n any. (Printed in Dutch and Enghsh) 86 1622 June 10 Amplification of the charter of the West India Company. . (Printed in Dutch and English) 116 1623 Feb. 13 Amplification of the charter of the West India Company. (Printed in Dutch and English) 122 June 2 1 Agreement between the directors and the chief participants of the West India Company. (Printed in Dutch and English) 126 1629 Jan. 13 Notification by Samuel Godyn, Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Samuel Blommaert that they send two persons to New Netherland to inspect the country 154 June 7 Freedoms and Exemptions granted to those who will plant colonies in New Netherland. (Printed in Dutch and EngUsh) 136 " 7 Registration by Michiel Pauw of a colony on the river of Sickenames 154 " iQ Registration by Samuel Godyn of the colony of Swanen- dael on the bay of the South River 155 Oct. 15 Registration by Michiel Pauw of a colony on the island Fernando do Noronho 155 " 22 Registration by Albert Coenraets Burgh of a colon}' on the island of St Vincent 156 Nov. I Registration by Albert Coenraets Burgh and others of a colony on the east side of the South Bay 156 " 16 Registration by Samuel Blommaert of a colony on the Fresh River 157 " 19 Registration by Kiliaen van Rensselaer and associates of a colony above and below Fort Orange, on both sides of the North River 157 1630 Jan. TO Registration by Michiel Pauw of the colony of Pavonia, on both sides of the North River, from the Narrows north. . 158 5 6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 1630 PAGE Jan. 12 Instructions to Bastiaen Jansz Krol 158 Extract oC same 700 16 Instructions to Wolfert Gcrritsz 161 Extract of same 700 Feb. I First combination of colonies in New Nethcrland and shares each partner is to have in them 164 Apr. 17 Registration by Samuel Blommaert of a colony on the island of St Martin or on Barbados, among the Caribbean Islands 166 Aug. 13 Certificate of purchase from the Indians of land on the west side of the Hudson River from Smacks Island to Moenemin's Castle and of tract of land on the cast side opposite Castle Island and Fort Orange 166 Sept. 16 Symon Dircksz Pos, councilor in New Nethcrland, to Kiliaen van Rensselaer 169 Oct. I Agreement between the patroons, Samuel Godyn, Albert Coenraets Burgh, Samuel Blommaert and Kiliaen van Rensselaer (with postscript of March 2, 1639) 171 Nov. 7 Registration by Kiliaen van Rensselaer and his copartners of a colony on Sable Island 175 Dec. 21 Registration of various colonies vith the Chamber of Middelburg 176 163 1 Jan. 12 Agreement between Kili;ien van Rensselaer and Marinus Adriaensz van der Veere 176 Extract of same 674 Feb. 17 Agreement of Marinus Adriaensz van der Veei-e with Jasper Ferlyn van der Gouw; memorandum of similar agree- ments with Claes Brunsteyn van Straelsundt, Jan Tyaerts van Franicker and Cornells Maesen van Buyrmalsen, dated May 27, 1631 179 Ma}^ Certificate of purchase from the Indians of land on the west side of the Hudson River between Beeren Island and Smacks Island 181 " 16 Extract from minutes of the Chamber of Amsterdam. Request of Kiliaen van Rensselaer for transportation of Marinus Adriaensz van der Veere and others 184 " 19 Extract from minutes of the Chamber of Amsterdam. Request of Marinus Adriaensz van der Veere for permit to go to New Nethcrland and action on this request and that of Kiliaen van Rensselaer of the i6th 185 " 27 See entry for Feb. 17, 163 1. July 2 Agreement between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Andries Christensz and others i8f) Extract of same 675 7 Extract from the minutes of the Chamber of Amsterdam. Request of Kiliaen van Rensselaer for permission to send VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 7 163I PAGE July 7 over to New Netherland colonists and animals, and granting of same 189 " 7 Names of colonists sailing in de Eendracht 190 " 9 Memoranda of payments to colonists and for tools sent by them 191 1632 Jan. I Inventor}'^ of stock on farm no. 3, island of Manhattan. . . . 192 June 15 Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Gerrit Theusz de Reux ." 193 Extract of sanie 675 " 15 Memoranda of the engagement of certain farm laborers. . 195 27 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet 196 July I Power of attorney to Wouter van Twiller to administer the oath of schout to Rutger Hendricksz van Soest 201 " I Power of attorney to Rutger Hendricksz van Soest to ad- minister the oath of schepen to Roelof Jansz van Master- land, Gerrit Theusz de Reux, Marinus Adriaensz van der Veere, Brant Peelen van Nijkerck and Laurens Laurensz van Coppenhagen; the schepen oath... 202 20 Memoranda from Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller • 204 " 20 Instructions to Rutger Hendricksz van Soest, schout, and the council of the colony of Rensselaerswyck 208 Extract of same 701 " 20 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Coenraet Notelman 213 " 20 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Dircik Cornelisz Duyster 215 " 20 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Bastiaen Jansz Krol 217 " 20 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wolfert Gerritsz 218 " 20 Memoranda, about letters to Albert Dieterinck and Jacobus van Curler and about Rutger Morris 219 " 20 List of animals in the colony of Rensselaerswyck 220 " 20 List of the men on the farms 222 " 20 Inventory of goods and cattle sold by Peter Minuit to Wouter van Twiller and Kiliaen van Rensselaer 223 " 20 Bill of sale of increase of animals on farm no. 3, on the island of Manhattan, by Pieter Bijlvelt to Kiliaen van Rensselaer 225 " 20 Promissory note of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Bijlvelt for increase of animals on farm no. 3; receipts for pay- ment on same, dated Feb. 24, 1634 226 " 20 Bill of sale of animals and implements on farm no. 3, on the island of Manhattan, by Pieter Bijlvelt to Kiliaen van Rensselaer. ., '. . . 227 " 27 Promissory note of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Bijlvelt for animals and implements on farm no. 3 ; receipts for payments on same, dated Nov. 11, 1632. and Feb. 24, 1634 228 8 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 1632 PAGE July 27 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller 229 Nov. II See entry for July 27, 1632. Pieter Bijlvelt to the copartners of the colony of Renssclaers- wyck 234 1633 Nov. 25 Memorial presented by Kiliaen van Rensselaer to the Assembly of the Nineteen of the West India Company. . 235 1634 Feb. 24 See entry for July 20 and 27, 1632. Mar. 4 Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Jacob Albertsz Planck 250 Extract of same 676 " 10 Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Michiel Pauw. 254 Apr. 5 Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Cornells Teunisz van Breuckelen 255 " 13 Further contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Michiel Pauw 257 " 15 Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Lubbert Giisbertsz van Blaricum 258 " 15 Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Hendrick Conduit van Coninghsbergen 260 " 20 Names of persons ready to sail in de Eendracht 263 " 20 Invoice of goods sent to the colony 263 " 23 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller 266 " 26 Memorandum of the engagement of Hendrick Carstensz van Norden as farm laborer 288 " 27 Kihaen van Rensselaer to Coenraet Notelman 288 " 27 Protest of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to the West India Com- pany on account of the detention of the animals of Gerrit Theusz de Reux and Pieter Bijlvelt 290 " 27 Instructions to Jacob Albertsz Planck, schout 292 Extract of same 701 " 27 List of papers given to Jacob Albertsz Planck 296 . " 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to the Director and Council in New Netherland 297 " 30 Order of Michiel Pauw to Kiliaen van Rensselaer for pay- ment of bill 299 May Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Roeloffsz 300 " 2 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck 300 June 21 Arbitration of accounts of Pieter Bijlvelt and Kiliaen van Rensselaer 301 " 30 Examination of Bastiaen Jansz Krol 302 July 20 Bill of Michiel Pauw to Kiliaen van Rensselaer for his share in expenses of patroonships in New Netherland 305 20 Account of the jurisdictions, management and condition of the territories named Rensselaerswyck 306 21 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet 312 21 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jehan Raye 313 VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 9 1635 PAGE May 24 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck 313 " Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller 315 1636 Jan. 10 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Coenraet Notelnian 317 Aug. 26 Contract with Pieter Cornelisz van Munnickendam, Claes Jansz van Naerden and Albert Andriesz van Frederick- stad (extract) 676 26 Contract with Reynier Thijmensz, Dirck Janr.z, "etc." (extract) 677 Sept. 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller 319 Oct. 2 Instructions to Pieter Cornelisz van Munnickendam (extract) 702 3 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob All)ertsz Planck 323 4 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wolfert Gerritsz 331 " 4 List of papers and memoranda sent by Kiliaen van Rensse- laer to Jacob Albertsz Planck 331 6 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet 333 " 6 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest 336 8 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest 337 15 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest 338 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet 339 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest 341 Nov. 10 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest 342 28 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest 342 Dec. 5 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest 343 18 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest 344 1637 Jan, 8 Dirck Corssen Stam, Jan Tiepkesz Schellinger and Hendrick de Forest to Kiliaen van Rensselaer 345 " 9 Jan Tiepkesz Schellinger to his wife, Trijn Janse Bruigh .... 346 Apr. 2 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest 347 June 27 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Joost van Sandwech 348 Aug. 20 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Joost van Sandwech 349 Sept. 14 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Joost van Sandwech 349 21 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Cornelisz van Munnicken- dam 350 " 21 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller 351 " 21 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck 353 Nov.. 7 Log of the ship Rensselaerswyck on its voyage from Amster- dam to New Netherland and return, Sept. 25, 1636-Nov. 7. 1637 355 Dec. 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Peter Minuit 389 " 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck 391 26 Kil'aen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 392 " 26 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller 393 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Peter Minuit 395 " 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 396 10 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 1637 PAGE Dec. 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck 396 29 K'liaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller 39S 1638 Apr. 28 Inventory of goods consigned to Jacob Albertsz Planck by the ship het Wapen van Noorwegen 399 May 6 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller 400 " 7 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 402 " 8 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Ulrich Lupoltt 404 " 8 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Cornelisz van Munnick- endam 406 " 10 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Manritz Jansz van Broeckhuysen 40S " 10 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Albert Andriesz 409 " 10 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler 410 " 10 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck 411 " 12 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck 416 " 12 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornells Melyn 419 Petition of the officers and crew of het Wajjen van Noor- wegen to lighten the ship 419 May or ^ June Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Joost van Sandwech 420 Aug. 14 Willem Kieft to Kiliaen van Rensselaer 421 Sept. 14 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jonkheer Gerrit van Arnhem.. . . 424 1639 Mar. 2 See entry for Oct. i, 1630. " 31 Ordinance of Director and Council of New Netherland, pro- hibiting the sale of firearms to Indians and requiring vessels sailing to or from Fort Orange, the South River or Fort Hope, to obtain a permit 426 Apr. 8 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 427 May 12 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 427 ", 12 Commission" to Arent van Curler as secretary and book- keeper of the colony of Rensselaersv. yck 433 " 12 Commission to Cornells Teunisz van Breuckelen as repre- sentative of the patroon 435 " 12 Commission to Pieter Cornelisz van Munnickendam as re- ceiver of tithes and supercargo of the vessel 436' " 12 Permit to Maurits Jansz van Broeckhuysen to settle as farmer on de Laets Burg 437 •' 13 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler 438 " 13 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Cornelisz van Munnicken- dam 443 " 13 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Albert Andriesz 446 " 13 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Wolfertsz 448 " 13 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Ulrich Lupoltt 449 June II Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 449 " II Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Matthijs MuUer (heading only). . 450 VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 11 1639 PAGE Aug. 3 Ordinance of the patroon concerning the sale and export of furs, grain, etc 450 " 4 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler 452 " 4 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft "456 4 Instructions to Cornelis Teunisz van Breuckelen as repre- sentative of the patroon 459 Extract of same 702 Oct. 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jonkheer Gerrit van Arnhem. . . . 463 Nov. Memorandum of matters for cousin de Casembroot to bring to the attention of Secretary Musch 466 Dec. 9 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob AUiertsz Planck 467 1640 May 3 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssnrt 467 " 7 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 468 " 74 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 471 " 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 472 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 473 " 30 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler 485 " 30 Order of Wouter van Twiller to Aert Willemsz 490 June 16 Instructions to Arent van Curler as secretary and book- keeper of the colony of Rensse4aerswyck 490 " 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornelis Teunisz van Breuckelen . 495 " 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Cornelisz van Munnicken- dam 497 " 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Michiel Jansz van Scrabbekercke. 499 " 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Albert Andriesz 50c " 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Reyer Stoffelsz 502 " 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Maurits Jansz van Broeckhuy- sen 503 " 26 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jan Cornelisz 504 July 2 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Albert Andriesz 506 " 2 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler 508 " 19 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, prohibiting- storing grain and tobacco without inspection 515 Sept. 10 Memorandum of papers sent to the colony in the care of Crijn Cornelisz van Houten 515 " 10 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet 516 Oct. 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to the Cliamber of Amsterdam of the West India Company 518 1641 Jan. 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muys.sart 520 " 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jonkheer Gerrit van Arnhem. . . 524 " 31 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 527 Feb. 4 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet 528 " 5 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 535 " 5 Resolution of the States General empowering Kiliaen van Rensselaer to dispose of his fief of RensselaerswycK by will 536 12 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 164I PAGE Feb. 5 Letters patent ernpowering Kiliaen van Rensselaer to dis- pose of his fief of Rensselaerswj^ck by will 537 " 8 Johannes de Laet to Kiliaen van Rensselaer 539 21 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Louis Saulmon 543 Mar. 25 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 543 Apr. 20 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem van Galen. . .• 545 20 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 545 May 4 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Adriaen van dcr Donck 547 13 Commission to Adriaen van der Donck as officer (extract) . . 703 14 Instructions to Adriaen van der Donck as ofllcer (extract). . 703 " 14 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 548 14 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler 549 " 14 Order of Wouter van Twiller to Aert Willemsz 552 June 6 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 552 " 18 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 554 " 18 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornells van der Donck 554 July 10 Order of the We.st India Company to Jqji Arisz, skipper of den Coninck David to transport Antony de Hooges, Jan Verbeck and family, and others 555 " 17 Instructions to Antony de Hooges (extract) 704 " 18 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler 556 " 18 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, prohibiting sale of firearms and ammunition to the Indians 565 " 19 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 566 " 23 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Adriaen van der Donck 571 " 27 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler 572 Aug. I Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornells van der Donck 573 " 12 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck regulating trade 573 Sept. 21 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornelis van der Donck 574 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 575 " 29 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler 576 Oct. 8 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 578 9 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem van Galen 579 Nov. 29 Journal of Antony de Hooges on his voyage to New Nether- " land in den Coninck David, July 30-Nov. 29, 1641 5S0 Dec. 10 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornelis van der Donck 603 1642 Feb. I Contract with Abraham Staas, surgeon (extract) 67S " 12 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes Megapolensis 604 Apr. 6 Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Johannes Megapolensis 606 May 14 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornelis van der Donck 608 June 3 Memoranda from Kiliaen van Rensselaer for Johannes Mega- polensis 609 " 5 Contract with Evert Pels, brewer (extract) 679 8 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Antony de Hooges 620 " 8 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 621 VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS I3 1642 PAGE Sept. II Willem Kieft to Kiliaen van Rensselaer 623 Oct. 10 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, prohibiting freemen and private traders from coming with their ves- sels within the limits of the colony 626 " 18 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, prohibiting inhabitants of the colony from trading with the " resi- dents " without special consent 627 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, prohibiting export of goods without special consent and forbidding people who come to live or hunt in the colony from leaving without making a contract 628 Jan. 12 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Hendrick Willemsz . 629 " 12 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes Megapolensis of Coe- dijck 629 Mar. 9 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Adriaen van der Donck. 630 " 13 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes Megapolensis 645 " 16 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Oloff Stevensz 655 " 16 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft 656 " 16 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler 658 " 18 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Antony de Hooges 669 July Q Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 670 " 18 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 671 " 22 Sons of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jan Bastiaensz 672 " 22 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes Megapolensis of Coe- dijck 672 22 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart 673 Aug. 6 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart. 673 " 25 Contract with Cornells Segersz van Voorhout (extract). ... 679 " 25 Extracts from agreements and contracts between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and his colonists, Jan. 12, 1631-Aug. 25, 1643 674 26 Commission to Nicolacs Coorn as commander and commis on Rensselaers Steyn and to Jan Dircksz van Bremen as Fkipper of the vessel 680 Extract of same 704 Sept. 2 Placard warning private traders not to sail into the colony and setting forth new trade regulations in connection with the staple right of Rensselaers Steyn 682 " 5 Redress of the abuses and faults in the colony of Rensse- laerswyck 686 " 8 Notice to be served on private traders who contrary to the patroon's orders sail into the colony 697 Extract of same 705 " 8 Extracts frcm instructions and commissions issued by Kili- aen van Rensselaer, Jan. 12. 1630-Sept. 8, 1643 699 " 10 Account of ammunition for Rensselaers Steyn 70 14 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 1643 PAGE Sept. 16 Proper remedy against the abuse of outstanding accounts in the colony of Rensselacrswyck 707 1644 Aug. 9 Account of grain delivered by Teunis Dircksz van Vechten to the West India Company 715 " 13 Sentence of banishment pronounced on Adriaen Willcm.sz. . 715 " 31 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselacrswyck regulating the picking of hops 716 Dec. 26 Ledger of the accounts of the ship hct Wapen van Rensse- laerswycK, Oct. 20-Dec. 26, .1644 717 1645 May 8 Ordinance concerning the fur trade issued by the officers at Fort Orange in conjunction with the court of the colony of Rensselacrswyck 722 1647 Aug. 4 Johannes de Laet and Samuel Blommaert to Albert Coen- raets Burgh, with reply 724 1648 Nov. 20 Resolution of the States General on the petition of' Samuel Blommaert and others 725 1649 Apr. 26 Resolution of the States General in the matter of Johannes van Rensselaer and others.- 725 May 31 Reply of vSamuel Blommaert and Johannes de Laet to the States General 726 June 4 Resolution of the States General in the matter of Johannes Van Rensselaer and others 729 July 3 States General to Jan van Wely"and Wouter van Twiller. . 729 Nov. 5 Resolution of the States General on a petition of Samuel Blomm.aert and Johannes de Laet 730 1650 Mar. 26 Sentence of Claes Andriesz 731 Aug. 25 Lease of land at the south end of Greenbush to Cornelis Hendricksz van Nes 762 1651 Inventory of aninials in the colony sent over by Jan Baptist van Rensselaer 732 Memorandum of farms in the colony 740 1652 Aug. 28 Renewal of lease of farm to Cornelis Tcunisz van Breuckelen (Cornelis Anthonisz van Schlick) and Jean Labatie. ... 752 Sept. 14 Renewal of lease of farm on Papscanee Island to Claes Cor- nelisz van Voorhout 767 " 29 Lease of Castle Island to Cornelis Segersz van Voorhout. . 777 T653 Feb. 15 Renewal of lease of island opposite Bethlehem to Jan Reyersz van Houten 771 May. I Renewal of lease of farm and water power to Evert Pels. . 759 VAN RENSSELAER IJOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 15 1653 PAGE May 29 Bill of lading for three parcels of furs shipped from New Amsterdam by Jan Baptist van Rensselaer in de Elbinck. 743 Nov. 8 Petition of Anna van Wely and others for appraisal of houses and lots in Amsterdam belonging to the estate of the late Kiliaen van Rensselaer, with appraisers' report. . 744 1654 Jan. 2Q Offer of lease of grist and sawmills on the fifth creek to the -Feb. 2 highest bidder and memorandum that it has been granted to Jacob Jansz Plodder 746 Mar. 7 Lease of farm north of the fifth creek to Johan de Hulter. . 751 May I Lease of farm in Greenbush to Aert Jacobsz 763 June 2 Agreement about changes in above lease of Jacob Jansz Plodder 748 " 23 Renewal of the lease of farm called de Hoogeberch to Gijs- bert Cornelisz van Breuckelen 769 July 20 Lease of farm west of the creek of Castle Island to Jean Labatie 775 Nov. 18 Lease of farm between the two creeks to Jan Barentsz Wemp . . . .' 755 Dec. 14 Lease of water power of the upper mill on the fifth creek to Barent Pietersz and Teunis Cornelisz van Spitsbergen . . 749 1655 Mar. I Transfer of lease of maize land from Abraham Stevensz to Barent Pietersz and extension of the lease 749 Apr. TO Transfer of lease of farm from Pieter Winne to Eldert Gerbertsz Cruyf 772 1656 Aug. 3 Permission to Barent Pietersz and Teunis Cornelisz van Spitsbergen to erect another sawmill on the fifth creek. . 750 Sept. 30 Lease of water power on the mill creek south of the farm occupied by Jan Barentsz Wem.p to Abraham Pietersz Vosburgh and Hans Jansz van Rotterdam 754 1657 Mar. 29 Settlement of accounts, 1638-57, of the patroon and Teunis Dircksz van Vechten 766 Apr. 28 Lease of horses to Thomas Higgins, called Compeer 780 Mav X Renewal of lease of farm south of Greenbush to Teunis Dircksz van Vechten 764 1658 May I Lease of land on island opposite Beverwyck to Arent An- driesz 758 Tulv 12 Agreement of the council of Rensselaerswyck to pay tithes to the West India Company 781 Sept. 10 Adjustment of fire losses on farm of Aert Jacobsz at Beth- lehem 774 " T I Agreement about lease of a parcel of land on the east side of the river, opposite den sack, to Goossen Gerritsz and Thomas Jansz 758 i6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 1658 PAGE n. d. Memorandum that the water power opposite Bethlehem is not leased 770 n. d. Memorandum that Jan Helmsz has not renewed his lease. . 772 n. d. Memorandum that Eldert Gerbertsz has not renewed his sawmill lease 772 n. d. Memorandum of farm of Cornelis Cornelisz van Voorhout. . 775 n. d. Memorandum, that Albert Andriesz has not renewed his lease 775 Sept. II Extracts from leases of farms, sawmills, etc. 1650-58. . . . 746 1659 Oct. 6 Sibout Kiewcrt'to notary in Holland 783 1662 June 28 See entry for May 15, 167 1. 1663 Oct. 26 Petition of the schout, burgomaster and schepens of New Amsterdam to the Director and Council of New Nether- land for the convocation of delegates from the several towns to consider the state of the province; with the resolution on the same 784 Nov, 3 Delegates to the convention at Now Amsterdam to Jan Baptist van Rensselaer and Johannes Pietersz van Brugh 785 " 3 Delegates to the convention at New Amsterdam to the Chamber of Amsterdam of the West India Company. . . 787 10 List of papers sent to Jan Baptist van Rensselaer and Johannes Pietersz van Brugh in the name of the delegates to the convention at New Amsterdam 788 " 10 Burgomaster and schepens of New Amsterdam to Jan Baptist van Rensselaer and Johannes Pieten^z van Brugh. 789 1665 Apr. 28 Insurance policy on the ship het Gekruijste Hart and lading. 790 1671 May 15 Jan Hendricksz van Gunst to B. Coornhart, notary at Am.sterdam 792 " 15 Power of attorney from Jan Hendricksz van Gunst to B. Coornhart, to collect money from Aeltje Marchal and others 793 " 15 Note of hand, dated June 28, 1662, of Aeltje Marchal to Jan Hendricksz van Gunst 795 July 6 Accounts and invoice of the ship de Witte Kloodt 795 1696 Dec. 30 Brant Schuyler to Kiliaen van Rensselaer 803 List of settlers of the colony of Rens.ielaerswyck, 1630-58. . 805 Former Dutch coins, weights and measures and their equivalents 847 Index, , . . . , . , , 851 ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE Merchant's mark of Kiliaen van Rensselaer 67 Mark of (he colony of Rensselaerswyck 85 Last page of Uryhcden ende Exempticn (Freedoms and Exemptions) Amsterdam 1631 152 Signature of Kiliaen van Rensselaer 163 Notarial copy of extract from minutes of the Chaml^er of Amsterdam of the West India Company, July 7, 1631 189 Memorandum of the engagement of certain farm laborers, June 15, 1632 196 Last part of inventory of goods and animals sold by Peter Minuit to Woutcr van 'i Wilier and Kiliaen van Rensselaer, July 20, 1632 224 Promissory note of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pictcr Bijlvcll, July 20, J632, with receipt of February 24, 1634 226 List of persons who are to sail by the ship dc Fcndracht, April 20, 1634. 263 Order by Michiel Pauw to Kiliaen van Rensselaer for payment of bill, April 30, 1634 259 Last lines of letter from Dirck Corssen Stam, Jan Tiepkesz Schellinger and Hendrick de Forest to Kiliaen van Rensselaer, January 8, 1637... 345 Entries in log of the ship Rensselaerswyck, November i and 2, 1636.... 360 Last part of letter of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Peter Minuit, December 29, 1637, and first lines of letter of same date to Willem Kieft 395 Order of the West India Company to Job Arisz, skipper of den Coninck D^ivid, to transport Antony de Hooges and others, July 10, 1641 . . . 556 Waersclunnvingc , J^crhoth aide Toc-latuighc, wcglicns dc Colonic van Rcnsclacrs-zvyck (Warning, Prohibition and Permission concerning the colony of Rensselaerswyck), September 2, 1643 682 Title page of Rcdres Van dc Abuyscn cnde Faiiltcn in dc Colonic van Rcnssclacrs-wiick (Redress of the abuses and faults in the colony of Rensselaerswyck). Amsterdam 1643 686 Insinuatic, Protcstatie, cndc Presentatie van zvcghen den Patroon van de Colonic van Rcnssclaers-zvijck (Notice, Protest and Permission on behalf of the patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck), SeptemDer 8, 1643 697 i8 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Signatures of Samuel Blommaert and Johannes de Laet 728 Petition of Anna van Wely and others for appraisal of houses and lots at Amsterdam belonging to the estate of the late Kiliaen van Rens- selaer, with appraisers' report, November 8, 1653 744 Last part of letter of burgomaster and schepens of New Amsterdam to Jan Baptist van Rensselaer and Johannes Pietersz van Brugh, Novem- ber 10, 1663 789 Signature of Jan Hendricksz van Gunst 793 Map of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, about 1632 In pocket New York State Education Department New York State Library VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY A. J. F. van Laer, Archivist INTRODUCTION The present work contains translations of a collection of manu- scripts which on examination will prove one of the most valuable sources of information for the history of early Dutch settlement in the state of New York. The collection comprises a great variety of papers, inchulino^ joiu-nals of voyages^ deeds, leases, contracts, accounts and inventories of cattle; but the most important item is a volume containing coi)ies of letters, memorials and instructions written between the years .1630 and 1643 by Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the founder of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, to his colonists, to officials of the West India Company, to his copartners and to the States General. Nearly all the papers relate primarily to the estab- lishment and the early development of the colony of Rensselaers- wyck, bnt incidentally they touch on many matters relating to settle- ment in other parts of the province of New Netherland as well. History of the manuscripts. The papers have been handed down in the Holland branch of the van Rensselaer family and are at present owned by Jonkheer H. J. J. van Rensselaer Bowier and Jonkheer M. W. M. M. van Rensselaer Bowier, the surviving sons of the late Vice Admiral van Rensselaer Bowier, who inherited the papers from his mother, Sara van Rensselaer, the last of the name in Holland. The first person to use the papers for historical purposes was Mr Nicolaas de Roever, late archivist of the city of Amsterdam, to whose prolific pen and keen interest in matters pertaining to 17th century Dutch history so many valuable articles are due. Mr de Roever learned of the existence of the papers in 1888 and in 1890 published in Oud Holland, a periodical devoted to the history of Dutch art, literature and industry of which he was the editor, a few 19 20 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY of the most important documents, as appendixes to two articles on Kiliacn van Rensselaer cn rjijnc kuJonic Rensselaerswijck, which in narrative form give a summary of the contents of the papers up to 1641. Other articles were to follow, hut owing- to Mr dc Roevcr's death were not written. The articles appear to have attracted at- tention in this country about 1896. They contained much that was either new or at variance with long accepted notions as to events in the early days of the. colony and hence aroused curiosity as to the extent of the collection and the nature of the material which remained unpublished. In 1902, Miss Ruth Putnam made a special trip to Holland to investigate the matter, and on her return gave an account of her experiences in the November number of the Bibliographer. It proved that the papers, shortly after the death of Mr de Roever in 1893, had been returnerl to the family and in 1895 were loaned by an elder brother of the present owners, since deceased, to a friend by the name of J. F. Pieters, who took the papers to America and there, assuming the name of Pieters van Wely, attempted to dispose of them at private sales. Mr Pieters however did not succecp_ In the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. 1632, July 20 Promissory note of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to i'ieler Bijlvelt for increase of animals on farm no. 3; receii)t for pay- ment on same, dated Feb. 24, 1634. i^ip. In the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. 1634, Apr. 30 Order of Michiel Pauw to Kiliaen van Rensselaer for payment of bill; receipted by Reynier Pauw. ^p. 1634, July 20 Bill of Michiel Pauw to Kiliaen van Rensselaer for his share in expenses of patroonships in New Netherland. ip. 1634, June 21 Arbitration of accounts of Pieter Bijlvelt and Kiliaen van Rensselaer by Michiel Pauw and Hendrik Iloochcamer. ip. 1636, Sept. 25-1637, Nov. 7 Log of the ship Rensselaerswyck on its voyage from Amsterdam to New Netherland and return. 55p. Marked on outside: Joercnacl loocr ijan tiel^ks Scliellinger (Journal for Jan Tiepkesz Scliellinger). 1637, Jan. 8 Letter: Dirck Corssen Stam, Jan Tiepkesz Schel- linger and Hendrick de Forest to Kiliaen van Rensselaer, ip. Written from Ilfracombe, Devon, England. 1637, Jan. 9 Letter: Jan Tiepkesz Schellinger to his wife, Trijn Janse Bruigh. Written from Ilfracombe. 1638 Petition of the officers and crew of het Wapcn van Noor- wegen to Cornells Melyn to lighten the ship. ip. 1638, Aug. 14 Letter : Willem Kieft to Kiliaen van Rensselaer. 3p. 1639, Mar. 31 Ordinance of Director and Council of New Nether- land, prohibiting the sale of firearms to Indians and requiring vessels sailing to or from Fort Orange, the South River or Fort Hope, to obtain a permit, ip. Also in N .Y.Col.Mss, 4:36, and translation jirinted in Laivs and Ordi- nances of New Netherland, p. 18—19. 1640, July 19 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, pro- hibiting storing grain and tobacco without inspection. 20 x 3i^cm. Same in 18. 1640, July 19-1644, Aug. 31 Copies of certain ordinances published in the colony of Rensselaerswyck. I2p. Copia van Eenige placc<:ten gepubliceert Jnde Colonic Van Rens^elaers Wijck. N° : 7'; In the handwriting of Antony de llooges. 1641, Feb. 5 Resolution of the States General empowering Kiliaen van Rensselaer to dispose of his fief of Rensselaerswyck by will. Ip. Translation printed in Doc.rel.to Col. Hist. N .Y. 1:124. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 23 20 (40) 1641, Feb. 5 Letters patent empowering Kiliaen van Rensselaer to dispose of his fief of Rensselaerswyck by will. 52x67cm. Parchment. Translation printed in Doc.rel.to Col. Hist. N-Y. 1:124. 21 (7) 1641, Feb. 8 Letter : Johannes de Laet to Kiliaen van Rens- selaer. 3p. 22 (9) 1641, July 10 Order of the West Lidia Company to Job Arisz, skipper of den Coninck David, to transport Antony de Hooges, Jan Verbeeck and family, and others, ip. Printed blank. 23 (17) 1641, July ]8 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, pro- hibiting sale of firearms and ammunition to Indians, ip. Same in 18 and 31. 24 (8) 1641, July 3a-Nov. 29 Journal of ■A.ntony dc l looges on his voy- age to New Netlierland in den Coninck David. i6p. Journael gchouden opt Schip den Coninck Da^'id, gedcstineert nacr Nieu.v- N ederlandt Anno 1641. 25 (37) 1642, Sept. II Letter: Willcm Kieft to Kiliaen van Rensselaer. 3p. 26 (15) 1642, Oct. 10 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, pro- hibiting freemen and private traders from coming with their vessels within the limits of the colony. 32i/2X4icm. Same in 18. 27 (48) 1643, Aug. 26 Commission to Nicolaes Coorn as commander and comniis on Rensselaers Steyn and to Jan Dircksz van Bremen as skipper of the vessel. 2p. Copy. 28 (22) 1643, Sept. 10 Account of ammunition for Rensselaers Steyn and the arsenal, ip. Reeckcninge vande Amonitie voor Rensselaers Steijn en Wagenhtiijs [Wapenhuijs] . 29 (16) 1643 Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, prohibiting export of goods without special consent and forbidding people who come to live or hunt in the colony from leaving without making a contract. 2p. Same in 18 in same handwriting. 30 (13) 1644, Dec. 26 Ledger of the accounts of tlie ship bet Wapen van Rensselaerswyck. 6f. Schult Boeck Voor Reeckcninghe Vant Schip hct Wapen Van Rcnsslaers- Wyck. N°. M: 31 (14) 1645, May 8 Ordinance concerning the fur trade issued by the officers at Fort Orange in conjunction with the court of the colony of Rensselaerswyck; also, ordinance of July 18, 1641 ; also, account of grain delivered by Teunis Dircksz van Vechten to the West India Company, dated Aug. 9, 1644. 3p. 32 (46) 1647, Aug. 4 Letter : Johannes de Laet and Samuel Blommaert to Albert Coenraets Burgh, with reply. 2p. Papers 33-44 are copies made in 1649 for use m setiling ihc claims of tJie late patroon's copartners in the colony of Rensselaersivyck 33 (41) 1629, Jan. 13-1630, Nov. 7 List of the colonies registered with the Chamber of Amsterdam, abstracted for the Assembly of the XIX, in Zealand, Dec. 21, 1630. 3p. 24 34 (42) 35 (52) 36 (49) 37 (32) 38 (50 39 (31 ) 40 (30) 41 (6o) 42 (26) 43 (27) 44 (28) 45 (59) 46 (47) 47 (23) 48 (so) 49 (34) 50 (56) 51 (54) 52' (55) NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 1629, June 19-N0V. 19 Extract from the Register of resolutions passed by the directors of the Chartered West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam. 2p. 1629, Nov. 19 Registration by Kiliaen van Rensselaer and asso- ciates of a colony above and below Fort Orange, on both sides of the North River, ip. 1630, Jan. 12-1643, Sept. 8 Extracts from instructions and com- missions issued by Kiliaen van Rensselaer. 6p. 1630, Feb. I First combination of colonies in New Netherlanan wcghen den Patroon van dc Colonic van Renssclacrs-wijck (Notice, Protest and Per mission on behalf of the patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck). No. 13, IS, 17, four documents in 18, 23, 25-29, 36, 38, 50-52 and 54 of the above list were accompanied l)y recent transcripts appar- ently made for Mr Nicolaas de Roever, 26 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Judging from a statement by Miss Putnam, that " not even a stray sheet relating to the American colony of Rensselaerwyck " was found among the papers which she examined at Amsterdam, it is probable that the above listed papers include all the documents used by Mr de Roever with the exception of four, namely : the Protest to the West India Company, April 27, 1634, and the Exam- ination of Bastiaen Jansz Krol, June 30, 1634, both printed in Otid Holland; the Certificate of purchase, August 13, 1630, now in the hands of the Hon. John Boyd Thacher; and the Journal of a trip to the Senecas, in 1634, which is apparently the same as the document secured by Gen. James Grant Wilson at Amsterdam in 1895, and printed by him under the erroneous title of "Arent van Curler and his Journal of 1634-35." Translations. Of the papers received from Mr Waddington transcripts were at once made and the originals, in accordance with the agreement, returned to Mr Peltz as representative of the owners on February i, 1904. The work of translation was there- upon begun and the present volume is the result. It contains in chronologic order complete translations of the papers received and, by way of introduction, translations of Mr de Roever's articles, furnished by Mrs Strong, whose connection with the work is ex- plained in a separate preface. It is fair to say these latter trans- lations and those of the documents given by Mr de Roever as ajjpendixes, which were also furnished by Mrs Strong and are printed in their proper chronologic place, have been carefully revised by the editor, who has introduced such changes as he deemed necessary and must therefore be held solely responsible for whatever errors are found in them. A few discrepancies be- tween the translations of these appendixes and the text as printed in Oud Holland are due to the fact that this text does not always exactly follow the original but words have been omitted or mis- read and headings have been changed to conform to a general style of editing. In all such cases the translation has been made to agree with the original. The original plan was to print the entire body of manuscripts both in Dutch and English but a more careful examination of the nature and condition of the papers soon made it evident that no such elaborate treatment was required or even desirable. One reason for this is that the prolixity of the patroon and the repe- tition of the same matters in letters to different individuals, make one feel the need for condensation rather than for duplication of the material ; another reason is that the very repetitions afford in VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 27 themselves opportunity for verification of the statements made; and yet a third, that the copies in the Letter Book, which contain many errors and frequently continue for pages without punctua- tion, make difficult reading which would benefit none but the most expert in the Dutch language and therefore not warrant the great expense of printing involved. These statements however do not apply to the documents concerning the organization and internal management of the West India Company nor to the charter of Freedoms and Exemptions ; these are printed at the beginning of the present work and, on account of the importance of each article, the difficulty of interpretation always connected with law, and the fact that other translations differing materially from the present have been printed before, it has seemed desirable to give the Dutch text as well as the translation. As shown in the footnotes to these documents, neither the charter of the West India Company nor its amplifications nor the Agreement between the directors and chief participants are found among the Van Rensselaer Bowier manu- scripts. They have been included because a knowledge of their contents is essential to the correct understanding of certain allus- ions in the patroon's writings and because no satisfactory trans- lations were available elsewhere. In regard to the preparation of this work it may be said that correctness of interpretation has been the chief aim of the trans- lation and that occasional awkwardness of construction must be ascribed to the impossibility of making smooth and idiomatic English out of the unusually involved and clumsy passages which occur in the original. Phrases that were in any way obscure or that seemed particularly im|X)rtant have been cited in footnotes. Names of persons have been given as in the original, including apparent designations of trade or place of origin, in order that the reader might have the benefit of the entire form as it occurs. From this rule depart the names in Mr de Roever's articles, which are printed in Gud Holland with a comma between the patronymic and the ]M-eposition toii, as RUTGER HENDRIKSZ, van Soest, and which for this reason have been given in the present work by translating 7au into from, as Riitgcr Hendriksz, from Soest. Italics have been used throughout to indicate that the spelling of a word follows the original, the only exception to this rule being the word com mis, which is written also as commies, commijs, commys and comys, but for which it seemed desirable to adopt a standard form. This term comiiiis, when used in the sense of agent, whether in the colony, at the fort or elsewhere,, but not 28 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY when used in the sense of supercargo of a vessel, has hcen retained only after considerable hesitation and because no satisfactory Eng- lish term seemed available. O'Callaghan, Brodhead and other writers have translated it as coiniiiissary, which is not bad when un- derstood in the sense of a person having charge of stores or pro- visions, except for the fact that it creates confusion because the same word has been used by these writers and by the early luiglish colonial governors in their official instructions to render the Dutch term commissaris, applying to the magistrates of the local court at Albany. The term conunis has distinctly a commercial flavor and the fact that the coinmiscii in the colony of Rensselaerswyck and at Fort Orange had also, and necessarily, a certain measure of ad- ministrative power does not alter the circumstance that they were primarily trading agents. The term factor comes perhaps nearest to it, but is objectionable because it literally corresponds to the Dutch term factoor which is not used in connection with the colonial establishments in New Nethcrland. Wishing to avoid the confusion of the term couimissary, and not thinking it advisable to mtroduce the word factor, the best solution seemed to be to retain the word conunis. Strictly speaking, the word conirnis need not have been italicized any more than schout, schepens and other IDutch terms which occur in the text but, inasmuch as the term commis was a new feature in English rendering of New Netherland terminology, it seemed best to make this exception and give the reader the benefit of knowing in each case which was the particular word used in the original. Historical value. The value of the Van Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts as an historical source lies in the authenticity of the information conveyed no less than in the circumstance that for part of the period covered they are, Avith the exception of a few land patents, some extracts from the records of the States General and the meager accounts in de Laet, Wassenaer and de Vries, the only available material for "the history, not only of the colony of Rens- selaerswyck, but of settlement in other parts of New Netherland as well. The papers consist for the greater part of the writings of the man who for the first i6 years of the life of the colony managed its affairs from his home at Amsterdam and contain therefore first-hand information as to the plan and motive of the successive steps taken in building up the settlement which has played such a conspicuous part in the development of the province. The letters of Kiliaen van Rensselaer antedate by four years the VAN RENSSELAER LOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 29 earliest business accounts and by 13 years the earliest administrative records that have been preserved among papers of the Van Rens- selaer family in this country, cited by previous writers and in the present work as the Rensselaerswyck manuscripts, and from the nature of ihe case contain much about conditions in the colony that was hitherto either unknown or imperfectly understood. It is true that the papers inform us about the patroon's intentions as to what should be done, rather than about what actually took place, but on the whole a very satisfactory insight into the gradual development of the colony is afforded. Nothing is more interesting than to trace the growth of the settlement from feeble beginnings to a large and flourishing estate ; to watch the increase of population, the multipli- cation of trades, the extension of duties and powers of administra- tive officers and the final organization of a system of local govern- ment which is unique in the history of the province. With respect to all these matters the present papers furnish information which is completely at variance with the statements about the establishment of the colony made by O'Callaghan and the numerous other writers whose accounts may be traced back to his. In reading these ac- counts one receives the impression that with the exception of the district of Papscanee practically all the land included in the later manor of Rensselaerswyck, situated on both sides of the river and covering a tract 24 miles long by 48 miles wide, was bought as early as 1630; that the same year no less than 20 settlers came over; that immediately a fully organized court with Jacob Albertsz Planck as sellout was established and that, also in 1630, Arent van Curler took up his duties of commissary-general or superintendent of the colony. The papers printed in this volume show that nothing of the sort took place. Nearly all the land of the colony, till the purchase of Papscanee in 1637, was on the west side of the river; and instead of all being bought in 1630, a part was not bought till May 163 1. In- stead of 20 settlers, but ten sailed for the colony in 1630, and no sellout or magistrates were appointed till 1632, it being moreover doubtful whether the first sellout, Rutger Hendricksz van Soest, ever took the oath and held court. As to Jacob Albertsz Planck, he did not become schout of the colony till 1634, and Arent van Curler, then 18 years of age, was sent out as his assistant in 1637. The truth of the matter is that the contentions between Kiliaen .van Rensselaer and the West India Company regarding the right to the fur trade and the various difficulties laid in the way of transporta- tion of cattle and implements by members of the board of directors 30 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY who were opposed to the poHcy of ag-ricultural colonization so impeded the progress of settlement that, in 1634, the patroon was quite ready to abandon the entire enterprise if the Company would pay him the price asked. The uncertainity which existed regarding the prospects of the colony is strikingly illustrated by the entire ab- sence of letters for the year 1633; ^'"''^ ^^^^^ ^f 1634 matters seem to have been adjusted and from that time the affairs of the colony moved steatlily forward. By 1636 three farms had been established and the patroon made arrangements to send a large number of colo- nists by a ship ecjui])pcd at the jt)int expense of himself anil Gerard de h'orest. This increase in the population soon made it necessary to make more ample provision for the administration of the colony. Planck held the office of schout as well as that of coiii- 111 is ^ thus combining the chief judicial and executive office with the business management of the colony. In neither capacity was he particularly sviccessful and in 1639 the patroon decided to make a change. Not finding it easy to induce " people of capacity," as he calls them, to accept his propositions, he for the time being en- trusted judicial and business matters to the joint care of three cornmitteerden, or commissioners, namely, Arent van Curler, Pieter Cornelisz van Munnickendam and Cornells Teunisz van Breuckclen, who exercised their functions till the arrival of Adriaen van der Donck in 1641. Van der Donck acted in the capacity of schout till 1646, when he was succeeded by Nicolaes Coorn, who in turn was replaced in 1648 by Brant van Slichtenhorst, the first director of the colony. Among the Rensselaerswyck manuscripts has been pre- served a complete record of the court presided over by van Slich- tenhorst till April 10, 1652, when Director General Stuyvesant es- tablished in Fort Orange a court of justice for the village of Bever- wyck, independent of that in Rensselaerswyck; for the study of the powers and duties of the officers that preceded van Slichtenhorst, we must fall back on the instructions contained in the present papers, which on that account have especial value. It may here be said in passing that the court of the colony, while it existed till 1665, when Gov. Nicolls consolidated the courts of Albany and Rensselaerswyck, had apparently rarely if ever occasion to try cases after 1652, when the principal settlement of the colony was erected into a village with separate jurisdiction, and that at a later date, when the Dutch patroonship had been changed to an English manor, the practice of referring cases to the court at Albany had become so firmly established that the lords of the manor never VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS seem to have cared to exercise their right to hold court leet and court baron, granted them by the Dongan patent of 1685. The question whether this right was actually exercised or not is of pecu- liar interest because it was one of the most distinct survivals of the feudal privileges for which the first patroon at all times fought so tenaciously. The letters of Kiliaen van Rensselaer break off abruptly in 1643. As already intimated above the patroon lived till 1646, and it is likely therefore that another letter book, containing accounts of transac- tions between these two dates was at one time in existence. That no such book is available is especially regrettable because the year 1643 marks an interesting period in the history of the colony when owing to the fur trading privileges granted by the second charter of Freedoms and Exemptions many people flocked to the colony and the patroon was obliged to issue the most vigorous instructions to maintain his rights. Such a book would therefore not only have shown us the effect of these instructions but doubtless also have given us more definite information than we now possess about the closing years of the administration of Adriaen van der Donck and have thrown light on the relative importance of the settlement on the east side of the river wdiere the patroon intended that all me- chanics should dwell and the first church should be erected. New Netherland history. Among matters found in the papers that are of interest outside of the local affairs of the colony may be mentioned the fact that Pavonia was bought by the Company as early as 1634, and not as is generally believed in 1637 ; the new light thrown on Peter Minuit whose contract for the sale of cattle, entirely in his own handwriting and in good Dutch though with distinctly German spelling, is found in the Letter Book ; side lights on the administration of Wouter van Twiller and Willem Kieft, to whom the patroon addresses a number of letters; the fact that Hendrick de Forest, the supposed founder of the town of Harlem, did not, as stated by Riker, arrive in the fall of 1636, but in the spring of 1637; ^^^^ confirmation of the tradition concerning the origin of the name of Storm van der Zee, the eldest son of Albert Andriesz Bradt ; and the fact that Bastiaen Jansz Krol was director general of New Netherland from March 1632 to April 1633, between the administrations of Peter Minuit and Wouter van Twiller. Kiliaen van Rensselaer. To many people the biographical in- terest which attaches to the writings of Kiliaen van Rensselaer will seem one of the most valuable "features of the collection. These 32 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY writings indeed reveal in a striking way the personality of the man who figures prominently in the history of colonization as the founder of the only successful patroonship that ever existed in New Netherland, but of whom beyond the fact that he managed this patroonship and that he was a merchant and director of the West India Company hitherto practically nothing was known. The letters show the patroon in his relations to people of every degree, to men in important ofticial positions and to his subordinates in the colony, to his copartners and to his various young relatives who owed their position to his influence; they therefore afford abundant opportunity for displaying his qualities of heart as well as his views regarding the questions of policy of government of the province and the immediate management of the colony. Not the least interesting for a view of the patroon's characteristics and the spirit in which he ruled the colony will be found the letters of 1640 and 1641, in which he explains to his copartners his idea of the patroonship and tenaciously resists all infringements of the rights conferred on him by the charter of Freedoms and Exemptions of which he appears to have been one of the principal framers. The question has been raised occasionally whether the first patroon ever came to this country. The present letters show beyond the possi- bility of doubt that Kiliaen van Rensselaer did not visit his colony in person between 1630 and 1643, and the records preserved among the Rensselaerswyck manuscripts make it equally certain that he did not do so between the last named date and his death in 1646. It would have been appropriate to add a portrait to this voluminous collection of writings of the first patroon, but unfortunately none is known to exist, that which is occasionally represented as his like- ness being clearly of about a century later than the time of the patroon. List of settlers. In view of the incompleteness of the list of settlers of the colony of Rensselaerswyck furnished by Mr de Roe- ver, who had access to the V an Rensselaer Bowier manuscripts only, and the many errors in the similar list published by O'Callaghan, whose researches were confined to the Rensselaerswyck manuscripts, it has seemed worth while to prepare from the two sources named an entirely new list, which should adequately illustrate the growth of the colony and furnish a reliable means of identification of the persons mentioned in the present papers. This list will be found at the end of the volume. It covers the period of settlement up to 1658, when the papers in the volume strictly relating to Rens- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 33 selaerswyck cease. The list gives in brief form as far as they could be ascertained the principal data as to name, date of arrival, occupation and place of origin of each individual settler and throws much new light on the large proportion of elements other than Dutch that entered into the population of the colony. Map of Rensselaerswyck. Frequent references in the patroon's writings to streams and tracts of land in the colony which are no longer known by their former names, made it seem useful to add to the present work a photographic reproduction of an early map of Rensselaerswyck on which these topographical features can be lo- cated. The original is among the Rensselaerswyck manuscripts. It is a manuscript m.ap on parchment, 22^^^ by 70 inches in size, and represents the land along the Hudson River from Barren Island, just south of Coeymans, to the mouth of the Mohawk. Lithographic copies of the map have been published in Moulton's History of New York, O'Callaghan's History of New N etherland and in Munsell's Annals of Albany. The map is without date or maker's name. On the strength of an entry of the payment by Kiliaen van Rensselaer of six rixdollars to " Gillis van Schendel, for one map on parchment and four ditto on paper, of the islands and other tillable lands situated in my colony," occurring under date of February 8, 1630, in a copy of an account among the Rensselaers- wyck manuscripts, the map is commonly ascribed to Gillis van Schen- del and to the year 1630, but as an inscription on the map refers to the purchase of land from Beeren Island to Smacks Island, which took place in 1631, it is evident that the entry of the payment must either have been placed under the wrong date or else refer to another map. Statements by Kiliaen van Rensselaer in a letter to Johannes de Laet, June 27, 1632, in a memorandum to Wouter van Twiller, July 20, 1632, and in a letter of same date to Dirck Cor- nelisz Duyster indicate that the map was probably executed in Holland, shortly after July 20, 1632, from rough drafts and sur- veys of different parts of the colony furnished at various times by Philips Jansz van Haerlem, Crijn Fredericksz and Albert Diete- rinck. Of these men very little is known. Philips Jansz van Haer- lem is mentioned by David Pietersz de Vries, in his Korte Historiael, p. 142, as a young man whom he engaged in June 1635 to pilot his vessel from Sandy Hook to New Amsterdam and who formerly had been in his service in the East Indies. Crijn Fredericksz is men- tioned in Nicolaes van Wassenaer, Historisch Verhael, vol. 3, part 12, p. 37b, under date of November 1626, as an engineer who staked 34 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY out the fort at New Amsterdam. Albert Dieterinck appears to have been commis at Fort Orange. A few features of the map call for special mention. The scale to which the map purports to be drawn is i6j/^ inches to the Dutch mile, or 3S4 inches to the English mile. This makes the distance from Beeren Island to Moenemin's Castle, which on the original map is equal to 673^ inches, exactly 4 Dutch miles, or the extent of territory allowed on one side of a navigable river by the fifth article of the charter of Freedoms and Exemptions. As a matter of fact, however, the distance between these two points is not 4 Dutch miles, or 18.44 English miles, but about 221/2 miles, so that the actual scale of the map is only 3 inches to the mile. The central and lower portions of the river are fairly accurately drawn, but the upper part is wrong. Especially puzzling is the wide creek designated as Renselaers Kill, which would seem to represent the Mohawk River but does not occupy the right position. Perhaps the most plausible explanation of this error is that the compiler, at about that point, joined two separate maps and, from his unfamiliar- ity with the topography of the locality, failed to connect the south branch of the Mohawk, indicated on the one map at the falls, with the outlet marked on the other map, and then, from some statement regarding the direction of the river, continued this outlet straight into the country. It will be noticed that of most creeks only the mouths are indicated and that of others, which are traced for some distance into the country, the direction bears as a rule no relation to the configuration of the ground, which was probably sketched in from some high point after the survey of the shore line and the is- lands had been completed. Up to 1636, but three farms existed in the colony. The castles faintly shown near the names of Godijns Burg, Renselaers Burg, De Laets Burg, etc. represent therefore no actual settlements, but merely indicate the places where the patroon intended that farms should be established. At the time the map was drawn, the land bought for the colony of Rensselaerswyck was al- most entirely limited to that on the west side of the river ; all that was owned on the east side was a small tract opposite Fort Orange. Curiously enough, the name Rensselaerswyck has been so placed as to cover exactly this territory belonging to the colony. The inscriptions at the top of the map are as follows : Left shield. A.° 1630 adij 28 lulij, hccft Killiaeii van Rensclacr doen coopen vande Natien genaemt de Mahikans hare Landerijen ende lurisdictie van dien gelegen aende Westsijde vande Noord- Rievier hesuijd^ ende denoorden het Fort Orangen, vol gens de hese- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 35 gelde hrieven voor Dierecteur ende Raden der geotroijeerde West Indische Comp. in Nieu Nederland gepasseert door Cottomack ende Nawanemit, Abantzene, Sagisqniva ende Kanamoack op den 8 Augustij A° 1630. Item van Naiuanemit int particulier sijne Lan- derijen genaemt Semesseeck gelegen aende Oost zijde vande Rie- vier voorss. tegen over het fort Orangen soo boven als beneden ende van Paetanock de Meulen kil noord-waerd aen tot Negagonce toe. Anno 1630, on the 28th day of July, Killiaen van Renselaer caused to 1)6 purchased from the nations called the Mahikans their lands and the jurisdiction thereof, situated on the west side of the North River, south and north of Fort Orange, according to the sealed con- veyance executed before the director and council of the Chartered West India Company by Cottomack and Nawanemit, Abantzene, Sa- gisquwa and Kanamoack, on the 8th of August, Anno 1630. Also from Nawanemit individually his lands called Semesseeck, situated on the east side of the river aforesaid, opposite Fort Orange, above as well as below, and from Paetanock, the mill creek, northward to Negagonce. [This description differs from that in the certificate of August 13, 1630.] Left scroll. Tegen over het Fortt op de Zuijd-Hoeck van de Laets Eijland is veel gevogelt te sc hie ten van Gansz, Swanen^ End- vogels, Kranen ende Calcoenen, houden Boschwaert in. Insgelijckx de Hertten ende ander wilt. Daer sijn oock Wolven, maer niet groot oft honden waren. Opposite the Fort, on the south corner of de Laets Island, many birds are to be shot, such as geese, swans, wild ducks and cranes, and turkeys are found in the woods. Also deer and other game. Wolves are found there also, but not large, like dogs. Central scroll, under the van Rensselaer arms. Op de Laets Eij- landt sijn veel hooge ende rcchte boonien bequaem om riemen van te maken, vande Maquaas canmen (principael inde Winter) Hertten Vleesch genoeg krijgen dat vett ende schoon is, ontrent 3, 4, oft 5 handt Zeewan voor een hert. souden geern hertten tegen melck oft booter ruijlen, is bequaem te roocken oft in Pekel te Leggen. On de Laets Island are many tall and straight trees suitable to make oars from.. From the Maquaas (especially in the winter) plenty of venison can be obtained that is fat and fine; about 3, 4, or 5 hands of seawan for a deer. They would be glad to exchange deer for milk or butter. The meat is fit for smoking or pickling. Right scroll. Inde Vierde kill sijn snoecken ende allerlcij Visch. de Stenr isser cleijnder als bij de Manathans men kander vande Wilden voor een mes een koopen. In the fourth kill [designated on 36 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY the map as Blocinaerts Kill and apparently corresponding to the present Patroons Creek] are pike and all sorts of fish. The sturgeon there is smaller than at the JManathans. One can be bought from the savages for a knife. Right shield. A° 1630 den 8 April heeft KilUacn van Rcnsclaer noch doen koopen van Paep Sickene Komptas N oucoutamhat en Sickonoscn hare landcrijen genacmt Sanckhagag streckende tzvee dagh reijsens te landivacrt in 2.'an het Becren Eijland tot Sniackx FAjlandt. Anno 1630, the 8th of April, Killiaen van Renselaer caused further to be bought from Paep Sickene, Komptas, Noucou- tamhat and Sickonosen their lands called Sanckhagag, stretching two days' journey inland, from. Beeren Island to Smackx Island. [For different date assigned to this transaction, see footnote to the cer- tificate of purchase of May 1631.] The names Bijlaers Dael, Weelijs Dael, Twillers Dael and Paf- raets Dael, given to the respective districts on both sides of the river, above and below Fort Orange, commemorate the names of Kiliaen van Rensselaer's first wife, Hillegonda van Bijlaer; of his second wife, Anna van Wely; of his only sister Maria, wife of Rijckaert van Twiller and mother of Wouter van Twiller; and of his mother, Maria Pafraet. For pennission to reproduce the map, the editor is indebted to Mr William Bayard Van Rensselaer. In closing, the editor wishes to state that while in the present work it has frequently been necessary to call attention to errors in the work of Dr E. B. O'Callaghan, it has by no means been his intention to detract from the great merits of the pioneer work which this gentleman accomplished. In spite of many inaccuracies, O'Callaghan's History contains to this day the only full account of the colony of Rensselaerswyck based on original sources and all who use it must needs be under obligation for the very material help afforded. The time has come however for a revision of many of the statements made and it is hoped that the present volume will aid in inducing some competent investigator to study the whole subject afresh and produce a work that will more nearly answer the requirements of the present time. The special thanks of the editor are due to his assistant, Mr Peter Nelson, for most efficient aid given throughout the prosecu- tion of the work. Mr Nelson has read the entire manuscript and suggested many changes which have helped to smooth out awkward constructions, clear up doubtful passages and otherwise make the translation more readable. . ^ ^ _ A. J. F. VAN Laer PREFACE TO TRANSLATIONS FURNISHED BY MRS ALAN H. STRONG In the summer of 1890 I visited Amsterdam as the guest of my kinsfolk, the family of the late Vice Admiral Jonkheer van Rens- selaer Bowier. The admiral had died a few months before, but his widow, born Jonkvrouwe van Beresteyn, of the ancient family of Bois-le-Duc, Brabant, with her three sons, made me most welcome. At their house, no. 91 Helmerstraat, I met the archivist of Amster- dam, the late Mr N. de Roever, editor of the magazine Oud Hol- land. To him Admiral van Rensselaer Bowier had entrusted the task of editing the important manuscripts inherited by the admiral through his mother, Sara van Rensselaer, last of her name in Hol- land, from her ancestor, the famous first patroon. In many interesting interviews, Mr de Roever outlined his idea of bringing these papers to public notice and a plan was formed whereby I was to have his writings on the subject translated into English and published in America. I was to study both modern and old Dutch and secure competent assistance. In pursuance of this idea, I made some individual researches and took many photo- graphs which were to illustrate the combined work. The sudden and lamented death of Mr de Roever put an end to these plans. We were in correspondence to the last. The van Rensselaer Bowier family desired me to fulfil my promise to him and it was my inten- tion to proceed with the publication of these papers, whatever might be the expense and trouble. But through the treachery of a false friend, the documents were purloined in Amsterdam and dis- appeared for over eight years, being vainly searched for until they finally appeared in America, where they had been pledged for a small sum by their abstractor, who died soon after without reclaiming them. These original documents have been recovered by their own - ers, and the publication, to which Mr de Roever so fondly looked forward, is now in the hands of the University of the State of New York. By arrangement with the Regents I have been allowed to fulfil my promise to my departed friend, by rendering his unfinished work into English to the best of my ability. For assistance in my studies and for valuable information, I have to thank the kind offices of Domine P. J. van Melle, of Nijkerk, Holland ; Professor A. Raap, of Hope College, Michigan ; and Miss Helen W. Ludlow, of Hampton Institute. Virginia. I venture to give the genealogically curious the following facts relating to the Holland branch of the van Rensselaers and the line through which the much talked about documents came to their present owners. 37 38 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Richard van Rensselaer, the fifth son of the patroon and his fourth by Anna van Wely, became burgomaster and treasurer of Vianen after his return from America, where he had played an important part after the death of his brother Jeremias, the director. He married Anna van Beaumont and died at Vianen in 1695. He had six sons and one daughter. They were Kiliaen, Anthonie, Jan, Richard, Eleanor Herberdine, Frangois and Jeremias. The daugh- ter married Dominus Wilhelmus Pekstok. Kiliaen, the eldest son, married Sara Maria Backholt, and had five sons and five daughters, of whom only one son and one daughter married. The son, Johan Baptist van Rensselaer, married Anna Cornelia de Bruyne and left no issue. The daughter, Anna Maria van Rensselaer, married Isaak Dusart. Richard van Rensselaer's second son, Anthonie, married Bertha Pekstok. They had three sons and three daughters : Richard, Cath- erine, Anna Elizabeth, Cornells, William and Anthonie. All died young or unmarried except William van Rensselaer, who married Cornelia Judith Cramer, They were the parents of three sons and three daughters: Anthonie, Jan Jacob (died in infancy), Magdalena, Jan Jacob, Hendrick Willem, Richard and Bertha. Jan Jacob van Rensselaer married Susanna Catherina BeelJsnyder and left one daughter, Johanna Jacoba Sara van Rensselaer, who married Jonk- heer Jan Bowier. She left ten children, of whom the eldest, Vice Admiral Marten Wilhelmus van Rensselaer Bowier, was granted by royal letters patent his mother's name in conjimction with his pater- nal cognomen, with permission to transmit the same with the arms of both families to his lawful heirs as van Rensselaer Bowier. The van Rensselaer Bowier family is therefore fully entitled to the name of the Holland van Rensselaers at the present day. The youngest son of Richard van Rensselaer, of Vianen, was Jere- mias, who married Elizabeth de Swaart at Nijkerk, January 18, 1728. She was the daughter of Nelle Maria van Rensselaer (who was daughter of the young patroon, Johannes van Rensselaer, and Elisabeth van Twiller) and Johan de Swaart of Amsterdam. Jere- mias and his wife, Elizabeth, lived at Amsterdam and bad one son, Richard, who married Geertruy Buytenhuys. They had four sons : Jeremias, Cornelius, Johan and Richard. Three died unmarried ; the eldest, Jeremias, married Judith Henrietta Duval. He died in Nijkerk April 11, 1819. His three sons all died young; his wife survived him. In his will Jeremias van Rensselaer stated that ex- cept his wife he left no heirs save the family in America. It was VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 39 true that he was the last male of his name since his second cousin, Jan Jacob van Rensselaer, had died not long before, but he ignored tlie fact that Jan Jacob had left a daughter, Sara van Rensselaer, then, unmarried, who was a much nearer relative than the kinsfolk across the seas and who had inherited through the direct male line of five generations much of family interest and value from the elder line of Anthonie, Richard's second son, whereas Jeremias came from the youngest son of Richard. So that if the question were worth disputing, there was still a van Rensselaer left in Holland, albeit only a woman. From the alliance of the van Rensselaer and Bowier families sprang a worthy representative in the person of the vice admiral, who was aide-de- camp to the late king of Holland and enjoyed the personal friendship of that monarch and of his son, William, Prince of Orange, the elder brother of Queen Wilhelmina. Other members of the Bowier family who have the blood but not the name of van Rensselaer, have married into the van Beusekom, van Heemstra and Sanders families, residing in Utrecht, Amsterdam, Nijmegen and Hilversum. The Bowier family was founded in Holland by Ralph Bowyer, of the family of the Duke of Northumberland. He came to the Low Countries with the Earl of Leicester's expedition in the days of Queen Elizabeth. He acquitted himself bravely, married a Dutch lady, and his descendants, in 1815, became enrolled among the nobil- ity of Holland. Vice Admiral and Madame van Rensselaer Bowier have had five children, of whom Johannes Jacobus Christian Gysbertus van Rens- selaer Bowier died as midshipman, first class, of the royal navy ; Cormar van Renselaer Bowier died in 1895 and Maria Clemente died young. The two surviving sons, Hugo Jan Jacob van Rens- selaer Bowier and Marten Wilhelmus Marius Magdalus van Rens- selaer Bowier, are the present owners of the documents described by Mr de Roever in the following articles. Susan de Lancey van Rensselaer Strong " Inwood," Neiv Brunszvick, N. J. January i, ipo6 40 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer and his colony of Rensselaerswyck i BY NICOLAAS DE ROEVER Late archivist of the city of Amsterdam * TRANSLATED BY MRS ALAN H. STRONG Toward few men of note of our glorious past have our biog- • raphers been so unjust as toward the merchant of Amsterdam whose name stands at the head of this article. Surely this is to be attrib- uted to the fact that, thus far, so little attention has been paid to the history of commerce. And it is just in this field that an im- portant place should be assigned to Kiliaen van Rensselaer, because he, being engaged in the West India trade, had not only the courage to found a colony on the American plains and in the woods along the North River and to use his capital for its welfare, but, more especi- ally, because he possessed energy enough to push the work once be- gun, notwithstanding many disappointments. The honor which we Hollanders, through ignorance, have denied him has, however, been given him in abundant measure by the descendants of those who were the earliest settlers of those 'regions. The memory of this citizen of Amsterdam is honored and revered across the ocean. American historians have already made public much that is worth knowing in regard to his colony, but they had not the means of throwing light upon his personality and upon the spirit in which he ruled his settlement. This is not unnatural; it could appear only from his own papers, which were not deposited in any American archives because van Rensselaer remained a mer- chant at Amsterdam all his life and directed his New Netherland possessions while living at the thriving Y. Had this not been the case he would have had no need for employing agents, nor for giving them instructions, nor for writing letters, and in return they would . have had no need to send reports and missives to the motherland for the information of the patroon. The archives which remained in his office on the Keizersgracht relating to the administration of Rensselaerswyck must by degrees have become important. These papers might perhaps have shared the fate of many private archives and at some time been torn up, had not first a long lawsuit with some of those who were entitled to a share in the territory, and later some no less stubborn disputes with members of the family kept the possessors awake to their importance. When the eigh- 1 Printed in Dutch in Oud Holland, 1890, 8:29-54, 241-59. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 41 teenth century dawned, however, all this was past and peace re- stored. The Dutch van Rensselaers continued to be great merchants and wealthy citizens, but across the sea the American relatives, to whom now the colony exclusively belonged, rose to the dignity of great nobles, who lived like princes on their domains. Their sons were received with open arms in the republic, as often as they — partly to maintain the old bonds of blood-relationship — journeyed east- ward across the waves. The old papers formed thus a natural point of common interest. So they continued to be preserved in part, al- though it could not be unknown to any of their possessors that they had lost their practical value. A hundred years later, however, they had already been consigned to a small chest in the garret. The Dutch van Rensselaers were ex- tinct in the male line. One of the daughters gave her hand to a nobleman of an English house whose forefathers had settled in Holland in the middle of the seventeenth century and served with honor in the army of the republic. The tradition of the great de- serts of Kiliaen lived on in the Bowier family, and Jonkheer M. W. Bowier, later vice admiral and commandant of the navy yard at Amsterdam, assured the name of van Rensselaer new life by uniting it to his own. The remaining fragments of the family archives came now into his possession. He preserved them with reverent care for he under- stood their importance, although he remained a stranger to their contents. It was through a visit to him in the spring of 1888 that I became acquainted with the little chest. He eagerly embraced my pro- posal to arrange and analyze these papers and willingly granted me the privilege of publishing such of them as I deemed fit. It grieves me that the estimable man has not lived to see my plans accom- plished, of which this article is a beginning.^ This little chest contained the title deed of the territory of the colony,^ the Letter Book'^ of Kiliaen van Rensselaar, begim in 1634 ^ I consider it my duty to express my gratitude to his wife, the dowager Madame van Rensselaer Bowier, born van Beresteyn, for the kindness wherewith she left the papers in my care. N. de R. Vice Admiral van Rensselaer Bowier died in July 1889, and is buried in the family plot in the cemetery of Utrecht. S. de L. v. R. S. ' Mr Bowier thought that one of these documents was the title deed of the island on which New York is situated. I did not question this until afterwards, when I became convinced that it related to another island, located higher up in the North River. N. DE R. * Mr de Roever calls the book the Menioriaal ; a full translation appears in the present volume. 42 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY and continued till 1643 ; the documents in the suit before the court of Holland, which was prosecuted after the death of Kiliaen between the guardians of the young patroon and some interested parties ; some journals, reports and printed documents, and a number of papers of a personal nature, which would be indeed valuable as data for an accurate genealogy, but which are unimportant for our purpose. The Letter Book and documents in the lawsuit contain matters concerning the enterprising Amsterdam merchant and his colony remarkable enough to be here mentioned. I can only give a few in full. The opportunity to publish many of the letters, in- structions and memoranda copied in the Letter Book will come later. About three quarters of an hour southwest from Putten looms up on the heath of the Veluzve the Renselersberg, where in olden times the freemen of the " Mark " assembled to settle their common affairs and where also the bishop, on his visitation, was paid the tax out of the church property. Near this, about a quarter of an hour from the manorial castle of Llell, lay the estate from which the family, which held land there until far on in the seventeenth century, derived its name. They belonged undoubtedly to the landed gentry and seem to be of one stock with other families which, like them, bear the cross molin in their coats of arms.^ The family spread in the neighborhood of the original estate, so that we find in Nijkerk orphanage trustees of this name who may have been nearly related to our merchant of Amsterdam, The father of Kiliaen, Hendrick van Rensselaer Kiliaensz,'^ was captain of a company of foot soldiers and died June 6, 1602, at Ostend. In after years, Kiliaen caused a monument to be erected on his grave and that of his brother Johan, born at Nijkerk, who also was a captain and who died at Deventer, February 7, 1601, after having fought in Friesland. On this monument, which was in the last named city, Kiliaen caused to be carved the eight quarter- ings of the arms of the brothers.'^ " The earliest mention we have found of the name is made by Jhr. Th. van Riemsdyk, in his treatise, Het Veluwsche Landgericht, page 150. He cites from the proceedings of the Klaarbank at Englander-holt a suit between Hendrik v. Moerselaar and Alydt v. Renselaer circa 1450. S. de L. v. R. S. "The great-grandmother of Kiliaen, mother of the Kiliaen whose namesake he was, seems to have been a Luxoel. An estate of the same name still exists in the vicinity of Putten. N. DE R. The great-grandmother of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the first patroon, was Derykebia (Dorothea) van Luxoel. S. de L. v. R. S. ' The monument above referred to as being in Deventer is in the old church at Nijkerk. It is a large double slab covering a vault. No interments have been made in VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 43 From the marriage of Hendrik with Maria Pasraat^ were born two children, Kiliaen van Rensselaar and Maria, who gave her hand to Ryckaert, or Richard van Tzviller. It was probably while Hendrik van Rensselaer lay there in gar- rison that Kiliaen came into the world at Hasselt in or about th(; year 1580. The death of his father, a few years later, was perhaps the reason that his guardian caused him to be educated as a merchant. No better opportunity presented itself than to bind him out as an apprentice, after the custom of those days, with a relative, who lived in the N es near the Kleine Vleeschhal. This relative, Wolfert van Bijler Wijnandsz, was a jeweler who had formerly lived in London and had now established himself, with a capital of nearly a hundred thousand guilders, in Amsterdam, where through the settlement of an entire colony of South Netherland diamond polishers, the trade in gems had greatly developed. In those days the diamond trade was nearly always combined with the trade in this vault since 1815. A staircase leading to the gallery has been built directly over it. Through the courtesy of Rev. P. "J. van Melle, in August 1890, I was allowed to have a photographic reproduction made of the entire slab with its interesting armorial quart- erings. They are in a state of excellent preservation. The staircase, while hiding the grave so that it is nearly forgotten, has saved it from the fate of many similar memorials in old churches where the tread of feet for many generations has nearly obliterated the carving. The brothers were twins. Their names and rank with date and place of death are given in Dutch with a long Latin epitaph. There are two coats of arms at each corner, making eight lines of descent, with the natnes of the families, viz: Renselaer, Luxoel, Wenckom, Schoute, Indyck, Graef, Hell, Bylaer. At the top are two large coats of arms, with elaborate quarterings of these and other related families, and at the bottom the coat of arms finally adopted as his own and always used by the patroon. The crest is the well known burning basket and in all appears the cross of the Rensselaers. The Dutch and Latin mottoes of Niemand Zander and Omnibus Effulgior do not appear. The Dutch inscriptions on the stone run thus: Den 7 Februar. 1601 starf binnen Deventer den ernh'esten manhaftcn Hopnian Johan Van Renselaer en aihier begraven. Den 6 Januar. 1602 starf binnen Oestende den erntvesten en manhaften Hopman Hendrick Van Renselaer en aihier begraven. The Latin inscription reads thus: D. OP. Max. S. Johannes et Henricus A Renselaer fratres germaniuter Que viveret turmae pedestris ductor ac magnis multisque in Rempiib-ac Patriam meritis clarus ille Daventriae hie Ostendae in statione sua ad ultimum ritae spiritus fortiier persistens oppetiit posteris aeiiterna gloria cognatis et affinibus magna sui desiderio relicto. Et licet separatis ac diversis locis res gerentes Mors oppresserit. Hoc tamen maiorum nionumento utrumque componendum pietatis erga opt-Parentum atque Patrmtm metnor Kilianus A Renselaer- — ■ Henrici F. Moerens curavit. These words follow: Tot Memorie heeft Kiliaen Van Renselaer dit Were doen inaken (Kiliaen Van Renselaer has caused this work to be done for a memorial). S. de L. V. R. S. * This name is indexed in Oud Holland as Maria Pafraet, which is probably right, as Pafraets Dael appears on the early map of the colony. Richard, Albert and Johannes Pafraet were famous 15th and i6th century printers at Deventer. 44 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY pearls, articles of luxury and rarities of every description. The Dutch jewelers found a ready market for their valuable wares at the imperial court and the smaller German courts. And so we find Kiliaen, in March 1608, taking care of the busi- ness of van Bijler at Prague. When he writes to him about it, he takes the opportunity to impart some political news concerning the strained condition of affairs at that time at the court of the zealous Romanist, Rudolph II, the lover of pomp and art, whose dominion over his hereditary estates was disputed by his brother Matthias with such success that, but a few months later, the Austrian and Jrlungarian crowns slipped away from him, while he could retain the possession of Bohemia only by granting religious freedom. As a contemporaneous report from a well informed observer, the fol- lowing has its value : " Matters here at the court are going backward and are much worse than two months ago, for His Majesty is much disturbed and melancholy because of this Hungarian and Austrian business and no one dares to speak to him concerning it, fearing disfavor; where- fore he receives little consolation. His Majesty has taken 30,000 ducats in specie out of his treasury and has sent Mons^ de Telly with them 10 leagues from Vienna to enlist 1500 horse and 3000 foot soldiers, wdio have been discharged at that place, and he is enlisting more men everywhere; also here in Prague he has secured 500 horse for his guard and protection, saying that he wishes to show that he is the Roman emperor; and His Majesty once almost de- termined to go to Presburg in person but is now opposed to this. Also the Hungarians, the Austrians, the Silesians and the Moravians have made a covenant and league together to the effect that peace with the Turks shall be observed, that the archduke Matthijas shall be accepted as absolute governor and that religious peace shall be maintained ; they have sent their envoys to England, Denmark, the Netherlands and other places to state that, in their opinion, these proceedings have not the least tendency to belittle Plis Majesty's person or reputation. They have also 24,000 men in the field, for Archduke Matthijas has opened the arsenals and put the arms in the hands of the Hungarians and has written to the Bohemians that, if they manifest enmity to him, he will pursue them with fire and sword. What will come of all this, God knows; apparently " civil war will follow, if matters be not speedily adjusted. God give His Majesty wisdom and understanding to direct this for the best. The Imperial Diet at Ratisbon refuses to grant any contribution, and the VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 45 pope, the king of Spain and the other CathoHc princes dissuade His Majesty from consenting thereto, which otherwise were the best." A commercial house of no less importance was owned by Johaii van Wely, a son of one of the sisters of Wolfert van BijlcrP He also, as well as his brother Willem^ or Wilhclmo, who thoroughly understood diamond cutting and had earlier been engaged in it him- self, were held in high regard at the imperial court, where they often tarried, as well as by Prince Maurice. Kiliaen was also re- lated to them. Whether uncle van Bijlcr gradually retired from business, con- tinuing to keep his eye on the silk-cloth business of his wife, Anna Willckcns, and making his nephew van Rensselaer his successor, it is difficult to say ; it is certain that Ave find Kiliaen doing business a few years later under the firm name Kiliaen van Rensselaer & Co. His partner was Jacques I'Hermite, the younger, son of the later admiral, who married, in 1613, Theodora van Wely. The firms combined under the name of Jan van Wely & Co. February 28. 1614, to deal in jewels. Jan van Welij contributed one half of the capital, 192,000 guilders, "of which van Rensselaer had an eighth share. There is a curious clause in the contract whereby the trade in spices and India goods was excluded, "though the appearance of gain be great," if not undertaken with every one's approval. This shows once more to what degree the large commercial houses were engaged in the India trade. The contract stipulated that at the death of Jan van Wely the remaining members of the firm should continue the partnership entered into for six years. His murder, therefore, caused no change in the business, but it seems that at the expiration of that time, van Rensselaer at least began again on his ovvn account. A man of, for that time, such substantial fortune, partner in a great commercial house, might well permit himself the luxury of entering the married state. On the 23d of July, 1616, we see him appear before the Commissioners of Matrimony to ask for the registration of the banns of marriage with Hillegond van Bijler Jansdr.. then residing at Utrecht, niece of the childless Wolfert, who had promised her in advance a legacy amounting to 12,000 guilders. ^IVoIfert '.■an Bijlcr was first married to Clara Vroeylicx, of Ghent. In 1591 lie married Catharina BoUcs, the wealthy widow of Fabiaen de Vliet, in London, and in 1594 he married again at Amsterdam, Anna Willekens, widow of Thomas Hawkins, ■,\ linen draper. Their daughter Elconora married Johan ran Wclij in 1597. N. de R. 46 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY In the same year the young husband purchased a couple of lots on the east side of the recently dug Keizcrsgracht, between Hartcn and Wolven streets, on which he built a house. To occupy this house, on which he hung out the sign of " the Crossed Hart," he left his dwelling on the Oudccijds Voorbiirgzval. Their happy married life lasted for nearly lo years. Two sons, Hcndrik, who seems to have died in childhood, and Jehan van Rens- selaer, baptized September 4, 1625, in the Oudc Kcrk, were the fruits of this union and survived the mother, who died and was buried in the Oude Kerk, January i, 1627.^° We have just observed how even jewelers, in the first years of the opening East India trade, sought to profit thereby. The prac- tical spirit of the Dutch merchant could not fail to point out to him the way to the riches of the West Indies and Africa. During the truce, our merchants had sailed tmmolested to the West Indian parts and received no letters of marque to take prizes from the enemy. Before the war began again, people realized that the West India trade might bring great prosperity to the country and that more power might be developed against the Spaniard to his greater damage, if thenceforth the merchant should no longer steer west- ward singly with his armed ship or in company with others, but if, after the manner of the large and prosperous East India Company, a company for carrying on commerce with the West Indies, Africa and Australia could be organized, which might, like the sister com- pany, act as the war-waging power in those parts and be supported by the treasury, ships and troops of the state. After long years of preparation the charter was granted, June 3, 1 62 1, and the subscrii)tion list was opened. It is known that sub- scriptions did not come in very rapidly at first on account of the exclusion of the salt trade from the charter. When, however, this difficvilty was removed, the full amount was soon subscribed. The Chamber of Amsterdam, " because thence came the most money, "^^ had the largest number of directors, who were to admin- ister four ninths of the entire capital of the Company. There were 20, each of whom had to contribute at least 6000 guilders. Next to the board of directors, there was a body of chief participants, each of whom had the same amount invested in the Company. They "From the inscription in tlie burial book it is evident tliat Kiliaen had changed his signboard to conform to his coat of arms, by painting in a white cross. N. de R. There was a daughter, Maria, born of this union. She seems to have died young. Her name appears in an old family chart. S. de L. v. R. S. " Twelve years' truce, 1609—21, between Spain and the United Netherlands. ^'-Resolutions of Holland and West Friesland, Sept. 30, 1621. N. de R. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 47 took no part in the daily manag-ement, yet, as the representatives of the stockholders, no resolutions of any importance could be taken without them. The annual report and accounts were also submitted to them. In due time the stockholders were granted a permanent representation in the board of directors by the stipulation that the first two vacancies should be supplied from the ranks of the chief participants.^^ The first chief participant who was thus received into the Cham- ber was Kiliaen van Rensselaer}'^ From this it appears at once that he was included, at the first subscription, among those who, comprehending the vital importance of the matter, had subscribed at least 6000 guilders. That his fellow^ stockholders were satisfied that they could entrust their interests to no better person, their con- fidence in him evinced ; furthermore, he was generally known and reported as an unusually clear-headed man, an able and practical merchant, who did not limit himself to his own branch of trade. Unfortunately we are only able to judge of his position in the important matters considered in the meetings from a single docu- ment of his own authorship, written a few years after the organ- ization of Rensselaerswyck. This memorial was presented by him to the directors November 25, 1633. I shall give it hereafter as an appendix.^^ It is noteworthy as a document for the history of the Company, both because from it we learn what interests were to be subdued before the Company decided to establish a colony in New Netherland and because we find in it the reason for the partial monopoly of the fur trade and the organization of colonies under patroons. From it we learn to know 7mn Rensselaer as the man who pro- posed to curtail the fur trade, in order that the Company might con- tinue to draw profit from it, which they would lose in case the supply of skins should become too great and the animals should be killed off too fast by the hunting of the savages ; also as the man who, in connection therewith, made the plan to colonize New Netherland, not by hunters but by farmers, and in this manner to make of it, as it were, a station for ships from the West Indie- Amplification of the charter of the W. I. Co., Feb. 13, 1623. N. de R. This refer- ence is erroneous; the provision that the first two vacancies should be supplied from tht ranks of the chief participants is found in art. 6 of the Agreement between the directors and chief participants, June 21, 1623, printed on p. 126—35. .Agreement between the directors and chief participants, June 21, 1623, art. 6, ir connection with the list of directors in de Laet's Jaerlijck Vchael ran de Vcrrichfinghcn der IV. I. C. N. de R. Printed on p. 235-50 of this volume. 1 48 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY and Brazil, where supplies of grain, cattle and provisions might be obtained instead of returning for them to the mother country. The Company would thereby be relieved of the great expenses con- nected with a direct transportation of such indispensable articles to these distant countries, which cost was not met by the profits of the fur trade. He predicted that they would be obliged to abandon New Netherland if this course were not adopted. However logic- ally this plan may have been conceived, there were many even among the directors who drew great profits just from the freighting of the outgoing ships laden with all kinds of commodities for which there was demand in the West Indies and Brazil ; and who, esteem- ing their personal gains higher than the welfare of the Company, pitted themselves against the plans of van Rensselaer. When, how- ever, he succeeded in gaining the favor of the majority and in causing a number of farmicrs to emigrate to the island Manhattas, the minority found pleasure in being able to point out the fact that matters in the new farming" colony did not proceed as desired. They tried to make van Rensselaer suffer for this and at the same time to force the abandonment of the Company's system already adopted. They succeeded so far in this that van Rensselaer and his fellow commissioners having special care of the afifairs of New Netherland were obliged to take upon themselves the colonization without expense to the Company, which they said they were not disinclined to do, provided the Company would grant them Free- doms,^^ Without allowing their own profit to have the strongest influence, they wished to extend the chance for gain to each individual stock- holder. The greater the number of colonies started, the better. This was to the interest of the Company. The minority, not in- tending to allow the future patroons to pluck the fruits which the colonies promised, haggled over the Freedoms drafted by the latter and even desired that the fur trade should be monopolized by the Company, which had not been the case heretofore. The majority, however, did not consent to this and adopted propositions more favorable to the patroons. The amount of opposition which van Rensselaer was obliged to endure from this minority is summed up in the memorial in detail. The fall of Zzvanendal and the fail- ure of other colonies are therein explained. "On March 28, 1628, the Freedoms and Exemptions were first established. They were, however, so limited that those who had felt inclined now declared themselves indis- posed to organize colonies on that basis and urged other measures. After much consulta- tion more favorable conditions were given, on June 7, 1629. See Appendix A [p. 235—50 of this volume]. N. de R. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 49 The above facts are enough to teach us to respect the merchant i who so justly apprehended the needs of the Company. It was in the midst of the strife of these opinions, about a year after the death of his wife, that, on the 14th of December 1627, in the Nieuzue Kerk, he married Anna van Wely, daughter of his former partner, Jan van Wely, and related to himself as well as to his former wife. We know that the court jeweler of Prince Maurice was very rich. Anna, who had three brothers, undoubtedl}^ bore quite a fortune with her to the altar, which, though she wedded with marriage settlements, served to enlarge the business capital of her husband, as did also the inheritance which Kiliaen, as well as both his wives, received from uncle van Bijler. In the meantime our jeweler seems to have conceived the idea of bringing into cultivation the waste lands of his native country. While, on the one hand, in the United Provinces people were gain- ing fertile fields by diking in and draining pools and lakes of every description, there were others who expected far more profit from the reclamation of the heaths. In 1619, Dom Emanuel, prince of Portugal, endeavored to obtain a patent from the States of Holland for the reclamation of the heaths and woodlands of Gooiland}^''"^ After that had been refused him, advocate Ingels and his partners had better success and began in 1625 the laying out of 's Graven- land. Whether Rensselaer also came under the influence of the spirit of the age, it is certain that in 1620 he began the cultivation of some heath lands in the Gooi, which he continued after he had be- come the owner, June 16, 1628, of the estate Crailo, near Huiaen,^"^ ■ to which he added a large stretch of mostly unreclaimed land. So, at any rate, we are informed by Jan Jeremias van Rensselaer, known as a poet in the second half of the last century, in his Kraillo J-Jofdicht (1770). To the original success which rewarded his reclamation of the sandy, by no means tractable, soil of the Gooi, may be attributed the fact that he could discern no difficulty in beginning on a very large scale an agricultural undertaking on the almost virgin fields and plains of New Netherland, when, as we have already observed, the Company decided according to the second article of their charter to promote the peopling of those fruitful and unsettled parts,'" Ida District in the southeastern )iart of the province of North Holland, comnrising the city of Naarden and the villages of Blarikiim, Biissum, 's Graveland, Ililversum, ITuizen, Laren and Miiiderherg. ComiiniDicated by Mr A. N. J. Fabiiis, archivist of Naarden. N. de R. 50 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY to allow the colonizing to be done by private enterprise, retaining only that of the island Manhattas purchased in 1626 from the natives. In the resolution for the organization of colonies by private indi- viduals, it was stipulated^^ that those who had declared themselves disposed thereto, might send two persons thither to examine the country. On January 13, 1629, the directors, Samuel Godijn, Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Samuel Blornmaert, had already re- quested that it be noted that, as they intended to plant colonies, they would send Gilles Houset, sailor, and Jacob Jansen, cooper, to New Netherland, in order to report what they should find. The follow- ing directors presented themselves successively as patroons : Michiel Pauzv van Achttienhovcn, over the region bordering on the river Sickenames (June 7) ; Godijn, the region bordering on the west side of the South River (June 29) ; Pauzv again, the island Fer- nando Moronho (October 15) ; Albert Coenraetsz Burgh, the island of St Vincent (October 22) ; Burgh again, the region on the east side of the bay of the South River, over against Godijn (November I, 1629) ; Blornmaert, the region on the Fresh River, which he im- mediately christened Blommaerts River (November 16) ; Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the region on the North River above and below Fort Orange on both sides of the river, including the islands therein, and downwards as far as was resolved by the Assembly (November 19) ; Pauzv again, a region on the North River westwards including M achackmachoors land and the Hamelshoofden on the east side (January 10, 1630) Blornmaert again, one of the islands, vS"^. Martin or Barbados (April 17) ; Godijn again, the island Tortugo (August 28, 1630) ; van Rensselaer again, the island du Sable, 43° or 44° north (November 7). All these persons sat as commis- sioners for New Netherland affairs. In the Chamber of Zealand, six persons declared themselves as patroons: Johan de Moor, for Tabago and the territory of the Amazon ; Abraham van de Perre, for Berbice; Claude Provost foi Cajana; Jan van Rien for Quaro, and Jan van der Goes for Essequebo. We must now inquire what cotiditions the Company had granted that caused the aforesaid persons to decide to undertake the coloniz- ing of these partly inhabited, partly wild, lands. " This stipulation was repeated in art. i of the Freedoms and Exemptions. N. de R. i"The bounds of the colony of Pavonia as here given are incorrect. See registration of the colony on p. 158. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 51 The patroons agreed each to send 50 persons, above the age of 15, to their respective dominions within four years after their ap- pHcation as patroons. The concession would lapse in case this condition were not fulfilled. The patroons of the colonies on the North River recognized the staple-right of the Company on the island Manhattas and the monopoly of the fur trade in those regions where the Company had commiseur'^ They declared that they would abstain from the weaving of woolen, linen and cotton goods. They were also under obligation to purchase of the natives those lands which belonged to them and were within the bounds of the colony, as the Company itself, and to collect funds for the support of a minister and schoolmaster, and finally they were to conform to a general scheme of government to be framed by the Nineteen. Over against these obligations, truly not severe, stood far-reach- ing rights of deep significance. Of the whole dominion assigned to them, which they might ex- tend, if they chose, to four leagues along the coast or along one side of a river and two leagues along both sides of such a river, and as far inland as the situation would allow, and which they might exchange for another if it proved little adapted for colonizing and farming, the patroons would be sole proprietors, as also of whatever the land might prove to contain, such as mines, marble quarries, precious stones and metals. Over this dominion, which they should hold as a perpetual fief from the Company, they should have jurisdiction in optima forma, including power of capital pun- islmient, save for appeal to the director and councilors in New Nethcrland in matters above 50 guilders, and should also have the right of appointing magistrates. Further they should possess ail manorial privileges, the rights of hunting, fowling and fishing, and the right of the wind. The colony firj-t settled on a river or on an island should have control ; while later colonies could appoint councilors to manage afifairs relating to the common welfare. 'The colonists, and the wares which they might desire to bring over, would be carried going and coming by the ships of the Com- pany at a moderate tariflF. Cattle and farm implements would be conveyed without any charges. In case there were no ships ready, the patroons might use their own vessels, provided they took on board an officer of the Company, bearing the title of " assistant." -"Elsewhere this trade was free, but the Company taxed each skin, whether of beaver, otter or mink at the rate of one guilder. The importation of beaver and otter skins amounted in 1624 to 4700; in 1625 to 5758; in 1626 to 8130; and in 1627, when tlie average value had dropped from six guilders to 1.60 guilders, to 7890. N. de R. 52 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY They might trade along the entire American coast from Florida to Newfoundland if, on returning with their cargo, they recognized the staple-right of the Company by the payment of five per cent on the goods which were to be shipped to Holland. The cod fishery was excepted. They might ship the entire catch directly to neutral lands under the supervision of a supercargo of the Company. Of prizes taken from the enemy they were to enjoy two thirds and the Company the rest. The colonists were not required to pay any import duties whatever to the Company for the first ten years. The Company was not to deprive the patroons of any of their settlers and was even to seize and deliver up those who had run away. The Company also promised protection against civil and foreign enemies; for which purpose it would strengthen the fort at the Manhatias; while it would also provide the patroons with as many negroes as possible, without, however, being bound thereto. To the supreme government in New Netherland, consisting of director and council, the colonies along each river and on the islands might [each] send an agent to care for the common interests. This board must further be kept informed by a detailed annual report of the condition of each colony. This constitution for the patroonship regulated the affairs in New Netherland largely in the spirit of the middle ages, which in the fatherland still spoke in the feudal system. The patroons were mighty vassals who were represented before the lieutenant of the feudal lords by their ambassadors, the agents, and granted their own fief in mesne tenure to the colonists. It does not surprise us at all, therefore, that so many desired to establish themselves in the New World as potentates of such importance. It would appear, however, to have been by no means an easy task. The minority of which I have just spoken had, on the ratification of the Freedoms, succeeded in gaining, besides the restriction of the fur trade, still another clause by means of which it was possible for others than the patroons, though on a much smaller scale, to become owners of land in the new colony. In distinction from tlie colonists or colonizers, such immigrants were called freemen or free merchants. Whoever desired to em- bark for New Netherland in this capacity couM obtain there from the director and council what land they cliose and as much as they could cultivate, provided they remained at a distance of eight leagues from the colonies of the patroons. They were also allowed to engage in fishing and to establish salt works, and would enjoy the protection of the Comipany. