported of

me

behind

whereupon, in the presence of some honorable people, he gave me, who

my

told

back,

him

so,

Here hypocrisy removed Here came the wolf out of the sheep's clothing the Here he showed that he undoubtedly, long before this the mask from her own face lie.

!

i

time,

had fed

ingratitude in his breast,

his

which he had reported of me. misfortune had happened him I

whatever

I had,

through boasting

only to show his mask.

Having given me the

man

;

and therefore,

Wednesday

He

is

also

apparent from the censure

The day

his wife to

my

I sent

house, and

let

good or bad, to the date 23d February aforesaid. ;

lie,

To come

to the point

after that

him a ton

them share

I say this not

:

my blood was warm, I took occasion to tell him immy house, being unwilling to sit at the table with such

for

mediately, that he should quit

a

which

always had done him good.

had beside brought him and

of meat.

out of doors.

I

—namely, the 18th January, 1646—

besides, that

if

he did not remove

his chest to

some place by

the 21st, (this conversation passed on the 19th of Feb.,) I should put

But he had

it

remained another day.

it

removed.

But

as I had sworn that he shovdd not eat six meals in

—

!

APPENDIX.

470

my

came I

was

house, he

me and would

to

answered

—that

the other with

it,

Pretending

present at mealtimes only once.

have an account of

had

as I

much

was indebted

that he

all

me —that

cunning was well known to

his

to

sorrow, he then

To which

me.

he intended one thing or

But, I said, that he required this for a

fully considered.

For the Lord the Patroon had charged him to render an account to and he wished me first to render him an account. But that I

bad purpose.

the commissary,

my

should keep I

mouth.

finger well out of his

gave him, at the same time, these reasons

To

I.

II.

my

That

On

III.

why

I

had

told

him

to quit

:

avoid trouble.

stock of provisions

my

account of

say which

was not

I

was nearly exhausted. For I sometimes had something

freedom.

willing that

all

men

to write or to

should know.

I had fixed a day for his leaving.

That

Because

had already

I

told

him twice that he should

had

depart, but that as yet I

seen no preparations for so doing.

That

I

was

me

ready given

That if

I

Bogaerd,] in the

When

1

which he had

for

al-

noted these things so closely, and no

man

should think

strange

it

and practices were known.

hereupon, forthwith, he proceeded from fort,

and crept there

would scarce be willing out

day because I had sworn,

cause.

now had

their craft

And

so particular as to the

to enter.

into

Forsooth,

my

house to Mr.

Harmanus [Van

der

a cottage, or hut, into which no one be seen at once

'twill

one misfortune overtakes me, then

it is

that I

am

how

I

am

turned

smote upon the head

I

Miserere mei

This

is

and

presented, into

But when we view

plausible.

present

still

him with a

it

right,

not altogether

it is

suitable house,

But he must do something

which he can move.

in

the colonic, hath apparently

its

in the

way

God knows

object.

For

I

have

wherein Officier Coorn resided, of penance.

he had rather inhabit a hut under the wings of the company, than house

so.

live

that.

in a

That decent

Practica est

multiplex.

In troubled waters,

burning

'tis

said, there

is

good

fishing.

So

it

happened on the occasion

For the following persons warm themselves by the coals of the

above narrated. fire.

[The MS. tenninates abruptly

here.]

Minute referring Van der Donck^s claims

to

Holland,

[From the Rensselaerswyck MSS.]

Whereas

I

have seen the

credit

which Adriaen van der Donck pretends

according to his account, from the Lord Patroon the

same

So

to claim,

and, again, his debit set off against

;

his credit

And

;

is

found to amount to

fl.

his debit to

6097.17 3039.

Amount

claimed by him,

fl.

1

3058.16

APPENDIX. But

portion of his credit,

charged

annum

him

to

and which

also, as

;

in

471

and some other things which increase a large

as the house has been burnt,

my

opinion ought, according to his contract, be

some items belong

to his debit,

such as sixteen guilders per

each servant, [knecht,] together with the pay

for

for their

board on coming

over.

On the other hand, Van der Donck expenses to the

;

it is

thinks that he

was

to

therefore resolved to let the matter rest so,

be held free from

and

to transmit

it

loss

as

and it

is

Honorable Masters, so that their advice might be learned thereupon.

Actum, Rensselaerswyck, 28th April, anno 1646.

Adriaen van der Donck.

Note of Hand

to the

Deacons of the Church of Rensselaerswyck, Anno 1647.

I,

the undersigned, Anthonie de Hooges, have, on the part of the Noble Patroon

of the Colonie Rensselaerswyck, borrowed from the Diaconie of the aforesaid place, for the

term of one year,

to be repaid in cash, at the option of the lenders,

per cent, interest per annum, the

one hundred and twenty the aforesaid time,

is

sum

9th

May,

seawan, promising thankfully

in stated specie aforesaid, to

In testimony whereof, have I subscribed

Wyck,

1647.

with ten

of three hundred guilders in seawan, whereof

in ordinary

this

to

produce at

the Diaconie of the aforesaid place.