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 53 That must have encouraged all those who felt themselves in- clined to the state of colonists and were without means and without any credit with their more wealthy friends. Every one who could simply pay his passage and was able to supply himself with the most necessary articles was promised, by the prospect of land- holding in the New World, a certain prosperity which he could not expect to attain in his native land. Not a few offered themselves to go as freemen far across the sea. The patroons, however, had apparently some trouble in enlisting the required number of colonists, so that the failure of the pro- jected colonies may in part be attributed to this fact. That van Rensselaer knew how to meet these difficulties is du^ undoubtedly to his earnest perseverance and energy, perhaps also to the more liberal conditions of his grant, but surely also to the more favorable circumstances which gave him an advantage over the other patroons. Owner of extensive lands in the sandy Gooi and, moreover, of family estates in the not much more fruitful Vclmve^^^ where num- bers of relatives were landowners and struggled to subsist on meager means, his agents needed to employ but little persuasion to induce some Gooiers and Veluzvers to migrate to more fruitful regions where the battle with the soil for subsistence would be less severe. We should also not lose sight of the fact that he might depend on the indirect support of his nephew Wouter van Tiviller^^ who had been appointed director of New Netherland in 1632, and with whom he engaged in friendly correspondence at a time when, in the fatherland, the directors opposed the patroons in every way. The report of the agents sent out had not been unfavorable. They had selected for van Rensselaer an extensive domain on both sides of the North River in the vicinity of Fort Orange, which ex- tended 24 miles in length, 40 miles in breadth and covered a surface of 700,000 bunders.^^ vSince 1625, no colonists lived in or near the fort. The location was chosen with care with regard to the fort, because in case of danger it would be a sure point of defense and Northwestern part of tlie i"'ovince of Gelderland. 2^ Van Twiller was the son of Maria, the sister of Kiliaen. N. de R. -- The statement is apparently taken from O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:124; the miles are English miles and Mr de Roever has erroneously used bunder, equivalent to two acres, as translation of acre. Elsewhere, when miles are referred to by Mr de Roever, Dutch miles are meant and the word has been translated leagues. O'Callaghan's statement, while fairly describing the extent of the colony under the patent of Nov. 4, 1685, does not agree with the facts in 1632. As explained in a foot- note on p. 167, the land embraced by the first two purchases of Aug. 13, 1630, and May 1 63 1 was almost entirely on the west side of the river. 54 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY retreat and its garrison would be very likely to inspire the natives with awe and fear, sufficient to restrain them from attacking" the colonists, certain as they might be of being pursued by the soldiers who were well armed, though few in number. In this manner van Rensselaer employed the troops of the Company more or less as coadjutors to his colonizing plans. Moreover, he would derive profit from provisioning the garrison of over 25 men. He estimated their annual support at 100 guilders per capita. Furthermore, the fort would become an easily reached market place for the colonists, where they could maintain communication with the outer world. He, therefore, ever exerted himself to maintain friendly relations with the commander of the garrison and the authorities within the walls. Little could he suspect that just from this source, through altered relations, all manner of unpleasantnesses and difficulties would arise. His first act must now be to obtain possession of the land for his colony from the Mahikans, the original owners, who had never been willing to sell their territory, not even the ground of Fort Orange. After they had been involved, through the instrumentality of the commis Daniel van Kriekenheek, in a bloody war with their neigh- bors, the Maquas, and were defeated in 1629, they were found ready to dispose of their possessions. Two officers of the West India Company in Fort Orange, Bas- tiaen Janss Crol and Dirk Cornelisz Duyster, specially empowered thereto by writing of January 12, 1630, purchased the following ApriF* a large tract of land on the west side of the river. We learn from this writing how this was to be done. They were to make payment to the chiefs in the presence of the whole nation, in merchandise which they should purchase for his account from the Company, and the deed should be acknowledged by the chiefs at the Manhattans in the presence of the director and council. Van Rens- selaer gave his preference for flat timberless land, of which they should purchase as much as they could obtain as far as five leagues on both sides of the fort.^'* Housset increased this territory, in August, by tracts of land on the right bank, located above and below Fort Orange, and also by land on the east side of the river. It was also extended by deeds of purchase of May 163 1 and April 13, 1637. The good understanding between the patroons of the Amsterdam M. de Roever here follows O'Callaghan, who erroneously refers to the purchase of 1631 as occurring in April 1630. The date of the certificate is May 1631, which is given by Mr de Roever as that of a distinct purchase. Cf. note on p. 182. ^* Cf. note on p. 159. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 55 Chamber left nothing to be desired ; Burgh, Godijn, Blommaert and van Rensselaer, before signifying to the directors their wilhngness to start colonies, made an agreement to work the projected colonies on joint account, each under the direction of one of them.^^ They could, in consequence, soon register such of their colonies as they had made preparations to establish.^'' Three persons should each have a one fifth share in each colony, while the fourth should re- ceive the remaining two fifths, take the responsibility for Its man- agement and exercise the rights of patroon.^^ The patroons were to act in concert, with this understanding, that the managing patroon had the disposal of all sums amounting to less than 2000 guilders, while a majority of votes was required for sums up to 4000 guilders, with unanimity regarding expenditures above the latter figures. On account of the disputes between the directors and the patroons, the colony under the management of Blommaert " was not started but remained at a standstill " while those imdev Godijn and Burgh, " after the work had been begun," were " finally sold to the West India Company. "^^ Only the colony which was managed by van Rensselaer continued to exist under the patroons. His share in this, as we have said, amounted to two fifths. He successively purchased from the heirs of Godijn, among whom were Jacob and Hendrik Trip, the latter's share, so that he soon became the owner of three fifths. The two other shares remained, partly in the hands of Blommaert and partly in the hands of others, Adam Bessels, Johannes de Laet and Tous- saint Muyssaert, the last two being in the place of Burgh, so that ultimately each of them owned one tenth. It goes without saying that each colony depended upon its man- ager, who must, in the first place, comply witli the stipulations of the Company. In accordance with one of these, 12 or 13 colonists must be transported to Rensselaerswyck before the 19th of No- vember, 1630. There seems to have been some difficulty in se- curing even this number, and when they were found and had ratified Pauw did not enter into tliis agreement for his colony Pavonia. There is nothiiifr, liowever, to mark any unfriendly relation with the other patroons. N. de R. See Appendix A [p. 235-50 of this volume] in regard to the fate of Tortuga, the colonies on the bay of the South River, and the proposed colony on the island du Sable. N. DE R. In the beginning they seem to have had another division, to which a contract, dated Oct. I, 1630, refers. N. de R. ^ The cause of this is explained by van Rensselaer in the Memorial, Appendix A [p- 235-50 of this volume]. The colony Pavonia is not considered in this account. N. de R. 56 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY the notarial contract by signature and mark, and some times even the copy in the Letter Book of the patroon, and had received their advance, it often happened that even then some would desert when the lighter was about to depart. An agricultural colony without cattle was an impossibility. It required careful planning to provide the cheapest way of transport- ing animals in order to enable the colonists to engage in farming. " If I can get no animals, I shall not succeed in bringing over 50 persons," exclaimed van Rensselaer in one of his letters.^^ He had thus to be constantly on the lookout to obtain them wherever he could. The transportation of cattle proved extremely expensive and little effective, since, not to mention the loss on shipboard, many died in their new home. The Company, though bound by the Free- doms to allow the carrying of cattle, did not make this easy for the patroons and only provided stalls for the cattle on deck. We willingly believe that they needed the entire hold for their own cargoes. Van Rensselaer now, with true merchant shrewdness, made use of a defect in the conditions under wdiich the colonists of the Com- pany had settled on the island of A^anhattans. He caused Rutger Hendriksz, from Soest,^^ one of his colonists, to rent one of the eight farms at that place; took upon himself the payment of the Com- pany's equity; ordered the land, which had not yet been cultivated, to be farmed ; and assumed the payment of the sum in lieu of which the farmer, after the lapse of six years, would have become owner of the four horses and the cattle .(4 cows, 2 heifers, 6 sheep and 6 hogs, which had been provided by the Company for each farm), with the result that the Company could not prevent him from trans- porting these animals to his colony. At the same time he made a contract with Wolfert Gerritss, from Amersfoort, a colonist at the Manhattans, who was temporarily in the fatherland, binding him to settle during a few months of each year at Rensselaerswyck, in order to plant and sow, and at the same time, whenever young cattle were offered for sale in New Netherland, to buy them on his account. Together with Wolfert and Rutger emigrated Brant Peelen, from Nijkerk, Roelof Janss, from Maasterland^'^ the latter like Rutger, -^Letter to van Tzvillcr, July 27, 1632 [p. 229-34]. N. de R. 2° See introduction p. 27 for statement regarding form of names used in tte prepara- tion of this volume. In the Van Rensselaer Bowier Mss, in the Rensselaerswyck Mss and in the A'^. Y. Col. Mss, invariably written Mastcrlant, Masterlandt or Masterland; not Maasterland or Maesterland, as spelled by Mr de Roever and other writers. Maesterland occurs ii. Groot Placaet Boeck, 1:724, 726, 741, 2384, 2396, 2438 and 8:1248, in connection with the herring fishery and has reference to Marstrand, on a small island off the coast of VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 57 as farmer on one of the projected farmsteads, a number of farm hands and a shepherd for the 13 sheep, which were entrusted to their care during the voyage. Since, as it appears, more cattle were transported by the Com- pany than' they needed on their eight farms, he agreed with Michiei Pauw that each should take half of them. Thus again he obtained eight horses and seven cows. He brought about all this in Jan- uary 1630. Now he must think about establishing farmsteads. Under the direction of Wolfert and the supervision of Bastiaen Crol, commis at Fort Orange, the first farm was to be laid out; and with the assistance of the laborers of the Company, who were put at his disposal by the director Pieter Minuijt for compensation, houses, barns, hay-barracks, sheep-cotes and also a boat were to be built and bricks and tiles baked. In a short time two were ready, viz, Rciisselaersburg and Lacts- burg. It seemed that the affairs of the patroon and his colony were well launched. The good understanding between him and the local authorities in New Netherland who naturally followed the orders of their superiors, the directors in the fatherland, conduced strongly to this end. In January 1631, he sent Marinus Adriaenss, from Vecre, with some assistants as tobacco planters, and in July of the same year Laurens Laurensz, from Kopenhavcn, was sent, with another North- man, to run the sawmill and grist-mill ; also a number of laborers and eight or ten calves. Now let us see what terms he offered to his colonists. That he did not value each individual equally goes without saying. The persons whom he appointed as managers of the farmsteads or farmers received during two or three years before the farm could be considered to be in good working order, 150 to 180 guilders. The patroon defrayed the expense connected with the farm and pro- vided cattle, wagons and implements, besides farm hands who re- ceived from 40 to 90 guilders and a boy whose hire amounted to from 25 to 40 guilders, and these, during the time of their contract, Sweden, near Goteborg. (See Woordenbock dcr Nedcrlandsclie taal, 5:22io; map of Denmark in John Speed, Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain . . . zvith a pros- pect of the most famous parts of the world, London 1676; and Paskaert van f Schager Rak . . . door C. J. Voogt, Geomctra, 't Amsterdam by loannes van Kculen [1710]). If, as may be presumed, Masterland is the same as Maesterland, it is interesting to note that Roelof Jansz as well as his wife, the well known Anneke Jans — whose mother, Trijn Jonas, appears in a fragment of an account of New Amsterdam, 1639, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, as Trijn Jonas van Masterlanld] — were probably not Dutch, but Swedes. 58 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY usually three to four years, received an annual raise of from lo to 20 guilders and board, which was paid by the patroon. In the beginning they were to do everything needed as well as they could with the help of the workmen of the Company. When the farm was once in full swing, then other regulations came in force. The clear gains, after deducting the wages of the farm hands, were di- vided biennially between the patroon and the tenant. The former remained owner of the cattle but their increase was again divided. With the animals thus obtained, the patroon could start a new farm, while he could purchase the tenant's half of the cattle according to the Company's tariff and the crops according to market price at the Manhattans. The mechanics who emigrated as colonists re- ceived about as much as the masters of the farms but were to be lodged by them and their board was charged to the patroon. When- ever they were employed by others, the patroon was to receive one half of their earnings. Some of the colonists were to pay their own passage ; the less important as a rule, not. Small advantages in the shape of advance money and presents were enjoyed by all. It is interesting to note that the terms became gradually more favorable to the colonists. I mention here only the contracts of the first years. Between 1630 and 1632 he transported to Rensselaerswyck on these terms, in the first- year 10 and in the two succeeding years 12 persons, not counting children. About one third came from the Gooi and the Velmve. A few were secured on the Manhattans, where might always be found people whose contracts had expired or who had not succeeded, and some negroes naturally belonged to the number.^2 The relations between the directors of the Amsterdam Chamber and the patroons, however, gradually became less favorable for the latter. I have already spoken of the minority who were op- posed to the colonization. They alleged that the patroons' aim was to monopolize tlie fur trade and thus to injure the Company. The falsehood of this charge is clearly shown by the nature of the colony of ran Rensselaer, and furthermore by the contracts made with the colonists, which prohibited the fur trade. He writes on July 20, 1632, to Duyster, "I have forbidden my people the fur trade; al- though, according to the fifteenth article of the Freedoms, I have as much right as others, yet I have done this in order to avoid dis- pute with the Company." Notwithstanding the honest inten- ^2 In Appendix D, I give a list of the persons sent by the patroon to his colony until 1634. N. DE R. See statement in introduction, p. 32, regarding this list. See p. 216. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 59 tions of Kiliaen, the minority increased. It appears that they found their spokesman in Marcus de Vogclaer, and that among others his side was supported by the directors Cornelis Bicker, Guiliam Bartolotti, Hcndrik Broen, Hendrik Hamel, Marcus van Valcken- burgh, Simon van der Does and Abraham Oyens. On account of the biennial retirement of one third of the directors of the Amster- dam Chamber, a temporary change took place in the management.^'* The minority suddenly grew to a majority and meant to make their influence tell. At the Manhattans, the Company's young colony, matters were not going as well as might be wished. This the opponents of the colonization ascertained, but the Company had already gone too far to abandon the colony. Colonial progress was crippled by the bad relations among the local authorities. They neglected the Company's interests in mu- tual disputes."^ The factions each found their sympathizers at Am- sterdam. The director Pieter Minuyt, who had gradually gained the patroons' friendship,-'^'^ was now worsted by the intriguing secre- tary, Johan van Remunde, supported by de Vogelaer, who had be- come commissioner for New Netherland affairs, and his party. The secretary had reported so many grievances, both true and false, in his letters, that the directors seemed to judge it advisable to hear him and, at the same time, a number of their officers, who under the circumstances may well have apprehended that their summons was the precursor of the discharge awaiting them in the fatherland. This happened about the middle of 163 1. The party of van Rens- selaer had still influence enough to bring about the promotion as director in the place of Minuyt, of the commis at Fort Orange, Bastiaen Crol, whom we have learned to know as the patroon's agent. In the meantime, while months passed in hearing and rehearing the recalled officers, Kiliaen was contending with difficulties of every kind in Rensselaerswyck. One of his two new farmsteads was burned; Marinus, the tobacco planter, seemed none too well fitted for his task ; his colonists had needed so much grain for their own use that one farm lacked winter seed, and besides, his account with the Company for goods delivered had become very heavy. But he Van Rensselaer appears also in 1631 to have resigned as director. N. de R. •"'"The letter (given as Ap|)endix B [p. 169-70 of this volume]) from Simon Dirks'} Pos, colonial councilor, to T'nn Rensselaer is important for the knowledge of matters there. N. DE R. Above mentioned letter to ran Twiller. N. de R. 6o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY could surmount all these hindrances, since, from the reports ren- dered, he perceived that the fields promised abundant harvests and, although he had been obliged to abandon the idea of building a sawmill, his grist-mill would be the only one in all New Nether- land. If his cattle were to furnish dairy products sufficient for his own use and that of the garrison at the fort, there would not be many animals left for slaughter, but this difficulty would be [more than] met by the natives who would gladly barter for dairy products such large quantities of venison that his colonists [after supplying their own wants] would have enough to smoke and salt it and make of it an article of merchandise at the Manhattans. The patroon's endurance was, however, to be still more severely tested. Remunde had won his suit before the directors. He re- turned to the new fatherland in his old dignity. Crol, who seems also to have given cause for dissatisfaction, although, as we shall see, he had served the interests of the Company, as he understood them, in opposition to those of van Rensselaer, was recalled and W outer van Twiller, chiefly because advocated by Burgh, Reael and de la Myne, was appointed in his stead. Though this appointment could not but be agreeable to the patroon, his uncle, he must have been less pleased that Dirk Corneliss Duyster, commis at Fort Orange, was to make room for an instrument in the hands of his adversaries. Hans Jorisz Hiinthum, a man who had traded with the natives at that place in former years, and who, by a shamicful cruelty committed on one of the chiefs, had made himself much hated by the MaquasJ''' The disputes were not checked by this appointment; but other combatants appeared in the lists, which were now opened anew at the Manhattans, to the injury of the Company's afifairs. On his side the patroon again availed himself of favorable cir- cumstances. Pieter Minuyt, who had grievances enough against the Company, agreed in July 1632 to sell him a number of his cattle ; the rest were to remain on his farm, of which van Twiller took possession. Pieter Bijlvelt, one of the recalled councilors, did the same. They both wrote the agreements in the Letter Book of van Rensselaer with their own hands. The purchase of the whole in- Hunt hum was undoubtedly a brother of the founder of the family of the same name at Amsterdam, which became later very important through the fur trade, and a branch of which built the house, de Bonte Mantel, on the Hecrcngracht, later occupied by the Hlind Institute. Hunthum was already, before the charter of the V/. I. C, a licensed trader in and about those regions. He caused one of the chiefs of the tribe of the Maquas to be put to death by emasculating him. Deposition June 30, 1634, before Notary /. v. d. Ven [p. 302]. N. de R. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 6l ventory of the farm of Bijlvelt soon followed and van Twiller agreed to make over a few more animals to the patroon. At the same time, he gained a skilful colonist in the person of Gerrit Theusz de Reus, who had previously managed a farm on the Man- hattans, and transferred all his cattle, for which the patroon as- sumed the payment due the Company. When, however, the news of this agreement reached the then director, Crol, he did not con- sider himself justified in letting the cattle go without the consent of his principals. The opponents of Kiliaen, also, could not per- ceive the desirability of the zealous patroon's measures. Many were jealous of him, so that only after two years, when these evil (lays were past, did he, by means of a notice served on the directors, succeed in moving them to recognize his right.^^ From the standpoint of the directors, who must have seen with reluctance the subtraction of cattle from their colony, their long refusal was certainly intelligible, but as a retaliatory measure from the patroon's side, his course might be defended. With this addition to his herd, strengthened also by the importa- tion of some calves, the patroon might have been able to start three new farms in his colony : Weelysburg and Blommaertsbur g, which were to be occupied by Brandt Peclen and Gerrit de Reus, and Godynsburg. Now it seems that they were first begun in 1634, when he was again contemplating the starting of a new farm in the immediate neighborhood of Fort Orange. The afifairs of the other patroons, in which van Rensselaer partici- pated, were in a still less desirable condition. New supplies of pro- visions and merchandise were necessary but the Chamber of Am- sterdam would not consent to this. And the patroon of Rensselaers- wyck also met with a refusal (July 20, 1632) when he petitioned the directors to permit him to employ for compensation, during their free time, the Company's carpenters, smiths and other mechanics, for the establishment of a couple of new farms. Neither could they be prevailed upon to fulfil the Freedoms which guaranteed privileges for the proper transportation of cattle and goods; indeed they even went so far as to prohibit the purchase by him of goods belonging to the Company which were stored in New Netherland, and also forbade their colonists to barter neces- saries of life for dairy products and grain. Thus almost cut oflf from the outer world by the management of his opponents, our patroon was almost immediately obliged to teach This notice, which throws some light on the relations between the Company and their colonists follows as Appendix C [p. 290-92 of this volume]. N. de R. 62 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY his colony to stand on its own legs. The only persons whom he could trust to keep a watchful eye on Rensselaerswyck were his nephew van Tzvillcr and the schout Coenraed Noielman, also a rela- tive, who consented to do this in so far as it could be made to agree with duty and conscience. Yet a new misfortune befell the patroon in the loss of a large part of his herd, which were killed by the natives. The Company also suffered a loss by the burning of their yacht de Bever?^ The appointment of Hunthuntj which was the cause of both these occur- rences, was now first clearly proved to have been a mistake.*'^ One of the measures taken at this time (July 1632) by Kiliaen, to confirm his authority, was to give his colony, which contained as yet but few souls, a judicial system by the appointment of schout and schepens. The higliest and most responsible of the public offices, that of schout, he had reserved for Rutger Hendriksz, who, as outward sign of his dignity, was to adorn himself with a plumed hat and silver-plated rapier on a baldric. In his instructions, however, we seek in vain for an explanation of the principles by which he was to administer justice. The patroon only orders in general terms that the corrections shall be administered " according to the cus- toms of this land and especially according to the laws of this prov- ince of Holland." It is remarkable that every person could be corrected " who should neglect the profit of the patroon." In view of the fact that it is doubtful whether our worthy villager from ancient Hamcland'^^ and our little peasants, who were to demand and render justice and some of whom could not even read, were versed in the Roman-Dutch law, then in force, or in the practice in criminal cases, and that the patroon furnished them with no other sources for their instruction and information than a few copies of the Freedoms and Exemptions, we may assume that the tribunal according to old Germanic custom administered justice according to reason and the five senses. In the judicial sphere of activity, fortunately, they probably were less occupied than with their daily See deposition referred to in preceding note. N. de R. *° Huntlnim did not long survive these events. In April 1634, he came to blows with Cornells -.'an Vorst, director of the colony Pavotiia, who stabbed him to death (Deposi- tion, Feb. 25, 1636, before Notary C. Hoogenbooni) . N. de R. *^ Homeland; an ancient county with uncertain boundaries. According to A. J. van der Aa, Aardrijkskundig Woordenhoek, it extended along both banks of the river Yssel, so as to cover parts of the present provinces of Gelderland and Overyssel. In calling Rutger Hendriksz from Soest a villager from ancient Hameland, Mr de Roever has reference to Eemland, in the province of Utrecht, which by some is held to have formed part of Hameland. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 63 labors in the interests of the patroon for which he gave the schout detailed instructions. From these orders it appears directly that Rutgcr was charged more especially with the execution of the orders of van Rensselaer as regards the management of the colony. This was necessary because W olfert Gerritss had signified his inten- tion to rcc[uest dismissal from the patroon, Roelof Janss, Gerrit de Reus, Marijn Adriaenss, Brant Peelen and Laurens Laurenss, surnamed de Noorman, served as schepens and councilors."^- Brant Peelen was at the same time to take charge of the Sunday services, reading and explaining one of the texts from the Bible according to the huispostille Schulteti. One of them would keep the Resolution Book. For the rest, their duties were not described. Their distinction consisted of a black hat with a silver band. They were to be sworn in by the schout, who would himself take the oath of office before Director van Tiviller. As regards the oath of the schepens, that of Amsterdam was literally followed.*-* It was therefore not the patroon's object to introduce a new law, specially adapted to his agricultural colony. Law appears to have been the least active factor in the early de- velopment of Rensselaerswyck. At any rate, the colonists did. more; the schout raised on his farm Rensselaersburg on Castle or West Island, in 163 1, 12 mor- gens of winter wheat and four morgens of winter rye. The patroon reckoned that in three years he would be able to raise more than 100 lasts. Of the 600 or 800 morgens of arable land in the colony, which lay along the river, and which were as good quality as the land in the Betuive'^'^ or in the Beemster,"^^ each promised in the future a har- vest of three quarters to one last. The fattening of cattle, however, would be of still more importance; "our greatest profit will come from the cattle, for which there are fine and sufficient pastures, for *- It is doubtful whether the first schout and schepens appointed by the patroon ever qualified, and whether court was actually held in the colony before the arrival of Jacob Planck in 1634. The instructions to Jacob Planck, April 25, 1634. state that Director van Twiller was to administer the oath as schout to Planck " instead of to Rutger Renricksss van Soest, according to previous power of attorney," and further that " at the first opportunity he shall choose three schepens from among the fittest of my colonists and administer to them the proper oath, so that he can hold court if need be." Cf. p. 201, 251, 292, 294, 311. ''■'Compare Handvesten van Amsterdam (ed. H. Noordkerk), p. iii. N. de R. **Betuwc; the fertile district between the Rhine and the Waal in the southern part of the province of Gclderland. " Beemster; district north of Purmerend in the province of North Holland, comprising about 14,000 acres of exceedingly fertile land reclaimed between the years 1607 and 1612 by drainage of Beemster lake. For account of the undertaking and the vigorous support given it by Willem Ussclinx, the founder of the Dutch West India Company, see J. F. Jameson's biography of Usselinx in Papers of the American Historical Associa- tion, 1887, 2:195-202. 64 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY clearing of land proceeds but slowly from agriculture," writes the patroon to Jan de Laet,'^^ and he shows the necessity of exercising patience and of not ceasing to put money into the business. " But," adds the optimistic patroon, " here I am getting too far ahead."^^ And so he was. Through all the opposition, his ex- pectations were disappointed, and it did certainly take twice as many years before that part of the harvest which could be gathered into barns and sold approached lOO lasts.^^ The year 1633, which under the existing unfavorable circum- stances could yield little of importance to the patroon and his colony, saw the continuation of party strife in the Amsterdam Chamber. Three of the friends of van Twiller left their seats when their terms expired. They were Burgh, Rcael and de la Myne. Their influence, however, remained and made itself felt, when the party which opposed the colonization felt itself strong enough to undermine the most important articles of the Freedoms and Exemp- tions. They aimed at the fifteenth article, which allowed the pa- troons the coast trade in New Netherland and the fur trade, with the above named restrictions, and also at the twenty-fifth, by which the Company took the colonies under their care.^'^ They could not, however, persuade the majority of the desirability of these measures, which would undoubtedly have resulted in the ruin of the colonies. The Freedoms, at any rate, remained untouched.^° Neither had they success in their attempt to recall the director, van Twiller, who had been brought into disrepute by the secretary, van Remundt. The protection of his uncle and of his three friends as well as the good will of Frcderik de Vries^^ and of Daniel van Liebergen pre- vented Isaak de Rasiere from succeeding van Tzviller. This case shows that the ex-directors had still consi'lerable influence, for of the persons here mentioned de la Myne and van Liebergen are the only ones who were in office at that time. The carrying of freight in the meantime continued to be a dis- puted point. In order to promote barter with the natives, the pa- Letter June 27, 1632 [p. 199]. Jan de Lact, associated with Burgh, was patroon on the east side of the bay of the South River. N. de R. ick hope hyer wat voor wints " ; literally, I run here somewhat before the wind. The last of grain was reckoned by van Rensselaer at 140 guilders. N. de R. Presumably there is some connection between the proposal to repeal this last article and the news of the killing of the cattle of Kiliaen. N. de R. If the Memorial (Appendix A [p. 235-50 of this volume]) served to avert this danger, then we can place the debates over these propositions in the autumn of 1633. N. de R. He was also secretary of the city. N. de R. In 1638, he and David Pietersz de Vries entered into an agreement about establishing a colony on Staten Island; they sailed on the ship de Liefde and April 19, 1639, ap- peared together before Cornells van Tienhoven, at New Amsterdam. See D. P. de Vries, Korte Historiael, p. 147, 162, and N. Y. Col. Mss, l:g8. VAN KliNSSELAEK EOWIEK MANUSCRIPTS 65 trooiis wished to find storage for large quantities of merchandise in the Company's ships, which the Memorial informs us were of no great carrying capacity. Perhaps the directors thought this would mean too much reduction of the space available for the Com- pany's goods; perhaps they wished to compel the patroons to pro- vide themselves with what they needed from the warehouses at the Maiihatiaiis ; possibly they feared that the fur trade would escape Uiem if they enabled the patroons to barter on a large scale; it is certain that they would only allow goods to the value of a few liuudred guilders to be taken in. Now the patroons were permitted by the eleventh article of the Freedoms to send ships or yachts thither themselves, but in this they evidently saw no profit, for as yet they could not freight a whole vessel. They felt, therefore, too well, that every reference to the authority given them in this eleventh article corresponded wdth a refusal to comply with their wishes. And the general opinion of the assembled directors was here on the side of de Vogclaer, but they also did not wish to be deaf to the representations of van Rensselaer and decided to sub- mit the p(;int in question to the judgment of their High Mighti- nesses. Whether in the beginning there was little prospect that the de- mands of the patroons would, be granted, and whether van Rens- selaer foresaw great expense and difficulty in the suits which, ac- cording to the Memorial, he intended to bring against the Company, certain it is that in July 1634 he had one of the directors sound the feeling of the Amsterdam Chamber with respect to an amicable arrangement. Had there ever been any prospect of realizing this, the patroon wQuld have been willing to turn the whole colony over to the Company. The affair was managed with the needful caution and supported by a secret Account of the jurisdictions, management and condition'''^ of the colony, dated July 20. In a confidential let- ter to his coparticipant, Johan de Laet,^ he mentions the sum for which he would be willing to resign all his rights. Although the account book no longer exists, I dare say that the patroon did ask not a little too much when he demanded 6000 pounds Flemish. Two years later, when matters were in much better shape and he had gone to much more expense, he was willing to leave a one tenth share^-* to Burgh, when he could have gotten it himself, for 1000 See 1). 306-12. Letter of Jnlv 21, i6.u [p. 312-13]. N. de R. 'M.cltei- U> de /.,;<■/, Oet. 6, 1636 Ip. 333-36J. N. UH U. 5 66 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY guikicrs. The colony could not yet have been worth much more than one quarter of the price which he asked the Company. He ac- knowledges, indeed, that he expected to indemnify himself in this way for his losses in the exploitation of ZzuanendalJ"^ During these negotiations two other patroons appeared with their proposals to transfer the colonies Zwancndal and Pavonia to the Company. We already know that Zwanendal was not succeeding very well. It could therefore cost the allied patroons but few tears to bid it farewell. The Company wished to assure itself of the monopoly of the fur trade and could therefore afford to sacrifice something in order to buy out the patroon and his partners at that place. But that reason did not apply to Rensselaerswyck. Whether it must be ascribed to this or whether the patroon withdrew his proposition after the temporary mood of dejection had passed away and he had changed his mind, I can not decide ; however it was, nothing came of the sale. It appears that van Rensselaer in the following year would not even think of it again and did not regret it.^*^ Protected as they now were from losses in Zzvanendal, the allied authorities determined to devote themselves with new courage to the coloniza- tion of Rensselaerswyck. The simultaneous attempts which the Amsterdam patroons of the existing colonies made to dispose of their undertakings indicate a more favorable disposition among the directors. One can not blame them, because having experienced their dependence on the prevail- ing humor in the council, they did not desire to risk encountering a new tide of opposition in a few years but preferred to make use of a favorable current. This began with the change in the government of the Chamber which put the party of de Vogelaer again in the minority. Burgh, Reael, Frederik de Fries, Eduard Man, Schuylenburgh and Bart- rinck resumed their old seats. It seemed that the supporters of the colonization reckoned them- selves strong enough to alter the course in which affairs were being steered by de Vogelaer.^'' The plan was formed already in April "to strike stoutly at the management of Vogelaer." He seems to have seen the approach of danger and to have understood that any opposition would be useless. He resigned his office of commissioner Letter of July 21, 1634 [p.312-13]. N. de R. ^"Letter to 7'an Twiller, May 24, 1635 [p. 315-17!. N. de R. "'Letter to van Tzviller, April 23, 1634 [p. 266-88]. N. de R. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 67 of New Netherland affairs, apparently very unexpectedly, about May.^s We should be unjust to the directors if we thought that they were now going to manage matters in any manner partial to the interests of the patroons of Rensselaerswyck. They did not enter upon the purchase of the colony. Some points of difference still remained. What was the outcome of the intention of Kiliaen to demand legal indemnity from the Company, we do not learn. I am personally not disinclined to believe that the patroon mentioned this indemnity only in order to exert some pressure on the directors, who were con- sidering whether or not to deliver over to him his cattle which had been held back at the Manhattans, in order that later his proposals for the transfer of his colony might more readily find acceptance, as the directors would thereby avoid expensive lawsuits. But there was now no more question, of intentional obstruction. This was already shown in April 1634 when he sent by the ship de Eendrachl a number of sacks and eight large chests, filled with all manner of goods, weapons, farm implements, clothing, seeds, provisions and other necessaries, on which vessel at the same time embarked his newly recruited colonists, viz, Jacob Planck, from Edam, who was to discharge the duties of sellout, conimis, precentor and distiller of brandy, and for whose use a large brandy kettle was sent along; Abraham Planck, his son; Lubbert Gijsbertss, who wished to settle in the new colony as wagon maker and who took along his wife and children; Cornells Theuniss, who would find work enough as carpenter and mason at Rensselaerswyck; and a few workmen. In one of the chests was stored away also the first " red flag with the arms of the colony, to float on the breeze on proper occasions." '^Letter to Schout Planck, May 2, 1634 [P- 300-1]. N. df, R. 68 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY II We have seen that the patroons got into a chsputc with the directors of the West India Company over the rights guaranteed ])y the Freedoms and Exemptions, of which the Company wished to deprive them^ by the passage of new articles and regulations, and that both parties, apparently unable to agree, left the decision to the States General, whicli appointed a committee to investigate the matter. As the successors of the original owners, the patroons considered themselves almost sovereigns. They thought they need not obey any rules of the Company ; that the internal fur trade, as well as that on the coast, was theirs by right; that they need not tolerate in their territory any coiiiinis to collect the duty on furs purchased; that, so long as they did not avail themselves of the right to fit out their own ships, the officers of the West India Company in New Netherland were at least bound to inform them wlien there was room for their goods in its returning ships; that the Company unlawfully required an oath of the colonists whereby they re- nounced the privileges granted them by the patroons; and, finally, that the Company was bound to make good the loss which the patroons had suffered from the Company's failure to fulfil the obligations of protection and so forth which it had assumed. Not all these grievances were brought forward by van Rens- selaer. The fur trade, which was the great stumbling block to a good understanding between the two parties in the Chamber of the Nineteen, he had expressly forbidden, at least to his own colo- nists. The promotion of farming was almost the exclusive consid- eration for him and his colony, and for this the continued supply of colonists, cattle and all kinds of goods for use and trade in the colony was a vital necessity. For him and his cause everything depended on the opportunities for transportation. About this he had to try to come to an under- standing with the directors. Meanwhile the committee met, heard the parties, and adjourned, probably shortly after June 24, 1634,2 after having postponed the ^ The grievances of the patroons are described in their memorial to their High Afightinesscs of June i6, 1634, printed by O'Callaghan, Holland Documents [Doc rcl to Col. Hist. N. Y. 1:86]. N. de R. ■■' Resolutions of the States General of tliat date. N. ue R. ' — " ' • VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 69 decision of the matter submitted to their judgment, of which noth- ing further is hcard.^ It is clear that without the action of the committee a settlement had been reached between the two parties which is placed in pros- pect by Kiliacn in a letter to de Lact as early as July 21.* The more favorable sentiment toward the patroons existing in the Assembly of the Nineteen undoubtedly influenced this action. But perhaps no less a consideration was the advisability of keeping friends with the patroons and preserving peace at home, since for lack of money the Company could not at once prosecute with energy the settle- ment of the American colony and, by reason of the competition of English traders, ran the risk of diplomatic difficulties with its neighbor over seas, whose pretensions to New Netherland were yet fresh in memory. These traders, with an ex-Amsterdam merchant Jacob Eelkcns^ at their head, had just chosen for the place of their operations the shores near Fort Orange, with which he was formerly well acquainted. In some way an agreement was brought about and, although we do not know on what terms, the result may be traced in the transfer soon after of Zwancndal and Pavonia^' to the Company, and in the decision of Kiliacn two years later to fit out a ship himself, after his remonstrance had been favorably voted upon by the directors.''' In New Netherland Director van TwiUcr kept an eye on his uncle's interests. If there were cattle for sale, he bought them for Rensselaerswyck, and so did the director of Pavonia for that colony. Kiliacn and Michicl Pauw, who seem to have been the only interested parties, understood that it was to their mutual ad- vantage not to thwart each other in these purchases. Differences which had already arisen were laid aside and they pledged them- selves on April 13, 1634, to buy and honestly divide between themselves " all the animals, horses and cows, old or young, that from now on and during six years may be offered for sale in New Netherland either by the Company or by individuals, whether in- habitants or strangers."'^ ' One of the documents submitted by the patroon to tbe committee was tbc important Account of the jurisdictions, etc. See Appendix E [p. 306—12 of this volume!. N. de R. * See Appendix F [p. 312—13 of this volume]. N. de R. * Jacob Jacobsa Eelkcns was born at Amsterdam in 1591. Hcndrik Eelkcns, associated with Hans Joris- Huntum as the first traders in the New Netherland with the Mohicans, must have been his brother. N. de R. ' It is known that Pavonia cost the Company 26,000 guilders. N. de R. ' This appears from a list of papers and manuscripts sent to Jacob Planck with the letter of Oct. 4, 1636. to be found in the Letter Book of van Rensselaer f. 98 [p. 331-32 of this volume]. N. de R. 'Protocol of Notary 7. v. d. Ven, Amsterdam [see p. 257-58]. N. de R. 70 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY We Iiiive already seen repeatedly how it was the first and only endeavor of van Rensselaer to make his settlement a farming colony and it appears to me that such was the chief aim of hoth the other patroons. Kiliaen says this in a letter to his schout, Jacob Albertss Planck, dated August 24, 1635 "We are trying lo populate the land and in time to spread the teaching of the Holy Gospel hy many people, while they/*' on the contrary, employing only a few people, look solely for the profits of the fur trade." As regards the patroon of Rensselaerswyck, we may decidedly contradict O'Callaghan's assertion in his History of Nezv Nether- land^^ that they, " losing sight, for the most part, of their first duties as planters, diverted their energies and means in competing with the Com.pany for a share of the Indian trade." On the con- trary, if, as he asserts, " the charter tended, in no small degree, to retard the settlement of the province," it was only because the directors, in spite of the Freedoms and Exemptions and to avoid losing the profits of their own trade, opposed the colonization by throwing obstacles in the way of the transportation of people, cattle and goods. That the patroons were out for their own profit is no cause for reproach. This has ever been the mighty impulse of all coloniza- tion. But they sought it in another and more honest way than by supplanting the Company in the fur trade. The right of the patroons to this trade seems to me quite beyond dispute and they were there as business men to stand by their rights as soon as there was promise of profit. We shall presently see that the fur trade had to be thrown open finally in order to attract colonists to the Company's own settlements. Whether the director's appearance in the promotion of the patroon's interests aroused suspicion or other considerations of a personal nature entered into the game and were instigated by Secretary van Remunde, or whether van Twiller really gave cause for complaint in his management of the Company's affairs, can no longer be determined. In no wise, however, can I accept the sen- tence that American writers have passed upon him. The evidence brought against him may be cited as proof of the grievances but its authority may be doubted, since one often meets statements that diametrically conflict. That he and his people, but especially the "Should be May 24, 1635; see p. 313. The directors. N. UE R. "Vol. I, p. 178. N. DE R. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 71 latter, were no model men, lies in the nature of the case. It was surely difficult to rule over a handful of fortune hunters who had not crossed the ocean with any noble aim of opening a wild land to cultivation and who, under hard conditions of existence, must lead a rude life and who sought rude pleasures. In such circumstances, gentleness would have been weakness, least of all to be forgiven in the governor of so small a settlement. He was not unskillful in the management of the Company's affairs and kept a firm hand wherever he judged it needful and it was not his fault if few of his measures resulted favorably. O'Callaghan accuses him of seek- ing his own gain at the expense of the Company and says that, when he left, his farm was the only one in good order. The reason of this was that the colonists at the Manhattans left as soon as their time was up. They had the right to sell a part of their cattle and found the only buyers in van Twiller and the patroons. It was natural that the Company's farms should be ruined by this. That he did not further the affairs of the patroons at the expense of his employers is proved b)'- his keeping back the cattle and the implements belonging to Bijlveld and de Rcux, which had been transferred to his uncle,^^ ^nd by the confiscation of the latter's grain in behalf of the Company, of which van Rensselaer com- plained in 1636 in a letter to Planck, dated October 3d. However this may be, evil tongues were at once busy in vilifying him to the directors, as they had done before with Minuyt, who, angry with the Company, had taken upon himself the establish- ment of the Swedish trading company in North America. A letter from van Rensselaer to his nephew, dated April 23, 1634,^^ is of value for a knowledge of the divisions prevailing in the Amsterdam Chamber and from it we can form an opinion of the patroon's character and his excellent mental qualities and gain an idea, though one-sided, of the intrigues of Secretary van Remunde. Although his enemies had at first little success with their endeavors to oust van Twiller, three years later, whether justly or unjustly, they compassed his downfall. Cooperation between the leaders in New Netherland alone could have insured the success of the great enterprise, but that was want- ing. Precious time slipped away in trivial squabbles. A continual change of governors and chief officials was the result. They were always recalled after a few years, when they had barely been able See Appendix G [p. 266-88 of this volume]. N. de R. "See Appendix G [p. 266-88 of this volume]. N. de R. 72 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY to contrive means for the development of the extraordinarily rich resonrccs of the new col(iny, therehy cansini;- the settlement to asstnne the clmracter of a trading- post for immediate profits rather than a seriously planned colony. That the directors could only regard the matter in this light i)roves their shortsightedness. In Rensselaerswyck a hetter example was offered them. It seems as if the patroons, when their friendly director was attacked, found a needed counterpoise in declarations prejudicial to one of the Company's officers, the commandant of Fort Orange. Hans Jorisz Huiithuin. They attributed to him the loss incurred by Rensselaerswyck in the slaughter of the cattle by the Indians, a loss they wished to recover from the Company. Probably on the ground of these declarations it was asserted that HuntJmm was allied with Eelkcns. The depositions made in England state the matter quite differ- ently.^^ Hunthum was not to experience the evil consec[uences which might result from these suspicions. At the time when these attempts for his removal were made in Amsterdam, the man had already been dead^^ for several months, and we have no need to concern ourselves further as to how the matter might have turned out. One of these declarations, however, is so remarkable in many respects, besides completing the documents containing the correspondence between the two governments, that I have printetl it here among the appendixes. Meanwhile in Rensselaerswyck Jacob Planck assumed the plumed hat and the silvered rapier of the former schout. His instructions, dated April 25, 1634, ordered him to choose three schepens, thus setting aside the former incumbents,^^ and to seek his knowledge from an Ars notariatus, a Danihoudcr Praktvcq criminccl, and a Ma nicr 7'aii proccdcercn. With perhaps more prospect of success, he was to exert himself in the advancement of farming and the increase of the number of farms and cattle. He was bidden to consult Director van Tzvillcr about these matters and always to preserve good relations with Conract Notelman, also a relative of the patroon, who had charge of one of the Company's farms at the Manhattans, hired by van Rensselaer on account of the cattle." '•See O'Callaghan, Holland Documents, 1:72 et seq. [Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 1:72-81]. N. DE R. See note [p. 62 of this volunic]. N. de R. ■"' See note on p. 63. " The patroon hoped tliat the other farm which he liad hired would be taken charge of hy Liibhcrt -ran Dinrklagc. wlio went over as fiscal and officer in April 16,14. N. de R. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 73 The patroon proposed that the council of New Netherland should place a guard of two or three men from Fort Orange at his mill, which was somewhat remotely situated and in whose safety the Company had no less concern than himself. He also asked the council to consider whether they would let five or six men from the garrison work through the day on a farm he intended estab- lishing near the fort, " while they could keep careful watch at night." Considering there might be risk of some lack of efficiency after a day of field or manual labor, the council seems not to have assented to his proposal. More than a year and a half was to pass before the patroon heard that his new officer and all the goods sent over in the ship dc liciidraclit had arrived at the appointed place. A regular communication — a ferry, as van Rensselaer called it when he urged its establishment — did not exist, neither does navigation seem to have been active. In the absence of news, Kiliaen writes " the work here is quite unsettled. The directors are very much alarmed, many complain bitterly." Rumors of evil spread, that " all had perished, people as well as cattle," that the vessel, called the " sugar-bark " probably because it had served to carry sugar to the fatherland, had been leased by van Tzoiller to the English ; and it seems that some proposed to introduce economies by leaving fewer peo])le in New Netherland, which course according to the opinion of Kiliaen would only result in misfortune for the whole undertaking. The Company as yet ap|)arently drew no profits from New Netherland. Even the furs did not yield enough. It seems to have been suspected also that the officials engaged in smuggling and did not account to the Company for the real receipts of that valuable article. This was ])lainly the reason why r'a/i Rensselaer ])r()i)osed to farm out the fur trade.^*^ The uncertainty regarding the condition of the colony worried the directors and led the patroon to decide, for a time, to cease sending over colonists and goods. It was as if courage revived when news at last came from the far West. The situation was not as bad as they had feared. I think it likely that van Rensselaer, under the pressure of painful uncertainty, decided to come forward and act himself, and when empowered by the Compan}^, he resolved "* Tlie ship de Ecndrachi did not come back to the fatherland till October or possibly a month or two later. N. de R. r,ctter to vail TzvUlcr, Mav 24, 1635. .See Ai>pendix J [p. 315-17 of this voliimel. N. DK R. -" I.c**er to 7-an TwiUcr, May 24. 1635. See Apjiendix J [p- 315—17 of this volumel. N. DE R. 74 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY to lit out a ship to maintain tlie connection with his colony and transport goods, marketable in the New World, it seems that we must not regard this matter as either very great or very profitable.^^ I consider Kiliacn too wide-awake a man, if he had thought it was so, to go, as he did, into partnership for the vessel's freighting with the Leyden merchant and cloth dyer, Gerard dc Forest, brother of Jesse de forest, who is considered the founder of New Amsterdam.^^ The contract, executed before the notary, /. van de Veil, on August 8, 1636, required each partner with his associates to share half and half in the purchase of the ship Rensselaerszvijek antl of a cargo worth from 6000 to 7000 guilders, in provisioning the ship for 12 persons and in their wages. On the other hand, Kiliaen was to pay all the transit charges of colonists destined for his colony, but de Forest shared in the patroon's acknowledged right to the coast trade between Florida and Newfoundland, in the lumber and salt trade and in the letters of marque which he (Kiliaen) had received from the Prince of Orange. Should there be no opportunity to convey the colonists from the Ma>ihattaris to Rensselaerswyck, the ship was to go up there directly after its arrival. A warehouse was to be hired at the Manhattans for the storage of goods. The venture amounted to much more than was agreed upon and was almost 15,500 guilders. The settlement of the account of Gerard de Forest and his associates seems to have been attended with much difficulty. The Letter Book of Kiliaen contains many letters to Gerard himself and members of his family, which, in every shade between entreaty and threats, press for the payment of the share put by them into the ship's venture. For more than a year Kiliaen v/as disappointed every time that he reckoned upon settlement. Under skipper Jan l^jepkes SchelUng, the boat sailed out of the Y on September 25, 1636, and put to sea from the Texel October 8, with no less than 38 colonists on board, including six women. The prosperous voyage, so eagerly desired, did not ensue ^ It is interesting to hear the words of Kiliaen himself about the profits of this trade. " Since I have paid cash for these (goods) without including any expenses for packing, boat and lighter-freight, ocean freight, interest, risk, and insurance, damage, etc. (an increase which) with your commission (of 5%) amounts to nearly 50%, therefore (you) must sell all such goods as can bear it, somewhat higher than 50%. But I do not wish my own people to be charged more than 60% since they must gain it by their hard labor. But from other people, for whom I need not care, you may take as much as is the market rate and you can get." (Letter to Planck, Oct. 3, 1636 [printed on p. 323-30 of this volume].) N. de R. In quoting this section, Mr de Roevcr abridges the text; that the various charges amount to 50% of the first cost is not definitely stated by the patroon, though implied. 2^ Mr Ch. M. Dozy in The Pilgrim Fathers Exhibition of Documents at Leyden relating to the Dutch Settlement in North America (August 1888). N. de R. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 75 The ship met with bad weather, according to the still existing Jonrnal,^^ and after tossing to and fro for five weeks had to run in to Plymouth and there take refuge. There they must needs stay on land and, as ill luck would have it, one of the passengers, the blacksmith's helper, became intoxicated in a tavern, and gave a death blow to his master. The ship was moored, the rudder taken away, and although the criminal was given up, it was the 9th of January before the Rcnssclaerswyck could again set sail. The journey was pursued in fairly good weather until they anchored at the Manhattans on the 4th of March and remained there because the river was still closed. The cargo was discharged and Hendrik de Forest, the trader and mate,^^ remained in the hired warehouse to carry on trade, while the ship went up the river to the colony on the 26th and dropped anchor on the 7th of April opposite Fort Orange.^^ There they delivered the smith's coal, the millstones for the erection of a grist-mill near the sawmill, and other goods not mentioned. While the Rcnssclaerswijck lay at anchor, a yacht laden with grain went down to the Manhattans and another with animals arrived. On May 31, the journey was con- tinued past the Manhattans to Smith's Island and then back again to the former place in order, on August 14, to begin the return voyage. They waited at Plymouth for other Dutch ships and" arrived safely at the Texel, November 7, 1637. The detention of more than seven weeks at Plymouth and the small profits of the voyage, added to the difficulties with his Leyden partner and the proved disloyalty of the skipper and of the super- cargo Dirk Corscn Stain, decided Kiliacn to sell the ship.^*^ The patroon must now look around for other chances of sending over his colonists and the goods designed for his colony- So the ships with which Director Kieft crossed carried along colonists and goods for Kiliaen. Pictcr Minuyt, who was going in his ship to Virginia as commander of a Swedish company, and had put in at the Texel on account of storms, out of old friendship for him look Printed on p. 355-89 of tliis volume. -■•According to the Journal, lie died on July 26 and was buried the following day at the Manhattans, where the ship then was. Gecrtruy Bornstra, his widow, claimed his property from his sister Rachel, then living at the Manhattans, who had married Dr Lament agnc. According to his own declaration, made before Notary Cnren, before his departure in 1636, he had been selected by the patroons in 1631 to fill the place of Gillcs Hoitset in Zwanendal, but on account of the sad circumstances at said place tlie patroons gave up this plan. N. de R. -- It seems that the colonists, were all landed at the Manhattans. Arent Steff enters married there on the 22d of March the widow of the murdered blacksmith. And on the 8th two children who had been born at sea were baptized there. N. de R. ™Pieler Meuleman became its owner for the sum of 2600 guilders, by deed of April 20, 1638, before Notary J. v. d. Ven. The ship was wrecked in November 1644, near the Uermudas. N. de R. 76 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY in a lighter-load of goods, among which were gunpowder, firelocks, wooden utensils, tar and pitch to be delivered at the Manhattans and also took six passengers on board. In the following year, a vessel fitted out by the Company, het Wapen van Noorzvegen, in which the colony of Rensselaerswyck had a half interest, carried over a number of colonists and a large quantity of goods, including 1 8 young mares, thousands of bricks, ironwork, clothing material, spices, cheese, soap, oil and a box filled with earth in which were planted young grape vines, etc., all of which were confided to the care of Cornelis Mclijn, the supercargo.^'' We may therefore regard Kiliacn as the introducer of the grape into the New World.^^^ The directors seem to have continued favorably disposed toward the patroon. However good the news from the colony may have been, the patroon had just cause to complain of his schout and com- mis. Planck appeared to lack clearness of insight. He seems not to have quickly perceived where his master's interests lay in every chance that ofi^ered. The patroon had no thought of bad faith, although he considered Planck not incapable of enriching himself at his expense through the fur trade. The patroon was also not too well satisfied with the way justice was administered; for this Planck appeared no more fitted than for the position of adminis- trator of the colony. Differences between the directors and the patroon concerning the fur trade still continued. In the colonics, where, as in Rensselaerswyck, the Company had no conuuis, the gcconqucstecrde gocdcren, i. e. products of the soil, might be bartered for beaver and other skins, provided that a cer- tain export duty be paid at the Manhattans. The meaning of the Freedoms and PZxemptions is clear. Only those who took upon themselves tlie trouble and expense of establishing agricultural colonies nnght partly indemnify themselves by trading in furs. That the Company wished to reserve this trade exclusively by plac- ing a commis in the colony and that this action aroused the just in- dignation of van Rensselaer, we have already seen. It seems that he, in connection with the fitting out of the ship Rensselaerszvijck, claimed the right from the Company to trade all, even imported "Letters to Picter Minnyt, Dec. 25 and 29, 1637 [see p. 389-91 and 395 of this volume]. N. he R. ^Cornelis Mclijn, formerly a leather dresser at Amsterdam, founded in 1640 by per- mission of the West India Company a colony on Staten Island which he transferred to the Company in 1659. N. de R. Vines were brought over by Domine Johannes Michaelius in 1628. See his letter of Aug. 8, 1628, published under the .title: Manhattan in 1628, p. 76-77. VAN RENSSUI.AEK liOWlKR M A NHSCKI P TS 77 goods, for peltries, considering that there had been a tacit concession of his claims when the Company in the contract with Pauzu concern- ing the transfer of Pavonia had thrown open the fur trade of that quarter to the colonists. When the parties could not agree about this, the decision was left to their High Mightinesses. Kiliacn de- sired the director and council in New Netherland, pending a de- cision of the matter, to at least grant his sellout a temporary fur trading privilege, in order to recoup for the frequent forced de- liveries that he had made out of the storehouses of his colony to the Company's officials on account, for the feeding of the population and provisioning of the returning ships. I have spoken of the Company's efiforts to draw a profit from New Netherland by retaining the exclusive control of the fur trade. This seems to have been possible only through sending few people there. The expense of transportation and support of the colonists had apparently become so heavy that the directors shrank from sending more people and making New Netherland a source of still greater loss to the Company's already unprofitable balance. No more free colonists offered themselves. They could only be tempted by the free extension of this important trade."" It was as much in tlie interest of New Netherland as in that of his own colony that van Rensselaer brought this point to the official notice of the Company. In 1636 this was evidently still discussed^^ but without much chance of a favorable decision for the proponent. The directors were quite preoccupied by the difficulties which the fiscal, Lubbert van Dincklage, had brought upon them by his strife with Director van Tzviller, with the preacher Bogardus, who in turn was incensed against the latter, and indeed with the whole coimcil and with all officials in New Netherland. We can not digress here to discuss this question which the directors found very perplexing. It seems that they did not blame van Tzviller for it but they had other grievances against him. The director was a poor correspondent, though we do not believe with van Rensselaer that he was too timid^^ ^q, ^^rite. The directors were not kept in- formed of matters, so that it became necessary to recall him and send out a new director. The opponents of van Tzviller stirred up the fire kindled against him. As early as September 1636, it was planned to put the director of Curacao, van Walbeeck, in^is place, but almost a year passed before van Tzviller was succeeded by •■'"Tf they want to keep it fnr themselves with a few people to draw the largest profit, they ean not defend the land, and with much people, they suffer loss; and others will not populate the country unless they grant them free trade. (T.etter of van hensschicr to U'ontcr ran T'.vilh-r, Sept. 25. t6,^6 [see p. 319-2,11.-) N. dk R « Letter to Wotiter van Tzviller. Sept. 25, 1636 [see p. 319-23]. N. de R. scltreupelues, see p. 320. 78 NICVV YORK STATIC TJl'.RAKY IVillcin Kicjt, who started for his post tiic last of September 1637 with two ships fitted out by the Company. In the meantime Schoiit Planck was very busy in distributing tlie small army of new colo- nists among his farms and laying out a couple of new ones to be intrusted to the care of Syinon IValichs.': and Cornelis Macseii and named Bcsselsburch and Trippenburch after the copartners in the colony, besides building two mills, a sawmill and a grist-mill, jjy the erection of the first, Kiliacn expected to have merchantable lumber that would be bought by the Company and the English, at least all that he did not need for his own use, and boards which might please the natives, because they would be suitable for build- ing huts and fitting them with hinged doors and windows. The patroon also promised himself no less profit from the grist-mill since he could barter liis grain with the Company for peltries or sell it to the English, and collect seawan by grinding the maize which the Indians would bring to the mill. The increasing necessity prompted the patroon, as we saw, to send over people and goods by whatever opportunity offered. Eight colonists crossed with Kicft, among whom were two black- smiths-'^^ and a couple of locksmiths. Van Rensselaer had indeed wished to send more people, but the Company in the beginning was willing to fit out only one ship and when the chartering of the second was determined upon he had no longer any chance to get other colonists. But in the same year six others followed in the ship of Pieter M'inuyt, among whom was the patroon's cousin, Arent van Curler,^^ a youth of 18 years of age, who was going to Rensselaerswyck as assistant or clerk to Planck, in order that the patroon might in future be kept better informed of his affairs. The latest colonists were to be especially employed in tobacco raising'^*'' but could in other v/ays meet their expenses by their own trades. Better times were dawning for the Company. Brazil was sub- dued and entered upon an era of orderly government under Johan Maurits. The directors decided to increase their capital by one third.^^ In the ])rospect of larger resources, it was determined " to We saw that the patroon had lost his two blacksmiths at Plymouth. N. de R. Arcnt van Curler, or Carter, was one of the five children of Joachim van Curler, a son of Goossen van Corler, schout of Nijkerk, who as late as 1626 was mentioned as a shareholder in the W. I. C. Joachim had died before this year, without means. N. DE R. According to Mr G. Beernink, of Nijkerk, Arent van Curler was baptized Feb. 6, 1620, and was the son of Hendrik; Joachim being an uncle of Arent and father of Jacobus, mentioned on p. 216. •» According to the patroon's statemient, tobacco was more easily sold here in the leaf than in rolls or spun. N. de R. ^» See Appendix K [p. 351-53 of this v&lumel. Letter from van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller, Sept. 21, 1637. In the Groat Placaatboek no resolution for this increase VAN RICNSSKLAICK I'.OWll'.R l\l A'i\ USCR I I'TS 79 take up the matter of New Netherland with ah diligence." The question of granting new freedoms was discussed but it was de- cided to await the report of the new (Hrcctor. From time to time the (Urectors received tidings which should have made it clear to them that the English encroached more and more on the land of the Maquas, on the Fresh River and elsewhere. This could only be prevented by doing more for colonization and declaring trade free without reserve. But this they seemed unable to decide upon and in consequence the patroon wrote on May 6, 1638, to his nephew van Twillcr: " The Company must open tlieir eyes, as I maintain, or they will lose the best part of that fine re- gion." Neither were the Swedish attempts to get a firm footing in North America to be concealed. The course of affairs could not fail to attract the attention of the States General. The frontiers of the colony were continually threatened by the danger of foreign intruders, and in the settled regions the population was decreasing rather than increasing. As soon as the six years' contract with the Company expired, many colonists returned to the fatherland after selling their cattle-''''' or were engaged for the colony of Rensselaers- wyck, where living was evidently more profitable. The States General saw the internal strength of the settlement diminish, whereas they liad hoped and exi)ccted, for the sake of the fatherland, to have a firmly established government there. Their High Mightinesses felt that there must be a change but they could not themselves push the matter. They gave the directors a hearing and urged the Assembl};' of the Nineteen to devise new ways of combating the ever increasing evil. This resulted in the discussion of a plan to offer new inducements to those willing to set- tle in New Netherland. De Lact, one of the partners of Kiliacn in Rensselaerswyck, pro- posed a plan that gained the approbation of the Amsterdam Cham- ber but their High Mightinesses by no means approved of it. A new plan was offered by others'''^ and was, like the first, referred by their High Mightinesses to a special committee for consideration, is to be found. It appear.s therefore that shortly after taking this resolve and before its execution, they were already considering a greater increase, up to one half of the capital. This at any rate was authorized in June 1639. N. riE R. I have already said that van Twiller, as also the patroon, bought in a part of the cattle and was blamed for it; very unjustly, as I think, unless it can be proved that the departure of the colonists was owing to him. The Company's restrictions were much more likely the cause of it. N. de R. O'Callaghan claims that this was the project given in the Holland Documents [Doc. rcl. to Col. Hht. N. F.], 1:96. In my opinion that can not be the second plan, which is I think the one printed in his History of Nczv Netherland, 1:201-3. although it is there incorrectly described as a proclamation. Above, it will be se6n that nothing ever came of the plan to give free trade to ISfew Netherland. 8o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY September 2, 1638. The new conditions gTanted the principle of free trade in New Netherland with the reservation of the Company':^ legitimate dues. The judgment of van Rensselaer in this matter may surely be quoted because his contemporaries seem to have shown their estimate of it when they appointed him as one of the impartial persons to whom was referred the question of free trade in Jjrazil. His letters show that he expected no relief for New Netherland from such a measure; indeed, he wrote to one of the members of the committee, Jhr. Gerrit van Arnhem, tiuit he did not approve of the plan and insisted now more than ever upon the maintenance of his rights.^'* The Assembly of the Nineteen did not consider it with favor either. It was feared that the opening of New Netherland to trade instead of promoting colonization, would give rise to the establish- ment of trading posts*'' and it seems that their High Mightinesses, for the same reason, dared not risk free trade. Nothing therefore came of it. A concession was made to the free traders by giving the colonists, in 1639, the fur trade privilege discussed before in May 1638.41 So far had matters progressed when, in the fall of 1639, ^'"^ spite of the secrecy with which matters were managed in the Amsterdam Chamber, Kiliaen, whose directorship in the West India Company had expired several years before, found out that they were discuss- ing new Freedoms and Exemptions with the evident intention — quite to his mind- — of urging rich men to found new patroonships. These Freedoms were, however, not so liberal as the first of 1628- 29. The preamble stated that the privileges would apply to those patroons who had already planted colonies as well as to those about to do so. This was enough to make Kiliaen feel that his rights would be curtailed if the ])lan were accepted. Therefore, appar- ently in order expressly to call the attention of the directors to this point, he presented a protest to the Assembly on October 27, whereby he sought assurance regarding it."*^ But he did not stop there. The friendly Jhr. van Arnhem was called upon; In my opinion the project mentioned in HoU. Doc. \Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. F.l, 1:96, refers to a later plan to improve the situation of New Netherland. Concerning this also I refer to the following pages. N. de R. Van Rensselaer felt that the best plan of colonization was by the admission of patroons. They could put capital in the business but stay at home, and the less favored by fortune, whom they sent over, could make capital fruitful. So the rich and the poor would help one another. N. de R. *° The viqw given here of the difficulties of those days, formed as I think on incon- testable grounds, differs wholly from that conveyed by O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, l:i97. N. de R. "Letter to Schout Planck, May lo, 1638 [p. 411-16]. N. de R. rotocol of Notary /. ran de Ven, Ainsterdam. N. de R. VAN RKNSSKl.AER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 8i Muscli, the secretary, was persuaded to forestall the possible ap- probation of their High Mightinesses by presenting a petition to them, praying that the patroon might at least be heard about this project and, in case of its adoption, that he might receive a cer- tificate de non praejudicando.*'-^ I think it not impossible that a second proposal granting the patroons still greater rights than those of 1629 was introduced into the Assembly by persons planning to found new colonies. I do not know what became of these pro- posals. In his letter to Jonker van Arnhem, Kiliaen says that they were unfavorably received by the States General. It is certain that a revival in American colonial affairs fol- lowed the revocation of the fur trade monopoly. Just at this time Count van Solms proposed to found a colony and Cornclis Mdijn was empowered to do likewise, departing soon after for Staten Island, as patroon. O'Callaghan's statement seems to me quite incomprehensible and unfounded, that in the year 1638 " the trade as well as the cul- tivation of the soil was thrown open to every person, whether denizen or foreigner, who chose to embark in it." For when I read in the subjects for discussion named in the call for the meet- ing of P'ebruary 21, 1643, the following clause given by the com- l)iler of the Holland Documents himself,^'* " It being found . . . that the plan" — -mark this word — "of opening the trade . . . produces no true effect," then I do not doubt that these projects came to naught. O'Callaghan confuses the fur trading privileges given the colonists with a free trade such as the Company granted Brazil. In New Netherland all went on pretty much as of old. The population increased, but through a ruinous desire to get rich they bartered weapons in return for the much desired furs from the natives, who after a few years made use of these arms to slaughter the white inhabitants. In many respects the situation at Rensselaerswyck was not ac- cording to the patroon's wishes. Disobedience to his appointed authorities was of frequent occurrence ; the contraband trade of the colonists robbed him of half his profits. The colonists might trade with the patroon's commis, but not with natives or outsiders, although Kiliaen was inclined to overlook this a little in those who zealously applied themselves to farming and cattle-raising.^s (ictc van non-pracjuditic ; cf. p. 465, 466-67. "O'Callaghan, Holland Documents \Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. F.], l:i3S. Compare liorewith the ln<;triictions, l:i62, paragrapli 6, and the Rei-ort 1:2^6, paragraph 2. N. t)K R. "Letter to Sehout Planck May 10, 1638 [p. 411-16]. N. de R. 6 82 It was scandalous that the supercargo of the ship Rcnssclacrszvijck had tempted the colonists to engage in this forbidden trade, thus evading the payment of duties to the Company. He had indeed by a full confession, arising fr(jni re])cntance, enabled his master to get redress from the disobedient colonists, but this gave rise to all kinds of difficulties for the schout and schepens, since an evil spirit had entered into the colony of enriching themselves at the patroon's cost and in spite of the contracts made with him. We have seen the conditions upon which the farmers came to Rensselaerswyck. As a rule they were people of no means wlio must take an advance from the patroon in order to fit themselves out as best they could and they saw their debt also increased by the expenses of the journey. The patroon was therefore the creditor of most of them when they landed in his colony, and since they could obtain all kinds of necessaries^*^ in exchange for farm prod- ucts only from the patroon through his commis they soon got deeper in debt when there was a scant harvest. This might per- haps come right by degrees, but surely not by a measure which displeased him greatly, namely that without informing him the farmers had raised the wages of farm laborers. By this means, the receipts would be diminished and the hoped-for time deferred when the partners should enter upon the enjoyment of the profits, whilst again and again assessments, of only a few hundred guilders it is true, nmst be raised for the shortage caused by the admin- istration. On his side the jxatroon gave all sorts of instructions. One thing which he had continually in mind was the care of the spiritual wel- fare of his colonists. Although people assembled regularly every Sunday for prayer and song, he wished that the colony might find means to pay for a minister, but the 300 guilders which Planck had for that purpose did not ai)pear sulficient to the patroon to induce a servant of the Gospel to change his post for the colony ; indeed, the proposed church, having a granary on the second floor, would not, he thought, ofTer a sufficiently tempting opportunity to a licsitating minister. At this time there was little inclination for emigration. The plague had made fearful ravages and had not yet vanished. Every working force could be employed at home. In the years from 1638 to 1640 the patroon could find only a few inclined to join his agricultural colony. Th.e death rate was also very great in Amsterdam and could not Kiliacn had given strict orders tliat the prices of goods should not be raised so as to exhaust the colonists, " that they might profit a little," N. de R. VAN Ri-;Nssi';r..\]':K liowiKR manusckii'ts 83 fail to cause van Rensselaer serious consideration. He had many children; how would they fare if he should perish, as so many had? So he wished to make disposition in regard to Rensselaerswyck, which he was at liberty to do according to article 7 of the conceded Freedoms. He therefore applied, in November 1639, to the Nine- teen for this permission. It seems that the patroon, who as we have said had a three fifths interest in the enterprise, had taken this step without the knowledge of his partners; in no wise to mislead them, for who, better than he, could know that as directors it would come immediately to the notice of Blommaert and de Lact? Van Rensselaer was too noble and honorable a man to do any- thing but what he thought to be right. But it seems that de Laet, and soon the other partners also, took quite a diflferent view of their mutual relations. Kiliaen was certainlv the administrator and owner of more than half of the colony, but they had also had rights, and rights equal to the patroon's. What else was he planning than to place himself, at their expense, in possession of the whole colony? They began to suspect him, to confer together and to devise measures distasteful to the patroon ; and when he pressed for settlement, this, to his great surprise, was refused by de Laet, unless the patroon would declare how he understood the patroon- ship. Although he said that he intended to defraud none of his partners, but only, in what concerned himself, to insist on the rights and prerogatives granted to the ]mtroon by the sixth article of the Freedoms, that did not help him. De Laet remained un- willing to pay"**" the sum already owing, which had been advanced by the patroon, and he as well as the other partners would not even meet with the patroon for the discussion of necessary measures. From the letters which van Rensselaer wrote as well to de Laet as to Muyssart in the years 1640 and 1641, we may learn what the partners wanted.^^ It seems that they considered themselves owners of a part of the colony equivalent to their share, while the patroon asserted that they were coowners of the whole. They insisted therefore not only upon the division of the colony into the five lordships, of which it consisted,^^ but desired also to enter upon the enjoyment of manorial rights and to exercise the same over such portions as *~ Toussaint Muyssart seoms to have paid. He had need to keep friends with the patroon since he supplied duffel, blankets and similar articles. N. de R. Letter of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart at Leydcn, May 7, 1640 [p. -71I. N. TiK R. Compare tlic Account of jurisdiclion. etc.. Appendix E fp- 306-12 of this volumel. They intended to allot three of these lordships to the family of van Rensselaer and two to the partners. N. de R. 84 NEW YORK STATE I.IIIKARY should be allotted to them. The patroon pointed out that this con- flicted with the sixth article of the Freedoms, which recognized only one patroon entrusted with jurisdiction and also with the con- ditions by which the four patroons had bound themselves and with the facts, proved by the administration, the appointment of officials ind engaging of colonists, all of which measures were executed by the patroon without the interposition of his partners; and finally, by the deeds of the territories, which stood exclusively in his name, lint he also proved that from a practical point of view the division would not be advantageous. How could one divide the grist-mill, the sawmill, the brewery? What would become of the shoemaker, the blacksmith or the carpenter? Now each one of them could find work because the colony was undivided. And how vexatious it would be when the farm laborers, who so willingly changed from farm to farm, should go over from one independent part of the colony to another? The patroon argued, and we believe rightly, that it would' cause the downfall of the colony. To keep control in one hand was needful. What use was it for him to bring up every matter of common interest for discussion, when he, as owner of three fifths, could always outvote the others ?^'^ It would be most unjust that he who continually and quite alone had been diligent in the matter and brought it to good results with great promise in the near future, should now, without ground for questioning his management or his accounts, be removed from the government by his partners, of whom Air de Laet had never given himself the trovible even to break a lance for the colony in the Assembly of the Nineteen. He was not disinclined to concession. For instance, he was willing to assign some farms to the partners, if his overlordship, his higher and lower jurisdiction and his manorial rights were sub- mitted to and recognized. He was even willing to grant them per- mission to nominate persons to office provided that the commissions Vi'ere given by the patroon. The jurisdiction was indivisible. The Freedoms granted to the patroons in 1628-29 spoke of no separa- tion. If the partners wished to have exclusive possession of a farm or even of one of the territories, the relations between them and the patroon must be those of vassal and lord. If they would agree to this, he would cede them the possession of one fifth of the intermediate and one tenth of the lower jurisdictions. Such a bond did not attract the partners, especially de Laet, who In order to demonstrate how intolerable this would be, the patroon referred to the example of Mr Godijn, whose colony perished because he was unable to secure agreement in its management. N. de R. • VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 85 made himself their spokesman. They desired free rule, freedom of jurisdiction, and rebelled at the idea of resigning the slightest fraction of freedom for " nonfreedom," as they perversely viewed it, under the patroon. Although they had now won over the patroon to the idea of an actual division into lordships, they held on to the scheme of coad- ministration and cojurisdiction with the lord paramount, not allow- ing themselves, for the present at least, to be convinced of its practical impossibility by the appeal of Kiliaen. In the meantime, van Rensselaer had gained the Company's con- sent to make disposition by his last will and testament as he pleased of the property he held in fief, and on January 29, 1641, he sought the ai^proval of the States General, which was granted to him by letters patent of February 5 foUowing.^^ From the wording of the grant thus obtained by him, it is most evident that the patroon believed a settlement with his partners possible on the basis of recognition of his feudal rights. We read indeed, in a quotation from the actual words of his request, that he wished to dispose of this " for the benefit of his children, friends, relatives and also strangers, as he may please and see fit." Under the words " strangers " he may be supposed to have really provided for the interests of his partners. The partners debated for some months whether they should go to law but appear to have abandoned this plan. We hear no more of the matter during the patroon's lifetime. They became good friends again and went on with the work of annually dispatching a good-sized consignment of merchandise to the colony. They paid their assessments but not until after they had expressly reserved their rights by the protest of July i, 1641. So these difficulties were taken out of the way of van Roissc- laer.^^" See O'Callaglian, Holland Documents [Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. F.], 1:124. The original instrument of the same date, p. 125, is among the archives of the Boivier family [see p. 537-39 of this volume]. N. de R. iia Here ends the second article by Mr de Roever on the colony of Renssclaerswyck. Mr de Roever intended to continue the account, but first pressing duties in connection with the transfer of the city archives, then the death of his wife and finally his own sudden death on March 11, 1893, prevented him from completing his task. 86 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Charter of the West India Company m June 2, 162 1 Original text Octroy, By de Hooge Mogende Heeren Statcn Generael, verleent aende West-Indische Compagiiic, in dale deu derden lunij 1621. De Staten Generael der Vereenichde Nederlanden, Allen den geenen die dese jegenvvoordigc sullen sien ofte hooren lesen, Saluyt. DOEN TE WETEN, dat Wy bemerckende den welstant deser Lan- den, ende welvaren vande Ingesetenen van dien, principalijck te bestaen by de Scheep-vaert ende Koophandel, die van alien ouden tijden uyt de selve Landen geluckelijck ende met grooten zegen ghedreven is geweest, op alle Landen ende Koninghrijcken. SOO 1ST, dat Wy begeerende dat de voorsz Ingesetenen, niet alleen by liaere voorgaende Navigatie, Trafiijcque ende Hanteringe werden gheconserveert, maer oock dat haer Traffijcque soo veel moghelijck souden mogen toe-nemen, bysonder in conformiteyt vande Tracta- ten, AUiantien, Verbonden ende Entrecoursen, op de Trafficque ende Zee-vaert met andere Princen, Republijcquen ende Volckeren eertijts gemaeckt, die wy in alien deelen punctuelick verstaen onder- houden ende aclitervolght te moeten werden : Ende wy by experi- entie bevinden, dat sonder ghemeene hulpe, assistentie ende middelen van een Generale Compagnie, niet vruchtbaerlijcks inden Quartieren hier naer ghedesigneert, ghedreven, beschermt ende gemainteneert en kan werden, mits de groote avonture van Zee-rooveryen, ex- torsien ende andersints, die op soo groote verre reysen zijn vallende, Soo hebben wy midts verscheyden ende andere pregnante redenen ende consideratien ons daer toe movercnde, met rijpe deliberatie van Raede, ende nyt liooch-dringende oorsaccken, goct gevonden, dat die Scheep-vaert, Handelinge ende Commercien inde quartieren van For reasons stated in the introduction, it has been deemed advisable to prefix to the translations of the Van Rensselaer Bowier Mss the fundamental documents regulating the organization and internal management of the West India Company. The charter was first issued in Dutch, in pami)hlet form, in 1621 (Asher, Bibliographical Essay, p. 99, no. 54); reprinted in pamphlet form with the amplifications of June 10, 1622, and Feb. 13, 1623, and the agreement of June 21, 1623, in 1623, 1624, 1629 and 1642 (Asher, no. SS-61); also printed in Dutch in de Laet, Historic ofte laerlijck Verhael, 1644, introd. p. [7-16]; Croat Placaet Bocck, 1658-1797, vol. 1, col. 565-78; Aitzema, Saken van Staet en Oorlogh, 1669-72, 1:62-66; and Tjassens, Zee-Politie, 1670, p. 305-17. The present copy follows the official text of the Groot Placaet Bocck. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 87 Charter of the West India Company ^^a June 2, 1621 Translation Charter granted by the High and Mighty Lords the States General to tlie West India Company, dated the 3d of June 1621. The States General of the United Netherlands to all who shall see these presents or hear them read, greeting. Be it known, that we, noticing" that the prosperity of this country and the welfare of its inhabitants consist principally in navigation and trade, which from time immemorial has been carried on by this country with good fortune and great blessing with all countries and kingdoms ; and desiring that the aforesaid inhabitants not only be maintained in their former navigation, commerce and trade, but also that their commerce may be increased as much as possible, especially in con- formity with the treaties, alliances, conventions and covenants con- cerning commerce and navigation formerly made with other princes, republics and nations, which we intend shall be punctually kept and observed in all their parts ; and finding by experience that without the common help, aid and means of a general company, no profitable business can be carried on, protected and maintained in the parts hereafter designated on account of the great risk from pirates, extortions and the like, which are incurred on such long and distant voyages ; we, therefore, many other and different preg- nant reasons and considerations also us thereunto moving, after mature deliberation of Council, and for very pressing causes, have resolved that the navigation, trade and commerce in the West Tlie only translation of this charter heretofore printed is the very imperfect one in Hazard, Historical Collections of Slate Papers, 1:121—31, literally reprinted in O'Cal- laglian. History of New Netherland, 1:399-407; for criticism of this see J. F. Jameson's article on Usselinx in Papers of the American Historical Association, 1887, 2:i6o, 219-20. Transtations, differing but slightly from the present, of the preamble and articles 1-3 and 45 appear in British Blue Book, Vene::ucla No. 3, (1896), p. 53—54; of article 2 in Report of the U. S. Commission on Boundary between Venezuela and British Guiana, 1896—97, l:iio— 11. 88 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY W'est-Indien ende Africa endc anderen hier naer ghedesigneert, voortaen nict anders en sal werden gedreven, dan met gemeene vereenichde macht vande Koopluyden endc Ingesetenen deser Lan- den, ende dat tot dien eynde opgerecht sal worden eene Generale Compagnie, die wy uyt sonderlinge affectie tot den gemeynen wel- stant, ende omme de Ingcstenen van dien te conserveren in goede Neeringhe ende welvaert, sullen mainteneren ende verstercken met onse hulpe, faveur ende assistentie, voor soo veel den jegenwoordi- gen staet endc ghestaltenisse der Landcn cenichsins kan verdragen, ende daer toe te voorsien met behoorlijck Octroy, ende met dc I'rivilegien ende Exemptien hier nacr volgcndc, Te weten: 1. Dat binnen den tijt van vier-en-twintich Jaren, niemant vande Ingeboorncn of te Ingesetenen dcscr Landen, anders dan alleen uyt den Naem van dese Vereenichde Compagnie uyt dese Vereenichde Nederlanden, nochte oock van buyten tie selve Landen sal mogen varen ofte Negotieren op de Kusten ende Landen van Africa, van- den Tropico Cancri, tot Cabo de bonne Esperance, nochte op de Landen van America, ofte Wcst-Tndicn, beginnende van't Zuyt- eynde van Terra Nova, door de Straten van Magellanes, le Maire, ofte andere Straten ende Passagien daer ontrent ghclegen, tot do Strate van Anjan, soo op de Noort-zee, als op de Zuyt-zee, nochte op eenige Eylanden aende eene ende andere zijden ende tusschen beyden gelegen ; Mitsgaders op de Austraelschc ofte Zuyderlanden, streckende ende leggende tusschen beyde de Meridianen, raeckende in't Oosten de Cabo de bonne Esperance, ende in't Westen bet Oost- eynde van Nova Guinea incluys. Ende soo wie sonder consent van dese Compagnie hem sal vervorderen te varen, ofte te Negotieren op eenige Plaetsen binnen de voorsz Limiten, dese Compagnie gheac- cordeert, dat sal zijn op de verbeurte vande Schepen ende Goedercn, die Ijevonden sullen werden op de voorschrcve Kusten ende Gewes- ten te handelen, de wclckc datelijck ende al omme van wegen de voorschrcve Compagnie, aengetast, ghenomen ende als vcrbeurt, ten behoeve van de selve gehouden sullen mogen werden. Ende in cas soodanige Schepen ofte Goederen verkocht mochten wesen, ofte in andere Landen ofte ITavenen in-gheloopen, sullen de Reeders ende Participanten voor de waerde vande selve Schepen ende goederen mogen werden geexecuteert : Uytgesondert allcen, dat dc gecne die voor date van dit Octroy, uyt dese ofte andere I^anden, op eenige VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 89 Indies, Africa and other countries hereafter designated, shall henceforth not he carried on otherwise than with the common united strength of the merchants and inhahitants of this country and that to this end tlicre shall l)e established a general company which, on account of our great love for the common weal and in order to conserve the trade and welfare of the inhabitants of this country, we will maintain and strengthen with our help, favor and assistance, so far as the present state and condition of this country will in any way admit, and for that purpose furnish with a proper charter and endow with the privileges and exemptions hereafter enumerated, to wit: I. That for the period of twenty-four years no native or in- habitant of this country •hall be permitted, except in the name of this United Company, from these United Netherlands nor even from any place outside of them, to sail to or trade with the coasts and countries of Africa, from the Tropic of Cancer to the Cape of Good Hope; nor to or with the countries of America, or the West hidies, beginning at the south end of Terra Nova, through the Straits of Magellan, le Maire, and other straits and passages sit- uated thereabouts, to the Strait of Anjan/'^ neither on the North Sea nor on the South Sea, nor to or with any islands situated on the one side or the other, or between both ; nor to or with the Australian or South Lands, extending and lying between the two meridians of the Cape of Good Hope in the east, and of the east end of New Guinea in the west, inclusive. And whoever shall venture, without the consent of this Company, to sail to or to traffic with any places within the aforesaid limits granted to this Com- pany, shall forfeit the ships and goods which shall be found trad- ing tipon the aforesaid coasts and lands, the which in the name of the aforesaid Company may immediately and everywhere be attached, seized and held as confiscated property for the behoof of the same. And in case such ship or goods shall have been sold or taken to other countries or ports, the owners and partners may be levied on for the value of those ships and goods ; except only, that they, who before the date of this charter shall have sailed from these or other countries to any of the aforesaid coasts, shall ■■■■Strait of Anjan; corrc'SiKMidinR to r.cring Strait. "Strictly speaking, the Strait of An Jan is not laid down on the old majis at the same point as our T.cring Strait; Init that is only because the northern Pacific ■was iinkno-wn. As it -was the strait supposed to divide America from .^sia, it exactly coincides ■with Bering Strait as a lunit." Report of U. S. Commission on Boundary between Venezuela and British C/uinna, l:ioo. 90 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY der voorsz Kusten uytgeloopen ofte uytgesonden zijn, liunne hande- linge totten uytkoop haerder goederen, ende weder-kommen in dese Landen, ofte andersints, ter expiratie toe van haer Octroy, soo sy voor desen eenich hebbcn verkregen, sullen vermogen te continueren, ende langer niet: Behoudelick dat naer den eersten Julij sesthien hondert een ende twinticli, dage, ende tijde des ingancks van desen Octroye, niemant eenige Schepen ofte goederen en sal vermogen uyt te seynden naer de Quartieren in desen Octroye begrepen, al- waer't dat voor date van dien dese Compagnie noch niet eyntelick en ware gesloten : Maer sullen daer inne voorsien sulcks als behoort, tegens den geenen die wetens in fraude van dese onse goede mee- ninge het ghemeene beste soecken te frustreren : Welverstaende dat de Zout-vaert op Ponte del Re sal mogen werden gecontinueert, op conditien ende Instructien by ons daer van verleden ofte te verlijden, sonder aen desen Octroye anders te wesen verbonden. II. Dat voorts dc voorschreve Compagnie op onsen Name ende authoriteyt, binnen de Limiten hier vooren ghestelt, sal mogen maecken Contracten, Verbintenissen ende Alliancien met de Princen ende Naturelen vande Landen daer inne begrepen, mitsgaders al- daer eenige Fortressen ende verseeckertheden bouwen, Gouver- neurs, Volck van Oorloge, ende Officers van Justitie, ende tot andere nootelijcke diensten, tot conservatie vande Plaetsen, onderhoudinge van goede ordre, Policie ende Justitie: Eensamentlijck tot voorde- ringe vande Neeringe stellen, deporteren ende af-stellen, ende weder- om andere in hare plaetse surrogueren, naer syluyden naer gelegent- heyt van saecken sullen bevinden te behooren ; Voorts populatie van vruchtbare ende onbewoonde Quartieren mogen bevorderen, ende al- les doen dat den dienst der Landen, profijt ende vermeerderinge van- den handel sal vereyschen. Ende sullen die vande Compagnie ons successivclijck communiceren, ende over-leveren soodanige Contrac- ten ende Alliancen als sy mette voorschreve Princen ende Natien sul- len hebben gemaeckt, mitsgaders de ghelegentheyt vanden Fortres- sen, verseeckertheden ende populatien by henluyden ter handen genomen. III. Behoudelick dat sylieden eenen Gouverneur Generael ver- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 91 be permitted to continue their trade till they have sold their goods and come back to this country, or otherwise until the expiration of their charter if they have been granted any before this date, and no longer. Provided, that after the first of July, sixteen hundred and twenty-one, the day and time of the commencement of this charter, no one shall be permitted to send any ships or goods to the places comprehended in this charter even if this Company should not be fully organized before that date ; but proper provision shall be made against those who knowingly and fraudulently seek to frustrate our good intentions for the common weal ; it being under- stood that the salt trade at Ponte del Re may be continued accord- ing to the conditions and instructions already given, or to be given by us respecting it, without being in any way restricted by this charter. II. That further the aforesaid Company, in our name and by our authority, within the limits hereinbefore set forth, shall have power to make contracts, leagues and alliances with the princes and natives of the countries therein comprised also to build any fort- resses and strongholds there; to appoint,^''^ transfer, discharge and replace governors, troops and officers of justice and for other necessary services, for the preservation of the places, the main- tenance of good order, police and justice, in general for the furtherance of trade, as according to circumstances they shall see fit ; moreover, they may promote the settlement of fertile and unin- habited districts, and do all that the service of this country and the profit and increase of trade shall require. And the [directors] of the Company shall regularly communicate' to us and transmit such contracts and alliances as they shall have made with the aforesaid princes and nations, likewise [report] the situation of the fortresses, strongholds and settlements by them begun. III. Provided that wdien they have chosen a governor general The translation of art. 2 of this charter, in the Report of the U. S. Com- mission on Boundary bchvccn Venezuela and British Guiana, l;iio, has at this point, in brackets, the word provide with the following footnote: " Tliis important verb is omitted in tlie cliarter as printed in the Groot Placaet-Boek, in Aitzema, and in Tjassens — and so, perhaps, in the original document; but it is supplied, in the new charter of 1674, as aenstellen." As a matter of fact, no such omission occurs, for the word stellen which appears further down in connection with the words deporteren ende af stellen, refers back to governors, troops and officers of justice. 92 NEW YORK STATE LIliRARY koorcn, cndc voor hem Instructic gcconcipieert hebbendc, dc selve (lacr nacr by ons gcapprobecrt cndc Comtnissie ghcgcvcn salwordcn, Elide dat voorts soodanigen Gouvenieur Gencrael, soo wcl als aii- dere Vice-Gouveriieurs^ Commaiideurs cnde Officieren, gehouden sullen wesen den cedt van gctrouwicheyt aen ons le docn, ende oock aende Compagnie. IV. Endc indien dc voorsz Compagnie op cenige dcr voorsz Plaet- scn in schijn van vricntschap bedrogen, ofte qualijck ghetractcert mochte werden, ofte dat in 't vertrouwen van eenige Pcnningen ofte Koopmanschappen, de selve sonder restitutie ofte betalinge daer van te genieten, gehouden worden, dat sy de schade naer ghelegent- heyt der saecken, ende naer dat sy best sullen vcrmogen, sullen doen repareren, deur alsulcke middelen als men gevoechlijck sal konnen doen. V. Ende alsoo tot plantinge, versceckeringe ende defensie van desen handel, oock noodich sal zijn eenich Krijghs-volck mede te nemen, sullen wy naer de constitutie van't Landt ende gelegcntheyt van saecken., de voorsz Compagnie voorsien met soodanich Voick van Oorloge, van Commandement ende van Fortificatien, als noodich sal wcscn, mits dat die by de Compagnie sullen worden betaclt ende onderhouden. VI. De welcke boven den Eedt die sy aen ons cnde Sijn Excel- Icntie hebben gedaen, oock sweeren sullen, het Commandement van- de voorsz Compagnie te volgen, ende hare saecken te helpcn voorde- ren naer haer beste vcrmogen. VII. Dat de Provoosten vande Compagnie aen Lant sullen mogeu apprehenderen het Krijgs-volck endc ander Volck van Oorloge, dat hen in dienste vande voorsz Compagnie begeven heeft, ende de gheapprehendcerde t'Scheep brengen, 't zy in wat Stcden, Plaet- sen ofte Jurisdictien van dese Landen dc selve bevonden mochten werden, Mits dat de Provoosten te vooren sullen aenspreken d'Ofh- ciers ende Magistraten vande Steden ende Plaetsen daer sulcks valt. VIII. Dat wy egeen Schepen, Geschut ofte Ammunitien van dese Compagnie tot dienste deser Landen en sullen nemen, dan met con- sent vande selve Compagnie. IX. Hebben voorts dese Compagnie gheoctroyeert, geprivilegeert ende ghegunt, octroyeren ende gunnen mits desen, dat sy met allc hare Schepen ende goederen vry sullen mogen passeren voor-by alle Tollen eenige der V^ereenichde Provincien toekomende, ende dat sy de selve vryheyt sullen gebruycken in sulcker voegen als de vrye Ingesetenen vande Steden deser Landen daer inne hare vrydom- VAN RENSSELAER EOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 93 and prepared instructions for him, the same must be approved, and the commission given by us ; and further, that such governor general, as also other vice governors, commanders and officers, shall be obliged to take the oath of allegiance to us and also to the Company. IV. And if the aforesaid Company in any of the aforesaid places be cheated under the pretense of friendship or badly treated, or if any money or goods entrusted by them be kept without their re- ceiving restitution or payment, they may according to circumstances and the best of their ability cause the loss to be made good by all such means as can properly be employed. V. And as it will also be necessary for the establishment, security and defense of this trade to take some troops along, we will, ac- cording to the condition of the country and the situation of affairs, furnish the said Company with such troops for field and garrison duty as shall be necessary, provided they be paid and supported by the Company. VI. Which troops, besides the oath already taken to us and to his Excellency, shall swear to obey the commands of the said Com- pany and to help promote their interests to the utmost of their ability. VII. That the provosts of the Company on shore shall have power to apprehend any soldiers or other of the military that liave enlisted in the service of the aforesaid Company and to con- fine them on board shi]) in whatever city, place or jurisdiction of this country they may be found; provided the provosts first inform the officers and magistrates of the cities and places where this occurs. VIII. That we will not take any ships, ordnance or ammunition belonging to the Company, for the use of this country, except with the consent of the said Company. IX. We have further granted, privileged and conceded this Com- pany, and do hereby grant and concede, that they may pass freely with all their ships and goods without paying toll to any of the United Provinces and that they may use this freedom in the same manner as the free inhabitants of the cities of this country enjoy 94 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY men zijn genietende, oock niet tegenstaende eenige onvrye Per- soonen in dese Compagnie zijn participerende. X. Dat alle de goederen die dese Compagnie, gheduyrende den tijdt van acht eerst-komende Jaren, sullen uyt dese Landen voeren nae de quartieren van West-Indien ende Africa, ende andere binnen de voorsz Limiten begrepen, ende die sy van daer in dese Landen sullen brengen, sullen wesen vry van uytgaende ende inkomende Convoyen : Welverstaende by soo verre naer de expiratie vande voorschreve acht Jaren, den Staet ende gelegentheyt deser Landen niet toe en laet dien vrydom van acht Jaeren noch voor een tijdt van Jaeren te continueren, dat de selve goederen daer naer, nochte oock de waren uyt de quartieren in desen Octroye gedesig- necrt, ghekomen, ende wederom uyt desen Lande gaende, indo uytgaende Convoyen ende Licenten, geduyrende den gheheelen tijdt van desen Octroye, niet hooger by ons sullen werden beswaert, dan die jegenwoordelijck beswaert zijn, ten ware wy wederom in Oor- loge quamen te geraecken, in welcken ghevalle alle de voorschreve goederen ende Waren niet hooger by ons en sullen werden beswaert, als die op de laeste Lijste by tijde vanden Oorloge beswaert zijn gheweest. XL Ende op dat dese Compagnie sonde mogen bestaen by een goede Regieringe, ten meesten profijte ende contentement van alle de Participanten, Soo hebben Wy geordonneert, dat de selve Regie- ringe sal bestaen in vijf Kameren van Bewinthebberen, als een bin- nen Amsterdam, die hebben sal de administratie van vier negende- parten : een Kamer in Zeelandt, voor twee negende-parten : Een Ka- mer op de Maze, voor een negende-part : Een Kamer in 't Noor- der-quartier, voor een negende-part: Ende de vijfde Kamer in Vrieslandt, mitsgaders Stadt ende Landen mede voor een negende- part, op de Conditie in hct Register van onse Resolutien gestelt, ende VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 95 their freedom, iiolwithstanding some persons who are not free should be members of this Company. X. That ali the goods which this Company during the eight next ensuing years shall carry out of this country to the West Indies and Africa, and other places comprised within the aforesaid limits, and those which they shall bring thence into this country shall be exempt from outgoing and ingoing convoy charges provided, that if at the expiration of the aforesaid eight years, the state and condition of this country will not admit of this eight years' free- dom's continuing for another term of years, then outgoing convoy charges and license fees^*^ on the said goods and merchandise coming from the places mentioned in this charter and again ex- ported from this country, during the whole term of this charter shall not be rated higher by us than they are rated at present; unless we should' be again engaged in war, in which case all the aforesaid goods and merchandises shall not be rated higher by us than they were in the last list in time of war. XL And in order that this Company may have a good govern- ment, to the greatest profit and satisfaction of all the participants, we have ordained that the said government shall be vested in five Chambers of directors — one at Amsterdam which shall have the management of four ninths; one Chamber in Zealand, of two ninths; one Chamber on the Maze, of one ninth ; one Chamber in the Noor- der-quartier,^'^ of one ninth; and the fifth Chamber in Friesland to- gether with Stadt ende Landen,^^ also of one ninth — upon the conditions set forth in the register of our resolutions and the agree- ^Convoyen; import and export duties levied in 1572 by the province of Holland and after 1577 by the States General for the support of the navy and which entitled merchantmen sailing in company to protection by war vessels. Licenten; fees paid for license to trade to the enemy's country, first established in 1573 Ijy the province of Zealand and after 1577 paid to the States General for the support of the navy. Both taxes, the Convoyen and Licenten, remained in force after the treaty of Munster, 1648, but had by that time assumed the character of ordinary import and export duties. See Groot Placaet Boeck, 1:2264-2555; Jhr J. C. de Jonge, Geschiedcnis van het Nederlandsche Zeewezcn, 1:184-88; Robert Fruin, Geschiedenis der Staatsinstellingen in Nederland, p. 189. " Noorderkwartier ; the former name of that part of the present province of North Holland situated north of the IJ and the Wijker-meer; it included the seven cities: Alkmaar, Iloorn, Enkhuizen, Edam, Monnikendam, Medemblik and Purmerende. Stad en Lande, or Stad en Ommelanden; former name of the province of Groningen, referring to the city of Groningen with its surrounding territory and the three country districts Ilunsingo, Fivelgo and Westerkwartier. 96 NEW YORK STATE LTI'.RARV de Acte claer van verleden : Ende sullen de Provinticn inde wclcke geen Kameren en sullen zijn, met soo vcle Bewintliebberen werden geaccommodeert, ende over de respective Kameren verdeelt, als sylieden hondert duysenden guldens in dese Compagnie furneren sullen. Xll. Dat de Kamer van Amsterdam sal bestaen van twintich Be- winthebbers : De Kamer van Zeelandt van twaelf : De Kameren vandc Maze ende van't Noorder-quartier, elck van veertien: Ende de Kamere van Vrieslandt, mitsgaders van Stadt ende Landen, mcde van veertien Bewintliebbers : Ten ware naemaels bevonden wort, dat dit werck niet anders dan met meerder getal van Per- soonen uytgevoert sonde konnen werden, in welcken gevalle 't sel- ve met kennisse vande negenthien, ende met onse goet-vindinge, en- de anders niet, sal mogen werden vermeerdert. Xill. Ende werden de Staten vande respective Vereenicbde Pro- vintien gheauthoriscert, 't zy voor hun Ed : Mog : haere ordinarise Gedeputeerdens, ofte voor de Magistraten der Steden haerer Pro- vincie, soodanige odre te stellen op de aenteyckeninge vande Partici- panten, mitsgaders de verkiesinge vande Bewinthebberen, als sy naer de Constitutie vande selve haere Provintie sullen bevinden te be- hooren : Mits dat nieniant inde Kamer van Amsterdam tot Bewint- hebber verkooren sal worden, dan die geene die inde Compagnie voor sijn eygen sal participeren ter somme van ses duysent guldens : inde Kamer van Zeelant, ter somme van vier duysent gulden: ende inde Kameren vande Maze, van 't Noorder-quartier ende van Vrieslant, mitsgaders Stadt ende Landen, ter somme van ghelijcke vier duysent guldens. XIV. Dat de eerste Bewinthebbers sullen dienen den tijt van ses Jaren, ende dat men de selve overstreken zijnde, eerst by lotinge sal veranderen cen derde-part van 't getal vande Bewinthebbers, en- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 97 ment^'' drawn up respecting it. And the provinces in which there are no Chambers shall be accommodated with as many directors, divided among the respective Chambers, as the number of hun- dred thousand guilders which they shall furnish to the Company. XII. That the Chamber of Amsterdam shall consist of twenty directors; the Chamber of Zealand of twelve; the Chambers of the Mase and of the Noorder-quartier each of fourteen ; and the Cham- ber of Friesland together with Stadt cnde Landcn also of fourteen directors. If it shall hereafter appear that this work can not be carried on without a greater number of persons, then more may be added after notice to the Nineteen and our approbation, but not otherwise. XIII. And the States of the respective united provinces are authorized to make such regulations, either for their Noble Mightinesses' ordinary deputies'^** or for the magistrates of the cities of their province, concerning the registration of the partici- pants and the election of directors, as they think proper, according to the constitution of their province; provided that no person in the Chamber of Amsterdam shall be chosen a director who shall not in his own name participate in the Company for the sum of six thousand guilders ; in the Chamber of Zealand for four thousand guilders ; and in the Chambers of the Mase, of the Noorder-quartier, and of Friesland, with Stadt ende Landen, for the like sum of four thousand guilders. XIV. That the first directors shall serve for the term of six years and that at the expiration of the said term, first one third part of the number of directors, selected by lot, shall be changed ; ^ A fifth chamber, to have one ninth of the capital, was reluctantly conceded to Friesland and Gronigen upon their signing an agreement dat se hen daar meede sullen houden vernieuwt, en vorder daar in nict moogen pretendeeren; en deesen in het rcguard van de Ooslindischc Compagnie by continuatie, of verleenen van nieuw Octroy voor deselve trekken in consequentie, maar de equipalie en Kamere daar van laaten, soo en tcr plaatse deselve jeegenwoordig syn — that they will rest satisfied herewith and make no further claims; and that they will not make this a precedent in case of ex- tension or renewal of the charter of the East India Company, but leave the organization and the chamber thereof as and at the place where they are at present. Resolutions of Holland and West Friesland, Sept. 19, 1620. See also J. F. Jameson, Willem Ussclinx {Papers of the American Historical Association, 1886-87, 2:217-18). '"'The Deputy States; an executive committee appointed by the Provincial States for the transaction of daily business. 98 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY de twee Jaren daer nae gelijcke derde-part, ende d'andere twee vol- gende Jaeren het leste derde-part, ende voorts successivelick de outste in dienste zijnde laten afgaen: Ende dat in plaetse vande afgaende, ofte vanden geenen die voor ofte naer soude mogen aflijvich, oft om andere redenen verlaten worden, by de Bevvint- hebberen, soo blijvende als af-gaende, mitsgaders by de Hooft-Par- ticipanten die in Persoone, ende op hare kosten daer by sullen willen komen, drie andere sullen worden genomineert, uyt welcke de voorsz respective Provintien, Gedeputeerdens ofte Magistraten, nieuwe Electie van Bewinthebber sullen doen, ende de vacante Plaet- sen successivelick suppleren. Ende sullen voor Hooft-Participanten ghehouden worden, die voor hun eygen soo veel participeren als de respective Bewinthebberen zijn doende, XV. Dat men de rekeninge vande equipagie en uyt-rustinge vande Schepen mette dependentien van dien, sal doen drie Maenden naer 't vertreck vande Schepen, ende een Maent daer na Copyen aen ons, ende aende respective Kameren seynden : Ende vande retouren, mits- gaders vande. verkoopinge der selver, sullen de Kameren (soo dick- wils wy dat goet sullen vinden, oft sy vande Kameren daer toe versocht werden) Staet aen ons, ende aen malkanderen over schicken. XVI. Dat men alle ses Jaren sal maecken generale Reeckeninge van alle uytreedingen ende retouren, mitsgaders van winste ende verlies vande Compagnie, te weten, een vande Negotie, ende een van- der Oorloge, elck apart: Welcke Reeckeninge in 't openbaer sullen worden gedaen, naer voorgaende affixie van billetten, ten eynde ye- der een daer by Interest hebbende, op 't hooren vande selve reecken- inge sal mogen komen : Ende indien voor de expiratie van 't sevende Jaer, de Reeckeninge in manieren voorschreve niet werden gedaen, sullen de Bewinthebberen verbeuren heure Provisien, die tot prof- fijt vanden Armen sullen werden bekeert, ende syluyden evenwel ghehouden blijven haere Reeckeninge als vooren te doen, binnen sulcken tijde, ende op soodanige peynen, als by ons tegens de ge- breeckigen sullen werden gestatueert. Ende sal niet te min onder- tusschen vande winste vande Negotien uytdeelinge gedaen worden, so dickwils als men bevinden sal datter thien ten hondert geprofij- teert sal zijn. XVII. Niemant sal, gheduerende den tijdt van desen Octroye, sijn Capitael ofte ingheleyde Penningen uyt dese Compagnie mogen trec- ken : Gelijck men oock gheen nieuwe Participanten sal mogen inne- men: Dan indien ter expiratie van vier en twintich Jaren mochte VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 99 and two years after a like third part; and again after two years, the last third part; and thenceforth successively, the oldest in the service shall be retired ; and in the place of [each] retiring director or of such as shall at any time die, or for other reason leave a va- cancy, three others shall be nominated by the directors, both remain- ing and retiring, together with those chief participants who in per- son and at their own expense shall care to join them, from which number the aforesaid respective provinces, deputies or magistrates, shall elect new directors and successively supply the vacancies ; and they shall be considered chief participants who in their own name participate for the same amount as the respective directors. XV. That the accounts of the equipment and fitting out of the ships, with their appurtenances, shall be rendered three months after the departure of the ships and that one month thereafter copies shall be sent to us and to the respective Chambers ; and the Chambers shall (as often as we see fit or they are requested by the [other] Chambers) send to us and to each other an account of the returns and also of the sales of the same. XVI. That every six years a general accounting shall be made of all outfits and returns, as also of all gains and losses. of the Com- pany, to wit, one relating to trade and one relating to war, each separate ; which accounts shall be rendered publicly, notices being previously posted, to the end that every one who is interested may attend the hearing of the said accounts; and if before the expira- tion of the seventh year the accounts are not rendered in the manner aforesaid, the directors shall forfeit their commissions, which shall be appropriated to the use of the poor, and they shall nevertheless be held to render their accounts as aforesaid within ,5uch time and under such penalty as shall be fixed by us respecting the delinquents. And none the less a dividend shall meantime be declared from the profits of the trade as often as it shall be found that ten per cent has been gained. XVII. No one shall be permitted during the contmuance of this charter to withdraw his capital or sums advanced from this Com- pany ; nor shall any new participants be admitted. If at the expira- tion of twenty- four years it shall be judged well to continue this lOO NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY goet ghevoiiden werdeu dese Compagnie te continuereii, ofte ecn Nieuwe op te rechten, sal finale Reeckeniiige ende estimatie by de Negenthien met onse kennisse ghedaen worden, van alle 't geene dese Compagnie is toe-behoorende, als oock vande nootelijcke kosten die by de selve zijn gedaen, ende yeder een vermogen na de voorsz af-rekeninge ende gheciane estimatien, sijne Penningen te lichten, ofte inde volgende Compagnie na advenant van dien, in 't gheheel ofte deel, te continueren ofte participeren. Ende sal in sulcken gevalle de volgende Compagnie de restanten, die volgens de Reeckeninge ende estimatie bevonden sullen worden, tot haren laste moeten nemen: Ende de Participanten, die inde Compagnie niet sul- len goet vinden te continueren, haer contingent betalen, op alsulcke termijnen als de Negenthien met onse kennisse ende goet-vinden sullen bevinden te behooren. XVIII. Dat soo dickwils het van noode sal zijn een Generale ver- gaderinge vande voorsz Kameren te houden, 't selve sal geschieden by negentien Persoonen, daer inne uyt de Kamer van Amsterdam sullen compareren acht : uyt Zeelant vier : vande Maze twee : uyt het Noorder-quartier twee: uyt Vrieslant, mitsgaders Stadt ende Lan- den twee. Welverstaende dat den negenthienden Persoon, ofte soo veel meer als wy t' elckens sullen goet vinden, by ons sal worden gedeputeert, omme inde voorsz Vergaderinge de saecke vande Com- pagnie ten besten te helpen dirigeren. XIX. Van welcke Generale Vergaderinge vande voorschreve Ka- meren, alle saecken dese Compagnie aengaende, verhandelt ende be- slooten sullen werden : Welverstaende dat in saecken van Oorloge op de genomen Resolutie, versocht sal worden onse approbatie. XX. De voorschreve Generale Vergaderinge beschreven zijnde, sal te samen komen om te resolveren, wanneer men sal equiperen, hoe veel Schepen men op elck Quartier sal senden, de Compagnie in 't gemecn betreffende, sonder dat d'een oft d'ander Kamer yet sal mogen aenrichten buyten de voorschreve gemeene Resolutien, maer sullen ghehouden zijn de selve te effectueren ende in 't werck te stellen. Ende indien eenige Kamer bevonden werde in ghe- breecke te zijn de ghemeene Resolutien te achtervolgen, ofte te con- travenieren, Hebben Wy de selve Vergaderinge geauthoriseert, ende authoriseren by desen, om soodanich ghebreck ende contraventie metten ecrsten te doen repareren, waer inne wy des versocht zijnde haer sullen assisteren. XXI. De selve Generale Vergaderinge sal ghehouden worden de eerste ses Jaeren binnen de vStadt van Amsterdam, ende twee Jaren daer nae in Zeelant, ende soo voorts van tijde tot tijde inde voorsz twee Plaetsen. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS lOI Company or to erect a new one, a final accounting and estimate shall be made by the Nineteen, with our approval, of all that belongs to the Company, and also of their necessary expenses, and after the aforesaid settlement and estimate any one may withdraw his money or, in proportion thereof, in whole or in part, continue and share in the succeeding Company; and the succeeding Company shall in such case take the remainder, which shall be found according to the ac- counting and estimate, and pay the participants who do not think fit to continue in the Company their share at such times at the Nine- teen, with our knowledge and approbation, shall think propt r. XVIII. That so often as it shall be necessary to have a general Assembly of the aforesaid Chambers, it shall be by Nineteen p2rsons, of whom eight shall come from the Chamber of Amsterdam, four from Zealand, two from the Mace, two from the Noordcrqnarticr, two from Friesland and Stodt cnde Landcn; provided, that the nineteenth person, or so many more as we shall at any time think fit, shall be deputed by us for the purpose of helping to direct the affairs of the Company in the aforesaid Assembly. XIX. By which general Assembly of the aforesaid Chambers, all matters relating to this Company shall be considered and decided ; provided, that in matters of war, our approbation of their resolution shall be asked. XX. The aforesaid general Assembly being summoned, it shall meet, whenever they are about to fit out, to resolve how many ships they shall send to each place for the account of the Company in general, and no individual Chamber shall be permitted to undertake anything not included in the aforesaid common resolution but [all] shall be bound to carry it into efl^ect and to execute it. And if any Chamber should fail to comply with the common resolution, or be found to act in violation thereof, we have authorized, and by these presents do authorize, the said Assembly immediately to cause rep- aration to be made for such failure or violation, wherein, on re- quest, we will assist them. / XXI. The said general Assembly shall be held the first six years in the city of Amsterdam, and the following two years in Zealand ; and so on alternately in the aforesaid two places. I02 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY XXII. De Bewinthebberen die van wegen de Compagnie ghecom- mitteert zijnde, van Huys sullen reysen, 't zy op de voorseyde Vergaderinge ofte elders, sullen voor haer teer-kosten ende dach- gelden hebben vier gulden 's daeghs, boven de Schuyt ende Wageu- vrachten: Welverstaende dat die geene die vande eene Stadt nae de andere reysen, om die Kameren als Bewinthebberen ende Regierders te frequenteren, egeen dach-gelden ofte reys-kosten en sullen ontfangen, tot laste vande Compagnie. XXIII. Ende of 't gebeurde dat inde voorseyde Generale Ver- gaderinge eenige wichtige saecken voorvielen, daer inne sy niet wel en konden verdragen, ofte dat sy selfs hun souden mogen beswaert vinden, om elckanderen te overstemmen, dat 't selve gelaten sal worderi tot onse decisie : Ende 't geene dien aengaende goet gevon- den sal worden, sal achtervolght ende na gekomen worden. XXIV. Ende sullen alle Ingesetenen deser Landen, ende oock van andere Landen, by openbare affixien van billetten, binnen den tijdt van een Maent naer date van desen t' affigeren, gewaerschouwt worden, dat sy binnen den tijdt van vijf Maenden, innegaende den eersten Julij deses Jaers sesthien-hondert een-en-twintich in dese Compagnie sullen worden geadmittecrt, ende dat sy hunne Penningen, die sy sullen willen in leggen, sullen mogen op .brengen in drie termijnen: Te weten een derde-part ter expiratie vande voorschreve vijf Maenden, ende d' ander twee derde-parten op drie achter een volgende Jaren, ten ware de voorschreve Generale Vergaderinge bevonden, dat men dese Termijnen sonde mogen verlengen, daer van de Participanten te vooren by afifix'ie van billetten sullen werden gheadverteert. XXV. De Schepen vande reyse weder komende sullen wederom aenkomen ter plaetsen daer sy afgeseylt zijn, ende of door fortune van Weder ende Wint, de Schepen van 't eene Quartier uytghe- seyldt, aenquamen in bet ander, als die van Amsterdam ofte van 't Noorder-quartier in Zeelant ofte inde Maze, ofte die van Zeelandt in Hollandt: ofte die van Vrieslandt, mitsgaders Stadt ende Lan- den in een ander Quartier : dat niet te min elcke Kamer de admint- stratie ende bewint van hare uytghesonden Schepen ende Koopman- schappen sal behouden, ende dat sy de selve sullen mogen verseynden ende vervoeren nae de Quartieren daer de Schepen waren uytge- seylt, 't zy met de selve ofte andere Schepen, mits dat de Bewint- hebbers der selver Kamer, gehouden sullen zijn haer selfs in Per- soon te laten vinden ter Plaetse daer de Schepen ofte goederen aenghekomen zijn, ende geene Facteurs daer over sullen vermogen te stellen: Maer in ghevalle haer selfs niet ghelegen en ware te VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS IO3 XXII. The directors who by commission of the Company shall go from home to attend the aforesaid Assembly or otherwise, shall have for their expenses and daily allowance four guilders a day, be- sides boat and stage fare; it being understood that those who go from one city to another to attend the meetings of the Chambers as directors and managers shall receive no allowance or traveling ex- penses at the charge of the Company. XXIII. And if it should happen that in the aforesaid general As- sembly any weighty matter came before them, wherein they could not agree, or even in which one side should scruple to impose its decision on the other, the same shall be left to our decision; and whatever shall be determined upon shall be followed and carried into execution. XXIV. And all the inhabitants of this country, and also of other countries, shall be notified by public posting of notices within the month after the date hereof that they may be admitted into this Com- pany during five months from the first of July, this year, sixteen hvm- dred and twenty-one, and that they may pay the money they wish to invest in three payments ; to wit, one third at the expiration of the aforesaid five months and the other two thirds within the three next succeeding years, unless the aforesaid general Assembly shall find it necessary to extend the time, whereof the participants shall be notified by posting of notices. XXV. The ships returning from a voyage shall come to the place they sailed from; and if, by stress of wind and weather, the vessels which sailed out from one district shall arrive in another — as those from Amsterdam or the Noorder-quartier in Zealand or the Maze; or from Zealand in Holland; or those from P'riesland, with Stadt cnde Landen, in another district — each Chamber shall nevertheless retain the direction and management of the ships and goods it sent out and be allowed to send and transport the goods to the places whence the vessels sailed, either in the same or other vessels ; pro- vided that the directors of that Chamber shall be required to be present in person at the place where the vessels and goods shall have arrived and not to appoint factors to superintend the business; but in case it shall not be convenient for them to travel, they shall com- I04 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY reysen, dat sy als clan de Bewint-hebberen vande Kanicr daer de Schcpen gearrivecrt zijn, totte administratie sullen committcren. XXVI. Als d'een oft d'ander Kamer cenige Koopmanschappen ofte retouren iiyt die Quartieren binnen de voorschreve Limiten begrepen, ghekregen heeft, daer van dat d'ander nict en is versien, sal geliouden wesen die Kamer die ongeprovideert is, op haer versoeck naer ghele^entheyt vande saecke te provideren ende 't goet te senden, ende als sy uytverkocht sullen hebben, nocb meer te seynden. Dat van gelijcken de Bewinthebberen vande respective Kameren, eenige Persoonen tot de equipagien, ofte andersints uyt andere Steden daer Kameren ofte Bewint-bebbers zijn, van noode hebbende, daer toe de Bewintbebberen van dese Compagnie sullen moeten versoecken ende employeren, sender eenige Factoren daer toe te gebruycken. XXVII. Ende indien eenige Provincien goet vinden eenen Agent te stellen, om die Penningen uyt haere Ingesetenen te ver- samelen, ende in masse in eeniglie Kamer in te leggen, ende vande uytdeelinge betalinge te voorderen, sal de Kamer ghebouden zijn alsulcken Agent toe te laten acces inde selve Kamer, om aldaer geinformeert te werden vanden Staet vanden uytgeve ende in- komen, uyt ende inschulden : Behouden dat de Penningen by sulcken Agent ingebracht, sullen bedragen vijftich duysent gul- dens, ende daer boven. XXVIII. De Bewinthebbers sullen vande uyt-reyse ende vande retouren, mitsgaders vande prinsen voor provisie genieten een ten hondert, ende van Gout ende Silver maer een half ten hondert. Welcke provisie sal verdeelt worden voor de Kamer van Amster- dam vier negende deelen: De Kamer van Zeelant twee negende deelen : vande Maze een negende deel : van 't Noorder-quartier een negende deel: ende van Vrieslant, mitsgaders Stadt ende Landen gelijcke negende deel. XXIX. Welverstaende dat sy-Iuyden van bet Geschut, ende de waerde vande Schepen niet meer als eens provisie sullen ghenieten. Sullen voorts geenige provisie ghenieten van Schepen, Geschut ende anders, waer mede wy dese Compagnie sullen verstercken: nochte oock vande Penningen die sy voor dese Compagnie sullen lichten. nochte van dat sy de War en beneficieren. Gelijck sy tot laste vande Compagnie niet en sullen mogen brengen eenige Vacatie, Reys ofte Teer-kosten vande geenige die sy sullen mogen commit- teren, om de uytreedinge te vorderen, ende de Waren daer toe noodich te koopen. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS IO5 mit this business to the Chamber in whose (hstrict the vessels ar- rived. XXVI. If any Chamber shall have obtained any goods or returns from the places included within the limits of this charter with which another is not provided, it shall be required to send such goods on request to the Chamber which is unprovided, according to the situa- tion of the case; and when they have sold out to send more. And in like manner, if the managers of the respective Chambers have need of any persons for crews or other purposes, from the cities where there are Chambers or directors, they shall request and em- ploy [the aid of] the directors of this Company therefor and not make use of any factors. XXVII. And if any of the provinces think fit to appoint an agent to collect the money from their inhabitants, deposit the amount in bulk in any Chamber, and receive the payment of dividends, the Chamber shall be required to give such agent access, that he may obtain information of the state of the disbursements and receipts, and of the debts and assets ; provided that the money brought in by such agent shall amount to fifty thousand guiUlers or upwards. XXVIII. The directors shall have for commissions one per cent on the outfits and returns, and also on the prizes, and a half per cent on gold and silver; which commissions shall be divided — to the Cham- ber of Amsterdam, four ninths; the Chamber of Zealand, two ninths; the Maze, one ninth; the N oorder-quartier, one ninth; and Friesland with Stadt cndc Landcn, a like ninth. XXIX. - Provided that they shall not receive commissions on the ordnance and value of the ships more than once. They shallj more- over, have no commission on the ships, ordnance and other things wiUi which we shall strengthen the Company, nor on the money which they shall collect for the Company, nor on the profits they re- ceive from the goods ; nor shall they charge the Company with any salaries, expenses of traveling or board of those to whom they shall commit the fittmg out and purchasing of goods necessary therefor. io6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY XXX. De Boeck-houders ende Cassiers sullen gesalariseert vverden tot laste vande Bewint-hebbers, uyt hare provisie. XXXI. De Bewint-hebberen sullen geene Schepen, Waren ofte Goederen haer in 't gheheel ofte deel toekomende, aen dese Coni- pagnie mogen lever en ofte verkoopen: nochte vande selve Com- pagnie eenige Koopmanschappen ofte Waren koopen ofte doen koopen, directelijck ofte indirectelijck, noch portie ofte ghedeelte daer inne hebben, op de verbeurte van een Jaer barer provisie, die contrarie desen bevonden wert gedaen te hebben, ten profijte van- den Armen, ende van haer Bewinthebberschap verlaten te worden. XXXII. De Bewint-hebberen sullen ghehouden wesen by affixie van Billietten, te notificeren, soo dickwils sy eenige Waren ende Koopmanschappen van nieuws sullen hebben ontfangen, ten eynde een yder daer van tijdelick kennisse mach hebben, al eer tot eyn- delijcke verkoopinge sal worden gheprocedeert. XXXIII. Ende of 't ghebeurde dat onder d'een of d'ander Kamer yeniandt vande Bewinthebbers in sulcken Staet gheraeckten, dat by niet en konde voldoen 't geene hem sijner administratie aengaende, vertrouwt ware, ende daer door eenige schade mochte ko- men, sal wesen tot laste vande Penningen die alsulcke Bewinthebberen hebben in Compagnie, de welcke oock voor haer administratie specialijcken zijn verbonden, 't welck oock plaetse sal hebben ten respecte van alle de Participanten, die uyt saecke van koop van goederen, ofte andersints Debiteurs vande Compagnie souden mogen wesen, ende sal gereeckent worden in alien schijne, of haer ingeleyde Penningen tegens 't geen sy de Compagnie schuldich zijn, van aenbeginne waer ghecompenseert, ende by recontre gedoodet. XXXIV. De Bewinthebbers vande respective Kamers, sullen re- sponderen voor hare Cassiers ende Boeckhouders. XXXV. Dat alle de Waren van dese Compagnie, die by den gewichte verhandelt sullen worden, verkocht sullen worden op eenderley ghewichte, te weten, op de swaerte van 't ghewichte van Amsterdam, ende dat men alsulcke Waren sal mogen overslaen binnen Scheeps-boort ofte inde Pack-buy sen, sonder daer van eenigen Accijs, Impost ofte Waegh-gelt te betalen, mits dat de selve verkocht zijnde, niet anders sullen mogen worden ghelevert dan ter Wage, ende midts betalende den Impost ende Waegh-gelt, soo dickwils als sy worden ghealieneert ghelijck andere goederen, die Wage subject zijnde. XXXVI. Dat men de Persoonen ofte Goederen der Bewintheb- bers niet en sal mogen arresteren, besetten ofte becommeren, om VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 107 XXX. The bookkeepers and cashiers shall have a salary paid them by the directors out of their commissions. XXXI. The directors shall not deliver or sell to the Company any ships, merchandise, or goods belonging to themselves 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 por- tion or part therein, on forfeiture by those who shall be found to have acted to the contrary of one year's commissions for the use of the poor and on pain of being deposed from their directorship. XXXII. The directors shall be obliged to give notice, by posting of bills-, as often as they have a fresh importation of goods and merchandise, to the end that every one may have seasonable knowl- edge of it before they proceed to a final sale. XXXIII. And if it should happen that in one Chamber or another any of the directors should get into such a situation that he could not make good what was intrusted to him for his administration and in consequence thereof any loss should ocCur, said loss shall be charged against the money which such directors have in the Com- pany, which [investment] is also especially pledged for their adminis- tration; the same shall also be the case as to all the participants who, on account of goods purchased or otherwise, shall become debtors to the Company, and to all intents it shall be reckoned as if the money which they put in had from the beginning been counter- balanced and wiped out by what they owe the Company. XXXIV. The directors of the respective Chambers shall be re- sponsible for their cashiers and bookkeepers. XXXV. That all the goods of this Company which shall be dis- posed of by weight shall be sold by one standard of weight, to wit, that of the weight of Amsterdam; and that all such goods may be sold on board ship, or in store, without paying any excise, impost or weigh money; provided that, once being sold, they shall not be delivered in any other way than at the Weigh-house and that thf inipost and weigh money shall be paid as often as they are alienated in the same manner as other goods subject to weigh money. XXXVI. That the persons or goods of the directors shall not be arrested, attached or encumbered in order to obtain from them an io8 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY van hen te hebben Reeckeninge van administratie vande Compagnie, noch oock om de betalinge vande gagien, ofte loon vande gecne die sy in dienste vande Compagnie ghebrnyckt hebben : Maer de geene die snicks yet op hcnhiyden sal willen pretenderen, snllen ghehouden zijn de selve te betrecken voor heur ordinaris Rechters. XXXVII. Soo wanneer eenige Schepen vande reyse sullen weder keeren, sullen de Generaels oft Commandeurs over de Vlooten, Schip ofte Schepen ghehouden zijn binnen thien dagen naer haere aenkomste, aen ons te komen doen rapport van 't succes van hare reyse, ende daer van schriftelijck rapport over geven ende leveren, indien de sake sulcx vcreyscht. XXXVIII. Ende of 't ghebeurde (dat Wy geensints en ver- wachten) dat yeniant de Scheep-vaert, Negotie, Handelinge ofte Trafhjcque van dese Compagnie, contrarie het algemeene Recht, ofte oock jegens 't inhouden vande voorschreve Tractaten, Ver- bonden ende Entre-courssen in eeniger manieren wilde beschadigen ofte hinderlijck wesen, sullen bun daer tegens mogen defenderen, ende reguleren in conformiteyt vande instructie by ons daer van te geven. XXXIX. Hebben voorts belcoft ende belooven mits desen, dat wy dese Compagnie tegens eenen yegelick sullen mainteneren ende defenderen inde vrye Zee-vaert ende Trafhcque, ende ten dien fine de selve te hulpe komen met een somme van thien hondert duysent guldens, te betalen in vijf Jaren, daer van de eerste twee hondert duysent guldens sullen worden gefurneert, soo haest den eersten termijn by de Participanten sal wesen op ghebracht: Wel- verstaende dat wy mette helft vande voorschreve thien hondert duysent guldens, sullen ghenieten ende dragen winste ende risico, gelijck alle andere Participanten in dese Compagnie genieten ende dragen sullen. XL. Ende in gevalle door een machtich ende geduerich belet inde voorschreve Zee-vaert ende Trafificque, de saecken in de Li- miten van dese Compagnie wierden gebracht tot een openbaer Oor- loch, Soo sullen wy de selve Compagnie, so veel 's Lants gelegentheyt sulcx eenichsints sonde toe laten, tot hare assistentie gheven sesthien Schepen van Oorloge, het minste groot hondert vijftich Lasten, met vier goede welbeseylde Jachten, het minste groot veertich Lasten, zijnde behoorlijck ghemonteert ende voorsien van alles : oock van Metalen ende ander Geschut, ende behoorlijcke quantiteyt van Ammunitie, midtsgaders van dubbelt loopende ende VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS ICX) account of the administration of the Company nor for the payment of the salaries or wages of those whom they have employed in the service of the Company; but those who wish to make any such de- mands upon them must bring the matter before the ordinary judges. XXX VII. Whenever any ship shall return from a voyage, the admirals or commanders of the fleets, ship or ships shall be obliged to come and report to us the success of the voyage within ten days after their arrival and shall make out and deliver a report in writing, if the case requires it. XXXVIII. And if it should happen (which we by no means ex- pect) that any one ventured to injure or hinder in any way the navi- gation, commerce, trade or traffic of this Company, contrary to the common law or to the contents of the aforesaid treaties, leagues and covenants, they shall have the right to protect themselves against such actions and shall govern themselves according to the instruc- tions to be issued by us concerning them. XXXIX. We have, moreover, promised, and do promise, that we will maintain and defend this Company against every person in [their rights of] free navigation and trade, and to that end will as- sist them with a sum of ten hundred thousand guilders, to be paid in five years, whereof the first two hundred thousand guilders shall be paid them when the first payment shall be made by the partici- pants; provided, that we, with half the aforesaid ten hundred thou- sand guilders, shall receive and bear profit and risk in the same man- ner as the other participants of this Company. XL. And if by a powerful and continued obstruction of the afore- said navigation and trade, the aflfairs within the limits of this Com- pany should be brought to a state of open war, we will, if the situa- tion of this country will in any wise admit of it, give them for their assistance sixteen ships of war, the smallest one of one hundred and fifty lasts burden, with four good, well-sailing yachts, the smallest of forty lasts burden, which shall be properly mounted and provided in all respects, both with brass^^ and other cannon, and a proper quantity of ammunition, together with double suits of running and " Metalen; literally, metal, as distinguished from iron cannon. See De Jonge, Geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Zeewesen, ed. z, p. aSi; 4e Laeti Historie oft$ laerlijck Verhael, apx. p. 3-9- no NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY staende Want, Zeylagie, Touwen, Anckers ende andere toe-behoor- ten, sulcks die op alsulcke groote Expeditie behooren versieii ende gebruyckt te worden: Behoiidens dat die voorts sullen worden ghemant, ghevictuailleert ende onderhoiulen tot koste vande Com- pagnie: Ende dat de Compagnie ghehouden sal zijn daer by te voegen ghelijcke sesthien Schepen van Oorloge, met vier Jachten, mede gemonteert ende voorsien als vooren, cm gelijckelijck tot defensie vande Trafificque, ende alle Exploicten van Oorloge gebruyckt te werden : Midts dat alle de Schepen van Oorloge, ende de Koopvaerdye-Scliepen (die mede sulcks sullen worden toe- gerust ende genlant als 't behoort) sullen staen onder een Admirael, by ons daer over te stellen, naer voorgaende advijs vande voorsz Generale Vergaderinge : Ende sullen volgen onse Commandemen- ten, midtsgaders de Resolutien vande Compagnie, om des noot zijnde, gelijckelijck ten Oorloge gebruyckt te werden: sulcx noch- tans dat de Koopvaerders buyten noot hare ladinge niet en sullen hasarderen. XLI. Ende in gevalle sonde mogen ghebeuren, dat de Landen in hare Lasten merckelijck souden mogen worden verlicht, ende dat dese Compagnie in sware lasten van Oorloge sonde komen te vervallen : Soo hebben wy belooft ende belooven midts desen, de voorschreve subsidie sulcks te vermecrderen als den vStaet vande Landen sal mogen lijden, ende die saecken vande Compagnie sul- len komen te vereysschen. XLII. Hebben voorts geordonneert, Dat in gevalle van Oorloge, alle Prinsen die op die Vyanden, ofte oock op die Zee-roovers binnen de voorschreve Limiten, by de Compagnie, of by den geenen die den selven t'hare assistentie sullen worden by-gevoecht, sonde mogen werden verovert: Oock de goederen, die uyt krachte van onse Placaten sullen worden aengehaelt, na aftreckinge van alle nootelicke kosten, als oock vande schade die de Compagnie in 't veroveren van elcke Prinse soude mogen hebben gheleden: mits- gaders de gherechtigheyt van Sijn Excellentie als Admirael, in conformite van onse Resolutie, dient halven op den eersten April Sesthien-hondert ende twee ghenomen : ende het thiende-part vande Officiers, Boots-volck ende Soldaten, die de Prinsen gedaen sullen hebben, sullen blijven ter dispositie vande Bewinthebbers vande voorschreve Compagnie : Mits dat daer van gehouden sal worden Reeckeninge apart, ende verscheyden vande Reeckeninge vande Negotien ende Commercien: Ende dat het provenu vande selve Prinsen sal worden geemployeert totte equipagie vande Schepen, ende betalinge van het Volck van Oorloge, Fortificatien, Besettin- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS III standing rigging, sails, cables, anchors and other things thereto be- longing, such as are proper to be provided and used in all great ex- peditions ; upon condition that they shall be manned, victualed and supported at the expense of the Company and that the Company shall be obliged to add thereto sixteen like ships of war and four yachts, mounted and provided as above, to be used in like man- ner for the defense of trade and all exploits of war; provided that all the ships of war and merchantmen (which likewise shall be pro- vided and manned as is fitting) shall be under an admiral appointed by us after previous advice of the aforesaid general Assembly and shall obey our commands, together with the resolutions of the Com- pany, and if need be, shall be used together for purposes of war, in such manner, however, that the merchantmen shall not unneces- sarily hazard their lading. XLI. And if it should happen that the country should be greatly eased of its burdens and that this Company should be put to the heavy charges of war, we have further promised, and do promise, to increase the aforesaid subsidy in such manner as the situation of this country will permit and the affairs of the Company shall re- quire. XLII. We have moreover ordained that in case of war all the prizes which may be taken from enemies and pirates within the aforesaid limits by the Company or those who have been sent to its assistance; also the goods which shall be seized by virtue of our proclamations — after deducting all necessary expenses and the damage which the Company may have suffered in taking each prize, together with the dues of His Excellency as admiral in chief agree- able to our resolution to that effect adopted on the first of April, sixteen hundred and two, and the tenth part for the officers, sailors and soldiers who have taken the prize — shall remain at the disposal of the directors of the aforesaid Company ; provided that the account of them shall be kept separate and distinct from the account of trade and commerce, that the net proceeds of the said prizes shall be em- ployed in fitting out ships, paying the troops, fortifications, g"^rri- 112 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY gen eiule dicrgclijckc saecken van Oorloge ende defensie te Water ende te Lande dependerende, sender dat men daer van sal doen eenige distributie, ten ware dat het selfde provenu soo groot werde bevonden, dat men sender swackinge vande selve defensie, ende nae dat d'onkosten vande Oorloge sonde zijn betaelt, eenige merckelijcke partbye sonde niogcn nyt declcn, de welcke gescbieden sal apart ende gbescbeyden vande distributien vande Commercien. Ende sal de verdeylinge gedaen wordcn, cen tbicndc-deel voor de gemeene saecke vande Vereenicbde Nederlanden, ende de reste onder de Participanten van dese Com]:»agnie. elcke ponts gclijcke, naer rate van sijn ingelcyt Capitael. XLIII. Beboudelick nocbtans, dat alle de Prinsen ende goederen, uyt krachte vande Placaten aengebaelt, in-gliebracbt ende te Recbte • gestelt sullen moeten worden, ter judicature vande Rade ter Ad- miraliteyt vande Ouartieren daer die in gbebracht sullen zijn_, om by de selve kennisse genomen, ende ghesententieert te worden op de deuchdelijckbeyt ofte ondeucbdelijckbeyt vande selve Prinsen : Blijvende niet te min bangende den Processe d'admistratie vande ingbebracbte Goederen by de Compagnie, ende dat onder beboor- lijcken Inventaris, ende beboudens de Revisie vande geenen die by Sententie vande Admiraliteyt gbegraveert sonde mogen zijn, in conformiteyt vande Instructie aen die vande Admiraliteyt gegeven : Welverstaende, dat de Vendu-Meesters ende andere Officiers vande Admiraliteyten, geen Rccbt sullen genieten ofte mogen pretenderen vande Prinsen die by dese Compagnie sullen worden gbebeneficieert, ende daer in sy niet en zijn geemployeert. XLIV. De Bewintbebbers van dese Compagnie sullen solem- nelijck belooven ende sweeren, dat sy bun in bare administratie wel ende gbetrouwclijck sullen dragen, goede ende deuchdelijcke Reeckeningbe doen van bare handelinge: Dat sy in alles sullen bevoorderen 't meestc profijt vande Compagnie, ende der selver schade beschutten, soo veel mogelijck sal zijn : Dat sy den meesten vande Participanten, in 't opbrengen ende uytdeylinge vande Pen- ningen, niet meer voordeel en sullen doen als den minsten : Dat sy in 't innen ende ontfangen vande uytstaende schulden, den eenen niet meer als den anderen sullen verscboonen: Dat sy voor baer eygen Reeckeninge participeren, ende gheduyrende baer Bewint- hebberscbap sullen blijven participeren, alsulcke somme van Pen- ningen als by desen Octroye zijn geordonneert : Midtsgaders dat sy alle ende een yeder vande poincten ende Articulen in desen vermclt, voor soo veel baer aengaet, sullen nae komen ende onder^ VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS II3 sons and like matters of war and defense, by sea and land, and that there shall be no distribution unless the said proceeds shall amount to so much that a notable share may be distributed without weaken- ing the said defense and after paying the expenses of the war, which distribution shall be made separately and apart from that on account of trade; and the distribution shall be made, one tenth part for the use of the United Netherlands and the remainder for the partici- pants of this Company, in exact proportion to their invested capital. XLIII. Provided, however, that all the prizes and goods taken by virtue of our proclamations shall be brought and tried before the council of the admiralty of the district to which they are brought, that it may take cognizance of them and determine the legality or illegality of the said prizes, the administration of the goods brought in remaining, nevertheless, with the Company, pending the process, arid that under a proper inventory, and saving to those who might be injured by the sentence of the admiralty the right of appeal, agree- able to th.e instructions given the admiralty; provided that the ven- due masters and other officers of the admiralty shall neither receive nor claim any fees from prizes which shall be sold for the benefit of this Company and in | connection with] which they are not em- ployed. XLIV", The directors of this Company shall solemnly promise and swear that they will act well and faithfully in their adminis- tration and render good and just accounts of their transactions; that they will in all things consult the greatest profit of the Company and, as much as possible, prevent its meeting with losses ; that they will not give the greatest participant any greater advantage in the payments or distribution of money than the least ; that, in collecting and receiving outstanding debts, they will not excuse one more than another ; that they, for their own account, will invest, and during the continuance of their administration will continue the invest- ment of all such sums of money as by this charter are stipulated ; and moreover, that they will, as far as concerns them, to the utmost 8 114 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY houden, doen nae komen ende onderhouden naer haer uyterste vermogen. XLV. Alle welcke Privilegien, Vryheden ende Exemptien, mits- gaders de assistentie hier vooren verhaelt, in alle hare voorsz Poincten ende Articnien, wy de voorsz Compagnie met goede ken- nisse van saecken hebben ghegnnt. verleent, belooft ende toegeseyt : Gunnen, verleenen ende toeseggen hen mits desen : Beloovende hen- luyden de selve te doen, ende laten genieten rustelijck ende vredelijck. Ordonneren oock dat de selve sullen worden onder- houden ende achtervolcht by alle Overichedcn, Officieren ende Ondersaten van dese Vereenichde Nederlanden, sonder daer jegens te doen directelick of indirectelick, soo weynich binnen, als buy ten de selve Vereenichde Nederlanden, op peyne van daer over als Beletters van 't ghemeen welvaren der selver Landen, ende Overtreders van onse Ordonnantie gestraft te worden aen Lijf ende Goet. Be- loovende daer en boven, dat wy de Compagnie, in 't innehouden van desen onsen Octroye, sullen mainteneren ende staende houden, by alle Tractaten van Payse, Alliancien ende Enter-coursen met de nae-gebuyre Princen, Rijcken ende Landen, sonder yet ghedaen ofte gehandelt te worden dat tot verminderinge van desen sonde mogen strecken. Ontbieden daerom ende bevelen wel expresselijck alle Gouverneurs, Justicieren, Officieren, Magistraten ende Inwoonders der voorschreve Vereenichde Nederlanden, dat sy de voorschreve Compagnie ende Bewinthebbers van dien, rustelijck ende vredelijck laten ghebruycken het volkomen effect van desen Octroye, Consent ende Privilegie: Cesserende alle contradictien ende empeschementen ter contrarien. Ende op dat niemant hicr van ignorantie en pre- tendere, Soo hebben wy belast, dat het sommier inhouden van desen Octroye by publicatie ofte afifixie van Biljetten sal worden genoti- ficeert, daer, ende soo het behooren sal : Want wy 't selve ten dienste vanden Lande bevonden hebben te behooren. Gegeven onder onsen grooten Zegel, Paraphure ende de Signature van onsen Griffier, in 's Graven-Hage, op den derden dach der Maent van Junio, in 't Jaer sesthien-hondert een-ende-twintich. Was ghepara- pheert, /. Magnus,"'^- Onderstondt, Ter Ordonnantie vande Hooch- ghemelte Heeren Staten Generael. Onderteeckent, C. Aerssen. Hebbende een uythangende Zegel van rooden Wassche aen een koorde van witte zijde. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS II5 of their power, observe and keep all and every the particulars and articles herein contained. XLV. All of which privileges, freedoms and exemptions, together with the assistance above mentioned, in all their points and articles, we have granted, allowed, promised and pledged to the aforesaid Company, and do hereby grant, allow and pledge with full knowl- edge of the matter, promising to allow them to enjoy the same quietly and peaceably. We likewise order that the same shall be kept and observed by all magistrates, officers and subjects of these United Netherlands and that they shall not do anything contrary to the same directly or indirectly, either within or without the said United Netherlands, upon pain of being punished therefor both in person and property as disturbers of the common welfare of this country and transgressors of our ordinance. We further promise that we will maintain and uphold the Company in the contents of this our charter, by all treaties of peace, alliances and covenants with the neighboring princes, kingdoms and countries, without suffering anything to be done or transacted that might tend to diminish its value. Wherefore we expressly charge and command all governors, justiciaries, officers, magistrates and inhabitants of these United Netherlands to permit and suffer the Company and its directors to enjoy quietly and peaceably all the benefits of this charter, license and privilege, ceasing all opposition and obstruction to it. And in order that none may pretend ignorance of this, we have ordered a summary of, the contents of this charter to be publicly proclaimed and placarded wherever necessary, for we have found this to be for the best interests of the country. Given under our great seal, paraph and the signature of our secretary, at the Hague, on the third day of the month of June, in the year sixteen hundred and twenty- one. Was paraphed, /. Magnus,"'^- Underneath was written: By order of the aforesaid Honorable Lords the States General. Sub- scribed, C. Acrsscn. Having a seal pendent of red wax, on a cord of white silk. ii6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Amplification of the charter of the West India Company^ June 10, 1622 OriHnal text Ampliatie van 't Octroy: Waer inne de Zout-vaert op Puncto del Rey buyten de Compagnie verboden wert : Mede den tijdt van inleggen geprolongeert, &c. In date den 10 Innij 1622. De Staten Generael der Vereenicbde Nederlanden, Allen den gee- nen die dese jegenwoordige snllen sien ofte hooren lesen, Saluyt. DOEN TE WETEN, Alsoo hier bevoorens seecker Ampliatie van 't Octroy aen de West-Indische Compagnie verleent, tot meer- der voortsettinge ende bevorderinge vande selve, by ons uyt gegeven ende in forme van Placaet over al is gepnbliceert, luydende van w^oorde tot woorde als volcht: De Staten Generael der Vereenicbde Nederlanden, Allen den geenen die desen sullen sien ofte hooren lesen, Sahiyt. Alsoo wy naer rijpe deliberatie van Raede, tot welstant deser Provintien, ende welvaren vande goede Ingesetenen van dien, hebben doen besluyten een Compagnie van Negotie ende Trafficque, alhier in dese Nederlanden, op de Wcst-Indien, Africa, ende andere Plaetsen in onsen voorgaenden Placate vanden negenden Junij inden Jare sesthien-hondert een en twinticb gedesigneert, met verbodt, dat geene Ingeboornen ofte Ingesetenen deser Landen. binnen den tijt van vier-en-twintich Jaren, naer den eersten Jnlij doen eerst- komende, en sonden vermogcn te varen ofte Negotieren binnen de selve Limiten, uytghesondert alleen die by den Octroye aendc voorsz Compagnie verleent zijn. toe-gelaten om Sout te mogcn varen op Pnnto del Rey, op bet Reglement by ons daer op gliemaeckt, ofte noch te maecken: Ende dat Wy de saecke naerder over ghemerckt, voor der Landen dienst, ende tot vorderinge vande voorsz geoctroyeerde Compagnie, dienstich ende noodich ghevonden hebben de voorsz Soutvaert op Punto del Rey, inde selve Com- pagnie mede te incorporeren. • SOO 1ST, dat Wy, blijvende ons voorgaende Placaet vanden negenden Junij in sijn geheel, mede geinterdiceert ende verboden hebben, interdiceren ende verbieder ^ Printed with other documents in pamphlet form in 1623, 1624, 1629 and 1642 (Asher, no. 55-61); also in part in de Laet, Historie ofte laerlijck Verhael, introd. p. [17]. and by way of recital in the confirmation of Feb. 16, 1623, in Groot Placaet Boeck, vol. I, col. 579—82, which text has been used for the present copy. An imperfect translation of the part printed in de Laet is found in Hazard, HistorifCff Collections of State Papers, 1:149-50. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 117 Amplification of the Charter o£ the West India Company June 10, 1622 Translation Amplification of the charter : wherein the salt trade to Puncto del Rey is forhidden except to the Company; also the time of sub- scription extended, &c. Dated June 10, 1622. The vStates General of the United Netherlands, to all those who shall sec these presents or hear them read, greeting. Be it known, that whereas heretofore a certain amplification of the charter granted to the West India Company, for the further promotion and benefit of the same, has been published by us and brought to pub- lic notice everywhere by means of placards, reading word for word as follows : The States General of the United Netherlands to all who shall see these presents or hear them read, greeting. Whereas we have after mature deliberation of council, for the benefit of these provinces and the welfare of the good inhabitants thereof, caused- a company to be formed here in these Netherlands for commerce and trade to the West-Indies, Africa and other places , mentioned in our former proclamation of the ninth of June, in the year sixteen hundred and twenty-one, with a prohibition that none of the natives or inhabitants of this country for the term of twenty-four years from the first of July next following should sail or trade within the said limits, except only those who under the charter granted to the aforesaid Company are permitted to carry on the salt trade to Punto del Rey under the regulations therefor adopted or to be adopted by us : whereas upon reconsidering that matter, we find that it is useful and necessary for the service of this coun- try and for promoting the aforesaid chartered Company to vest the aforesaid salt trade to Punto del Rey also in the said Company : Therefore we (our former proclamation of the ninth of June re- maining in full force) have also interdicted and forbidden, and by these presents do interdict ancl forl)id. the natives and inhabitants Il8 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY by desen, dat geene Ingheboornen ofte Ingliesetenen deser Landen, binnen den tijt vande voorsz vier-en-twintich Jaren, uyt dese Neder- landen, nochte de voorsz Ingeboornen ofte Ingesetenen, oock uyt eenige andere Rijcken ofte Landen, directelick ofte indirecteHck en sullen vermogen te varen op de voorsz Sout-vaert van Punto del Rey, anders als uyt den Name ende van wegen dese Compagnie, willende ende ordonnerende, dat alle andere Ingeboornen ende In- gesetenen, die ter contrarie hen vervorderen sullen te doen, ofte bevonden sullen konnen werden gedaen te hebben, verbeuren sullen Schip ende Goederen, die datelijck aen getast, ende ten behoeve vande voornoemde Compagnie verbeurt ghehouden sullen werden. Ende indien soodanige Schepen ende Goederen souden mogen wer- den daer naer verkocht, ofte in andere Landen ofte Havenen gebracht, Hebben wy geordonneert ende ghestatueert, ordonneren ende statueren by desen, dat de Reeders ende Participanten van dien, in dese Landen woonende, ofte hier ghegoet wesende, voor de waerde van dien sullen wesen convenibel, ende glieexecuteert ' mogen werden. Wy hebben mede go.et gevonden den tijdt om in dese Compagnie te mogen komcn, te prolongeren, gelijck wy doen by desen voor den Ingesetenen deser Landen, tot den lesten Julij toekomende, nieuwen stijl incluys: Ende voor den Uytheemschen tot den laetsten Septembris, mede nieuwen stijle daer aen volgende, ende oock inclusive. Ende en sal naer dien tijdt niemant meer tot eenige teeckeninge ofte inlatinge inde Compagnie werden gheadmit- teert, ten eynde alle de geene die inde voorsz Compagnie noch sullen willen komen, binnen den selven tijdt als noch, onder eenige vande Directeurs daer toe gestelt, mogen teyckenen ofte doen teyckenen voor sulcken somme van penningen als haer goet duncken sal inde selve te herideren : Willende mede dat de eerste ses Weecken gheex- pireert zijnde, uyt de bequaemste, ervarenste, ende meest ingeleyt- hebbende Participanten, datelijck gheeligheert, gemaeckt ende ge- stelt sullen werden de Bewinthebberen vande voornoemde Compagnie, in conformiteyt vanden Octroye, ende dat de selve als dan promp- telijck sullen procederen tot d'equipagie, om de gheoctroyeerde Navigatie ende Handelinge datelijck by der handt te nemen, ende in 't werck te stellen. Ende want wy willen dat alle 't gunt voorsz is, vast ende bondich blijve, ende also onder houden werde in Recht ende daer buyten, Hebben wy versocht de Staten ende Stadthou- deren der respective Provincien van Gelderlant ende Zutphen, Hol- lant ende West-Vrieslant, Zeelandt, Utrecht, Vrieslant, Over-Yssel, ende van Groeningen ende Ommelanden : Midtsgaders der selver Ge- committeerde Raden, ofte Gedeputeerde Staten, gelijck oock den VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 119 of this country, during the term of the aforesaid twenty-four years, to sail out of these Netherlands, as also out of any other kingdom or country, directly or indirectly, in the said salt trade to Punto del Rcy, except in the name and on behalf of this Com- pany; willing and ordaining that all other natives and inhabitants who shall venture to do, or shall be found to have done anything to the contrary hereof, shall forfeit ship and goods which shall be immediately seized and confiscated for the benefit of the aforesaid Company. And if such ship and goods should thereafter be sold or brought into other countries or ports, we have ordained and de- creed, and do hereby ordain and decree, that the owners and par- ticipants thereof, living in this country or owning property here, shall be liable for the value thereof and that execution may issue against them. We have also deemed fit, as we hereby deem fit, to extend the time of entering this Company for the inhabitants of this country till the last of July next, new style, inclusive, and for foreigners till the last of September, also new style, next ensuing, . and also inclusive. And after that date no one shall be admitted or allowed to make any subscription to this Company, so that all those who still wish to be admitted to this Company may within the time aforesaid subscribe or cause subscription to be made before some of the directors thereto appointed for such sums of money as they sliall see fit to invest in the same. We further desire that immediately after the expiration of the first six weeks, from the most able and experienced participants who have made the largest investments shall be elected and appointed the directors of the afore- said Company, in accordance with the charter, and that the same shall thereupon promptly proceed to the equipment of vessels in order to begin at once the granted navigation and trade. And desiring that what is above written shall be observed and maintained, in law and without, we have requested the States and Stadtholders of the respective provinces of Gelderland and Zutphen, Holland and West-Friesland, Zealand, Utrecht, Friesland, Over- Yssel, and of Groningen and Ommelanden, together with the Deputy Councils or States of the same, and the Chancelor, Presi- 120 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Cancclaer, Presidentcn ende die vande Justicie vande voorsz Landen : Elide voorts belast ende geordonneert, gelijck Wy belasten ende or- donncren mits desen alle Collegien vande Adniiraliteyten, alle Ad- niiralcn, ( )verstcn, Colonnellen, Ritmeesters ende Capiteynen, te Water ende te Lande : Mitsgaders alle Justicieren ende Officieren, (lit aldus te houden ende doen honden, ende in 't Sententieren heur daer naer te reguleren, sender eenige indrachte ter contrarien. Ende op dat niemant liier van eenige ignorantie en pretenderc, Versoecken ende ontbieden Wy alle Overheyden, Magistraten, ( Jtificiers ende Justicieren binnen dese Vereenichde Nederlanden, die bet eenicbsints aengaen macli, dat sy desen alonime doen verkon- digen, uytroepen ende publiceren, daer men ghewoon is uytroepinge ende publicatie te doen: Want wy 't selve voor den dienst vande Landen ende de goede Ingesetenen van dien bevonden hebben te behooren. Aldus ghedaen en gearresteert ter V'ergaderinge vande lleeren Staten Generael, in 's Graven-Hage, desen thienden Junij in 't Jaer ons lleeren duysent ses hondert twee-en-twintich. Was gheparapheert, A^. vander Mccr,"^- Onder stent, Ter Ordonnantie vande Hoocb-gbenielte lieeren Slaten Generael. Geteeckent, C. Acrsscii. Ende dat de voorsz Compagnie deur eenige heure Gecommit- teerden naeder hant klaerlijck bebben gheremonstreert ende, ver- toont, hoe die meeste ende grootste teyckeninge daer op princi- palijck is gevolget, in voegen dat men sonder 't selve geensints tot sufifisante Gapitalen sonde hebben konnen geraecken, overmits bet meerendeel der Participanten een fundamentale Staet van voor- seecker gewin grootelijcks daer op gemaekt, Ons over snicks ver- soeckende, wy haer de boven-gheschreven Ami)liatie tot haren con- tentemente ende meerder ghewisheyt, oock amputatie van alle disputen ende contrabanden met onsen grooten Zegel ghecon- firmeert ende bevestiget, grootgunstich vvilden met deelen ende toekomen laten. SOO 1ST, day wy ons in alles genegen vindende, omme de voorschreve West-Indische Compagnie gunstelijck te favoriseren, nae rijpe deliberatie, met voile kennisse van saecke gheaccordeert hebben, ende accorderen mits desen, dat de boven- genoemde Ampliatie ten fine voorsz met onsen grooten Zegel ghe- confirmeert ende bevesticht werde. Aldus gedaen in onse Ver- gaderinge onder onsen grooten Zegele, Paraphnre, ende de Sig- nature van onsen Gritifier, in's Graven-Hage opten sesthienden Februarij 1623. Was geparapheert, /. Magnus,"'^- Opte Plijcque stondt, Ter Ordonnantie vande hooch-gemelte lleeren Staten Gene- rael. Geteeckent, C. Acrsscn. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 121 dents and officers of justice of the said provinces, and have further charged and commanded as we hereby do charge and command all boards of admiralty, all admirals, commanders, colonels, captains of horse and foot, on water and on land, together with all officers of justice, to observe the same and to cause the same to be ob- served and in rendering sentence to govern themselves accordingly, without suffering any violation whatsoever. And in order that no one may pretend ignorance hereof, we request and summon all authorities, magistrates and officers of justice within these United Netherlands, whom it may in any wise concern, to have this am- plification proclaimed, promulgated and made public wherever it is customary to have such proclamation and promulgation made; for we deem this fit for the service of this country and its good inhabitants. Thus done and passed at the meeting of the Lords States General, at the Hague, this tenth of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-two. Was paraphed, A^. vander Mecr,'^^- Underneath was written : By order of the aforesaid honorable Lords the States General. Signed, C. Acrssen. And whereas the aforesaid Company through some of their dep- uties have later remonstrated and clearly shown that the majority and the largest of the subscriptions were thereupon made and that without this amplification no sufficient capital could have been brought together, inasmuch as the majority of the participants largely counted on this as essential for assured profit, and therefore request us that, for their satisfaction and further security, and also to prevent all disputes and contraband trading, we do them the favor to grant them this amplification confirmed and ratified under our great seal ; Therefore, being in every way willing to favor the aforesaid West India Company, we have after mature deliberation and with full knowledge of circumstances granted, and hereby do grant, that the aforesaid amplification, for the purpose aforesaid, be confirmed and ratified under our great seal. Thus done in our meeting under our great seal, paraph and signature of our secre- tary, at the Hague, on the sixteenth of February 1623. Was para- phed, /. Magnus,-"^- On the fold was written: By order of the aforesaid honorable Lords the States General. Signed, C. Acrssen. 122 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Amplification of the charter of the West India Company- February i^, 162^ Original text Ampliatie van't Octroy, In date den derthienden Februarij ses- tien-hondert drie-en-twintich. De Staten Generael der Vereenichde Nederlanden, Allen den geenen die dese jegenwoordige sullen sien ofte hooren lesen, Saluyt. DOEN TE WETEN, dat wy op den vier-eii-twintichsten Marti j, Anno sestien-honclert twee-ende-twintich voorleden, in onse Verga- deringe gehoort hebbende, 't geene van wegen de Heeren Staten van Hollant ende West-Vrieslandt, door seeckere extraordinaris Gede- puteerden voor gedragen is, dat omme te beter te vorderen de West- Indische Compagnie, de Sout-vaert op de Puncto del Rey, gelegen binnen de Limiten van 't Octroy vande selve Compagnie, ende te vooren daer van geexcipieert, in 't voornoende Octroy nootsaeckelijck diende ende mochte werden begrepen, ende alle andere Sout-vaerten, buyten de Limiten van 't Octroy gelegen, vry ende daer buyten gliela- ten. Dat mede de Hooft-Participanten vande voorschreve Compag- nie, mogen hebben de nominatie van tripcl ghetal, daer uyt de Be- winthebbers verkoren sullen moeten werden : Mitsgaders oock dat de Steden, daer gheen Kameren en zijn, inleggende uyt heure Gemeen- ten op eenen Naem hondert duysent gulden ofte meer, op nominatie als vooren, een Bewinthebber op elcke hondert duysent gulden sou- den mogen stellen in sulcke Kamer, daer sy goet vinden sullen heure Penningen te brengen. Versoeckende dat Wy 't voorschreve Oc- troy vande voornoemde West-Indische Compagnie mette voorschreve Poincten wilden ampliercn, opdat de Compagnie mochte werden geslooten, op 't welcke by ons dier tijt wel ende rijpelick gedeli- bereert wesende : Wy verklaert ende gheconsenteert hebben, Dat de voornoemde Sout-vaert op de Puncto del Rey begrepen sal werden, gelijck wy de selve deden begrijpen in 't voorschreve Octroy vande West-Indische Compagnie, op de ordre ende interdictien daer inne begrepen. Ende op de twee andere Poincten mede verklaert, dat in 2 Printed with other documents in pamphlet form in 1623, 1624, 1629 and 1642 (Asher, no. SS-61); also in de Laet, Historic ofte laerlijck Verhael, introd. p. [10], and in Groot Placaet Boeck, vol. i, col. 583-86, which text has been followed in the present copy. An imperfect translation is found in Hazard, Historical Collections of State. Papers, 1 : 181-82. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 123 Amplification of the charter of the West India Company February 7j, 162^ Translation Amplification of the charter, dated the thirteenth of February six- teen hundred twenty-three. The States General of the United Netherlands, to all who shall see these presents or hear them read, greeting. Be it known, that we, having heard in our meeting on the twenty- fourth of March, in the year sixteen hundred and twenty-two last past, that which on be- half of the Lords the States of Holland and West Friesland was laid before us by certain extraordinary deputies, namely, that for the better promoting the West India Company it was necessary that the salt trade to Puncto del Rey, situated within the limits of the said Company's charter and formerly excepted from it, should be includ- ed in the aforesaid charter, and that all other salt trades, situated without the limits of that charter, should be left free and out of it; also that the chief participants of the aforesaid Company might have the nomination of a triple number, out of which the directors should be chosen ; further, that the cities in which there are no Cham- bers, contributing out of their funds in one name one hundred thous- and guilders or more, upon nomination as aforesaid, might be en- titled to appoint one director for each hundred thousand guilders, in whatever Chamber they should think proper to invest their money ; and that they desired that we would amplify the aforesaid charter to the above mentioned West India Company with the aforesaid pro- visions that the Company might be completed ; and this being by us at that time well and maturely deliberated upon : we declared and consented that the aforesaid salt trade at Puncto del Rey should be included, as we did include it, in the aforesaid charter of the West India Company under the orders and interdictions therein contained. And with respect to the other two provisions, we further declared 124 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY krachte van 't derticnde Articulc van 't voornoemde Octroy, (lien van Hollandt cnde West-Vrieslandt, g-elijck oock alle andere Pro- vincicn vry staet dc noniinalie vandc J5ewinthebbers, in voegen als vooren tc laten doen, ten meesten dienste cnde voorderinge vande Compag'nie, Midtsgaders oock geaccordeert cnde geconscntcert heb- ben, dat dc Stcrlen daer geen Kanieren en zijn, inne leggcndc nyt henre Geniccnten bondcrt duyscnt gnldcn ofte nicer, op behoorlickc nominatie vande Ilooft-Participanten, cnde over elcke hondert duy- scnt gulden, sullen mogen stcllen een Bewinthebbcr, in sulcken Ka- nicr, daer sy goct vinden sullen heure Penningen te brengen. Van 't welcke wy als nu versocht wesende by dc Bewint-bebbers vande West-Indische Compagnic, behoorlickc Brieven te doen dcpeschcren, geparapheert, geteyckent cnde gesegelt met onsen grooten Zegele nacr behooren, hebben wy in achtcrvolch van onse Resolutie, op den voornoemden vier-en-twintichsten Martij genomen, dese onse Brie- ven van alle 't gunt voorsz is doen depcscheren. Beloovcnde 't selve goet, vast cnde van weerden te houden cnde doen houden, ende or- donnerende eenen yeglielijckcn hem bier nacr te reguleren. Aldus gedaen in onse Vergaderinge, onder onsen grooten Zegele, Para- phure ende de Signature van onsen Griffier, in 's Graven-Hage den dertienden Februarij 1623. Was geparapheert, /. Magnus/^- Opte Plijcque stont, Ter Ordonnantie vande Hooch-ghemeltc Heeren Staten Generael. Geteeckent, C. Acrsscn. Hebbende een uythan- gende Zegel in rooden Wassche aen een witte zijde koorde. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS I25 that, by virtue of the thirteenth article of the aforesaid charter, Holland and West Friesland, and likewise all the other provinces, shall be free as formerly to cause the nomination of directors to be made in the manner which is for the best interest and advance- ment of the Company. Moreover, we agreed and consented that the cities in which there are no Chambers, upon advancing out of their funds one hundred thousand guilders or more, on proper nomi- nation by the chief participants and for each hundred thousand guil- ders might appoint a director in whatever Chamber they should think proper to invest their money. Of the which, as we are now desired by the directors of the West India Company to cause a suitable instrument in writing to be. properly drawn up, paraphed, subscribed and sealed with our great seal, we have, agreeable to our resolution adopted on the aforesaid twenty-fourth of March, caused these letters to be drawn up for all that is aforesaid ; promis- ing to keep them and cause them to be kept, well, firmly and truly and ordaining that all persons govern themselves accordingly. Thus done at our meeting, under our great seal, paraph and the signature of our secretary, in the Hague, the thirteenth of February 1623. Was paraphed, /. Magnus,''^- In the fold was written : By order of the aforesaid Honorable Lords the States General. Signed, C. Aerssen. Having a seal pendent of red wax, on a cord of white silk. 126 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Agreement between the directors and the chief participants of the West India Company^ June 21, 162^ Original text Accoordt tusschen de Bewinthebberen ende Hooft-Participanten van- de West-Indische Compag-nie, met approbatie vande Ho : endc Mog: Heeren Staten Generael ghemaeckt. In date den 21 Junij 1623. De Staten Generael der Vereenichde Nederlanden, Allen den gee- nen die desen jegenwoordige sullen getoont werden, Saluyt. DOEN TE WETEN, Alsoo op 't vertooch aen ons ghedaen, by eenige Gedeputeerden vande Hooft-Participanten vande geoctroyeerde V\'est-Indische Compagnie ter Kamere van Amsterdam, dat de selve tot verscheydene reysen hen vervoecht hebben ghehadt soo in 't Col- legie vande Bewinthebberen, als oock meermaelen met haer Gecom- mitteerden gebesoigneert, ten eynde in tijts goede ordre ende Regle- ment sonde mogen werden genomen ende gestabilieert, tot contente- ment vande goede Participanten, op dat de saecken te beter ende met meerder vruchts op 't spoedichste in 't werck ghestelt, ende dien vol- gende in treyn ghebrocht sonde mogen werden, versoeckende onse approbatie, 't zy by forme van ampliatie van 't Octroy, ofte andersints by raminge van ordre vande voorschreve particuliere Kamer tot Am- sterdamme, ofte soo wy te raede souden vinden, over eenige Poincten aen ons tot dien eynde ghepresenteert. Ende wy alvoorens daer op te resolveren, goet hebben gevonden Copyen daer van over te senden aen de respective Kameren vande West-Indische Compagnie, om de selve rijpelick te examineren, mette Hooft-Participanten communi- ceren, ende hare Gedeputeerden, mitsgaders eenige Gedeputeerden vande Hooft-Participanten by ons te senden, volcomentlijck gelast * Printed with other documents in pamphlet form in 1623, 1624, 1629 and 1642 (Asher, no. S5-6i); also in de Laet, Historie ofte laerlijck Verhael, introd. p. [19-22], and in Croat Placaet Boeck, vol. i, col. 585-90, which last text has been followed in the present copy. An imperfect translation is found in Hazard, Historical Collections of State Papers, 1:174-78, reprinted in O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1 :4o8— 10. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 127 Agreement between the directors and the chief participants of the West India Company June 21, 162^ Translation Agreement made between the directors and the chief participants of the West India Company, with the approval of the High and Mighty Lords the States General. Dated June 21, 1623. The States General of the United Netherlands, to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Be it known, that whereas, in a memorial directed to us by certain deputies of the chief partici- pants of the chartered West India Company, Chamber of Amster- dam, setting forth that they presented themselves several times be- fore the Assembly of the directors and also held a number of meet- ings with the committee appointed by them to the end that in due time proper rules and regulations might be adopted and established to the satisfaction of the good participants and that the business might the better and with the more profit be set in motion as soon as possible and subsequently be brought into proper operation, our approbation was requested of several articles presented to us for that purpose, either in the way of an amplification of their charter or else by framing an order for the aforesaid particular Chamber of Amsterdam or in such manner as we should find advisable; and whereas, before adopting any resolution thereupon, we thought fit, to send a copy of the articles to the respective Chambers of the West India Company, that they might carefully examine them, confer with the chief participants and send to us deputies from themselves, as well as from the chief participants, fully empowered and authorized, 128 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ende gheauthoriseert, om daer over, ende wat noch voorts tot bevor- deringe van soo een noodige saecke soude mogen dienen, in onder- linge conferentie te komen, ende soo doenelijck, finalijcken t' accor- deren op onse approbatie. Ende dat die Gedeputeerden vande re- spective Kameren, Directeurs ende Hooft-Participanten in compe- tenten getale daer op alhier zijn gekomen, ende volgens ten over- staen, inductien ende tusschen-spreecken van onse Gecommitteerden, nae verscheydene ghehoudene conferentien, communicatien ende de- liberatien, eyntelijck als Bewinthebbers, Directeurs ende Hooft- Participanten sonder prejudicie vande Provincien ende respective Steden, tot vorderinge vande West-Indische saecke, verdragen ende onderlinge gheaccordeert hebben dese naevolgende Articulen. Ten eersten, Dat geene veranderinge, extentien nochte interpre- tatie van het Octroy ofte dependentien van dien sullen werden ver- socht by de Bewinthebberen noch by de Hooft-Participanten ofte yemant anders, dan nae voorgaende convocatie, communicatien ende approbatie van het meerendeel der Bewinthebberen ende Hooft- Participanten, die inde vergaderinge sullen present zijn. Ten tweeden, Dat in alle vergaderingen daer Bewinthebberen en- de Hooft-Participanten t'samen, ofte dr.er de Hooft-Participanten alleen ende apart sonder de Bewinthebberen sullen besoigneren, alle nominatien, deputatien ende electien met eenen name t'efifens sullen gheschieden met beslooten Brief kens den presiderenden in handen te geven, ofte op andere secrete manieren. Ten derden, Dat de Compagnie geene Penningen op Interesse oft deposito sal mogen lichten, dan met advijs ende consent van 't meerendeel der Bewinthebberen ende Plooft-Participanten, Doch sullen de respective Kameren in voorvallende noot, voor een reyse alleen mogen lichten elck een twintichste deel van 't ingheleyde Capi- tael in hare Kamer, sonder dat by de selve Kameren meerder lich- tinge sal werden gedaen, voor ende al eer de eerste gelichte Pennin- gen sullen zijn afgelost. Ten vierden, Dat alle 'Reeckeningen by het vijfthiende Articule van 't Octroy gementioneert, sullen gedaen werden nae stijle van Negotie, aen de Gecommitteerde byde Hooft-Participanten te nomi- neren, ende onder Eede t'admitteren, binnen den tijdt in 't voorsz vijfthiende Articule begrepen, welcke Gecommitteerde daer af al- leene in 't gros aen de andere Plooft-Participanten rapport sullen doen, Doch sullen de selve Gecommitteerden by Eede verbonden zijn niet t'ontdecken, maer alles secreet te houden, dat de Bewintheb- beren secreet moeten houden : Sullen mede 't verboth by het een-en- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS I29 for this purpose and whatever might serve to promote so necessary a business, to meet in mutual conference and if possible to come to final agreement, subject to our approval; and w^hereas these depu- ties of the respective Chambers, directors and chief participants, thereupon came here in proper number and, in the presence and on the suggestion and persuasion of our delegates, after the holding of several conferences, communications and deliberations, finally, as managers, directors and chief participants, without prejudice to the provinces and respective cities, for promoting the West India busi- ness mutually agreed upon the following articles : I. That no alteration, extension or interpretation of the charter or acts depending thereon shall be sought by the directors or by the chief participants or any others, except after previous meeting, dis- cussion and the approval of a majority of the directors and chief participants who shall be present at the meeting. II. That in all joint meetings of the directors and chief partici- pants or those of the chief participants alone and without the di- rectors, all nominations, choice of deputies, and elections shall take place, one name at a time, by placing folded ballots in the hands of the presiding officer or in some other secret manner. III. That the Company shall borrow no money on interest or de- posit, except with the advice and the consent of the major part of the directors and chief participants ; nevertheless in case of necessity and for one voyage only, the respective Chambers may each borrow the twentieth part of the subscribed capital of their Chamber, but the said Chamber shall not borrow any more before the first loati shall have been paid off. IV. That all accounts mentioned in the fifteenth article of the charter shall be rendered in business form to the committee to be nominated by the chief participants, and admitted under oath, within the time mentioned in the said fifteenth article, which committee shall make report thereof only in gross to the other chief partici- pants. But the said committee shall be bound by oath not to di- vulge, but to keep everything secret which the directors must keep secret. They shall moreover during the time of two years be sub- I30 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY (lertichste Artijckel van 't Octroy noopende 't koopen cnde 't ver- koopen, den Bewinthebberen gedaen, onderworpen zijn, geduerende den tijt van twee Jar en. Ten vijfden, Dat de selve Gecommitteerden sullen hebben ende exerceren van wegen de Hooft-Participanten, het recht den Agenten Artijckel seven-en-twintich gegeven ende vergunt: Ende voorts de Boecken, Factuyren ende andere Documenten, tot dien eynde tot barer beliefte te mogen nae sien, ende de Coopnianschappen ende Brieven die de Commercie aengaen, visiteren. Ten sesten, Dat de eerste twee vacerende plaetsen der Bewint- bebberen tot Amstelredam, als mede de twee eerste van Zeelandt, ende de eerste inde Camer vande Mase, sullen successivelijck gesup- pleert ende vervult worden by de Ilooft-Participanten vande res- pective Kameren, absoluyt by pluraliteyt van stemmen, staende onder den selven Eedt, hebbende administratie als de andere Bewint- hebberen, ende sullen ghehouden zijn den Hooft-Participanten te communiceren 't geene haer aengaet, haer recht inde selve ver- gaderinge van Bewinthebberen te bewaren naer ghelegentheyt van saecken, de selve te convoceren, ende specialick aen de voorschreve Hooft-Particijjanten verbonden ende revocabel zijn, blijvende suc- cessivelijck de resterende Bewinthebberen vande respective Kameren eligibel volgende het Octroy, ofte soo als inde respective Provincien albereyts is gheordonneert, ofte noch geordonneert sonde mogen werden : Ende dat by provisie twee uyt de Hooft-Participanten van elcke respective Kameren van Amsterdam ende Zeelandt, ende eene uyt de Kamer vande Mase ghecommitteert sullen werden, boven die inde voorige Articulen vermelt zijn, om ondertusschen 't voorschreve recht vande selve te bewaren, tot dat een ofte twee plaetsen sullen vacant zijn. Ten sevensten, Soo wanneer de Negenthiene sullen komen te vergaderen, sullen de Hooft-Participanten vande Kamer van Am- sterdam, eene uyt de voorschreve twee Bewinthebberen of provi- sionele Gecommitteerden mogen eligeren, om te wesen eene vande acht Bewinthebberen inde selve Vergaderinge, van wegens de Ka- mer van Amsterdam te compareren, ghelijck mede die Hooft-Parti- cipanten van Zeelandt uyt de voorschreve twee Bewinthebberen of provisionele Gecommitteerden by hun absolutelijcken ghestelt, sul- len mogen kiesen eene, om te wesen eene vande vier Bewinthebberen van wegens haer Kamer inde vergaderinge vande Negenthiene te compareren. Ende sullen daer beneffens de voorschreve Hooft- Participanten, soo vande Kamer van Amsterdam als van Zeelandt, VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS I3I ject to the prohibition in regard to buying- and selling placed upon the directors by the thirty-first article of the charter. V. That the said committee shall have and exercise, .on behalf of the chief participants, the rights given and granted by Article twen- ty-seven to the agents; and moreover, for this purpose, to examine the books, invoices and other documents at their pleasure, and in- spect the merchandise, and the letters concerning the business. VI. That the first two vacant places among the directors at Ams- terdam, the first two of Zealand, and the first in the Chamber of the Masc shall successively be supplied and filled by the chief partici- pants of the respective Chambers, absolutely by plurality of votes ; [these elected] are to be bound by the same oath and to have the same powers as the other directors, and shall be obliged to communi- cate to the chief participants what concerns them, to preserve their rights in the said meetings of the directors according to circum- stances and to call them together, and they shall be specially respon- sible to and [their election] revocable by the aforesaid chief partici- pants ; the rest of the directors of the respective Chambers shall con- tinue to be elected according to the charter, or in such manner as is already ordained, or may hereafter be ordained in the respective provinces; and that provisionally two of the chief participants of each of the respective Chambers of Amsterdam and Zealand and one of the Chamber of the Mase^ shall be deputed aside from the com- mittee mentioned in the foregoing articles, to take care of their aforesaid rights in the meantime, until one or two places shall be vacant. VII. When the Nineteen shall meet together, the chief partici- pants of the Chamber of Amsterdam shall be permitted to choose one of the two directors or provisional deputies aforesaid, that he may be one of the eight directors in the said meeting for the Cham- ber of Amsterdam. In like manner the chief participants of Zea- land shall be permitted to choose one of the aforesaid two directors or provisional deputies, by them absolutely appointed, to be one of four directors representing their Chamber in the Assembly of the Nineteen. And in addition the aforesaid chief participants, as well those of the Chamber of Amsterdam as those of Zealand, shall each 132 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY noch mogen eligeren elcks eene uyt de be-eedichdc Gecommitteerde, Artijckel vier ende vijf vermelt, om die voorschreve Gedeputeerden elcks inden sijiien t'assisteren indc voorschreve Vergaderinge vande Negenthiene, sonder dat nochtans de selve Geassocieerden stemnie apart sullen hebben. Ende ten eynde de andere Kameren mecle ken- nisse van saecken opte selve vergadcringhe verhandelt niogen heb- ben, sal die geassocieerde vande Kamer van Amsterdam, den Hooft- I'articipanten van 't Noorder-quartier ende van Stadt ende Landen : Ende die gheassocieerde vande Kamer van Zeelandt, die vande Mase adviseren van 't ghebesoigneerde inde voorschreve Vergaderinge, voor soo veele 't selve communicabel sal zijn. Ten achtsten, Dat naer desen niemant tot Bewinthebber sal mogen gheeligeert werden, die in dienst vande Compagnie van Oost-Indien is : Sullen oock Vader ende Soon, Item, Broeders van heelen ende halven Bedden, geen Bewinthebberen in eene Kamer te gelijcke mo- gen wesen ; Ende sullen de Bewint-hebberen geen provisie ghenieten, ten zy dat sy ten dienste vande Compagnie behoorelijck vacercn. Ten negenden, Alsoo bet noodich is om een yeder te voldoen, dat den tijdt om in dese Compagnie te teeckenen ende te herideren noch gheprolongeert werde, tot contentement soo vande Ingesetenen als Uytlantsche, dat daerom voor dTngesetenen tot ultima Augusti, ende voor d'Uytlandische tot ultima Octobris toekommende, beyde Stylo novo incluys, de voorschreve inteyckeninge geprolongeert, ende bekent gemaeckt vi^orde deur affixie v^n Billetten, sonder dat naer dien dach yemants anders sal mogen ingenomen ofte inghelaten wor- den, maer dat een yeder Kamer gehouden sal zijn den eersten dach naer ultimo Octobris sijne Capitalen te sluyten, ende acht dagen daer naer Copyen aen malkanderen over seyiiden : Welverstaende dat de aen-ghevangene equipagie, hacren voortganck sal hebben tot dienste vande Compagnie, ende dat de geene die haere Penni- gen voor andere hebben gcfurneert, ende noch sullen furneren daer van Interesse sullen genieten tot discretie vande Negenthiene. Ten thienden, Ende aengaende de generale reeckeninge, Artijckel sestien, ende het veranderen van bet derdendeel der Bewinthebberen Artijckel veerthien in't Octroy ghcmentioneert, om eene goede ordre ende generalen voet in alle Kameren daer in te houden, is noodich gevonden dat de selve generale reeckeninge geschiede (ses Jaeren nae date van 't geven van 't Octroy, beginnende den derden Junij ses- thien-hondert een-en-twintich, Stylo novo,) naer coustume van Coop- manschap in 't openbaer, mede ten overstaen vande voorschreve Ge- committeerde vande Hooft-Participanten vande respective Kameren, VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS be permitted to choose one of the sworn committee, mentioned in articles four and five, to assist the aforesaid deputies, each assisting the one from his Chamber, in the aforesaid Assembly of the Nine- teen ; nevertheless, these associates shall not have a separate Vote. And that the other Chambers also may know of the business trans- acted by the said Assembly, the associate member from the Chamber of Amsterdam shall inform the chief participants of the Noorder- quartier and Stadt ende Landen and the associate member from the Chamber of Zealand those of the Mase of the business of the afore- said Assembly, as far as it shall be communicable. VIII. That hereafter no person may be chosen a director who is in the service of the East India Company ; in like manner, father and son, or brothers of the whole or half blood, may not be directors at the same time in one Chamber. And the directors shall receive no commissions unless they properly attend to the business of the Com- pany. IX. Whereas, in order to satisfy every one, it is necessary that the time for subscribing and contributing to this Company shall be extended further, for the satisfaction of our own inhabitants as well as of foreigners, therefore, be the aforesaid subscriptions extended for inhabitants to the last of August, and for foreigners to the last of October next, both new style, and the fact made known by post- ing of notices; after that date, no person may be received or ad- mitted, but every Chamber must close its subscription lists the first day after the last of October, and eight days thereafter send a copy to each of the others ; provided, that the equipment already begun shall continue for the use of the Company, and that those who have furnished money in advance of others, or shall yet furnish it, shall receive interest thereon at the discretion of the Nineteen. X. And as to the general accounting, mentioned in article six- teen of the charter, and the changing of a third part of the direc- tors in article fourteen, to maintain good order and a general basis in all the Chambers, it is deemed necessary that the said general ac- counting be made (six years from the date of granting the charter, beginning the third of June 1621, new style) according to mercan- tile custom in public, in the presence of the aforesaid committee of the chief participants of the respective Chambers, and so on regu- 134 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ende soo voorts successivelick, elcke ses Jaren te doen diergelijcke generale reeckeninge : Docli sal by de Vergaderinge vande Negen- thiene, op 't vervolch vande reeckeningen naerder ordre beraemt wer- den, ten cynde d'afgaende Bewinthebberen, met gesuyverde reecke- ninge, ist doenelijck, mogen scheyden : Ende sal de veranderinge " van't derdendeel der Bewinthebberen, eerst geschieden ses Jaren na den negenden Junij deses Jaers sestien-hondert drie-en-twintich, end€ soo voorts successivelijck elcke twee Jaeren conform bet Oc- troy, Ten elfsten, Dat niemant het Hooft-Participants recht sal mogen genieten, dan die vanden beginne heeft in-ghelecht, oft andersints twee Jaren opte Boecken bekent is, voor sijn eygen reeckeninge in dese Compagnie te herideren, soo veel een Bewinthebber inde re- spective Kameren ghehouden is te doen, volgens den Octroy, be- halven dat Kinderen, ende alle andere Erfgenamen, die op eenen name de respective voile sommen voor bun eygen Erven, datelijck nae de erflfenisse ghequalificeert sullen zijn. Ende ten twaelfsten, Indien eenige saecken voor vallen daer nyt Processen souden mogen verrijsen, tot ondienste vande Compagnie, sullen de Bewinthebberen in alle manieren arbeyden, de selve in 't minnelijck neer te leggen (soo doenelijck) indien niet, de saecken communiceren met de Hooft-Participanten, om met gemeen advijs daer in gedaen te worden soo als tot meesten dienst vande Compag- nie bevonden sal worden te behooren. SOO IST, dat wy de voorschreve Articulen gheexamineert ende overwogen hebbende, ende tot d'eenicheyt ende goede correspon- dentie tusschen die Bewint-hebberen ende Hooft-Participanten, mits- gaders tot bevorderinge vande West-Indische Compagnie ghenegen wesende, hebben met advijs vanden Heere Prince van Orangien, goet gevonden de selve t'aggreeren, ende t'approberen, aggreeren en- de approberen midts desen, verstaende dat de selve by de Bewint- hebberen, Participanten, ende ycdcr een daer aen ghelegen zijnde, nevens d'Articulen van 't Octroy punctuelijck sullen werden naer- ghekomen ende achtervolcht, ghelijck of sy den Octroy waren gein- sereert, Alsoo wy bevinden 't selve tot dienste vande West-Indische Compagnie alsoo te behooren. Ghegheven onder onsen grooten Zegel, Paraphure, ende de Signature van onsen Grififier, in 's Gra- ven-Hage, den een-en-twintichsten Junij sesthien-hondert drie-ende- twintich. Was gheparapheert, A^. van. Bouckhorst/^- Onder stondt, Ter Ordonnantie vande Hooch-ghemelte Heeren Staten Generael. Gheteeckent, C. Aerssen. Hebbende een uythangenden Zegel in rooden Wassche, aen een witte zijde koorde. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS larly every six years a like general accounting; but as to other ac- counts, further action shall be taken by the Assembly of the Nine- teen, to the end that the directors who retire may leave no unsettled accounts if it be practicable. And the first change of a third part of the directors shall take place six years after the ninth* of June this year 1623, and so on regularly every two years agreeable to the charter. XI.^ That no one shall be permitted to enjoy the rights of chief participants but those who subscribed at the beginning, or else have been entered on the books for two years as owning in their own name in this Company as much as a director in the respective Cham- bers must own according to the charter ; except, that children and all other heirs, who inherit in one name the respective full sums for themselves, shall be qualified immediately after inheriting. And, XII, if anything should happen from which lawsuits might arise to the disadvantage of the Company, the directors shall do all in their power to settle the matter amicably (if possible) ; if not, they shall communicate it to the chief participants, that they may act therein with mutual advice, in such manner as shall be found most to the advantage of the Company. Therefore having examined and considered the foregoing articles and being desirous of promoting unity and concord between the directors and chief participants as well as the advancement of the West-India Company, we have, with the advice of the Prince of Orange, thought fit to agree to and approve of, and do hereby agree to and approve the same and demand that they with the articles of the charter shall be strictly followed and observed by the directors, participants and every person concerned therein, in the same manner as if they were inserted in the charter ; for we find this to be for the best interests of the West-India Company. Given under our great seal, paraph and the signature of our secretary, at the Hague, the twenty-first of June, sixteen hundred and twenty-three. Paraphed, A^. z'an Bouckhorst, Underneath was written : By order of the aforesaid Honorable Lords the States General. Subscribed, C. Acrsscn, having a seal pendent of red wax, on a cord of white silk. * The copy of the Agreement in the introduction to de Laet's Historic ofte laerlijck Verhael has the third of June this year 1623, which is evidently the date intended. 'Instead of this article, Hazard inserts article 11 of the Charter of the W. I. Co., which mistake is copied by O'Callaghan in History of New Netherland, 1:410. [36 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions^ June y, i6jq Original text Uryheden ende Exemptien voor de Patrooneu / Mccstcrs ofte Particulieren / die op Nieu-Nederlandt eeniglie Colonien ende Vee sullen planten geconsidereert ten dienst van de Generale West-Indische Compagnie in Nieu-Nederlandt / ende het voor- deel van de Patroonen / Meesters ende Particulieren. I. Dat de Participanten inde genielde Compagnie / die gheneghen sullen zijn in Nieu-Nederlandt eenighe Colonie-n te planten / ver- moghen met de Schepen van dese Compagnie derwaerts gaende / drie ofte vier persoonen te senden / om de gheleghentheydt aldaer te besichtigen / midts datse neffens de Officieren ende Bootsvolck den Artijcul-Brieff sullen beeedighen / voor soo veel die haer aengaet. Ende betalende voor Mondt-kost / Passagie van gaen ende komen / ses stuyvers daeghs : Ende die inde Ca- juyte sonde versoecken te eten / twaelf stuyvers / ende hun onder- werpen in cas van offensie ende defensie naer ter weere te stellen / ghelijck als d'andere ; Ende eenighe Schepen van den Vyant veroverende / sullen oock haers portie genieten Pro Rata, neffens de Bootsghesellen / yeder nae zijn qualiteyt / te weten / dat de Coloniers buyten de Cajuyte etende / ghereeckent sullen worden neffens de Matrossen / ende die inde Cajuyte eten teghens den gheenen die aldaer van's Compagnies Volck de Tafel / ende de kleynste gagie heeft. II. Doch sullen in desen geprefereert zijn soodanighe Per- soonen / die haer cerst sullen hebben gheopenbaert / ende aen de Compagnie versocht. B3 Ende * V. R. B. Mss 61. Printed pamphlet in original paper covers, measuring 19. 3x15. 3cm; letterpress 11.9xr1.3cm. The first recto is marked B3; the 3d, 4th and 5th are marked respectively C, C2 and C3. It is apparently a separate issue of the second part of the pampTilet entitled: Artiatlen . . . over hot open, ende Try stellen vanden Handel ende Negotie op de Stadt Olinda de Pernamhuco, ende Custen van Brasil. Hier sijn achter by ghcdruckt De Vryheden van Nieu-N ederlant. Amst. 1631. (Asher, Bihlio- graphical Essay, no. 332). With the exception of capitalization and spelling it agrees with the text published under date of March 1630 in Wassenaer, Historisch Verhael, V. 4, pt 18, f.94-98b, which is based on that printed the same year for the West India Company. Asher gives but one pamphlet of 1630 (no. 331), but his title differs slightly from that given by Moulton, History of New York, pt 2, p. 389, and from the facsimile title page in Fiske, Dutch and Quaker Colonies, illus. ed. 1:117, them- selves different, which suggests that there were various issues in 1630. In 1875, a reprint of the 1630 pamphlet in the possession of the New York Historical Society was published by Geo. H. Moore, librarian of the society. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions"'^ J^me J, 16 2g Translation Freedoms and Exemptions for the patroons, masters or private per- sons who win plant any colonies in, and send cattle to New Netherland, drawn up for the benefit of the General West India Company in New Nedierland and for the profit of the patroons, masters and private persons. I. Such participants of the said Company as may be inclined to plant any colonies in New Netherland shall be permitted to send, in the ships of this Company going thither, three or four persons to inspect the situation of the country, provided that they, with the officers and ship's company, swear to the Articles,''' so far as they re- late to them, pay for board and passage, going and coming, six stivers a day (such as desire to mess in the cabin to pay 12 stivers) and agree to give assistance like others, in cases offensive and defen- sive. And if any ships be taken from the enemy, they shall receive pro rata their portions with the ship's company, each according to his quality, that is to say, the colonists messing outside the cabin shall be rated with the sailors and those messing in the cabin with those of the Company's servants messing at table who receive the lowest wages. II. However, in this matter, those persons shall have the pref- erence who shall first have declared their intentions and applied to the Company. "'^ The first translation of the Freedoms and Exemptions, made by Abraham Lott, jr, in 1762, appeared in Moulton, Hislory of New York, 1826, pt 2, p. 389-98, and was reprinted in Dunlap, History of New York, vol. 2, app. II, and in N. Y. Historical Society Collections, ser. 2, 1:370-77. With slight changes, the same translation has appeared in O'Callaghan's History of New Netherland, l:i 12-20; Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 8:553-57; Laws and Ordinances of New Netherland, p. i-io; MaeDonald's Select Charters, p. 43-50; and Index to the Public Records of the County of Albany, 1630-1894, Albany 1902, pref. p. Ixiii-lxv. The present translation is revised from that printed by O'Callaghan, from which it will be found to differ materially. ' Artijcul-Brieff ; probably a code of rules of similar tenor as the Articulen ende Ordonnantien, ter Vergaderinge vande Hoogh Mogende Heeren Staten Generael ghere- sumeert ende gearresteert, Daer op aengenomen ende beeedicht sullen warden alle de geene die hen voortaen in den dienst vande geoctroyeerde Wesi-lndische Compagnie sullen begeven, om met derselver Schepen nacr West-Indien, Brazil, ofte andere Limiten van't Octroy te varen, passed Nov. 24, 1647, shortly after the renewal of the charter to the W. I. Co. Groot Placaet Boeck, 1:625-54. 138 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY [folio lb] III. Encle sullen voor Patroonen van Nieu-Nederlandt erkent worden / alle soodanighe die binnen den tijdt van vier Jaren / nae dat zy haer aen cenighe Camer van de Compagnie alhier / ofte aen den Commandeur ofte Raden aldaer / sullen verclaren / datse een Colonic van vijftigh Ziclen boven de vijftliien Jaren oudt zijnde / aldaer aeiinemen te planten / een vierde part binnen's Jaers / ende in drie Jaren nae de sendinghe van d'eerste / maeckende t'samen vier Jaren / de resterende tot het voile glietal van vijftigh Per- soonen van hier te schepen / Op pene van by notoir versuym tc verliesen de vercreghene Vryheden; Doch sullen ghewaerschout zijn / dat de Compagnie 'tEylandt van de Manhattes aen sich be- houdt. IV. Ende vander eerste uyre af / dat zy de plaetsen / alwaer zy haer Colon ien willen planten / hebben aenghewesen / voor allc andere gheprefereert zijn tot den vryen eyghendom van soodanige Landen alsse aldaer sullen hebben verkoren; Doch deselve plaetse haer naderhant niet ghevallende / ofte in 'tkiesen van den gront bedroghen zijnde / sullen deselve nae vooigaende Renionstrantie aen den Commandeur ende Raet aldaer / een ander ghelegentheyt mogen uytkiesen. V. Ende sullen de Patroonen door haer Volmachtigheden / ter plaetse daer zy haer Colonien willen planten / haer Limiten nioghen extenderen vier mijlen langhs de Cust / ofte een syde van een'^* Navigable Riviere / ofte twee mijlen langhs beyde de zijden van eene Riviere / ende soo diep Landtwaerts in als de gheleglientheyt vande Occupateurs toelaten sal. Welverstaende dat de Compagnie den eygendom acn haer behoudt van de Landen / die tusschen de Limiten van de Colonien blijven legghen / om daer van in tijdt ende wijle te disponeren nae haer wel-ghevallen / sonder dat yemandt anders op seven of acht mijlen haer sal moghen naerderen teghens haren danck: Ten ware de ghelegentheyt van het Landt daer on — trent [folio 2] trent sulcks waer / dat den Commandeur endt Raedt op goede redenen anders ordonneerden ; Altoos acht nemende / dat d'eerste Occupateurs in haers vercreghen Recht niet geprejudiceert en ''^ The words syde van een are not found in the text of the pamphlet here reprinted but were written in the margin. They occur as part of the printed text in Wassenaer, Historisch Verhael, v. 4, pt 18, f. 95. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS III. All such shall be acknowledged patroons of New Netherland as shall agree to plant there a colony of 50 souls, upwards of 15 years old, within the space of four years after they have given notice to any Chamber of the Company here or to the commander or council there,^ one fourth part within one year and the re- mainder within three years after the sending of the first, making together four years, to the full number of 50 persons, to be shipped hence, on pain, in case of wilful neglect, of being deprived of the privileges obtained. But they are warned that the Company re- serves to itself the island of the Manhattes. IV. From the very hour they make known the situation of the places where they propose to settle colonies, they shall have the preference over all others to the free ownership of such lands as they shall have chosen : but in case the location should afterwards not please them or they should find themselves deceived in the selection of the land, they may, after memorializing the commander and council there, choose another place. V. The patroons, by their agents, may, at the place where they wish to settle their colonies, [fix] their limits [so that the colony shall] extend four leagues along the coast or one side of a navigable river, or two leagues along both sides of a river, and as far inland as the situation of the occupants will permit; with the under- standing that the Company retains for itself the ownership of the lands lying and remaining between the limits of the colonies, to dispose thereof when and at such time as it shall think proper, but no one else shall be allowed to come within seven or eight leagues of them without their consent unless the situation of the land thereabout be such that the commander and coimcil for good reasons shall order otherwise; always observing that the first occu- pants are not to be prejudiced in the right they have obtained, * The Dutch of the first part of this article is defective. Literally translated, it reads: And shall be acknowledged as patroons all such who within the space of four years after they shall declare themselves to any Chamber of the Company here or to the commander or council there that they agree to plant there a colony of 50 souls, upwards of 15 years old. 140 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY worden / clan voor soo veel als den dienst van de Compagnie sonde moghen vereyschen / het zy om aldaer Portificatien te bouvven / ofte yets dierghelijcke / blijvende (buyten dat) het commandement op elcke Baeye / Reviere ofte Eylandt / aen de eerst-komende Colonie / onder de Hooghe Jurisdictie van de Hoogh Heeren Staten Generael ende Compagnie; Midts dat de naest-komende Colonien op deselve Rivier ofte Eylandt / sullen vermoghen een ofte meer Raden / neffens den selven te stellen / oni met ghemeen advijs den oirbar van de Colonien op die Rivier ofte Eylandt te versorghen. VI. Ende alle het Landt binnen de voorsz. Limiten gheleghen / midtsgaders de Vruchten / Supersitien / Mineralen / Rivieren ende Fonteynen van dien voor altoos in Eyghendom te besitten : Ende de Hooghe / middele ende laghe Jurisdictie / Visscheryen / Voghelryen ende Maleryen / met exclusie van alle andere / te houden van de Compagnie tot een onversterflijck Erfif-Leen / te Verheer-ghewaden alst versterft met twintigh Guldens par Colonie aen dese Compagnie binnen een Jaer ende ses Weecken / aen de Cameren alhier / ofte den Coramandeur aldaer / een yeder ter Camere daer hy oorspronckelijck van daen is gevaren. Des noch- tans dat de Visscherye ende Vogelrye by niemandt anders dan de Patroonen / ende die zy-luyden dat sullen toestaen / sullen werden ghepleeght: Ende soo yemandt metter tijdt in zijn Colonie soo veel quame te prospereren / dat hy een oft meer Steden sonde moghen fonderen / sal den selven d'authoriteyt hebben / om aldaer Offitien ende Magistraten te stellen / ende Tijtel van zijn Colonie moghen ghebruycken / nae believen ende qualiteyt der Persoonen. Sal [folio 2b] VII. Sal mede aen alle Patroonen / die sulcks versoecken / ver- gundt worden Vcnia Testan'di, ofte Octroy / om van de voorsz Leen-Goederen by Testament te moghen disponeren. VIII. De Patroonen sullen mede alle na gelegcne Landen / Rivieren ende Bosschagien tot haren oirbaer moghen ghebruycken / ter tijdt ende wijle deselve by dese Compagnie / andere Patroonen ofte Particulieren worden aengheveert. IX. Die dese Colonien sulleii oversenden / sullen deselve voor- sien met behoorlijcke Instructie / om conform de maniere van Regieringhe / soo in Politie / als Justitie / by de Vergaderinghe van de Neghenthiene beraemt ofte noch te beranien / gheregeert ende gliestiert te worden / welcke zy al vooren de Bewinthebberen van de Respective Cameren sullen verthoonen. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 141 except in so far as the service of the Company should require it, either for the building of fortifications or something of that sort, and that (outside of this) the [patroon of the] first settled colony shall retain the command of each bay, river or island, under the supreme jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses the States Gen- eral and the Company; but the later colonies on the same river or island may appoint one or more councilors to assist him, that in consultation they may look after the interests of the colonies on the river or island. VI. They shall forever own and possess and hold from the Com- pany as a perpetual fief of inheritance, all the land lying within the aforesaid limits, together with the fruits, plants, minerals, rivers and springs thereof, and the high^ middle and low jurisdiction, rights of fishing, fowling and grinding, to the exclusion of all others, said fief to be renewed in case of demise by doing homage to the Company and paying 20 guilders per colony within a year and six weeks, either to the Chambers here or to the commander there, each to the Chamber whence the colony was originally sent out; however no fishing or fowling shall be carried on by any one but the patroons and such as they shall permit. And in case any one should in time prosper So much as to found one or more cities, he shall have authority to appoint officers and magistrates there and to use such titles in his colony as he sees fit according to the quality of the persons. VII. There shall likewise be granted to all patroons who shall desire the same, Vcnia Testandi, or liberty to dispose of the afore- said fiefs by will. VIII. The patroons may also to their profit use all lands, rivers and woods lying contiguous to them, until such time as they are taken possession of by this Company, other patroons, or private persons. IX. Those who shall send over these colonies, shall furnish them with proper instructions in order that they may be ruled and gov- erned conformably to the rule of government, both as to admin- istration and justice, made, or to be made by the Assembly of the Nineteen, which [instructions] they must first lay before the di- rectors of the respective Chambers. 142 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY X. De Patroonen ende Coloniers sullen vermogen alle hacr Volck ende Goederen derwacrts te senden in de Schepen vande Comp*'. mits den Eedt doende / ende betalende aende Conip'^. voor 'tover- brenge van't Vole als in't eerste Artijcule; ende voor Vracht vande Goederen vijf par Cento contant van 'tgene deselve Goederen hier ghekost hebben: Sonder nochtans hier onder te begrijpen het Bestiael ende andere Gereetschappen tot de Landtbouwe dienende / die de Compagnie voor niet sal overvoeren / als zy plaets in hare Schepen heeft / raidts dat de Patroonen de plaetse daer toe ap- proprieren op hacr cyghcn costen / ende allcs providercn / dat tot onderhoudt vant Bestiael noodigh is. XI. Maer in ghevalle het de Compagnie niet gheleghen en quanie eenighe Schepen te senden / ofte dat in de gaende Schepen gheen plaets en ware / soo sullen in sulcken ghevalle de Patroonen ver- moghen / nae voorgaende communicatie van [folio 3] van hare intentie / ende schriftelijck consent daer over vercreghen van de Compagnie / selver Schepen of Jachten derwacrts te sen- den / mits datse in't gaen of keeren niet en sullen vermoghen te loopen buyten haer ordinarie Vaer-water / ende de Compagnie daer vooren caveren / ende een Adsistent opnemen tot mondt-costen van de Patroonen / ende Maentgelden van de Compagnie. Op pene datse ter contrarie doende / alle haer vercreghen Recht ende Eygenschap tot de Colonic sullen verliesen. XII. Ende alsoo d'intentie van de Compagnie is het Eyiandt van de Manhattes, voor eerst te populeren / sal aldaer provisionelijck oock zijn de stapel van alle Vruchten ende Waren / die op de Noort-Rivier ende Landen daer ontrent vallen / eerse vorder ver- sonden sullen moghen worden : Wtghenomen die uyt der natuyren / selfs daer niet nut zijnde / ofte niet als met grooten ondienst van de Eyghenaers daer ghebracht souden moeten worden. In welcken ghevalle de Eygenaers van dien ghehouden sullen zijn soodanighe ongelegentheyt aen de Compagnie alhier / ofte den Commandeur ende Raden aldaer / tijdelijck by gheschrifte te remonstreren / om daer in voorsien te werden / als na gheleghentheyt van saecken bevonden sal werden te behooren. XITI. Alle Patroonen vande Colonien in Nieu-Nederlandt / mits- gaders Colonien op het Eyiant van de Manhattes woonende / sullen vermoghen te bevaren ende te behandelen die gantsche Gust VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS X. The patroons and colonists shall be privileged to send all their people and effects thither, in ships belonging to the Company, provided they take the oath and pay the Company for bringing over the people according to the first article, and for freight of the goods five per cent cash of the cost of the goods here; without including herein, however, cattle and agricultural implements, which the Company is to carry over free, if there is room in its ships, provided that the patroons, at their own expense, fit up places for the cattle and furnish everything necessary for their support. XI. In case it should not suit the Company to send any ships, or there should be no room in the ships sailing thither, then the said patroons, after having communicated their intentions and obtained consent from the Company in writing, may send their own ships or yachts thither, provided that, going and coming, they depart not from their ordinary course, give security to the Company for the same and take on board an assistant*^'"^ at the expense of the patroons as to his board and of the Company as to his monthly wages, on pain, if doing contrary hereto, of forfeiting all right and title they have obtained to the colony. XII. Inasmuch as it is the intention of the Company to people the island of the Manhattes first, this island shall provisionally also be the staple port for all products and wares that are found on the K^orth River and lands thereabouts, before they are allowed to be sent elsewhere, excepting such as are, from their nature, unneces- sary there and such as can not without great loss to their owners be brought there ; in this case the owners thereof must give timely notice in writing of the difficulty attending the same to the Com- pany here, or the commander and council there, that such measures may be taken as the situation of affairs shall be found to require. XIII. All the patrocjns of colonies in New Netherlands and col- onists living on the island of the Manhattes shall be at liberty to A supercargo; see art. xxiii. 144 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY van Florida tot Tcrra-Neuf toe / midts met alle hare gehandelde goederen voor eerst wederom op 'tEylandt van de Manhattcs keerende / eii betalende vijf ten hondert voor recognitie aen de Compagnie / om soo't mogelijc is / van daer / na behoorlijcke Inventarisatie van alle ingeladcn goederen / na dese Landen gliesonden te worden. Ende oft gebeurde dat sulcks niet en konde ghescliieden / 'tzy door contrarie Stroomen oft andersints / in sulcken gevalle sullen deselve goederen nergens elders mogen gebracht worden / als alhier te Lande / C om [folio 3b] om met kennisse vande Bewinthebbercu / tcr plaetse daer zy ar- riveren sullen / ghelost ende gheinventarieert / ende de voorsz recognitie van vijf ten hondert / hier te Lande aende Compagnie betaelt te worden / op verbeurte van hare gehandelde Goederen / ofte de rechte waerde / indien zy ter contrarie deden. XIV. In cas dat de Schepen van de Patroonen / in't gaen ofte komen / ofte in't bevaren van de' Custe van Florida tot Tcrra-Neuf, ende verder niet / binnen ons Octroy / eenighe Prinsen van den Vyandt quamen te verovcren / sullen gehouden zijn deselve te brenghen ofte doen brenglien / aen de Camer ter plaetse daer zy uytghevaren zijn / om by Haer E. gebeneficeert te worden : Ende sal de Compagnie het derde-part daer van behouden / blijvende de andere twee derde-parten voor haer tegens haer gedane kosten ende Risico, alles op de ordre van de Compagnie. XV. Sal oock de ghemelte Patroonen vry staen / al-omme op de Custe van Nieu-Nederlandt ende Circumjacentien van dien / te verhandelen hare Goederen aldacr gheconquestecrt / voor allcr- hande soorten van Coopmanschappen aldaer vallende / uytgheson- dert Bevers / Otters / Mincken ende alderhande Peltcrijen / welcke handelinghe de Compagnie alleen voor haer reserveert : Doch werdt het selfde toeghestaen te moghen gheschieden daer de Compagnie gheen Commissie en heeft / midts dat soo lanighe Handelaers ghe- houden sullen zijn / alle de Pelterijen die zy sullen konnen be- comen / te brenghen op't Eylandt van de Manhattcs, soo't eenich- sins moghelijck is / ende die aldaer te leveren aen den Directeur / om by hem met de Schepen ende Goederen herwaerts aen gheson- den te werden / ofte alhier ie Eandc komende sonder 'tselvc ghedaen te hcbben / die te losscn met kennisse vande Compagnie onder behoorlijcken Inventaris / om by haer betaelt te werden aen VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER. MANUSCRIPTS sail and traffic along the entire coast from Florida to Terra Neuf, provided that they do first return with all such goods as they shall get in trade to the island of the Manhattes and pay five per cent duty to the Company, in order that if possible, after proper inven- tory of the goods in the ship, the same may thence be sent hither. And if it should so happen that they could not return, whether from contrary currents or otherwise, the said goods may be brougtit nowhere but to this country, in order that they may be unladen and inventoried with the knowledge of the directors at the place where they may arrive and the aforesaid duty of five per cent paid to the Company here, on pain, if they do otherwise, of for- feiture of their goods obtained, or the true value thereof. XIV. In case the ships of the patroons, in going or coming or in sailing along the coast from Florida to Terra Neuf and no further, within [the limits of] our charter should conquer any prizes from the enemy, they must bring them, or cause them to be brought, to the Chamber of the place from which they sailed in order that their honors may have the benefit thereof; the Company shall keep the one third part thereof and the remaining two thirds shall belong to them in consideration of the expense and risk at which they have been, all according to the orders of the Company. XV. It shall also be permitted the aforesaid patroons, all along the coast of New Netherland and places circumjacent, to trade their goods, products of that country, for all sorts of merchandise that may be had there, except beavers, otters, minks and all sorts of peltry, which trade alone the Company reserves to itself. But permission for even this trade is granted at places where the Com- pany has no agent, on the condition that such traders must bring all the peltry they may be able to secure to the island of the Man- hattes, if it is in any way practicable, and there deliver them to the director, to be by him sent hither with the ships and goods ; or, if they should come here without having done so, then to unload them with due notice to the Company and proper inventory, that they 10 146 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY (le Compagnie een Gulden van yeder levcrbaer Vel / Otter encle Bever / blijvende den inkoop Risico ende [folio 4] ende alle andere onconsten tot lastc van dc Patrooncn oftc Eyghenaers. XVI. Alle grove Waren die de Colonicrs vande Patroonen al- daer sullen hebben gheconquesteert / 'tzy Peck / Teer / Weed- asch / Hout / Granen / Visch / Zoudt / Hartsteen ofte dier- gelijcke / sullen met de Schepen van de Compagnie overgebracht werden teghens achthien Guldens par Last / vier duysent voor een Last gherekent / midts dat het Bootsvolck van de Compagnie hct Zoudt sullen gehouden zijn te kruyen ende aenboort te brenghen / waer van de thien Lasten een hondert maecken. Ende by ghcbreck van Schepen / ofte plaetse inde Schepen / vermoghen 'tselve met hun eyghen Schepen te doen overcomen op hare costen : Ende ghenieten hier te Lande alsulcke Vryheden ende Benefitien / als de Compagnie vergunt is / mits in beyde ghevallen betalende / boven de recognitie van vijf ten hondert / achthien guldens van yeder hondert Z.outs / dat met de Schepen vande Compagnie over- ghebracht wort. XVn. Ende alle Waren die int voorgaende Articule niet gemen- tioneert en zijn / ende gheen Last-waren en zijn / daer van sal voor Vracht betaelt worden een Daelder voor elck hondert ponden Gewichts / ende de Wijnen / Brandewijnen / Verjuys ende Azijnen sullen betalen par Vat achthien guldens. XVin. De Compagnie belooft de Coloniers van de Patroonen / inden tijdt van thien Jaren niet te beswaren met Convoy / Tol / Accijs / Imposten / ofte eenighe andere Contributien : Ende na d'expiratie van de selve thien jaren / ten hooghsten met sulcken Convoy als de Goederen hier te Lande teghenwoordigh beswaert zijn. XIX. Dat zy oock gene Coloniers van de Patroonen / Man ofte Vrou / Soon ofte Dochter / Dienst knecht ofte Dienstmaecht / sullen uyt haren dienst onttrecken : Ende schoon ye- C2 mant [folio 4b] mant alsulcks begeerde / datse den selven niet en sullen aennemen / veel min gedooghen dat zy van hare Patroonen in eens anders VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS may pay to the Company one guilder for each merchantable beaver and otter skin ; the cost, insurance and all other expenses to remain at the charge of the patroons or owners. XVI. All raw materials which the colonists of the patroons shall have obtained there, such as pitch, tar, potash, timber, grain, fish, salt, limestone and the like, shall be conveyed in the Company's ships at the rate of 18 guilders per last, four thousand weight to be accounted a last, and the Compan3^'s ship's crew shall be obliged to wheel and bring the salt on board, whereof 10 lasts make a hundred.'^ And, in case of lack of ships or of room in the ships, they may send it over in their own ships at their own cost and enjoy in this country such freedoms and benefits as have been granted to the Company ; but in either case they must pay, over and above the duty of five per cent, 18 guilders for each hundred of salt that is carried over in the Company's ships. XVII. For all goods not mentioned in the foregoing article and which are not carried by the last there shall be paid for freight one daelder for each hundred pounds weight ; and for wines, brandies, verjuice and vinegar, there shall be paid 18 guilders per cask. XVIII. The Company promises the colonists of the patroons not to lay any duties, tolls, excise, imposts or any other contributions upon them for the space of 10 years ; and after the expiration of the said 10 years, at the highest, such dues [only] as the goods pay here at present. XIX. They will not take from the service of the patroons any of their colonists, cither man or woman, son or daughter, manservant or maidservant; and, though any of these should desire it they will not receive them, much less permit them to leave their patroons and Hundred; an old measure for coarse salt, equal to 248 hectoliters, about 704 bushels. T48 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY dienst souden overloopen / als nae voorgaende schriftclijcke be- williginghe van hare Patroonen. Ende dit gedtiyrende den tijdt van sulcke Jaren als zy acn hare Patroonen verbonden zijn / na welcker expiratie het de Patroonen vry sal staen de Coloniers / die in haren dienst niet willen continneren / hier te doen brengen / ende dan eerst in hare vryheyt te stellen. Ende so wat Colonier aen een ander Patroon overloopt / ofte buy ten zijn Contract hem in vryheyt sal begeven / den selven beloven wy / na vermoghen / te doen lever en in handen van zijnen Patroon ofte Commijs / om aldaer na gelegentheyt van saken teghens hem gheprocedeert te worden / na Coustume deser Landen. XX. Alle Vonnissen by dc Gerechtcn van de Patroonen ge- wesen / monterende bovcn de somme van vijftigh Guldens / daer van sal Appel vail en aen den Commandeur ende Raden van dc Compagnie in Nieu-N^ederlandt. XXL Ende belanghende de particuliere Persoonen / die voor haer.selfs ofte anderen / die in dienst van haer Meesters hier te Lande in minder, ghetal / als de Patroonen / derwaerts als vrye Luyden sullen gacn woonen / sullen met goet vinden van den Directeur ende Raedt aldaer / soo vecl Landts vermogen te kiesen- ende aenveerdcn / als zy bequamelijck sullen konnen bearbeyden / ende 'tselve in vollen eygendom behouden / voor haer oft voor haer Meesters. XXIL Oock vermogen te vangen "met de vrye Jacht / so te Water / als te Lande / generalijck inde publijcke Bosschen ende Rivieren / ende privative / in't Resort van hare Colonien / na d'ordre van den Directeur ende Raedt. XXIIL Soo wie 'tzy Coloniers van de Patroonen voor haer Patroonen / ofte vrye Luyden / voor haer selven / ofte andere parti- culiere [folio 5] culiere voor hare Meesters / vinden bequame Stranden / Baey- en / ofte andere ghelegentheyt tot Visscheryen / ofte om aldaer Zout-Pannen te maken / vermoghen 'tselfde te aenveerdcn ende te bearbeyden in vollen eyghendom / met exclusie van alle anderen. Werdt de Patroonen van de Coloniers 00c Schepen toegestaen te senden langs de Custe van Nieu-Ncderlant op de Visscherye van de Cabeljauw / ende met de Vanghst te gacn adroicture na Italien ofte andere Neutrale Landen; midts in sulcken ghevalle aen de Compagnie voor recognitie te betalen ses guldens par Last: Ende VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 149 enter into the service of another, except on written consent obtained previously from their patroons and this for and during so man}' years as they are bound to their patroons ; after the expiration whereof, the patroons shall be at liberty to bring hither such col- onists as will not continue in their service and then only to set them free. And if any colonist runs away to another patroon, or, con- trary to his contract, leaves his service, we promise to do everything in our power to deliver the same into the hands of his patroon or commis that he may be prosecuted there according to the customs of this country, as occasion may require. XX. From all judgments given by the courts of the patroons above 50 guilders, there shall be appeal to the Company's com- mander and council in New Netherland. XXI. And as to private persons who on their own account, or others who in the service of their masters here in this country shall go thither and settle as freemen in smaller numbers than the patroons,^^ they may with the approbation of the director and coun- cil there, choose and take possession of as much land as they can properly cultivate and hold the same in full ownership either for themselves or for their masters, XXII. They shall also have rights of hunting, as well by water as by land, in common with others in public woods and rivers and exclusively within the limits of their colonies, according to the orders of the director and council. XXIII. Whosoever, whether colonists of the ])atroons for their patroons, or free men for themselves, or other private persons for their masters, shall find any shores, bays or other places suitable for fisheries or the making of salt pans may take possession thereof and work them as their own absolute property to the exclusion of all others. The patroons of colonists are granted permission also to send ships along the coast of New Netherland on the cod fishery, and with the catch to go directly to Italy or other neutral countries, provided they pay to the Company in such cases a duty of six guilders per last; and if they come to this country with their lading. Smaller number than that required of a i)atr()on by art. III. NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY hier te Lande comende met hare Ladinghe / vry zijn / sender onder pretext van dit consent / ofte van de Compagnie / eenighe andere Waren na Italien te voeren / op arbitrale straffe / blijvende in't believen van de Compagnie een Sobra Cargo op elck Schip te stellen / als in't elfste Artijcul. XXIV. Ende indien yemant van dese Coloniers / door zijn In- dustrie ende naersticheyt / quame te ontdecken eenige Mineralen / costelijcke Gesteenten / Cristallen / Marmoren ofte yets dier- gelijcke / oock eenighe Visscheryen van Peerlen / sullen de selve de Patroon ofte Patroonen van alsulcke Colonie eygen blijven; midts de Vinder toelegghende voor een premie sulcx als de Pa- troon alvoren met zijn Colonien sal stipuleren by Contract. Ende sullen de Patroonen vry zijn van alle recognitie aen de Compagnie den tijdt van acht Jaren / ende alleen voor 'toverbrenghen betalen twee ten hondert / ende nae de voorschreven acht Jaren voor recognitie ende vracht / een achtste part van 'tghene het hier te Lande waerdigh. is. XXV. De Compagnie sal alle Coloniers / soo vrye / als dienst- bare nemen in hare Sauvegarde / ende deselve teghens alle In- landtsche ende Wtlandtsche Oorloghe ende gheweldt / met de macht die zy aldaer heeft / helpen defenderen / soo veel moghelijck zijn sal. C3 Soo [folio 5bJ XXVI. Soo wie eenighe Colonien sullen planten buyten 'tResort van Manhaties Eylandt / sullen ghehouden wesen de Wilde van die plaetse voor de grondt te contenteren / ende de Limiten van hare Colonien moghen vergrooten / midts na advenant Coloniers daer plantende. XXVII. Sullen haer oock de Patroonen ende Coloniers / inson- derheydt evertueren / om op't spoedighste eenighe middelen onder haer te vinden / waer mede zy den Predicant ende Schoolmeester sullen mogen onderhouden / op dat de Godsdienst ende yver tot de Religie in haer niet en verflaeuwe / ende voor 'teerste derwaerts een Siecke-Trooster versorghen. XXVIII. De Colonien die op de respective Rievieren ofte Eylan- den sullen comen te legghen / sullen vermoghen (te weten / elcke Rieviere ofte Eylandt voor sich) een Gecommitteerde uyt te maecken / die den Commandeur ende Raedt van dat Gheweste sal informeren / ende zijns Colonies saecken by den Raedt be- VAN RENSSELAER BOVVIER MANUSCRIPTS they shall be free, but they shall not, under pretext of this consent or [leave] from the Company, carry any other goods to Italy on pain of peremptory punishment, it remaining at the option of the Company to put a supercargo on board each ship as in the eleventh article. XXIV. In case any of the colonists, by his industry and diligence should discover any minerals, precious stones, crystals, marbles or the like, or any pearl fishery, the same shall be and remain the property of the patroon or patroons of such colony, provided the discoverer be given sucii premium as the patroon shall beforehand stipulate with his colonists by contract. And the patroons shall be exempt from the payment of any duty to the Company for the term of eight years, and for freight merely shall pay two per cent ; and after the aforesaid eight years, for duty and freight, one eighth part of what the same may be worth in this country. XXV. The Company will take all the colonists, free men as well as those that are in service, under its protection and help to defend them against all domestic and foreign attacks and violence, with the forces it has there, as much as lies in its power. XXVI. Whosoever shall settle any colonies out of the limits of Manhattcs Island must satisfy the Indians of that place for the land and may enlarge the limits of their colonies if they settle a propor- tionate number of colonists thereon. XXV'il. The patroons and colonists shall in particular endeavor as quickly as possible to find some means whereby they may support a minister and a schoolmaster, that thus the service of God and zeal for religion may not grow cool and be neglected among them, and they shall for the first, procure a comforter of the sick there. XXVIII. The colonies that shall be established on the respective rivers or islands (that is to say, each river or island for itself), may appoint an agent, who shall give the commander and council in- formation about that district and further matters before the council NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY vorderen; Van welcke Gecommitteerde alle twee Jaren een sal verandert worden / ende alle de Colonien sullen ghehouden zijn / ten minsten alle twaelf Maenden / pertinent rapport van haer Colonie ende Landen daer ontrent / aen den Commandeur ende Rae.It aldaer over te senden. XXIX. Dc Coloniers sullen niet vermoglien aldaer eenighe Wol- len / Linnen ofte Cattoene Lakenen te maecken / ofte eenighe andere stoffen te Weven ; op pene van uytghestooten ende als meyneedigh arbitralijck ghestraft te worden. XXX. Sal de Compagnie haer evertueren / om aen de Coloniers soo veel Swarten toe te stellen / als haer moghelijck wesen / sal / op de ordre daer van te maecken ; sonder nochtans daer in ghehou- den of verbonden te zijn / verder of langer als haer sulcx soude moghen ghelieven. De [folio 6] XXXI. De Compagnie belooft 't Fort op 'tEylandt van de Man- hattes, op liet spoedighste te doen \oltrecken in behoorlijcke de- fensie. Ende dese Vryheyden ende Exemptien by hare Hoogh- Mogh. de Heeren Staten Generael te doen approberen ende con- firmeren.^^ FINIS. t'AMSTELREDAM, Gedruckt by Theunis Jacobsz. Anno 1631. Note in mamiscript : Juny i62g gcarrextccrt. CompagmcbeUofc tfonop 't^Ianbttmn fie Man- hatces,op[)etrpoeDig{)Qe te Doeni^oltrecHenm beiH)o;Inc)^( tufcnCie. CnDe Defe i^;pl)epoen enoe dremptten Iip ^are i^ooglj €@oot|.De i^eecen ^tatent^enecael te Doen app^obe^ t'A M S T E L R E D A M, Gedruckt by Theunis Jacobfz. Anno 163 : Last page of Uryhcdcn cndc Excmpticn From V.R.B. Mss 61. Slightly reduced VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 1^3 relating to his colony; of which agents one shall be changed every two years ; and all colonies must, at least once in every 12 months, send an exact report of their colony and of the lands thereabout to the commander and council there. XXIX. The colonists shall not be permitted to make any woolen, linen or cotton cloth, nor to weave any other stuffs there, on pain of being banished and peremptorily punished as oath breakers. XXX. The Company will endeavor to supply the colonists with as many blacks as it possibly can, on the conditions hereafter to be made, without however being bound to do so to a greater extent or for a longer time than it shall see fit. XXXI. The Company promises to finish the fort on the island ot the Manhattes, and to put it in a posture of defense without delay. And to have these Freedoms and Exemptions approved and con- firmed by their High Mightinesses the Lords States General. FINIS. AT AMSTELREDAM. Printed by Theunis Jacobsz. Anno 163 1. ^- Note in manuscript: Passed June 7, 1629. I I 154 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Notification by Samuel Godyn, Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Samuel Blommaert that they send two persons to New Netherland to inspect the country^^ January ij, i62g Extract from the register of resolutions of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam. The 13th of January 1629 President President Godyn and Mr Rensselaer notify the Chamber Samuel . . . . , . Godyn that tlieu" honors together with Mr Blommaert by the ships now going to New Netherland send two persons, one named Gillis Houset, sailor, the other Jacob Janss Cuyper, with the intention, in case they make favorable report to their honors, of planting a colony there in accordance with the conditions'^" drawn up by the As- sembly of the XIX. Registration by Michiel Pauw of a colony on the river of Sickenames^^ June J, 16 2g Extract from the register of resolutions of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam The 7th of June 1629 President Couf rater Michiel Paxnv notifies this Chamber that his de La Mine honor dcclarcs himself as patroon of a colony which he agrees to plant, on the conditions ratified today in the Assembly of the XIX, in New Netherland, on the river of " J7. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f. 9b. Other copy in V. R. B. Mss 33, entitled: Lijste vande Colonien Ter Camere van amsterdam aengegeven, ende jnde Vergaderinghe vande xixen: in Zeelandt den 21: decemb 1630: geextraheert (List of the colonies registered with the Chamber of Amsterdam, abstracted for the Assembly of the XIX, in Zealand, Dec. 21, 1630); and endorsed: Pretensien vande Participanten inde Colonic Rens- selacrswijck (Claims of the participants in the colony of Rcnsselaerswyck). In the Letter Book occur two series of extracts from the register of resolutions of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam; the first of these is found on f.gb-io and includes entries for Jan. 13, June 7, June 19, Oct. 15, Oct. 22, Nov. i, Nov. 16, Nov. 19, 1629, and April 17, 1630; the second series is found on f.38b-4ob and in- cludes entries for Nov. 7, 1630, May 16, May 19 and July 7, 1631. Similarly V. R. B. Mss 33 is composed of extracts from this register of resolutions for Jan. 13, June 7, June 19, Oct. 15, Oct. 22, Nov. 16, Nov. 19, 1629, Jan. 10, April 17 and Nov. 7, 1630; and V. R. B. Mss 34 is composed of extracts for June 19, Nov. 1, Nov. 16 and Nov. 19, 1630. For Nov. 19, 1629, V. R. B. Mss 35 gives an additional copy. The entry for each of these dates has been printed but once and that under its own date. Draft of the charter of Freedoms and Exemptions, March 28, 1628. " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f. 9b. Other copy in V. R. B. Mss 33. VAN RENSSELAER EOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Sickenames^^ beginning at the entrance of the said river, and prays the said Chamber to be pleased to take notice thereof. Registration by Samuel Godyn of the colony of Swanendael, on the bay of the South Riveri*^ June ig, i62p Extract from the register of resolutions of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam The 19th of June 1629 President Mr Samucl Godiju having heretofore caused it to be re- e an ra[s] ^[^^q^q^ here that he intended to plant a colony in New Netherland and that to that end he had engaged two persons to go thither to inspect the situation of the country, declares now that he agrees to occupy in the capacity of patroon the bay of the South River, on the conditions ratified at the last session of the XIX, of which he also advised Director Pieter Minuict by the last ships and charged him to register the same there. Registration by Michiel Pauw^ of a colony on the island of Fer- nando do Noronho^'^ October 15, i62p Extract from the register of resolutions of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam The 15th of October 1629 Vice President Mr Michlcl Pauw declares himself as patroon of the is- land thus far called Isle fernande Noronho^^ and states that he intends to plant a colony there at the earliest opportunity in " Sickenames, or Siccahanis River, a stream east of the Connecticut River; see Carte Figurative, 1616, Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 1:13. " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book. f. 9b. Other copy in V. R. B. Mss 33. Third copy in V. R. B. Mss 34, entitled: Extrackten uijt het Register der Resolutien genotnen bij'de Bewinthebberen vande Geoctroijeerde Westindische Compaignie ter Camere tot Am- stelredain (Extracts from the register of resolutions passed by the directors of the Chartered West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam) ; and certified by Notary Joost van de Ven, Oct. 19, 1649, to agree with the original extracts certified by Gijsbert Rudolphij. Translation revised from O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:479- " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f. 9b. Other copy in V. R. B. Mss 33. "Fernando do Noronho; island in the South Atlantic Ocean, 125 miles from the eastern extremity of Brazil. 156 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY accordance with the Exemptions and Freedoms ratified on the 7th of June 1629 by the Assembly of the XIX. Registration by Albert Coenraets Burgh of a colony on the island of St Vincent^'^ October 22, 1629 Extract from the register of resolutions of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam The 22d of October 1629 Presicjent ]vir Albcrtus Couradus declares himself as patroon of St Henrick Hamel i ^ • t on t i i y incent, among the Cartsche'^ islands and states that he intends to plant a colony there at the earliest opportunity in accord- ance with the Exemptions and Freedoms ratified on the 7th of June 1629 by the Assembly of the XIX. Registration by Albert Coenraets Burgh and others of a colony on the east side of the South Bay^^ November i, 16 2g Extract from the register of resolutions of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam The I St of November 1629 President Mr Albert Cociiraets and Company declare themselves Hamel from now on as patroons of the east side of the South Bay, beginning at the mouth of the bay [and extending] to the nar- rows of the South River opposite the land which Gillis H onset bought for his masters, intending to send a colony thither at the first opportunity in accordance with the articles ratified by the As- sembly of the XIX. " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f. gb. '^'^ Caribbean. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.io. Other copy in V. R. B. Mss 33. Other copy in V. R. B. Mss 34. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Registration by Samuel Blommaert of a colony on the Fresh River-2 November 16, i62p Extracts from the register of resolutions of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam The i6th of November 1629 President Coufratcr Scimuel Blommaert declares himself from now Michiel Pauxv i-r,. -tvt -xti on as patroon of the rresh River, lynig m New Nether- land between the North River and the river of Siccanames, intending to send a colony thither at the first opportunity (in accordance with the articles ratified by the Assembly of the XIX, and giving the river the name of Blommerts River). Registration by Kiliaen van Rensselaer and associates of a colony above and below Fort Orange, on both sides of the North River^*^ November ip, i62p Clein Scgcl 2 St [signed] J bruijningh Copy Extract from the register of resolutions kept by the directors of the Chartered West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam Monday the 19th of November 1629 President KUiaeu VQii reuscJacr declares himself cum siiis from Simon Verdoes'-* ^^ow ou as patroou on the North River of New Nether- land beginning al)Ove and below Fort Orange,^'^ on both sides of the river with the islands therein, as many leagues downwards as the Assembly of the XIX has determined, intending to send a colony thither at the first opportunity on the conditions framed as aforesaid --V.R.B.Mss, Letter Book, f. lo. Other copies in V.R.B.Mss 33 and 34, from which the part in parentheses has been supplied. '''^V.R.B.Mss 35, marked No. i. Otlier copies in V.R.B.Mss 33, 34 and Letter Book, f.io, from the last named of which copies the name of the president has been supplied. Given as Simon van der Docs in de Laet, laerlijck Vcrhael. 2" Beginnende boven ende bencden Van het fort Oraignien. 158 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY by the Assembly of the XIX. Underneath was written: Agrees with the aforesaid register; and was signed: In the absence of the advocate, Johannes Dijckman. After collation this is found to agree with the authentic extract, which I, notary public residing at Amsterdam certify and in witness whereof I have hereto affixed my signature, this 19th of April 1649. [signed] /; vande Ven nots Pub. i , ' ' * xix. A": J 649. Registration by Michiel Pauw of the colony of Pavonia, on both sides of the North River, from the Narrow^s north^*^ January 10, 1630 Extract from the register of resolutions of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam The loth of January 1630 M Pauw declares himself as patroon of the colony which, in con- formity with the Exemptions and Freedoms ratified by the Assembly of the XIX, he agrees to plant at the first opportunity, beginning on the west side with Machack machoons land which is included, thence southward to the hamels hooffden,^'^ and on the east side from the Hamels hooifden northward as far as the Freedoms allow, including the islands situated within these limits, everything in New Nether- land, on both sides of the North River. Instructions to Bastiaen Jansz KroF^ „ January 12, 16^0 Copy Laus deo, the I2tli of January 1630, in Amsterdam Instructions from Kiliaen van Rensselaer for Bastiaen lanssen Crol, commis at Fort Orange, who if he sees fit may call to his as- sistance Dirck Cornelisss, his onder-commis, and such other per- sons as he shall think best and advisable. ^ In V. R. B. Mss 33. " The Narrows. ^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.3sb. Extract in V. R. B. Mss 36. I VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS First, Crol shall try to buy the lands hereafter named for the said Rensselaer, from the Mahijcans, Maquaas or such other nations as have any claim to them, giving them no occasion for discontent, but treating them with all courtesy and discretion. And v^hat he shall give to the said nations in consideration of the aforesaid purchase, he shall take (according to the order of the Com- pany) from its merchandise, charging the same by measure or weight to the said Rensselaer. The limits he shall extend as far as possible, as high above Fort Orange and as far inland as they will in any way cede, equally below Fort Orange, even if it were five or more leagues above and as many below the same fort, and as far inland as possible,^"^ specially in places where there is flat and good land and the least underbrush and trees. He shall also inspect the same as carefully as possible in order to write to me all the particulars thereof, to wit, how many islands from the uppermost to the lowest part there are in the said river, how long and wide they are and what kind of soil they have, to wit, each island separately, also how far the same are apart from each other and from the mainland, about how deep the water is and what further may be of interest. Also, how much flat and arable land there is along the river, that is the width and the length of each piece, also what follows toward the inland in the way of woods and mountains, stating what kinds of wood, soil, stone, minerals and the like there are; all of which land he can measure by pacing. In case he can not purchase the said lands from one or two na- tions, that he purchase the same from all who pretend any right to them. Having bought the islands, that he convene not only the re- spective chiefs but all the people, in order to make the payment in the presence of them all, and that he takes then the chief of each na- tion to the island of the Manhates to confirm the purchase before the director and council, and that he have the same recorded among the resolutions and send me a copy. ^ de Limiten, sal hy soo wijt nemen als hy eenighsins sal connen doen, Soo hooge ende breet boven het fort Orangien als syluijden eenichsins sullen willen afstant doen als mede bencden het fort Orangien alwaer het -jyff ofte meer mijlen boven ende oock soo veele beneden hctselve fort en soo diep tclande in als eenighsins doenlyck is. It is not clear from this statement whether the patroon intended that the land should extend, if possible, five Dutch miles or leagues above Fort Orange and as many below, or that it might be situated at a distance of five leagues from Fort Orange, above and below. In view of the limitation of four leagues in the fifth article of the Freedoms and Exemptions as to land to be purchased on one side of a navigable river and the actual purchase in 1630 and 1631 of exactly four leagues on the west side of the river, It is likely that the second interpretation is correct, though the actual wording is in favor of the first interpretation. i6o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Herewith a wood-measure rule, i ^ feet long, the foot containing II inches, 13 feet making one Amsterdam rod and 600 [square] rods one morgen of land. These instructions the said Crol shall communicate to Director Pieter Minuit, with the request to show me such favors as the ser- vice of the Company permits and no others, notifying him that I have engaged Wolffert Gerritsss, farmer, to direct provisionally all m);^ affairs concerning the farms and purchase of cattle, [asking him also to] show [said Gerritssz] every favor as to what he may need for me for that purpose, also to cause to be made what he may want in the way of hardware or other things and to charge the same to my account, and if he needs any carpenters, for the erection of my houses, barracks, barns, sheep fold or other buildings, to accommo- date him therewith if they are not more needed for the Company, otherwise, as Cornelis Lambertssz Steenbacker needs carpenters and smiths for making his tile and brickyard, the same men could at my expense work some days or weeks for me, and if I should need a sloop or boat, master Reyn Harmanssen could make the same at my expense. The said Crol shall also take due notice of everything that is done for me near Fort Orange, taking good care that the house be built near the creek on the west side of the river, on the north side of the creek, on the bluff, so that there shall be no danger of being flooded by high water, and that at first the said house be made plain and simple, large and tight, and if tiles could be made ready, that the house be covered therewith. That the land close to Fort Orange as well as near the said creek be tilled first, thereafter that on the south side of the house, and that the islands be kept for hay and as pasture for the cattle, sheep, hogs, etc. If it is a good acorn year there, that Wulffcrt Gcrritsscn or his foreman have a good quantity bought up for me to be kept for the winter as feed for the hogs. Also to look out that my men work faithfully and diligently, and that they do not cheat me or sell any of my goods, and yearly to re- port to me the number of horses, cows, sheep and hogs I have, how old they are and how many have died or been born each year. Also to credit the account of the provisions which my men may buy from the Company with the milk, butter, meat and bacon which they should deliver in return, the prices being reciprocally made as reasonable as possible. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS i6i Further, to advise me by all favorable opportunities of everything that, from lack of knowledge of circumstances, I can not provide for. In witness that I have requested this of him with promise of proper compensation for his trouble, I have signed this with my own hand. Done as above. Underneath was written : Kiliacn van Rensselaer Instructions to Wolfert Gerritsz"^" January i6, 1630 Instructions from Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wulfert Gerritssen van Amersfoorfi^, this i6tli of January 1630, in Amsterdam Wulfert Gerritssz aforesaid is engaged by Rensselaer, his service to begin on his arrival in that country. He is bound for four sum- mers, but RensseV. may end the contract after one or two summers. The annual term of service of Wulfert is agreed upon to be from April to November, when all the winter seed is in the ground ; and if it is very necessary he must stay through the winter and he shall receive 20 guilders for each month of service^^ being at his own ex- pense as to board. I have further engaged for four years beginning in that country, Rutger Henricksss van So est, 32 years old, who shall receive 120 guilders a year ; have paid the same in advance f5o and f 5 by way of present. Brant Peelen van Nijckerck on the above conditions for four year J at no guilders a year; paid the same in advance fi5 and by way of present fio; is 40 years old. Pieter Hendrickssen van Soest, as boy, shepherd or plowboy;^'"' also four years at 15 guilders a year and paid him in advance 15 guilders. As soon as they with God's help arrive in New Netherland, Wulff- ert Gerritssz and the aforesaid persons shall go before the com- mander and council and make promise there that not one of them V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.37. " In the N. Y. Col. Mss, he is occasionally referred to as Wolfert Gerritsz van Couiven- hoven. Couwenhoven is a farm or country seat about four miles northwest of Amersfoort. ^- Naer de Lopende maenden; literally, according to the current months. ^' Ploech-dryver. II NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY will trade in any peltries or skins, on forfeiture of their wages. On the way over they shall take care of 12 ewes and one ram which I have bought and send thither, that the same may arrive safely. Further, as the farm of Evert focken, deceased, which (he hav- ing died) has been granted to Rutger Henrickssen van Soest, is not all of it fit for cultivation, as it has only just been begun, Wulfert shall go with Rutger before the commander and council and state that they will take care that the plowed land of the said farm, ac- cording to the conditions of the lords directors communicated to the council, shall be cultivated in order that the Company may draw its interest therefrom and, as they according to the same order of the directors have the 'right to transport the cattle with the wagons, plows and all other things which the Company has on the said farm to other places, that they intend to move the same near Fort Orange, and as they, like the other farmers, must pay within six years 600 guilders in money with the [increase of the] cattle and other ani- mals, for the four horses, four cows, two heifers, six sheep, six hogs, wagons and plows, that Kiliaen van Rensselaer agrees to pay the said amount and cattle to the Company. And as Evert fockes has died, if the widow should some day in any wise be able to enlarge the said farm, Wolff ert Gerritsss shall try to come to an understanding with her on the best possible terms and concede her one or two cows in order to make progress in that way. As to the plowed land, which amounts to little, she can have that cultivated by others. And inasmuch as Rensselaer has agreed to plant a colony, and is thereby bound to support 50 people in that country, he must neces- sarily have many animals or will otherwise not be able to maintain his colony. Wolffert Gerritsss shall therefore try to obtain as many animals as possible from this one and that one, paying first of all at- tention to the two horses of the stave splitters, which belong to them and which he can obtain by giving them a small profit, as they are no longer going to split staves. Secondly, as I have entered into an agreement with confrater Paauw concerning the remaining animals in that country, after the eight farms shall each have been provided with four horses, four cows, two heifers, six sheep and six hogs, which are to be sold there by order of the directors, Wulfert shall address the director re- specting this matter that his honor may act therein according to the letter signed by confrater Paauw and myself and written to the VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 163 direclor and sent by Bastiaen Jansss Crol. We find by estimate that there are about 28 animals in all, of which 15 would be for me and 13 for Mr Michiel Paauw, as is specified in the letter. Among these would be for me : I stallion of two winters I stallion of one winter 1 bull 3 bulls of one winter 3 mares of two winters 2 mares of one winter i3''5a cows of three winters Total 15 animals Further, Wulfert Gerritssz shall try to obtain as many sheep as he can at reasonable price, to send those up too ; also, as many hogs as he can conveniently feed, herd or fatten, to sell in that country, or otherwise to cure or pickle for the purpose of sending them hither. To Bastiaen lansss crol I have given an extract from the Reso- lution book of the Company, wherein I have declared myself as patroon of the North River, above and below the fort, which land Bastiaen lansss croll shall try to purchase for me according to the instructions given him. What further may be necessary for the accomplishment of this task Wiifert Gerritsss shall do according to circumstances and write me all the particulars thereof, and try to have the house built at the place of which I have written to Crol; other matters I leave to their discretion and wish them good luck on their voyage. [signed] Should probably be 4. I 164 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY First combination of colonies in New Netherland and shares each partner is to have in them^^ February i, 16^0 Clein Segel [signed] 2 St / hruijningli Copy Original draft of the first combination of the colonies and of what shares each one is to have in the others' colonies, the direction of each colony being reserved to the patroon by whom the colony was registered and in whose name it was bought of the owners according to the sealed instruments. Remarks on the colonies in New Netherland, this first of February 1630 Participants in the said colonies Mr Coenradus on the east side of the bay of the South River 2/5 Samuel Godyn ditto 1/5 Samuel Blommaert 1/5 K. V. rensselaer 1/5 Mr Samuel Godijn on the west side of the bay of the South River 2/5 Mr Coenradus 1/5 Blommaert 1/5 rensselaer 1/5 Total 5/5 This colony was abandoned and not established. This colony, to which later other participants were added, was begun and finally sold to the West India Company. Total 5/5 Hereof Mr Coenradus is to have the management in his name. Hereof Mr Godijn is to have the management in his name. V. R. B. Mss 37, Marked No. 2, f.ij. Notarial copy prepared by Joost van de Yen, April 19, 1649. in connection with the controversy between the copartners and the guardians of Johannes van Rensselaer. Other copy, without notes, in Letter Book, f.i6b. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 165 Mr Samuel blommaert on the This colony was not estab- Fresh River 2/5 Hshed but abandoned. Mr Coenradus 1/5 Godijn 1/5 rensslaer 1/5 Total 5/5 Hereof Mr Blommaert is to have the management in his name. K. V. Rensselaer about Fort This colony was established Orange 2/5 by F; rensselaer, as pa- j x/r- troon, who later bought an- Mr Coenradus.. 1/5 ^^^^^^ ^/^^ ^l^^,^ ^1,, Godijn 1/5 heirs of Godijn and has now Blommaert 1/5 5/10 shares, the just 1/2, be- sides the rights of the pa- "Yqx^sX =5 /S troonship for himself and his heirs. Rensselaer later bought the remaining i/io share of Godijn, deceased, from jacoh and hcndric trip, so that rens- selaer owns 6/10 shares. Hereof rensselaer is to have the management in his name. Each director shall consult the other participants and ask their advice in regard to all matters under the sum of 2000 guilders for each respective 1/5 share, but above the aforesaid 2000 guilders and up to 4000 guilders for each respective 1/5 share everything must be decided by majority of votes, and above that amount by unanimous vote. The original is written on a half sheet of paper in the, to me well known, hand and penmanship of Mr Kiliaen van Rensselaer, de- ceased, during his lifetime patroon of the colony of Rensselaers- wyck in New Netherland, which T, jndoco vande Ven, sesc. jmperiali ah Curie hollandie authoritatibns Notarius publicus Am- stelodami residens, certify and in witness thereof have hereunto affixed my notarial signature, this 19th of April 1649 in Amsterdam. [signed] /; vande Ven Nots Pub. xix A''. J 640. 4. NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Registration by Samuel Blommaert of a colony on the island of St Martin or on Barbados, among the Caribbean Islands*^^ April I/, 1630 Extract from the register of resolutions of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam The 17th of April 1630 President Blommaert declares that he is inclined to plant a colony on the island of S^. Martin or on Barhadas, among the Caribbean Islands, of which he requests a patent, which is hereby granted to his honor on the conditions granted to others. He declares further that he is also inclined to send a ship to get salt and to inspect the said island. Certificate of purchase from the Indians of land on the west side of the Hudson River from Smacks Island to Moenemin's Castle and of tract of land on the east side opposite Castle Island and Fort Orange^'^ August 15, 16^0 Anno 1630, this day the 13th of August. We, the director and council of New Netherland, residing on the island the Manahatas and in Fort Amsterdam, under the jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses the Lords States General of the United Netherlands and the Chartered West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam, do hereby testify and declare, that on this day, the date under- written, before us appeared and presented themselves in their proper persons, Kottainack, Nmvancmit, Abantsccnc, Sagiskiva and Kana- moack, owners and proprietors of their respective parcels of land V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.io. Other copy in V. R. B. Mss 33. Given as Hendrick Broen, in de Laet, laerlijck Verhael. 2' V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f. i. The original of this document is now in the possession of the Hon. John Boyd Thacher, of Albany. A facsimile and translation are in Wilson's Memorial History of the City of New York, 1:163—64; a smaller, but clearer, facsimile is in Avery's History of the United States, 2:221. A transcript from a notarial copy of the original is in Holland Documents, 1:181—84, of which O'Cal- laghan's translation is in Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 1:44. The present translation is based on O'Callaghan's but follows the text of the copy in the Letter Book in spelling of proper names and in the close. As explained at length in a footnote to the certificate of May 1631, on p. 181 the present certificate, contrary to the statements made by historical writers, relates to the first purchase for Kiliaen van Rensselaer of land from the Indians in the vicinity of Fort Orange. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 167 extending up the river, south and north, from the said fort^^ to a httle south of Moeneminncs Castle,^^ belonging to the aforesaid proprietors jointly and in common, and the land called Semessceck, belonging to the aforesaid N awanemit individually, lying on the east bank from opposite Castle Island^^ to the above mentioned fort ; also, from Petanock, the mill creek, north to Negagonse; in extent about three leagues and declared freely and advisedly that for and on account of certain quantity of merchandise which they van dito fort aff. The description of the land in this certificate is literally copied from that in the certificate of Aug. 6, 1630, recorded in Dutch Patents, GG, p. 4—6, in which the words dito fort refer to Fort Orange, mentioned at the beginning of the document. A translation of the main body of Dutch Patents, GG, p. 4-6, is in Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 14: 1—2. A facsimile and translation of the original parchment certificate of Aug. 6, 1630, are in Wilson, Memorial History of the City of New York, 1:163. 3* Situated on what was formerly called Haver Island, and now Peobles Island, at the mouth of the Mohawk River. *• casteels eylandt. " Statements by Kiliaen van Rensselaer regarding the purchases of land from the Indians in his letter to de Laet, June 27, 1632 (see p. 197) and in the "Account of the jurisdictions," July 20, 1634 (see p. 307) show that historical writers have erred in their description of the territory covered by this first purchase of Aug. 13, 1630. Their error is directly traceable to a misconception on the part of Jan Baptist van Rensselaer as to the location of the tracts referred to as Petanock and Negagonse, which, in his letter of June 10/20, 1678 (O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:125), he places on the east side of the river, whereas the "Account of the juris- dictions " distinctly states that they were on the west side, Petanock being defined as a tract south and north of the " mill creek," by which is meant the Normans Kill, also including West or Castle Island, and Negagonse as a tract extending up to Moenemin's Castle, presumably from the north end of Castle Island or a point just south of Fort Orange. From these statements, which are confirmed by the certificates of March 1633, by Gerrit Willemsz Oosterum and Peter Minuit, mentioned by Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, it is evident that the purchase of Aug. 13, 1630, embraced: I, the land on the west side of the river from Fort Orange to the Mohawk; 2, a small tract on the east side of the river, on both sides of the present Mill Creek, from opposite Castle Island to a point opposite Fort Orange; 3, the land on the west side of the river from a point south of the Normans Kill to the north point of Castle Island, or possibly to Fort Orange. As to the precise location of this point south of the Normans Kill we have no in- formation; from the patroon's statement in his letter to de Laet, after the purchase of land from Beeren Island to Smacks Island, that they had " all the shore along the river on the west side, from becren Island to Momnenis Castle," we may infer however that the purchase of Aug. 13, 1630, included all the land on the west side of the river from Smacks Island to the Mohawk, a distance, according to the certificate, of about three Dutch miles or leagues. In May 1631, land from Beeren Island to Smacks Island was added, making the total distance along the west shore, according to the parchment map of Rensselaerswyck reproduced in this volume, exactly four Dutch miles or leagues, the extent of territory on one side of a navigable river allowed by the fifth article of the Freedoms and Exemptions. On April 23, 1637, additional land was bought on the east side from Papscanee Creek south to a point opposite Smacks Island. At later dates purchases were made of various islands, of land near the Poesten Kill, at Catskill, Bethlehem and Claverack, but no deed from the Indians is recorded or among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, nor is any cited in the " Case of the Colony of Rensselaerswyck," delivered on April 27, 1678, to the council of the Duke of York in support of the petition for letters patent to the colony, that covers the land on the east side of the river from a point opposite Fort Orange north. It is curious to note that historical writers, in placing the tract " from Petanock, the NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY acknowledged to have received in their hands and possession before the execution hereof, by virtue and title of sale, they hereby convey, cede and make over to and for the behoof of the Hon. Kiliaen van Rensselaer, absent, for whom we, ex officio and with due stipula- tion, accept the same, namely, the respective parcels of land here- inbefore specified, with the timber, appurtenances and dependencies thereof, together with all the interests, rights and jurisdiction to them the grantors conjointly or severally belonging, constituting and substituting the said Hon. Rensselaer in their stead, place and right and in the real and actual possession thereof, and at the same time giving him, or those who may hereafter acquire his honor's interest, full, absolute and irrevocable power, authority and special command to hold, in quiet possession, cultivation, occupation and use, tanquam actor et procurator in rem suani ac propriam, the said land acquired by the aforesaid Hon. Rensselaer ; also, to dispose of, do with and alienate it, as his honor or others should or might do" with his other and own lands and domains acquired by good and lawful title, without the grantors retaining therein, reserving or holding in the least any part, right, interest or authority whether of property, command or jurisdiction, but on the contrary, hereby, desisting from, yielding, giving up and renouncing the same for- ever, for the behoof aforesaid ; further promising not only forever to hold fast and irrevocable, to observe and to fulfil this, their conveyance, and whatever may by virtue thereof be done, but also to protect against eviction from the aforesaid land, Obligans et Renuiicians A bona Ude. In testimony whereof, this is confirmed by our usual signatures, with the ordinary pendant seal. Done at the aforesaid island Manahatas and Fort Amsterdam, on the day and year aforesaid. Was signed in the several hands, Peter Minuict, Director; Pieter Bijlvelt, lacoh Elbertss Wissinck, Ian lanssen Brouwer, Sijmon Dircks pos, Reynier Harmansen. mill creek, north to Negagonse " on the east side of the river, have apparently realized that the purchase of Aug. 13, 1630, did not cover the distance from Smacks Island to Fort Orange, unless the words de Reviere op zuyden ende noorden, van dito fort aft were taken to mean " up the river, south and north of the said fort." Any one familiar with the wording of the Dutch patents will recall however that such phrases as zuyden ende noorden, or zuyd oosten ende noord westen, occur in almost every patent and have reference either to the mere direction of the compass, south and north, or southeast and northwest, or else to tvifo parallel courses, up one side of the land described and down the other. If, as it would seem, no deed from the Indians to the Van Rensselaers, for land on the east side of the river from opposite Fort Orange north, was procured up to 1678, when efforts were made to secure a patent for the colony from the Duke of York, it is interesting to reflect how the evident mistake about the location of the tracts called Petanock and Negagonse may have helpfed to include the land on the east side, north of the present city of Rensselaer, in the patent of Nov. 4, 1685. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 169 There was written besides: This conveyance written v/ith mine own hand is, in consequence of the secretary's absence, executed in my presence on the thirteenth of August, XVP and thirty, as above. And was signed, Lenaert Cole, deputy secretary;^- the seal of New Netlierland in red wax depending from a double strip of parchment. Symon Dircksz Pes, councilor in New Netherland, to Kiliaen van Rensselaer^^ September 16, 16^0 TRANSLATED BY MRS ALAN H. STRONG Worthy, wise, prudent, honorable Guliaen van Rensel: Since, up to this date, I have been assisted and favored by your honor, I can not refrain from advising your honor what I think of the Company's affairs and the situation here at the present day. As to the building of a certain new ship which is now almost ready, it proves a success but damage may be done to it by the strong ice drift we are having; however, we hope to protect it sufficiently. As to the farms on the manathans, much land is daily being plowed everywhere by the farmers. I have strong hopes now that the honorable directors after their long waiting may at last be relieved from great expenses, since we shall be able to deliver a number of lasts of rye and wheat, raised from the land here, thus meeting heavy charges. This present year we shall be in need of much seed as we are clearing, harrowing and plowing much land. I can also not help advising your honor of the disputes which exist in this small settlement of not more than 200 or 300 people. Now, the director and Jan Romonde are very much embittered against one another. Here all is left to drift as it will; they let trade slip away and do not exert themselves to increase it either by sloops or otherwise, but are very diligent in bringing exorbitant suits and charges against one another and in neglecting the interests and business of the directors. The minister, Jonas Michiciss, is very energetic here stirring up the fire between them; he ought to be a mediator in God's church and community but he seems to me to be the contrary. The honorable directors hear nothing but "Marginal note in handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer: Underneath, Jan Lampo, Schout. *^V.R.B.Mss 2. Printed in Dutch in Oud Holland, 1890, 8:70-71, as Appendix B to Mr de Roever's articles on the colony of Rensselterswyck. 170 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY idle complaints from their subjects; one says this, the other that, so that in place of the Company's servants looking after the trading, some one else in the meanwhile goes off with the skins. The English on the sloepsbay^'^^ will in the meantime drive us out of the trade since we go to work so slowly and are so slack in our business. The sloops lie idle and are not sent out to trade, but were an injurious suit to be brought, people would be quick enough about it; the trade, which is of the utmost importance to the Com- pany and ought to bring profit, they allow to go to ruin. While we here in this country are pursuing each other with suits and in- famous invectives, the people send the otters and beavers under such cover as may be, stored away in their chests, from which the honorable lords will not be able to draw much profit. Well, I am no more than a man, and am grieved that I must behold such things as people here so vexing each other. As to your honor's land at Fort Orange, it has been ploughed by your honor's farmer Wolfert Gerritss and I do my best, since your honor has also done his best to make a man of me, for which I am most highly grateful to your honor. I would also recommend to your honor my cousin dirck Joosten, who is now coming home as mate with Jan Brouzvcr, since he is a good, upright young man. As to the specification of the animals, that will appear more fully from the director's letter, but I shall carefully look after your honor's affairs here that they may bring profit to your honor. By this dirck joosten, I send your honor a fine bearskin, which your honor can use in traveling and boating or as your honor sees fit. Done, the i6th of September 1630, in New Netherland at the Manathans, Fort Amsterdam. Your honor's willing servant, sijmon dircxz pas [Addressed] The worshipful, wise, prudent, honorable Guliaen van Renselaer, director of the Chartered West India Company, Chamber of Am- sterdam, by dirck ioosten, with i bearskin. [seal] Narragansett Bay, R. I. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 171 Agreement between the patroons, Samuel Godyn, Albert Coen- raets Burgh, Samuel Blommaert and Kiliaen van Rensselaer^^ October i, 16^0 WITH A NOTE BY KILTAEN VAN RENSSELAER OF MARCH 2, 1639 In the name of the Lord, Amen. Whereas we, the underwritten, are inclined to plant some colonies in New Netherland as elsewhere within the limits of the charter of the West India Company accord- ing to the Freedoms and Exemptions granted by the Assembly of the XIX of the said Company to all participants, and for this pur- pose have already had several colonies registered. First, along the bay of the South River with the land on the west side thereof, which has been bought for us from the natives by Gillis Houset. Secondly, on the east side of the South Bay from the mouth of the bay to the narrows of the said South River. Thirdly, on the Fresh River lying between the North River and the river of Ciccanames. Fourthly, along the North River above and below Fort Orange, on both sides of the said river. Fifthly, the island SK Marttijn or Barbados among the Caribbees. And whereas we have finally obtained consent to send some people to the islands of Tortuga and Majagiiane, both lying to the north of the island Hispaniola, and also to furnish the French there with provisions and other necessaries, everything conformable to the respective registrations and consents, as appears from the reso- lution book of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam. Therefore, regarding all these colonies, commercial enterprises and everything connected therewith, we have mutually and reciprocally contracted and agreed with one another, for ourselves, our heirs, successors and assigns, as we do contract and agree by these presents (notwithstanding any previous agreements or promises which, may be to the contrary and which we hereby expressly abro- gate and declare void) that henceforth and in the future, all the aforesaid colonies, enterprises and freedoms and what in any wise depends thereon, shall be for the advantage, profit or loss of all four of us, hereafter nam.ed, each for one just fourth part, accord- ing to which the ownership, losses and profits, purchases and sales, « V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.6b. 172 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY expenses, expenditures, cargoes, returns, cattle, agriculture, fisheries and what in anjwise depends thereon, or proceeds therefrom, shall be reckoned, with this express stipulation and restriction that no one of us four shall be allowed to enter into partnership or form a com- pany with any one else for similar purposes, or undertake anything for himself, without having first communicated and fully disclosed the same to these his partners, who if they think fit may share therein with him, each for one fourth part. It is further stipulated that the entire direction of the work (both now and in the future) shall be in the hands of all four of us, hereafter named (but that in case of a tie the presiding officer shall have a double vote), and that all afifairs of importance which con- cern this company in any manner must first be passed by resolu- tion and then entered in a general resolution book, and to prevent as much as possible all disputes, it is agreed that all resolutions passed by a plurality of votes shall have the same effect as those voted unanimously. Samuel Godijn shall preside first for the term of three months from the date hereof^ thereafter Albertus Coen- raedus for the same length of time, thereafter Samuel Blommaert as above and finally Kiliaen van Rensselaer for the same period, so that every year each one of us four shall preside for three months. Each one of us four shall have liberty in case of indisposition or otherwise to substitute another person in his place, on condition that he cede to the same, all his powers in this company, none excepted, and if he fails to nominate any one during his lifetime, his place shall be filled successively by his nearest heirs (sons being preferred to daughters and brothers to sisters). All books, letters, papers and other things of the kind shall be owned in common and be kept in a neutral place at the expense of the company. All superscriptions of letters and contracts shall be made out in our four names in the order above named, but in case of death or substitution the last comer shall have the last place, and if in course of time a distinctive name be given to the company, then this name instead of the names of the directors, is to be used. It is also agreed that a common bookkeeper and such other servants shall be engaged at the expense of the company as shall later be thought fit. No one of this company shall be allowed to withdraw his money or to presume to reap for himself alone the benefit of his share in the returns or other goods, but everything must be done in the name VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS of the company, no one having the right to take anything for him self. To this end we shall settle what each one may take under his care, of which he shall be commissioner^^ for such time as shall be voted; also that the treasurer shall pay nothing that is not pro- vided by resolution or signed by order of two partners and in their absence by the presiding officer. For the purposes of this company it is agreed to form a capital of twenty thousand guilders, that is for each director's portion or fourth share, five thousand guilders, which money must be paid into the hands of the treasurer at such time as shall hereafter be decided, and in case any one of us fail to furnish his quota afore- mentioner! he shall be obliged to pay to the company one month after the said date interest at the rate of one penny in sixteen, and if the said delay should be longer than half a year, the person in default shall on pain of execution on his share be notified to make prompt payment, and if within three months from that date said payment is not made, the company shall have liberty without any action at law to sell his share publicly at his charge, and to levy the money thus due, both capital and interest, by execution on his per- son and estate, movable as well as immovable, in the manner afore- said, and the remaining directors shall have the right to put another director in his place, which may also be done temporarily or permanently if such place become vacant in any other way. If hereafter any one else should be inclined to participate in this com- pany and the same be thought advisable, it must be on the basis of a share in the whole, the direction remaining as before exercised by four votes except that the directors shall then draw from the common treasury for their trouble a commission of one per cent on goods going out and of two per cent on goods coming in, as far as trade is concerned, but of the yearly revenues, increase of cattle, land and orchard fruits or crops, minerals, pearl fisheries and such things which appertain to the colonies, they shall receive five per cent, that is to say of the net proceeds and not of the gross proceeds. When it is unanimously resolved to distribute the proceeds, the same shall be divided among all the participants proportionately, accord- ing to the amount of each man's investment, but the said partici- pants shall have no right to constrain the directors to make such distribution. Whereas the fiefs of the respective colonies afore- named must in case of death be renewed by the Chartered West India Company in the name of a single person in order to pay the Cotnmissaris. 174 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Company its stipulated fee after the said person's death, we have agreed, without prejudice to our ownership, right and interest in the said colonies, that Sainiiel Godijn for himself, his heirs, suc- cessors and assigns, shall bear the title of patroon of the colony on the west side of the bay of the South River and give to the same and to the places within its jurisdiction such names as he shall see fit. Albert Cocnracts Burgh shall on the above conditions bear the title of patroon of the colony on the east side of the aforesaid bay of the South River. In the same way Samuel Bloniart of the Fresh River, the island of S*. Marti jn or Barbados or of such other island as in case of refusal of any of these he shall select with common consent, which privilege the others in such case shall have also. And Kiliaen van Rensselaer of the colony on the North River lying above and below Fort Orange on both sides of the said river. Thus done and approved, after previous reading of the decisions, and in testimony of the truth four copies of like tenor have been made hereof, signed by each of us with his own hand, without guile or deceit, in Amsterdam the ist of October 1630; and was signed with the several hands, S. Godijn, S. blomaert, K V Rens- selaer. Underneath was further written as follows : Whereas Mr Albcrtus Conradj had before this ceded me his half and his wife now in his honor's absence neglects matters entirely, I have signed for one fourth, but with this understanding that if his honor on his return home thinks that he sees anything to his detriment herein, I submit myself to the decision of the aforementioned three gen- tlemen ; and was signed, /. de Laet. I, Joost vande Ven, imperial notary public ad- mitted by the Court of Flolland, residing within the city of Amsterdam, declare hereby that this copy written on the five preceding and this the sixth page of paper, is the true and complete copy of its original, and in witness hereof I have confirmed this with my notarial signature, in Amsterdam this 19th of April 1634. [signed] /.• vande Ven Nots Pub: ig. A°, — 16^4. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS ^''Inasmuch as three of the above mentioned four colonies have come to an end, to wit, the colony on the west side of the bay of the South River whereof Samuel Godijn was the patroon ; also, the colony on the east side of the aforesaid bay of which albcrtus Coen- radns or Jchan deLaet was the patroon, both of which colonies have been sold and turned over to the West India Company; third, the colony on the Fresh River and the island of St. Martijn of which Samuel blommaert was to be the patroon but which was not begun at all ; there remains at present of the said four colonies only that on the North River lying above and below Fort Orange now named Rensselaerswyck, of which Kiliaen van Rensselaer and his heirs are patroons, holding, with the purchased tenth share of the heirs of Samuel Godijn deceased, five tenth shares or the exact half, Samuel blommaert and adani bcssels each one tenth share, Jehan de laet and '^'^ Mussaert in place of Albertus Coenradj each one tenth share anrl Jacob ancl hendrick Trip together one tenth share. This 2d of March 1639 in Amsterdam. [signed] K V Rensselaer Registration by Kiliaen van Rensselaer and his copartners of a colony on Sable Island^^ November J, i6jo Extract from the resolution book at Amsterdam The 7th of November 1630, in Amsterdam Kiliaen van Rensselaer, for himself and his copartners, notifies the Chamber that according to the Freedoms granted by the As- sembly of the XIX to all the participants he declares himself from now on as patroon of the island of du Sable, lying at 43 or 44 degrees north of the line and about the meridian of Cape Breton, intending to send a colony thither on the conditions of the aforesaid Freedoms. This Chamber has nothing against this registration provided that according to the last resolution the same be approved by the XIX. Note in handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. " Blank in Letter Book. i V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book. f.38b. Other copy in V. K. B. Mss 33. '. i 176 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Registration of various colonies with the Chamber of Middelburg49 Before December 21, 16^0 Notice given to the Chamber of Zealand Burgomaster Johan de Moor and his partners in Tabago The same on the Amasones Abraham vande per in Brebice Glaude provost in Cajana . , , ,r r • , ^ . . „ 11^ behalf of their partners Jan van rien m Quaro ' jan vander Goes in ipse qucpe^ Coll'. who give it up Agreement between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Marinus Adriaensz van der Veere'^^ January 12, 16^1 Agreement entered into with Maryn adriaensen van der Vcere, on the I2tli of January 1631 On conditions and terms hereafter specified, Kiliaen van Rens- selaer, as patroon of his colony situated about Fort Orange on the North River of New Netherland, on one side, and Maryn Ariaens- sen vander Veere, for himself and his men, on the other side, have agreed, stipulated and contracted regarding the sowing, growing and cultivating of tobacco in the aforesaid region at the places to be indicated to the said Martijn by the aforesaid patroon or his agents and especially on the farm on the north side of the fort (if the same has not been occupied before his arrival as the first comer has the preference) which he began to clear before his departure, making it as large again or even larger by extending it from but not toward the fort. All this for the term of three consecutive years, commencing at the arrival of the said Marijn and his men in New Netlierland on the farm aforesaid. First, Maryn must equip and provide himself with everything at his own expense and charge, and also here or in that country engage « V. R. B. Mss 33. Essequebo. " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, i.2. An extract from this agreement is found in V. R. B. Mss 38; see p. 674-75. I VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 177 four persons to assist him in the planting and curing of the to- bacco, it being well understood that he, Marijn, or his men, if they have any time to spare, must employ the same for such other work, nothing excepted, as the patroon or his agents shall indicate, and that he shall receive therefor according to the time spent and for his share such wages as his men have stipulated.^^ The patroon shall receive the just half of all the tobacco which Maryn and his men shall cultivate, the remaining half to be for Maryn. The patroon 's half may not be charged or encumbered under any pretext of promises, claims, wages or other charges which Maryn must liquidate or settle, but his men must demand and recover from Maryn or his share whatever has been credited to them by him. The patroon shall be holden to compensate Marijn Ariaenssen for one half of the wages and advance money which he shall promise to the aforesaid four persons, provided that he may not engage any one without the consent and approbation of the pa- troon and that the latter shall not be bound to give Marijn any com- pensation for his labor as Mariniis during the term of this agree- ment is not to pay the patroon any rent for the land or any tithes. As to the board of the four persons for which the patroon is obliged to compensate maryn, it is agreed that the patroon shall pay his half to Maryn at a reasonable figure corresponding and in pro- portion to the price which he shall demand for the wheat, butter, milk and other things with which he shall furnish Maryn, in order that neither the one nor the other have any ground for complaint respecting the matter. Concerning the passage forth and back, the patroon shall do his best to obtain permission from the Company that Marijn and his wife and child be taken over for their board without wages, on condition that he perform ali sorts of ship duties, and if this can not be arranged Maryn shall pay the expenses himself. But as far as the four men or any of them are concerned, if they can not obtain free passage for their labor and ship duties, the patroon must pay one half thereof and marijn the other half. Marinis Adriaenssen must buy four good firelocks, further axes, adzes, shovels and spades which his men need for their work; of which the patroon shall pay half the cost and Maryn see to it that they are well kept and taken care of, the same to be divided half and half at the end of the three years. Daer voor gcnictendc nacr avcnant das tijts otde l oor syn quota soodanigen Solaris als het volck bedongen heeft. 178 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY AH the tobacco which Marijn and his men shall produce, he must send hither and deliver into the hands of the patroon or deliver to his agent to be sent hither by him ; Maryn is to pay no more in the way of freight and expenses for his half than the patroon shall pay for the other half, and on its arrival here the patroon shall sell the same for the common benefit and pay to Marijn aforesaid or to his order the just half of the net proceeds over and above the expenses and advanced money. But if Maryn Adriaciisscn should be able to sell any tobacco in that country at a good price, he must render proper account thereof and pay the patroon or his agents promptly the just half of the proceeds. If it is at all convenient the patroon shall have built for the said Maryn a dwelling of four crossbeams, 36 feet long and 14 feet wide, also a small boat'''"^ which being once made must be kept in repair by Maryn and on his departure be delivered by him as he received it, wear and tear through hard use excepted. Marinus Adriacnssen and his men must yearly make a trip down to the Manhatas and return thence without having any right to claim compensation therefor, but if they are oftener employed on such service they must be paid accordingly. In case he, Marijn^ his wife, his children or any of his men hap- pen to find any mines, minerals, pearl fisheries or the like they shall disclose the same to no one but their patroon or his agents, who shall make them a handsome present therefor according to the importance of the matter. They shall further all submit them- selves to the sovereignty of the High Mighty Lords the States General of these United Netherlands, to the supreme power and direction of the Chartered West India Company in general and of the aforesaid Rensselaer in particular, and to the ordinances and regulations to be passed there by them respectively in matters of justice and police, and be obliged to take the oath of obedience and fidelity, especially to refrain from trading, negotiating or carrying on business there against tlie order and intention of the Company and their aforesaid patroon, whether in skins, seawan or other goods found there, and not to accept the same by way of present or otherwise, nor to take merchandise from here with them, for them- selves or for others, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatso- ever, on pain of confiscation and penalties fixed by the Company or still to be fixed, and furthermore of banishment from the colony as a perjurer and a refractory character,''^ for which he, Maryn^ must S3 IVeyscIntijtgen; a light boat which can be carried across the fields. ^* Als Meyneedigh ende wederspannich uyt de Colonic gestooten warden. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 179 answer and stand responsible both for himself and for the afore- said four men or others whom he may have under his orders. They are further not allowed to terminate this contract before the expiration of the said term of three years (unless their patroon give them permission to do so) and contract with any one else or sow any one else's fields, on pain of forfeiture for the benefit of the aforementioned Rensselaer as patroon, of the whole amount of his share in the sowed, cultivated, sold and unsold tobacco and also to give up at once the lands, houses and tools, leaving every- thing to be disposed of as aforesaid even if he alone should have paid for some of them. And in case any one or more of the said four men should leave or drop out, he must fill his place as quickly as possible with another able man. He must also by every ship and yacht sailing hither send proper reports and accurate accounts of everything in all sincerity without concealment or disposal of anything at private sales. In witness of the truth of the above agreement, this is signed by the patroon and Maryn Adriaenssen with their own hands, in the presence of the undersigned witnesses, in Amsterdam, this twelfth of January in the 3^ear sixteen hundred and thirty one. Was signed in the several hands, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, ma- rinus Ariaens, IV. Van Twiller as witness. Agreement of Marinus Adriaensz van der Veere with Jasper Ferlyn van der Gouw^^ February ij, 16 JT Jaspar Fcrlijn vander Gouzv, living at Middelburgh in the Latin School street, has bound himself unto anrl entered into the service of niarinns Adriaenssen vander Veer, to assist him in the planting and cultivating of tobacco or such other work as he may be ordered to do by tlie aforementioned Maryn or in the name of his patroon, no exception as to any kind of work being made, everything accord- ing to the order and regulations of the Chartered West India Com- pany and the further conditions [of the contract] made by the said Marinus Adriaensrj with Kiliaen van Rensselaer as patroon of the lands lying around Fort Orange on the North River of New Netherland, during a term of service of three years, commencing V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.4. i8o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY and ending as stated in the said contract. The aforesaid laspar ferlyn shall receive ii guilders a month, to be paid annually and shall receive cash before his departure, as an advance, 40 guilders and in addition 10 stivers a day for wages from the 12th of Jan- uary last to the time of his going on board. The aforesaid jaspar ferlyn promises in addition to willing and diligent service, honestly and faithfully and on forfeiture of all the wages to be earned by him, not to tratle or acquire in other ways, any beavers, otters, or other prohibited furs, nor to allow that the same be dealt in with his knowledge by anybody but those who act on behalf of the Chartered West India Company, also on forfeiture as above, not- to leave or return before his term of service has expired without express consent of the aforesaid his patroon or master, which con- ditions, this day underwritten, have been approved by the afore- mentioned Rensselaer and signed by him, jasper ferlyn^ with his own hand at Amsterdam, this 17th of February 163 1. Was signed in the several hands, jaspacr ferlin, marimis Adriacns. Memorandum of similar agreements with Claes Brunsteyn van Straelsundt, Jan Tyaerts van Franicker and Cornelis Maesen van Buyrmalsen May 27, Jdji The 27th of May 1631, these following persons have further been engaged for three years on the conditions and restrictions above written, under penalties and obligations as in the preceding contract which has been read to them. N. B. ran Claes Bruiisteyii van Straelsundt, who shall receive 8 away guilders a month and before his departure, as an advance, two months' wages in hand paid. jehan Chierts van franicker, who shall receive 60 guilders a year and 12 guilders in hand paid as an advance. In testimony of the truth they have signed this in the year and on the day above written. Was signed : the mark X of Claes Brun- steyn, Jan Tyaerts, Cornelis maesen van Buyrmarsen,^^ who shall ^•'Intended for Buyrmalsen; see p. 309. The Vytgecf ende betalinge, 1630-32, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, has Corns inascn van buijrmalsen, not Cornelis Maasen fan Buren Maasen, as printed by O'Callaghan in his translation of that account, History of New Netherland, 1:430. Aug. 19, 1662, Hendrick Cornclisss Macssen and Marten Cornelissz Maesen, brothers, VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS i8i receive the first year ibo, the second year £70, the third year f8o and in hand paid fi2 as an advance. Certificate of purchase from the Indians of land on the west side of the Hudson River between Beeren Island and Smacks Island^^ May 1 63 1 We, the director and council of New Netherland, residing" on the island Manahatas and at Fort Amsterdam, under the jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses the Lords States General of the United Netherlands and of the Chartered West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam, testify and declare hereby, that this day, date under- written, before us appeared Pietcr Minuit, director, Bastiaen Jansz crol, conimis, and Dirck cornclis.z duyster, onder-commis at Fort for themselves and for Maes Cornelis' Maessen, Stijniie Cornells Maessen and Tobias Cornelisz Maessen, their minor brothers and sisters, all living in the colony of Rensse- laerswyck and children of the late Cornelis Maessen and Catelijntie Martenss, who died in this country and formerly lived at Bueren Malssen in gelderlant, execute a power of attorney to Gerrit Cornelisss, living at Tricht, in Gelderland, to receive an inheritance left by their uncle, Hendrick Maessen, who died at Cuijlenborch. On the same day, Jan Verbecck, formerly councilor of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, and Cornelis Theuniss Bos, formerly magistrate of Fort Orange and the village of Beverwyck, make a joint affidavit that Cornelis Maessen and his wife dieQ about 14 years ago and were both buried on the same day, leaving the aforesaid five children over whom the said Cornelis Theuniss Bos and Theunis Dircxsz [van Vechten], in- habitant of the colony, have thus far been guardians. Cornelis Theuniss Bos further states that he came to this country in 1636, in the ship Rensselaerswijck, in the service of the said Cornelis Maessen and that he served him for six years; also that the said Hendrick Corneliss Maessen was born on the said ship (see p. 369 of this work) and that the other children were born in the colony. Deeds, powers of attorney, etc., 1660-65, p. 15-17, 22-23, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. Entries for supplies furnished to Cornelis Maesen in August 1634 {Account Book, 1634-38, f.2) show that Cornelis Maesen was in the colony at that time. He evidently returned to Holland at the expiration of his contract, married, and then came back to this country in 1636. His second son. Marten Cornelisz, has by Peaison and other writers been confused with Swarte Marten, or Black Marten, who from the mark he makes is readily identified with Marten Cornelisz van Ysselsteyn, one of the pro- prietors of land at Schenectady in 1663 and later one of the settlers of Claverack. This Marten Cornelisz van Ysselsteyn states in an affidavit of Oct. 28, 1660 {Notarial Papers, 1:36, Albany County clerk's office) that in his youth he had lived for many years at Houten, in the bishopric of Utrecht. Cornelis Teunisz Bos, mentioned in this note, is the same person as Cornelis Teunisz van Westbroeck. The first reference to him is found in Account Book, 1634-38, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss under date of April 8, 1637, almost immediately after the arrival of the ship Rensselaerswyck. Apparently he did not come to this country in 1631, as stated by O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:434. " F. R. B. Mss 3, parchment 33^x38 cm; and V. K. B. Mss, Letter Book, t.ib. Recorded without date and names of signers in Dutch Patents, GG, p.9-11. Translation of main body of the instrument in Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 14:2, which has been revised for the present work. NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Orange, and declared, that on the i8th of April last past^^ per- sonally appeared before them Papsickenc, Kcniptas, nancoutamhat, and Sickcnosen, lawful owners and proprietors of the land called Sanckhagag/"'-' situated on the west side of the North River stretch- ing in length from a little above heeren^'^ Island up the river to Smacks^^ Island and in width two days' journey inland, acting for themselves and de rato for the remaining and all other coproprietors of the same land, which they in their aforesai 1 capacity voluntarily and advisedly declared that they had conveyed, ceded and made over, as they did convey, cede and make over in lawful, inalienable and free possession, by virtue and title of sale, for a certain quan- tity of merchandise, which they, the grantors, in their aforesaid capacity acknowledged to have received before the passing of this The i8th of April 1631, according to the date at the end of the document. Owing to the absence of a date at the end of the record of the certificate in Dutch Patents, GG, p. 9-1 1, and to the occurrence, in connection with the purchase, of the date of May 1630, in Jan Baptist van Rensselaer's letter of June 10/20, 1678 (O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:125) arid that of April 8, 1630, on the mai) of Renssc- laerswyck reproduced in this volume, historical writers have assigned 1630 as the year of purchase of land from Beeren Island to Smacks Island and hence mentioned it as the first purchase of land in the vicinity of Fort Orange. That this is an error and that 1631 must be considered as the correct date, or in other words that the purchase was made subsequently to that of Aug. 13, 1630, described on p. 166—69, may appear from statements in the letter to de Laet, June 27, 1632, and further from the following facts: 1 That the original parchment certificate as well as the contemporaneous copy in the patroon's Letter Book have at the end, first written out in full and then in figures, the date 1631. 2 That the certificate is recorded in Dutch Patents, GG, p.g-ii, between a patent of Nov. 22, 1630 and one of June 3, 1631. 3 That in the "Account of the jurisdictions, management and condition of the ter- ritories named Rensselaerswyck," July 20, 1634, printed on p. 306—12 of this volume, the first two purchases are referred to as dated Aug. 13, 1630 and May 1631. 4 That in a copy of the memorial entitled " The Case of the Colony of Rensselaers- wyck " delivered April 27, 1678, by J. B. van Rensselaer to the council of the Duke of York, in support of the petition of the heirs of Kiliaen van Rensselaer for letters patent of the colony, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, the purchase of land from Beeren Island to Smacks Island is referred to as dated in May 1631. 5 That the preamble of the certificate of Aug. 6, 1630 {Doc. rel. to the Col. Hist. N. Y. 14: 1— 2 and Wilson, Memorial History of the City of New York, 1:163) states that Bastiaen Jansz Krol, in reply to a question put by Wolfert Gerritsz said that " there was this year [1630] no chance or means of acquiring any land," and does not refer to any purchase of land previous to the agreement of July 27, 1630, mentioned in the certificate. 6 That the inscription on the map of Rensselaerswyck relating to the purchase of land from Beeren Island to Smacks Island contains the words heeft Killiaen van Ren- selaer noch doen koopen- — -Kiliaen van Rensselaer caused fur'.her to be purchased — ■ indicating that the purchase was made subsequently to that of Aug. 13, 1630, which interpretation is borne out by the fact that the inscription occurs on the map to the right of that relating to the purchase of July 28 [Aug. 13], 1630 and not, as in O'Callaghan's reproduction, to the left. Cf. spelling of Indian names in Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 14:2, which agrees with Dutch Patents, GG, p. 9—11. Literally, Bears' Island, now called Barren Island. " Now called Shad Island. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 183 conveyance, to and for the behoof of the Hon. Kilian van Renselaer, absent, for whom they accepted it under proper stipulations, to wit, the aforesaid land with all the interests, rights and jurisdiction belonging to them, the grantors, in their capacity aforesaid, they, the grantors, constituting and substituting the aforesaid grantee in their place, stead, real and actual possession thereof, and at the same time giving to and conferring on the aforesaid Hon. Rens- selaer or whoever may after him obtain his interests, full and abso- lute power and command, tanqiiam Procurator in rem Propriam to enter upon, peaceably possess, occupy, plant, use and cultivate the said land, and therewith and thereof to do, act and dispose, as his honor would do with his own and other lawfully acquired lands and estates, without the grantors in their capacity aforesaid retaining, re- serving or holding therein and in any of it any part, right, interest or authority in the least, whether of possession, command or jurisdic- tion but were now and forever fully and finally yielding and re- nouncing it for the behoof aforesaid; further promising not only forever to hold fast and irrevocable, to observe and fulfil this their conveyance and whatever may be done by virtue thereof, but also to deliver and hold the said quantity of land against every one free from claims, challenges, encumbrances and pretensions which any one may hereafter make to it, and also to have this sale and transfer approved, ratified and acknowledged as valid by the remaining represented coproprietors, all according to law, in good faith, with- out guile or deceit. In witness hereof this has been confirmed with our usual signatures and the pendant seal. Done as aforesaid on the island Manahatas and at Fort Amsterdam, this May. Anno xvj° thirty-one. [signed] Peter Minuit, D. bastijaen Janss oral Dirck Cornelissen pieter Bijlvelt: Jan Lampo, schout Reyner Harmensen Jan Jansz meyndz To my knowledge, as vice secretary in the absence of the secretary, Jan van Romund, this May 1631 [signed] Lenaert Cole, Vice Secretary Blank in original. NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Extract from minutes of Chamber of Amsterdam. Request of Kiliaen van Rensselaer for transportation of Marinus Ad- riaensz van der Veere and others°^ May i6, i6ji Copy Extract from the [register of] resolutions of the assembly of the directors of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam Friday the i6th of May, 163 1 Kiliaen van Rensselaer notifies the Chamber that he has engaged in his service for farming as well as tobacco planting in his colony on the North River near Fort Orange, Marinus Adriaenssz vander Veere, with five or six other persons for his assistance, and as the same are mostly experienced seamen he, Rensselaer, requests that the said Marinus, with his wife, child and the aforesaid men, may be sent over in the ship of the Company for their board, without re- ceiving any wages, as according to the resolution of this Chamber many men will have to come over from there: further, that he has entered into contract with eight or ten farmers to send them over with some calves, if he is allowed to transport them also by the said ship on proper payment of their board. Requesting hereon resolution of this Chamber. Underneath was written: Agrees with the aforesaid register. And was signed: Jacob Hanicl S Agrees with its original Quod attestor infrascriptus [signed] /; vande Ven Nots Pub''"': ss^K 2T. A": J 634. 4. y. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.39. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 185 Extract from minutes of the Chamber of Amsterdam, Request of Marinus Adriaensz van der Veere for permit to go to New Netherland and action on this request and that of KiUaen van Rensselaer of the i6th^ May ip, 1631 Copy Extract from the register of resohitions passed by the assembly of the directors of the West India Company, Chamber of Am- sterdam Monday, the 19th of May, 1631 Marinus Adriaenscn vander Veere, engaged by Confrater Rens- selaer for the colony on the North River, requests a permit to cross over to New Netherland in the ship that goes thither, in conformity with the notification of Mr Rensselaer on the i6tli instant. It is granted that the said Marinus, with five or six other persons shall go across and have their board, on condition that they do regular ship duty like sailors ; for the wife and child board shall be paid, while Mr Rensselaer agrees to guarantee that five or six seafaring men shall return from there, so that this ship suffer no incon- venience, or if no other men return, Mr Rensselaer is to pay the board of the five or six persons who go over. The farmers and calves mentioned in the request will be sent over on payment of board and food, if there is room in the ship. Underneath was written: Agrees with the aforesaid register. And was signed: Jacob Hamel S Agrees with its original quod attestor infrascriptus [signed] /.- vande Ven Nots Pub"'": ss^*. 21. A": ^ J 634. V R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.sgb. i86 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Agreement between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Andries Christensz and others July 2, 162,1 Andries cristensen, At the request of AndHes Christenssen van Vlcc- Laurens Laurensen, Barent tonisen. keii^"^ AO vcars of age, Lttureus Laurenss van Cop- Scandinavians, 00 ■ o ' 2 July 1631 penhagen, 30 years of age, and Barent Thonissen van Heijligesonf'^, 22 years of age, Kiliaen z>an Rensselaer, in his capacity as patroon of his colony situated above and below Fort Orange on the North River of New Netherland, has agreed and con- tracted with the aforesaid persons for the term of three years, com- mencing on their arrival in that country, with the condition that the contract is binding on them for the said term of three years but that the said Rensselaer may terminate it whenever it pleases him. First regarding the transportation of the saitl persons, Rens- selaer having obtained from the Chartered West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam, the privilege of transporting seafaring men for their board without wages on condition that they do proper ship duty, Laurens Lauress, Barent Theunisz and all seafaring men ac- cept the same, but Andries Christens:; not being a seafaring man must pay out of his wages six stivers a day for board. As to the re- turn voyage, the said Rensselaer promises to exert himself likewise, without being further responsible in the matter, to have them come hither at the least expense, whether their term of service has ex- pired or whether he chooses to order them to come home. Arriv- ing there with God's help, they shall betake themselves at the first opportunity and at their own expense to Fort Orange, to settle either on the mill creek®-^ or opposite the fort on the east side of the North River, where there is also a good waterfalF*^ and build their houses in the lightest fashion on the one or the other of the said places, and on no other without consent ; further to erect a suitable sawmill, which can saw wood of 40 feet or at least 33 feet long, towards V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, i.^h. An extract of this agreement is also found in V. R. B. Mss 38; see p. 675. The date is there given as June 2, 1631; the name here spelled Thonissen appears as thomassen. Noormanncn; a term usually confined to natives of Norway, when not referring to the ancient Scandinavians or Norsemen, but also used in a wider sense, as here, where a native of Copenhagen is included. ''' Fleckero; an island off the south coast of Norway, 3 miles south of Christiaiisand. riellesund; on the south coast of Norway, in the vicinity of Fleckero. ™ Meulenkill ; here referring to the Normans Kill. ™ The waterfall on the Mill Creek, in Greenbush, in the present city of Rensselaer. Like the Normans Kill, the Mill Creek is in the early documents commonly referred to as the meulenkil, or molenkil. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 187 which he, Rensselaer^ shall pay one half of the hardware and the tools which they need therefor and must take with them from here, and they the other half, for which he, Rensselaer, shall furnish them the money in advance. They promise, all four'^^ of them, to erect the said mill within the space of three months and when it is finished, they may hew the largest, finest and best oak trees standing in the entire colony of the said Rensselaer and for seven leagues next ad- joining and bring the same to the place where the sawmill stands in order to saw therefrom suitable ship planking, gunwale timber or such other timber as he, Rensselaer, shall direct or they in the ab- sence of directions shall deem fit. The mill being made, the logs cut, brought to the mill and sawed, one half thereof shall belong to the said Rensselaer and the other half to the four of them, the same to be shipped hither with the most convenient speed at the joint expense of both parties, provided that Rensselaer shall not charge the men more for freight and other expenses than he will have to pay him- self ; and of the proceeds of the said timber here in this country over and above expenses, one half shall go to him, Rensselaer, and the other half shall be paid to the aforesaid persons or those having their right and title, but first and above all, deduction must be made of the sums advanced by him, promised or paid for them personally, in return for which he, Rensselaer, promises to provide such board for the said four persons as is customary in that country or ejse, in lieu thereof, to pay 100 guilders a year for each of the four persons, amounting together to 400 guilders a year, so that Rensselaer shall provide their board as above and they shall faithfully and diligently do their work to the satisfaction of the said Rensselaer or his agents and each side receive one half of the profits after deduction of all expenses as above. Rensselaer also agrees to pay in hand to each of them the sum of 20 guilders to be deducted from the board or 100 guilders a year which he must pay to each of them and to An dries kristensen the sum of 40 guilders, besides the advances for hardware, millstone and what is further required for the building of the said saw and grist-mill, on condition that the amount be hereafter again deducted and retained as above. And inasmuch as they are also to make a grist-mill in connection with the said sawmill, they shall also be entitled to one half of what is earned therewith (deducting the expenses of grinding). In case the said Rensselaer, as patroon, or his agents need the " Thus in the Letter Book, though but three persons are named. NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY aforesaid four persons or any of them in his private service, they must let themselves be employed for all sorts of work, whether farm- ing, house carpentering, felling of logs, burning of pitch and tar, or whatever it may be, nothing excepted, at 15 stivers a day besides board, which they have in addition as above, provided that Rensselaer shall enjoy one half of the aforesaid wages of 15 stivers. If Rensselaer or his agents, after the mill is built, should have any wood brought to be sawed, they must do this at 20 stivers for 100 feet in length by one foot in breadth, and for wider, shorter or longer boards accordingly, on condition that Rensselaer shall re- ceive one half thereof as above. Regarding the boards, beams or planks which they may have in stock and which Rensselaer may need for his other work, he shall be allowed to take these by paying them one half of the price ordi- narily paid by the skippers in Norway. If these people sow, mow or plant any land, or catch any game or fish, one half [of the product] shall go to them and the other half go to Rensselaer^ or be deducted from the 100 guilders for board. During the period of this agreement, each one shall be responsible for the other, as Rensselaer is dealing with them jointly but not will- ing to deal or to keep accounts with each in particular. In case any one of them should happen to find or to discover any mines, minerals, pearl fisheries or anything of the kind, he shall dis- close the same to no one but the patroon or his agent, who shall make them a handsome present for the same according to the im- portance of the matter. They shall further under the sovereignty of the High Mighty Lords the States General, all submit themselves to the authority of the directors of the Chartered West India Company in general and of the aforesaid Rensselaer as their patroon in partic- ular, and observe all the ordinances and regulations to be passed there by them respectively in matters of police and justice, and be obliged to take the oath of obedience and fidelity, especially to re- frain from trading, negotiating or carrying on business there against the order and intention of the Company and their aforesaid patroon, whether in skins, seawan or other goods found there, and not to ac- cept the same by way of present or otherwise, nor to take merchan- dise from here with them for themselves or for others, directly or indirectly, in any manner whatsoever, on pain of confiscation and penalties fixed by the Company or still to be fixed, and furthermore of banishment from the colony as perjurers and refractory charac- ters for which they all together in common and each one in particu- ' ' n y C'^ " >*t^v, on?ic/;>€> .V, .H-r^^je. crrtW..>^ -i«i'/c^^(^-^ ^H^ji^»j4t^ O pp i / ^ -yi^^yt-n />>^-^f«H«-, (yfW^ W^>^t^X''. Bijlvelt t 1, the underwritten, acknowledge that I have received from the hands of Kiliaen van Rensselaer the sum of 125 guilders, the re- maining 125 guilders to be paid as soon as I am advised that the above cattle and hogs have been delivered. Done as above this 20th of July 1632. 50 Rd at 50 St each fi25 [signed] /)''. Bijlveltt N. B. For the colony of Rensselaerswyck [Endorsed] 1632 20 July P': BijleveU fi25 ** V. R. B. Mss 5 ; in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. Also in Letter Book, f.24. 