Acte with mine own hand.

Actum

R.

APPENDIX.

472

P. Tenths of those who

still

reside with the

Patroon on

the

common domain.

[From the Rensselaerswyck MSS.] Buck-

NAMES OF SETTLERS.

Year.

Peas. Barley. Rye. Wheat. Oats. wheat. Schepels. Schepels. Schepels. Schepels. Schepels. Schepels.

Michel Janssen. 1645 Teunis Dircksen van Vechten. 1642 1643 1644 1645 1646 1647 1644 Cornells Maessen. 1645 1646 1644 Simon Walinghen. 1645 1646 1645 Cryn Comellssen. 1646 Comellssens Clerk. 1646

The

20 32

20 48

22

44 54 25

2

18 16

24 30 12 17 10

24 10 16 12 16

36

30 30 22 16 26 20

2

8

1

2

4 12

2

3 1

10

30

24 24

tenths of Broer Comellssen for 1645 are not ascertained.

Composition for Tenths and Thirds for those who hold under that contract.

NAMES OF SETTLERS.

Adriaen van der Donck.

Cornells Segers.

Comelis van Es.

Andries de Vos.

Rutger Jacobsen,

[tenths.]

Willem Frederlcksen. Adriaen Hybertzen. Christoffel Davits.

Year.

1643 1644 1645 1644 1645 1646 1642 1643 1644 1645 1646 1642 1643 1644 1645 1646 1645 1646 1645 1646 1646

Wheat. Oats. Barley. Rye. Schepels. Schepels. Schepels. Schepeln.

Buckwheat. Schepels.

Peas. Schepels,

28 112 145

276 100

fl.

fl.

55

12

320 150

60 60 64 30 120 70 55 140 Ingrain 100 30 6 188 105 95 45 50 20 9 16 35 8

50 66

1

35

5

35 20

2 2 1

6 30 for tobacco and oats.

N. B. Willem Fredericksen quit his bouwerie after a year, because it did not suit him. The bouvverie heretofore occupied by A. Van der Donck, has, by purchase of whatever belonged to him, and of his lease, been transferred to Comelis Segers. So this year [1646] it brings little or no rent' because no seed of any account has been sown there.

APPENDIX.

473

a Two

ancient Leases for

Land

in the Colonic of Rensselaerswyck,

[From the Rensselaerswyck MSS.]

In

the

name of the Lord, Amen.

This day, 7th September, anno 1646, the presiding laerswyck on one

and Thomas Chamber on the

side,

Rensse-

officers of the Colonie

have agreed and consented

other,

about a certain parcel of land, lying right opposite the Bouwerie, called the Flatt, [de

bank of the

Vlachte,] on the east aforesaid, shall

river,

occupy as a bouwerie

between the two term of

for the

kills,

which land

he,

five successive years,

Thomas

commenc-

ing the 15th November, anno 1647, on the following conditions

Thomas Chamber doit in return

shall build free of all cost

from the Lord Patroon, at

long,

twenty

may

require, all faithful

all

parts

its

feet

wide

his

and charges, and without claiming a

own

expense, a farm-house sixty feet

and

in the clear, the projection

in proportion, as occasion

all

and firm work, without further specifying the same

and members similar

feet long, eighteen feet wide,

[uytlaetingh] on one side, the posts above the

beams

but in

;

A dwelling-house

barn of Poentje.

to the

and separate from the barn, thirty-two

projecting

apart

with a projection

two

feet

and a

half,

honest work, without specification, and without any expense to the Patroon as aforeFurther, the haggards, palisades, and in fine, every thing free of charge to the

said.

Patroon.

On

condition of receiving in

hand two mares and two

milch cows, the increase being on halves

studs,

and moreover, two

but herein he shall enjoy the privilege of

;

the bouweries which shall be leased on the arrival of the Director half and half, except such as the Indians

may

which

kill,

erect a mill near the aforesaid bouwerie, the said

offer to

before

all

From

the

quit.

The

same conditions as others, or summer sowing of the year 1647, shall he

others, on the

last

;

the risk

is

also

shall be at the sole risk of

In case any opportunity

the Patroon, on sufficient proof being brought thereof.

Thomas

shall

shall be preferred

as shall then be agreed upon. give tenths, and therewith be

seed which he shall plant in the bouwerie he

is

at liberty to thrash

without payment.