226 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Promissory note of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Bijlvelt for increase of animals on farm No, S""'" July 20, i6j2 Receipts for payment on same February 24, 16^4 1, the underwritten, promise hereby to pay to pietter Bijlevelt the sum of 125 guilders, being the balance on account of the cattle sold to me, as soon as he shall receive tidings that the same have been delivered to me or my agent in New Netherland. one milch cow with a heifer calf one heifer with a heifer calf three bull calves born in 163 1 seven young pigs, four months old in January 1632 four old hogs On which items I have paid him 125 guilders; the remaining fi25 I am to pay as stated above. Done at Amsterdam this 20th of July, sixteen hundred thirty-two. [signed] Kiliaen van Rensselaer N. B. that Cornelius van Voorst has caused a cow to be takea from the farm of bijlevelt, pretending to have bought the same, though bylevelt on the contrary declares that he has sold none to him or to Mr paauw. I, the underwritten, acknowledge that I have received from the hands of kiliaen van Rensselaer in satisfaction of the above account the sum of 45 guilders, the sum of 80 guilders having been de- ducted for a cow which Cornelis van V oorst in the name of Mr Michiel paauzv has taken. This cow I have sold to the said renselaer and promise to deliver according to the above contract of sale. In testimony of the truth I have signed this in Amsterdam .this 24th of February 1634. [signed] p'' Bijlvelt 18 rix-dollars a 50 st — f45 — [Endorsed] 1634 24 February P'". Bijlevelt . . f45 Received from the hands of Kiliaen van Renselaer the sum of 80 guilders, to wit, 45 guilders on a promissory note for 125 guil- " V. R. B. Mss 7. In the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. ^ — ^ v^- ^^^--J-*^ v^^>^i- lu^'.v^ f . ^^^^^ . V '..Jn^x^^E^ ^ — . ._^^/, ^ A. %A. A /02^JL ?^ jJ)L5V/t ■^AL^eJl^ ^vx^/p^'^^^^ Jr^^ H/^^ i t Promissory note of Kiliacii van RensscI? nssclacr to Pietcr Bijlvelt, July 20, 1632, with receipt of February 24, 1634 In handwriting- of Kiliaen van Rcnssehier From V . R. B. Mss, 7. ^ of original size VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 227 ders due for cattle sold to the said Rensclaer to be delivered in New Netherland and also 35 guilders on a note for 125 guilders on account of my farm with the cattle and implements also sold to him, everything according to the contract and the aforesaid prom - issory note. In testimony of the truth I have signed this our writ- ing on the 24th of February 1634 in Amsterdam with my own hand. [signed] p^. Bijlveltt [Endorsed] 1634 24 Feb. P'-. Bylevelt . . f8o Bill of sale of animals and implements on farm No. 3, on the island of Manhattan, by Pieter Bijlvelt to Kiliaen van Rensselaer^^ July 20, 1632 I, the underwritten, acknowledge hereby that I have sold and transferred to Kiliaen van Rensselaer, who acknowledges that he has bought and taken them over, the following animals, implements and other articles belonging to me and at present in New Nether- land, on farm No. 3 last occupied by me, and this after previous offer of sale as well to the directors of the Company as to the secretary Jehan van Reniund; neither the Company nor remund being willing to accept the same, the said directors have granted me permission to sell the same and accordingly I have sold to the said rensselaer the following items according to the inventory of my possessions taken by the council on the first of January last, the decrease or increase, losses by death and increase of calves, colts, pigs and other animals to be to the profit or loss of the afore- said rensselaer: two old mares bearing colts one young ditto, two years old five milch cows of the original six, all believed to be with calf one of the two heifers born 1630 one heifer calf of 163 1 six sheep six hogs Of these bylevelt has received from the Company only four sheep and no hogs, which the Company must make good a large number of chickens 01 V. R. B. Mss 5. In the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, 228 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY a new wagon, the wheels having iron tires three plows with accessories the crop of seven morgens of winter seeding, as well as all provision of summer seed which he has left, namely oats, barley and gray peas with the crops thereof the well seeded and planted garden also cost and wages of his workmen till May 1632, which andrics hudden has undertaken to furnish for the milk and butter which he is to have also forage for the stock till the next planting a barrack'^^ with seed estimated by the council at 90 schepels, botli rye anil wdieat, which belong to him and on which he owes the Company 100 guilders due May 1632, which Rens- selaer agrees to pay also the oats, peas and barley which may be left shall belong to renseler, in return for which he agrees to pay 400 guilders to the Company for the remaining four terms also two horses and two cows to be delivered to the Company according to the contract In addition he is to pay to me, Pictcr bijlevclt^ for the fulfilment of all the foregoing the sum of 150 guilders, to wit, 50 guilders now and the remaining 100 guilders at the first notice tliat the goods have been delivered to him. Done at Amsterdam this 20th of July 1632. [signed] Pieter Bijlveltt Promissory note of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Bijlvelt for animals and implements on farm No. s""' July 21, i6s2 Receipts for payments of same November 11, 16^2 February 24, 16^4 I, the underwritten, hereby acknowledge that I owe Pieter Bij- levelt the sum of 150 guilders, the balance on his cattle and im- plements (which he has in New Nethcrland) taken over from him according to the contract made with Wouter van Tiviller, which Bcrch. 53 V. R. B. Mss 6. In the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. VAN RENSSELAER 150WIER MANUSCRIPTS 229 aforesaid sum of fi5o I am to pay him on the first notice of the delivery of the said cattle and implements. In testimony of the truth, .1 have signed this in Amsterdam this 2yt\r'^ of July sixteen hundred thirty-two. [signed] Kiliaen van Rensselaer This nth of November 1632 received hereupon from the hands of Kiliaen van Rensselaer the sum of 65 guilders, leaving there- fore a balance of 85 guilders. According to the decision of the council of New Netherland of the i8th of July 1633, i^ensselaer must deduct from the account of Bijlevcldt the sum of 50 guilders, whereof the said bijlevelt may demand an explanation showing the reason why this is done. Done at Amsterdam this 24th of February 1634. I, the underwritten, acknowledge having received from Kiliaen van Rensselaer in satisfaction of this account the sum of 35 guil- ders with the reservation that, if it should prove later that the action of the said council in regard to the 50 guilders, either en- tirely or in part, had been taken unjustly, the said Rensselaer, according to his agreement in regard thereto, shall make good and pay me the same. In testimony of the truth I have signed this in Amsterdam this 29tlr'^ of February 1634. [signed] p''. Bijlveltt 14 rix-dollars at 50 st f35 [Endorsed] 1632 II November P"-: Bijlevelt i6$ 24 Feb. to ditto f35 . . f35 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller'"'*' July 2^, 1632 W Gutter J 'an T-iviller, at the Texel In Amsterdam, this 27th of July Mon Cousin: Yesterday, on account of the lack of time, I sent jan pcelen with hendrick Schaep'^ to get a copy of your contract. They saw Lybergen;'^ who told them that he would bring it today " Possibly an error for the 20th of July 1632. Apparently a mistake for the 24th of February 1634. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.24b. A notary public at Amsterdam; see Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 2:189. Either Daniel or Arnoult van Liebergen, both directors of the West India Company. 230 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY before the meeting as there was no opportunit}^ yesterday. Secre- tary Rcmundt told me that he would leave this afternoon; he is now summoned to leave here this morning as the wind is easterly ; you will therefore have to insist that those who arc at the Tcxcl sign your honor's contract. At the same time I shall insist here, even after your honor's dc])arturc, unless the commissioners at the Texel shall have signed it, of which you must advise me. Herewith goes the contract of sale of the animals, tools and other things of farm No. i, entered into with the former director Minuit, attested by his signature, by which you can see what be- longs to the farm and what the surplus is which he has sold to me. The fi5o I shall pay him for your honor; place this to my credit and with it purchase for me some more animals in New Netherland. I presume that zvolphert and others will be quite willing to sell, as so many of the people leave. N. B. He has told me that he recommended to your honor for your own use the young stallion sold to me; if your honor should like that horse or anything else that is included in my purchase, you are free to take it. K you keep the stallion, you may give me in return for it as well as for the fi5o as many of your young colts and calves as you think proper. N. B. Contract I scfid also the contract concerning the surplus Tiene7'^^ a;/M/m/^ bought of Pieter Bylevelt; and as to the bijieveit^^ animals and tools belonging to his farm, I have bought most of them from him also. But on account of the hasty departure of the secretary, I can not send your honor the document inasmuch as he, bylevelt, will not be here till an hour from now to close the matter finally. In the meantime, consider them as sold. I send herezvith the inventory of all his animals and implements ; the terms are that he pay the first fioo to the Company to ivhich he must sell; that for the second fioo he surrender {his claim fo] 90 schepels of rye and zvheat which are due to himf^ the remaining f400 the purchaser must pay to the Company, also deliver to the Company tzvo horses and tzvo cozvs. He must supply them zuith fodder till the next harvest, also pay the zvages of the men till May 1632, zvhich he says andries hudde has agreed to do in return for the milk and butter of the cattle. He cedes further a wagon and plows as zvell as the zvinfer grain and the supply left there for suni- Marginal note in handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. ^ tegen de tweede fioo hecft hy te gocdc po schepcl rogge als ierrcwe dat hy daer voor overgeeft. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 23I mer grain, provided I pay him in hand fi5o. I have offered him fioo and a small diamond, so that it is pretty nearly settled. I shall still send you the deed if I have time.^^ Your honor must take out of his animals first those which he has sold to me ; the other terms I am content to leave to nootelman, provided he gives me for the fi50 which I must give in addition young or other animals. There are six milch cov/s ; I have bought one, so that he can prob- ably spare two cows and some calves. The two old mares will also have colts of which he can probably spare one also. The hogs and sheep the Company has furnished.^^ These animals nootelman can use on the farm of Gerrit de Reus, which he now occupies. N. B. If nootelman has driven my horses so hard that they have lost their colts, he must furnish me others in their stead there. He has 15 morgens of winter seed, so that he is already supplied and this he has cultivated with my horses. And as to the right which the Company might claim to the seeding of the farm of Byleveldt, to that N. B. bylevelt says that the directors have ejected him therefrom and that it is not his fault that the farm must lie idle, as he has not been able to leave if to anybody and as he offered it to Secretary Remundt zvho would not accept it, so that he has obtained permission to sell the cattle. There zvould also be little objection to paying the Company for its right as aside from the summer seed there are [but] seven morgens on the farm that have been seeded, of which the Company must have every sixth sheaf and counting this for the four years which his lease lasts, the Com- pany zvould in all have a right to 4/6^'^ [of the crop] so that there would remain still 2/6 over and above the right of the Company even if the land remained idle. Meanwhile the land will fallow and recover and before the four years are past the calves will be cows and the colts, horses. Other farms could be treated in the same way, and if the secretary were [not] provided with a farm, he must have the preference as I promised him, and you may undertake to deal with others in a similar manner and leave to nootelman the animals of bylevelt as said above. You can see by this what ad- vantage you have in taking over the farm and animals of Minuijt on which offhand over 100 pounds Flemish is made and in case nootelman is supplied, as zvulfert gerritsen had offered to sell him four cows and two horses, keep the animals and farm of bylevelt for me and do with the grain as stated above, to wit, deliver to the This italicized section underlined in the Letter Book, hecft de Comp. presteert. This italicized section underlined in the Letter Book. 232 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Company the 4/6 for the remaining four years and take his men or other suitable people whose time is up and at the first opportunity during the winter cause a house to be erected in Rensselaerswyck, either near Roelof janscn or at the mill creek,*''* with a view to send- ing the people and animals and tools up the river as soon as the water is open. In the meantime they migiit stay the winter over on the farm of bylcTclt which will already be sown with winter seed, which is well, and cost only the wages of the men, the animals being with young also. This would then be my fifth farm, which T com- mend to your utmost care as by so doing the numl)er of my men will increase and gradually come to the 50 souls. The same scheme"''' coidd be used with regard to the wheel- wright,"" whom I hear the directors summon home and who has many animals. And even if the secretary should wish this farm, his profit shall largely consist in that he leaves me the old horses and cows, for which I would then have to pay him, and the young colts and calves he can easily have taken care of. They will be fit to use in two years and I would consent to have them brought to and taken care of at Rensselaerswyck under contract; meanwhile the exhausted land will recover and thereafter with the same labor pro- duce the double crop. The right of the Company can be paid for the remaining years of the lease all at one time out of the seeded land, to wit, 3/6 [of the crop], leaving still 3/6 for his supply of seed, which he will cause to be sown in the fall either by the wheel- wright or by others of his condition. This is my proposition. N. B. Before this was finished,, I'ylvelt came, zuhose animals and tools and other property I hove bought, everything conformable to the contract made zvith him which I send enclosed herein, and after thinking it over properly, I think it advisable not to leave these to notclman but to keep them for myself and establish a fifth farm with them as stated above. Bylcvelt says that his foreman is ac- tive and intelligent and well suited for the management of a farm ; you may therefore engage him or some one else with a laborer and a boy or, if need be, a black, and meanwhile cause a house to be erected at Rensselaerswyck to be occupied in the spring. You must notify the officer, Rutger hendrixsen, hereof so that he and my other men take this in hand. As to nootelman, let him deal with zvolphcrt, who has ofifered him four cows and two horses, and to my mind his meulekil; the Normans Kill. strccck ; literally, trick. Claes Cornelisz, see p. 206. VAN RENSSELAER I'.OWIER MANUSCRIPTS office will give him enough to do. However, accommodate him, as well as the secretary, as much as possible. It were better for the Com- pany as well as for the farmers if they let the exhausted land lie fallow for a while and only seeded one half; they would get better crops than now and that with half the labor and half the number of animals. This by way of advice and all at your discretion and for my best interests, laying especial stress on the fact that if I can not get animals, I shall not be able to send over 50 persons and that then certain partial people would soon call for action. I have al- ways understood from Minuyt that in that country at the Manehates there is an English runaway boy named Rtitgcr Moris, who is a drummer and understands tobacco planting, and on the chance that Maryn can learn something from him, you might send the boy some day to Fort (Grange ; he has planted and cured at least 80 lb for minuijt, which proceeded from 300 plants, and as my eye is mainly fixed on tobacco planting by which I can support many people, and as every morgen of land needs not less than five or six men to do well and will produce some 6600 lb, I would get the start of all the English in Virginia and the l<>ench on Crisfoffcl/''^ by reason of the extreme duties and returns to be paid to the king and the officers. There are, according to what I hear, about 4000 people in Virginia who live mostly by tobacco. Minuijt has also told me that he has sown tobacco seed in the fall and covered the same during the winter with horse manure against the frost and snow and has kept the same over an;l transplanted it in the spring, of which excellent tobacco came, and as you well know N. I?. Omit not to adviso that all wiutcr seeds or crops are better than Marvn of this or to . , , , mention it to him by the summcr crops, this would be a new mven- word of mouth, as I have tiou whicli in my Opinion would surpass all a high opinion thereof , , ,., , •i,ii,ir'- and in that way could the othcrs. He fouiid it out accidentally the first support hundreds of people; ^jme and thereafter thought it a good plan. then the farms would do , i , ■ • i j i i well. H Maryn should m any wise have trouble with his tobacco, do not neglect to send him the English boy to show him the way of preparing and curing it and tell him the ex- perience of Minuijt of sowing the tobacco in the fall toward winter so that it can come up and then covering it with some manure or other warm stufif, such as hay or straw, whereby it will be pro- tected and in the spring come up earlier and better than otherwise, which is a good scheme in cold countries. St Christopher, an island in t!ie West Inilics. 234 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY The knife merchant was here today.; he has not given long credit. I shall pay him the £1630:19 which are due him according to your bill. And herewith ending, I commend you to the gracious protection of Almighty God, who grant you a speetly voyage and good success and proper respect in the execution of your office, for which we must constantly pray and invoke Him. I recommend to your honor above all things to keep the fear of the Lord before your eyes ; by performing the service of your masters in accordance therewith, you will without doubt obtain His blessing. Please to accept our common greetings; our young Jeremias is in great peril of dying, having severe convulsions. Vale. Pieter Bijlvelt to the copartners of Rensselaerswyck''^ , ■ [1632?] Gentlemen : I have no doubt but your honors still remember the request which I have made several times before to the honorable gentlemen individually and I hereby earnestly pray your honors to let me serve your honors properly and satisfactorily, as your sup- pliant for a considerable number of years has filled the office of commis of the honorable directors of the West India Company, had the management of the furs and merchandise, rendered proper ac- counts of the same and also kept the account of the men, both the salaried employees and the free colonists, etc. Your suppliant prays therefore as above that the honorable pa- troons will be pleased to employ him as commis of the fur trade, of which your suppliant by each ship that arrives will send to the aforesaid honorable gentlemen strict accounts together with the bartered skins ; for such commission as the honorable pa- troons may be pleased to give me on the skins so bartered ; also of the trade in merchandise promising to render accounts and vouchers to the satisfaction of the aforesaid gentlemen, for which the hon- orable gentlemen will please to grant the suppliant one stiver on every guilder as commission on the goods sold, the same as the com- missioners of New Netherland have paid their agents ; also for the management of the sales of the provisions with what belongs there- to, and for this also one stiver on every guilder as above; also to keep the account of the men, both free colonists and salaried per- sons, for whatever the honorable gentlemen may please to allow the suppliant for that. Etc. [signed] pieter Bijlveltt "F. R. B. Mss 4. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Memorial presented by Kiliaen van Rensselaer to the Assembly of the Nineteen of the West India Company*'^ November 2^, 16^^ TRANSLATED BY MRS ALAN H. STRONG Presented to the Assembly of the XIX of the Chartered West India Company, the 25th of November 1633, Amsterdam Noble, Honorable, Wise, Prudent and Very Discreet Gentlemen : Kiliaen van Rensselaer, in the capacity of patroon of his respective colonies situated within the jurisdiction of New Netherland, shows with all due reverence how he, the remonstrant, formerly di- rector of said Company and commissioner of the aforesaid regions, found the affairs of New Netherland in the beginning of his ad- ministration, namely, that sundry colonists, as early as 1623, had been conveyed thither with instructions to dwell there as free per- sons and to carry on trade, principally in the furs abounding in that country. And considering that if this trade should be free to all without restriction, the fur-bearing animals would be too much hunted and the furs would be sold here below their value, to both the damage and the loss of the Company, which had as yet no other source of income from those regions to meet the expenses connected therewith, he therefore so influenced his fellow commissioners that they deemed it advisable to curtail this trade somewhat for a time ; in the meanwhile planning how the Company, according to the char- ter, might settle the said regions at the least expense and with the greatest benefit to the country, con.sidering that the same is a salu- brious and fertile land, situated from about 38° to 48° north lati- tude, being provided with an extraordinarily fine climate and many beautiful, deep rivers, embracing within its limits more land and coast, sea and river than all the seventeen provinces of the Nether- lands, from all of which, in time, much good may result to the Com- pany; being, moreover, an excellent rendezvous for all ships, which can arrive there in 14 days from the West Indies, and being also well adapted for raising all kinds of grain and animals which could thence be sent here or at least within other limits of the charter, as Cape Verde, Guinea and Brazil. Following this, it was found good, with the advice of the Assembly of the Nineteen, to send a large number of farmers, animals, horses, cows, sheep and other neces- V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.4i-S3b. Printed in Dutch in Oud Holland, 1890, 8:55-69, as Appendix A to Mr de Roever's articles on the colony of Rensselaerswyck. 236 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY saries, in order thus to relieve tlie Company of the heavy expense of transporting all sorts of provisions needed by the people in that land. This intention was diametrically opposed to the views of those who had no other aim than to send their ships from here to trade in the aforesaid places, notwithstanding- that it was clearly pointed out to them that such trading could bring no profit to the Company but rather decided damage and continual loss, since the amount of furs coming thence — seeing that the trading places are so distant from each other — could bear no heavy outlay ; besides, that other nations of adjoining regions, when our ships should be away from there, would iiiimediately seize and occupy these and keep us out, as they now do in Virginia, Canada, New England and elsewhere. Now when the aforesaid farmers and animals had been sent thither and when, as is generally the case with new undertakings, everything did not succeed at first as might be wished, certainly not nearly so well but that the contrary minded could find occasion for fault-finding, the Company proceeded after this fashion : on the one hand, since there were now farmers and animals, they decided that little or no provisions ought to be sent, not considering that it takes time to clear the land before it can be plowed or cultivated and that in the beginning several horses and cows perished which they would not replace, whereby the people were forced to take the merchandise and trade it for provisions, thus damaging the Company to an in- credible number of thousands ; on the other hand, instead of an or- dinary freighter'"" of large hold which would need to sail only once a year, they have sent usually two, three and more small vessels, so overloaded with skip])ers, officers, provisions and ammunition that the three together could not take in half as much for the country as the larger alone [while the latter would not have] cost [much more] than each of the small vessels in view of the fact that usually many people sail back and f(jrth who could man the large ship but would overload the small ones, which error has cost the Company no less than the other. By these means and many others, too long to be here related, the condition of New Netherland continuously deteriorating, all the blame was laid mainly to the account of those who favored the colo- nization, and especially to the commissioners for that region, who to clear themselves asserted that they were willing to undertake the colonization at their own expense and without cost to the Company, een ordinaris veerman. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS if the Company would only favor the matter a little and render some assistanee, and that they would make no ohjection and would be satisfied if all participants should be thereunto invited and pub- lic freedoms and exemptions framed concerning- it. This proposi- tion, though as just as anything in the world can be, nevertheless met with great difficulty before it could be brought about. The con- trary minded, seeing that they could no longer prevent it directly, be- gan indirectly under pretext of economy to curtail these freedoms, finding no other way than to exclude the fur trade, which had for- merly been granted to others who had been sent there and were supported by the Company, asserting that this colonization had no other intent than to lay the expenses to the Company's charge and to take the trade in furs away from it, which was pure calumny, as the following will clearly show, since several of the Colonies were regis- tered before the Freedoms were extended to include the fur trade. And now when the contrary minded coidd no longer prevent action, some of the Freedoms and Exemptions were finally passed by the Assembly of the Nineteen, March 10, 1628, with the exclusion of the fur trade however, which was the only objection of the opponents and amounts to little, as will later appear. That the Freedoms were too much limited and the patroons too much restricted caused great discontent among the chief participants, and on February i, 1629, this grievance was publicly stated (not by him, the remon- strant, who was director elected by the chief participants, but by Mr Charles Looten and others), and request made that a committee be appointed to amend the Freedoms which had been granted, who, being nominated the third of the same month, took the matter up and drafted several articles, which, however, through his refusal [to serve on the committee] because he was himself in favor of the colo- nization, were never communicated to him, the remonstrant ; and in order to give no one any cause for reproach, although at liberty to do so, he would accept no appointment, either from the directors or from the chief participants, to investigate this matter and also re- fused to be present at such investigations even when the Assembly of the Nineteen by resolution of October 25, 1628, thereto invited him and opened the door, but charged his associate^^ with the direc - tion thereof without communicating with him, which he is obliged to add here, since the chief participants have been made to believe, hi order to vilify him, that he, the remonstrant, is the greatest cause thereof (although the very opposite is manifest and, even if it were Assessor, 238 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY true, it would be no disgrace to him but praiseworthy). Hereupon it happened that the delegates of the chief participants setting out the 2rst of February following and presenting themselves in person in competent numbers before the Assembly of the Nineteen, requested that the Assembly would make an agreement with them, since they intended to organize colonies and were not satisfied with the former Freedoms. (Alas, how have these men now changed !) And doing all they could, they were unable to bring the matter to a conclusion in the Assembly, since the contrary minded (with whom they are now on such good terms as the following will prove) opposed them, yet they accomplished this much that the Assembly of the Nineteen saw fit on the 26th of the same month to pass a resolution making the propositions of the chief participants a subject for discussion at the next meeting and to this end ordering the points of difference to be set forth and sent to the Chambers; whereupon it followed that the leading Chamber of Amsterdam issued a call for a meeting on April 18, 1629, article 2 of which reads as follows : " To recon- sider all the former articles, freedoms and exemptions granted the respective colonies in several former meetings and the matters con- nected therewith, and to deliberate whether the same might be am- plified by the accompanying articles requested by several influential participants and amended as the occasion requires." To consider which articles, a committee was appointed the 29th of May follow- ing, who after many long debates finally decided the matter and pre- sented the amendments to the Assembly, who read them several times, voted upon them and finally approved them in full, June 7, 1629, as they stand recorded in the Resolution Book and were after- wards issued in public print ; and these have never been revoked or retracted. Hereupon several registrations were immediately made, and tlie work was undertaken with great courage by many. However, it did not last long for the opponents rested not but watched all trans- actions sharply, finding a pretext in that the late Mr Samuel Godijn, some time before, viz in December 1628, sent two persons thither with the consent of the Chamber of Amsterdam and knowledge of the chief participants, according to the report of February i, 1629, provided with merchandise, to buy and pay for the places indicated to them, with further consent that he might exchange his remaining merchandise for furs, but must consult with the Company in regard to this matter, since at the time of sending his people the Freedouis had not been extended to fhe fur trade, all done in conformity VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS with the letter of December 1628/^'' addressed to the director of New Netherland. These persons on returning home re- ported with joy that, to the great satisfaction of the inhabitants, though in spite of the opponents, they had purchased, paid for and obtained title to the land; that, furthermore, they had exchanged the remaining merchandise for furs and sent these with bill of lading and with knowledge of the director to their patroon. The returns of the sale of these furs, amounting to about f5,6oo (from which must be deducted the merchandise given in exchange, the interest, the insurance, the expenses, the freight and the duty to the Com- pany), were so magnified by the contrary minded, who had their supporters as well among the directors as among the chief partici- pants, that [it seemed that] two individuals with but a small quan- tity of merchandise had purchased a large quantity of land and had besides obtained immense returns, from which these opponents took occasion to proclaim that the patroons were not contemplating colo- nization at all, but only the securing to themselves of the fur trade and depriving the Company of the same, which would be total ruin to the Company as regards [profit from] these regions, not knowing or else intentionally ignoring that the expenses of the late Mr Godijn would first come in when he should be obliged to send with his own ships at his own expense so many people, animals, provisions and other necessaries, that these f5,6oo would not even enter into con- sideration; yet by their calumnies they brought it about that they found many sympathizers who. gave credence to the same. Thus they injured Mr Godijn exceedingly, withholding from him to this day the aforesaid f 5,600 (which he must yet seek to obtain by suit), furthermore constraining him to dismiss the people whom he had undertaken to convey thither and surrender them to the Company, also to part with his merchandise and provisions which he had brought together with difficulty and put the same in the hands of the Company. They did not stop even here but sought to make the re- monstrant also odious (although he, as above stated, had acted so impartially in the matter), asserting that he and the other patroons had taken possession of the best places and that those who followed would come too late, though the contrary is true since not a hun- dredth part of the land has as yet been trodden 1)y Christian foot, and daily and even by the latest letters new places, far excelling the first, are revealed, where there is room enough for directors, chief and lesser participants and all the inhabitants of these lancls? By these "* Day Qf thp monfh Jeft blank in the Uner §gg]^, 240 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY means, however, in addition to the former slanders of the late Godijn, they hroui^lit it ahont that several ehief partieipants, yes, even some of those who had so fervently supported the affair, now became prejudiced and opposed to it. sidint^' with the contrary minded, who, being- now strengthened, sought means to insult the re- monstrant iniblicly at the meeting of the chief participants, inso- much that five or six of them came together two hours before the meeting in order to devise some way of accomplishing their ends in the meeting, which they would also have carried through had not the remonstrant been warned of it and been on his guard, refuting with sound arguments their slanders which, with your permission, they spit out (of which they may well be ashamed), charging that he and the other commissioners of New Xetherland, who were pa- troons, had damaged the land by some hundred thousands for the sake of their own designs (of which damage not they, but the con- trary minded are the cause, as has already been mentioned). They proceeded with such bitter injuries against others who had also registered colonies, that they thereby intimidated several, who were obliged to abandon the work already begun because others who shared therein declined to go on. And thus was undermined the necessary, laudable and good work which had been undertaken with such exertion and had taken so many years and had been discussed at so many meetings of the Nineteen and examined by all the Cham- bers, in and before its beginning, by so little an occasion as the re- turn of the f5,6oo, concerning which of a truth it may be said, that instead of shearing the sheep when they had wool, they were skinned at birth when they had no wool, and all this under the pretext that the patroons had no other design than to deprive the Company of the fur trade and charge the expenses to them, as has been heretofore mentioned. In order now to prove what a shameful slander this is, and on the contrary to show the diligence in the matter of colonizing the afore- said region of the late Godijn aforesaid in his own colony, in which the remonstrant shared and was included, and also what the re- monstrant himself has accomplished in his colony and what ex- penditures they together have made in face of the opjiosition they received, the following brief statement is given. In December 1630 they equipped a ship of about 150 lasts, named de Walvis, ballasting it with all kinds of materials, such as lime, brick and tiles, also put- ting on board four large horses, twelve cows with calf, also several boats for whaling, all kinds of ammunition, provisions and merchan- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 241 disc, and over 80 persons, costing all tog-ether, inehicHng the yacht dc Salm, of which mention will hereafter be made, over 50,000 gnil- ders, which indeed, is ten times more than the f5,6oo which in the be- ginning they received for their retnrns, upon which all their calum- nies were founded. With this ship and people, they, the remon- strants, took possession of, settled and peopled the fertile and well wooded island of Tortui^a, located on the northwestern side of His- panola, placing thereon over 25 able-bodied men, well fitted out, besides the peo])le^- of the Frenchman Francoys Konlaiit, and sev- eral negroes, supplied with provisions, arms, ammunition and other necessaries, besides proper instructions, all in accordance with the consent of the Chamber of Amsterdam, of date August 28, 1630, which was given for one -"oyage only. And although the remon- strants would afterwards in accordance with their recj^uest of March 15, 1632, very gladly have assisted and continued the work or con- sented that the Company should do so itself, they could by resolution of the 25th of the same month obtain no other action than that the said [second] voyage was refused them notwithstanding the Com- pany did not undertake it, and so this beautiful island fell into the hands of the English losing all that had been expended on it, scat- tering half the people and causing the rest to perish, for which dam- age they will seek redress at the proper time. With this aforesaid ship dc Walvis, they also in 163 1 took pos- session of the bay of the South River in New Netherland, occupy- ing the place of their colony with 28 persons engaged in whaling and farming, and made suitable fortifications, so that in July of the same year their cows calved and their lands were seeded and covered with a fine crop, until finally by the error of their coiiimis all the people and the animals were lamentably killed, whereby they suffered incal- culable damage, which damage the remonstrants attempted to repair in the year 1632 with the former ship dcii liuih'is and besought the Company to lend a helping hand, who neither by word nor deed would render any assistance but forbade them by resolution of April 26, 1632, to take with them more than 300 guilders worth of merchandise, for which they obtained about 200 beaver and otter skins, while they would have obtained much more from nations who " Haddc oock mede cenigh Volck oni te sctten aen 'f Rylandt van Tortugos in Wcst- Indien/dacr wy met sestigh Fraticcn ghccontracktecrt hadden/het sclve Eylandt voor ons fc houden als can Colonic onder dc 11. M. H. Staten ende West-Indischc Com- pagnie. We also had on board some people to land at the island of Tortuga in the West Indies, having contracted with sixty Frenchmen to hold the said island for us as a colony under the High and Mighty Lords the States General and the West India Company. De \'ries, Korte Historiaei, p. 95. 242 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY had never traded with the Company if they had had more merchan- dise, from which the Company would have reahzed the duty of one guilder per skin, which [profits] both now lose. And the most in- tolerable of all is, that after the remonstrants had given these 205 skins upon their arrival into the hands of the Chamber of Amster- dam that it might levy its duty on the same, this Chamber threw them among and mingled them with its own skins and also sold them with its own goods, contrary to the will of the remonstrants, just as if all the goods of the patroons were free booty or confiscated (who is so perfect, that he can bear all this wrong!), and still they must hear that they intend nothing else than at small expense to de- prive the Company of the furs. Furthermore, he, the remonstrant, in December 1630 [sent] the yacht de Salm, accompanied by the aforesaid ship den Walvis, to his * granted colony, the island du Sable, in order that this yacht, being supplied with people, provisions and all necessaries, might take pos- session of said island and settle it, since it was uninhabited and abandoned by the French, which yacht, to his misfortune, was cap- tured and brought into Dunkirk. What the remonstrant has further done towards the promotion of the population of his colony called Rensselaerswyck, on the North River of New Netherland, may be seen from his declaration of De- cember 2, 1630, submitted to the Chamber of Amsterdam, and so continuing from year to year, until in July 1632 he was pro- vided with people and animals enough to start five farms, which would have been done had not the Company by resolution of July 20, 1632, refused him carpenters, smiths and other mechanics, when these were not working for the Company, although he was willing to pay their expenses to the Company; this is quite too par- tial a policy, not only hindering him in his good undertaking, but doing so to the damage of the Company which would otherwise have had the benefit of the wages, while they on the contrary, according to the last letter written him from there, do employ his carpenters and others of his people in their service. The Company has never attempted to make room in their ships, according to the tenth article of the Freedoms, for the transporta- tion of animals and such like, only allowing him to place a few- calves on the upper deck, and they were all thrown overboard in the encounter with the Turks. The Company also prevented him from conveying his animals from the Manhattans to his colony, and most of them diecl from rough treatment and fhe like, ^ybjeb |05P he (^ho VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS means to recover from rhe Company. It has likewise happened lately that the director of New Netherland has held his people idle for a long- time at the Manhattans and would not let them travel farther up the river unless they took an unlawful oath, given him by the Chamber of Amsterdam, although these persons had already here taken the usual oath and had besides given bond and security to the satisfaction of the Assembly. The Company by the above resolution of July 20, 1632, also re- fused to give him any merchandise in that country to purchase the rest of his territory, notwithstanding his reasonable request, and by the same resolution declined to furnish his people with any provi- sions or victuals in exchange for grain, butter, cheese and the like with which they would pay, although their people would have suf- fered from hunger if his farmers had not supplied them with wheat and rye, ground in his mill (as the Company has none at that place) ; and what is worst of all and most to be regretted, instead of the servants of the Company being on good terms with the patroons and their servants, they on the contrary have appointed as commis at Fort Orange, situated in his colony, against the wishes of the remonstrant, a person who has publicly slandered the Company, has helped those sailing into that region from other kingdoms to buy the smuggled furs and is disliked by the savages, who complain that years ago he treated them cruelly, so that they will not deal with him but on the contrary try to affront him, to the Company's in- jury, as by way of revenge they have already burned the yacht de Bevcr which was anchored there, and according to rumor (as the remonstrant is informed by letter) they seem to have killed all the remonstrant's animals, horses, cows, sheep and hogs, apparently also on account of the hatred they bear towards him [the commis'] .■ This person is also highly antagonistic to the remonstrant, since he has been told what reports of him the remonstrant made during his administration, although he and others to whom the administra- tion was committed reported nothing but the truth. What trouble the remonstrant has to expect from this can be easily understood, for either his colony will be ruined by the savages in order to af- front the commis at Fort Orange or, if this does not happen through the savages, then the commis himself will do his best towards it. So the case stands thus, that probably the whole trade of Fort Orange will be lost to the Company and the remonstrant's colony will be destroyed without hope of redres,s, against which the i^eceg^ gary precautions should be taken, 244 NEW YORK STATE LIUKAKY All tliis strife is caused solely by the ()])])Onents of the coloniza- tion and of the patroons who, when the latter as a residt of the change had retired from the administration, obtained full power toi carry out all their plans (upsetting the existing order of things and calling home all the officials, who having no other occupation will spy out the land, this one on behalf of France and that one on behalf of England, as has already happened and as will hajipen again) ; it was even decided by resolution of March 25, 1632, with the advice of lawyers and counselors, despite the opposition of the patroons, to (le])rive them of the Freedoms and Exemptions which had been granted and given to them with so much difficulty by the Assembly of the Nineteen. Now the main cause of all these dififerences is nothing but the trade in furs or peltries found in that country and the question by whom it shall be conducted. The contrary minded maintain that it will be most profitable for the Company to have only the directors of the Company trade in furs, excluding all patroons, colonists and others. The patroons, on the other hand, maintain that this trade can be carried on, not [only] without loss to the Company, [but] in all cases, with less exj^ensc and more profit to the Company, by their servants than by those of the Company, and that they can make a profit and pay duty to the Company where the Company must suffer loss. /Vs to the first alternative, instead of this course being the most profitable for the Company, it is really true that it will bring- not profit but loss, considering that out of all New Netherland only 60,000 or 70,000 guihlcrs at the most can be obtained in returns, which by their methods will not be increased but diminished, as will be further shown. In order to get these 60,000 or 70,000 guilders, it is necessary that at least once a year a well equipped vessel l)e sent thither, sup]die(l with merchandise for trading, especially if the colonies were gone, since then the provisions for the employees in that country must be sent along from here. Hereto must be added that in case the vessel should perish, not only would all the trade for that year be lost but their people in that country would be in great danger of famine, and besides, that to suspend business even for one year would diminish the fur trade and perhaps divert it entirely. Moreover the fur trade in New Netherland is carried on, not in one place (as on the river of Canada), but what is much more costly, in many places, and these not only many convenient but also many in- convenient places far distant from each other, as the bay of the South River, 30 leagues from the Manhatans, not up the river, but VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS from bay to bay over the open sea. The Sankckans, a trading post on the South River, is in ad(Htion to the aforesaid 30 leagues, 35 leagues farther up the river, making 65 leagues from the aforesaid ManJiatans. Up the North River to Fort Orange is quite 40 leagues. To the north, up to the Slueps-haye^'^^ is- also fully 40 leagues, so that the distance for a single trip would be about 175 leagues going and as much returning, making 350 leagues for an entire jour- ney. Besides this, the furs are not all to be found at these places but are scattered about among many rivers and brooks, w^hich must be sailed up and down, sometimes 10 or 20 leagues, and the savages are at enmity with each other almost everywhere and do not allow each other to pass to and fro. Moreover, since it sometimes freezes three or four months continuously in that country, the rivers are closed, not only by storm and wind but also by ice, and all the trad- ing posts are cut off from the Manhattans, the place of rendezvous. All this being true and perhaps unknown to many, it follows of ne- cessity that these places must be i)rovided with forts, and also with sloops to fetch and carry goods to and fro from the places of ren- dezvous, or else that yachts or sl()0])s touch at these places and do the trading. It must also be taken into consideration that, the best season of the year being the winter time wdien most fur-bearing ani- mals are caught, these yachts and sloops would have to leave their trading posts and go to the place of rendezvous, so that instead of the aforesaid distance of 350 leagues, going and coming, at least 700 leagues would have to be covered in two journeys. And then there is the sailing back and forth to furnish each other with sup- plies and information of everything, in addition to the risk of perish- ing by water and, if they bi' not strongly entnigh manned, of being attacked on land by tlie savages (as they have attem])ted more than once). All this being well considered, it will be found, no matter how economically it may be managed, that the ship which must go with merchandise from the fatherland and return — not counting the interest, risk and ill usage — the garrison and fort at the Man- hatans, the garrison and fort at Fort Orange, the yachts and sloops for the trade on the South River and the northern regions, besides the sloops plying between, counting all the exi)enses of building, mounting, equipping, keeping up. manning and victualing, will cost so much that the aforesaid 60,000 or 70,000 guilders, which are tiie utmost to be expected thence, will come far short by many thousands ; Om dc noort tot acn de Slocps-baye. Sloc{'s-bayc was the Dutch name for Narra- gansett ]!ay, in Rhode Island. 246 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY besides they must also expect and withstand general uprisings of the savages ; all of which the remonstrant oflfers to prove and es- tablish and has often maintained for many years. But they would grant him no hearing and even accused him of doing it all for his own benefit in order to take away the trade from the Company, al- though he, as stated in the beginning, was the sole cause of this trade being restricted which formerly stood free and open. He argues that the nature of those regions being well examined, the case stands thus, that nothing can be accomplished there by poor people, who are like a dying plant or leaking roof, also that the rich and well-to-do will not go there themselves, but that a good work can be accomplished by the two, just as the blind can carry the crip- pled and the crippled can show the way to the blind, so the rich may stay at home and send their money thither and the poor may go and perform their work with the money of the rich. To this end free- doms and exemptions were needed in order to raise up patroons who should send out many laborers, as it appeared that the remonstrant and his' associates have done, and many others would have followed their example had they not been treated so indiscreetly and been forced to suffer loss, with loss also to the Company. But to return to the subject, in order to dispose of the objections of the contrary minded who may say that much more than 60,000 or 70,000 guilders could be gotten there annually, especially if the colonists who so defraud them were gone and if attention were devoted entirely to the benefit of the trade, it should be stated that the remonstrant gives much the highest figure, and that during the ten years that the Company has traded there, taking one year with another, there has never been nearly so much as this received, but ordinarily only 50,000 or 60,000 guilders. But instead of this being the fault of the colonists, the contrary appears; for instance durmg the two years when the late Mr Godijn and his people were trading in Szvanendael, the Company received from the South River througii their servants a no less quantity of skins than in former or later years, but he obtained his furs in addition to these by bartering with other tribes. This caused so much jealousy that the Company or- dered their director to send a commis there, which was done [with the result that the Company's servants], trading close by the people of Godijn, deprived him in one year of over 500 skins in Szvanendael alone, for which the Company is justly bound to pay, since they had never obtained more than 20 to 30 skins a year in that region before this colony was started. It is maintained with insuflferable imperti- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 247 nence that the Company has excluded all but themselves, not only from the fur trade, but even from the whale fishery, etc., just as if their High Mightinesses, having granted the Company the Guinea trade to the exclusion of all others, had not shut out themselves, but were alone allowed to send merchandise and to trade for gold through one or twO' commiscn, while the Company was obliged to pay for all the other expenses of forts and fitting out of ships. It is evident that many wish the patroons to found colonies to their own loss, and then to have [the Company] send a couirnis or " assist- ant," who under their sheltering wings and protection may buy in the furs at small cost and deprive the patroons of them, notwith- standing the fact that all the game and the free right of hunting within their territory has been granted to the patroons by the 23d'^^ article of the Freedoms. It is further to be considered that the Company, to protect them against attacks of the savages, must keep their forts, yachts, and sloops manned by many idle people, who must cost much more than the people of the patroons, since they send not idlers but laborers who in some degree must earn their bread and need but one comnns and " assistant " to do all the business for which the Company needs at least 25 persons; besides, the servants of the Company, serving for hire, are only seeking to make a good deal of money and then get away; they will not trouble themselves to make perilous jour- neys inland, because their pay goes on just the same. The patroons' people, on the contrary, having families of women and children, who after some time will become established there, try to make terms with the savages and, pushing far inland for their own profit, dis- cover much more than do those who only lie in garrison. So that it is far more profitable for the Company to have no expenses, turn over the trade to the patroons and draw a clear profit than to deprive the patroons of their privileges and on the other hand encumber themselves with the maintenance of forts, sloops, yachts and people, the which expenses, as before stated, amount to so much that they suffer loss where they otherwise might draw a clear profit. Besides this loss, which must be borne^ the colonies also will be ruined if they are shut off from the fur trade. The farms which now af- ford them sustenance will at the same time fail and all provisions must then be sent over from here as before at ten times the expense. To go on doing this, added to the loss, would be double folly, while on the other hand [everything would go well] if the trade were " Should be 22d. 248 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY granted to the patroons, who have money and means to send every- thing at their own expense, which right of trade, as stated above, was formerly with good intentions (though too soon for the time) fuHy granted to the poor people, who having no means had to be supplied by the Company with everything. Is it not better that the Company should draw a clear profit than make themselves trouble and loss? Are not the contrary minded well aware that their course will never increase the trade because the savages, who are now stronger than ourselves, will not allow others who are hostile and live farther away and have many furs to pass through their territory, and that this would be quite different if we had stronger colonies? Yes, that the Maqiiaas, who will not allow the French savages who now trade on the river of Canada and who live nearer to us than to them [the I'>ench] to i)ass through to come to us, might through persua- sion or fear sooner be moved to do so and that from these savages more furs could be obtained than are bartered now in all New Netherland? This is only one of many things, but should be well considered as it can be accomplished in no other way than by estab- lishing colonies. Do not the contrary minded comprehend that if they had not so unbearably treated the first patroons but had given them a helping hand, so that in place of such great loss they might have made a little profit, great numbers would have followed them? Do not these people know that they alone are the cause of the loss of the island TortHi^a and other places, and also that various islands in the West Indies, the east side of the South River, the Fresh River, the Saiikikaiis on the St)uth River, and also the Sackcnaincs, for all of which colonies were registered, were not settled because the founders, on account of these harsh proceedings, gave up and let the work go which would otherwise have had such great results? And is it not also certain that they alone are the cause that from the beginning the Company has lost so nutch in those regions and is still daily losing and causing others to lose, where on both sides they might have made large gains and have fared well, because they continually go against the stream, doing what they should leave un- done, fearing what they should wish for, blaming whom they should praise, envying whom they should pity, hindering whom they should help, and who by these proceedings have nothing else to expect, than to lose what they still have? All of this the remonstrant has kept secret until now, but having been solicited by resolution of the 19th inst. to make a statement VAN KENSSELAKR BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 249 of these grievaiiees, lie could not in good faith neglect to put the same in writing, in the shape of a complaint. Addressing himself first to the deputies from tlieir High Mightinesses, he prays them in all suhmission so to arrange this matter that the govern- ment of this country be not dej^rived of such a si)acious, beau- tiful and well situated territory for which other nations are so earnestly longing, having already settled near its boundaries on the east and west as well as on the north, which surely will happen if the course which has been taken for some years back be persisted in. but that, on the contrary, it may ilourish under the authority of their lligh Mightinesses and Uie direction of the Company and that to this end the populating for which their High Mightinesses made such special provisions by the 2(1 article of the charter of the West India Company may be duly promoted, those who labor zealously therein supported and continued, the conceded Freedoms and Ex- emptions with amplification of the same not only maintained but even in spite of all passion and chicanery enlarged and extended in so far as it can be done without loss to the Company in order that persons who have been disheartened may be again inspired to re- sume the work with courage, the patroons receive indemnification for all losses which they have suffered, what they have obtained by right enjoyed by them in rest and peace and, above all things, the spread of the Christian reformed religion promoted in those re- gions. Addressing himself then to the directors of the respective Cham- bers, the remonstrant urges them to so manage the atfairs of New Netherland that the Company, instead of continual loss, may re- ceive a vast annual income ; to examine the course pursued for some years and to charge the instigators of the same to draw up a com- plete statement showing in what way the Company can make a profit instead of proceeding blindly and passionately as heretofore. Further he prays the deputies of the Chamber of Amsterdam that they will be pleased to use their influence in their Chamber that no passionate persons be appointed as commissioners for that work, but only reasonable men who are in sympathy with the work and un- derstand their business, and to recall the commis of Fort Orange, who. is not only antagonistic to the remonstrant but of no service to the Company. And finally he prays the lords directors and representatives'''^ of the chief participants, in particular those of the Chamber of Am- " Assessorcs; i. e. associate directors representing the chief participants. 250 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY sterdam, to be pleased to defend him in the assembly of the chief participants against all calumnies and injuries which have been or may be spread against the remonstrant and his associates, notwith- standing their innocence. To all of which the remonstrant awaits the favorable resolution of the very honorable assembly. Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Jacob Albertsz Planck^"' March 4, 1634 Copy This day, the fourth day of the month of March in the year sixteen hundred and thirty-four, before mc, Simcn Ruttens, notary public admitted by the Court of Holland, residing in Amsterdam, and before the hereafter named witnesses, appeared and presented themselves Mr Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, as patroon of his colony situated on the North River of New Netherland called Rensselaers- wyck, of the one part, and Jacob Allerss.":: Plan'-k of this afore- said city, of the other part, both of which parties, known to me, the notary, declared that they had contracted and entirely agreed about the following things and conditions. First, tne aforesaid Jacob Planck acknowledges that he has bound and hereby does bind himself to the aforesaid Mr Rensselaer, to go and sail at the first opportunity to his aforesaid colony in New Netherland and Three to remain there for the period of three consecutive years, years '» which sliall begin and commence on the date of his arrival in that country; the aforesaid three years to be a fixed term and the said lacob Planck not to have the right to quit or leave except with the express will and consent of his aforesaid lord and patroon. And in case he should act contrary thereto, he shall compensate and pay his aforesaid patroon for all hindrance and damage which he may suffer thereby, pledging and mortgaging therefor all the goods, wares and effects which he shall have acquired in that country or brought with him, none excepted, submitting the same as well as his person to the constraint and real and immediate execution of all judges and courts. Secondly, that the aforesaid Jacob Planck shall hold in the afore- said colony the position of oMcer'''' and schout, as his aforesaid V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.32. Extract in V. R. B. Mss 38. ''^ Side heads in this document are in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. " Underlined in original. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS lord and patroon has already given and granted him the said office, according to the instructions heretofore made or still to be made by the aforesaid patroon, to which reference shall always be had. The aforesaid Jacob Planck has thereupon accepted and promised, as he hereby does accept and promise, to conduct and exert himself well and faithfully in the said office (which he grate- fully accepted) as becomes an upright and faithful officer and Officer and schouf'^ and as he ought to do, and moreover, as soon as schout- , . . , he arrives m that country, he must present himself to the director general of New Netherland, in order to take before him, for the behoof of his aforesaid lord and patroon, the proper oath'^''^ of fidelity conformable to the instructions and authorization oath given by the said patroon to the said director general, for which three years of service he, Planck, shall be entitled to the third part of the fincs^'^ received by the officer and which from Fines ^ii-t^g i^j^y levied, and in addition shall receive from the hands of the aforesaid director general a present of the A rapier sUver-platcd/'^'^ rapier with baldric and the hat with plume, with , . , . baldric which are m the latter's custody for the aforesaid patroonJ^ Thirdly, the aforesaid Planck has agreed, as it shall also be his duty, to exercise proper supervision over alP"" the men, farms. Supervision over qnimals and everything else that may have to be the farms, men, _ ^ o j and everything else done in that colony or at the Manhates in the iL'^rlZJ"' " "'-^"^e of the aforesaid patroon; also to keep an Keep record cxact rccord and accounf^^ of everything and and account and . < , , i r i report make report thereof by every opportunity, Seek in everything ^nd iu everything to seek the best advantage'^'^^ best advantage . . , , of patroon of the patroon as far as it is possible and feasible. Also on Sundays and other suitable days to perform ^"^^^ the duty of reader and to offer up the public prayers, for which he shall receive the twentieth penny, or one stiver out of every guilder, of the net proceeds or profit which the patroon I St out of every shall rcccivc yearly of all and everything, guilder of profit , . , . of the colony nothing cxcepted, of winch he shall send me Underlined in original. " ende daerenboven tot cen vcreerint^he uijt handen imndcn voorss Directeur Generael ontfangen den vcrsilvcrden Degen mclten dracghbandt, hoet ende pluymagie, die den voorss Hr Patroon onder hem heeft berustende. This refers to the silver-plated rapier and plumed hat sent July 20, 1632, for Rutger Hendricksz van Soest, which are mentioned in the memorandum to Director van Twiller, p. 204. The statement is not clear as to whether the objects were left in van Twiller's charge by Rutger Hen- dricksz on his return to Holland or had remained in van Twiller's custody from the time they were sent. 252 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY proper account ''^'"^ it l)eing understood that this inchulcs the sale or fiirnisliino- of the clothes and other necessaries which may be sold for the patroon to the farmers, also the increase of the animals, provided that the old ninnher must be maintained; there- fore, as soon as he, Planck, gets there, he shall take proper ac- count of everything and specify the same by inventory. Ex- cluded from this, however, shall be the profit which the patroon as well as he shall derive from the following- conditions. lM)urthly. the aforesaid Jacob Planck has consented to trans])ort Jacob Planck .or,, liimsclf with his SOU and one scrvanf^'^ thither and retnrn and live in that country with by the first sliip that gocs to Ncw Ncthcrland his son and sci vant , at his own expense ^^'^l'^''^ 'l^' ^I'^l^^ ^Q^IWC paSSagC, and this at his own expense and charge of going and coming; also, to .support himself there and provide himself with everything, nothing excepted, but the patroon shall do his best to obtain some work for him on the ship so that he may cross over for his board, and if he does not succeed therein, the patroon shall give him for the £30 to rianck three of them the sum of -^o guilders. Having with toward bis ex- ^ , . . o ^ o penses (jod's help arrived in that country, said Planck shall exert himself as much as possible and at the first opportunity move to the aforesaid colony and in the middle of the east side of Castle now West Island, on the river side, cause a suitable dwell- Dwelling to be erected ■ erCCtcd at his OWll expeUSC, but tllC at the expense of j. " pianck who will receive patroou sluiU contributc"'^^ lOO guilders to it [s worth* fLo"'''^'"^ Lipon condition that the building shall be valued at 200 guilders at least. The aforesaid patroon or his farmers must pay proper wages Farmers or patroon to the servant of the aforesaid Planck wdien he if"theremp[oy"' ^^^^"^^ ^6 employed in their service. Also to pro- him vide the grain, meal, bread, butter, milk or cheese which he and his men may need for their proper support (if they are supplied themselves), paying for the same as follows: for the Wheat and rye at f 2 a wheat and the ryc an average of two guilders sclicpcl ' butter 3t 6 st a lb 2 st a schepei for scliepcl, for the buttcr six stivers a pound, for the buttermilk one half stiver a mengel and for the cheese accordingly and for the grinding of meal two stivers a schepei. Further, of all kinds of grain, wheat, rye, barley, oats and others, which are grown in the aforesaid colony, after the men and animals Underlined in original. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS have been provided for, the farmers, without any fixed remunera- tion by the patroon, must turn over and dehver to lacob Plank, on proper receipt, the share which the patroon has in the said grain, of which grain he, Planck^ at his own expense and risk and full charge, may distill brandy, anisette or other spirits, or brew To distil brandy jjeer to be sold to the men of the Company or to and anisette and ... to brew beer at the savagcs, or do otlicrwisc therewith as he shall Ins expense thiuk fit. Said PkiHck ouglit uot to pay anything for the said grain, nor shall he have the right to charge the pa- troon anything for the purchase, or for charges of himself or his men, or for any expenses incurred in connection with the same; and of the entire proceeds, without any deduction from the afore- said grain, or from the amount realized or received for the same in the end, whether in money, merchandise or other returns (but Freight charges and freight cliargcs, iusuraucc and duties to the duties to be deducted Company to be deducted therefrom) one half shall go to the patroon and the other half to him; and if he has 1/2 to go to the patroon bread baked thereof, two thirds shall go to and 1/2 to Jacob planck , . 1 • i and his men. the patroou and one third to him on the Bread, 2/3 to the pa- abovC COuditioUS. troon and 1/3 to planck But he, lacob Planck, shall not have the right to engage in any private business for himself, on forfeiture as above. As to the share of the grain to which the farmers are entitled or which he shall buy at the Manhatcns or elsewhere from the savages, the patroon shall pay four guilders a mudde for rye, wheat or corn, and shall also pay one half of what it costs above that amount, pro- vided that the proceeds shall ,be divided as above, one half to the patroon and one half to him, Planck. Other expenses to be incurred in connection with the grain or t)therwise and which are not specified here, shall be ])orne half and half, except so far as the grain shall ])e leaked hito l)rea(l, which expense Planck shall bear entirely; on the contrary the draff and all other by-products and profits derived from the manure of cattle or hogs, shall be shared half and half. All that Planck himself, or for his men, shall consume in the way of the aforesaid brandy, spirits, beer, bread or other things, he shall pay for; the brandy at 20 stivers the Amsterdam kan and other goods accordingly. Further, the aforesaid Jacob Planck has ])romised as he does N. B. Not to hereby, not to trade in furs either for himself or trade in furs for others, directly or indirectly, contrary to the granted Freedoms on pain of the punishment and correction pro- 254 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY videcl therefor by the West India Company, but to regulate him- self in all matters according to the aforesaid Freedoms. The patroon shall buy two good muskets, one of which shall be paid for by him and the other by the said Planck and the owner- ship shall be half and half. And on these conditions and in this manner, the aforesaid lacob Planck has bound himself to the aforesaid patroon Rensselaer, promising to observe and fulfil faithfully all that is stated above with its implications and consequences, without anything contrary thereto being done either by himself or any one else, directly or indirectly, within or without the law, in any manner, under bond and submission of his person and goods, present and future, in that country, as is stated above. In good faith, with the consent of me, the aforesaid notary, this has been duly authenticated, one or more copies in debita forma to be delivered to each of the parties. Thus done in the aforesaid city of Amsterdam, at my, the notary's, house and office, in the presence of Anthony Martensss and Jan Stoffelsss as witnesses hereunto invited, who together with the aforesaid contracting parties have signed the original. Underneath was written: In Udeni et testimonium, rogatus et requisitus, and was signed, S\' Ruttens nots pub"^^. ss" Concordat haec Copia cum Originali Quod attestor infrascriptus publicus S: Imperiali: Curiaeqs Hollandiae authoritatibus Notarius Amstelodami residens, hac die 21 Aprilis A": 1634. [signed] /; vande Ven Nots Pub"''^ ss** 21 A": 1634. 4 Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Michiel Pauw'^^ March 10, 1634 Copy Whereas Cornelis van vorst, in the year 1633, contract turned over three cows (two of which had been delivered to him by Bastiaen lansss Crol by order of Director Pieter minuict and the T» V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f-sab. Van RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS ^55 third by Andries Hudden from the farm of F*" Bijlevelt) to the new director, Wouter van Tzviller, for the behoof of the colony of Mr Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the said Mr Rensselaer and M. Paauw, as patroon of Pavonia and for his director^*^ Cornelis van Vorst, for reasons them hereunto moving, have contracted and agreed as follows : that the contract between Director van Twiller and Cor- nells van Vorst shall both, qualilate qua, be executed and held firm and the exchange be accepted; but that an estimate shall be made of how much the less the three cows which Cornelis van Vorst received in return were worth at the time of the last delivery than the three cows which Director van Twiller received, without any further claim on either side being made regarding the past trans- action, which difference in value shall be charged to Mr Rens- selaer on condition that the money for the three cows purchased by van Vorst shall be turned over to Mr Rensselaer ; and, in case Cornelis van Vorst has not [made] the payment there, that Director van Twiller as well as van Vorst be requested to make a statement thereof, signed by both of them, and send this to the respective patroons by the next ship. Done at Amsterdam, lo March 1634. Was signed in the several hands well known to me, the notary : M Paauiv, K V Rensselaer. Concordat haec Copia cum original]. Quod attest'', infra- scriptus Publicus S. Imp\ Curieque Hollandie authoritatibus No- tarius Amstel"^\ residens, hac die ij A prills A°. 16^4. [signed] /; vande Ven Nats Pub. A". 1634 4 Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Cornelis Teunisz van Breuckelen^^ April 5, 1634 I, the underwritten, Cornelis Theunissen van Breuckelen,^^ about 30 years old, acknowledge by this my signature, that I have entered the service of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, patroon of the colony called ^ M. Paauw als patroon van Pavonia voor syn Directeur Cornelis van Vorst. In Rensselaerswyck, the title of director for the chief agent of the colony was not used till the arrival of Brant van Slichtenhorst, in 1648. " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.27. *2 His full name was Cornelis Anthoniss van Schlick, or as it was later spelled, van Slyck; in the present work as well as in the account books among the Rensselaerswyck 256 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARV^ Rensselaerswyck lying on the North River of New Netherland, and this for the period of three years commencing with my arrival there in the aforesaid colony, to help my aforesaid patroon or him who in his stead shall have the direction or administration there, during the aforesaid period in all diligence and faithfulness in carpentering, hricklaying, farming or such other work as I shall be ordered to do or be capable of doing, without distinction of work, and that I will not engage, without the consent of my afore- said patroon according to the Freedoms granted him by the Chartered West India Company, in any fur trade or obtain furs by gift or barter, upon forfeiture of all my goods and even on pain of peremptory correction touching my person or goods, and this for the sum of 180 guilders a year, to be paid to me or my order there or here on proper settlement of my account, provided that if possible the aforesaid patroon shall procure passage for me in the ship which is being fitted out and pay my board at six stivers a day and besides making me a present of 25 guilders for my passage going and coming, which I acknowledge that I have received, with- out de:Iuction from my wages, and if within the aforesaid period of three years I quit his service without his express consent, he shall not be bound to pay me a single penny of all that I have earned and I nevertheless be held to satisfy him for the remaining time. I also bind myself under all such regulations and instruc- tions as my aforesaid patroon has already made or shall cause to be made hereafter or which shall be made in his name, to regulate myself accordingly, under penalties and punishment thereto at- tached, it being understood that over and above the 180 guilders, I shall have also free board, and in case the patroon or his agents shoukl not be satisfied with my service, they shall be free to dis- Mss, he is frequently referred to as Broer Cornclis. O'Callaglian, History of New Netherland, 1:434, erroneously includes Cornells Teunisscn 7'aii Breuckelen among the settlers who sailed in 1631, and on p. 439 gives Cornclis Antlionisscn van Slyck, alias Broer Cornelis, the first patentee of Katskill, 1646, among the settlers of 1641. The identity of the two men is clearly established by the fact that in the account books appears but one Cornelis Teunisz van Breuckelen and that this man's account, running through different ledgers from Aug. 12, 1634, to May i, 1661, contains among other items charges for rent at 500 guilders a year from .\ug. 28, 1652, to Aug. 28, 1658, which are sti|)ulated by the lease jirinted on p. 752-53, which is signed Cornelis Anthonisen van Schlick. On May i, 1661, Cornelis Teunisz van Breuckelen was indebted to the colony to the amount of 4337 guilders, 10 stivers, and the same sum is charged against him in a list of debtors of 1674. The name van Slyck appears in the account books but twice, in 1664 and 1666, in connection with an account for beer. An entry in Proceedings of the Commissioners or Magistrates, 1676-80, in the Albany County clerk's office, under date of Jan. 2, 1677, ordering the constables of Albany to take charge of the estate of Broer Cornelis, shows that Cornelis Anthonisz van Schlick, from Breuckelen, died in 1676. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS charge me before the expiration of the aforesaid three years at any time they please. All this in good faith and in witness of the truth I have signed this together with jacoh Dircxssz vogel, formerly baker, who offers himself as surety for the aforesaid Cornells Theunissz, in Amsterdam, this fifth of April sixteen hun- dred and thirty-four. Was signed : Jacob Dircxssen vogell, Cor- nelis thonissen. Endorsed : Received from the hands of Kiliaen van Rensselaer according to the contents of the instrument written on the other side of this sheet, as a present for the passage going and coming, the sum of 25 guilders, this 5th of April 1634, in Am- sterdam. 10 RD at 50 stivers f25 — and was signed: Cornells Thonissen. Underneath was written : Also received from the hands aforesaid the sum of five guilders in order that I may equip myself the better with axes, adzes, trowels and other tools which will not be deducted from my wages. Done as above. 2 RD at 50 stivers f5 — and was signed: Cornells Thonissen. [signed] /. v.^^ Further contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Michiel Pauw^ April 13, 1634 This day, date underwritten, the undersigned have entered into further agreement, to wit: that all the animals, whether horses or cows, old or young, which from now on and for six consecutive years shall be offered for sale in New Netherland, shall be bought of the Company as well as of private individuals, whether residents or strangers, according to this instruction and commission, which must be exhibited therefore wherever it is necessary, and this to be done for the profit and service of each of the contracting parties, half and half ; each promising in good faith not to deceive or take advantage of the other but sincerely and in good faith, whenever any animals shall be bought, to give the other a half share and let the same be divided by lot, with the understanding that herein are not included such animals as before the delivery of this instrument may have been bought of the director general for one or the other, or those concerning which the aforesaid Rensselaer is negotiating with Wolffert Gerritssz. In testimony of good faith, both parties Joost van de Ven, notary public at Amsterdam. " V. R. B. Mss. Letter Book, £.54. 258 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY have signed this also (the original of which remains in the custody of me, the notary) the 13th of April 1634 in Amsterdam. Jta attestor qui retro [signed] /; vande Ven Nats Pub. ^3 A" 1634 Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Lubbert Gijsbertsz van Blaricum**^ April 15, 1634 On the terms hereafter specified, Lubbert Ghijsbertss, 33, years old, from Blaricum in the Goeylant/^ has freely and advisedly entered the service of Kiliaen van Rensselaer^ patroon of Rensselaerswyck, to betake himself with his wife and three children at his own ex- pense to the aforesaid colony by the ship that is now being made ready by the West India Company (to sail to New Netherland with God's help), provided that his aforesaid patroon shall pay and sat- isfy the Company and be reimbursed as hereafter described, which said service shall last the period of three consecutive years from the time of his arrival in the aforesaid colony, without right on his part to quit the said service before the expiration of the said period on forfeiture of all his estate and property and under bond of his person and what is further required by law, during which time he shall make his residence in the aforesaid colony as a free man, unless the patroon decide with his advice and consent to transfer him to the Manhatas or elsewhere, and shall have liberty to choose his place of residence with the advice and consent of the aforesaid patroon or his agents where he can most conveniently perform his work, namely his trade as a wagon maker or wheelwright, for which he shall take all the necessary tools with him from here at his own expense. He shall not be allowed to work for any one else so long as the patroon or his agents have work to give him, either for him- self or for others, everything at the prices for which the former and present wheelwrights have made and furnished the same, but if it happen that they have no work to give him, either wagon making or farming, he shall be allowed to work for other people. The M V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.28. Same as Gooiland, a district in the southeast part of the province of North Holland. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS aforesaid patroon guarantees that within the period of three years aforesaid he will order him to make or buy from him at least 12 wagons, good and substantial for their money, for the sum of 30 guilders apiece; the aforesaid patroon shall further cause to be fur- nished to him out of his earnings and at proper prices grain, butter or cheese produced in his colony, if there is a sufficient supply, pro- vided that proper proportion be kept with respect to the work for • which the patroon shall wish to employ him aside from wagon mak- ing, whether carpentering, farming or anything else. The aforesaid patroon gives him permission to live with one of his farmers, but at his own expense as to board, as before stated, and on condition that he prepare and put in order his shop and sleeping rooms in or next to the said dwelling in such a way that the farmer shall not be inconvenienced by them; or otherwise, he shall be allowed to sow two or three morgens with hemp, linseed, colza or other seed, also at his own expense and profit, and not pay the patroon more thereof than the just tenth of the full crop and this as long as he serves as wheelwright and no longer. The aforesaid patroon shall also pay him in advance the sum of 50 guilders for his equipment and in order to provide himself with the proper tools, be- sides a large firelock of which the patroon will bear the expense and which he, Lubbert, will be allowed to use and at the end of his service return to the patroon, in the same way as he shall be obliged to make good in money or labor all that the patroon shall advance to him before, in or during the voyage, as well as in that country, or shall pay in his stead to the West India Company or others, in such a way however that the patroon shall not be liable otherwise than as before stated. The aforesaid Lubbert shall have no right to trade in any otter, beaver or other skins, on pain of forfeiture and punish- ment therefor provided by the West India Company. The afore- named patroon promises, however, that as soon as he shall erect the fourth farm in the aforesaid colony, he will make him, the said Lub- bert Gysbertsss, farmer thereon on the same terms as the other farmers, more especially the terms of the contract made with Gerrit de Reux. But [in counting] the farms [those] about which the pa- troon is negotiating with IVulffcrt Gerritsen with a view to [his] moving from the Manhatans up the river shall not be included. The aforesaid Lubbert Gysbertss^ shall, however, at the same time exer- cise his trade as wheelwright for the accommodation of himself and others, and as to what he shall earn thereby, like the grain, one half shall go to the patroon and the other to himself. 26o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY The aforesaid Lubbert Ghijsbcrtssa shall be obliged to respect and obey the said patroon or those whom he may appoint, as faithful subjects are bound to obey their lords and magistrates, with regard to the instructions and regulations already made in the said colony of Rensselaerswyck or to be made hereafter. All this in good faith ; for greater security this has been signed by the aforenamed patroon and Lubbert Ghijsbertsss on the fifteenth of April in the year sixteen hundred and thirty-four. Was signed * in the several hands, Kiliacn van Rensselaer, Lubbert Ghysbertsss. Lower was written : in my presence as witness, and was signed, J : vande Ven, notary public. I Contract between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Hendrick Conduit van Coninghsbergen^^ April 15, 1634 Contract made and entered into by Kiliaen van Rensselaer as pa- troon of his colony called Rensselaerswyck, with Hendrick Con- duit van C oninghs-ber gen, 32 years old, as farmer on a farm to be established on the west side of a river to the north of the mill creek^^ on the slope of the clay hill,^'^ being about the middle of Castle, now called West Island, which farm shall be called Godyns-Burgh, this 15th of April 1634, in Amsterdam. First, the aforenamed hendrick Conduit shall promise under oath and on forfeiture of his stipulated wages and his property there, not to trade in furs, specially otter and beaver skins, nor to acquire the same by way of present or in any other way, without the express consent of his aforesaid patroon. The aforenamed patroon shall provide him, Hendrick Conduit, with the following animals, if he can procure them, as soon as he shall take the third farm in hand, counting that of Rutgert Hen- drickssen called Rensselaers-burgh, as the first, that of Gerrit de Reu.v, wdio is now on de laets-burgh, as the second and that of Hen- drick Conduit, called Godyns burgh, as said above, as the third, it being understood that the farms about which the patroon is negoti- ating with Wol ff crt Gerritssen with a view to [his] moving up above from the Manhatas, are not included [in this number]. And from the time of his arrival in the said colony till his, the " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.zgb. Meulen kil; the Normans Kill. kieybergh. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 261 third, farm shall be erected, he must help other farmers or do such other work as the patrooii or his agent shall direct, on condition that he shall receive 150 guilders a year in addition to his board, but as soon as the buildings are under cover and the farm is ready to commence work, he shall receive 180 guilders a year till the shares begin, and as a start be furnished with three or four horses, as many cows and in addition sheep and hogs according to circum- stances. He shall further have for his assistance, if they can be obtained, two men and a boy, for whom are proposed Cornclis thcun- isss van Breuckelen, carpenter and mason, who must do farm work when he is not otherwise employed, also one of the men whom Ger- rit dc Reus has brought into the country, or one of the men of Roe- loff janssen, if the same will stay, or otherwise a negro, or the serv- ant of Officer lacob Alhertsss Planck, and this at the expense of the patroon for the period of one year from the time that he shall begin to draw the 180 guilders, which payment of 180 guilders shall not continue for longer than one year ; from which time on and for the period of four consecutive years, not leaving on pain of for- feiture and under bonds as above, the aforesaid Hendrick Conduit shall receive no wages, but the wages and board of the men and the boy and the house servants, as well as all other expenses of whatever nature, the damage and loss of animals, wear and tear of wagons, plows, in fine, all and everything, shall be paid during the aforesaid four years, half and half, and be deducted from the common fruit, crops, milk, butter, cheese and increase of stock, and the balance and gain shall be evenly divided between the patroon and Henrick Con- duit. With this understanding, that the patroon may take at his option the animals apportioned to henrick Conduit at the rates here- tofore fixed by the West India Company, and the grain at sucli prices as those of the Manahatas are obliged to furnish grain to the Company for. And every two years, an inventory shall be take i of the stock and what shall be found in addition to the number de- livered to him, is included in the aforesaid condition. But, if the number shall have decreased, the said henrick Conduit must try to raise again so much stock that he attain the former number and shall not be allowed to derive any profit till the original number is restored. The said Hendrick Conduit shall raise as many shee;:) and hogs as possible, and those which he sells or the amount which he receives for them, shall in the same way be divided half and half. At the time that the aforesaid partnership begins, an exact list 262 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY and inventory shall be made of the grain in the field, or in the houses or barracks, also of the live stock, furniture and household goods, butter and cheese, grain, meat, bacon, wagon and plow, and further of everything else that shall be on hand and belong to the patroon in particular, which shall again be done at the end of four years, when the patroon must get back as much as he has supplied, or the value thereof according to the valuation placed upon them as above. As to the passage across, the patroon shall if possible seek to ob- tain permission for the said Hcndrick Conduit to earn boatswain's wages, but if this can not be done, the patroon must pay for board and henrick Conduit shall receive no monthly wages. But the transportation of the servants, the patroon charges himself with, while Henrick Conduit must take care of the calves which he may send and the farm implements which he will send over by this ship. Henrick Conduit shall distribute the manure of the animals over the land to the best advantage and if necessary mix it with sods*^ and so increase the heap. The patroon shall provide Henrick Conduit with a good firelock, costing f 11:10, which sum Henrick Conduit shall pay the patroon at the end of his term and keep the firelock. If (contrary to our hope) there be no prospect of obtaining ani- mals to establish the aforementioned farms, hendrick Conduit shall not be obliged to serve longer than one year for the aforesaid 150 guilders a year, but the patroon shall try to get him employed on fair terms on the farm of Bijlevelt at the Manahatas, provided he advise the patroon in time. All that is stated above, the aforesaid Hcndrick Conduit by true and manly words promises faithfully to fulfil and accomplish, thereto binding his person and goods, movable and immovable, pres- ent and future, submitting all of them and the choice of them to the control of all laws, courts and justices, in good faith, witliout guile or deceit, in witness whereof the contracting parties have signed this with their own hands, this 15th of April of the year 1654, in Amsterdam, and was signed in the several hands, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer^ Hendrick Conduit. Lower was written: In my pres- ence as witness, and was signed, /.• vande Ven, notary public. ^ plaggen; heather or peat sods, sometimes used in the Netherlands for compost heaps. ut I am sorry that the savages to the south are so rebellious. They ought to be attended to or they will give others a bad example, but yet this should be done with great and Christian discretion. Concerning the animals bought by me from Minuit and Bijle- veldt I have this to say, that I have perfectly agreed with Mr Paauzu althoug-h I had the most right, as it was done with the con- sent of the Company. Minuit and Bilcvclt did not deceive me al- though matters did not go just right. Minuit says that he offered them to Mr Paauzv and on his refusal sold his animals to me, but Mr Paauzv appears to be ignorant of this. Bijlevelt had given 110 orders to Andries Hudde, zvho neverthe- less sold the one cozv ^o' Cornells van Vorst, so I did not find it ad- visable to dispute zvith Mr Paauw hut sought to have him for a friend, especially since he had greatly injured your cause zvithP Mr Coenraets and the others. Therefore we have made such an agree- ment in regard to these three cows as appears by the enclosed copy No. 8. And we made also the following agreement, No. 9, that 2" om U met looden schocnen nacr te gacn; literally, to follow you with leaden shoes, to follow you cautiously. c our ant. ^ Underlined in original. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS all the animals that shall be for sale in that country shall be bought in by your honor on our mutual account, except those which before the receipt or delivery of this contract No. 9 shall have been bought in or engaged by your honor, everything as stated in the said con- tract which is to remain in force for six ye'ars, and I in all sin- cerity request that it may be observed, as I have voluntarily (al- though for the reasons before mentioned) agreed thereto. We can not limit your honor in prices, but it seems to me the Company formerly wrote to Director Minuict and the council about them, so that he, and afterwards CroU, by the Company's orders bought up all the animals that were for sale, half for Mr Paauw and half for me, at the same price, so that it is sufficiently known and cus- tomary. I hear that private parties are buying animals. The sellers have no consent for this from the Company, as Mr Paauzv and I have, for their stock is the offspring of the Company's animals, unless the Company has since given other orders unknown to me. With regard to the animals that you may henceforth deliver to us from your farm, we can not well fix the price here, because there is so great a difference in quality and age ; for horses rated at fi2o if good, your honor may charge us fi5o; for cows rated at f8o, f95 or fioo; and so in proportion; and those your honor buys from others, at cost price according to your honor's letter. Referring again to the three cows, namely the two of Minuyt and one of Bij level t, since I now have the claim against them of Mr Paamv in regard to nondelivery (and as our agreement does not concern them), be pleased to send over to mc the resolutions which the council made respecting it, with the proofs of CorncUs van Vorst, who says that he bought the cozu belonging to Bijlevelt from Andries Hudden for f6p: — for I have not yet paid Bijlevelt for it but Minuit has deducted his amount from zuhat he owed meP Further Bijlevelt appeals to the contract made with me, that he is treated unfairly by having f5o deducted just for the chickens and the garden, as the agreement will show, which I send your honor enclosed as No. 10. In his presence I sent for the skipper Jacob Janssen Hes, who said that there were other things, and that the contract, signed by us both, was exhibited in the council. Be pleased therefore to have an abstract of this resolution made and certified. Bijlevelt says that the chickens were given as boot. The contract does not say so. Moreover the boot must be paid over as well as the goods purchased. As to Mr Paauzv, since he has three Underlined in original. 276 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY other animals in place of these, the difference can not amount to much and the appraisal should be made on the basis of the value at the last delivery, that is, the time when your honor delivered the three substitutes to him. As to the farm of Bijlevcldt, I see that your honor has it worked by one farm hand and one negro, which may well be done and it still yield profit. In case the old mare has not died and is unfit for work, she may be kept for breeding. This farm is very destitute of horses and has had too much ill luck but is still well provided with cattle. Calves might be raised on this farm and then sent up the river. If two horses and two cows were left, the land could be well enough worked with them (that is, what has been cultivated before) or outside help could be obtained. As to the farm of Notchnan, I have practically possession of that also for the following reasons ; in the first place, by virtue of the right of Gcrrit dc Reiix who rented it as the other farmers ; he has had the use of it and paid the first instalment of 100 guilders and ceded all his rights to me according to the enclosed deed No.ii. Further I bought of him all his surplus cattle, [later giving] an additional consideration of f5o for a cow in place of a heifer, and have paid him for the same, according to the enclosed bill of sale and receipt No. 12, so that now all the animals that remain, and about which there can be any question, are those that properly be- long to the farm, to wit: 4 mares with colt, 4 cows, 2 heifers (in- stead thereof he delivered 5 cows and i heifer, for which I gave him an additional f5o), 4 hogs, there still remaining for the Company to deliver 2 hogs. In place of 6 sheep which he was to leave for me on the farm, he paid Notelman f6o cash, all shown by the receipt and account herewith enclosed as No. 13. The agreement made with Notchnan is that I shall keep for my- self all the animals belonging to the fami as well as the surplus of the same, but he is permitted to retain the farm for himself and work it with other animals, such as he may buy elsewhere — see his letter of January 15, 1632, enclosed here No. 14, which your honor will please send back to me — so that the animals belong to me and the farm to him. With regard to the animals which he re- ceived thereon, he must account for them and for those bred from them ; and since he has made use of the same in his own service (although he suffered much loss which I can not help), he must give me satisfaction therefor. The number that he received can be found in No. 12 and No. 13. In Oct. 1631, belonging to the farm not belonging to the farm VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 277 4 mares, 3 of those first sent, one of those last sent, all with foal 5 cows, 3 of those sent, 2 four year olds raised, with calf 1 heifer, May 1632, two years old 6 hogs, 2 of I year, 2 of year, 2 that the Com- pany has yet to deliver 6 sheep, for which Notclman^^ paid him f6o casri 2 heifers I young" steer I stallion colt This, with those bred since October 163 1, is all that I can claim from him; and according to what I hear, the farm is not well pro- vided, so that they can not deliver the old number. This will turn out badly. He has used both the farm and the animals and treated the horses very badly, so that they have died. On the other hand I must pay 100 guilders yearly. Reus having paid for one year. And then there are coming to me the wagons, plows and whatever was sold with the animals by the Company. Now to make out the account, there must first be deducted such of the aforesaid animals as he has delivered to me. Then he must be paid fioo a year, there being due to me in return the f6o received for the sheep. Further [must be counted] what the wagons, plows, etc., that are now there, may be worth more or less than they were at the time [he received them]. As to the delivery of butter and grain to the Company, that comes from the land and off the farm and not from the animals. Again, the animals of the foregoing number which are still left [on the farm] must also be turned over and delivered to me, giving me a reasonable remuneration for their work and increase in age. As to the rest, those which have died, there comes the dispute that, deducting those which he has delivered, he ought first of all to make the [number of animals on the] farm complete just as he received it ; all that then remains is that I maintain that the in- crease should be greater than the loss by death, that is, from ordi- nary causes and not from misuse. And in this way we shall be able to settle with each other, but otherwise not. The Company will also claim the two horses and two cows, which must be delivered to them, or at least their cash equivalent, and it must therefore be considered whether Notelman has fared well or This should probably be de Reux. 278 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ill on the farm. If he has prospered, he can not refuse to make good my loss and to deliver the full number of all the animals with a reasonable amount of offspring. If your honor can not make terms with him, let him in my behalf put the farm in your hands and above all take care that he shall devise some means to complete the number [of animals] required and make an estimate of the grain and implements that are on the farm. We may then try to do business here ; but I prefer to have it done there, for here I would not get much from him. This being done, your honor can issue an order in my name, that his farm and that of Bijlevelt shall be worked in my interest by a foreman and a boy or a negro and the animals which can be dispensed with may be sent up the river. Since the land is overworked and poor, I have proposed to the lords commissioners to let it lie fallow for some years, leaving there some foals and calves, which by that time will attain their growth, and in the meantime to pay the rent as before and to deliver as much of my grain at the market price as my neighbors do. They found this not unreasonable, but said that the manure must stay on the farm, to which I replied that it was better for the land to lie fallow than to put the manure on and take it out twice over by farming, but that the young beasts should stay on it. So if they do not write to your honor about it, you can arrange with the council that the Com- pany's interests shall not be prejudiced and that I may do with my own as seems to me most expedient. It may be that the farm of Notebnan is in such a bad condition that I must reject it, then I must have back again the fioo I paid on account of the first instal- ment, also [return] the surplus animals bought from Gerrit de Rcux and let Notelman do with them as he pleases. Yet I think it very advisable to hold on to the farm if it can in any way be done with profit or even appearance of profit. It will be of service to me, in that I can in time set a man over it, who could take charge of my affairs at the Manhatas and in the council, which will be most necessary in case they should recall your honor. Therefore do not let the farm go. Your honor writes indeed in general that the increase [of ani- mals] has been good, but not how many nor where they are. I have not been able to get the information from the Company and now it is too late to make request for it ; be so kind as to do as much as this with the assistance of Jacob Planck and compare the in- voice of the animals bought from Miimict, Bijlevelt and de Reux, VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 279 with the animals on the two farms of Nottelmaii and Bijlevelt, de- ducting those that have died, adding the increase and where they are, and keeping a hst and account of this in future. The exchange of the three young horses bought from Minuict at fi20 for an old mare, valued also at fi20, about which your honor writes me, must in no wise go through, for I am too well provided with old horses. I would rather have young ones; and if I should have two less than otherwise it would also be to my injury in respect to the contract made with Mr Paauiv. I hear also that the mare which your honor would give me in exchange is very old indeed. Rather than lose these three horses, for I suppose your honor has kept them, I would pay your honor twice, yes, three times over for their keep. I am surprised that you propose this to me, as it conflicts directly with the memorandum given to your honor, where I have written on the margin, N. B. i stallion, thrown in 1630, bought from Minuit; this was to be for your honor provided you gave me for it some colts, thrown in May 1632, from which it is plain that I would rather have colts than horses considering their prices, for I can raise them at small expense, having grass enough in the sum- mer and in the winter hay for only the work [of getting it in]. Also your honor writes that on the farm of Minuit one cow has died and another has been bitten by a snake and has died also. I can not quite understand whether those that have died belonged to the general stock of the farm or to my own cattle, since these were not separated but were in the common herd when I bought them for your honor and myself from Minuit. It seems therefore that we should share the risk of loss by death, as well as the profits of the increase, unless your honor take the position (which I do not know) that the animals belonging to the farm were recognizable and the surplus, sold to me, also recognizable, and that of my recog- nizable cattle the aforesaid two have died. I have dwelt on this question so long because it will prejudice me in the contract of half and half made with Mr Paauw. Therefore do me the favor to leave me my three young horses, and by substituting others for, the two dead cattle let me keep the same number that I bought. I am willing to pay your honor as much money as you shall wish for their keep and the loss by death, for I must have cattle, all the more be- cause I bought them for my colony and made the contract w'itli Mr Paauiv chiefly on your account, so as not to have him against you. You can have no idea how he can hinder or help you ; I notice it [by comparing] how it was before, and how it is now since 28o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY the contract. I may not write here all I know about it, since we are now agreed. It is not well to have him for an opponent; he is too clever. With these three horses and two cows and some from the farms of N oottclman and Bijlcvelt, I can establish a third farm in my colony, since there are cattle enough up there to provide two farms. I made a contract for this with Hcndrick Conduit, whom they call Sivager,"^^ but he repented of the bargain and has escaped me; I send your honor a copy of this contract enclosed under No. D, given to Jacob Planck, who will show it to your honor. In place of this Hendrick Conduict, I can employ a person from your honor's farm about whom your honor and also he himself wrote me, since herewith are going three farm hands whom your father has hired for you, according to the enclosed contract ISlo. 15, so that your honor can probably do without him. I will give him the same terms that Hcndrick had. lie may build the farm house on the place appointed or near Fort Orange. I have also hired a carpenter,^*^ who is also a mason and understands farming. But he has not put in an appearance and the last lighter sails at noon today. There are still farm hands over there in the country who were trans- ported at my expense. They must serve me when I want them. In case Roeloff Jansz satisfies your honor and your foreman remains, you may give him the third farm, before named, on the same terms as Hendrick Conduit. Furthermore, regarding Wulffcrt Gcrritsse or his son, who are very willing to go up the river, your honor can arrange with them to use half or two thirds of Castle Island (which contains 136 mor- gens) since I neither can nor may pass by Brandt Pielen, who lives with Rutger Hendricksen and has brought his farm into good con- dition and I have no reason to displace him. I find it every way advisable to deal with Wulffert or his son, as I have also said to Jacob Planck; and see to it that you pay him for his cattle out of the indemnity of the Maqnaas skins, since the Company can lay no claim to these or at the most claim no more than the duty of one guilder per skin. And in case your honor or Jacob Planck can not entirely agree with him, let it go until our meeting, as he intends to come home, telling him that we will cer- tainly come to an agreement with each other here. I should like to have his cattle as if they were excepted from the contract with ''^ Swager, at the present day, means brother in law; in 17th century Dutch, it is frequently used in the sense of son in law. Cornelis Teunisz van Breuckelen. I VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 28l Mr Paauw. If he used half of the 136 morgens, it would be 68 morgens; the ^3 are over 90 morgens. That is quite enough for farm and pasture land ; the hay they would have to get from outside the island, from the mainland or from the upper islands. I shall hardly have time to write to Wulffert. Do what your honor can and do not give up dealing with him, in order that I may obtain the cattle. Your honor recommends Brant Aartsen^'^ to me. That would have been well had I known how things stood with my cattle which I feared were dead, but now it is too late; therefore I have agreed for the present with Jacob Planck, according to contract No. 16 here enclosed, which your honor will please preserve, since he has a duplicate of it. Please to administer the oath to him as officer and have him select at least three schepens, who shall take the oath be- fore him; then he can convene them and hold court. For this I have given him two books, namely, Damhoiiwcr on Criminal pro- cedure and the Ars N otariatus. But I am disappointed in him; there is not as much in him as I thought. However, I have engaged him; I hope that he will turn out better. It is best that he should not have a large salary and should go at his own expense. Your honor must give him some instructions and cause him to make care- ful notes of the farms of Notehnan and Bijlevclt and also of the cattle, and let him settle with the people, but subject to my approval, since some have received money here. N. B. I find by the Company's books that I am charged for much provisions and merchandise, which my people are said to have ob- tained. If they go on in this way they will soon eat me up. Some are there at my expense as to board, others not, so that a distinction must be made. I wish that henceforth none of my people shall at their own request receive a stiver's worth from the Company and have it charged to my account. But those who want anything may apply to Jacob Planck, the officer, and let him apply to your honor or the respective commiscn, who can give him what he needs upon receipt, so that I may know how the matter stands. I see that Roe- loff Janssen has grossly run up my account in drawing provisions, yes, practically the full allowance [even] when there was [enough in] stock.^^ I think that his wife, mother and sister and others must have given things away, which can not be allowed. He complains that your honor has dismissed him from the farm and your honor Brant Aertsen van den SHchtenhorst , who later plays an important part in the history of the colony. N. de R. jac genoechsacm t'i'olle rantsoen alsscr voorract gewccst is. 282 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY writes me that he wanted to leave it. As to the wagons, plows, etc.. which are needed on my farm, and also on yours and those of IV olf- fert Gerritsen and others on the Manhatans, employ my wagon maker Lubbert Gijsbcrtssen; he can send them down on sloops or he can come down for a time in order to make them at the Manhatans. Jan Evertss Bout is going thither also ; he has offered me his services, but the shirt is nearer to me than the coat. Mr Paauw re- quests that your honor will keep on good terms with Cornclis van Voorst and that your honor will help him as much as can be done without damage to the Company so that these local dissensions^^ may finally cease. 1 trust that the instructions which are to be issued through the efforts of Mr Coenraets will not be conceived in such hostile spirit^'* [toward the patroons] as the preceding. The 51 whole and 14 half beaver skins coming from my colony, have been handed to me, although with protest. I hope that the pa- troons by [the time] the next [ship sails] will have the free trade in furs, even [in exchange] for merchandise, unless some restric- tions are added. Their High Mightinesses have appointed to settle this question Messrs Arnhem, Weede and Donck, who well under- stand the rights of the colonies and the population and that the first adventurers ought to be favored in order to tempt others to follow. We find it not advisable to enter on this before the de- parture of this ship; but as soon as it has sailed, we shall come to it (God willing) and vigorously attack the management of Vogelaer. Please take charge of any grain raised in my colony for which Jacob Planck has no use, and deliver it to the Company. I hope however that he will be able to use it all for brandy-making and beer-brewing, if he only understands the business. I have had him examined by Claes Clacss''\ He requests that your honor will at my charge provide him with a comfortable little boat so that he can sail to and fro, which will be a favor to me as will all that may be further granted to my advantage. Regarding the grass and grain scythes which Gerrit de Rcux de- livered by my order to Mr Paauw, I have no memorandum thereof ; let Reux give me an explanation, since Mr Paauzv also, knows nothing about it but says that Cornclis van Voorst himself delivered such things to Reux. I am surprised that Marijn can not raise any tobacco. He can not understand it rightly or must have taken up too much land which he has not cleared well or not sufficiently 28 inlandsche oarlogen; literally, inland wars. 2" niet met sulckcn passie sullen vermcnght sijn; literally, will not be mixed with such passion. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 283 Spaded and broken up. If I had a supply of brandy and were pro- vided with a sloop, he would do for a skipper to cruise along the coasts of New Netherland and the adjacent settlements and sell it according- to the Freedoms to our people, the savages and others, at places where the Company has no commis for furs as beavers, otters, etc., and at all places for seawan or for money, as is allowed everywhere by the aforesaid Freedoms. Mr Paauw and I have been busy trying to send over a ship with young cattle, but as they demanded too much, and I did not know how matters stood in my colony, and we were not yet quite settled with the Company, we have let it rest. We also intended to send over carpenters. Regarding the brickkiln, I can not yet say much ; at any rate I must be paid for the clay of which the former bricks were made, as it was from my land ; of which I have here notified the Company and also Crol. I wish that the remaining little islands and also the land that is on the east side of the river and belongs to the Mahycans, had been bought also. Be pleased therein to do your best, and give Jacob Planck instructions what to do. If the savages make a sale, let the transfer be made before my officer and the court of Rensselaers- wyck, using the form that Mr Paauzv is now sending over to Cor- nelis van Voorst. Ask him to give your honor a copy of it, only changing in it mutatis mutandis the names of the officers and colo- nies: he calls Cornclis van Voorst his chief officer and I desire for my own reasons that Jacob Planck shall as yet not be otherwise entitled than as officer. N. B. Do not fail to get a copy of this form from van Voorst and give Jacob Planck a copy, not like that which van Voorst has, but changed as it must be for Jacob Planck. I fear I shall hardly have time to write out the instructions for Jacob Planck, as the lighter is ready to sail. Your honor can give him as many extracts from this letter as he needs, and also from the ]trcvious instructions I gave your honor for Rutger Jlendrickss'^, adding to them what seems best to you and ordering him in my name to act accordingly. If you do not possess the books of Dam- homver and the other, be sure to read these copies freely, since the court of Amsterdam generally follows this author, and recommend this also to Jacob Planck. As to clover seed, I would have sent some to your honor, but mine is on the way from Italy, shipped from Venice, and here there is little for sale and it is extremely dear, ^"^ hooft officer; the term used in former days to distinguish the public prosecutor of a court having full criminal jurisdiction from the officier, or prosecutor, of a local court which had civil and limited criminal jurisdiction only. 284 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY besides being good for nothing since very little has come up from the last at Craloo:''^ If another ship follows, and den Walvis has lain ready for seven months, I shall provide your honor with it. The confraters, however, will not send out the ship if they can not obtain the freedom of the fur trade. I am well aware of the advantages of the Fresh River. I have also spoken to Doinpselacr about it, but every one is afraid on ac- count of the disputes and opposition that arise. Blommacrt long ago registered his colony there; we may see how it will turn out after the decision of the States [General]. Some years have elapsed as a result of these disputes, so that the four years^^ should not be counted to begin till after the aforesaid decision has been given and all disputes settled. It is bad that the English are begin- ning to get a foothold there. But Mr Vogelaer does not worry much about this, I think, since he says he would rather be bitten by strange dogs than by his own. The prices which the English ask for their cattle are not at all reasonable. I should think it quite unadvisable to pay any way near so high a price, for I notice that they are very apt to die and then the money is lost; let us keep to those which are to be found in the country or which we send from here. I have heard here that Captain Stoon^^ has been killed by the savages. There is much to criticize in the bill of Wulffert Gerritss, there- fore refer him to me. He can not claim monthly wages when he is not in my colony, according to the copy of his instructions, No. 17. When he comes here, we will settle in all fairness. I have paid f5o to the wife of Lmirens Laurenss", but T do not know how much is still owing to him. He bargained for no wages ; all I have to do is to provide his board, or in place of board, pay The patroon's estate, Crailo, literally Crows-wood, in Gooiland, near Huisen. It lies a short distance from the railway station of Naarden-Bussnni, and has been well kept up for many years by its owner, a prominent Amsterdam merchant. The patroon's energy and perseverance transformed a sandy tract into a fine estate, traversed by long avenues of beeches and firs, with groves of oaks. The picture gallery of the present owner stands on the site of the patroon's house. The estate is now subdivided, and the two villa-parks, Crailo and Loo, will soon be the most attractive of the environs of Amsterdam. S. de L. v R. S. 31 Period of time within which the patroons were required to plant a colony of 50 souls, according to art. 3 of the Freedoms and Exemptions. 32 " The 8th [of June 1639], in the morning, took our leave and went up the [Fresh] River and having proceeded about a league, we met between two high steep points some savages, in canoes, who had on ?2nglish clothes and among them was one who had on a red scarlet mantle. I inquired how he came by the mantle; but they had some time ago killed one Capiteyns Soon [Captain Stone] and his men in a small bark, from whom they obtained these clothes. This was the captain of whom I spoke in my first voyage to America, whose vessel was placed in such distress that they ate one another and who finally lost his life here by the savages." De Vries, Korte Historiael, p. 149-50- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 285 him fioo yearly, while I have half of all that he earns. And I have no account of what he has done or has earned. He is also re- sponsible for the other two and for the advance money that I gave to Andries Christensscn, who ran away. I have told them I will give no more money before I have an accounting. Enclosed is his contract under No. 18. .Herein is enclosed a letter from Mr Bloemaert, No. 19, about the goods left with your honor by David Pietersse and Jan Tjepkens,^^ skipper of 't Eeckhorntgen. Be pleased to advise him what there is about this, and if there is any of it yet unsold that Jacob Planck or my people may need, let him have it upon giving his receipt. The goods which I am now sending with him, according to the invoice under No. E, I brought into the Company's warehouse and they were packed there by their own people in order to be subjected to no more openings or inspection, since Mr Paauzv had a great dis- pute over their wishing to unpack his goods which were already packed; they released him from this, however, but it must be done on arriving in the country, which will not be the case with mine. I see also what cattle your honor has sent up the river. I hope that since then you have also sent some' horses, etc., thither and that the third farm will have been established before the arrival of this letter and that now the fourth can be started, which I have promised to Lubbert Ghijsbcrtss", the wheelwright,, according to contract No. F, herewith sent by Jacob Planck. I fear that you will lack farm hands. Those that came over with Reux and cost me a great deal you might try to get hold of again, wherever they may be, according to the nineteenth article of the Freedoms, of which I send your honor a printed copy under No. 20. The servants of Roeloff Janssen were engaged for four years from the time they came to the country, that is to say, to my colony, so that it is a question whether their time will be up or not ; you might con- tract with them for one year more. There will no doubt be some excuse for making them stay one year more, even if an increase had to be given them. I thank your honor for the young deer sent me by de Soutbergh; it died on the way, so it seems that I am unlucky with animals on the sea, since I lost my calves also. I have done my best to get a servant for your honor. So has your father. First we had the sons of Geertgen Michiels at Amcrs- I'robably the same as Jan Tiepkesz Schellingcr, the skipper of the Rensselaerswyck, wliich sailed Sept. 25, 1636. See log of that vessel printed on p. 355-89 of this work. 286 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY foort, who decided not to go ; afterwards Jehan de Wael, who sails for Pernambuco ; and now finally another who, your father thinks, is too troublesome since he was very rebellious during the Easter holidays. We will postpone it till further advice. If your honor could get a good English servant, those people are alert, respectful and obedient. In case of the Company ordering Huiithuin to come to the Man- hatans, which I do not expect, present your affidavits to the coun- cil which can declare him incompetent and must make him retract his statements.^'* Your honor can readily justify this action on the ground that the Company has had no knowledge of these slanders and this abusive language and if he still continues his mischief, since the magpie can not cease its hopping, send him home by reso- lution of the council. Some will vigorously protest against it, others will laugh and say that he only gets his deserts. But there must be reasons and no greater reasons can be found than that the savages are his enemies, especially if the slaughter of the cattle happened because of him; also that he can not speak the language; further if he has obtained but few furs, about which he boasted that he would do so much ; and whatever else serves the purpose. Coming to yours of September 14, sent by way of New England, I will persuade our con f raters to give your honor a good reward, in case we receive the indemnity of 275 beavers. If they pay in seawan, it must be exchanged for beavers and sent here by the next ship under a proper bill of lading. If your honor can trade any of them so as to obtain animals from Wulfert Gerritsz., do so, also for other animals. But half of this would belong to Mr Paauw and he would have to pay half. I still can not allow anything else than that there must be not two only but three farms on West Island, each of which would have more than 40 morgens of land. They must draw their hay from another island. But if Wulffert or his son came, I would rent to them 80 or 90 morgens on half shares, according to the contract with Hendrick Conduit under No. D aforesaid, or on such terms as your honor can agree on with him subject to my approval. The farmers want a great deal of land, then they can take the best and let the rest lie fallow ; whereas I am looking for many people in order to increase my number. Think that Rensselaer has not even 20 morgens of cultivated farm land, at least not much more ; and what a fine farm that is. If a farmer therefore has 20 morgens of ^* ende op sijnen mont sal moeten cloppen. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 287 farm land near his house and pasture land and hay fields besides he can easily make his living. So that there could easily be six farms on the island. This must come gradually as more cattle and people come; which you must bear in mind in making the con- tract with PVtilffert Gcrritss^\ Then act with caution. Only see that you buy his cattle on the most reasonable terms, for that is of the highest importance to me. I will send people enough here- after if only I have cattle. Your proposition to start a farm near Fort Orange is good, on the conditions as stated. But so long as Vogelaer is on the com- mission, there can be no dealings with the Company. Let my [officer] Jacob Planck talk it over some time with Hunthum and see what he thinks of it, whether he wiU take it upon himself ; if not, whether he will favorably recommend it to the Company; and try him in this way. And if he refuses to consider it at all, make a note of it, since it would serve the interests of the Company and their fort would be better guarded and at less expense, as the people could do double work watching the fort at night and working by day and I would pay the Company or the Company could pay me part of the expenses. Do not fail to have Jacob Planck request this of him in writing, that he may take action thereupon, and if he write to your honor and the council about it, keep cool, else they would lay it to your charge that you had urged it, and this must not be. For no matter how favorable it is to the Company, if the pa- troons get profit from it, it must be rejected. They would rather suffer loss than that the patroons should prosper. An exceedingly bad disposition. The horses of Wulfert Gerritss could be used on this farm and his son could live there. Marijn or Roelof with their wives could guard the house and cattle at night. If I have time I will write a short letter to Martten Gerritsen, Gorier and Nootelman, also to Wulffert. If not, they must be sat- isfied with what I write to you. The wind is blowing strongly so that the lighter can not get off, else it would leave at once. This letter I send separately by Jacob Planck, and the docu- ments herein mentioned, from No. i to No. 20, in another packet, also separately, by the same Planck; also my remonstrance (under No. 21) which I presented to the Assembly of the XIX, copied by your brother Hendrick ; also No. 22, being a letter written bv Domine Badius to the minister there, Domine Euerhardns Bogar- dus; No. 23, a letter from your honor's father; No. 24, one from Thomas van Wely. As to whatever else is to be done in my affairs 288 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY I urge your honor to seek therein my greatest advantage, in which 1 have confidence in you ; and whatever I may have forgotten, be sure to supply it. I will do the same for your honor. I hope with the return of the ship d' Eendracht to receive particular infor- mation from your honor and tlie punctual reply to the contents of these. Wherewith closing, etc. Vale. Memorandum of the engagement of Hendrick Carstensz van Norden as farm laborer'^^ April 26, 16 J 4 1634, this (lay, the 26th of April, engaged as farm laborer to serve henrick Conduit or some one else on my farm for the period of four years, commencing with his arrival in that country and to do willingly and diligently all kinds of farm work or whatever may be assigned to him, on the same conditions as other farm laborers are bound to observe. Henrick Carstensss fan Nooden,^^ 20 years old, has done farm work. Shall receive 10 rix-doUars a year and as a present for his passage, both going and returning, two rix-dollars, which have been paid to him at once. In witness of the truth henrick Carstenssz has hereunder set his mark. Done as above. [signed] the mark X of henrick Corstensss 2 rixd. f5 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Coenraet Notelman^'^ April BJ, 1634 Coenraet Noottelman, in New Netherland, 27 April 1634: I find myself with your favor of the 9th of May 1633 sent by den Walvis, that of the 21st of July by den Soutberch, and that of the i8th of March by de goede hoope, to which I shall reply briefly, for two reasons. First, because the lighter will sail in a moment ; secondly because you are coming home, as another officer "'^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.aib. 3* Should be Norden, in East Friesland, which city, like the neighboring Emden, became during the Spanish persecutions a refuge for many people from the northern provinces of the Netherlands. See p. 263, 311. »' V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, £.75. VAN RENSSELAER. DOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 289 goes thither. I am very glad to see that you are on good terms with my nephew IV outer van Tzoiller, director there; hope that yon will continue thus to the last as there have been many false tongues and pens which have defamed him by gross lies. The skipper of de Goedehoope has not been to see me ; the money which you re- mitted, I paid to my brother in law, Johannes van Weelen, who handed it to your wife, but the fi65 I have thus far not been able to obtain as the directors of groeningen^^ are very particular because you have sent no recei])t. I have written several letters about it, also spoken of it to some directors, but they say that it establishes a bad precedent to pay any money on the mere statement of the commis. You should have kept an account thereof and sent it to me here, for not having this 1 can not claim anything. When you come home, you must bring with you an authentic account thereof or the declaration of somebody who knows what you have furnished for the f 165 ; Tyaerdt brongcrs makes such a statement, but they will not accept it on his authority. The tobacco, my brother in law has after very long delay been able to receive only under bond and he has sold the same and been obliged to pay out of it the amount which your account was short; this by way of information. As to the animals from the farm of Gerrit de Reus which you have used so long and instead of increasing you have worn out and de- creased, I order my ofificer, jacob planck, to negotiate with you con- cerning them as is just ; commend him to the director. First, you ought to return the full number which you received, and as to the increase which I ought to have had as from other farms, you may see what agreement you can make in compensation for the fioo which you pay the Company on the decision of the council in New Netherland; but with the sayings of Reuuiundc I have nothing to do. The animals belonged to Gerrit de reu.v by purchase and he could sell which he wanted, as they ordered him home before the time. I shall protest to the council there as well as to the directors here against the damage which I suffer there, but that does not concern you. What concerns you and me, is that the animals which you have used belong to me and respecting this we must come to some agreement, but my loss because of their detention by the Company or by Crol, I shall certainly recover from the Company. This by way of information. I thank you for the report of my colony, by which you have done me a great kindness ; I shall re- pay it with gratitude. It is a pity that there are not more animals Saiiii' ns ( H-oiiiiiKcn, or Sladi en T.aiiilon. 19 290 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY where there is such beautiful land. That the directors have said this and that to reumunde is all talk and does not matter here. They could sell their animals but once, which they have done, and having sold them they have no further power over reux and bylvelt, who would no doubt have served out their years but that they or- dered them home and would not allow them to return. The Com- pany can take away their farms which they have leased for six years, but the animals which they sold they can not take away again from any one without his consent. I do not write thus to accuse you but to accuse the Company and in order that you may help me recover my loss from the Com- pany and that I may send the animals up the river at last. Protest of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to the West India Company on account of the detention of the animals of Gerrit Theusz de Reux and Pieter Bijlvelt'*'-* April 27, 16 s 4 TRANSLATED BY MRS ALAN H. STRONG Notice served on the directors of the West India Company by Notary Justus van de Ven in the name of Kiliaen van Rens- selaer, April 27, 1634 Mr Kiliaen van Rensselaer, as patroon of his colony named Rensselaerswyck lying on the North River of New Netherland, notifies the lords directors of the Chartered West India Company. Chamber of this city, that a certain contract was entered into be- tween their honors and various farmers according to the conditions signed by both sides on January 8, 1630, by which your honors sold and granted to each of the aforesaid contracting parties, being six in number, four horses, four cows, with their foals and calves, besides two heifers, six sheep, six hogs, also wagons, plows and like implements, on condition that they should pay therefor the sum of 600 guilders in six instalments ; including also two horses of three years, two cows of two years, three sheep and three hogs, as soon as the people should have bred the same above the aforesaid number. P'urther, to each of the aforesaid farmers was leased and appointed a suitable farm, provided with house, hay barrack and The original of tliis document was not among the Van Rensselaer Bowier Mss when placed in the hands of the present editor. It is printed in Dutch in Oud Holland, 1890, 8:72-73, as Appendix C to Mr de Roever's articles on the colony of Rensselaers- wyck. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 291 barn, with about 50 morgans of land, for the term of six years, beginning the first of May 1630, on such conditions and rent as are further mentioned in the aforesaid contract. Now thus it is^ that Gerrit Mattheuss. de Reux, as purchaser of a portion of the aforesaid animals and tenant of farm No. 2, and Pieter Pietcrsz. Bijlevelt, Hkewise purchaser and tenant of farm No. 3, having paid their first instahnent and the first year's rent, were shortly afterward, to their great injury and prejudice, sum- moned home by your honors and coming here were prevented from again returning thither in order to further improve the farms they had rented and which had been of great expense to them during the first year. Being deprived thereof and much alarmed because they could find no one who would take over the animals with the farms, they were obliged to abandon the farms and sell their animals to the complainant, who also bought the same from them for the sake of his above mentioned colony, undertaking to make the further payments and to deliver over the increase as he ob- tained it. Following such purchase the complainant ordered Wolff ert Ger- rit sc, then his commis at the Manhatans to send all these animals at the first opportunity to his colony, which was hindered by Director Bastiaen Jansz Crol because he thought it unadvisable to deprive the farms of animals ; these, however, were not in the least attached thereto, save only for the aforesaid time of six years, during which time the vendors would not have thought of selling them if they had not been called home and prevented from sailing thither again, or if they could have found buyers who would have taken the same with the farms. Being defeated in all these plans, they were obliged to sell them to the complainant and as he is greatly injured by this delay and the number instead of increasing is daily diminishing (since they are used, not by the complainant's farmers whom he had thereto appointed in his colony, but by others, and he must let his people run idle at his expense or be forced to discharge them with injury anrl loss, in addition to the charges which he had to pay for their transportation, about which he was forcetl to make public complaint in his remonstrance de- livered to the Assembly of the XIX), and as it is better to pro- vide for redress before the injury grows greater, therefore, — etc. [He summons them to cause the animals to be delivered and in case of refusal will hold them responsible for his loss. The notice was handed to Mr Arnonlt v. Liehcrgcn, director. 292 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY The notary went the following day to receive the answer. The president, Mr Harin^hock, said that they had spoken that morning with the complainant and that they had given him pro- visional satisfaction ; that he was to write a letter which the di- rectors would send with their letters and that the difference would be referred for final decision to the director of the Company in New Netherland. All this vail Rensselaer confirmed to the notary.] N. DE R. Instructions to Jacob Albertsz Planck, schout*** April 21, 16 s 4 Instructions prepared and issued by Kiliaen van Rensselaer as patroon of his colony called Rensselaerswyck for Jacob Alberts.'^ planck, in the capacity of officer of the aforesaid colony, according to which he must faithfully govern himseW, this 25th of April, in Amsterdam. When he arrives on board ship he shall take good care that the goods sent with him according to invoice herewith enclosed under letter E be properly loaded and receive suitable places where they may be kept dry and in good condition, and in case the barrels are too large, so that they can not be stowed in the ship, he shall use the bags which have been given him and put the malt therein. Also, that the men who sail in my service according to the memo- randum, may be provided with proper quarters. As soon as the ship with God's help gets ready to put out to sea, he shall prepare a list of the men who sail for my accoimt and sen«l the same to me with notice whether the goods have come on board in good condition. He shall not neglect at every opportunity which ofi^ers on the way to advise me of what happens. On his arrival by God's mercy in New Netherland, he shall give my greetings to Director Wouter van Tiviller, hand him the letters and memoranda entrusted to him, and request him at the first opportunity to administer the proper oath of fidelity toward mc, to him, Jacob Alhertssz Planck, instead of to Ruti^er henrickssr: van Soest, according to previous power of attorney.*^ *' V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.yoh. Extract in V. R. B. Mss 36. ende byde eerste occasie hem versoecken volgens myne voorgaende procuratie in plaetse van Rutger henricksss van Soest hem Jacob Alberlsss Planck afftenemen den behoorlycken Eedt van getronwicheyt tot niynen behoci'c. See note on |). 63. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Which having been done, he shall with the aforesaid director carefully consider and note what animals and tools there are to be moved up the river, before his departure taking a note also of the condition of the farms of Noottclman and Bylcvcldt and diligentl}' inquiring whether any of my men have entered any one else's service in order to take them again into my service in case I should need them and they prove suitable to me. He shall confer with Director van Tzvillcr as to how many farms I can for the present establisli in my colony and what sort of people may be most suitable for that purpose and, as I have no time to extend these instructions sufficiently, the aforesaid van Tzviller will please supplement these instructions from the previous instructions given him for Rutgcrt Hcndricxssz van Socst as well as by what he shall deem serviceable to me and by what I have written him in the letter, which plane k must follow as if I had done it myself and written it with my own hand. If any of my men need any provisions or other necessaries aside from those which I send along, they shall make the same known to the aforesaid officer Jacob planck, who shall make a note thereof and request the same wholesale of the coniniiscn, of the Company at a reasonable price, as I in return shall furnish them from what I have in stock, giving and receiving proper re- ceipts on both sides, and of this lacob planck shall make a proper distribution among my men and keep a correct account thereof, issuing nothing extravagantly but managing the whole carefully. At all Qvents, it is my decided wish that none of my men shall privately get anything at my charge from the coniniiscn of the Company, but ever)thing by the order and management of the aforesaid Jacob planck. While at the ManJiataiis, he shall with the director seek lo bring about that JVulffcrt Gcrritssz or his son move up the river with some animals, on reasonable terms, being willing to give him the terms of Ilcndrick Conduit according to the accompanying contract under No. D. N. B. Further, to take care not to furnish to any one more than is due to him, but having them give me credit for the money which I have furnished and advanced them here, telling /a.^/'ar fcrlijn what my agreement is with Maryn Adriacnssc, of which agreement as well as of that with him, Jasper fcrlyn, the originals are here- with enclosed under the letters K, L, M , together with the receipts of what I have paid here. 294 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY As soon as possible, he shall proceed on his voyage up the river and it would be well if some animals went along too, also the goods which were sent with him from here and some suitable servants. On his arrival there, with God's help, he shall settle on West Island, first trying to store his goods safely, then causing his house to be erected in the appointed place and further doing everything that the contract which he has entered into with me implies. At the first opportunity he shall choose three schepens from among the fittest of my colonists, and administer to them the proper oath, so that he can hold court if need be,'*^ and in order that everything may proceed in an orderly manner, I give him three books to take along, which he must keep carefully and study diligently, to wit: Ars notariatus; Damhouzvcr int Crimineel; and further, praxcos Civilis, ofte maniere van Procederen, under Nos. O, R and S. He shall take care that the men work diligently, every one ac- cording to his contract, causing the carpenter to complete the houses and build the enclosures for the animals, and in particular he shall have the poisonous weeds destroyed. And in order that he may establish as many farms as possible in the aforesaid colony, attention shall be paid to the following. First, the animals which Commander Wouter van Twiller may have bought for the aforesaid patroon, separately, before the de- livery of the contract made with Mr Paauiv, as well as his half of those which may be bought thereafter. Then, the three young horses, to wit, two mares and one stallion bought of Peter Minuit, which [stallion] Director van TiviUcr would like to have exchanged for an old mare, but this can not be done as the patroon can establish a farm with the said three horses, being willing to pay van Tzvillcr for their care as much as he shall wish. Further, the animals which Wulffert Gcrritssen or his son may bring up the river. Finally, as many animals as he shall see fit to send up the river from farms Nos. 2 and 3, of Gerrit de Reux and Bylevclt, who bought the said animals and tools anil in turn sold and delivered them to him, the patroon, absolutely, without restriction as to Byde cerste gelegenlheyt sal hij eligercn drye Schepenen de beqttaemste uijt myn Volck deselve affnemende den behoorlycken Eedt op dat hy des noots sijnde de Recht- banck kan spannen. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS term of lease, except only that the patroon has agreed to pay the balance of the purchase money to the Company and to return the number of two horses and two cows when he has them to spare. It must be noted that in the contract which the farmers have made with the Company, a copy of wiiich is herewith enclosed under No. V, two things are to be considered : first, the sale of horses, cows, wagons, plows, etc., for the sum of f6oo, to be paid in six years, together with two horses, two cows, etc., to be returned when they have them to spare, which sale is final and neither may nor can be retracted without consent on both sides ; secondly, a lease of the farrns with the houses thereon for the term of six years and no longer, on condition of payment of the sixth sheave, the delivery of one firkin of butter and the grain to the Company, etc., at the end of which period the animals remain in the possession of the purchasers and the farms revert to the Company and each is allowed to do with his own as he sees fit, without stipulation on the part of the Company that the animals must remain at the Man- hatans. But, as the Company has ordered Gerrit de Rcux and Picter Bylevelt home before the expiration of their term and would not permit them to return thither, they are thereby released from the terms of the lease and still have a claim on the Company for the profits which they might have made on the farms during the remaining years and for the loss which they suffered by reason of being obliged to sell their animals and tools at a low and poor price to him, Rensselaer, nobody at the Manhafans being willing to accept them ; and although he, Rensselaer, bought the said animals with no other view and for no other purpose than to transport them to his colony, willingly agreeing to pay the Com- pany the dues which they could claim by virtue of the sale, they have nevertheless refused to let him have the same, which loss he expects to recover according to his remonstrance delivered to the Assembly of the XIX, as the number of the said animals has not only not increased and grown, but decreased and become less ; and in order that no further loss may result therefrom, Rensselaer re- quests once more that the animals and tools which still remain on the aforesaid two farms may be made free and placed at his dis- posal to be transported to his colony, otherwise he will hereafter seek to recover the loss which he may still incur and have to suffer in such manner as he shall see fit. These instructions broken off on account of lack of time shall Note in handwriting of Kiliaon van Rensselaer. 296 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY be completed in my name by Director Wouttcr vn Tivillcr. This 27th of April 1634, at Amsterdam. Underneath was written: KVR. List of papers given to Jacob Albertsz Planck '^ [.ipril 27, 1634] The following pa^iers given to Officer lacob Planck to take with him : ABC Three extracts, one of the 19th of December 1633, one of the 27th of March 1634 from the Assembly of the XIX, and one of the 24th of November 1633 from the Chamber of Amsterdam D Contract made with Hciidrick Conduit, who has given it up E Names of the persons who will now sail, with the in- voice of the goods which I send by jacoh Planck to be sold in that country F Contract made with Lnhbcrt Chysberlss-j Radcniakcr van Blaricum G H Two copies of the contracts made with Mr Michicl Paauzv, N°. 8 and 9 above I Copy of the permit to Pictcr Pictcrssrj^^' to sell his animals K L M Original contracts with Mariju Ariacnscn and jaspar fcr- lijn and receipt for certain moneys ' - N Copy of the contract made with Cornells Tcuniseii van Brcuckclcn, carpenter and mason O A rough drawing of the colony of Rensselaerswyck P Instructions given to Jacob planck to take with him O R S Three books: Ars Notariatiis, Danihoudcr, Manicrc van Proccdcrcn T Abstract of payments made to my men here V Copy of the contract with the farmers W Protest to the Company on account of the animals ox rcux and bylevclf, which the notary has gone out to serve^*^ " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.74. *^ Pieter Pietersz Bijlvelt. The last four items in the hanUwi itiiig of Kiliacn van Rensselaer. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Kiliaen van Rensselaer to the director and council in New Netherlands' April 2CJ, 1634 To the director and council of the Chartered West India Com- pany in New Netherland This 29th of April 1634 Honorable, prudent, very discreet gentlemen : Enclosed I send your honors a copy of the protest made in my name to the lords directors of the Chartered West India Company, Chamber of this city, demanding that they turn over to me the animals, wagons and other tools which are still on the respective farms of gerrit de rcu.v and pietcr Bilevclt, also that they repa}' me for the damage already sutfered by reason of the detention and in case of refusal still to be suffered. But inasmuch as the said directors have entered into further consultation with me and agreed to send the said protest with this open letter to you under cover from themselves, I hereby very kindly recjuest you to take this matter up without delay, duly con- sidering that neither dc Rcu.v nor pieier bijlcvclt are cause of the removal of the animals before the sti])ulated time of six years, but the Company itself, which has summoned them home and pre- vented them from returning thither; for if they eject from farms belonging to the Company, they can not with reason refuse the said people the permission to take with them the animals and tools wliich belong to them and which, not being able to find any pur- chaser at the rnanhatans, they were obliged to sell to me for my colony. I doubt not therefore but the director and council will under- stand this as I do, the more so as the Company will thereby not be inconvenienced in the least, as there are plenty of other animals at the Maiihatans which the farmers according to their contracts are bound to deliver to the Company; however, if the aforesaid two farms shall be put in the same condition as the six farms were when first leaseil, I am wilhng to take one of them on the former terms. I liope that Officer diiicklagcu, wdio now sails thither, will take the otlier for himself, as therein' much damage and trouble which must otherwise necessarily result wiH be avoided and no one, as far as the future is concerned, will be offended. And as to what is past, if Officer nottelman gives me animals equal in number and V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, {.jsh. M£\V ^■(JKK STATE LI1!RARY quality to those he received on the farm of Rcux, I am willing to allow for the increase and growth by the yearly payment to th^ Company of fioo, subject to arbitration and decision by the di- rector and council as to who of us shall reimburse the other ; and in case the same should not be decided with nottclman before his departure, I shall be obliged to seek redress from the Company, which has detained them through its director, Croll. But relying on your honor's discretion I hope that it will end in such way that nobody will be offended or curtailed in his rights, but in the oppo- site case this enclosed protest will serve me to maintain my good right. And as I have proi)Ose(l several other things to the lords directors vyhich they have likewise referred to your honors, I shall make brief mention thereof. First, as my mill in the colony, where the grain for the men of Fort Orange is ground, is of great consequence to the Company inasmuch as the Company has no other mill there and as the same IS situated somewhat far from my house standing on the farm of delaetslmrgh and could easily be damaged by the savages (to great inconvenience, especially in the winter season when the water is closed and one can not get down any more^^) I would request that two or three persons from the garrison of Fort Orange with their arms might in turn be ordered to protect and defend the said mill, in return for which I undertake to cause a suitable guardhouse to be built at my expense in which they can defend themselves, which • in any event will also serve as a good watchhouse against any attack which the savages may attempt. Secondly, to prevent as much as possible all unnecessary expenses, that five or six persons from the aforesaid garrison of Fort Orange may be permitted to work during the day on the farms which I intend to establish around the aforesaid fort and during the night be required to keep close watch, on condition that I pay their board and the Company the wages, or I the wages and the Company the board ; and in this way, one hand washing the other, great unity and love may be brought about between the men of the fort and those of my colony so that they may assist each other faithfully in time of need. Thirdly, that the coininis at Fort Orange may expressly be charged by the director and council, according to article 25 of the Freedoms of the patroons, to take all my people, houses, animals and other things under the Company's protection and defense; as I on my That is: the i)eo])le can not get to New Amsterdam when the Hudson is frozen. Order of Michiel Panw to Kiliaen van Rensselaer, April 30, 16^4 From V. K. B. Mss 8. Original size VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 299 side, have ordered my officer to assist the Company or its people with Hfe and limb in all dangers that occur. Lastly, that there may be granted to me as a loan or on proper security, one of the two brew kettles which are in that country and that the commisen of the Company and my officer may mutually accommodate one another at moderate prices with that which one has to spare and the other needs; whereupon I shall be pleased to receive at the first oppor- tunity your favorable resolution so far as the service of the Com- pany will allow, and finally, pray God Almighty, etc. Order of Michiel Pauw to Kiliaen van Rensselaer for payment of bilP" • April 30, 1634 19 persons i child 6 persons 3 children 25 persons 4 children the children at half pay, there are 27 persons at 10 St makes f 13 :io, amounts for my share 1,) f3:i5-"^" I'jidorsc'dl 1634 2 May rcijuicr paiiw ]Mr Kiliaen van rcnsdacr will please pay my son Reynier paauiv 22 wheat bags at 18 stivers each f 19 16 I schepel colza f 2 10 the share in a tun of beer, four cheeses and 16 loaves of bread, costing 13 guilders 4 stivers — so much thereof as your honor in justice shall find proper. I have 19 persons and one child Done 30 April 1634 [signed] M Paamv Received from the hands of Kiliaen vn, Reiiselaer on account of his colony of Rensselaerswyck the sum of f2r):T for the above account, this 2d of May 1634 in Amslcrdanr''" [signed] Reynier paaii-iV . . . f22:6 *'■> V. R. D. Mss 8. Marginal note and form of receipt in handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. 300 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Roeloffsz"''^ [May, i634?\ Pieter Roeloffscii, burgomaster at Siuol Worthy, wise, prudent,, very discreet Sir : According to the advice of our confrater, Mr Michael Paauzv, I send you herewith the papers to be handed to the advocates, i^of^rtv^^ Jttensuni^- and Twecnhuysen, requesting your honor to be pleased to do this at the first opportunity and to procure in the speediest manner the solution of the proposed questions, as the matter will be submitted to their High Mightinesses' committee on Tuesday after Pinkster, at the Hague, whereby you will do us a singular favor which we shall not neglect to return gratefully whenever there is opportunity. Please return the documents to mc, addressing your honor's letter to me, the underwritten, residing, etc., in order that they may not be lost. Wherewith ending, and Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck^^ May 2, i6s4 To Jacob plaiick, officer of Rensselaerswyck, at Texell, on the ship d' eendracht 2 May 1634, in Amsterdam Enclosed I send you an open letter to the director and council in New Netherland together with the protest^'* which I thought the lords dnectors would have enclosed in their letter; but as they could not quite decide I send it herein under cover, to read over the contents and transmit it thus open in my name, to the director and council, requesting an answer to the points therein mentioned and, in case of refusal as to the animals, that the enclosed pro- test may have its course. I'efore you transmit the letter, copy the protest and tlie letter, and if the matter can in any way l)e equitably settled, i)refer ])eace to trouble as 1 judge also that the directors will write likewise to the director and council to do what is right. If they had enclosed my writing [it would mean that] they had com- pletely granted my request ; they have therefore made difficulty about enclosing it in their letters, and the work has been impeded " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.76b. Should probably be Ittersum. °* V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.76. This letter is in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. " Protest to the West India Company, April 27, 1634, printed on p. 290-92. VAN KENSSELAKR liOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 301 somewhat also because Mr Vogelae)'^^ has resigned his commis- sionership^*' of New Netherland. Herewith, vale. N. B. That I have also kept here a copy of the protest with the report of the notary, placed with other papers of mine which I have kept here. Memorandum. Arbitration of accounts of Pieter Bijlvelt and Kiliaen van Rensselaer'^ June 21, 16^4 After submission of the case at issue l)ctween Mrs hylevelts, plaintiff, and Mr Kiliaen van rensclacr, she claiming the sum of 80 guilders in payment for a cow and also 50 guilders as balance of a larger amount in the matter and transfer of a farm with its ap- purtenances on the Manhatas in New Netherland, the underwritten ar1)iters have rendered the decision that Mr rensclacr shall pay Mrs Bylcvclt the simi of 90 guilders, once, and that therewith the open account shall be liquidated and settled once and for all. In witness v/hereof this has been signed, 21 July^**^ 1634 at Amsterdam, [signed] M Paauiv Hendrick H oochcamer I, the underwritten, hereby acknowledge having received from the hands of kiliaen van Rensselaer the above stated sum of 90 guilders and thank him for the due payment of all that was still outstanding between him and my husband pietter piettersen bij- Icvelt. Done at Amsterdam this 25th of June 1634. [signed] gertruijt hijleuelts 36 Rd at 50 st f90 [Endorsed] Papers of Pieter Bijlcveldt concerning the cattle bought of him. 1634 : 25 June P^: Bylevelt . . . f90 "Marcus de Vogelacr, director of tlic West India ('ompany, Chaiidicr of Amsterdam. DcLaet, laerlijck Verhael, introd. Commischap. V. R. B. Mss 10. "Probably an error for 21 June 1634. 302 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Examination of Bastiaen Jansz KroP" June jo^ 1^34 TRANSLATED BY MRS ALAN H. STRONG Examination of Bastiaen Janss Crol, former director of New Netherland, being 39 years of age, conducted at the request of the patroons by Notary Jnstns van de Vcn, at Amsterdam, the 30th of June 1634 1. In what capacity, and for how long he was in the service of the West India Company in New Netherland. He states that he set out as comforter of the sick and made a voyage and stay of 7^ months in that country. He went out for the second time in the same capacity, and after he had been away about 15 months, he was appointed to the directorship at Fort Orange on the North River and held the same for three years. The third time he went out again as director of Fort Orange and to the best of his recollection served again for about two years. After which he was elected director general of New Netherland at Fort Amsterdam on the island Manhatcs, lying at the mouth of the aforesaid North River also named Mauritius, and served in this office 13 months. 2. Whether, when residing at Fort Orange, he did not hear from the chiefs of the Maquaas that there had formerly traded with them a certain Hans Jorisz Hontom, who had first for skipper Jacob Eelkens, whom he later employed as his supercargo. Yes. 3. Whether a misunderstanding did not arise between himself and Hontom, who had taken prisoner one of the chiefs. Yes. 4. Whether, although the ransom was paid l)y the chief's sub- jects, Hontom, in spite of his promise, did not emasculate the chief,' hang the severed member on the stay and so killed the SackimaS^^ Yes. This document was not in tlic Fi7;r. Rensselaer PiOzvicr collection when jjlaced in the hands of the present editor. It is printed in Dutch in Oud Holland, iRgo, 8:287-89, as Appendix H to Mr de Rocver's articles on the colony of Rensselaerswyck under the title: Interrogatoir van Bastiaen Jans:; Crol, gewesen directeur in Nieuw—Nederland, oud 39 jaren, ten verzoeke der patronen, gehouden door den notarts Justus van de Ven, te Amsterdam, den 30 Juni 1634. ^ Dutch for sachem, chief. VAN RENSSELAICR I!()\\'II<:R M A N USfKI I'TS 5. Whether in 1633, while he, Crol, was still director of New Netherland, the above named Hans Hontoni did not come in the capacity of director of Fort Orange and councilor in New Nether- land. Yes. 6. Whether he did not see that a month after the arrival of Hontom, tliere had also arrived Jacques Eelkens, coming with his flute^'^ from London, and whether he did not at once go up the river to Fort Orange. Yes. 7. Whether he was not asked by his successor, the new director 7'an Tzviller, to go again to Fort Orange in the service of the W. I. Company, in order to prevent Eelkens from trading there. Yes. 8. Whether, when he came up there, Jacques Eelkens was not already there and trading in a tent he had erected behind Castle Island on the mill creek. Yes. 9. Whether the sloop of Eelkens was not lying directly in front of the wall of Fort Orange and trading there. Yes. 10. Whether he [Crol^ did not station himself with his boat ii: the Maquaas-kil al)ove the ■ fort, in order to cut off the Maquaas ' from reaching Eelkens. Yes. I r. Whether on the following day, Jlontoui did not come to tell hiin that he might as well go away as he could manage the matter himself. Yes. 12. Whether Eelkens did not go often to the fort and whether Hontom did not often cat in the tent. Yes. 13. How long Eelkens traded there. Four to five weeks. How manv skins he obtained. About 400. 14. Whether he, when he was at Fort Orange, was rot iiresent, when Saggodryochta, head chief of the Maquaas, came, and seeing Fhite; a long vessel or boat, with flat ribs or floor timbers, round behind and swelling in the middle. 304 NEW YORK STATE LIP.RARY Hontom, at once packed up his skins and rising up, said, " That man is a scoundrel, I will not trade with him." Yes. 15. Whether soon afterwards, the Company's yacht de Bever wijs not ])urned by the savages near Fort Orange. Yes. 16. Whether the tribe of the Macquaas^ shortly before he left Fort Orange did not tell him, as he understood their language, tiiat they would kill the said Hans Jorisscn Hontom the first time ihpy should find him alone, and whether he had not warned Hontom about this. Yes. What answer Hontom made thereto. " That the Macquaas might do their best," or something to that effect. l/i Whether, on the 20th July, 1633, as he, Crol, lay ready to sail for the fatherland, a Mahican savage, named Dickop, did not come bringing the tidings to the island Manhatcs, that all the cattle in the ncigh!)orhood of Fort Orange had been killed. Yes. 18. Whether the director Pictcr Minuict, the predecessor of Crol, had not ordered Cornclis van Vorst to keep two of the four young cows which were with calf. Yes. Where this happened. In the house of Cornclis van Vorst at Pavonia, in the presence of Pictcr Bijlcvelt and shortly before the departure of Minuit. 19. Whether Andries Phiddcn, cominis of stores, did not also furnish a cow to van Vorst. Yes. 20. Whether Woutcr van Twillcr, director, in March 1633, about 10 months after the delivery, took away these cattle from Cornelis van Vorst. Yes. For what reason? Fie said he had bought them from Minuict. 21. Whether van Tivillcr did not give van Vorst three other cows in their place. Yes. [Signed] Witnesses, Egbert Janss and bastiaen Janss krol Johannes v.d. Hulst ' VAN RENSSKr.AER BOWIEU MANUSCRIPTS 3O5 Bill of Michiel Pauw to Kiliaen van Rensselaer for his share in expenses of patroonships in New Netherland*'^ July 20, i6s4 The general account of the three patroonships in New Netherland, drawn up at the Hague, amounts to f563 it to be paid by each, J/3 fiS/ 17 Mr rcnscJacr advanced f 68 paid to M paauzv fi02 18 must still pay to the same f 16 19 fi87 17 20 July 1634, Amsterdam [signed] M Paauiv Herein is not included what is due and shall become due the notary vandcr vcnnc 1634 the 25th of July, paid to the maid servant of Mr Michael paamv in the presence of danicl vandcr Schcldcn 6 Rd at 50 st . . . fi5 Small coin*^^ f i 19 Total fi6 19 as above [signed] danicl vander Schcldcn [Endorsed] 1634:25 June"^ michiel pauzu fi6 19 <■■■ V. R. B. Mss, 9. moneta. Apparently a mistake for July. 20 NICVV yOHK S'lA'IK i;il!KARY Account of the jurisdictions, management and condition of the territories named Rensselaerswyck'"' July 20, i6s4 TRANSLATED BY MRS ALAN II. STRONG Account of the jurisdictions, management and condition of the territories named Rensselaerswyck, situated in New Nether- land on the river of the Prince Mauritius; communicated in writing- upon express condition dc noii praejudicando. Tliis 20th of July 1634 Comprising the whole district with all the lands formerly in- habited by and belonging to the free, rich and well known nation named the Mahikans, who had a language of their own and in the year 1625 would not give up or sell any of the aforesaid lands even at the request of the Chartered West India Company. But since Daniel van Krieckenbccck, former comniis at Fort Orange, involved and engaged these same ■\Tanhykans in needless wars with the warlike nation of the Maqnacs, their former friends and neighbors, they lost in the beginning llicir general chief named Monnemin, and subsequently were so hard jiressed from time to time, especially by the defeat they suffered in 1629, that they resolved in the years 1630 and 163 1 to sell and transfer their said lands with all their rights, jurisdiction and authority to and for . the behoof of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the present owner and lawful possessor of the before mentioned regions, according to the respective deeds of cession and transfer of date August 13, 1630. and May 163 1. First, the free lordship and jurisdiction named Sanckhao;ai^, lying on the west side of the river, beginning from Becren Island and extending up to Smax Island, having along the shore of the river about 210 morgens of cleared land now ready to put animals on, for raising hay and cultivating with the plow, and extending V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.77-79b, entitled: Naroe van de gcrcchtichedcn, dircctie en 't wescn van de ferritoiren gen. Rensselaerswijck, gelegen in Nieuw-N cdcrlant op de reviere van d'vorst Mauritius gecommunicieert in scriptis onder expres bedinck de nan praejudicando. Desen so July 1634. Printed in Dutch in Oud Holland, 1890, 8:260—65, as Appendix E to ^Ir de Roevcr's articles on the colony of Rensselaerswyck. This important memornndum was jirepared by Kiliaen van Rensselaer for the use of a committee of the Chamber of Amsterdam, which was considering the purchase of the colonies as a means of settling the disimtes which had arisen between the patroons and the Company regarding the interpretation to be given to the charter of Freedoms and Exemptions. VAN RICNSSFJ.AICR I!()\V[I-:K MANUSCRIPTS two clays' journey inland, bought from their chief Paapsickcnckas with his accompanying councilors and co-owners, Keraptac, Nan- koufamhat and Sickcnosen. Which aforesaid and the other further to be named lordships arc endowed with such prerogatives and privileges as the honorable Michael Pauw has stated in his declara- tion which, for brevity's sake, it is needless to repeat here, reference being made to tliis declaration for them and such other prerogatives as may especially belong to these lordships. Secondly and thirdly, the free lordships and jurisdictions named Petanock and Ncgagonsc, the first including all the territory to the south and north of the mill creek, comprising also the West Island, containing in all more than 240 morgens of cleared land and fertile soil, with three farms named as follows, Rcnselaers-Burch, Welys- Burch and Godijns-BurcJi; that of A'cga^^onsc,. including all the lands and two parcels up to Monnanin's Castle containing much over 350 morgens of cleare l land as above, with the following farm called Blommaerts-Burch. everything along the west side of the river, and inland inrlefinitely ; bought of the respective chiefs, councilors and owners Kottomack, Naivaucuiith, Ahantacncc, Sai^isk II a, Kann a mooc k . Fourthly, the free lordship and jurisdiction named Scmczccck , lying on the cast side of the river, bought from . the aforesaid Nazvancinith, having belonged exclusively to him ; containing a watcrmill and farm called de Laets-Burch with a crystal rock and several beautiful groves, to which must be added the lands which Paapsickcnnikas at present still possesses and which are ordered to be bought, the same containing together 400 morgens of cleared land."" Fifthly,"''' the islands of Paapsickcnckas with the mainland lying on the east shore, bought by Jacob Planck, the 23d of April 1637, from the following chiefs and owners, Casehot, Onhascnic, Kaiii- kchock, Sickezvope, Noscnac and Oclikock, and payment made with seawan, duflfels, axes, knives and other merchandise. So that the territory of the Mahikans, who in their time were over 1600 strong, has all together over 1200 morgens of cleared land and far more than 1 6,000 morgens of mountain and valley, forest and marsh, Avith all kinds of game and fowl, the 1200 cleared morgens being not only fat, clayey soil of itself but yearly enriched by the overflow of high water there when the ice breaks Cf. note on p. 167. This paragraph was inserted later. 3o8 NEW YORK STATE TJI'.RARY and jams. The same lies ordinarily from three to five feet above the water, according as the tide runs high or low (and yet it is fresh water) and ships of over 120 lasts can sail up there from the vsea. The lands described above having been bought, all possible dili- gence was applied to populate the same with Christians, to purchase animals and to send thither all kinds of tools and necessaries, namely, in the year 1630, in charge of the farm overseer Wolffaert Gerrittsen, besides those who deserted him rnlger hendricksen van Soest hrant peelen vander Nieckarck bcerent lansen van csen[enf] roeloff lanscn van masterlant annetgen Jans, his wife Sara and trintgen roeloffs, his daughters with another child born before in that country^-' Clacs claesen van vlecker lacoh Goyucrttsen van Ditto Zeeger lanssen vander nieckarck Besides sending 12 ewes with lamb, orders were given to buy all kinds of animals in the country there, so that the aforesaid persons had in the year 163 1 established two fine farms, one on West Island, named Rensselaersburch, provided with a convenient dwell- ing, the sides and gable built up with brick, long and wide as re- quired ; in addition two hay barracks, each of five poles fifty feet high ; also a barn and sheepcote and other necessaries. Eight morgens of land were plowed in the year 1632. On the 14th of April, 1633, there were to be found thereon : 6 horses, including 2 mares with foal 5 head of cattle, including 2 cows with calf 6 hogs 16 sheep and in the same year were raised 14 morgens of fine winter wheat 2 morgens ditto rye 4 morgens of summer seed, oats, peas, etc. *• At this and other points of the document Mr de Roever has a footnote saying: " Here follows a part of the names of the persons already given in Appendix D." For the sake of the completeness of the document and because the Appendix D has been replaced by a different list of colonists, the names have here been restored t> their proper place. "met noch een kint daertevoorn Int lant gebooren. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS The house was furnished with all kinds of farm implements and necessaries for the animals and for the comfort and support of the people and what further was needful. The above mentioned persons further established another farm in the lordship of Semchecck, named dc Laeisburch, on the east side of the river ; but as this house was burned by accident, they built again another brick house, 80 feet long, the threshing floor 25 feet wide and the beams 12 feet high, up to the ceiling; further, a hay barrack of 4 poles, 50 feet above the ground, with barn and sheep- cote. They were also provided with a sailing vessel, etc., as men- tioned above, and in the year 1632 cultivated 5 morgens of land, and in Aj^ril 1633, the farm was found to contain : 6 horses, including 2 yearlings 4 head of cattle, including one ox and one Inill 5 hogs 22 sheep 6 morgens winter wheat I ditto rye 3 ditto summer grain Again in the year 163 1, there were sent thither from here: lourens lourenssen van coppcnhaegen, millwright herent thonissen van heyligensont Maryn adriaensen vander Vccre lysbct thysen, his wife a son born before in that country""^ Jasper ferlyn vander Gouzv Jan thyerts van franicker Cornelis maessen van buermalsen -Besides the above mentioned peVsons, all kinds of necessaries for man and beast were sent over, including eight heifer calves, of which seven arrived alive, also millstones, all kinds of ironwork and the like for the erection of a saw and grist-mill, tobacco plant- ing and farming purposes; whereof is still in existence the grist- mill where grain is ground for Fort Orange and the country around. Item, another dwelling house stands outside of Fort Orange in which Marijn Adriaenss is living with his family. They have pre- pared an enclosed plot of two morgens in which to sow tobacco. In the year 1632, with the knowledge and consent of the Com- pany, were bought from J'ieter Pieters:^ Bilevelt and paid for: 3 horses 9 head of cattle een Soon te Vooren daer Int Lant gebooren. 310 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 3 bull calves and all his farming implements including wagons, plows, etc. Ditto, bought from Pietcr Minuict aside from the animals be- longing to his farm, which he sold to the director, IV outer I'Oii Tzviller : 3 horses 8 head of cattle and several hogs Ditto, taken over from Gcrrit Thcuscn dc Reux, the animals belonging to his farm, namely : 4 horses 4 head of cattle 2 young heifers 4 sheep 4 hogs with all the farm stock of wagons, plows, etc., needful for farming, and in addition, of the increase of animals belong- ing to him, also purchased, I stallion colt 1 young ox 2 heifers and 50 guilders consideration paid in exchange of a cow for a heifer. In addition to this, in the aforesaid year 1632, the following per- sons were sent over: Gerrit matheussen de reux hendrick frederich van buniiick Cornelis thonissen van meerkerck Marcus meussen van Cuylenborch Also two or three laborers to be engaged there from those who have served out their time, in order to establish with the aforesaid animals. and their increase three farms, namely, IVeelys-Burch on the West Island, Godijns-Burch near the mill creek, both in the lord- ship of Pclanock, and Blonunaerts-Burch near the fourth creek, in the lordship of Negagonsc. All these three farms would have been established in the year 1633 but that, through a misunderstanding of Director Bastiacn Janssen Krol who raised the objection that he had no instructions from the lords [directors], they were detained at the Manhatans. However, as further advice has now come over, the said animals and implements will be sent to Rensselaerswyck, in order this present year with God's help to *establish the three farms before named, which was prevented in the year 1633. VAN RENSSKLAliK BUWIER MANUSCRIPTS With which firm confidence, the following have heen sent thither this year 1634: Lubhert Gysbcritscii van bkuxoin, wheelwright Divertgen Cornelis, his wife Gysbert, theus, and Ian, their three sons Cornelis thonissen van brcuckcl, carpenter-mason hendrick karstenssen van Norden Abraham lacobssen Planck and as the officer of Renselaers comes home, sent in his place Jacob albcrttsoi planch, to fill the said i)lace and to adminis- ter proper justice. All the ahove mentioned i)ers()ns have been sn])])lied with their proper necessities, as clothing, provisions and tools, firelocks and other needful weapons for themselves, and for the people in that country, so that this last outfitting, with messenger hire and other expenses, will alone amount to nearly 3000 guilders. From the preceding account, it will be sufficiently perceived to what trouble and expense the sai^l patroon has been, what efforts he has made, what perils his people and his animals have withstood, in what good condition the respective lordships of Rensselaerswyck now are, with prospects of annual improvements, and what a quantity of grain and animals could be raised on the 1200 morgens of cleared land, as good as here the Betuzve'^ or the Beemster'^'^ may be, there being no doubt but that this present year he will seed enough land to produce over 40 lasts of grain, mostly wheat, whereto may Almighty God lend his gracious blessing. Amen. The said patroon therefore, considering all the prerogatives and benefits, only touched upon here in passing and in a general way, is most highly inclined to carry on the work he has begun and ex- pects the gracious blessing of the Lord upon it in case he is allowed ((uickly and peacefully to enjoy the granted Freedoms and Exemp- tions accorcHng to their right meanhig and content. But if he slionld be liindcred therein, he would rather negotiate about the undertaking w ith llie Chartered West India Company than oppose himself to the Company, if it will agree to offer him such a sum of money as he has mentioned before the honorable committee; with this reservation, that in case the Company should give the undertak- ing u]) again, he should have the preference in accordance with [con- ditions] further to be expressed ; if not, that the original of this memo- Sfo note (in ]). 6.^. '-' Soo note dh p. 6j. 312 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY randum shall be handed back to him without keeping any copy thereof or making further publication. And in order that the honor- able committee may have still further enlightenment, he refers to the map and drawing of the aforesaid jurisdictions and regions heretofore delivered to the honorable director Alter tus Coenradi Burch and the duplicate thereof which remains .with the said patroon. This memorandum was sent with a letter to the Hague to the honorable Johan Ray, director of the West India Company, and member of the committee in charge of this matter, to be re- turned by his honor in case no action is taken thereon. And in testimony of the truth, signed by my own hand. Date as above. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet'^'^ July 21, 1634 TRANSLATED BY MRS ALAN H. STRONG Johan de Lact, at Leyden This day, 21 J^^^y 1634, in Amsterdam Sir: Enclosed I send your honor a letter to Mr Johan Raye, containing a memorandum concerning the state and condition of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, which I have thought good to send first to your honor in order that your honor may read it, and then at once without delay send it to the Hague, closing the letter which I have left open with your seal. The Company delays reply to our claim"^^'^ delivered to it at the Hague. It seems now to be inclined to come to an agreement, to which the combined patroons have consented on condition of re- ceiving a reasonable price. I have asked 6000 pounds Flemish for my colony and would not like to take nuich less since I have heard that our enterprise is in fine condition. Be so kind as not to neglect sending this letter to the Hague early tomorrow, Saturday morning, as it requires haste and Mr Paiizv has already given in his state- ment here. And give me a line of acknowledgment that your honor has received this letter, so that I may not be in anxiety. ''^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.So. Printed in Dutch in Oud Holland, 1890, 8:266, as Appendix F to Mr de Roever's articles on the colony of Rensselaerswyck. 73a Pretension and Claim, June 16, 1634, printed in Doc. rel. to Cot. Hist. N. Y., 1:86-88, and O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:160-63. VAN RENSSELAER HOWIER MANUSCRIPTS I expectetl to have found yonr honor at the Hague the last time and would then have asked you for the third assessment which the other confratcrs have already paid, your fifth part amounting to 200 guilders with 100 guilders more for other expenses, being in all 300 giu'lders ; it would have been much more if 1 had not received a goodly sum for the furs which were brought over on the last trip, so that this assessment is not higher. Please send this at once to me. I will inmiediately send your honor a receipt. T liopc tliat all our shortage in Swanendacl (which has too many rulers) will be made up by my colony. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jehan Raye"^ July 21, i6s4 Mr Ichan Rayc, at the Hague This day, 21 July 1634 Sir: Enclosed 1 scnc: hem sonde beiaclen. 326 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 60^ I do not want to tax my own people, wlio must earn it by their hard labor. As far as others are concerned 1 do not have to care, you may take as much as the market price and as you can get. Herewith go also 38 persons whom I have engaged for my colony under binding contracts for fear some of them should fail to con- form to the accompanying conditions and contracts as well as [to repay] the money which I have furnished them both as advances and for the passage, which you must all duly enter in conformity with the enclosed list amounting to f927. You must distribute these people to the greatest service of the colony, each one doing that which he is best able to do, charging the accounts of the farmers with whom they are placed with the money to them [the new colonists] in hand paid as well as the passage money, especially the money for board on the voyage, at six stivers a day as long as the voyage shall last, for there is no reason why I should engage the people with difficulty and why they [the farmers] should reap the benefit of it. These two farmers who have been very helpful to me, namely Cornells Maessen and Symon zvalichs, you will give a fair choice of the men who are coming, but in such way that they do not select all the best men, for others must have something too. Cornclis thucnisscn z'an brucckclcn or hrocr Coriiclis you will con- firm in the possession of his farm on the terms of Gcrrit dc Rcux provided he conducts himself according to the ordinances and laws of the colony and sees to it that I have what is mine and that he takes good care of the animals. Cornclis Macsscn and Simon Walichs you will provide with as many animals as can be supplied from the increase of others. And in case they should wish to settle on Paep Zickcncs land, which I think has not yet been bought, make every efifort to purchase the same or at least to cause the farms to be established there with the consent and will of the owners. And as it may well be that Lubhcrt gysbcrtsscn radcniacckcr has a farm also and as the animals are somewhat few in number, especially the cows, you must see to it that they accommodate one another and do not draw the lines too tight. It is true that the first are entitled to their full number, but they must also act so that when their time is up, they may again obtain a new lease. ■ I see by the dispute which you have with Gerrit de Rcux that others will follow. I have represented here to Cornclis macsscn and Simon ll'alichs that I wanted to make no change in the con- tract with Gcrrit de Rcux, but although it was only neglect on my part that I did not fix the price of the grain as well as that of the VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 327 animals, I will nevertheless carry out the contract as it stands with this understanding that, if they should undertake to fix the market of their grain too high for me, I will then insist hard also on the first article, prohibiting them from trading in furs in any manner, which they in no wise are allowed to do even for products of the soil. But if they act decently and deliver me their grain at a rea- sonable price that I may make something on it, you will in my name permit them also to purchase yearly for the products of each com- plete farm the number of lo or 12 merchantable skins as their share, which is already a fair profit, and in God's name enter into an agreement with them respecting the matter and send it to me for my approval. I can not write to every one of my people, but you will read herefrom to each of them my intention as far as it concerns them in particular or in common, and where it does not prejudice me give each a copy of the part that relates to him. Pietcr C ornclissen van Munnickendam with Claes lanssen van Naerden and albert andriessen van fredrichs stadt have entered into a special agreement with me according to the contract sent here- with,''* so that they will dwell apart with their men and goods ; nevertheless they must conduct themselves as subjects of the colony and submit themselves to the common laws. I have appointed Pie- ter Cornelisscn as councilor and schepen to take his place beside you with order to appoint others, according to the instructions taken with him,-'*'' the original of which is enclosed. The points men- tioned therein which concern you, you must observe a? \i hey had been put in your own instructions. Said piettcr Cornelisscn with his men will in every way assist you in erecting houses for the farmers and for others for whom I am bound to do so under contract, at the least cost and as soon as it shall be possible for them. Meanwhile, you will have to make provisional arrangements as to where each shall live and where and how they shall be provided with food ; also keep a watchful eye that I lose through no one and what they can not gain at first, that they do that later, if it only goes forward and not backward. As far as the freemen are concerned, you will accommodate them as best you can and assist them to earn their bread with honor, and see that each one according to his thrift may prosper a little in order that others may not be discouraged but attracted thereby. See p. 676-77. Ick hchbe Pietcr Cornelisscn gcstcit als ract cn schcpcn, omme nacst rl sin plaetse tc hchbcn, met ordre omme mecrder gctal te qnaliHccrcn volgens Instructie hem medegegeven. 328 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY You will also before all things promote piety and take care that means be found to send a minister over, as is stated at greater length in the instructions to Piter Cornelissen; meanwhile cause the people to assemble every Sunday to train them in the command- ments, the psalms, the reading of the Holy Scriptures and Christian authors, in modesty, love and decency. And as the equipment of this ship ran too high for me, I granted Gerrit de fore est a half interest in it (aside from the goods and the people of the colony) in conformity with the enclosed contract; you will therefore also keep a watchful eye on it and with Pieter Cornelissen represent my person to assist them with word and deed as more fully mentioned in the instructions to Piter Cornelissen herewith enclosed. You can infer from all that is said above that the prospect for you personnally is fine upon increase of these things, but this you must know that if your profit and honor grov/, your care must increase also, for one can not go without the other. Therefore, read and reread all my papers carefully, put your mind and thoughts upon them and do not let it blow lightl)' past but shov/ me results thereof, not only in deeds but also in letters and reports ; I shall then be armed against all evil tongues which might want to slander you for if you give me contentment and satisfaction, you need neither look to nor fear anv one else. As the lease of the farmers at the Manhatans has expired, make every effort to get some animals and the children of Wolfacrtse Gerritsen or others in my colony, as the manathans is for the most part exhausted and my land still fresh, and while that land rests a little they can earn profit on my land and then again go to the mana- thans with the increase after [the farms there] have lain fallow for some years. I send herewith two large millstones to erect, either near the saw- mill or somewhere else, a grist-mill to grind the grain not only for my own people and the people of Fort Orange, but all the grain that I have, in order to sell it ground instead of unground to the Company for furs, or to the English for money or other goods. In this way a miller can be kept there in course of time and the savages will be glad to give seawan or other things for the grinding of their corn or at least a good part of their corn. The mother of Zeeger Janssen van der Nieckarck, who was drowned, asked the account of her son, whether anything was due to him or not. Let me know how that matter stands. VAN RENSSEI AER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 329 As to henrick Kerstenssen, he must first fulfil his contract, as otherwise it establishes a bad precedent and I do not want the con- tracts made here undone ; but those who have not received wages enough and who behave well, I shall at the end of their time give a good present and improve in their condition, but that must be left to my choice or at least be done with my pleasure and knowledge. If Kersten behaves well you may give him each year a suit of clothes with a pair of stockings and shoes. Dirck Cornelissen duuster, coming from farnambuco, was drowned near the English coast, so that he will not make the voy- age again. It is not at all my intention that the farmers shall give the servants higher wages without my knowledge and consent. They may do that for themselves but not for me except with my will, knowledge and consent; you will read this to them together. Give my greetings to the commis, martten Gerrittsen, and show him on my part as much friendship as if I were present. Also to Jeronimus la Croix, whose father sends him a small cask with goods and whose letters Piter Cornelissen has. Tell Gerrit de Reux that he must give me better satisfaction, for that it does not agree to write of loo muddes and to deliver but 25. If you have any suspicion, let each farmer deliver you for my half the tenth sheaf on the field un- thrashed and bring it where you want it and where you can have it thrashed yourself in order to be able thereafter to make the account present a somewhat better appearance. You write that the farmers treat you disrespectfully. If this happens again, send me proper attestations thereof and I will settle that all right, but you must not wrong them either or make improper demands, though you will execute strictly all that concerns my jurisdiction and that their con- tract implies, especially if they should want to give me less than my share, and then in addition have the power to promise the servants an increase in order to make them keep silence ; that will not do. I hope that they will behave better. The 63 whole and 18 half beavers I received of the Company under bond. I wish that you had sent by this ship the 150 which you have there; the sum total when all is put together would then be so much larger and the Company not even consider whether [the former shipment took place] long ago or not, I do not want you to send me any peltries except with the knowledge of and after en- tering them with the director, and if there is any opportunity of sending by ships, even by my own ship, you will enter what you send in them and pay to the director the duty of the Company, to 330 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY wit : one guilder per merchantable skin traded in New Netherland and five per cent for those from the coast of Virginia, New Eng- land or elsewhere, taking each time a receipt therefor from the director and sending it to me by the skipper with the invoice of the peltries. You have done very well in not sending them by Davidt pietersz, but you would have done better by sending them in dc scucn starra with the knowledge as above. I have received your sam- ples ; the crystal is the best. Now that so many people come there, ■take at once a trip into the country to find out whether there are any minerals, especially, as I hear, that there is a rock of crystal''*^ above dc laets Kiel where the mill stands. Inquire about this some time and write me whether there is a great quantity of it and send me of the purest, instead of a piece as large as a hazelnut, a couple of barrels as a sample. It is said to extend as far as two or three leagues upwards. Do not omit either to send me by my ship some muddes of grain, that we may have the taste and the view thereof here. I see that occasionally you liave to spend a long time at the Manathans ; I hope that this will improve. If Dirck corsscn stays there, you could turn some duties over to him and I have no doubt but he will be glad to do his best. If you do yours also everything will go well, and see that I get something too for my great trouble and expense, which has lasted already so long. The indemnity from the Maquaas ought also some day to be collected without get- ting thereby into contention or war. It must be done in the name of the director below in order that the Maquaas may have less feeling against the people of Fort Orange and also against my people. If this ship (God willing) makes a good voyage, I hope from time to time diligently to continue [sending others] and to await the blessing of the Lord, toward which your zeal and fidelity can help much also. Notelman has defrauded me much with regard to the animals but I must have patience. He will have to pay the Company its dues for the three years that he has had them, both as to the lease and to the increase, and I for the remaining two years, as Gcrrit de Reux has paid the first year. And as I must shorten this, I com- mend you to the gracious protection of Almighty God that He may preserve you in health for a long time and give what is to His honor and to the salvation of our souls. Amen. cristal herghe; literally, crystal hill or mountain. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wolfert Gerritsz^''' October 4, 1636 Laus dco, tliis day, 4 October 1636, in Amsterdam Very obliging friend, iVoiffcrt Gcrritss: In answer to yonrs of tbe i8th of Augnst 1635, I will say that I had hoped that yon would have come over yourself to dispose of your money in my care, of which I have paid 65 guilders to Wou- tcr van Kcrinpt, according to the enclosed notarial receipt. I had hoped that some of your children would have gone with their ani- mals up to my colony, but understand that they have been prevented from so doing so by the director and council. However, as the six years of the lease are now up, each one may do with his animals as he pleases if he pay the agreed increase to the Company. There- fore, if you like to sell some of your animals to me or to send some of your children with your animals up the river, we will deal with each other in all fairness. The Manhatans are mostly exhausted and my land is still luxurious and fresh. Some young animals could be left at the manathans and the land rest a little and by the time the animals are grown up the land would have recovered it- self somewhat and have rested. But your honor must do as you think best and as is most profitable to you ; wherewith ending, I commend you with your wife and children to God's gracious pro- tection and remain with hearty greetings. List of papers and memoranda sent by Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck'*^ October 4, 16^6 List of the ])apers and documents sent to Jacob plaiick and en- closed with his letter, this 4th of October 1636, in Amsterdam. No. I Remonstrance to the West India Company and the resolutions passed concerning my ship called Rens- selacrs zvijck. No. 2 Payments made to the people who are to go over on this ship, amounting to 1*927 :io: — V. R. B. Mss, Lclter Book, f.88. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.89. 332 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY No. 3 Instructions drawn up for pietcr Corneliss van Munck- endain^ also concerning the officer and coniinis, Jacob planck. No. 4 Roll of the people sailing for the colony with some memoranda for Pieter Corneliss. No. 5 Reasons which I have for transporting my animals to my colony. No. 6 Contract macLe with Gcrrit de forcest concerning the ship called Rensselaers ivyck, with the invoice and bill of lading of the goods and estimate of the entire equipment. No. 7 Invoice and bill of lading of the goods sent for the account of the colony of Rensselaerswyck to Jacob planck — f4ioo — No. 8 Contract 'with pieter Corneliss ,van Munckendani, Claes Janss van naerden, Albert Andriess van fre- rickstadt, concerning the mill company. No. 9 Contract with several carpenters, mainly for the mill company. No. TO Contract made with several farm laborers to be dis- tributed among the farms. No. II Contract with Cornelis maesen van buijrmalsen and Sijmon Walichs van wijngaerden, farmers. No. 12 Contract made with several free colonists. No. 13 Contract with Cornelis Thomassen van Rotterdam, smith; Arent Steffenier, hog dealer; with their men. Gerrit Janss Oldenburch, living at the Manathans, has written me several times about getting a farm in my colony or at the Mana- thans. If he is able and you can accommodate him, give him a farm provided you can get animals; and if you can not, let him come over here and find some servants, after which he can sail thither again and by that time I hope that the animals will have multiplied, or if he prefers to wait for that there, it is all right too. Do not forget to keep him in mind as being recommended and tell him to write me further how he has fared. Cornelis van voorst may perhaps have some animals to spare which he can sell, or some one of his men may see to that. To establish farms \ there must be animals. [Try] also [to make arrangements 'with] Wolphert Gerritss or his children. Make every eflfort to obtain animals, I shall send people. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 333 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet^^ October 6, 1636 To Mr Johan de laedtt, at Leyden In Amsterdam, this 6th of October 1636 Yesterday, on Sunday, I received your favor of the 4th instant, in reply to which I shaU briefly say that our ship, God be praised, has already arrived at the Texel. Yesterday, the supercargo went thither with the papers and they are now waiting only for a good wind, which may God grant us. There is good company at the Texel lying ready also, notwith- standing which we, the participants of the colony, have insured as follows, for which the policies are being made out: f4000 on the goods of the colony going only, of which your honor's portion is fSoo; the remaining f2O0^ your honor must risk, and on our half of the ship and goods in proportion, the policies for which have been handed to Samuel hoffman in the presence of confrater Blom- maert, so that we shall not run so very much risk. I think that tlie insurance will be 6^ in going and 6i for the return voyage. The ship de Seuen starve has come at the right time, and by the good tidings which it brought of the condition of our colony has made the people going thither so happy that they go now with re- doubled courage. The news which I have is little but good. The director (although he was again accused of having delayed the ship, which is slander) hastened the sailing of this ship so much that the people could not get ready and I could scarcely obtain even a short letter from Jacob planck. The contents are: 1 That consent has finally been given to send the animals, whicli have caused so much dispute, to the colony and that five milch cows and five calves had already been sent, which means a good deal to us. Thereupon I agreed with Notelman, Saturday, by decision of the arbiters, that we shall pay him fi5o and the Company f6oo, provided we receive the full number of horses, cows and other ani- mals. 2 That the wheelwright, whom they needed so much, had come to the colony from the Manhatans. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.88. ^ These " remaining £200 " seem to refer to the balance of de Laet's share of fiooo in the total account of £5027:10 for supplies for the colony. See p. 335-36. » 334 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 3 That three farms were complete and their barns full of grain, each having- about 30 morgens seeded, mostly with wheat. 4 That there were enough animals to stock two more farms as soon as our people arrive there. 5 That they had had a fine increase of animals and needed nothing but people, who will now arrive to the number of 38, among whom are six women and several children, while some still expect to give birth on the way. 6 That Jacob plaiick ha i 150 skins in stock which he intended to send by the first ship of the Company, half of which, 1 take it, belong to him, it being but a false rumor that he had sent a quantity of skins as contraband by Dauidt piefcrsc. 7 That all our grain of the year 1635 been delivered to the Company, but I have received no account of it. In short, we uius'l thank the Lord and can wish nothing better. The Company obtained about 8000 skins, which is good for them also; however, there was little merchandise left. In advising your honor now as to selling a part of your honor's 1/5 share, I can say only what I have shown by my own example, namely that the share of Godtj'n was sold in two parts: i/io part to Jacob and hcndrick Trip, who are married to the daughters, for fiooo cash in bank specie ; the other i/io part I bought also for fiooo cash and ofifered to leave to Mr Cocnracts if he wants it, otherwise I intend to keep it myself, although aside from that I own 2/5 shares therein, lie has not given me any answer as yet. I promised to let him read all the letters and instructions in order that he may be at ease and do the same with a good conscience. And in order that your honor may be at ease too, I send enclosed the instructions given to the crew of the ship. Please to look this over and annotate it if your honor has any objections and then with additions show it to Gcrr'it de forccst so that he may sign it and send it back to me at the first opportunity without fail. Blommacrt has already transferred to his brother in law adaui besscls i/io part out of his 1/5; what your honor must now do or not do is for yourself to decide; if the person [to whom you think of selling] could be of service to us, I should be the better pleased. Before I could resolve to reduce my share, I should have to feel that it was necessary in order to have more backing, though we have enough pasture land to divide the one fifth shares into fiftieth shares as I think that by conveyance we have no less than 150 thousand morgens of land. However, I fear that if we expand too much we may become the counterpart VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 335 of Sivaiiendael, as the large number often causes confusion and, one pulling this way and another that way, hinder one another and are in one another's way, so that I should conclude the fewer in number the better ; but your honor must do as he pleases. When we got so many participants in Sn'ancndal^ then came our confusion, I hope that after this we shall not have to provide any more capi- tal and that we shall every year receive good returns, which woufd begin already if we only had the accounts of deliveries to the Com- pany. 1 keep your honor too long discoursing; when you come here you will be able to see [it all] more fully from the writings and papers v^^hich contain everything, especially the letter to Jacob planck; the list of the papers is herewith enclosed. Enclosed is the account of the cost of the entire equipment amount- ing for your honor's portion to fi55o, and of the colony fiooo. Hereto must be added the insurance premium, so that it will be about fioo higher; on this your honor can count. Toward this your honor's draft furnishes fi200, as you still owed me f30O of old, so that there remain f 1450 for your honoL to pay. I request that you kindly send me this amount at the first opportunity, as [ have already advanced a good deal hereon and the people are still daily making frequent demands for money; but most important of all, as Gcrrit dc forecst has still more than f40oo to pay which they all try to collect from me, your honor will please let him know that he must make arrangements that I receive the said money this week, at least some of it and the rest next week. My own share is large and if in addition I have to provide so many thousands for him, I should be much embarrassed. He promised me to come back here at once or to send money, also to sign the instructions ; please have this matter urged on him and that he write me an answer to the enclosed. Your honor can liave this general account copied for him; he has the detailed account of f784o:4:6 of the cargo, and he can have that copied for you in return. I ask you kindly to urge the matter strongly on him and in sending back the enclosed instruc- tions to let me have your honor's answer and opinion ; in this way I shall also be animated to take to heart with greater zeal and earnestness our common interest, which now for three months has given me no small trouble. I should not like to get into difificulty on account of other people's money. Trusting this matter to you, very dear and beloved Sir and friend, I shall end, commending your honor to the gracious protection of God; may He grant the same to your honor and to us all, etc. Mr blomniaert and Trip have paid their portions already. 336 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY The equipment and the cargo f 15476 15 6 The colony f 5027 10 £20504 5 6 The letter to forccst is open, your honor may read it and then seal it and have it handed to him. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest^ October 6, 1636 Laus deo, this day, the 6th of October 1636, in Amsterdam Monsieur de foreest: Yesterday forenoon our people left here for the ship, taking with them all necessary papers. The instructions, however, which have been signed by me only and must be signed by your people, I have sent to Mr de Laett to have him look them over to see whether he has anything to add ; you can do the same and then send them back to me signed. I am also very anxiously waiting for the rest of the money which you still have to provide and which amounts as follows : The ship with the equipment amounts to ^5706 3 o The cargo, of which you have the account " f7840 4 6 The food stores amount to fi93o 8 o fi5476 15 6 Your half comes to f7738 8 The assignment and payment made b}^ you when you were here last ^3^79 14 The duffels sent last f 221 i Total f3400 15 Remains due ^4337 13 In the above f 15476: 15:6 are included all the provisions which we have loaded in the ship, toward which there is coming to the participants from the passengers 6 stivers a day for three months'' * V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book. f.Sgb. 3 See p. 343. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 337 according to agreement, which will alone amount to more than a thousand guilders. We could not well settle it otherwise without getting into a great quarrel. It amounts to a little less than 5 stivers, but they have agreed to pay us 6 stivers on the arrival of the ship when we receive advice as to how long the passengers have enjoyed board. Mr de Laet has the detailed account of the ship and the provisions of which he will no doubt have a copy made for you so that each one may have the whole in full. I am surprised that I do not hear from you about the above f4337:i3 which must still be paid, as the people come bothering me daily so that I am ashamed and can not put them off any longei . You must settle this at once and do not neglect to send me word by the first boat how the matter stands, as you promised me to make arrangements for paying me at the first opportunity, and herewith I commend you to God Almighty. You know what trouble I have had ; I ought not in addition to suffer the trouble of having the people coming to dun me so. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest* October 8, 1636 Gcraerdt De forecst, at Leyden This day, the 8th of October 1636 Day before yesterday I wrote to you under cover to yir de Laett, complaining that I received from you neither news nor money and that the people came importuning me daily. This will happen now still oftener as I hope that our ship sailed today in good company; it was most desirable that it should make such speedy progress; may Almighty God watch over it. However, now the ship is at sea, one can not delay the people any longer. There is also more risk involved for you than you think, inasmuch as of your half share nothing has been insured; and if contrary to our hope an accident should occur, your partners might dispute and question the affair, since I have not been able to discover that you have anything but their mere consent and even that disputable. If one will share only in the cargo and another only in the ship, you must without delay advise me how the matter stands in order that no confusion may arise therefrom; and if there is the least hitch, give me orders to * V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.90. 22 338 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY take an insurance of four or five thousan'l g-uilders on your half ; and aside from that, if [your payment for your share] does not come promptly, 1 shall be obliged to borrow the money upon bot- tomry but that would be a double loss. Do not neglect to advise me at once ; the matter is risky and demands haste as the dang'er is largely within the first two to four days ; after that the danger is not so great. It should not happen that you send not a word of advice for so long a time, so that I have not only the trouble and my own large interest, but must in addition be importuned on ac- count of your partners. Do not sleep on this but i)lease satisfy me and answer at once. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest^ October I J, 16^6 Idem This day, the 15th ditto Your honor's letter witli the bill of exchange for 480 Carolus g'uilders on z/aii dcr poii I have received and turned over in pay- ment. I doubt not but you have already received the receipt but of the rest which you wrote me would follow on Saturday I have heard nothing. On the strength of it, I have named this afternoon as pay day, so that I shall be embarrassed ; I have taken 1000 guilders of my money out of the bank and shall see how far that will go. Meanwhile, do not neglect to urge your partners not to get me into difficulty. I shall name next Saturday as another pay day, when they ought to furnish me with the money. According to your ad- vice, I have taken 700 pounds Tdemish insurance for the voyage at 6^/. If they wish to insure the return voyage also they have still time enough to think it over. These 252 guilders insurance pre- mium, they must send me also. Let those who have the money do so, as the premium must be paid cash or the insurance agents begin to trouble. I hope that our ship has already passed the Channel and that God Almighty will grant us a happy voyage. 5 V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.90. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 339 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet^ October 2(), 16^6 Joan dc hictt, at Lcyden This clay, the 29th of October 1636 Your honor's favor of the 21st instant with the drafts and cur- rency, amounting together to the sum of 1450 guiklers, I have re- ceived and entered on your account. We shah settle all accounts at the first opportunity when Geracrd de forccst shall have sent his balance, which still amounts to about f400, as all the debts up to that amount have been paid. He writes me that he will furnish the money promptly, and I doubt not but that he will do as he says ; nevertheless, I write him today a short note of reminder which your honor can second by word of mouth when you see him. It is today three weeks since our small ship sailed. If it has kept the wind which we have had here thus far, I hope that with God's help it is already more than half way. For your honor's account insurance has been taken as follows : f4000 f 800 for your honor's 2/10 in the goods sent to the colony, for the out voy- age only, at 6'/r, amounts to f 48 £2666;^ f 533/-^ for your honor's 2/10 in one half of the ship at 6;/ going f 32 returning (y/c f32 f3200 fi640^ for your honor's -/i^ in one half of the cargo at 6;^ going f 38 8 returning f38 8 Total fi 973^3 Cash fiiS 8 returning f7o 8 Last Saturday afternoon his Excellency Count Maurits'^ sailed with four sbips: Zutphen, feniainbucq, thniis van Nassauw, Adam '■' V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.gob. ^ Should be £640. ^ Should be 2/10. " Johan Maurits, count of Nassau-Siegen; a:)i ointed gnvcnior of Braztl. August 23, 1636. 340 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY en eve ; De heer van Coin and D° Resselerius were obliged to re- main and even yesterday had not gone out, so that I do not know whether they are out or not, I think they are in ; it is awkward that the wind has changed. Day before yesterday we came together once more to discuss the increase of capital and in the name of the participants made three propositions to give them satisfaction. 1 Concerning those who have increased their investment and who will still further increase it. 2 Concerning those who may not increase it. 3 Concerning all the participants whether they have increased the same or not. On the first head, that all those who increase shall draw yearly 8^ dividend on the increase, being 2fo on the whole, and that each participant to whom the said 2i shall not be paid, may for his security lev}^ on the goods of the Company, as those may do who have advanced money on interest to the Company. On the second head, that circulars be sent to all the participants to induce them to make the said increase with such reasons and motives as the situation of affairs of the state and of the Company may permit; thereafter that those who fail to respond be called upon by further and public notice and finally be specially summoned to do so on pain, in case of refusal, of being prosecuted for con- tumacy and of having others admitted in their place. However, as the terms for the subscribers are so very favorable it is taken for granted that no one will fail to take advantage of them. On the third head, that a certain amount of capital shall be re- served for the trade to Guinea and the coast of Africa, to Pernam- buco and Brazil, to the West Indies and New Netherland, to trade therewith for the profit of the participants, which profits should be distributed yearly as far as they go and thereto added the duties recently imposed by the Assembly of the XIX on the private traders. This capital has been fixed at 100,000 guilders. For each ninth part^" merchandise to be bought here for cash, without including therein the ships or expenses of equipment, which are to be de- frayed out of the capital which the Company will derive from the 1" The capital stock of the Company was divided into nine parts, of which the Chamber of Amsterdam managed four parts, that of Zealand two parts, and those of the Mase, the Noorder-Quartier and Stad en Landcn, each one part. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS returns, in such a way that purchases shall be made from the first of January on and continue to be made, applying the returns as above, to the amount of the aforesaid sum. The agents^ ^ in charge of these goods shall be bound to make oath and render accounts to the auditors of the directors and chief participants in order to divide the profits thereon yearly as afore- said, after deduction of the expenses of equipment, and if any goods are lost the same to be made good out of the prizes taken by the Company (others think that they should be deducted from the profits) ; and in this way, with God's blessing, a sure dividend might be declared each year, so that the shares of the West India Company would be worth little less than those of the East India Company. These articles to be drawn up with the formality thereto re- quired, to wit : with the knowledge of the respective chambers, the chief participants and the Assembly of the XIX and the approval of their High Mightinesses. This is as far as my memory serves me for I kept no copy thereof, but Mr Coenraets made a note of it. Whether the pro- posal will be agreeable to the directors, we shall hear in the course of time. I believe that Monday a report thereon was made in the Chamber of Amsterdam. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Gerard de Forest^^ October enchman, whom we chased while following our course. It was a ship that came from the bank of tcriiccfS'^ In the afternoon another one passed us to windward with- out speaking. We then set our course toward the W. S. W. with a stiff topsail breeze. Done. Wed. 15 S. W. by W. 30 47-40 S. E. Stiff topsail In the evening it began to drizzle. Done. Th. 16 By dead reckoning; we took no latitude. Dark weather. W. S. W. 16 47-15 S. E. with rough weather. Done. . Fr. 17 r>y (lead reckoning; we took no latitude. Dark weather. W. S. W. 18 47-4 E. gentle breeze Done. Sat. 18 As above. Upon taking the latitude we found the latitude, the distance and the course during the last three days, that is from the i6th to the i8th, changed as follows S. W. by W. 58 45-21 S. E. Various breezes Done. Start Point, Devonshire. ""The Lizard. Terre Neuve; that is Newfoundland. 358 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Sun. 19. vS. W. by W. 20 44-40 E. Topsail Done. Mon. 20 S. W. by W. 45 42-56 Fitful rough weather and toward evening we had sailed eight leagues W. S. W. with very rough weather from the N. N. W. ; during the evening it became quite calm, which lasted till daylight; then the wind changed to the south. Done. Tu. 21 In the morning the wind changed to the W. and it blew so hard that the topsails had to be taken in. The wind veered to the N. W. We had then sailed about three leagues to the N. W. and about nine o'clock it blew so hard that we had to take in all our sails and could not carry a single sail. An hour later there blew a violent gale from the N. W. and we then drifted east with a very rough sea. The waves rose to such au awful hight that the waves and the sky seemed one. The wind turned again to the W. and so it lasted the entire night. Done as far as the night is concerned. Wed. 22 In the morning it still blew so hard that we could not carry any sails, but the sea was calmer. The wind came from the S. W. and during the night in the second watch it grew less ; we set our main- sail but toward dawn it had to be taken in again on account of the strong wind, thunder and lightning. It blew hard, the wind as above, we drifted east. Done till morning. Th. 23 The wind about W. and we drifted east with rough weather. We drifted from about nine o'clock on the 2 1 St to noon of the 23d, by reckoning 23 leagues N. E. by E. No latitude had been taken for the past three days up to noon. Fr. 24 Drifted east by north 10 leagues. The wind about W. N. W. with severe storm and during the past day drifted without sail. Sat. 25 Drifted E. N. E. 12 leagues, with very rough weather; our mizzen blew away. The wind about west during the past day. Sun. 26 Drifted east by south 15 leagues. The wind about west with rough weather and in the evening we bent on our new mizzen. The day gone. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 359 Moil. 27 Drifted E. by S. eight leagues ; the wind from the N.W. with a stiff mainsail breeze till morning. We then ran south with our two courses but could not sail closer than S.E. by S. The wind veered toward the W. and we sailed till evening with the courses, keeping our course S.S.E. seven leagues. The wind then ro^e again from the S.W. so that both the courses had to be taken in. It blew a terrible gale and we drifted then S.E. by E. The day gone. Tu. 28 A gale still blew from the west and we still drifted S.E. by E. Drifted by reckoning 12 leagues. That night the beak of our ship was knocked to pieces. The day gone. Wed. 29 The wind as before but the weather fully as good. We set our mainsail but it was not long before it had to be taken in again. The wind veered to the S.W. by W. with rough weather so that we were obliged to let ourselves drift. This day we made the first good observation of latitude since the 20th and found that we were at 41 degrees, 51 minutes. The day gone. Th. 30 In the morning the weather was fairly good, the wind about W.S.W. and toward daybreak we set both our courses and steered S. by E. but the sea became rough so that we could only hold to a S.E. course. That noon we again took a fairly good ob- servation of latitude and found it 41 degrees, 41 minutes, and ran that day by drifting and sailing, keeping an E.S.E. course, 14 leagues. We took our sails in again on account of the strong wind, also because we could make no headway by sailing on ac- count of the rough sea. Awaited the right wind. The day gone. Fr. 31 Drifted by reckoning 10 leagues E.S.E. The wind about S.W. with rough weather and high seas and an overcast sky so that we could not take the latitude, but by dead reckoning it was 41 degrees, 26 min. ; and from that noon till the morning of the first of November we drifted eight leagues S.E. by E. The wind about west, very high seas. The latitude by dead reckoning 41 deg. 10 min. The day gone. 36o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY November. Sat. I In the morning we veered toward the west and drifted north. The wind S.W. with rough weather and high seas. Tlie past half day and entire night. Sun. 2 Drifted i6 leagues N.E. by E. ; the wind about west, the latitude by dead reckoning 41 degrees, 50 min. with very high seas. That day the overhang above our rudder was knocked in by severe storm. This day a child was born on the ship, and named and baptized in England stoenii f- the mother is annctie bacrnts. The day gone. Mon. 3 In the morning the weather was fairly good, the wind about W.S.W. We set our courses and \)yo- ceeded in a northerly direction. During that day we made 12 leagues, drifting and sailing and keeping a N.E. by N. course. Latitude by dead reckoning 42 degrees, 18 min., and that evening the sails had to be taken in again on account of a strong wind from the west. The day gone. Tu. 4 Our latitude was 42 deg. and 22 min. and we had drifted by reckoning N.E. by E. six leagues. The wind about west and toward evening the wind turned to the south with terribly high seas but the wind moderated. The day gone. Wed. 5 Drifted by dead reckoning N. by E. nine leagues, our latitude was by reckoning 43 deg., the wind about west. This day it has been about S.W. with fairly good weather. The day gone. Th. 6 In the morning the wind and weather were as above. Seeing little hope of getting better wind and weather soon — though God knows — having lain to already 17 days because of severe gales and having few provisions for 52 or 53 souls, the number on board to keep dry,^^ we could oppose it no longer, in the first place, on account of the sick people whose number increased daily because of their hardships and, in the second place, because we feared that it might last a long time yet. As we had already ^ Storm Albertsz (van der Zee), son of Albert Andriesz I'radt and Annetie Barents van Rolniers. See footnote, p. 676. liet getal of't schi[> oin drooch te houden. From F. i?. 5. Mj^ II. Original size VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 361 passed Cacp- fiinicstacr,^'^ to wit, to the north of it, in great peril and were drifting into the bay, I knew nothing better to do than to hold a council with the supercargo, the mate and other advisers, to decide what had best be done in the matter. We concluded in the said council to put the helm hard up and to steer in God's name toward the Channel and try to get into faelmuiden*''' or plcijinuidcti,^'^' which was done and at noon we found the latitude to be 43 (leg., 9 min., wind and weather as above. With two courses we . proceeded toward the N.N.E. The day gone. Course Leagues Latitude Fr. 7 ■ N.E. by N. sailed 23 44 deg., 23 min. The wind about west. Last night we drifted for six hours without sail on account of the terrible wind and the high seas. During the day watch it was a little better and we set our courses. The day gone. Sat. 8 N.N.E. 31 leagues the latitude 46 deg., 19 min. The wind about west with a stifif topsail breeze, though most of the time we sailed with two courses. This afternoon we sailed with two topsails and dur- ing the night again with two courses and in the fore- noon with one topsail over the ocean. The day gone. Sun. 9 N.N.E. 31 leagues the latitude 48 deg., 17 min. The wind about west. The past night we sailed with one course and the day before with a topsail and this above mentioned day with" two topsails and the spritsail.''^ We sailed then N.E. Toward even- ing the wind changed to south and southeast and we set our course E.N^.E. and during the day watch the wind changed to tlie E.N.E. varying in strength with calm and gentle breezes. The day gone. C. 1. d. m. Mon. 10 N. E. 18 49-11 with varying winds but toward evening the wind became west changing to a stiflf breeze and during the night it blew so hard that we ran before the wind with a foresail. Toward even- ing it was somewhat better. The day gone. Cape Finisterre, Spain. I'"alniouth, England, riymouth, England. ''' I'lint; same as blindc, a sail set under the bowsprit, not now vised. 362 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Tu. II Wed. 12 bottom 85 f Th. 13 near the so r lings Fr. 14 near the 7 steen at Caep Cocrnzval E, 20 49-10 by dead reckoning, the sky was overcast and weather uncertain. The wind was about S. W. and during the night we took the lati- tude by the stars ; were at 49-35 niin. The day gone. E. 16 49-0 The wind about west and the weather rough, in the evening we sounded and found bottom at 85 fathoms. We then sailed N.E. till the first watch was over. We judged that we were near heij sant we sounded again and found the same depth, good Channel ground. We thought that we were in but it began to blow very hard and in the morning there was such a gale that our sails had to be taken in. Till morning. In the morning the wind was south with very rough weather, we did not yet see land. We set our mainsail with great difficulty but took in our foresail and then sailed E.S.E. During the night in the second watch we saw land south of us. It was very bad weather ; we could not see for the rain, thunder and lightning. We ran before the wind and ac- cording to our reckoning it must be the sorlins,^-' as we later found it to be ; we then sailed N. W. with one lower sail. Toward daybreak the weather be- came a little better and in the day watch we turned toward the land to reconnoiter. The wind changed to the S.S.E. Till morning. In the morning the wind was as above so that we could not make thedand we had seen during the night. We noticed however the seeivcn steen'*^ which in- dicated sufficiently where we were. They were to starboard about a league off. The wind began to get stronger again. We looked for a good roadstead and thought it advisable to run behind Caep Coern- wal so as to get into the small bay or haven which is there. When we got around the cape the wind changed to the east and N.E. and north and finally to the N.W. with terribly rough weather so that we ^ He d'Ouessant, or Usliant Island, department of Finistere, France. Scilly Islands. '"Seven Stones; a group of rocks i8 miles W. by S. from Land's End. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS could hardly carry half a mainsail. We got aground near the cape and at twilight our foresail blew away, for we were obliged to carry all the sail we could, and our main sheet broke and we let ourselves be driven to the north with one sail, but in the second watch the mainsail had to be taken in too, for it was no longer possible to carry any sail, as one thing or another would break and we were driven E.N.E. Till morning. Sat. 15 In the morning the land lay close under our lee and we drifted toward it. We concluded to set our by londeip^ foresail and, as we could not keep away from the shore, to run in near the land during the day, think- ing that we might make a port there called bedes- haeuen'''^ or else stratonP When we came near the shore we were too far down. We were driven by the strong current so that with our foresail only we were carried along the shore trying to find some place where the ship and people would be safe. As it became late in the day, we decided that we could do no better than to run to an anchorage or land which we saw and which according to the description of the book must be a harbor, and concluded, if possible, to run in, or else to beach the ship, on account of the strong current and the severe W.N.W. storm and the fact that we were in a bay. Commending ourselves to God, we ran toward it with reefed fore- sail and when we came close to the shore, as the weather seemed to calm down and clear up a little, for it had been very dark before, we saw Londeij and hastily turned so as to sail on the wind, tacked and carried all the sail we could. We again raised our main topmast, which had not been up in eight or ten days, and set both the topsails. It seemed as if we would capsize or all our sails blow away.'^* We headed for a point above the cape called haertlan- puinf^ and during the night we came with God's Lundy Island; 10^2 miles N.W. by N. from Hartland Point. Padstow Haven; this and most of the places that follow are points in Cornwall and Devonshire on or near the Bristol Channel. " Stratton. flet scheen of het onderste bocuen sonde ofte at van boeuen neer (Tat daer op stont. " Hartland Point. 364 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY help to anchor under the lee of londcij, in 20 fath- oms, with a W.N.W. wind. Till morning-. Sun. 16 In the mornino- the wind was as ahove. We in ijllcfacoin weighed anchor and set sail for a harbor called ijllc vacoin/^' about four leagues from the island. On our way we saw a ship without mast drift by, and coming near the harbor a pilot came on board and brought us in. We found two Dutch ships lying there. One came from Spain with salt, and the other came from the West Indies ; they also were driven from their course by the storm. The ship which came from Spain was in Ireland, or near Cacp Clacrc,'^'' among the cliffs and thought from its course and reckoning that it was among tlie sorliiii^s and happened to get here ; neither did the otlier which was among the sorlings, know where it was and it came here also toward evening. Till morn- ing. Mon. 17 The wind as above with rain and strong wind storm so that we could not do anything to repair the ship but only supply the people with some fresh pro- visions. Some families went on land. Tu. 18 As above, dirck kocrsen"'^ went to plcijnutits.''^ Wed. 19 As above. Th. 20 As above. Fr. 21 Wind was east with rough weather. Sat. 22 The wind west with bad weather. Sun. 23 As above. Mon. 24 I went to batstaepcl,^'^ where two English vessels lay, to arrange to sail in company with them. Tu. 25 Wind and weather as above. Wed. 26 As above. Th. 27 As above. Fr. 28 As above. Sat. 29 dirck knirscn came back from picimuiden. Sun. 30 As above. Ilfracombe ; the distance from Lundy Island is about 23 miles. Ca])e Clear. Dirck Corssen Stam, supercargo of the vessel. Plymouth. Barnstablei VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS December Mon. I Abatement of weather and wind. Tu. 2 The wind was S.E. with a stiff gale and dark weather. Wed. 3 The two ships from Holland set sail from here with two Newfoundland traders. Wind east. Th. 4 The storm blew from the east. Fr. 5 As above. Sat. 6 As above. Sun. 7 As above.^i Mon. 8 The wind as above ; in the evening when some of our passengers had gone on land to sit and drink in the tavern, where we were sitting with an English merchant to sell our goods, there were two there, of whom one struck to the ground the other, named Cornells tocrncsz smit;^^ the offender was his helper hans^^ and * * Tu. 9 It was a day of prayer here for the whole neigh- borhood on account of the severe sickness which God is sending them. The wounded man died this morn- ing and was buried in the afternoon. Wed. 10 As above, and we began to get our hold ready. Th. II As above. Fr. 12 As above. , Sat. 13 As above. Sun. 14 As above. Mon. 15 As above. Tu. 16 As above. Wed. 17 As above; and as matters relating to the accident had not yet been cleared up, they took the rudder from our ship and brought it on land, on account of the crime. Th. 18 The weather was changeable but not of the best. Fr. 19 As above. Sat. 20 As above. Sun. 21 As above. The entries for Dec. 1-7 are here repeated, tlie only variations, spelling excepted, being that between the words " and " and " wind " of the first entry are inserted the words " change of " and that in the entry for Dec. 3 the words " from Holland " are omitted. Cornells Thomasz, the smith, "^rians van Sevenhuyscn; see p. 345. '* Sentence not finished in the original. 366 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY IVTon 22 Tlip Knrlv WHQ rliio* iin jicr^in nnrl tViP WAiinrl vipwprl X llV.^ L/^Ll J/ VV CXtJ vl ''•■^ Ll|_' CVm Clllvi Lii^ VVvyL411^l Vlt^WV''^l. nv flip mmm^il Jinrl trip pnmnpr nr <^pnr»nf' lu. ^3 T n PA/" PQTTipri f n p riiTPn n pf A^r^i it' 1 fi f np n q 111 p n t f n p K 1 no* n rl 1 pt 11 q fpfp It cw 1 r 1*1 1 r1 ri pr f i*r^m linn 0 cn 1 n IVXil^ dllH ICL LIS 1CLL.11 ULll 1 LlLLviCi i 1 Ul 1 1 IdllLl di^clHl Jinfl oTi "frpp Wed. 24. A ^c^\jf^Vf^ Qform lilpwf "from flip \hJ ^ \KJ ±\. ov... V t-X C oLvJl 111 Ult. W llVJlll LllC VV.O-VV. 111. .ii^ ± llv_ VVCdlllCl WdS Idll dliU. LllC W lllU. do dUUVC, A Q nOA/P l\o dU^-'VC Sat. 27 nivrJ? ( nPYQPii pump Tt*r^m Jinf^fn/^hpi onri c^jiH ■fnof" t*'t/t-/v \y Ut^ f ot- fv Cdll IC llUlll ULli^lU/Lyt I dllll odltl Llldt 51 T)ii1"P 11 Q n 1 n P r1 pmnp fr^ n h h/?J rJ nnp^y^^ i nrl ;i i* d X-ZLlL-Cll oXXXlj lXd*,.l CvJlliC LvJ U/fyyCl LlUULf dllll Llldt nnolrTPt* lA/incr ntiriPi* tlip lpr> 1 nn /'V-J In rl K aaii dlX\JLlX»^l l^XXX^ LlXXI^lCl LllC ICC \J L LU 1 Lilt if lltli.1 LJCCH diiciicicu. Liici c lui live cid^yo. X iicy Ldiiic iioiii f UoLL/ dll'J. lldU, bcL odll WlLli Lib, oUxllc (JLIicr bllipb n nPPti ■\3^7i1*n fii pm i tn t It i q ni a?' Hi if n p r1 1 H nr\f l^'n/'"^AA7' XXdLi X^CCXl WXLll tlXCXXX IXX LXXXb VJcxy UvVk, AXC ^,IXLI llUL IS-IIUW wll n f ll ;i rl nPPOmp d f fli pm r^n n r*r*rM inf flir* l\nr1 VVXXdt XXdLl UCCCIXXC \J L LllClll C*ll dCCCLl IIL Ci UllC Ud'. 1 WPpfliPi* \A/inrl PC 5iHrii7"p VVCdLXXCl, VVlll*J. do dUC V C Sun. 28 As abov^ Mon. 29 As above. Tu. 30 As above. Wed. 31 As above. End of the vear t6'2(^ T>v frnd's; mfrrv in iillr ■fn kofM, J UIV W II jDcj^iiiiiiiij^ oi LUC year oi oui i^oici 1'm7 Til T X 11. 1 /\b duuvc. ill vjo(i b name m ine iNcw xear. TTt" 0 PI. v^ndiJgc OI WlIKl duCl Wcdlllcr, Sat. 3 W/ 1 Y\(\ ^1 nPitif np»i"f li VV mil <\V)\j\A\, iiui Lil, Sun. 4 A Q a nOAT'P Mon. c; As above. Tu. 6 Ac abnvp i lO KXVJKJ V V_. • Wed. 7 As above Th 8 Ac il nP»A7P £Ao dL^UVC, Fr 0 At tbt'PP o'pIopW bp^nrp rl^ A/bi*PQ V aa^/^ c/=»f coll in ^i-L txxxcc wClCCrv UCIC^XC V Id y UlCdiV WC oCL odll 111 out of God's name and in the morning we were at the N.W. i/fe fakom point of Londeij. The wind S.E. with steady wppthpr AA/p cailpri l-hpn WT Q WT \\\r WT vvcdLiici, VV c odiicci Liieri VV .o. VV . uy vv. Sat. 10 At noon Caep Coermval lay south of us; we were about ID leagues from land. Calms and fitful Appledore, in Devonshire.' La Roclielle. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS breezes. We went over to the Irish coast. That day and night and toward daybreak, the wind turned to the S.S.E. with a stiff mainsail breeze. We sailed then S.W. and about an hour later the wind changed to the west and at once blew so hard that we could carry only one lower sail. We sailed south. Sun. 1 1 About noon we could not carry any sail on account of the wind. We still sailed south and drifted E. by S. toward the coast. During the night we had a severe storm. Mon. 12 In the morning we did not see land, which sur- prised us, for the whole day we had not realized that the current was carrying us farther from shore than we reckoned. Toward evening with great difificulty we lowered our main topmast on account of the severe storm and steered toward the north, sailing N.N.E. because the night was at hand. It was dark weather toward evening and this lasted all night. Tu. 13 In the morning we cast the lead and struck good ground Channel ground at about 65 fathoms. We assumed in the then that we were south of the soerlings^'^ and set Channel our course S.W. by W. At noon our latitude was 49 degrees, o min., by dead reckoning S. by W. of the socrlings. Till noon. Course leagues deg. min. Wed. 14 S.W. by W. 12 48-37 The wind fitful with beautiful weather. In the first watch the wind changed to the N.W. blowing a topsail breeze and we sailed S.W. The day gone. Th. 15 SW. 12 47-35 Tlifi wind N.W. with steady weather. The day gone. Fr. 16 S.W by S. 26 46-0 with varying winds but mostly from the west with beautiful weather. This day we bent our new mainsail with both the top- sails and sailed S.S.E. with lower sails set. The day gone. Sat. 17 W. by N. ^ N. 6j/^ 46-8 by dead reckoning; the wind about south with a stiff gale and during the night the wind changed to the S.E. We sailed then S.W. with steady weather. The day gone. " Scilly Islands. 368 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Sun. 1 8 Mon. 1,9 Tu. 20 Wed. 21 Th. 22 Fr. 23 Sat. 24 near the Frenchman near pocrtc sante W.S.W. liyi 45-51 Ijy (lead reckoning; the wind fitful with calms hut mostly S.E. with drizzling rain till midnight. The wind then changed to the N.E. The day gone. S.S.W. 26 44-16 hy ohservation ; the wind about east, steady breeze with gray sky. The day gone. S. by W. 40 41-14 by observation; the wind as before, stiff topsail gale, continuous clear weather. The day gone. S. by W. 33 39-0 by observation; the wind as above, steady breeze. The day gone. vS. by W. 20 37-15 by observation; the wind about north with steady breeze and clear weather. This day we made two more gun carriages and mounted a gun, so that we now had four on deck. We could for the present not put any more on deck. The day gone. S. by W. 28 35-49 by observation ; the wind about north, steady topsail gale. The day gone. In the morning we saw a sail to starboard under our lee. The wind was N.E. and we sailed south. ITe made sail toward us. W^e kept our course and cleared away the chests and cows so that we obtained a clear deck, which took us till shortly after noon. When we were ready we waited for him with furled sails and when he came near us we hailed him. He answered that he came from rooscl^^ and was look- ing for good booty. W'e said that we were also look- ing for a good prize. He remained near us for about an hour and then headed for the west when each of us fired a salute. He had four iron and two metal cannon on board. This morning we saw pocrtc saiite^'-^ which lay S.W. from us. We had fine weather and at noon our latitude was 33-16 and in the evening we got near the west side of pocrtc santc and ran then S.W. by S. till the second watch, with a gentle breeze. We then took in the foresail'"' and waited for the day. The day gone. La Rochelle. Porto Santo, an island of the ?iladeira group, ^Doen haelJcn wij onse vock op dc mast. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Sun. 25 near madcrc a child born Mon. 26 Tu. 27 Wed. 28 In the niorninp- about an hour after sunrise we were between pocrtc santc and madccrc.^^ About two o'clock in the afternoon we got a steady breeze from the W.S.W. and ran south and in the evening the S.W. ])oint of niadccrc lay 12 leagues N.N.W. from us. Our latitude by dead reckoning was then 31 deg. 40 min. From there we sailed W.S.W. with rough weather and lower sails. The wind about north with high seas. This night about three o'clock a child"^ was born ; the father is inontanif^ and the mother raegel.'"^* The day gone. Course leagues lat. condition of the weather W.S.W. 30 30-55 by observation. The wind about north with rough weather and high seas. The day gone. W.S.W. 45 29-38 by observation. The wind about N.E. with rough weather and high seas. Car- ried two lower sails and had clear weather. The day gone. W.S.W. 45 28-35 by observation. The wind about N. E. with continuous rough weather and high seas. Carried the foresail and one topsail. The day gone. W.S.W. 43 27-29 by observation ; the wind about north, steady breeze most of the time. The day gone. S.W. by W. 36 26-12 by observation; the wind about north, mostly stiff topsail gale. About two o'clock in the night a boy-'*'' was born; the name of the mother is Cactclin. The day gone. W.S.W. 47 24-57 '^y observation ; the winci about northeast, mostly stiff topsail breeze with clear weather. Took the azimuth of the sun ; variation of the compass o deg. 14 min. N.W. The day gone. W.S.W. 46 23-44 N.E. stiff topsail breeze, generally with fine weather. The day gone. "1 Madeira. °^ Marie. See Riker, Harlem; its origin and early annals, p. 140. Johannes La Montague. »* Rachel. ""^ Ilendrick Cornelisz Macsen, son of Cornells Macsen, and Catelijntie Martens. See footnote p. iSi. Th. 29 Fr. 30 a child born Sat. 31 variation of the compass February Sun. I 370 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Mon, 2 W.S.W. 43 22-38 N.E. stiff topsail breeze, clear weather. We were five minutes south of the tropic. The clay gone. Tu. 3 W.S.W. 38 21-40 N. steady gale, mostly clear weather. From here on the course was changed and we sailed west. We were south of the tropic 26 leagues or i deg. 46 min. during the past day. variation of compass Wed. 4 W. by S. 36 21-13 5-o N.W. variation. The wind north, steady breeze, with clear weather. The day gone. Th. 5 W. S. 28 21-4 gentle topsail breeze, wind north. This night a flying fish flew on board our ship. The day gone. Fr. 6 W. 18 21-1 6-0 N.W. variation. The wind north with gentle breezes. The day gone. Sat. 7 W. 30 20-58 N. stiff topsail gale and high weeds seas for the past day. Sun. 8 W. y2 N. 40 21-10 N. with rough weather, weeds with lower sails the past day. Mon. 9 W. N. 35 21-17 N. rough weather with weeds lower sails the past day. Tu. 10 W. 42 21-15 I^'ii'*^^ topsail gale the past weeds day. Wed. II W. N. 38 21-30 by dead reckoning; N. with stiff topsail gale. This noon we changed our course and then sailed N.W. by W. The wind as before with lower sails and in the afternoon there was a severe storm with thunder, lightning and rain so that we took in all our sails, but toward the end of the second watch it became somewhat better. We set both our lower sails, the foretopsail and mizzen- sail and then sailed about N.W. The wind N.N.E. The day gone. Th. 12 N.W. 16 22-6 N.N.E. Fair weather the past day. Fr. 13 N.W. 20 23-1 N.E. Changeable weather the past day. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS lat. by long, by lat. by Course leag. reck'g reck'g obs'n deg. min. deg. min. deg. min. deg. min. Sat. 14 N.W. N. 37 0-0 34-i8^*5 24-57 ^-54 variation of the compass. The wind about N.N.E., topsail breeze. During the day we sailed 37 leagues ; the latitude 24-57; ^ steady topsail breeze. We took the sun's azimuth at its setting and found the varia- tion of the needle to be o deg. 54 min. N.W. The weather was fine and we then sailed fully N.W. by N. C. leag. lat. reck. long. lat. obs. Sun. 15 N.N.W. 26 26-31 35-2 26-33 0-0 N.N.E. Steady breeze. We had then sailed 26 leagues N.N.W. and our latitude was 26-33 ! longitude 35-2 ; the wind N.N.E. with fine weather and in the even- ing it became calm. The day gone. C. leag. lat. reck. long. lat. obs. deg. min. Mon. 16 N.W by N. 20 27-40 35-50 27-41 6-40 We had sailed N.W. by N. 20 leagues and our lati- tude was 27-41; the longitude was 35-50; and on taking the sun's azimuth at its setting we found the variation to be 6 deg. 40 min. N.E. ; the wind about N.N.E. The day gone. Tu. 17 N.W. by N. 26 29-7 36-55 0-0 0-0 The wind southerly, high swells from the N.W. with fine weather at noon, the wind fitful and changed soon to the west, weather unsettled. We had much rain, thunder and lightning and in the afternoon we took ofl^ our bonnets,'''^ veered about and went about S.W. Wed. 18 W. by S. 5 29-0 37-15 0-0 0-0 Variable weather but fair. We sailed N. W. with [occasional] calms. The day gone. Th. 19 S.W. by S. 3 29-50 37-6 28-48 0-0 The wind fitful but we drifted quietly, mostly S.W. ; latitude and longitude as above. The day gone. Er. 20 W.N.W 16 29-12 38-13 29-12 0-0 N.N.E. Stiff topsail breeze. Course, leagues, lati- tude and longitude as above. Toward daybreak . there was a very strong wind. The day gone. °' Early navigators used various prime meridians. From the entries for Sept. 7 and 8, 1637, it appears that this skipper employed the meridian first adopted by Mercator, that of the island Corvo of the western Azores, 31° 7' W. of Greenwich. " Bonnet; a supplementary piece of canvas laced to the foot of a sail in light winds; formerly it was sometimes laced to the top of the sail. 372 Sat. 21 Sun. 22 Mon. 23 Tu. 24 left the weeds Wed. 25 ground at 50 fathoms NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY N.N.W. Yi W. 25 30-40 39-2 30-41 0-0 N.E. with rough weather. Course, leagues, latitude and longitude as above. The day gone. N.N.W. Yi W. 36 32-48 40-22 32-48 0-0 S.S.E. Steady breeze. Course, leagues, latitude and longitude as above, but in the afternoon and the early part of the night we had a stiff breeze from the east; we changed our course and went north. The day gone. ^- 9 33~23 40-22 33-23 3-0 S. with calms. Course, leagues, latitude and longitude as above. Variation of the needle 3 deg. o min. N.W. With clear weather, the day gone. C. leag. lat. reck. Idiig. lat. obs. wind N. by W. 35 35-43 41-13 o^ W.S.W. Rough weather. Course, leagues-, latitude and longi- tude as above. We had dark weather with much rain. About noon there was a waterspout behind our ship which drew the water like smoke to such a terrible hight that we were afraid of it; we took in all our sails but it was soon over and passed behind us at close range without hurting us. The day gone. c. leag. lat. rock. long. lat. o^;s. N.W. by N. 22 36-55 42-13 36-56 E.N.E. Stiff breeze, we had during the day much change of wind and terrible thunder, lightning and rain. Toward evening there was a gentle breeze and after supper we cast the lead and found at 50 fathoms small black stones and also small red ones, some as large as shot, together with grayish sand, at this latitude and longitude about 10 miles from land. We went then N.N.W. the wind N.E. with a gentle breeze and when the first watch was over we sounded again and struck sand at 18 fathoms. Course and wind as before. At four bells in the second watch we found sand at 12 fathoms, the depth having be- come steadily less up to this point. Course and wind as above. We then took in our topsail and turned to the S.E., the wind being E.N.E. We sailed for four glasses [two hours] or till we had 17 fath- oms ; then we turned and sailed north and set our topsails to a gentle breeze. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 373 C. leag. lat. reck. Ions. lat. obs. N. W. var. Th. 26 N.W. by N. to 37-29 42-39 37-29 13-20 Tlie wind fitful with calms. In the forenoon we found most of the time 20, 19 or 18, Init also 17 and 15 fathoms, but not long after we saw land, the depth ranging from 15 to 20 fathoms. We did not know where we were for it was foggy weather. We sup- posed that there might be a bank, as the southern colonies of the English were quite near and as we had had in the afternoon the above course, leagues, latitude, longitude and variation. We were about three miles from land and found 14 fathoms of water, with foggy weather, so that we could not tell much about the land. At about three o'clock in the afternoon sinifs Island'"* lay about three leagues W. N.W. from us. Seen from there the island looks as follows: the upper part is hard to recognize, the north point is indented, and it seems as if a small flat island lay at the south point. C. leas. lat. rcc. long. lat. obs. var. Sat. 28 N. by E. 20 39-43 43-35 39-43 0-0 the wind S.W., a gentle breeze and the course sailed, leagues, latitude and longitude as above. During the past night we had a steady breeze frOm the S.W. with rain, thunder and lightning. \W' were about N.N.E. of Cacp liijiloocp.'-''' C. leag. lat. reck. long. lat. obs. W. var. Sat. 17 N. by E. 20 39-43 43-35 39-43 The wind W.X.W., gentle breeze, course, leagues, latitude and longitude as above. During the night we had showers, as if we were near land. I^y reck- oning we were six leagues from land. We found 22 fathoms of water and ran close to northward. We sounded often and found sometimes 22, but also 20, 18, 17, 15, and then again 22 fathoms and we saw many whales. We then sailed mostly N.W. The whole night long with calms and that night we saw many fires burning. Smitli Island : east of Cape CMiarles, the northeastern end of the island is about 75° 49' VV. and 37° 11' N. Cape Ilenlopen. 374 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY March Sun. I In the morning we were about two leagues from land and in i6 fathoms, S.W. from the north point of the baernde gat,^'^ bloemerts puint^ being north of us. We saw many whales, some lo or 20 swimming for at least two hours about our ship; we supposed that they were taking their course from the south to the north. At about six o'clock in the evening behind at sunset we came to anchor behind godins puint- in godins puint live fathoms, good anchorage. God be praised for his mercy. Mon. 2 In the morning the wind was N.W. with rough weather so that we could not make the hoefden:' Our boat landed at godins puint for the purpose of shooting geese and stayed over night there. It was bitterly cold. Tu. 3 At noon the weather was somewhat better as far as the wind was concerned though it was N.W. and very cold. Our boat returned and we could not do any- thing else. Wed. 4 The wind as above with a gentle breeze. We weighed our anchor and arrived at four o'clock in manatans the afternoon at the manatans, where we found an English vessel. God be praised for our safe voyage thus far. As we learned here that the river was still closed up above we remained here. Th. 5 As above, the wind west. Fr. 6 The wind east. Sat. 7 We began to clear our hold and brought our empty water casks on land. Sun. 8 Two of the children born on our ship were baptized here. The wind N.W. Mon. 9 As above. Tu. 10 As above. Wed. II As above. South. Barnegat Inlet. * Blommaert's Point; Norton's Point, at the west end of Coney Island was called Blommaert's Point and is referred to as such in the present log, under date of Aug. 8th, p. 383. At the time of the present entry the ship was so far south of Norton's Point that it could not have been visible and it is possible that some point on the New Jersey coast had the same name. ^ Godyn's Point; now Sandy Hook. 'The headlands at either side oT the Narrows; called also Hamelshoofden. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 375 Th. 12 As above. Fr. 13 The wind north with storm. Sat. 14 The wind south with snow. Sun. 15 In the evening Clacs raciiiaecker came out into the a ship bay and also near notcii Island"' and during the night came dirck Cuirscn^' sailed up the river. The wind south. Mon. 16 Claes came on board. This day we fetched some goods from land. The wind south with fair weather. Tu. 17 In the afternoon the wind was about west with rough weather. Wed. 18 As above. Th. 19 As above, with rain. Fr. 20 As above. Sat. 21 I brought most of the merchandise on land into a house and left the mate*'' in charge, with orders to sell it. With the consent of the director, we got ready to sail up the river with the ship. Sun. 22 The widow of Cornells smits' was married here at the manatans to aerent steffcniers. Mon. 23 The wind about north. Tu. 24 The weather calm, Peter Cornells^ went up the river in a yacht. Wed. 25 The wind N.E., rain and rough weather. Th. 26 We sailed up the river in the ship with calm weather and in the evening came to anchor near sapachenikan? Fr. 27 In the morning we set sail again with calm weather and very light northerly breeze and at about nine o'clock at night we anchored on account of the dark- ness. We had sailed about eight leagues. Sat. 28 In the morning we set sail and came to the hoege lant}^ The tide went out and the wind was con- trary so that we anchored there about four o'clock in the afternoon. * Nut Island, now Governor's Island. ^ Dirck Corssen Stam, supercargo of the vessel. " Hendrick de Forest. ^Cornells Thomasz, the smith; of. entry of Dec. 8, 1636. ' Pieter Cornelisz van Monnickendam. ' Sapokanican, or Sappokanican, later Greenwich village and now that part of New York City between 14th and Houston sts. on the Hudson River. "The Highlands. 376 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Sun. 29 In the morning dirck Cocrscn came down in the yacht and boarded our shi]) again ; tlie yaclit sailed on with a north wind. Mon. 30 The wind as above with rough weather. Tu. 31 In the morning the wind was about S.W. with fair weather. We got under sail and came to the r.yot'/'r.y." In the evening the wind changed to the north and blew hard. April Wed. I As above. Th. 2 In the morning the wintl turned to the south and we set sail and came to anchor about a mile above Catskil. The wind was then about east. Fr. 3 In the morning the wind was about south with a drizzling rain. We set sail and in the evening came to anchor about half a mile below bcrcii Island,^- on account of calms and contrary wind. Sat. 4 As above. Sun. 5 As above. Mon. 6 In the evening the wind changed to the south. We set sail but were becalmed. Getting a fair breeze during the night we sailed on. Tu. 7 About three o'clock in the morning we came to anchor before focrt ocraiiicii,^'' the end of our voy- age upward. Wed. 8 The wind north. Th. 9 We delivered some goods to ijacckop planch. The wind as above. ¥v. 10 Cleaned our deck. Sat. II The wind as above. Sun. 12 As above. Easter. Mon. 13 As above. Tu. 14 As above. Wed. 15 As above. Th. 16 As above. Delivered some goods. Fr. 17 As above. Sat. 18 As above. Sun. 19 As above. Mon. 20 We delivered the smith's coal. " Now Kingston. Barren Island. '3 Fort Orange. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 377 Tu. 21 As above. Wed. 22 As above. Th. 23 As above. Fr. 24 As above. vSat. 25 As above. Sun. 26 A yacht came here from the iiianafaiis. Mon. 27 As above. Tn. 28 As above. Wed. 29 The yacht went from here to the maiiataiis with seed. Th. 30 As above. May Fr. I The wind about south. Sat. 2 As above. Sun. 3 As above. Mon. 4 As above. Tu. 5 Easterly wind with rain. Wed. 6 As above. Th. 7 As above. ¥r. 8 As above. Sat. 9 As above. Sun. 10 Very cold weather with rain. Mon. II Northerly wind with much sun. Tu. 12 As above. Wed. 13 In the night the wind became south. Th. 14 As above. Fr. 15 We went with our goods to the great falls, four leagues above forf ocranicn. Sat. 16 Fine weather. The wind about south. Sun. 17 As above. Mon. 18 As above. Tu. 19 iiiaertcn gcrrits went to the iiiaiiataiis. This day we unloaded our millstones and got ready to set sail. The wind south. Wed. 20 The wind as above. We lay ready to sail and waited for the wind. This day a yacht came from the manatans and the yacht siutc inaerfiii with cattle. Th. 21 The wind as above. hr. 22 The wind as above. Sat. 23 The wind as above. Sun. 24 The wind as above. 378 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Mon. 25 The wind as above. Tu. 26 The wind as above. Wed. 27 The wind as above. Th. 28 The wind as above. Fr. 29 The wind as above. Sat. 30 The wind as above. Sun. 31 In the morning the wind N.W. We set sail and ran past smacks Island and anchored there. June Mon. I In the morning the wind was about north. We set sail and came near nocten hoeck}^ Tu. 2 The wind was S.W. and south ; a light breeze. We then drifted down with the tide and by flood time came to anchor about a league below noetcn hocck. maerten gerrits, who was going up the river, came on board there. Wed. 3 In the morning it was still calm and we drifted along with the ebb tide but later there was a light breeze so that we came to anchor two leagues north of madeleens Island.^^ We got some ballast there and turned over some smith's coal to the yacht sinte maertin. Th. 4 It was calm - and we drifted along with the ebb tide and came before the grooete eesoepcs}^ There we got a steady breeze and sailed down into the lange rack^'^ where it became calm and the flood re- turned. Fr. 5 In the morning it was still calm and we drifted with the ebb tide but at noon we got a fine breeze and came to anchor near p.olleepels Island/^ for the wind was south. Sat. 6 Stiflf breeze. The wind as before. Sun. 7 As above. Mon. 8 As above. " Nutten Hook; opposite Coxs;icI<3 E.16 35-54 331-11 o-oc^[o] The wind north, light breeze and fair weather. E. by N. 8 3r>-o 331-49 35-18 0-0 The wind .\.W. with [occasional] calms and fair weather. E. by N. E. 23 35-31 331-39 35-28 0-0 The wind N.W., various breezes and fair weather. E. 5 35-28 333-59 fitful winds and calms. E. by N. 23 335-49 35-45 The wind S., unsteady. E. by N.- 18 35-59 337-15 0-0 The wind S. W., raw weather, low sails.'"^'^ E. by N. 36 36-27 340-9 0-0 The wind S.W., raw weather keeping all hands busy, low sails. E. by N. 30 36-50 342-35 0-0 The wind S.W., weather keeping all hands busy. E. y. N. 38 0-0 345-6 37-0 The wind S.W. topsail breeze, fair weather. N.E. y^ N. 23 37-49 346-37 The wind S.W., light tojisail breeze. We leave the Gulf Stream. E. by N. y2 N. 22 0-0 348-19 38-16 The wind S., light topsail breeze, fair weather. E. by N. 28 0-0 350-26 38-37 The wind S., fitful weather. Bermudas. laege seilen; possibly means that lower sails only were set. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Th. 3 E.N.E. 23 0-0 352-8 39-10 The wind S., raw, changeable weather. Fr. 4 E. 3^ N. 25 0-0 353-49 39-23 The wind S., topsail breeze. Sat. 5 ^ E. 31 39-23 35^^29 0-0 The wind S., raw, changeable weather. Sun. 6 E. by N. >^ N. 12 39-34 356-56 0-0 The wind S., light breeze and at noon we saw a sail to our lee and toward evening it came near us. It was with tibbout Capt. tibbout from ■fUssingen.*'- That night we both drifted in a calm. Mon. 7 E. >4 N. 12 o-o 357-54 39-39 parted The wind S.W., light breeze and at sunset the north from him point of Coerua'^^ lay two leagues S.E. from us. Light breeze. Tu. 8 At noon the north point of Coeriia lay about 16 leagues W. from us; latitude 40 deg. 10 min., longi- tude I deg. 4 min. Calms. Wed. 9 N.E. E. 12 40-41 The wind S.S.E., light breeze. 1-5 1 0-0 Th. 10 N.N.W. 5 41-0 1-42 0-0 The wind east, a gale with one sail. Fr. II N.W. 4 41-11 1-3 1 0-0 The wind east, stiff topsail [breeze]. Sat. 12 N.E. by N. II 41-47 The wind S.E., light breeze. 2-3 42-44 Sun. 13 N.E. 9 0-0 The wind S.E., calm. 2-28 43-9 Mon. 14 E.N.E. 19 0-0 4-0 43-38 The wind W.S.W., light breeze. fair weather. Tu. 15 E.N.E. 26 0-0 The wind W.S.W., light breeze. 6-7 44-19 Wed. 16 E.N.E. 30. 0-0 8-35 45-2 The wind W.S.W., light topsail breeze. Th. 17 E.N.E. 27 45-43 The wind W.S.W., gale. i(>-55 0-0 0-0 Fr. 18 E. by N. 5 45-48 The wind north with calms. 11-33 0-0 0-0 Sat. 19 E. 22 0-0 1 3-1 45-49 0-0 The wind north and a light topsail breeze. In the Vlissingcn, on tlie island of Walclieren, Netherlands. *^ Corvo, one of the Azores; see note on p. 371. 25 386 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY two sails evening we saw two sails to windward astern. They were sailing E.N.E. and we were then steering N.E., but it was not long before we changed to E.N.E. also and at sunset they were two leagues from us. Sun. 20 E. N. 27 o-[o] 15-34 45-49 0-0 The wind north, stiff topsail breeze. This morning we saw no sails. Mon. 21 In the morning we saw a sail about a half league astern of us. He turned and ran W. by N. Seeing this we set all our sails and followed him. The wind was north and the breeze light so that we could make no progress on our voyage. We thought that it might be a Portuguese, lat. at E. by S. 5 45-56 16-1 0-0 o-[o] noon The wind north with calms. We followed him hard and in the night at the end of the first watch we came near him and asked him where he came from and he replied that he was from rosel^~ and came from teerenooue.*^ We told him to take in his sails to stay with us, which he did. Tu. 22 In the morning we understood him thoroughly but it was not to our liking. We lowered our boat, went on board of him and took some fish. We cleaned the bottom of our 'ship somewhat for it was perfectly calm. at noon W.S.W. 5 0-0 15-36 45-49 0-0 The wind or breeze east but at noon there was a steady breeze as above. We took leave of the other ship and both went north and at sunset he was about two leagues away from us. The wind as above. Wed. 23 N. 25 47-29 15-36 0-0 0-0 The wind east, topsail breeze. Th. 24 N. by E. 35 48-46 18-29 cmd The wind S.E., stiff topsail breeze. At noon we saw a sail to windward about a league away; he also stood toward the Channel. Fr. 25 E. by N. 32 0-0 20-37 48-54 o-[o] The wind south, raw weather and at noon we cast bottom the lead and struck bottom at 90 fathoms. *- l a Rochelle. " Terre Neuve; that is, Newfoundland. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Sat. 26 In the morning we sounded again and found then at 80 fathoms fine grayish sand. From that point we sailed east. We saw two ships which entered the Channel also. At noon we had sailed 36 leagues E. by N. and the latitude by reckoning was 49 deg. 20 min. The wind was west but changed to north. We then sounded again and found white sand at 75 fathoms. We then set our course toward the E.N.E. and thought that we were in the Channel near heij sant,*^ about 14 leagues away from it ; it began to blow hard. That whole night we sailed with the two lower sails. Sun. 27 In the morning the wind and course was as above. We saw three ships coming toward us ; they were going S. W. but we did not speak them ; and we saw also a fleet which followed them. In the afternoon there came another fleet in which were many Scotch ships and vessels from Lubeck and Hamburg, which we spoke. Bottom here at 60 fathoms. By our reckoning we were nine leagues N. by E. from leesert.'^ The wind north and turned to the west. Mon. 28 In the morning it was very calm. We were sur- rounded by a fleet and about nine o'clock there was a fine breeze from the west. We then sailed N.E. and leesert lay N.E. by N. from us. During the night it blew hard and it was very dark. We laid to with one lower sail. Tu. 29 ' In the morning we made sail again, but at one o'clock in the afternoon we saw leesert lying S.W^ from us, at a distance of about two leagues and the wind changed to N.W. so that we could not make faelmuiden'^*' and set course for pleijmuiden.'" We arrived there in the evening and found no Dutch ships there. Wed. 30 The wind south. October Th. I As above. Fr. 2 As above. " lie d'Ouessant, or Ushant Island, department of FinistSre, France. The Lizard. " Falmouth. " Plymouth. 388 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Sat. 3 As above. Sun. 4 As above. Mon. 5 The wind east, we cleaned. Tu. 6 The wind as above. Wed. 7 As above. Th. 8 As above. Fr. 9 As above. Sat. lo As above. Sun. II As above. Mon. 12 As above. Tu. 13 A fleet of about 140 sail came here. The wind as above. Wed. 14 The wind as above. We sailed toward the fleet. Th. 15 The wind south. Fr. 16 As above. Sat. 17 The wind west. We set sail with the fleet and toward evening it became calm so that the hindmost ship could not get out and we all anchored in the roadstead. At night came a breeze so that a ship drifted across our bow. We lost our anchor an;l cable, weighed and sailed again behind draecken Island.4« Sun. 18 In the morning the wind was S.E. and it blew hard so that we all entered the harbor again and in the afternoon the ship haerlem came in. Mon. 19 The ship de sout hergh put in here also. Tu. 20 The wind as above. Wed. 21 As above with storm. Th. 22 As above. Fr. 23 The wind northerly, good weather. Sat. 24 N.E, good weather. Sun. 25 S.E. with storm. Mon. 26 As above. Tu. 27 As above. Wed. 28 As above. Th. 29 As above. Fr. 30 The wind N.W^, sailed out into the roadstead. Sat. 31 The wind about west. We sailed with a topsail breeze. In the evening we were N. by E. of tuirhaeij.*^ ^ St Nicholas or Drake's Island, in Plymouth Sound. *• Tor Bay, on the east coast of Devonshire. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS In the morning we were about opposite poert'lant:" The wind as above, stifif topsail breeze and in the afternoon we saw wicht.^^ It blew hard from the west and we ran before the wind with the foresail. At about midnight we saw bcuesier'^ with very rough weather from the W.N.W. and the N.W. We then sailed E. by N. and later N.E. In the morning we were off the French coast, south of the oude man^^ with storm from the N.N.W. We turned again toward the west. This morning four Dunkirkers came among the fleet but did no harm. The wind as above with stiff weather, for lower sails only. From morning till noon it was calm and in the afternoon the wind became west, and at night we sailed between the hoefden.^^ In the morning the wind was as above with a topsail breeze and about noon a stiff topsail breeze. About nine o'clock we came into tessel. About nine o'clock in the morning we arrived in God's name before amsterdam. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Peter Minuit^'^ December 25, 16^1 Picttcr MUiuijtt, commander under the crown of Sweden, on the ship de calmer sleuteP^' lying at the Texel This 25th of December 1637 Heer Commandcur : This sudden change of weather and wind quite upsets me so that I must write today in haste and in an un becoming fashion. Yesterday evening T had the goods specified in the enclosed invoice put on board the lighter of your honor's skip- Portland. " Isle of Wight. '^Beachy Head. "'The Old Man. "The Headlands. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.gsb. This letter is in the handwriting of Kilaen van Rensselaer. ^''The Key of Kalmar. November Sun. I Mon. 2 Tu. 3 Wed. 4 Th. 5 Fr. 6 Sat. 7 390 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY per while the wind was still west, not thinking that this sudden change would come. It froze during the night and this morning the wind has become northerly with storm and high water and may very easily shift to northeast and so be exceedingly awkward for me, as none of my people who were to sail with you for my colony are at hand ; if the wind becomes easterly, I am therefore con- strained to recommend you in the most friendly and urgent manner not only to stow away and transport my goods dry in your honor's ship, but also at your convenience to deliver them at the Manhatans to my nephew IV outer van Tzvillcr, or in his absence to some one else with recommendation from me to the director there, named Willem Kijcft, to have the same taken at the first opportunity to my colony of Rensselaerswyck and delivered to Jacop planck, my officer and commis. If I have time, I shall write to the said director, as well as to my nephew Wouttcr van Twillcr, Jacop planck and others; if not, your honor must in this case do for me the best you can; in return you must command me wherever I can do you a service or kindness. I have paid to Jan hcndrixsrj. the skipper of your honor's ship, on accoimt of board, transportation of my people and one half of the lighter freight, 70 Ducafons at f3:3 each, amounting to f22o:io, which your honor can credit on the account of my people. I hope that the weather will stay a while as it is, so that some may get on board, especially my cousin arent van Corler, whom I recommend most strongly to your honor as he is still young and quite inexperienced ; if not, your honor will no doubt be able to use yourself the provisions v/hich your honor's skipper bought for these people, and, if not, deliver what remains at the Manhatans together with my other goods. The box No. M, in which are the six firelocks, is not included in the manifest;'"'" you will be able to defend this [by counting] them among the necessary arms of your honor's or my people. Having no more time to spare at present, I pray that God Almighty may grant your honor a happy and successful voyage to the glory of His holy name and to the discomfiture of our common enemy. I had heartily hope^l that your honor would have come once more yourself, which could still take place if the wind and the weather allow. Before your departure please advise me of the receipt of this letter and the goods. N. B. Loaded in the lighter of jacop jansen, lighterman, to be taken to the Texel to the ship de Calmer Sleutel, commander pietter Convoij brijeff. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Minuijt and skipper jehan hcndrixsz v de zvacttcr; this 24th of December 1637, Amsterdam. With manifest of the following items marked as in the margin. ABC being three wooden boxes, contents according to ^-f« manifest D E F G H being five packing boxes^^ ^^1^ N. B. I one ditto chest also included in the manifest which could not be got ready and will be sent herewith or later according to the time available K L two barrels of salt (smaltonnen) M a long box with firelocks ; herewith, ordered by hendrick Trip, a keg with 50 lb of fine gunpowder N a large wicker hamper with wooden utensils O being five winnowing baskets tied together ; a small barrel with grapevines for the Commander Minuijt Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck^*' December 25, id^y Jacop planck, in the colony of Rensselaerswyck In Amsterdam, 25 December 1637 This in haste, serving only to transmit the enclosed invoice of the goods which I am sending you through the kindness of Com- mander Pietter Minuijt, who has made accommodation for them in his ships. If I have time I shall write you more at length; mean- while take proper care of my afifairs and enter these goods on my account. Do therewith the best you can and do not forget to send me at the very first opportunity the account of the goods sent to you by my small ship, charging the expenses of the people who came over with it according to the contracts sent you. Do not delay any longer either the accounts of the farms and my account with the Company and what further may be necessary. I must cut this short because it is Christinas and the wind now northerly may soon shift to the east. Yesterday evening and this morning the goods were loaded in the lighter to be taken to the Texel. I have not time to write more. ^'^ cargasocn kisten. '"^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.gsb. This letter is in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. 392 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY P. S. If weather and wind allow, I shall write you about everything at length. 1 am very much displeased about the things which dirrick Corsscn has done in my colony contrary to my in- structions. This must not happen again or I should have to take entirely different measures. The longest of the six firelocks that are in the box you will deliver to jehan lehattij, carpenter, who ordered it of me, charging the same to his account. The gun itself cost fi4, to which must be added the 50,*^ advance. I havG engaged six persons to go over this time, but not one is at hand. Among others there goes to serve you as assistant, my cousin Arcnt van Corler, who can copy everything and write me of all more at length than has been done thus far, for I long particularly to have in- formation about everything. Do not neglect to keep a daily journal of everything that happens in the colony. When my cousin comes he will copy it all and relieve you. Enclosed are two letters to ghijshert op den dijck which I have left open. You can copy them and at the same time inquire about the slate hill,"" also take notice of other things which it contains. Then seal them and have them delivered to him unless you go to see him yourself. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft^^ December 26, i6s7 Willem Kijeft, commander in New Netherland This 26th of December 1637 Heer Cominandeur : This sudden east wind come up in the midst of our Christmas holidays hinders me on the one hand in my devotions and on the other hand makes me commit the im- pertinence of not writing properly to your honor as the lighter must now go at once, [space in original] as to my regret a few days after your honor's departure from the Texel, my small vessel arrived here from New Netherland, which had arrived already on the 29th of September at pleymuijen^^ and could have been here. However, luck would not have it that, ac- Schalijen berch; see also p. 397. P'. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.gsb. ^ Plymouth, England. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 393 cording to my Freedoms, I should send the goods needed by me ii. your honor's ships for nothing and I have now been obhged to pay duty.^"^ But now this opportunity offers itself that Commander pieter minnezviet, at present in the service of the crown of Sweden and sailing from Gortenhorch,^ has on account of storm been obliged to seek shelter at the Texel, and by reason of old acquain- tance does me the kindness to take on board what in haste and half in disorder I have been able to bring together in the way of necessaries for my people and to forward the same at his convenience to the Manhatans to my nephew wolter van twiller, in order not to trouble your honor too much. However, as he may perhaps have left before the arrival of this letter, at all events will have turned over his command to your honor, I take the liberty of recommending these in haste to your honor also, that the said necessaries may be sent at the first and best opportunity from the manhatans to my colony. On account of lack of time I send en- closed the copy [of the invoice] in brief, but if your honor should wish to examine the same more fully your will find in the letter to my officer and commis, Jacob planck, the full and itemized invoice and will find that there is actually nothing in it but what is needed for my people; wherewith, as I have not a minute of time left, on account of the short days, I will end, commending your honor to the gracious protection of the Most High. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller*^ December 26, id^y IV Gutter van Tzviller, commander in New Netherland This 26th of December 1637 Mon Cousin: This sudden east wind not only prevents my de- votions during tliese holidays, for tomorrow is Communion day, but does not give me sufficient time to read your honor's letter, much less to reply to the same properly, wherefore I postpone that to our next meeting, God willing. I liad tjie misfortune that the ships of the Company had left before my small vessel arrived and not being satisfied with the management of supercargo (dirrick Com'oy, see p. 95. " Goteborg. " V. R. B. Mss. Letter Book, f.96. 394 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Corsen and)'^'' the skipper I do not think it advisable to send our vessel out (again)'^'^ before your honor's arrival. However, as lacob plane writes me for various necessaries for my people and the ships of the Company with the new director have left, I have this unexpected opportunity that pieter minnezviet, who is now in the service of the crown of Sweden and presumably will show a commission there for the regions about [Virginia ?] in which enterprise however I do not share in the least, by reason of old acquaintance does me the kindness to carry over a few boxes and small chests with necessaries for my people, of which I have not time to advise you or to send you the invoice. I have sent it in brief to the new commander zvillem kyeft and in detail enclosed in the letter to Jacob planck. If you care to open that you will find it therein and among the items you will find nothing but necessaries for my people. I do not have time either to write more fully to lacob planck; please see to it that these goods be sent to him in my colony. I had engaged six persons to go over too, among them our cousin Arent van Corlcr, a young man. of good principles over whom your father is now appointed guardian, but as he went home once more to prepare himself, he will probably come too late, as the lighter must go at once. Of these six only one goes here- with, named lacob adriaenss van wttrecht/'^- engaged as farm serv- ant or tobacco planter or whatever else he is fit for. He has also some knowledge of vegetable gardening. I have sent along a small barrel with grapevines and other things to be taken to my colony. Please send along from the maenatans some apples, pears and other fruits, also a few grapevine shoots that have come from here, to plant them and see whether they will grow or take hold. I have put in his barrel also some of mine; it seems to me it will be best that he should go and live with albert andricsscn if his tobacco has succeeded well, wherewith ending. Vale. " These words enclosed in parentheses are inserted in the margin of the Letter Book in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. *" soo comt my dccse onverwachte occasie voor, dat picter minnewiet nu In dienste van de Croon sweeden, die apparentelyck Commissie aklaer sal rertoonen, ontrent naer de quartieren In varilide. See letters to Willem Kicft and to Ulrich Lupoltt, May 7 and May 8, 1638, p. 403, 405. «« See p. 395, 397, 398. 5 y~^,~txJ~A^ ^ "Wv*-/^^ _ n w.^-; rw,^ j^*^ 0><^«w»' Last part of letter of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Peter Mimiit, December 29, 1637, and first lines of letter of same date to Willem Kieft From I'.R.B.Alss, Letter Book, f.97. Slightly reduced VAN RENSSELAER ROWIER MANUSCRIPTS 395 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Peter Minuit' December 2(), 163/ Piettcr Mimiytt This 29th of December 1637 Hccr Coimnandeur: The bearer of this letter, my cousin arent van Corler, sailing to my colony as assistant, is recommended to you to accommodate him as much as your honor's situation will allow. 1 trust that your honor will not fail herein but show me friendship. I should also be much pleased, inasmuch as he is still young and inexperienced, if you had a little instruction given to him in the processes of ship's bookkeeping as well as in the keeping of land accounts, as his master Jacob Planck, with whom he will be, is not too expert in these matters himself. He takes with him a mate's chest marked on the insi le No. i, in which there are some Hainault and grass scythes and other hardware which I could not put into the lighter which sailed on Saturday and therefore did not reach your honor till yesterday. This small chest you will please add to the other items mentioned in my last letter, and under super- vision or in the keeping of my aforesaid cousin have brought to the nianatans by the best means you can find. With him go the following young men engaged for my colony, to wit : Arent van Corler, assistant, 18 years old Elbert albertsen, 18 years ol(,l Claes Jansen, 17 years old Gerrit hen^'', 15 years old Gijs^^ Arentsen, 22 years old. On Saturday, with the goods, went: Jacob Arentsen, 25 years old Together six persons, who are recommended to your honor and whom, with my goods, you will please cause to reach the nianatans at the earliest opportunity that circumstances will allow. From there I hope they will get further. I wish your honor good luck on the voyage. «^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.gGb. '"This marginal note in handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. ^ fi8 ™Loaded also [ ^ one barrel of pitch, well hooped. 396 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft^^ [December 2g, iS^y] IVillem Kijeft, commander in New Netherland Hecr Commandcur: Time presses me so that I can not even write to my nephew woutter van tzviller nor to my comniis Jacob planck. I therefore trust all my affairs to your honor. Enclosed i send the invoice at length of all that I have sent your honor and in brief also the conditions and contracts with my people, from which your honor may see how sincerely I mean not to defraud the Company in the leasts neither by sending questionable goods thither, nor by making contracts which may prejudice their trade, yet in everything saving my rights in the matter, as I do not at all consider that all the people of my colony but only the patroon or his agents have the said rights of article 15^^ Please hand th.e enclosed papers to my nephew woutter van tzviller to send them under his cover with my people and goods to my colony to the commis lacob planck^ with orders to distribute the people where they are most needed, recommending especially my cousin Arent van Corler as assistant of Jacob planck, that he may make note of everything; also, that of these young fellows some or most of them may be assigned to tobacco planting with Albert andriesen if he has had good success, but if the planting of tobacco should not suc- ceed well in my colony these people must be distributed among the farmers. At all events, please let Jacob planck have the enclosed copies, to record them. Please, Sir, after humble salutation to be graciously commended to Almighty God and together with my nephew zvoutter van tzviller to be heartily saluted. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck'^^ December 2(), 16 This day, 29 December 1637, in yVmsterdam Jacob planck: In addition to what I wrote you of before, I have also shipped the following: " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.97. " Article 15 of the Freedoms and Exemptions. " K. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.gyh. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 397 No. I. an old mate's chest containing 30 Hainault scythes at 30 st £45 14 scythes at £4 £56 Z:^ 12 iron spades at 14^2 st f 8 14'* .1, fio9 14 one barrel of pitch, well hooped, costs. . f 18 two barrels of tar, cost f 15 There arc also 2 barrels of salt, No. K. L., cost each f6, together fi2; I do not know whether they arc entered in the preceding invoice. Herewith go also 6 persons : 1 Arcnt van Coder, to serve you as assistant 2 Jacob arisch van ivttrccht ^ ^^^^^ ^^j.,^ 3 Ghysbcrt aertsen van Bunmck ] these 3 fellows are intended for the tobacco planting under Albert andriesen, if he succeeds, otherwise to serve with the farmers. 4 Elbert elberss van nteukarck, weaver 5 claes Jansen van nieukcrck, tailor 6 Gerrit Hendricks::: van nieukcrck, shoemaker v. The agreements with these people, for how many years they are engaged and what they are to receive, I have on account of lack of time sent to the director of the Company, Willem Kyeft, to hand the same with the invoice of the goods to my nephew woutter van twill er or to you. If I have still time I shall enclose them herein. This doubtful weather makes us quite confused. I com- mend you to God. S^. Adam Bessels, coparticipant in my colony, writes the two enclosed letters to you to have the slate hill,'^^ which I assigned to Ghysbert op den dyck in the presence of Alinnnyt, named Bessels Berch. Please favor him therein if it is at all promising, otherwise call one of the farms of Syman zvalichss and Cornelis maescn, Bessels Berch, as aforesaid, and the other Tripeburch, also after one of my participants. The tobacco must be sent over not rolled up but in the leaf. The Letter Book has £8:19. " schalien Berch ofte leyberch. 398 NEW YORK STATE LIBKAKY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller^*^ / December 2q, /(5j7 Wouttcr Van Tzviller This day, 29 December 1637, in Amsterdam Moil Coiisyii: This uncertain weather and the tarrying of my people makes me so stupid that I hardly know what I am doing. I have sent to tlie commander iviUeui Kycft my invoice of all my goods, also the agreements and names of my people, with recpiest to hand the same to your honor or to Jacob plaiick. The people are six in number, among them our cousin Arcnt van Coder as assistant in my colony to Jacob phinck. Please give him a little instruction and information as I have not time to do so. My people are these : Arent van Corler, assistant Jacob ariaensrs van Wttrecht '^ , , , , , . , I farm servants Gnysbert arentsc van bunnick f ^ tobacco planters under Elbert elberseii van Nienkcrck i albert Andriesscn, if Claes Jansen van nieuwkerck <, it [the planting] has Gerritt Hendricxsa van nyckerck succeeded well, other- ^wise with the farmers. I urge your honor to help dispatch these people and my goods to my colony at the first op[)ortunity in order that they may still plant tobacco this year. I thank your honor for the roll of tobacco sent to me through Arent Corssen, which your honor's brother hendrick and. others have shared also. I shall supply your honor with people ; please demand of the director zvillem Kycft the contracts and invoice sent him with the request to hand them to your honor and let Jacob planck have all the copies so that he may record them. If before your departure you could find time to inspect my colony from one end to the other and examine every- thing as carefully as possible and then report to me, I should be pleased. Your honor is warned that tobacco in the leaf is in better demand and more readily sold here than rolled up. Please have the enclosed handed to Jacob planck with the goods and, if you think fit, feel free to open it, but said planck" must not come home yet by the first ship. ^« V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, i.gS. The words "but said planck" are crossed out in tlie Letter Book. See p. 401. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 399 Inventory of goods consigned to Jacob Albertsz Planck by the ship het Wapen van Noorwegen^^ April 28, 1638 Honor be to God, this day, 28 April 1638, in Amsterdam Loaded in the ship called het zvacpcn van noorweegen'^^ for the colony of Rensselaerswyck, these following goods, consigned to Jacob albertsz planek, or whoever may fill his place in ^ -f< his absence, marked as in the margin and numbered as follows, sailing as supercargo on said ship;^*' may God 1 an Itast India chest in which Norwegian^^ kerseys, canvases, linen and divers other goods for the needs of the human body. 2 an oblong chest in which stockings, blankets, divers articles for the care of horses, lead and axes 3 an oblong chest in which kerseys, pewter dishes, goblets, shoes and other articles 4 a ditto chest in which 29 blankets 5 a ditto chest in which iron, grass scythes, Hatnault scythes, Eng- lish coin, wooden handles^^ for Hainault scythes and fish hoop nets 6 a ditto chest in which 120 shirts, blankets and a few small pack- ages which must be delivered at the manhatans, wherefore this chest must be opened there 7 a ditto chest in which 13 firelocks and 12 powder horns 8 6 winnowing baskets 9 a packing box'^''' filled with soil in which some plants are planted also ... 10 a small barrel with dried currants 11 one half quarter [hogshead] of oil 12 a barrel with various spices 13 20 Edam cheeses in a box : 14 9 Leyden cheeses in a box " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.ggb. ™ The Arms of Norway. Name of Cornelis Melyn, the supercargo, not given in Letter Book, nor any blank left. noortse. werven. . i ' Cargcsoen hist. '■ Blank in Letter Book. . . T i ' I ■ ^ I' watch over the same and bring it to its place of destina- tion. NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 15 one oil barrel^"'' in which 4 firkins of soap also 2 casks of pitch and 2 casks of tar, 20 bundles of rods from Liege, 10 bundles of French rods, 13 bundles of iron bars, 27 pieces of sheet iron, 12 pieces of ploughshare iron and 5 hocf'^' of smith's coal, one hogshead of vinegar and 4 kegs of salt, 8850 hard bricks and 1000 red bricks, a keg of gun- powder 18 young mares with their feed and casks and troughs with water also a rope, 30 fathoms long a copper pot and a long gun for Jan la montangie Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wouter van Twiller*^ May 6, 1638 zvouter van twiller Honor be to God, in Amsterdam, this day, 6 May 1638 Monsieur nion Cousyn: Enclosed herein arc copies of the letters sent to your honor by den Harinck and later in the winter by the ship de Calmer sleutel. I hope that the people and the goods sent therewith have come over safely and have at this time, by the grace of God, arrived in my colony of Rensselaerswyck so that I may still this year reap the fruits of their labor either in farming or planting of tobacco. This letter goes to your honor while I am again in uncertainty whether your honor will still be there or will have left when this letter arrives, since the commander willem Kijeft, who is to relieve your honor, was to leave the Barrilnudes^^ about the 4th of February and could have joined you in a few days, but it is still uncertain whether he left that exact day ; also, because the skipper lange willem,^'-^ who in return for having hurried your honor so was obliged to wait here a year before he could put to sea. will, now perhaps not make much haste. However, if this should still come to hand, you will in answer to yours sent by Martten gerritss under date of 20 November please understand the following: First, that I have received your honor's draft for f30oo and have presented it to some gentlemen'"*' who gave me little hope of paying the same before your arrival here, and as the question between olieaem =120 mengelen = 37.98 gallons. /jofft = 33.3s bushels. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.98. Bermudas. Long William. »" Referring to the directors of the W. L Co. \ VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 40I the Chambers concerning an open trade to Brazil has caused much trouble since usually most of the directors are out of town and oc- cupied, I have not been able to press the matter very hard. It seems that the matter is now settled that the trade to Brazil will be carried on by the participants jointly, each in proportion to his in- vestment, which is well if the money is used properly and not mis- used. What they will do with New Netherland, we shall see in course of time. I imagine that they are only waiting for advice from the new director Kyeft ; as far as I am concerned they may do as they please. I expect to carry on my colony with all courage and vigor and send therefore in God's name, by this ship het waepen van noortzveegen, of which Cornclis mclyn is supercargo and in the equipment of which the colony of Rensselaerswyck shares one half, in addition, on payment of freight, i8 mares with several farmers, their wives and laborers and a quantity of goods for the separate account of the said colony, although three of the aforesaid i8 horses belong to Jacob wolpherss, as we do not know whether we shall divide them or let them go there together. Claes ramaeckcr had also three horses among them, but these I have taken over from him and paid for so that there are 15 horses for the colony among them. May God Almighty watch over them. I recommend your honor to do your best to have them sent up at the first opportunity, agreeable to my orders and instructions given to Jacob planck, whom for good reasons I have asked to stay there for the present. As to Martten gcrritsa,'^'^ he has begun to make me some propositions, but as he is in gelderlan t and not in the city very little has been done. I shall expect your honor's arrival, God willing, by the first ship and then take hold of the matter with more vigor. Icronimus La Croix has also communicated to me the circumstances of his journeys'^" through the maqiians land to the Sinnckcns and to the Fresh River where the English come much too high up and too near to us. The Company must open their eyes, I think, or they will lose the best part of that fair region. As for yourself, you would better be careful and well prepared ; all calumnies will disap- pear and the curse change to a blessing. Salomon van solderbeeck has been an evil instrument. I have received a roll of tobacco of which your honor makes no mention in his letter and I have divided it among the friends here " Formerly commis at Fort Orange. See p. 329. ^' The accounts of these journeys were not among the collection when placed in the hands of the present editor. See note about the account of the journey to the Senecas, p. 271 of this volume. 26 402 NEW YORK STATE LIDKAKY and at nyckerck and thank your honor for the remembrance. When you come here, God wihing, you may still have a taste thereof. I hope that ours in the colony has succeeded well too under albert diterinck,'^ although they write from there that it is somewhat hot for the reason that it has been picked early. I recommend to you to advance and instruct our cousin Arcnt van Corlcr as much as time and place will allow ; only, let him be diligent and record and note down everything and advise me on all occasions, not sparingly but as fully as he can. The animals which are already in the colony, together with the horses and the people who go over now, are also recommended, to you for the time that your honor stays there. In chest No. 6 are put three packages belonging to your farm servants, with letters tied on toj) of them, which must be taken out at the manhatans and the chest closed again. 1 do not know whether there arc any among them from your father, brother or other friends, as your brother brought them here as they are from nyckerck. The friends at nyckerck as well as here are well, God be praised, except my brother in law thonias van Weely, who has a fluxion to his thigh so that he can not walk. I hope that he will soon be better. Your honor's sister Grictgcn has had fever several times but was getting better. They all send you many greetings. I would write more at length, but fear that you will have left before this letter arrives. If not, make as much haste as possible to come hither and to defend your afifairs before the Company ; wherewith ending, I commend your honor to the gracious protection of God Almighty and with hearty salutations from my wife, our children, mother van zvcclcy and all her family, I remain . . . I urge you to keep the farm at the manhatans for me; also to see that I get some cows from some one or other as I am propor- tionately least provided with them. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft^^ May 7, i6^8 S': Willem Kieft This day, 7 May 1638 Honorable, prudent Sir : As shortly after your honor's departure from the Texel my small vessel arrived here from New Netherland Probably a mistake for albert andricsz. " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.ioo. VAN RENSSELAER ]!OWIER MANUSCRIPTS bringing me advice of some things needed by my peoi)le there and it so happened that the ship dc Calmer Slutcl, commander pittcr miniet in the service of the crown of Sweden, was obhged to seek shelter here at the Texel on account of storm, I did not want to neg- lect this opportunity, though in midwinter and in freezing weather, of supplying my people as far as possible with necessaries and of improving the condition of New Netherland as much as possible as to population, and, trusting to God's mercy, I have also sent over six persons, though his destination was unknown to me. I could make out only this much, that he expected to go to Virginia, from which region I have asked him to try to find opportunity to send my goods and people to the Company's settlement. As I had to do this, hesitating between hope and fear, immediately before and during the Christmas holidays, when I could ask no letters to Icpold'^ of the West India Company, I have consigned my aforesaid goods and people with all the papers and instructions to your honor. I hope that the same have arrived safely and been sent by your honor to the proper place. I shall not fail to show myself grateful on all occasions where I can do your honor a kindness and if there is anything in my coloiiy which your honor might desire, all you have to do is to speak to my coiiiiiiis. Also, if there should be any- thing among the goods or necessaries which I send over, which your honor needs or can use, you have but to request it of him, as I seek in every way to keep on good terms not only with the lords directors in this country but more especially with their officers and servants on your side, in order that the region of New Netherland may not decline through discord (with which it has for many years been cursed but too much) but may, through harmony, each respecting the rights of others, by God's gracious blessing be changed to a flourishing and useful state, toward which I on my part do and will continue to do all I can. As Clacs CorncUss radcmacckcr and jacob zvolfcrsen t'cm aincrsfoortt, according to the enclosed extract, had obtained consent to send over a shi]) with cattle, about which they did not just know what course to take, I helped them out and filled the vacant room with horses and other goods, as you will see from the copy of the manifest signed by the lords directors, the original of which is in possession of CorncJis mcJyn, supercargo of this present ship hct tvacpcn ran noorwci^cn, in which are 15 horses for the account of my colony and three for jacob wolphcrsen ; Clacs Cornclisscn sends over none because there was not room lepolyckc brievcn; perhaps intended for bchoorlycke brieven, proper letters. 404 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY enough. We had expected to put in many more horses, but the water, hay and oats for the horses and the salt and other things for the fishery have taken up too much room. I urge you in the most friendly manner to lend my people the helping hand as much as is possible without detriment to the Com- pany, that with the said horses, their baggage and other goods, they may be sent to the colony at the earliest moment to perform, in God's name, with courage their agreed service and labor. If among my horses there should be a particularly fine one which you would like, you can take it for yourself and in its stead provide the farmers with another or poorer one. I shall also be much pleased if detailed lists and accounts arc sent to me of the goods which my conimis furnishes to the Com- pany and receives in return, in order that there may arise no mis- understanding ; also, if the payment for my grain, which beyond all contradiction is a product of the soil, might take place in peltries to the satisfaction of both sides and if my people in conformity with the Freedoms granted may be allowed to trade and sell what the Company does not need — provided they pay for the goods so traded such duty or freight as the aforesaid Freec^pms prescribe ; also, if it could be done without hurting the congregation at the vianhatans, as the people of the Company at Fort Orange and my people in the colony have thus far no minister, though I hope to procure one for them at the earliest opportunity, that for a time the minister at the manhatans might occasionally go thither to console and admonish them and to celebrate the Lord's supper with them, which would be an agreeable service to me and undoubtedly also to the Com.pany as far as their people are concerned, wherewith ending for this time. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Ulrich Lupoltt^^ May 8, 1638 S'' Vlrich Leopoldtt Amsterdam, this 8th of May 1638 Honorable, prudent very discreet Sir: Some weeks ago in con- versation with s^. Guilliame momma, my very good and intimate friend, your honor's person happened to be mentioned in connection with my colony and I was very glad to learn of the good relations between you, as on the strength thereof I may with your permission V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.ioi. VAN RKXSSKLAER BOWIKR MANUSCRIPTS avail myself of your services, as far as your situation and the ser- vice of the West India Company will allow. To this end I send enclosed the letter of s''. momma to your honor by this our ship het waepen van nooru'egen, whose cargo is largely composed of horses for my colony named Rensselaerswyck and some goods and neces- saries for my people who are already there or now going over, and herewith I make the following request of you. In case my nephew Woutcr van Wilier, formerly director there, shall have left before the arrival of this ship, as I suppose he will have done, I would re- quest you very kindly, as I do not know what arrangements he may have made in the absence of my commis about the affairs of my colony or to whom he has entrusted the forwarding and despatch of my animals and goods which might come there meanwhile, to look after this matter with tlie person whom he may have ordered to do so or with the co)ninis of my colony, if he should be present, and to help along my people as much as possible that they may get up the river with the horses and their goods as soon as there is an op- • portunity by a vessel sailing thither, the like of which I also recom- mend to and request of Director zvillem kieft and promise grate- fully to repay all favors received on any occasion, as it is my in- tention, God willing, to avail myself of every opportunity of pro- v'iding the said regions and my colony with as many people and animals as possible. Of this I have already made a good beginning and have lately, in the heart of winter and by a ship that came here on account of storm, sent six persons with some necessaries who have, I hope, arrived there in one way or another, though the said ship, which sailed in the service of the crown of Sweden, our ally, had another and to me unknown destination but as far as I could understand was bound for Virginia, or in case of need would seek some fresh supplies in oiu" regions. Although by reason of my not knowing your honor, I was then unable to recommend my affairs to you, I hope nevertheless that for the sake of promoting the popu- lation of the commonwealth you have of your own accord helped matters along, if the people have arrived ; wherewith, from lack of further matter and of knowledge of your honor's person and in order not to trouble you too much at the very first, I shall leave off and should be much pleased to receive a few words in reply. 4o6 NKVV YORK STATF: LinRARV Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Cornelisz van Munnickendam'-'^ May 8, 1638 Picttcr Cornclijscn, master millwright This day, 8 May, in Amsterdam, 1638 The aforewritten is a copy of our last letter sent to you by the ship den harinck, which 1 hope your honor has received; if not, your honor can use the said copy. Since then, on the 7th of April last, I received b}^ inartten Gcr- ritscii your letter of November 9, 1637, which made me feel some- what better agaiu, for 1 was dissatisfied not to have received any writing from you during the whole voyage of my small vessel in which your honor sailed when I long so intensely to know how everything goes there, whether successfully or unsuccessfully ; [may it be] as the Lord wills, if only we fail not to do our part. 1 was much pleased to learn from your honor's letter that the sawmill was in operation and with one frame could saw 30 boards a day and that your honor would put another frame in it to saw as many more ; also, that your honor had built a house near the aforesaid mill and intended to establish a brewery and a farm near it and also to build a small yacht to sail out on the ocean anj;l make a trip to Canada. The zeal is good but the execution has its difhcultics. One must not undertake too much at a time in order not to confuse one thing with the other. Your son in law Symon Jansen accord- ing to your request goes over herewith to be employed by you where he can be of most service to me and to you. I should be pleased if you remained as much as possible within the limits of the contract made with each other in order that no disorder occur, albart an- dris. separated from you ; I hear that he is a strange character and it is therefore no wonder that he could not get along with you, but I hope that you will be able to agree the better with your other partner Clacs Jansc van nacrden so as the better to advance the saw- mill and the house building. As to the grist-mill and the brewery of which you write, 1 had already another plan and await but the arrival of my nephew zvontcr van tii'illcr to draw a general order regarding them, for you know well enough that all wind and water milling [privileges] go with the jurisdiction, but your honor will do well to note down the expenses of the carpenter work with the millstones, hardware and other necessaries in order that we may »' V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.ioib. VAN RENSSELAER ]?0W1ER MANUSCRIPTS have the benefit thereof. And as to the brewery, it must be under the management of the one who has the supreme command in the colony or the person who will enter into a special contract regarding it; the various afifairs must be kept separate and not be mixed, in order that many people may make a living thereby, one under- taking this and another something else, for I hope to send over people from time to time as I do now once more. This costs me a great deal, especially for the number of horses, which with the expenses and freight, besides the risk, become incredibly dear ; but God willing, they will in time reimburse me for the outlay. As to what you write about taking a trip to canada, I do not know whether you are fully aware of the condition of trade [in that region] ; the French have several charters respecting it, especially along the river of Canada, and if you or any one else of our people went there they would be attacked as enemies ; but I imagine that you refer to the coast of cadie situate between capo breton and the bayc fran- coysc, from whose governor hoidrick dc forcest has had a letter which is now in my hands and of which I send you enclosed here- with a copy. His residence is for the present still too far from our colony to [go] with such a . . .''^ but as a provisional measure it Vi'ould not seem bad to me if in con- formity with my freedoms you took care to trade with the English at the south and to the north, if you see any profit in it, taking with you such planks and boards and grain as there might be on hand in my colony, but this should be done in conjunction with my commis and officer of the colony in order not to keep a double account thereof, which in the end leads to nothing but confusion. I be- lieve that Jacob plaiick is not best fitted for that [work] but I can not do anything in the matter before I have talked with my nephew zvouter van tiuillcr in order then to make a definite decision about it. I can not understand very well either from your letter or from that of planck how it is about the servants who have been engaged together for the mill company, whether they are still together in the service of the said mill company or whether they have been distrib- uted. Do not forget to write rae about everything in detail and at length. I am ready to support your zeal, which I notice is so satisfactory, but not being sufficiently informed and in ignorance, I stand perplexed. The pen must convey to me what personal speech can not, and let me hope that you will get along better with Claes Janse than with albart andrise, etc. ' Do your best to think of At this point a line or more appears to have been omitted in the Letter Book. NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY means to support a minister there; I will do my share to that end also. Jacob planck writes about £300 a year, but nobody cares to go for that. N.B, Forget not to send me yearly our account or settle with Jacob planck that he send it to me in order that we may know definitely where we stand and what profit we make yearly. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Maurits Jansz van Broeckhuysen^'^ May TO, 1638 Maurits Jaiiscii van brockhuijsen 10 May 1638 Honorable, discreet cousin Maurits Janscn: These few lines will serve to let you know that I duly receive;! your letters from England, as also those from the colony, and forwarded the enclosed to your uncle ivynnant van bylaer but received no reply from him. In the expectation of good behavior I have procured your advance- ment, namely that you are to have a farm on the conditions of all the other farmers, to be established near Pacp Sickenes Island, as the conimis Jacob planck or whoever shall occupy his place will show you -more definitely. And in order that you may not be in want of servants or animals, I have engaged adriaen cornelysen van barsingerhoorn, who is a prudent young man and knows all about farming, to be your foreman for the space of three years ; after the said three years I have promised in case of good behavior to make him farmer for himself. Now, with the advice of my officer and commis you might take also one of the boys who go over herewith. As to the horses for the farm, I have assigned to you four gray mares which are going across in this ship, which I hope the Lord will preserve, in order that for the sake of our relation- ship you may have four horses of nearly one color ; and as for your house and other necessaries, you will have to address yourself to the aforesaid conimis that he assist you according to circum- stances in getting under cover with your people and horses, while provisionally you will also try with the consent [of the farmers] to obtain a cow or two from some farm or other, so as to get started. I have no doubt, now that I have made you farmer so long be- fore your appointed time, that you will deserve the favor by doing '>»V.R.B.Mss, Letter Book, f.ioab. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 409 right, by advising me of everything in writing and also by using and treating properly this young man Adriaen cornelysen, who is to be your foreman, for the reason that his years far exceed yours. Regarding the fur trade and the delivery of grain you must regu- late yourself according to the contracts and common justice and not trespass as I understand others have done. Trusting that you will do this, I commend you to the gracious protection of God. Do not forget as a graceful requital to advise me of everything that happens in my colony. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Albert Andriesz^ May 10, 16^8 Albart andriesen, tobacco planter This day, lo May 1638 albart cornclisen:^ This will serve to advise you that I duly re- ceived your letter in which you wrote that the tobacco looked fine, but I received no news on the arrival of marten geertscn, although by that time it ought already to have been prepared, much less did I receive any sample thereof, for which I long very much, as well as for full advice of all the particulars as to how it has turned out. I have sent some servants and some boys before this and am send- ing some now, but I must have but one head in the colony to make the distribution of the people and the servants, so you must address yourself to him who at the time is my commis there, to whom I must send general directions about everything and not particular directions to each one. I hear that you have not only parted with pitter Coornelissen, but have also had a dispute with planck and his son, the cause of which I should like to know ; for I must in every way uphold my officers whom you, I take it, must obey, as is cus- tomary in all places of justice, and if you meet with any harm you have yourself to blame for it. If you behave well, I will certainly stand by you and cause you to be provided with everything, but bad behavior I will not suflFer. It also seems to me from what not a few but many have said that you are very unmerciful to your children and very cruel to your wife; this you must avoid and in all things have the fear of the Lord before your eyes and not follow so much your own inclinations. I understand also that not only have you traded beaver furs with dirrick cortssen contrary to your » V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, £.103. ' So in Letter Book. 4IO NEW YORK STATE LIURAKY contract but also defrauded and cheated him and for seven pieces of duffel have given him but the value of 25 merchantable beavers. Either you have cheated him and me or else he has cheated me very badly. Let me know what the truth of the matter is ; meanwhile, do not pay anything to dircck corsscn or to any one in his name, as he has been but our servant, but write me all the particulars that I may see whether you are belied or whether what is said is true. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler^ May 10, i6j8 Arent van Coorler, assistant This day, 10 May Honorable, discreet cousin arent van coorler: I hope that by this time, with God's help you have arrived in my colony and duly delivered there the goods which you took with you and that accord- ing- to my wish you have already begun noting everything down exactly and writing- me of it, that I may know how things stand there, especially as to the increase of the animals, horses, cows, etc. ; also, that you kept a correct account of all the goods which I sent heretofore and now send herewith, and where they may be sold with profit. In all things, however, you will have to submit yourself to your coinniis with whom you serve so that he will not have to complain of you ; but aside from that you may write me of every detail and if you take good care of your affairs and write and advise me at length I will, when the opportunity offers itself and in proportion to your capacity, also take care of your promotion and advancement, but one has to be servant before one can be master. Write me also definitely about the tobacco planting, how it has succeeded there, and of the farms and of the saw and grist- mills and what further there may be of interest, and do not let any opportunity for writing me go by as we long very much for news here. Your father is still well and your brother is at present staying at my house ; both send many greetings, etc. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.ioab. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 411 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck^ May 10, i6j8 Jacob Albersen planck The loth of May 1638 Yours sent by my small boat called Renselaers zvyck as well as ibe other sent by marten gerretsen, I have duly received. All I ask for is to have but half as much v/riting from you as you have from me; this is certainly reasonable, for if everything does not come to your mind, all you have to do is to place my letters and papers before you, examine everything and do as I do, advis- ing me of each matter separately. I send you the names of the people whom I send over, each one by itself, and you write but in general that there have arrived 24 persons besides the women. That is not enough ; it is important to me to know who has arrived and who has not, as I thought that I had many more people, and in order that in the future you may make more careful note of every- thing 1 have sent my cousin A rent van corlcr, by de Calmer Slutel, to be your assistant, as he can serve and assist you in noting down everything. I send enclosed a list of the goods sent by the said slutel, as also copies of the letters. You must do this too, that is, send me each time a copy to serve if the original letter should not come. I hope that the people whom 1 sent have arrived where you are and have been distributed either among the farmers or among the tobacco planters. I write to albart andrisen that he must have more respect for my officers and cornmisen or that he will rue it. Contrary to his promise, he has traded beavers with direck Coortse and moreover according to the statement of dircck Coortsen has given but the value of 25 merchantable beavers for 7 pieces of duffel, so that he must have cheated direck Coortse as well as our cornmis or dirreck Coortssen must have cheated his employers. Therefore, notify albart and all others living in the colony not to engage in such rietrimental fur trade, conformable to their respective agreements, and to make [no] general payments to direck Coortse or his agent as he has treated us very badly ; for I do not care to suffer in my colony those who have their eye mainly on the fur trade. That some trifles should be overlooked is a different matter, but those who make purely a business of it, I do not care to have. He who is my officer and commis knows * V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.104. 412 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY how far my freedoms go, but it is not the business of others. These people not only cheat their patroon and master but also defraud the West India Company of the duties, and I am firmly resolved not knowingly and intentionally to injure the West India Company in their rights in the least, as my principal object is directed toward farming and things connected therewith. Enclosed I send you in God's name the invoice of all the goods which I am now sending over for the account of the colony, as well as a record of the payments made here to the people, with which together with the board during the passage you must not neglect to debit those who have to pay it. I send herewith i8 mares, mostly two years old, all of which except two are covered. Three of these belong to Jacob volpersen, according to the memorandum which he has thereof. The other 15 are for the colony, to be distributed as follows, namely: Four gray mares for marrits Jansen van hrockhuysen, my cousin, who is to be made head farmer, and adriaen cornelisen van har- singcrzvoiit,^^ who goes over herewith also, and is to be his foreman for the period of three years according to his contract. This farm will have its plowed land beyond paep Sickenees Island, across the Rid opposite Symon walichss and Cornelis maessen.^ From the seven remaining horses, Tunes Janse, also called direckse van rechten,^ may choose four horses to establish there- with a farm south of the farm of mauris Jansen, where there is room enough. As to the three remaining horses, if with God's help they arrive, you will distribute them where they are needed and if possible establish a fourth farm therewith. The houses and stables of these farms you will push forward as much as possible. I hope, now that Clacs Jansen van naerdcn must have arrived there, that better arrangements will be marie for the building of houses so that the farmers may be better ac- commodated. And as these new farms have no cows, you will sec that the others give each of them some of the young calves to make shift for a while/ or you will find out whether there are any In otiier places referred to ns Adriaen Corncliss van Rarsinserlwrn and in tlie account books among the Renssclaerswyck Mss also as Adriaen Cornelisz Bcrghoorn. Barsingerliorn is a village in the province of North Holland, ahout 12 miles northeast of Alkmaar. ' deese houwerije sal syn houwlant hebbcn buylen paef Sickeners eylanf ouer de Rul tegen oner Symon walichss eh Cornelis maessen. * Should be van rcchten. ' om haer by provisie wat te Connen hehelpen. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 4I3 to be bought at the maiihatans or to be traded for the remaining horses, always remembering that in my opinion one of these mares is worth considerably more than two cows. You must not fail to send me all accounts in perfect order in- cluding your own account. You have not done this very carefully as I understand that you have a goodly quantity of beavers and have sent but 200 of them by my ship. As you wrote me long ago that you had then already 150 skins and the goods of my small vessel have been added since, I had expected at least 500, on which I insured 300 skins and now but 200 appear, of which I was to give one half to your wife without having the account thereof. 1 have therefore given her provisionally f^oo as I had to pay f200 duty to the Company because you did not send any paper showing that it had been paid. She also had to bear one half of the in- surance, as you had not written me that you had a share therein ; therefore, you must henceforth send me better and fuller advice, which you can do better now that you have as assistant arent van Corler, who is pretty good with the pen. In selling the merchan- dise, you must not only take into account the first purchase price, but all sorts of expenses of ship, boat and lighter freight, also the boxes and hauling, etc., for which you must raise the price at least one stiver, for example, what cost 20 stivers you must count as having cost 21 stivers. Herewith goes again a goodly quantity of iron and smith's coal, so that the smith will be well provided. I should have liked to have had a helper for the smith and wheel- wright but on account of the mortality here I have not been able to secure any. It is possible that the Company will throw open the beaver trade to some extent; if they should do that, I do not intend nor shall I allow any but those of the Company, to whom I can not forbid it, to trade furs in my colony; to private indi- viduals I do not wish to permit it. With my own people some discretion will have to be used, provided that they deliver the skins to you at a reasonable price for my account, so that they may have some profit and I also and the Company receive its duty. They must do likewise with the grain and other products. Piter Cornelisen writes me that he will put up a grist-mill and a brewery; that is all right as far as the building is concerned, but respecting milling and beer brewing I intend to make some further regulation at the first opportunity, as one man must not have too much. This much I would allow to Corneles, now his son in law Symon Jansen hcnypot comes over too, that with your 414 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY advice as the keeper of my place and rights, since I can not be present in person, he may build a small yacht to send his planks and boards where they may be sold to best advantage and also to trade down the river or elsewhere the grain and wheat that is to spare in the colony; all this if there is any profit for me connected with it, otherwise it serves but to do damage. To this end I send over pitch and tar, also materials and tools to make sails, but you must take care of my rights that I may be defrauded by no one. When areiit van corler has not too much to do, let him occupy himself in shooting game and catching fish so as to reduce some- what the expense of his board; have him also look after things here and there and send him all over the colony to arrange things, to note down the grain and animals and especially to look after the planting of vines. Jcroiiimus la Croix believes that above bruedcr Cor)ielis on the west side of the iiiaquars Kil there are suitable hills, which slope to the south and are treeless, that would be desirable for the raising of apples, pears, cherries and similar fruits. This should be looked after but especially the planting of tobacco, whether that will succeed. I am not well satisfied that albccrt has not sent me a sam])le of his tobacco by marten Gcrritscn nor reported how many pounds he expected to have. The said albert has a servant, Johan Icbattij, who is a carpenter. You can, by paying him, employ him also on the building of the houses, so tliat the farms, from which in time the greatest profit is to be ex- pected, may be gotten ready. In your last letter, you write nothing of your plan, mentioned in an earlier letter, of putting up a building for a church, the loft of which could if needed be used for the storing of grain. Whether this has been contracted for or not, I urge you to promote godliness in every way and to give me some further idea of the means of supporting a minister. You write me that these may amount to f300 a year ; something- must be added to that, for no one will care to go there for as nmch again as that amount. However, let me see the list of those who would pay the aforesaid f300, and now that more people are coming the amount will increase. Lay this matter before the schepens some day and have them discuss the means and write to me about it. Do not forget to send me at the earliest oppor- tunity all the accounts, especially that of the Company and what they owe me, as I have furnished them things for years and never received anything. Send me also the account of the returns of mv merchandise, sent at various times by my small boat as well as bv VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS arent van coder, and also in due course, that of the goo. Is which go herewith. May the Lord graciously watch over them and allow goods, people and animals to arrive at your place without accident. X should also like to have the instrument of purchase of paep Sickicls Island. Henceforth it will not be necessary for the grant- ors to appear before the director and council of New Netherland, but it will be suflicient that they appear before the officer and council of the colony of Rensselaerswyck to make the transfer, making the sanie declaration as is put in the former deeds. Please to greet bastiacn Janse Croll, commis at Fort Orange, heartily from me. I request you to live with him and the Company in all friendship and as good neighbors and that you assist each other on all occasions with words and deeds and with life and limb against all those who would injure the servants or subjects of my colony, as the Company on its side has promised to do by the 25th article of the Freedoms of New Netherland. 1 have noticed that tlie farmers and others without my knowl- edge and consent have traded with derreck coortsen and the crew of my boat; they must avoid this or I shall punish it with con- fiscation. If they have any skins, let them deliver them to you for my account, so that I may have something too for my heavy expenses, as I have now for seven or eight years received little or nothing but always paid out large sums. Take care that the servants and others who receive wages are paid there, so that I am not bothered about that here. Let the farmers pay the wages of their servants in full and debit me for one half of the amount which I will pay them and let them not charge me with the full wages of the servants so that I must recover one half from the masters. In this way I am rid of that for a while and they must find means to satisfy their servants. The councilors whom you have chosen are approved by me, but in order that the charges do not become too great at least two schepens must retire each year and the vacancies be filled by others from among the ablest, as is done here in this country. You must see to it that the aforesaid schepens hold session at least once a month or if need be every week to consider all things touching the administration of the colony and to settle all ([uestions and disputes. Fach time the schepens nieet, a prayer must be offered up by the most suitable person in order that the blessing of the Lord may rest upon yon and grant you wisdom and understanding; the fear of the Lord and justice I commend to you most highly and before all things. 4i6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY The account of See gen Jansen must not be put off any longer and do not forget to send us a sample of a few muddes of the best wheat and rye, which should have been done already. With regard to the indemnity of the . . discretion should be used, without being too severe you should by constant admonition cause them to entertain a lively sense of their duty and what they owe the colony on account of the damage which they have done. I see that Gerret de reux wants to come over some time to make new terms. He may then at the same time seek himself a wife. The terms must be such that I shall get some return from my land and finally enjoy the fruits of the great expenses which I have had. With God's help it will no doubt improve each year if I do not spare money and pains. Do not neglect to read over this letter and my previous letters once in a while to refresh your memory. If Cornclis melyn, supercargo of the ship het zuapen van nor- zveg"', who must have fiooo for the passage of our people and the freight of goods and 15 horses, should load some grain at the manhatans, at the current price there, you will replace the same and send receipt therefor. If you should happen to be at tlie manhatans and have any skins for the colony, you might send by this ship some 100 or 200 beavers, provided you enter them with the director and take a receipt for them, as well as a bill of lading from the supercargo. And as direck Co oris en has thus far given me no detailed ac- count of the board of my people who went over in my ship, do not forget to send me the account thereof at once and to let me know what the amount is. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck^ May 12, 1638 Jacob Alhcrtsen planck, officer and commis in the colony of Rens- selaerswyck 12 May 1638 Yesterday afternoon all the papers and documents were sent to you and now it is discovered that dirck corss., who has deceived the inhabitants of my colony in every way and incited and induced them to private trading, has declared today that the following persons are guilty and have traded with him, to wit : * Word omitted in Letter Book. See p. 243, 267, 270. » V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.io6b. Van RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 41/" Pieter Cornclis.z zxiii miinnikendam, he alleges owes him 155 f!55:i6:8 guilders, 16 stivers and 8 pence, but he does not say for what. You will therefore ask the said pictcr CorncUsz what this debt is for, whether for goods which he has received from him or for passage money and board of his men. Let him be frank about it, I shall not take it ill of him this time, even if it is different from what I think, provided he pay you the said amount to send to me for the account of the person whom it may concern. Sijmon jansa. hcnypot has asked me whether he should pay the said sum to dirck cors.z, but I have forbidden him to do so as I did not know what this debt arose from, whether from goods delivered or from passage money of his men. Said hcnypot now goes over again ; he has told me about some small casks of brandy but, from what I hear, it seems that he takes with him several pieces of duffel among his beet sacks or other baggage. He should not do this without telling me about it. Speak to him about it in a dis- creet way, for I do not propose to have people cheat me in this underhand fashion and would rather that such traders stayed away from there, as these people not only deprive me of my returns from my colony but in addition defraud the West India Company of its duties, which must be paid first and before every- thing else. After that, I must . . . such expenses not profit some one else and I have the dishonor. fi79:i7:o Jcui jcjisz zvii Ilpendaui, under date of August 5, 1637, at the Jiuvihafans. This man is in the service of the Company. If he pays you, I have nothing to say about him. f3s<):o:o Jcicobus vciu covJacr, under date of August 7, 1637. As he is a relative of mine, I shall not accuse him if he pays you. f4io:o:o Hermanns Minardi abogardy,^'^ July 22, 1637, at Fort Orange. 