The

Thomas and

The risk of the Thomas Chamber. The said

tenths of the lease years remain, as on the other bouweries.

houses and barns and fences remain at the charge of shall preserve the said

fast repair,

as far as

is

house and barns above and around, and within,

without allowing any

damage

to befall

necessarj', enclose with fences not over

transporting the

same

to the

Lord Patroon,

charges, at the expiration of his lease.

them, and the land

two years

old,

all

delivering

in firm

around

up and

or his resident agent here, free of cost

And

and

the said houses, bams, and fences, shall

be the Patroon's rent for the aforesaid five years.

In case

it

should happen, which

God

forbid, that

and the Indians, and Thomas be obliged shall

to fly

war should break out between us

from the bouwerie, the time that he

be absent shall be allowed him, and his time begin again from the date of his return.

And ratified

whereas Thomas Chambers demands assurance that these conditions

by the Lords Masters without diminution,

60

addition, or

shall

be

annulment, therefore do

APPENDIX.

474 we,

in the

name

and guaranty

of the Lords aforesaid, promise

that there shall be no failure or neglect in whatever here, but, on the contrary,

Thomas,

be maintained even as

if

our Lords aforesaid them-

drew them up.

selves

Thomas Chambers bouwerie without

yearly pay,

shall

pounds of butter during his

all shall

to the said

mentioned and agreed upon

is

He

his lease.

let or

as

shall

an acknowledgment,

make

five

and twenty

use of his pasture above and below

hinderance.

Their worships, the presiding

officers aforesaid,

agree that he, Thomas, at the expi-

ration of the above five successive years, shall cultivate the said bouwerie

pay

further years, provided he

in addition to the tenths, five

from the produce of the said bouwerie, shall sell

time

for at that

and

;

three

still

hundred guilders yearly,

at a valuation according to the rate that grain

one mare and one

in addition to the aforesaid horses,

stud shall be delivered to him, according to agreement.

To

all

which the said Thomas Chambers hath agreed under

same manner

his signature,

have promised that on

as their worships the presiding officers

in the

their part

there shall be no failure in the performance of these conditions, and punctually to ob-

serve the

same under

how much

future,

confiscation of

soever they

may

obedience subject to

them

as occasion

all

and

Promising, moreover, to be in

rulers.

his (the Patroon's) magistrates

may demand,

as a good subject

In acknowledgment hereof hath

Actum

goods, having and to have, present and

all his

be, under the obligation of renouncing, according

to law, all [other] lords, courts, judges,

is

;

bound

all

be true and faithful to

to

to be.

Thomas Chamber signed

this

with his

own

hand.

Rensselaerswyck, as above dated.

Thomas Chambers.

In presence of

name

me

the Secretary, in the

of their honors the

Board

afore-

said,

Antonio de Hodges.

We,

guardians and tutors of Jean van Rensselaer, Patroon of the colonie called

Rensselaerswyck, situate on the North River, in

New

Netherland, &c., have leased

and farmed unto Arent van Curler, who hereby also acknowledges farmed from

us,

imder the following stated conditions,

Bouwery named

the

to

restrictions,

have leased and

and

stipulations,

the Flatte, (de Vlachte,) and the hereafter mentioned appurte-

nances, for the term of six successive years, the farm lease beginning and terminating

on the six

first

of September,

hundred eight and

I.

Firstly, the

and that of the house on the

Patroon retains for himself the tenths of

ducts which shall be raised

of

May, one thousand

off"

this

all

grain, fruits,

and pro-

bouwery.

.... morgens of farmland, of which the lessee .... morgens, and may, in addition, clear as much

This bouwery contains about

II.

shall

first

forty.

be bound yearly to cultivate

land as he shall be able to

till

with his people, without subletting or farming the same

during the continuance of the lease, with the understanding that the lessee shall take the crops standing in the

field,

on the commencement hereof, such as they are paying

the Patroon therefor according to the valuation of impartial persons, the Patroon agree-

ing on the other side, to take the crops which shall be standing on the expiration of this lease, at

III.

The

a valuation.

lessee shall be entitled to so

much

pasture as he shall require for his cattle

APPENDIX.

475

without paying any extra rent further than only one guilder for every swine that ranges in the woods.

And

IV.

for the cultivation of the said

two

his use six cows,

from among those on

heifers,

this

and the other half

shall be for the Patroon,

that the lessee

is

bound

bouwerie there shall be delivered

for

to wit

the lessee,

:

for

—one half the produce being well understood

it

number according

to restore the given

him

to

and two studs or oxen

[veers pincken,] six mares,

bouwery, and that on halves,

to the choice

of the

Patroon, and to divide the remainder, half and half, without the lessee pretending to

have any claim

for their

maintenance

payment,

or

or for the

above-mentioned

resti-

tution.

And

V. this

specially conditioned that the lessee shall not

it is

bouwery any other

have power

keep on

to

cattle of private individuals, nor to lend, alienate, or give

away

during the continuance of the lease of this bouwery, any of the received stock, without our special consent, and he shall duly convey and ride

all

the

manure on and

over the land. VI. For the use of which bouwery and occupancy of the house, the lessee shall pay

yearly to the Patroon the

sum

of five hundred guilders, ($200,) but for the

a deduction of one hundred and

convey

at four guilders

($60)

own expense

November, and the other half

half in

first

fifty guilders

his laborers thither at his

be made

shall

—which

payment

in

first

year

regard that he

shall

be made, the

February, in merchantable beaver-hides,

in

($1 60) the pound, or in grain ready current money.

at the current rate as the

same

is

sold

in the colonie, or in

The

VII. in

lessee shall be holden to

good repair, and

keep the houses and buildings on the bouwerye

and maintain the bouwerye

to preserve

expense, provided the house shall be

and

he

at the expiration of the lease,

VIII.

It

first

shall deliver

well understood that the lessee

is

is

it

up

in

good order

at his

in the

same

state.

holden, over and above the aforesaid

rent, during the winter season, to cut in the forest for the Patroon, ten pieces of

or fir-wood,

which

every year,

to give three days' service

his guardians

oms

;

also,

each year,

mud

;

to the shore

;

oak also,

and bring

to the waterside,

two fath-

further, to deliver yearly to the Director as quit-

[two bushels] of wheat, five and twenty pounds of butter, and

pair of fowls.

The

IX.

lessee shall not lodge

any strange

ceive their goods on pain of forfeiting

ejected as a perfidious

And

X. shall

him, and bring the same

with his wagon and horses, to the Patroon or

to cut, split,

of hickory or other firewood

rent, one-half

two

shall be pointed out to

own

him wind and weather-tight,

delivered to

in

all

traders in his house, nor bring nor re-

the conditions granted to him, and to be

man.

case any question should arise between the lessee and others, the same

be submitted to the commissaries there, without any appeal or further complaint

being allowed.

XI.

The

lessee submits himself, moreover, as

a faithful subject, to

all

regulations,

and conditions made by the Patroon and read before him, regarding dwelling together, and to all the statutes and ordinances to be hereafter made. orders,

XII.

The

lessee promising,

faithfully in the said quality,

on the passing of the aforesaid

and

to fully follow the

same

in the least nor in the most, directly nor indirectly, all

and goods, moveable and immoveable, having and thereof,

and the adjudication

;

lease, to

comport himself

not to defraud the Patroon

under mortgage of to

his person

have, submitting the whole

thereof, to the constraint of all laws

and judges.

APPENDIX.

476

XIII. Finally have the guardians and lessors reserved,

in

case the aforesaid bouw-

erye should be leased by the commissaries there, before the arrival of the lessee there, that this lease shall be null,

and the aforesaid Curler being shewn another

bouwerye, the commissaries there shall in that case agree

wherewith Curler

is

satisfied

In witness whereof tember, 1647. of

me

is

this

Jehan van Weely,

as witness, F.

vyith

him thereupon,

and agreed.

by each party subscribed,

W. van

in

Amsterdam,

this

30th Sep-

Twiller, Arendt van Curler, in presence

van de Ven, Not. Pub. residing in Amsterdam.

APPENDIX.

477

R. Prices of imported articles and domestic produce in the Colonie of Rens selaerswyck from 1630 to 1646. [Compiled from the account books of the Colonie.]

N. B. 20

stivers

make one

florin of

40 cents, and 2J

florins,

one

dollar.

Imports.

.... .... ....

fl. St.

Kersey, red, blue, or white, per Cloth,

Canvass,

Osnabruck

2.00

ell,

" 2 to 5.00

An

"

"

A seine A hoop net. A lanthom. A kettle, A wooden ladle.

15

"

linen,

9

«

Duffels,

Linen breeches,

.

3.00 .

1.10

.

3.10

A trimmed shirt, or chemise. A blanket, or coverlet, A linen gown, [roke,]

7 to 8.00

Shoes, per pair.

2

to 4.00

,

1.

.

Children's do.,

1.10

.

A skein of silk, A hat, A peajacket.

....

Sugar,

per

Cotton yarn,

"

Net yarn,

"

Shoemakers' yam,

An

lb.,

cartouch box.

axe, or hatchet.

spade,

A winnowing fan. A plough and iron-work. A wooden yoke, A ploughshare, Sheep's

bell,

Silk buttons per doz.,

Gunpowder, Cheese, Soap,

«

Prunes,

"

Large

.

19.00

li to 2.00

2

to 5.00

.

.

1 J to .

.

Sole-leather per

Upper-leather

lb.,

"

"

"

.

Spruce beer [1637] " " Oil,

"

.

"

'