43 V2 beavers Liibhcrt Gysbcvtsz, a note of hand for 43}^ beavers, ^^^^ dated May 26, 1637, on which 15 beavers have been 28 % beavers paid. If tliis is our wheelwright, you will tell him to pay you and to be careful not to do it again. The beavers you will send to me, like those which follow, but you will enter them with the director of the Company so that the duty may be paid here. " At this point a line is apparently omitted in the Letter Book. Surgeon Ilarnien Meyndertsz van den Bogaert, commis at Fort Orange, who signs his name in the N.Y. Col Mss, Harmannus -.A -.Booghardij. 27 4i8 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY £31:11 St 29 beavers Brocr Cornells, per balance of account of 20 May on which 5^2 beavers have been paid. 60 yards of seawan Albert adryesen, 60 yards of seawan. Let him also pay this to you and beware of doing anything like it again without my knowledge and consent. £221:8 IVillem adriaens.'^. van els seneiir, cooper, account against the lords directors of Groningen signed by Tyaert brougers,^^'^ supercargo. Whether this sum is paid I do not know. You must find out how this is. There was a power of attorney with it. At all events I have received nothing of it. Let this willem adriaens?. pay you and in case it should be paid to him here, he will be £159:10 St notified. Cort pictcrsz. from the lords directors of Groningen with a power of attorney. Hereof I have received nothing. These aforesaid matters you will quietly investigate one after the other and advise me what answer and satisfaction each person gives you. If they refer to their note of hand, you will in my name reply that I shall indemnify them for all future calls upon them, and in case of refusal you will tell those who are in my colony that I shall know how and where to recover the money, but if they appear willing, I shall smooth things over so that this time they need expect no trouble. In the future they must carry on such dealings as they have had with dick Corsz or may have with others, with my knowledge or at least with yours or that of the person who at the time shall be commis of my colony, in order that I may have my share and the Company its trade. I could not help sending this to you ; and in order that you may be com- pensated for your trouble, make every one pay you a small fine of one stiver in the guilder or one skin in twenty; wherewith I commend you to God. Vale. ^^Llerewith I send also eight small books called de Practijcke der Godtsalicheyt/^ very useful for the families. Cost 18 st a piece, amounting to £7:4. " This should be Tyaert brongcrs. See p. 289. ' Note in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. ' ihe Practice of Godliness. VAN RENSSELAER liOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 4X9 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornelis Melyn^* May 12, 1638 Cornelis melyn, supercargo of the ship het zuapen van noorwcegen Honor be to God; in Amsterdam 12 May 1638 Monsieur Melijn: Enclosed is a letter to be delivered to Jacob plane, as I had forgotten to write him something. Advise me at your convenience of the receipt of this letter as it is of great im- portance. Further, do your best to sail in the name of the Lord as soon as possible, to deliver our people, goods and horses as safely as possible and to treat them well. Keeping the fear of the Lord before your eyes, He will undoubtedly through His divine grace grant you a happy and speedy voyage', wherewith, commending you to His faithful protection, I remain, with hearty greetings — ■ de ztjildc sailed on this boat and although I have not seen him — Herewith also a package of eight very useful books. No. X, also to be handed to Jacob planck with the aforesaid letter. Enter them also at the end of yoiu- bill of lading so as not to forget them and keep them in your chest or somewhere else where they do not get wet. It would not be bad either to read them on the ship; you might take them all out and then wrap them up again when you get on land. n Petition of the officers and crew of het Wapen van Noorv/egen to lighten the ship^*^ [1638] Request to Cornelis Melijn and Jackop zvolfersen We, the underwritten, officers and sailors who have hired our- selves out to sail with the ship named het zuapen van noorzvegen on the voyage to Virginia or New Netherland and teera noua and who have come here to proceed on our voyage with the first favor- able wind which God may grant, find on the ship so much obstruc- tion that we deem it not advisable to go to sea in a vessel which is " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.io-b. ' The Dutch of tliis incomplete sentence which seems to have no connection with ti?' letter reads as follows: de wilde is los gcraeckt p desa cage ende hoe wel ick Item niet gesien hebben. The meaning is uncertain; de wilde may be a personal name, but may also be translated " the savage;" cage firobably stands for kaag, a one-masted boat for inland navigation. " V. R. B. Mss, 14. 420 NEW YORK STATK LIHUARY SO encumbered with boxes, trunks and forage for the horses, that it is impossible to use or move a single piece, yes, we do not know where to turn to go to belay a sheet or bowline ; on the other hand it is impossible for the ship to sail or float on account of the en- cumbrance and heavy weight, as we found out between Amsterdam and the Texel. We are therefore resolved rather to leave the vessel than to go to sea with such a ship, for no matter who or what persons come aboard they arc astonished to find so encum- bered a ship, an;l, as moreover the pilot and the bargemaster express the same opinion, we now kindly request that you will do your best and relieve us from such heavy burden and lighten the vessel so that we may cross the ocean in the usual way ; and in order to accomj)lish such lightening at least six horses must be taken out and our boxes, chests, casks and other goods put in their place : and if you do not please to lighten the vessel, we will not consent to go to sea in the ship under any consideration, but first it must l)e lightened; and if you take six horses out, we will not do as our carpenter and another man have done but, with God's help, will faithfully accomplish the voyage. [signed] skipper Wycllcm ras mate Paiizvcls mattysois second mate Jan c lacs sen coriiclis bisschop, boatswain's mate '^''rcycr hcndcrickscn, constable ^"JuirJan Jansen ^"^frans marscn, cook frans siinmensoi Reijer Jansen, pilot Seerck Jemes, bargemaster Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Joost van Sandwech^^ May or June 16^8 Joost z'an Sandtzvegh, at Leyden Mons'' Sandt zvegh: I have received your letter with the power of attorney.^''''' It will be necessary for one or both of you^-'^'' to 1^ Names in same handwriting as llie document. " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.ioyh. The carelessness with which this letter has hecn entered in the Letter Book makes it impossible to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion as to the meaning of certain passages or to vouch for the accuracy of the translation. iNii gge letter to van Sandwech, June 27, 1637, p. 348. Van Sandwech and Tortarolis? See letters to Gcrrard dc Forest, Nov. 28, and Dec. 18, 1636, p. 344. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 421 come here to make a preliminary settlement as I do not like to keep any one waiting. I should be pleased if you could come on Friday, as I intend to go away from home next week; otherwise it would have to be after Pinkster. I have shown the power of attorney to my confraters; [they] think it all right and will not keep [us] waiting if it is possible. Today dirck Cors^ demanded [payment] and presented the note of hand if we would pay him at once [his wages?] and the amount of the barrels, etc., to which I have replied briefly, but I expect that [the order?] has been drawn. We must think of some means whereby we can settle our ac- counts. Please [obtain consent?] to having people deal with us. We will [advise?] them [your associates?] of everything that I offered to dirck corse in the name of the shipowners. He there- upon decided to think the matter over but instead of that . . .^'^ the aforesaid protest which speaks of the directors, most of whom are out of the Netherlands. Tt is now too late to settle this matter, especially as we have not yet the note of hand. However, I wrote today at length about it to those who are out of the country and made a provisional arrangement which I shall communicate to you. Commending you to God. Willem Kieft to Kiliaen van Rensselaer^" August 14, i6j8 Sir: While sailing to the r)ay to dispatch the ship den Haringh, we encountered your ship 't tvapcn tan noorwcgcn and received your honor's letter of the 7th of INfay, to which I reply but briefly owing to the circumstances of the moment. The bearer hereof is ^Tr Cornells inelyn who goes to terra nenf or Canada to trade for fish or peltries; the Lord grant him a profitable and safe journey. Your honor's goods have been unloaded, except some things which they kept in the ship or which were not sent with it, in regard to which Jacob zvolpertscn, who has the invoice, writes to your honor.' I have had a shallop loaded and it has gone up the river with the people; the horses are still here in charge of a man and a boy; all the bricks, coal and iron are also here yet but will be sent by the At this point a few words seem to have been omitted in the Letter Book. =" r. R. B. Mss, 15. 422 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY next shallop. I am troubled about how to get the horses np the river, as we have no vessel in which they can be sent, the bark going to the West Indies. The yacht s*- mcrtcn has gone to the south and does not come here till autumn. There are no other vessels by which horses can be sent. It is not possible to transport them in the scow, so that I shall send them up in an open lighter, which however will hardly hold two an:l oblige us to make many trips, which at the moment is very inconvenient, the more so as we have but fev/ people and I desire to discharge some in order to lessen the Com- pany's burden. Your honor will therefore in the future need a vessel or two, especially if the grain is sent to the English, for we shall as a rule be able to help ourselves. f27o a last is too much. It will not bring nearly as much among the English, who have also but little cash to pay for the goods on which a duty of two or three per cent must be paid, but this will show itself when the trial is made. As the population increases here, the price will likely for some time remain the same. Some time ago I sent a shallop uj) the river expressly with the goods that came with ntinuyt; now another has gone expressly for you ; and the lighter will have to do likewise, as we have no busi- ness whatever up above. I shall make a note of the trips and of the circumstances (your officers in the colony ought to do the same) so that later on I can show the directors what I have done with their things and servants. I thank your honor heartily for your honor's ofifer of the horses and goods ; I do not think that we shall keep any of them, unless it were three or four bars of iron. I shall exert myself to the ut most to assist your people in every way I can with a clear con- science, your honor need have no doubt respecting this; I only wish that your colony might flourish and others become also de- sirous of engaging in similar undertakings. If the Company will only not get discouraged on account of the continual heavy ex- penses, abandon everything and back up the English ; for certainly you would be caught in a trap and the whole colony not be worth a stiver if the English occupy this river, as some say. I am very anxious to know what the directors will resolve to do. If they con- tinue to do as they have done thus far, I shoul 1 prefer to be away from here and it would be better for them to order us home. I have given Cornclis melyn, charged to your account, f 111:3 VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS on his bill of freight I shall subtract this when the account for the grain received shall be liquidated. As to your honor's statement that the payment for the grain zuas to be made in heavers, I shall take good care not to do so even if Mr van twiller had so decided. I can in no zvise come to this resolution, as in this manner the wheat, which is black and small anyzvay and produces but little, would cost us nearly /500 a last and the Company zvhich is heavily burdened be almost robbed of her heavers, of zvhich she has few enoughe?^ I also find on the books here that your honor has since the beginning been indebted to the Company for so much money, goods and also horses and cattle that I shall do nothing in this matter without express orders from the directors. As I said above, we shall need little or. no grain. Our minister has gone up the river with the shallop to perform his duties there. Wherewith conckuling, I commend your honor, after friendly salutations, to the protection of the Most High; may He grant your honor whatever tends to eternal and temporal well being. Amen. Honorable, wise, prudent and very discreet sir Your honor's always willing servant [signed] Will em kieft In Fort Amsterdam on the Manhattens this day 14 August 1638. [Addressed] Honorable, wise, prudent and very discreet sir Mr. killiacn Van Renzelaer at Amsterdam [Endorsed] Man hatas 14 [seal] August 1638 Willem Kieft These three letters answered the 1 2th of May 1639 at Amsterdam. A copy of this bill of freight is in N. Y. Col. Mss, 1:34-35. It mentions the following passengers for the patroon: michiel Jansen, his wife and 2 men: tonis dircksz, his wife, i child and 2 men; Jan Micliielss and his small son; ariaen corneliss van bartingcrhoorn. Underlined in original. 424 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jonkheer Gerrit van Arnhem^^ September 74, i6j8 J''. Gerrit van Ariihein^ at the Hague Amsterdam, this 14th of September 1638 I take the liberty to address myself to your honor in this matter, as no one is better acquainted with it and the more so as your honor has been appointed by their High Mightinesses the States General as one of the committee^-'' [to consider] the difference be- tween the West India Company on the one side and the patroons of New Netherland on the other side, which matter so far as I am concerned is still pending; if one were to judge from results, a great difference would be found between the condition of my colony, which I have thus far managed and erected at the expense of myself and my confraters without charge and with profit to the Company, and the condition of other colonies which the Company has bought at considerable cost and, tliough at great yearly expense, has brought to a state of ruin and decline, yes, in the South River, reduced to almost nothing. My intention in this matter is not to dispute with the Company, as there is no occasion for it at present, but in all humility to re- quest your honor to maintain my dear and precious rights (not considered in haste or by a few persons only, but at different times in all the respective Chambers after communication with the chief participants of each ; adopted in various sessions of the XIX, with the knowledge of the deputies of their High Mightinesses and also approved by letters written to the patroons by their High Mighti- nesses themselves) of which I send you enclosed a printed copy. It is true that in the new project by the Chamber of Amsterdam it is stated " that henceforth no one &c " ; but this is drawn in so brief a form that no mention is made of all the previous freedoms which have lasted nine years, about which so many reports have been made in the Assembly of the XIX and since which so many things have happened, notice having been given by many different people regarding colonies other than my own, lands and animals bought for them by private individuals, and people and farm imple- ments sent there, all of which, in my opinion and subject to correc- " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.io8. See resolutions of the States General, Aug. 30 and Sept. 2, 1638, Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y. l:i 14-15; also statements by N.de Roever, p. 80 of this work. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 425 tion, neither can nor ought to be passed by in silence without prejudice to those interested. I request therefore humbly and kindly that inasmuch as the Chamber of Amsterdam has taken such painstaking care even of the disputable freedoms offered to the freetraders to and in Brazil, that my freedoms and those of all others interested in this matter may not be allowed to suffer through such silence, but that their High Mightinesses according to the fifth article of the enclosed Freedoms may please to take care that the first occupants be not prejudiced in the rights they have ob- tained and that these may be expressly stipulated in the new free- doms which are now about to be granted. It seems also very strange to me that under the present alteration no patroons or colonies are admitted and that the fur trade is thrown open to those not interested in New Netherland equally with those who have great interests at stake there, to those who do not live there with those who do live there, and to those who are not participants with those who are participants — for up to the present violent and sharp debates have occurred about the said trade, directed even against those who control more land there than the Company itself. As I understand it, their High Mightinesses are not over much pleased with the draft of the Chamber of Amsterdam but, as I am out of the board of directors, I have to look out only for the interests of myself and my associates, which is no other than the aforementioned clause that the first occupants are not to be pre- judiced in the rights which they have obtained. This being in- cluded in the Freedoms^ I commend the matter at issue to their High Mightinesses and to all those who have any voice in it, though I am surprised that time can bring about such changes that of 31 well considered articles not one can stay as it is and that the very foundations are turned upside down. It is true, I know, that your honor's advice in this matter is also sought by the Amsterdam Chamber, but as my request does not interfere with theirs and as I seek only to keep what I have, I can not do less for myself and my associates than to watch that our rights be preserved, in which I urgently pray your honor to lend me the helping hand. If there is anything in which according to my small powers I can be of service to your honor or do you a kindness, you have on all oc- casions but to command me. Excusing myself that I take the liberty — 426 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Ordinance of Director and Council of New Netherland, pro- hibiting the sale of firearms to Indians and requiring vessels sailing to or from Fort Orange, the South River or Fort Hope, to obtain a permit^* March 31, i6jp Copy Whereas the director general and council of New Netherland have observed that many persons, both servants of the Company and inhabitants, contrary to the orrlers and commands of the High and Alighty Lords the States General and the Chartered West India Company, have presumed to sell to the Indians in these parts, muskets, powder and lead, which has already caused much evil and will hereafter result in but greater evil if no means be adopted by us here to prevent the same ; therefore every inhabi- tant of New Netherland, be his state, quality or condition what it may, is most expressly forbidden to sell any muskets, powder or lead to the Indians, on pain of being punished by death, and if any one shall inform against any person who shall violate this law, he shall receive a reward of 50 guilders. Furthermore, all persons are hereby notified that no one shall undertake to sail with any sloop or other vessel to Fort Orange, the South River or Fort Hope, without a permit from the honorable director and, on coming thence, bringing with him a pass from the commis of the Company residing at the respective place aforesaid ; and in case it be found that any one has been at the place above named without the aforesaid permit, such vessel and the goods laden therein shall be confiscated to the benefit of the Company and, in addition, such fine imposed as ac- cording to the merits of the case shall be deemed proper. And all our dear and faithful commisen who have authority at the places where these presents are sent are ordercvd and commanded to affix the same at the usual place, so that their contents may be known to every one and each be on his guard against damage. Thus done and published in Fort Amsterdam, this 31st of March 1639. Un- derneath was written: Agrees with the Resolution Book of the honorable the former director general and council of New Nether- land, Cor: Van tienhouen, secretary. ^ V. R. B. Mss 16. Also in Dutch in N. Y. Col. Mss., 4:36-37. Translation revised from those in American Historical Magazine, 1836, 1:36-37, and Laws and Ordinances of New Netherland, p. 18—19. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER M ANUSCRIRTS Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart-** April 8, i6sp Toiisain Mnssacrt, at Le3Tlen 1639, 8 April This in haste on account of lack of time will serve to inform you that I have received yours concerning Jeronimns La Crois. By my order, he has sent for 50 hlankcts, dyed white and green, but not fixed, at f3:i5 a piece, which you will please order and send up in haste. The amount to l)c furnished for the colony has been fixed at f4000 for goods, fiODO for my advances and ficoo for payment to brant pcclcn according to his enclosed letter (which you will please return to me). During the eight years that he has been in that country, his accounts have never been settled and he has received but little money. The subscription for each i/io share will therefore be fixed at 600 guilders, which you will please communicate to Mr dclaat and through him to Mr bloniiiiaert, who is at the Hague, in order that I may receive the said money at the first opportunity, as I liave already advanced money again. I hope that we shall not have to make any further subscriptions after this and that the colony will be able to take care of itself. As to the f25oo which, it is conjectured, are still -due to gcrrit dc reus, we must pay that upon advice as to his being living or dead. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft^*' May 12, 16 jp JViJlcni Kicft. director in New Netherland The 1 2th of May 1639, in Amsterdam I find myself with your very agreeable letters of the 25th of April, the 31st of July, and the 14th of August of last year, to which a brief answer follows. In the first place, I thank your honor most earnestly for your promptness in dispatching my goods and men to the colony, especially for the ingenious way of sending up my horses in the lighter, as upon the report of my nephew 7'a;j Tunllcr I was much worried how it could be done, it having never occurred to me that in all these years no better accommodation should have been provided. In the future I must regulate myself V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.ioSb. ^'V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.109. 428 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY accordingly ; and I now hope that, though the hghter must have proved expensive, my horses which have cost mc so much arrived in the colony hefore winter. How the present horses, which are hound for the Maiihataiis only, will fare on their way remains to he seen and in the future, in sending any from here, I must regulate mvself according to that also. However, I do not intend to send any more horses for the present, hut should like to avail myself of any opportunity of ohtaining some cows for my colony, as last season I lost 1 1 cows in one year. H there is any chance of buying a supply of young cows and if the price is not excessive, I shall be much pleased, even if they arc only heifers. It might easily be that some of those that are sent over now could be obtained towards winter on account of lack of hay, which can be had at a reasonable price less well at the niaiihatans than in the colony; however, as I have at present no one at the Manhatans, I should not dare com- mission your honor herewith, especially as I understand from your honor's letter that five farms are unoccupied and the cattle must be needed there. I judge, however, that the land at the manhatans must be bad, as the people with their cattle are going to other places where they expect to find better land, and that they can do without these. 1 may wait till next year, when I hope that there will be an opportunity on the return of my nephew van Tivillcr, who is so taken with the country that it will be hard for him to stay away. Kindly do me the favor, however, to buy for me at the current price six or eight heifers to be sent up the river. I shall be very much obliged for this and other kindnesses which I have received from your honor and I hope that in time there will be opportunity to repay them. There are many people in this country, among them some of large means, who would like to invest their capital in New Xether- land if the Company would admit other colonies, in refusing which it makes a great mistake in my opinion, for instead of many poor beggars whom it now gets,^ it would find people of means who with their money could send all sorts of men and the patroons who stayed here would secure the Company against loss and ofifense in that country. Your honor will sufficiently understand what dif- ference there is between commanding a loose mass of people and ruling, through representatives from different orders of society, according to the custom in this country, a republic composed of diflferent members each of wdiich in the first instance prevents as far in plaetse van veele kalissen die sy nu becomen. VAN R1-:NSSKLAKR nOWIKR MANUSCRIPTS 429 as possible all acts of insolence in its own sphere, so that only great and important matters resulting from the lesser ones are referred to the general chief, which general chief should be assisted by dele- gates from the respective members. However, as it seems that the Company is not inclined that way, it will not be possible to bring this about gradually and carefully but only to introduce it when the charges become too heavy, in order to 'get relief, though it will not be possible to do it then as conveniently as if matters had been guided in that direction from the beginning. Your honor will please excuse me if I expatiate too much on this subject; it has been my object from the beginning and I am not jealous to keep my freedoms for myself alone, but am quite willing that others should have the same privileges, and dare freely express my opinion that, if the Company admits no more colonies, the bounds of New Xetherland will not be extended but contracted and encroached upon, as is done even now by foreigners, English as well as Swedes. Returning now again to my private affairs, I enclose the invoice of the goods wdiich I send by the ship den Harinck, in order that your honor may see that I seek to deal with the Company in all sincerity. Your honor can open the boxes as you ]:)lease and ex- amine them to make sure that there is nothing else in them ; but if there is anything that your honor needs for the Company or for yourself, I wish that I could satisfy you rather than my people who are inexperienced,-*^ or that your honor would give me fur- ther information . . .^^ what I entrust in secret to my servants they may later when I have made them too wise use against me. They imagine at once that the same prices for grain which I make with the Company must also be paid cash to them, although there is a reason for doing this between me and the Company which does not exist between them and me who am their master. On the other hand, the goods which I receive from the Company by way of pay- ment, they would also want to have at the same price if they knew too much about it ; therefore, settle this matter if possible by your- self in order to have a definite basis for the future, and as to your honor having scruples about settling this between you and me, on my request, I do not see that it is contrary to the commission from the lords directors, for the instructions you have to trade with my people does not exclude trading with the principal himself in- stead of with his servants; and whether through ignorance of cir- die onhervaren syn. ^ Here a line is apparently omitted in tlie Letter Book. 430 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY cunistaiiccs I have in this letter ordered anything to my detriment or ])encfit, I shah submit myself in fairness to your honor's judg- ment, but if there should then still be some difficulty refer the matter with the arguments to the Company and to me, for I should not like to have my people get too wise and figure out their master's profit, especially in matters in which they themselves are somewhat interested, ''^ for in the course of time I shall have to find means with which to pay the wages of comuiiscn and others [for work] for which as yet I still have to employ the farmers and others. I have no objection to their knowing everything, except the freight and other charges, the price of grain and the manner of payment ; these I would rather keep a secret between the Company and my- self. I ask you kindly to assist me herein without detriment to the Company, and to communicate nothing of this to the servants of the Company but to write freely and openly about it to the lords directors, who, I hope, will keep it secret also, and to give your ad- vice and reasons on each point separately, as there are but few. I shall then be better able to trade with my people and to satisfy them. If your honor approve of this, send only the enclosed invoice with the goods to my people, keeping the rest with yourself; but if you disapprove, and I ho])e that you will not, your honor will please send the invoice with all these enclosed papers to my cousin Arent van Corler, who is still young. They may see what arrange- ments they can make with you. I am negotiating about sending some people of capacity^^ to my colony, but they were not able to make up their minds so quickly and to get ready, and in the former officer, Jacob Planck, I do not find a proper manager. He knows more about trading furs, which have been of greater profit to him than to me ; however, I wish to part from him in friendship and not to give the least occasion for dissatisfaction among my people, for they stir one another up. This in secret between your honor and me but little news to the lords directors who understand matters of government.^^ And as the payment for the grain and the acceptance of the merchandise is still uncertain, I should like to have the rumor go forth that the merchandise was to be sold at an advance of ^oi and that the wheat had sold at eight guilders Holland value and to have your honor settle accounts with my people on that basis. verindich ; perliaiis intended for vrecmdich, strange, unacquainted, or for vijandtcli, inimical. Luyden van capaciteyl. ^- dit int sccreet Utsschen u E ende my maer niet vecle informatie aende Heeren Bewinthebberen die Materye van regeringe verstaen. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS with the understanding that the Company in good faith will pay me whatever we shall agree upon in addition; and in order that your honor may not think that I try to defraud my people in the least, I will further explain to your honor my reasons. The first is that they do not by far give me what they promise in this coun- try, for instance I have found out that Gerrit de reux, with whom I had agreed that all gains no matter what they might be called should be shared half and half, has had nearly 1500 guilders worth of goods for himself of which I had no knowledge, and the others apparently in proportion, and then they dare sustain that I ought to pay them here promptly for the wheat, which was delivered to the Company, at 10 guilders a mudde, while up to this date I have received from the Company nothing but credits on my ac- counts, aside from the fact that I stipulated the right of preemption of the animals and consequently also of the grain, which I think may fairly be reckoned at eight guilders between them and me. As to the merchandise, inasmuch as I have sold that which I have thus far sent from here to them at an advance of 50^, they ought on account of the increased charges by the Company pay me some- thing more too, which they will be the more willing to do when the rumor goes forth that they cost me so much from the Company. At all events, it is plain to me that I can not defraud them but that they can defraud me. Here your honor has now the entire secret of my affairs, as to which I would rather deal with your honor or with the Company without the knowledge of my people than with their knowledge. Regarding my nephew van tzviller, although they have dealt very sharply with him, he has taken all his books and papers with him and given them such satisfaction that to this hour the lords direc- tors have not been able to accuse him on one single point upon which he has not given them satisfaction. He has had to suffer many evil tongues, which never fails to be the lot of those who occupy any high charge or post. I should be pleased if the minis- ter continued to perform religious services a few times a year in the colony at Fort Orange. I have thought of some means whereby I could engage a minister and other officers but must see how it will work. Cornelis Melyn is still in France. He sold our ship there with profit but through lack of knowledge of the matter has had a poor catch and caught not much over 12,000 codfish. In course of time this will have to be looked after better, at present we must pay for our experience. 432 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Your honor will please place to my credit whatever goods you have kept and each year settle accounts with my men, balancing the amount against the grain delivered by them. As to the neces- sity for my having a boat, the expenses have truly thus far been so high that nothing has been done about it ; and as to the freight charges on my goods sent to the colony, as your honor says, these ought to be included in the account of the grain and merchandise, especially as the Company promises the patroons, for the sake of better populating the country, to transport all farm implements free, but I shall wait to see what your honor charges me for that. I do not in the least desire that the Company shall suffer loss, but if their goods are going up or grain comes down it would be an accommodation if those of the patroon were shipped with them. I did not in the least want to mix my people's goods with my own and hope that they like others will pay the duties and freight ; the only things that by mistake got among my goods are a small cask of gunpowder belonging to Rcycr Stoifelssen and four shirts of my cousin arent van Corler ; I know of no others. As you write that I shall need a vessel in case my grain is sold outside the limits of the Company, you would do me a kindness by informing me thereof in time so that provision c3.ii dc made, but as your honor writes that if the population continues to increase the price of grain will keep up for some time, I think that there will be no need for it so very soon; moreover, if the English knew that we had a sup- ply of grain they would no doubt themselves come for it from Virginia and New England. The coming of these horses and other animals will spread the rumor of our [efforts at] populating widely among our neighbors and show them that the Company is taking the matter in hand more earnestly than before. Your honor will see from the letter of the Company that they do not make so much difficulty about furnishing peltries for grain as your honor docs, for they put it indifferently either one or the other.^^ Your honor makes a mistake in valuing the skins there at the price they bring here. In throwing the trade open to every one, which does not please me any too well, there will be a great deal of fraud, and whether the Company has herein followed the best course is not for me to inquire. The difficulties which I foresee in it will no doubt reveal themselves in time and I can not see how the officers of the Company will thereby rise in estimation or find opportunity to let the Company make profits ; on the con- 83 Either peltries or merchaiidige. See p. 423, 441, 457. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 433 trary, they will yearly run far behind. At first there will be some- what of a rush and duties and freights may increase, but this will soon cease. Enclosed is my statement of what I may owe the Company, this C3,ll DC settled here better than there. Please to greet oloif Stevesz from me, who has been my . . and is now in your honor's service; give him the enclosed. I should con- sider it a favor if he were advanced a little. Commission to Arent van Curler as secretary and bookkeeper of the colony of Rensselaersvvyck''^ May 12, i6jp Arent van Corlcr, who sailed as assistant of the colony of Rens- selaerswyck, is hereby promoted to and qualified as Arendt van ^ Corier, secre- Secretary and bookkeeper of the said colony, to enter tary and book- upou the rccords faithfully all resolutions and public keeper , instruments ; also to keep proper books and accounts of the increase of the animals as well as of their deaths, indicating the day and month and as far as possible the cause of death: also to make proper distinction between expenses which must be charged to the patroon or the colony and those that must be charged to the farms and to the accounts of the individual farmers, tobacco planters or other servants, the patroon's intention being that after he has once erected the houses of the respective farmers and pro- vided them with [hay] barrack and barn, wagon and plow, the same shall thereafter be kept in repair, half at the expense of the patroon and the participants and half at the expense of the farmers, not including herein the household effects which each farmer must provide at his own charge ; moreover, to prevent all carelessness, the farmer must bear one half of the damage by fire to his house and what belongs to it; also to enter the i6 guilders a year extra for expenses of each farm hand,^^ which covers all small expenses and also the earnest money and agent's commission for procuring said farm hands and to which shall be added only the annual wages die myn dick over geweest is. The meaning of this phrase which hints at some former connection or business relation between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and Oloff Stevensz van Cortlandt, the future father in law of the patroon's son Jeremias, is not clear. By changing a stngle letter, the phrase can be read die myne tck over geweest ts (who I believe has been over) but as the patroon would unquestionably have known whether Oloff Stevensz had been in Holland or not, it would seem that this interpreta- tion must be rejected. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.163. See p. 611. 28 434 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY which they receive: also to demand of the farmers annual returns of the increase of the animals and the surplus grain, one half belong- ing to the patroon or the participants and the other half to them- selves, the wheat being valued provisionally at six guilders a mudde. for reasons more fully specified in the instructions, with promise that those who will serve him conscientiously, faithfully and justly will receive as much more than six guilders as circumstances will in his opinion in any way permit : also to keep proper account of how much each farmhouse costs and to see to it that the timber be hewn for them in winter and that the carpenters do good work at reasonable wages, the patroon intending that he shall, with the advice of Cornclis Theunissen as representative-'''^ of the patroon and the participants, contract at a reasonable rate for the houses which may be erected there until other officers or cominisen specially qualified to do so shall arrive in the colony, in order that the car- penters may receive proper wages and the patroon get good and cheap work. And as the administration of justice in the said colony ought not to be neglected either, the said arciit Van Coder shall advise with the person above mentioned and in more serious cases also seek the assistance of Pietter Cornelisscn and with them provisionally and until further order fill the post of officer. Upon N B Shall with receiving good reports and results of their services the advice of the patroou will pay proper attention to the pro- Corneiis tcu- niotion which is most suitable to them. The pa- nissen and if need be with the assist- troou rccommends to each one to do his duty and ance of Picttcr y^^^ ^^j^j.^ ^.j^^ othcrs in friendship, peace and cornehssen pro- visionally fill harmony, to hold religious services at the proper the post of officer, scasous especially on Sunday by public prayers, hymns, thanks, and readings from the Holy Scriptures and the authors of the Reformed Christian Church. Further, he orders this document to be entered on the records after it and also the commissions of the others have first been publicly read in the full council of the colony. Done at Amsterdam, this 12th of May of the year of our Saviour Jesus Christ one thousand six hundred and thirty-nine and in witness of the truth signed by me. Was signed : kiliacn van rensselaer, patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, and further sealed with the seal of the said colony. 2^ voorsprake ; see his commission, on p. 435. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 435 Commission to Comelisz Teunisz van Breuckelen as repre- sentative of the patroon'^ Cornelis Thcuiiisscii van hrciickclcn, farmer on the farm called the interests of the participants in the colony of Rensselaers- wyck and to represent him and them in everything that may tend to the advantage of his aforesaid lords and masters. And as the colony for [certain] reasons is as yet not provided with a coinuiis, the afcresaitl Cornelis Thcunisscn shall assist with word and deed the person of arcnt van Corlcr, who is secretary and book- keeper of the said colony an 1 who will hold the said office pro- visionally and until further order, in order that all the goods that are received may be carefully entered on the proper accounts and that a record may be made of their disposal; also help to bring about that all resolutions and public instruments be entered on the records of the colony, among them this present commission, which provisionally is to last for a j^eriod of two years. Done at Amster- dam, this I2th of May in the year of our Savior Jesus Christ, one thousand six hundred and thirty-nine and in witness of the truth signed by me. Was signed : kiliaen van reyisselaer, patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, and further sealed with the seal of the said colony. '^V.R.B.Mss. Letlcr Book, f.164. '^"^ Toorspratckc ; literally one who speaks for anotlicr, one who pleads or defends another's cause. In seventeenth century documents the term occurs frequently in the legal sense of attorney, or advocate, as for instance in the resolution of the States of Holland and West Friesland of July 30, 1603, whcrchy schouts and secretaries are for- bidden to appear in the courts with which they are connected as voorspraaken or woortlioudcrs of parties to actions pending in such courts. As the duties of Cornelis Teunisz according to his commission and instructions were apparently less of a legal than of a general representative character, to look after the patroon's interests, the term " representative " has been preferred in these translations to either attorney or advocate. May 12, i6s9 Cornelis teunissen, representative of the patroon and the participants. Blocuiartshurch, is hereby appointed and author- ized to fill the position and office of representa- tive^^ [to defend] the rights of the patroon and 43^ NEW YORK STATE IJBRAKY Commission to Pieter Cornelisz van Munnickendam as receiver of tithes and supercargo of the vessel^" May 13, i6^(j Pictcr CoriicUsscn van viniiuickcndaiu , master millwrii^'ht of the Pictter corneiiscn y^^\\\ company, is hereby api)ointc(l and authorized to receiver of tithes . . . , , . . and supercargo of rcceive and to collcct, in accordance with his m- the vessel. structions Sent to him l)y letter, such tithes as are covered l)y the annexe;! authentic extract from the contract made and entered into with the freemen or inhabitants of the colony of Rensselaerswyck executed in the name of the aljsentees before Notary joost vandc I'cniic on the 28th of March 1639, and this ])ro- visionally for the period of two years, ori'crs being hereby given to the council of the said colony to lend him a helping hand herein and especially, in the absence of higher officers whose places for certain reasons are for the present still kept vacant, to the secretary and bookkeeper of the said colony, arciif I 'an Covlcr, and to Cor- nells Thciinisscn van hreuckclcn, in his cai)acity of representative of the patroon and the participants in the colony aforesaii, in order that the good and Christian intentions which the patroon and par- ticipants of the said colony have with regard to the holding of divine service and the maintenance of justice, though largely at their charge and expense, may not be frustrate;!. ]>ut since in the beginning all dues can not be strictly determine;! and collected, the aforesaid receiver of tithes, advising witli the aforesaid two per- sons, shall liave power to treat and settle in fairness witli the per- sons concerne;! and shall yearly render accounts of tlie proceeds, stating the amount thereof, so as to be able to make better calcula- tions in engaging the minister and otlier officers of the colony. It is hereby agreed that die aforesaid pictter Cornelyscn shall receive for his trouble an;! expenses in connection therevvitli the tenth penny of said tithes, and power is given him to apply the said receipts in tlie most economical and useful manner for the interests of religion and justice and of the patroon and the participants. He is also hereljy authorized to act as supercargo of the vessel whicli shall sail up and down the river for the said colony and no one is to ship anytliing either up or down witliout his knowledge " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Bool;, i.i6ih. Commys rant vacrlnych. VAX RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 437 and consent, and the said pictcr Curiiclisscii shall cause this commis- sion to he entered upon the records of the colony. Done at Am- sterdam, this i2th of May of the year of our Savior Jesus Christ one thousand six hundred and thirty-nine. In witness of the truth signed hy me, and was signed: Kiliacn %'an rcnsselacr, patroon of » the colony of Rensselaerswyck, and further sealed with the seal of the said colony. Permit to Maurits Jansz van Broeckhuysen to settle as farmer on de Laets Burg^^ May T2, i6jp Maiirits lanscn van brockhuijscn, heretofore appointed as „ •, r,„,,„ farmer'^"' on a farm newly to he estahlished on the iVlaurils lansen tan J broeckhusen farmer cast sidc of the rivcr, is hereby authorized [to settle on ceaesuic I. j f^^j-j^^j- ^j-, ^j-,^. farm called dc loots hnrch,'^'^ on which formerly Gcrrit dc rcn.v was farmer, and this on the conditions agreed upon with Gcrrit dc rcux in the year 1632, and also with the stipulation as to the right of preemption of the grain and animals at the option of the patroon and participants of the said colony of Rensselaerswyck heretofore misconstrued by gcrrit dc rcux ; the patroon promises however that if the said maurits janscii conducts himself well on the said farm and honestly and faithfully accounts for all gains and profits, no matter what they may be called or how he may have obtained them, not concealing any, then the patroon will allow him more for the grain according to circumstances, as is more fully specified in the commission given this day to arcnt van Corlcr; included herein is also the fur trade on half shares and nothing else; reference is further made to all parts of the aforesaid commission which relate to the farmers as well as to the contract made with Gcrrit dc rcux aforesaid, es])ecially to the clause providing that the six years of the aforesaid lease both with regard to the pasture and the plowed land shall commence each year on the first day of the month of January and also end exactly on that date, but the wages of the farm hands and the leases of the houses shall commence and cease or expire on the first of INIay following. 1 le shall not be permitted to have any grain appraised on the field for the account of the ])atroon but the latter shall receive one half of what shall actually be in the barn on the first of January, when most of the grain " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.164. " boiiw-mr. "Situated on llic Mill Creek, in the present city of Rensselaer. 438 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY is thrashed, after clecUictiou of the feed of the cattle and [an amount equal in value to] the board and wages of the family till the first of May, in which the aforesaid Dc rcux also tried to make a change directly contrary to his just contract; further he shall willingly pledge himself to the payment of the wages of the men, the i6 guilders a year for each farm hand, and whatever else is specified in the commission anJ instructions given to arciit van Corler, also to turn over the surplus of animals whenever he is requested to do so and on receiving payment for one half of them according to the stipulated price. And he shall have the choice to have settled on the farm heretofore assigned him by the patroon, on the same conditions as above, either his foreman assigned to him by the patroon, to wit, adriaen Cornclisscn van barsingcrhorn, if he has served him well; or else roeloff Cornclisscn,'^'' or cryii ConicHss,'^^' the two brothers either jointly or separately. He shall also cause this instrument to be entered upon the records, together with the contract of the person who shall have the other farm. In Amster- dam, this 1 2th of May sixteen hundred and thirty-nine. Was signed : kiliacn van rensselaer, patroon of the colony of Rensselaers- wyck, and further sealed with the seal of the said colony. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler''' May 13, 163P Arundtt Van Curler The 13th of May 1639, in Amsterdam Mon Cousyn: As the wind turns rapidly toward the east I must make haste with my business of the colony. I have received yours of the i6th of July 1638, to which I will say briefly that you do superfluous work by putting the date both at the top and at the bottom of the letter, once is enough ; also by adopting the general style followed in the schools, for example: If it were other- wise I should be heartily sorry. Such and similar words fill the paper but give no advice. You might leave these out and in place Roeloff Cornelisz van Ilouten; first entered in the account books under date of June II, 1638. *° In Gerechts RoUe, 1648-52, among the Rcnsselaerswyck Mss, generally referred to as Quirijn Corncliss. The earliest mention of him in the account books is under date of April 20, 1637. In Maentgelt Boeck, 1638—44, his account clo^s on Aug. 21, 1639, and a new account is opened on Jan. i, 1641. Between these dates he was apparently in Holland, as the patroon in his letter to van Curler, May 30, 1640, states that " Crijn Cornelissen goes over now." " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.i 1 1. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 439 thereof write me definitely about everything that happens in the colony, and instead of taking such pains to write letters for others, write to me, for your promotion must not come from them but from me and you must give me separate answers to everything that is mentioned in this letter and in all the papers which I send you. In that way I shall see what use I can make of you. You must in the beginning not hold your head too high, for that does not end well. I had asked your brother to write to you the situation at nyckerck and of the death of your father. He tells me that he has done so but, instead of communicating the said letter to me as I expected, he has sent it by Sander,'^^ for which I am not well pleased with him. I am also displeased with you because you sent a letter by acrt which he was to deliver himself, and if I understand the reason rightly it is because you write about private transactions which you do not wish me to know about. This is not the right way for advance- ment. Write of such things to me and I shall not refuse you any- thing to your advantage which is fair. In the future, therefore, enclose letters which you write to others in those to me, and if you want to seek your greatest advantage leave them open that I may read them. I can then see that you mean to do right by me; other- wise, you give me cause to think that you are seduced by the people and that you want to do as they do and conceal everything from me that is possible and feasible to conceal. Take this from me as a lesson and an admonition to govern yourself accordingly and I shall not fail to advance you if I see that you stand by me instead of by the people. Urge hrandt Peelcn also to conduct himself hon- estly and not to be led astray by the actions of Gerrit de reu.v, who has told him a good many things that are not so and that are to my disadvantage, for he has managed to leave things so that in goods as well as skins and debts and other things, he had about 1000 daelders*^ which of right belong to me, and of which, if he had remained alive, I should apparently not have received much. Brandt pelcn and claes jaiiseii ruyter were witnesses thereto, which is all right except that they should have advised me of it or at least have urged Gerrit de rcux to enter the same in the books, as he was careful to do about the grain in the field appraised at 75 guilders a morgen, one half of which he was entitled to in June though ac- cording to his contract his lease expired in January, as you may IMarch ii, 1649, Sander Leendersz and his wife Catalijn Sanders acknowledge tlieir contract with the late patroon, dated March 28, 1639; Gerechts Rolle, 1648-52, f.27, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. "One daelder=i% guilders. 440 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY read at length in the enclosed documents. I have paid the brother in law of braiidt pcclcn 600 guilders and also agreed to pay £120 to the heirs of Gcrrit dc reus, deceased. Let him [PeelenJ conduct himself as an honest man antl do justice to his master; he will then keep a good conscience and 1 shall not grudge him his profit if 1 get my half [share]. Say this also to Cornclis thcunisscn, with whom you will discuss your affairs and commimicate to him this letter and all my papers. 1 have for that purpose ma:le him my own as well as my coparticipants' representative. Let him also incline toward my side, he will not have to complain of it; let him help me in my rights, more I do not ask and he shall be duly rewarde;! by me. I have no time to write t;) him ; give him his sealed commission and urge him to take good care that his farm be profitable too, as thus far it has been a great expense to me and yielded few returns; let him also write to me about everything. Hand also to cousin manrits the enclosed appointment as farmer, urging him to be faithful and dili- gent, for although I am far out of their sight they ought to be faith- ful to me, as they have no expenses in the world and gain whatever they gain through my investment. Nor ought they to defraud me of any part of my half, no matter how they make it; my contract with Gcrrit dc rcux says plainly that I am entitled to one half of all and everything. This is the secret, they seek to defraud me in that and I must therefore secure something for myself too by means of the price of grain, till I see that they give me what is dvie to me; then I shall seek their best interests also. I have no doubt but you have received the goods which I sent by minuyt, as well as those by Cornclis inclyn in tivapen van noor- wegen, and sold them to my best advantage, either to the peo])le on account or to the savages for skins. If you and Cornclis thcunisscn do what is right and send me good returns of peltries, you will have your profit thereof also, as the contract with lacob plane provides. At first he looked out for me properly, but toward the end mainly for himself; however, we have come to an amicable agreement, for when I see that a man deals justly with me, I can overlook something. See to it that you do not give or lend to people v/ho are not likeh' to repay me, as I am again sending a large quantity of goods, of which I enclose the invoice, which I hope that Director kyeft will send you. Of each cargo that arrives by the different ships you must keep a separate account and yearly send me a correct statement thereof, and in order that no stranger swindle us out of the trade in the colony, VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS ' 44 1 do not allow any traders to stay with any one in my colony, or to be furnished with provisions or grain, for under that pretext I get cheated and other inhabitants of the colony are defrauded too. The servants of the Company may trade as much as they please but strangers and private traders I do not want my people to trade with. They must trade with my commisen and my conir ' misen with the people of the colony, as can be seen from this en- closed original contract made with the freemen, which you must examine with Cornells Theunissen. Nor do I want any of my grain to be sold or other articles of food to be given to any traders who refuse to trade with you, nor my people to exchange any goods or merchandise with such traders, on penalty of expulsion from the colony. In fine, whatever strangers trade in my colony must, as said above, trade with my commisen, and then it will go all right and the coininisen will also be able to make some profit for tliemselves and for their master. If you notice that you are short of merchandise employ means to exchange for such mer- chandise as you lack the skins which you have obtained by barter or which have been delivered to you by other colonists and carry on trade with the neighboring settlements^^ even if this is not quite so profitable. Frequent gain, though little at a time, is also good. The Company has further charged me to write, to its director that he must pay for my grain either peltries or merchandise at reasonable price. I have written my opinion about that to Di- rector kyeft and have no doubt but that, if you run short of any kind of merchandise, he will give you good merchandise for good wheat, as a good deal of wheat must already have been delivered or be in process of daily delivery. Each year you must settle your accounts. Enclosed is a memorial which I sent him; act as if you had not received it and let no one but Cornelis Theunis- sen see it. In order that you may recognize it, I have marked ii with a large N. B. If he gives you merchandise you can barter for skins with it, and if in return for grain he delivers you seawan you can also buy skins with that, and if he has neither he must deliver you skins and the skins you can exchange for merchant dise and by so doing put most of the trade in my hands, when I shall also be able to remunerate you better. For the present, as I have no proof of your work, or of that of Cornelis Thcuniscn, cnde doct den binncn lantscn Iiandcl ; literally, and carry on the inland trade. See p. 4SS. 442 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY I have appointed you provisionally as secretary and bookkeeper, and I shall advance you further if you stand by me and do me good service and if you are diligent about writing and keeping record of the farms and animals. And above all be careful not to mix with the heathen or savage women, for such things are a great abomi- nation to the Lord God and kill the souls of the Christians when they debauch themselves with them. Therefore work and move m the council that an ordinance be issued imposing severe fines and punishment on those who are found guilty of it. I have written a letter to albert andriesen, which is herewith enclosed. You will copy it and hand it to him open and then govern yourself according to the contents. An ordinance should be passed in the colony directing the .people to sow wheat by itself, for otherwise they mix rye and wheat, which is bad in every way, especially in reaping, as the rye is ripe sooner than the wheat and therefore spills on the ground during the reaping, to the great loss of the farmers. Let some be sorted first; this will produce clean wheat and can then be used as seed and so increased. As to the debts which Dirck Corsen claims for merchandise delivered at Rensselaerswyck, according to the memorandum sent to lacoh plane which he has handed to you, please collect these as far as possible and see that Cornelis Theunissen pay his account also. Cristen Cristensen noonnan owes his mate who did not go with him f20 for tools sold to him. Let him pay this to you, he will thereby pay me .there what I have advanced him [his mate] here. I believe his name is barent. Regarding the boards which Peter Cornelissen may saw and which may be needed for my houses, he must not rate them too high, otherwise it were better to divide half and half with him.^^ I have also given him some office, as you can see by his commission. 1 hear that the mill is working and that plans have been made for the erection, at the least expense, of a grist-mill, which is much needed there. Concerning the goods which I send you or which you receive there, separate accounts must be sent as follows : proposition First, of those which are delivered to the people on ac- 60% count of their wages. To these people things must be sold somewhat cheaper than to those who give furs in return. 70% Second, of those which you issue to free men or to others "Cf. p. 444. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 443 for furs and these people must be divided into two classes, those that give you furs at once receiving things a little cheaper than 80% those who give you furs afterwards, for one can always buy more with ready money than on credit. at least Third, an account of the furs which you yourself get Imch as you barter from the savages for merchandise ; that will can get be uiost profitable to me, but I have no objection to others of my people making something too if they turn over the furs to me or to you in my name. /j/anc brought me at least fioo in grain and f30o in skins. The duty [to the company] here and the import duty must be counted,, also the freight charges and the duty for the Company there.^^ When you receive skins from the director of the Company, for wheat at 4^ guilders a Ib,^^ according to the enclosed copy, I need not pay any duty as I am free from that, but of other skins I owe one guilder on every merchantable skin, in conformity with the 15th article of the Freedoms of New Netherlands, which I send enclosed. You must read through carefully ; and when you send me skins send me the very best, as I have to pay but one guilder duty on every skin no matter how large it is, while you can exchange the small ones with other people for merchandise. All the skins or tobacco wdiich you send me you must enter with Director kyeft, taking a receipt from his hand that the duty has been paid. You must pay it in grain and pack the skins in substantial boxes, well preserved, tightly nailed and marked as the boxes which I send you, and on each box or cask you must put a distinct num- ber. If you give me satisfaction in everything you will have enough to do and I shall be able to judge of your ability and take care of your promotion. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Cornelisz van Munnickendam^ May I J, J(5jp P^ CorncJisscn The 13th of May 1639, in Amsterdam Wortb.y, discreet wSir : As the wind begins to blow and the lords directors will immediately leave for the Texel, I can not answer your letter at length. I am sorry about the discord which I notice " dc rccongnity hyer mette convoy moetten gerekent warden, ooc de vrachten en rcccngnitye daer aende Compe. '■'Cf. p. 458, " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.iiab. 444 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY among my people, each complaining of the other, and as yet I can not see that it tends much to my profit. I shall therefore await further advice hefore resolving to appoint my principal ofificers. I expect from you also further advice concerning the condition of the sawmill. I hope that it is steadily at work and sawing large quantities of boards. However, you must not put the price too high for the lumber that is used in the colony on my houses, for in that way I should receive with one hand and spend twice as much with the other. What is sold to others or to strangers is a different matter. Therefore, you must make the price reasonable or other- wise my people could divide with you, taking as much [lumber] as I would need and leaving you an equal cjuantity to sell to your best advantage ; the balance which might then remain could be sold for the common benefit. Do not neglect to write all the circum- stances, how much profit I can expect from the sawmill, what the prospects are for the grist-mills and what they would cost. By the same ship goes a carpenter, called Jan CorncUsa, who understands mill work thoroughly and who is a freeman. He will no doubt assist you in one thing and another, but I recommend to you to arrange matters so that I do not sufi:"er loss, for to treat me like the Company will not do. I prefer to do nothing rather than suffer loss. You write about a house, that is all right for you to live in, but the mill must yield me profit, otherwise the house is of no use. In the hope that your business will succeed, I have also begun to think of your advancement as you will see from the enclosed com- mission. I highly recommend you to observe your duties and if any one should hinder you in the performance thereof, let me know it, but on your part do not be a cause of dispute ; and neglect not to send me our account that I may see how matters stand. It is said that you have many furs with you ; you know how many I have given permission for you to have and everything above that must be shared half and half and when I notice that goods fol- lozv and that I do not receive zvords instead of money, I shall send enough merchandise and not forget you either:'^ As to the tenths of the sawmill, I keep this matter under consideration as the contract which I sent and the extract'"'*^ which I enclose will show you. I have not yet filled the high office or [the posts of] officer and commis, as may be seen from the commissions of the others, which ''^ Underlined in Letter Book. Extract from the contract witli the freemen, mentioned in' the commission to Pieter Cornelisz of May 12, 1639. VAN KENSSKLAKR BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 445 they will doubtless show you and cause to be recorded at the same time."''''' The money wdiich you owe Dirck CorncUssciv'^ you must pay me and I shall reimburse you for it. However, send me the account showing what it is about and deal openly with me about everything. When I notice that, I shall do the same with you. / see in your let- ter zvhat you have to say about others hut this does not vindicate you from zvhat they write about yo^i?^ With Gpd's help I expect better advice, better profits and better service and harmony than there have been thus far, otherwise it would grieve me and I should be obliged to follow an entirely different course, for if every one seeks his ozvn interests it can not go zcell zvith the patroon.^'-^ T'rom what I hear it seems that Gcrrit reus had nearly looo daelders worth of prop- erty with him, in money and skins as well as in outstanding debts, which apparently I should have been cheated out of if I had not found it out. // others do the same I shali undoubtedly find them out also/-'' If you experience any opposition from the farmers in the delivery of the tenths or the entering of the grain which they ship, let me know it ; I shall settle that all right and know how to guard myself against it. I understand also that an ordinance ought to be passed in the colony concerning the grain wdiich is sold to the inhabitants of the colony wdio ought to get it cheaper than it is sold at the Manhatans. Finally, I listen in expectation^*^ and shall see what the results will be. You write about advancing money from your purse ; that is speaking in general terms ; you should write me what and how much and wdiat has been done with it, and each year send me an acount thereof, so that we may yearly settle and balance accounts in order to avoid misapprehension. Wherewith ending in haste, I commend you to the gracious protection of Almighty God and greet you heartily. Vale. " id; Itcbbe de Hoogc Offitie oock noch nict rergeven als ofRciers en Commissen gelyck bij dacte van andere te sien is die sy ul wel sullen vertoonen en gelyckelyck ten frothocolle doen rcgistreren. The Hooge OfTitie refers to the office of director general; see instructions to Cornclis Teunisz, Aug. 4, 1639. '^^ This should be Dirck Corsz; Cors docs not stand for Cornelis but is a short form for Christian. ™ Underlined in Letter Book. ^ ick Luystere in peres. 446 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Albert Andriesz*"'^ May 13, 163P Albert Andriesss This 13th of. May 1639, in Amsterdam Worthy very discreet Sir: As the wind begins to blow from the east and the lords directors are on the point of going to the Texel to dispatch the ship to New Netherland, I shall not reply at length to your letters but must say to your credit that I have received returns from no one but your honor. On the other hand, I have heard complaints saying that you have cheated Dkck Corsz and for seven pieces of duffel given him but 25 beaver skins, dirck corsz has been an unfaithful supercargo; write me the truth of the matter and pay me what you still owe him and if I then discover your honesty therein, I will on my side reach you the helping hand in every way, and now that the trade is open send you by and by plenty of merchandise. Arrange it so, however, that every one may have something. Provisionally I send herewith some merchandise. Go to my cousin Arcnt van Carter and give him a true account of the transaction with dirck Corsz so that he can feel that the matter is straight and [if] you satisfy me in this respect I hereby give him orders to deliver to you necessaries for yourself and your people at an advance in price of 50^, which with the present increase of duties and freight charges to the Company cost me more myself, as well as merchandise for the Indian trade at an advance of "j^ld over the purchase price here ; in return for this you will furnish him skins at such a price that you make something and that I may have something too and to such an amount as he can give without inconvenience to others and to the trade which he carries on for me, and when these things have gotten well started, keep on my side and you will thank yourself. And to show that I shall also seek your advantage in the tobacco which you sent me and that which you are to send this year, I will try to sell it at the highest price, which is of benefit to you; furthermore I will give you 25;^ more than your half of the net proceeds will amount to, which 25^ shall be balanced against the 75^ that you give me on the merchandise which you trade for skins so that the merchandise as far as the said sum goes will in fact cost but 50^. I will also grant you 25^ discount on the grain which you " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.113. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 447 buy from me or need, so that when wheat costs lo guilders a mudde, you will deduct 2^'/o and really have to pay but 7 guilders and 10 stivers a mudde, that is, so far as the money for the tobacco sold for you reaches, but for anything above that the old price of fio a mudde must remain, unless a lower price be adopted in the colony, about which I am also writing to Pieter Corneliss. If the farmers should agree that the market of the wheat for the inhabitants of the colony and for no one else were fixed at 8 guilders a mudde I shall be satisfied, although I do not like it. In that case, if the wheat came down to 8 guilders, by balancing the 2^fc discount against the expenses of the tobacco, it would cost you but 6 guilders a mudde, but this must be fixed voluntarily as I should not want to force or constrain any one thereto. Now as to the tobacco which you sent me, it is a great loss to yourself and to me that the tobacco in these barrels was so poor and thin of leaf that it could not stand being rolled, which must be due to your having left too many leaves on the plants ; furthermore the weight was short. On the one hand, I am suspicious about hermen den bouiwercker/'- now going to New Netherland, whom for that reason I did not want to take into my colony as a freeman, as he goes over as a broker and in all sorts of ways tried to induce me to put it*^^ at 6 stivers [a pound] which I did not want to do ; on the other hand, there must be some error, for barrel No. 2, which you put down at 292 lb, weighed but 220 lb. I have measured the barrel and compared it with others and it is not possible that it could have held so much; however, this is the first time for you and me, in the future we must be more careful about that. These are the weights as I have found them: No. i, 184 lb; No. 2, 220 lb; No. 3, 190 lb good and 13 lb rotten; No. 4, 143 lb; No. 5, 178 lb; No. 6, 140 lb; No. 7, 187 lb good and three pounds rotten, amounting together to 1242 lb good [tobacco]. Deducting 6;^*^* for the stems, or 86 lb, there remain 11 56 lb net, which at 8 st a pound amount to f462 -.8. I have given them to a man to sell for that amount but not half of it is sold yet. Meanwhile I do not want to keep you waiting. I have paid for freight according to my Freedoms 30 st per 100 lb, for which others would have had to pay twice as much. I have also paid ist per lb duty which amounts to f6o, and with some small charges by coopers and truckmen, in all to fgo. There " Should be den hontwercker, the furrier. " The price of the tobacco. •* So in original, but should be 7%. 448 NEW YORK STATI-: LIBRARY remains therefore net £372:8, that is for yonr half fi86:4, against which you must credit me with one lialf of what you have sold there, and in order to close this account, reckon the wheat which you have received and which you are still to receive at £8 a mudde, for so far as these f 186:4 your half share reach, above that the wheat must be counted at fio. Please make out also each year a complete account of all expenses and receipts from the tobacco so that I can see whether I make progress or not. Had this tobacco not been so bad and wretched, I could have gotten 10 stivers for it, and if in the future you take better care and leave fewer leaves on the plants, I hope that we shall get as high a price as others. The tobacco from Christoffet''^ is here so plen- tiful that it brings but 3 stivers a lb, therefore try to grow good stuff, for the poor quality brings little money. I can not get many people on account of the great mortality which there has been in this country. Your brother in law was with me but has not come back ; be commended to God Almighty. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to- Jacob Wolfertsz*^'^ May 13, idsp Jacob Woh'crsscu, in New Netherland The 13th of May 1639, in Amsterdam I have received yours of the 13th of August 1638 and noticed how everything is situated. I have no time to reply as the wind begins to blow and the lords directors have already left for the Texel. I only urge you in a general way to help me wherever you can do me a kindness and I will return it. I shall also look forward to your letter when )^ou have been in the colony, stating what you have found out there to my best interest and your own. If my cousin Arent van Corler should be dead, which I hope he is not, I hereby give you power to receive the goods which I am now sending over. Open his letters and follow the directions contained in them and keep separate accounts of the said goods, carrying out the orders which I have given him. I have not time to v/rite more because the time is gone. Commending you to the gracious protection of Almighty God, I greet you and your wife and your father^'' and all the old acquaintances heartil)^ ^ St Christopher; an island in the West Indies. V. -R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.114. Wolfert Gerritsz van Couwenhoven. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 449 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Ulrich Lupoltt*^ - May 13, idjp S'' vlrich Lupolt, in New Nctlierland The 13th of May 1639, in Amsterdam Worthy, prudent, very discreet Sir : 1 find myself with your honor's favor of the 12th of August 1638, but as the wind forces me to be brief, I can not reply as I ought. I thank your honor for your friendly ofifer and would not in the least have your honor get in any way into difficulty on my account. I seek your honor's favor and assistance only where it does not interfere with the serv- ice of your honor's masters and my lawfully obtained Freedoms and Exemptions of New Netherland (oflfered by the Assembly of the XIX to all the participants), especially in sending people and goods again at the first opportunity and in the most convenient way to the colony, so that they may not be detained ; in this you can assist me; I shall not neglect to be grateful. I have already recommended you to the lords directors with whom I am acquainted and think that your honor will now have a better place than the office of fiscal has been, wherewith ending, I commend your honor after hearty greetings to the gracious protection of Almighty God and remain. I thank your honor most sincerely for. friendship formerly shown me. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart'^^ June II, 163P Toussain Muijssart, at Leyden This nth of June 1639, Amsterdam I received yours of the 28th instant, also the f409 -.yYz from S^. Daniel and Pauwel Godijn on the 6th instant, making with the f29o:i2^ for the blankets 600 guilders™ credited to the account of Mr Johan de laet for his tenth share in the consignments pur- chased for our colony and its other expenses ; also the 600 guilders which by previous letter you made me pay for your tenth as afore- said, all subject to proper audit and further settlement. As to our '^V.R.B.Mss. Letter Book, f.114. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.ii4b. The heading and first line of this letter are in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. It will be noticed that the amounts do not check. 29 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY goods, of which notice was given and which were in the store- house in time, they were twice sent to the Texel by Hghter but could not be loaded in the ship den Harinck on account of lack of room and consequently came back again, except the iron and steel and smith's coal and a few other goods which were taken, as well as all our people, to the number of about 12 persons. I was very angry, as I had reason to be, and the Company or its commissioners finding their mistake have hired another ship to go thither and to transport our goods, but when that will get to sea I do not know. It is a great loss to us ; we had a fine cargo, amounting to more than f450o, which will still bring us good returns if it can be gotten to the colony before winter, otherwise we shall lose a year's time ; this Mr de lact ought at a convenient time and with courtesy to urge on Mr Coenradus and the other directors and show them how their fault results to our prejudice. I should have written before but was sorry that they treated us so. Now a ship has been chartered, we may still hope for the best. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Matthijs Muller'^^ June II, 16^9 Mathys Muller, at the Hague This nth of June 1639, Amsterdam Ordinance of the patroon concerning the sale and export of furs, grain, etc.*^^ August s, 1^39 Ordinance Whereas it is just and fair to prevent and check as much as possible all frauds and abuses, and whereas many of them originate in the shipment of divers furs and other goods out of the colony of Renssclaerswyck by the inhabitants or residents thereof, without entering them properly or in any way giving notice thereof, whereby the Chartered West India Company may very easily be " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f. 115. The letter itself is not found but only the address and date. " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.i64b. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS deprived and cheated of its dues and their patroon of his profits. Therefore, the aforesaid lord patroon, in order to prevent such evil, as well as for other reasons, has seen fit hereby earnestly to admonish and strictly to enjoin all subjects and inhabitants of the said colony that no one of them, whoever he may be, may send out of the aforesaid colony, by himself or by the servants of the aforesaid Company or by any one else, either directly or indirectly, any furs, tobacco or other goods, whether by water or by land, up or down, to the manhatans or to the fatherland or wherever else it may be, without having legally and properly entered and given notice of the same in writing, both to the secretary and to the representative of the patroon, to each separately (and this before any one has loaded or shipped any of the goods in the ships, sloops, canoes or other vessels), with declaration as to the pa- troon's share therein, everything on pain of forfeiture of the said goods by the sender to the patroon, who shall have the dis- posal of them, which aforesaid secretary and representative must each for himself keep accurate accounts thereof and furnish the senders with proper certificates. And in order that no one may be exempt therefrom, the aforesaid secretary and representative must, each for himself, notify the supercargo of the vessel of the goods they want to send, even if the goods belong to the patroon, on forfeiture and disposal as above, and no shipments which have not been legally entered shall be sent. And in order that the aforesaid lord patroon may not be deprived of his share of the grain, tobacco and other products, no farmers, tobacco planters or the like, in his employ and under special contract, shall be allowed to alienate, sell or deliver, to whomsoever it may be, any grain, tobacco, products of the soil, animals or whatever else it may be, in which the patroon has a share, without notice to and knowledge and consent of the secretary, representative and super- cargo of the vessel, each one separately, or at least two of them, with the exception of the tithes which shall be in the hands of the receiver of the tithes. And in case any one do this without knowledge and consent as above, the half share of the concealer shall be void and forfeited, whenever it shall be discovered or become known, to wit, one fourth part to the officer and the other three fourth parts to the secretary, the representative and the supercargo of the vessel, on condition that they take care, jointly and separately, before they divide, that the patroon's half be properly accounted for and turned over to him. And as the office of officer or schout is at present still vacant, the fourth part be- 452 NEW YORK STATE rJ7!R.\KV longing to tlie officer shall be divided into three parts and given to the secretary, the representative and the supercargo of the vessel, which three shall provisonally and until further orders per- form the duties of officer, the secretary having the precedence. And the council of the aforesaid colony is hereby ordered and authorized to declare such goods conriscated and to proceed against the violators of this ordinance as according to circumstances they shall see fit, as none of them ought to permit the aforesaid lord and patroon to be in any wise injured in his rights or share, or to connive thereat, in view of the fact that he is far away and can not be present to protect his rights. The aforesaid council shall also see to it that this present ordinance be properly proclaimed and recorded by the secretary and that this ordinance be made known to all the inhabitants, subjects or residents in the said colony (without however admitting any residents) by posting of public notices, proclamation, personal notification or otherwise, in order that no one may claim exemption on account of ignorance, and if the council be neglectful herein, they will be held respon- sible, since the rights of the aforesaid West India Company and the profit of their patroon are most vitally concerned in this matter. For which purpose the lord patroon has sealed this original instru- ment with the seal of the colony and signed it with his own hand. In Amsterdam, this third of August 1639. i. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler^^ August /j, 1 6^9 Arendtt Van Curler, in New Netherland In Amsterdam, this 4th of August 1639 Mon Cousyn: Enclosed I send you a copy of my previous letter sent by the ship den Harinck ; this you must also do, that is, send by each ship copies of what was sent by the preceding one, as the ships may meet with disaster, as did the ship de liefde, which lately sailed from there and was taken here close to land by the Dunkirk- ers. All the letters and papers were torn and thrown overboard and I received not a word of writing from any one, for which I aiii very sorry, as I do not know how matters stand there. Dirck stypeF* told me a good deal by word of mouth but he has acted " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.115. '* Dirck Stipel was appointed by the director and council of New Netherland, June 3, 1638, as wachtmeester, or commander, of Fort Orange, at a salary of 10 guilders > month, to commence July 15, 1638; see N. Y. Col. Mss, 4:io. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 453 in a rash way here, so that I fear that he has told me lies. He is at present not to be found, though the banns for his marriage wore published last Sunday for the third time, and he does not appear. He told me that on the east side six farms were completed besides the house of Cornclis mascn which they were building; further, that this year I had already obtained 12 heifer calves in the colony, also that Commander kycft had settled accounts with you and brocder Cornelisscn and sent a draft for about 8000 guilders by the captured slup, and many other things which I doubt very much. H it is true, another draft nuist l)c sent to me at the first opportunity. Although the lords directors had agreed with me that they would deliver there furs or merchandise for the grain, which agreement has been sent by dcii harinck, I am satisfied if this be done for the future; but the aforesaid draft must be sent to me and you must not take goods for it, as I send herewith by the ship Den engel Gabriel such goods as could not be loaded in den harinck, together with many other goods, as you can see from the enclosed invoice, the goods sent in Den harinck amounting to f5r)5:i:8 and those in this ship to {6112:13, for which I shall- expect good rctiu^ns in furs or drafts. If any one of my people should desire any money here in this country, have that transferred to the books of the Company in the custody of Mr kyeft, in order that they may receive it here from the Company, the amount to be charged to my account, of the grain furnished. And pay those to whom I owe anything there as far as possible in goods or by transferring their accounts and so avoid as mucli as possible issuing any drafts to me. Enclosed is a sealed ordinance for the council to pass and put into effect in the colony, together with sealed instructions for Cornclis Theunisscn and the copy of a detailed memorandum of payments to the people ; also four authentic copies of commissions for yourself, for Cornclis Theunisscn, for pictcr Cornelisscn and maiirits Jansen van hrocck- huyscn, the sealed originals of which were sent by the ship den harinck; also a copy of the memorial marked NB ; from all of which, as well as from the copy of the last letter and from this letter, you can sufficiently understand my meaning and intention. Please record and copy all [the documents] and observe everything carefully, for in that way you will do me and yourself a service, but it can not be done without pains and I shall soon find out whether }^ou can carry out my plans or whether I must make other arrange- ments. Now has come the time that you can advance yourself, therefore avail yourself of it. Read and reread all my writings as 454 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY much as possible; if you do not spare pains you will get more experience from them than a young man acquires who stays four years with a master and pays in addition loo daeldcrs a year. But you must not spare quills and paper and must reply at length and punctually to everything I write, not from memory, but by placing before you my letters and instructions and answering point for point, and do not follow your own mind but the will and intention of your master. If any one opposes you, give me discreet infor- mation and I shall su])port you, and do not listen to people who seek their own advantage. In box No. O.O. is a wooden model of a small church -/^ please use diligence in erecting it at the least cost, if the [buihUng of the] farmhouses does not prevent it. I have at Craloo a farmhouse of that shape, which is 60 feet wide. This church would be but 48 feet wide, so that it ought not to cost so very much. However, the upper structure is somewhat heavier and a story higher. It is my definite intention that this church be ]mt opposite Castle Island, north of the small grove"" and south of the farm of Gcrrit de reux, deceased, not far from the small grove on a small hill,^'' near or on the bank of the river. Cornclis TJtcuiiisscii would per- haps rather have it on the west side of the river, but I am firmly resolved to have it on the east side, at the aforesaid spot. Near this church ought to be built also a dwelling for the minister and one for the sexton and this at the least expense ; to this end the eight farmers shou.ld bring the timbers to the required place, Pictcr CorncUsscn furnish the boards cheap and the smith and especially the carpenters work diligently. Inquire some time what they would ask for wages for these three buildings with a palisade'^^ around the churchyard and write me about it at the earliest oppor- tunity, for as long as there is no minister it can stand some delay. It depends too on whether pictcr Coruclisscii will receive enough in tithes to pay the expenses of the church and tlie salary of the minister, but tithes will increase year by year if the [number of] farms increases somewhat, for which I long very much ; I also hope that it may go better henceforth than it has thus far. You must in every way look out to whom you give merchandise and keep distinct records and send me the accounts of what was sent over last and of the skins received in return, I have insurerl 600 '^/(irff Casse No. 0.0. Iccht ccn houl.'iinodcl van ecu kcrc.vkcn. " het bosgen. '''' op cen hoochfgen. " pallissade. VAN REXSSILLAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 455 skins to be sent in den harinck and in this ship. You can govern yourself accorcHngly and send me as many as you can possibly get, and inasmuch as I have insured them, if you can not get them otherwise, try to obtain some from Commander kyeft for grain, or buy some from the freemen or others for merchandise, or in whatever way seems best, in order that in these two ships the 600 beavers which are already insured may be sent over and this for my own account, as the insurance would be void and of no value if any one else should share therein. You must be very careful about that, as otherwise I might easily spend money uselessly and not be insured. But what is sent for my account must be ex- pressly stated in the letters and bills of lading and no one should send anything that does not belong to me, as I have insured my own goods only and not other people's. Therefore do not allow anybody to send anything that docs not belong to me ; if any one should want to send anything to me, he may do so on his own account but not under my name. I should also be pleased, and it would be advantageous to the people, if some of the mechanics and others would build their houses around the church, as for instance rcyer Stoffclsen Smith, who would be nearer to the farms there than anywhere else; also the wheelwright, the carpenter and such like, but as they are freemen, I can not command them. However, you will not neglect to inform them of my pleasure in the matter. Pay close attention also to tlie inland trade, giving the people of the colony merchandise for furs and selling such furs again for mer- chandise at the manhates or to other people, which said merchandise you could in turn exchange for furs in the colony and in this way do me a great service ; however you must not trade on credit but exchange goods for goods and I will take notice of your services and give you a proper share of the ])rofits which you realize, or advance you. It depends only on good management to bring the most of the trade at Fort Orange, aside from that of the Company, into my hands™ but if you want to mix your private interests with this and seek your own advantage, you will spoil one thing as well as the other, for which you must look out. Wherewith ending,- I commend you to the gracious protection of Almighty God and greet you heartily from us all. I shall not have time to write to any one else, especially to pictcr Coriiclisscn. and albert andrycscn . whom I wrote bv den liarinck : for fear the [letters] were not " het en mancquccrt inner aeii goct bcleyt otnde mcestc haiulelinge rant fort orangicn huyten de Compe. acn my te brcngen. 4S6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY received, I send enclosed copies which you will hand them or copy. But if they received the originals by den harinck, you may keep them or tear them up. Give my greetings to Clacs lanscn van naerden and recommend to him to see to the putting up of build- ings on my farms, to set a good example to the men, in everything to serve my best interests and to build the church in such a way that he may be proud of it. Greet also my cousin maurits lansen, recommending him to be diligent and economical and not to do like others but to be straightforward. Greet also the other farmers, urging every one to be faithful and diligent, and do not forget Cornells Theunissen, reading to him his sealed instructions and urging him to observe them carefully and to assist you with his best advice. Thys barentsen Schoemaccker still owes me a good deal ; let him pay you in skins at a reasonable price. You must know that beaver skins have gone down at least two guilders per marketable skin and, since they are sent at my risk, that you mitst get them proportionately cheap. Do not tell anybody that I have insured some skins. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft*"^ August 4, i6^p Willem Kieft, in New Netherland In Amsterdam, this 4th of August 1639 Heer Direct eur: On the 12th of May last, by the ship den harinck, I advised your honor at length and also sent the invoice of the goods amounting to f455i :4, which I intended to ship on my account and which were in the warehouse in plenty of time but had to be left out of the ship on account of lack of room. On my showing my dissatisfaction about this, the lords directors resolved to let the present ship den engel Gabriel follow (which has taken already pretty long) ; as the fault was on their side and I had given notice of my goods at least six "weeks before the departure of den harinck, they are themselves the cause of this double expense. I send enclosed the invoice of what I have bought since the former invoice, amounting to {2126:4:^, at the utmost, including expenses, which together with the preceding con- signment of f455i :4. amounts to {66yy:^:^. ■ Hereof has been shipped in den harinck fs^S -i '^^ consisting of ironwork and smith's y.E.B.Mss. Letter Book, f.ii6. In the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 457 coal shipped by Jcroiiimus la crois to the amount of £459:9; a small square box No. D.D. at £87:0:8; a small keg of soap No. V, at fi8:8. The rest, amounting" to f6i 12:13,**^ goes in this ship, of which the lords directors will send your, honor the invoice and if they fail to do so, which I hope they will not, your honor can see [what this rest isj from my invoice sent by den harinck and the en- closed additional invoice itself. May xA.lmiglity God watch over it all that it may arrive in time to be sent to the colony before winter, in furthering which yoi,ir honor's diligence will oblige me ex- ceedingly. Since my last letter I have learned to my sorrow that the ship dc lijefde which was nearly safe before 't Vlije'^'^ (which it did not want to enter) was taken by the Dunkirkers between there and the Texel, ail letters and papers being cut to pieces*^^ and thrown overboard, so that 1 have not received a word of writing, though 1 am told that there were many letters addressed to me, especially one from your honor, the loss of which annoys me exceedingly, as it seems to have contained an order on the Company for a consideraljle sum which I can not demand now for lack of advice and proof. If this is so it must be for grain furnished, the pay for which I shall now have to forego so much longer. I request your honor therefore and shall depend on you to send me another order, as well as copies of your honor's letters. I had agreed with the Company that your honor should there pay for my grain in fiu's, merchandise, money or credits, and your honor has been notified hereof by doi liariiick, but as it has not been done that way now, I shall once more expect the aforesaid order on the Company and hope that in the future the grain which is furnished your honor will be paid for in merchandise or furs as aforesaid. I send herewith a cojiy of my last letter sent by den harinck, but as I hope that the originals have arrived safely I keep the [copies of the] documents and papers which were sent to your honor with the original letter. / send your honor also a power of attorney from the heirs of Gerrit de reux, deceased, zvhich I accept for so far as I am concerned, requesting your honor to send all the papers, goods and effects, together with the inventory of the said de Reux to me, in order to settle all accounts with the said heirs, I should also^^ be very glad to know your honor's future intentions regard- " It will be seen that the amounts here given do not check properly. "The Vlie; channel between the islands of VHeland and Terschelling, on the north coast ot Holland. in stucken gesneden. " This passage is underlined in the Letter Book 458 NEW YORK STATE LIIJRARV ing my grain, whether I must expect beaver skurs or merchandise or other payment for it, for if beavers, 1 could insure them here if I knew in advance how many to expect and by what ship, and if merchandise, I would send so much less from here, so that this ignorance of what to expect is quite detrimental to me. Mean- while, the farmers who have their share in the grain might wish to go insured under my name and I might suffer loss, as would have happened if I had had beaver skins in the ship dc lijcfdc. And as I have as yet no one among my people who has any business training, I ask you kindly to help them a little in drawing up bills of lading and other receipts in order that in case of loss i may satisfy the insurance agents and that no one's goods may be mixed with mine. In the hope of a good consignment both by the ship den harinck and by this ship, I have insured 600 beaver skins on the home voyage. If my people should not be able to send that number in both shii)s, ])lease to add some at my risk, in payment for the grain which I furnished since the aforesaid order on the Company, in order that I may not have to ask for any rebate from the insurance agents. Said beaver skins must also be entered on my bill of lading under my name. Your honor can do this in conformity with the letter from the lords directors and it would be an accommodation with respect to the rebate ; also, since the said beavers have so much depreciated, a price of i^Yi a lb, according to the former resolution of the council there, is not as favorable to me as your honor has made it out to be. I have written to my people that they must pay the duty on my furs to your honor, but in view of the fact that the freight of the merchandise must be paid there, the lords directors would be pleased to receive the duty here, as I have always done formerly and even now recently with Jacob pianck. In that case my ac- count there should not be charged with it. The 15th article of the Freedoms says also clearly that the guilder on each merchant- able skin nuist be paid here. I intended to send several farm laborers by this ship, but Dirrick Stijpcl, on whom I relied, has deceived me. The banns for his marriage were published here for the third time; at present he can not be found. Apparently he has told me many lies, so that I am anxious to get copies of the letters sent by de lijefdc together with the new ones. Vale. VAN RENSSliLAER BOWIEK MANUSCRIPTS 459 Instructions to Cornelis Teunisz van Breuckelen as repre- sentative of the patroon'^'' August ./, i6j(j Instructions for Cornelis Theuiiisscii van brcnckd, representative of tlie patroon and the participants of the colony of Rensselaers- wyck, according- to wliich as well as other [rules] he must govern himself in defending the rights of his lord and master First, he shall take care and help bring it about that means be found to pay the persons connected with the church and the govern- ment and to that end give the receiver of the tithes every possible help and assistance ; also at the least expense to the patroon further the erection of the church, a model of which is sent herewith (and which must be put up north of the pine grove and south of the farm of de lacts biwch on a hill which is there near the river )^'' seeking to contract for the same with the carpenters and writing to me what wages they ask ; also, further the erection of a dwelling house for the minister and one for the sexton, and if necessary cause them to be surrounded with palisades, for which the eight farmers ought to bring the timber to the place and to which others must contribute proportionally.- Next, he shall see to it that the council of the colony shall as a rule be complete and consist of seven capable persons, or, when the inhabitants increase, of nine persons, leaving vacant the following three places till they shall be filled by the patroon by commissions under seal : first, the place of director general of the colony till the patroon shall qualify somebody for it; secondly, the place of oppcr- coimiiis of the colony till such time as aforesaid; thirdly, the place of officer of justice till such time as aforesaid. And as the place of officer of justice ought not to be vacant, the patroon has provision- ally and till further orders qualified thereto the following three persons : Arundt V an Curler, who is at the same time secretary and bookkeeper; Cornelis Theunissen van breuckel, who is also rep- resentative of the patroon and of the participants of the colony ; Pieter Cornclissen van munnckendam, who is also receiver of the tithes and .supercargo of the vessel. Which three persons, for the prevention of all disorder, abuse, violence and trouble, shall in good V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.165. Extracts in V. R. B. Mss 36. *° moddel vandc kercke (,dic gestelt sail ivorden, benoorden het grene bos, ende besuyden de bouwerye vande lacts burch, op een hoochte die aldaer is byde reviere) dot hyer nevens gesonden wordt. 460 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY accord fill the place of officer and execute the same either by unan- imity or majority of votes, without however outvoting arent van Gorier, to whom the care of the office is chiefly entrusted though he is to be assisted by the others. And as the office of opper-commis can not very well be left vacant either, since the patroon has already sent various goods and hereby sends others, arent van Corler who was engaged as assistant shall provisionally and till further orders fill the said office also. But as he already has several positions and the patroon does not dare charge him v/ith so many nor trust him with the provisional ex- ecution, he shall accept the aid of Jacob zvolfertsen, the son of zvolfert gcrritscn, in the capacity of onder-commis living at the manhatans, who has oft'ered his services by letter. But if he should not want to be ondcr-coniinis, arent will have to do the best he can with the advice of Cornelis Thcunissen van hreuckcl, till the patroon shall make other arrangements according to circumstances. At all events he shall take care that the books are not neglected and that yearly all accounts be closed and sent over, as well of the farms, showing what the houses cost and what the farms yearly produce, as of the tobacco plantations, sawmills and the like authorized by the patroon; also the yearly accounts of the carpenters, showing what profit or loss each one in particular is to him, matters about which jacoh plane has been very negligent, having brought home his books entirely unclosed. ' And in case arent van Corler could not close all accounts at the end of the year he must nevertheless send the books, as from these the patroon shall best be able to judge of his capacity and know whether he can advance him to a higher office, for everything depends on the closing of the accounts and without that it is entirely blind man's work. Therefore if arent has the least hesitation about accepting this office, let him write about it at once and the patroon will immediately make the necessary ar- rangements ; for that he keeps the office open is principally to see what ability arendt has and it depends upon this whether the patroon shall let him remain commercial assistant^'' or promote him to such higher office as he shall deem him capable of filling, which is of the utmost importance with regard to his future advancement, as in this way he can climb in a few years higher than he otherwise could in many. Coming now to the director-gencKalship of the colony, as the other offices are well filled, the patroon can await a favorable op- assistent vande negotie. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS portunity without hurrying about it, as time will reveal to him who will further his interests most and who is most suitable to the office. Taking the matter as it is at present, leaving open the three aforesaid places, the present council shall consist of arcnt van Corlcr^ Coniclis Theunisscn van breiickel and Pieter CorncUssen van munnekendam, to whom the aforesaid three councilors shall add four persons to be selected from among those who have been coun- cilors before or other suitable persons who have come later. The secretary shall communicate the names of those chosen to the patroon who, if he thinks them suitable, shall approve them, as the patroon does not intend that any election of councilors shall be final unless he has nominated or at least approved them. And as to the instructions for the aforesaid councilors, the patroon will according to circumstances cause them to be drawn up later after careful de- liberation. Meanwhile he warns and orders the aforesaid councilors not to make any changes in, or put any interpretation upon, the con- tracts made here in the fatherland by the patroon with any in- dividuals, as he begins to notice already that each contracting party is inclined to interpret and violate the contract made with his patroon according to his own liking, whereas the patroon intends that all contracts made with him here in the fatherland shall be subject to the judicature of this country, to which the patroon also freely submits himself, not wanting in tlic least to be a judge in his own case. However, if any necessary or useful changes not intended for selfish purposes are needed in the contracts made, the representative of the patroon shall propose them to the council in the presence of the party interested, if they come from the side of the patroon, or coming from the side of the contracting party, such person shall propose them in the presence of the representative, whereupon both parties withdrawing, the council shall carefully consider the matter without favor or disfavor to either side and finding the change use- ful or further interpretation desirable shall communicate their advice to the patroon for his approval or further order. This they shall do also with regard to all contracts or agreements with the patroon for which application may be made in that country. Coming now to the private interests of the patroon, the rej)rc- sentative shall see to it that in the matter of prices of such goods or materials as are entered on his account, such as boards or other lumber sawn by hand or by the mill, the patroon is not overcharged and, subject to the approval of the patroon, shall have a schedule of prices prepared by neutral persons appointed by the council of the 462 Nl'.W YORK S'PA'I'K MnUARY colf)ny ; also of the wages in so far as they arc not fixed l)y coiilracls with the freemen. It is a selfish principle that they want to make the patroon ])ay as much as they claim they can get from others when one hears in mind that they use his lumber, for if they use such arguments against him, could he not maintain with much more reason that they r)ught first to satisfy him for his lumber and that then he would l)e on the same basis as others? The princii)al question therefore, as far as he is concerned, is that of the wages, which he will gladly pay if they arc fair, but he has not the slightest intention of ]nu-chasing at a high i)rice his own lumber from people to whom he gives it for nothing ; therefore a fixed rate ought to be decided upon as to how much he shall ])ay for all sorts of boards, of which he has thus far received no advice or information and the representative shall submit the said prices to the patroon's approval. The representative shall warn all persons who are unwilling or not ready, to hand in their yearly account to the secretary and bookkeeper, or to come to him to liciuidate their accounts in con- formity to his instructions, and those who refuse to do so after sev- eral warnings he shall summon before the council in order to com- pel them thereto by law. lie shall also see to it that the ordinance relating to the registration and shipment of goods as well as to the delivery of grain by the farmers, issued on the third of this month and properly sealed and signed, may have its full effect and in case any one shall undertake to oi)pose it he shall proceed against him according to law and send the name to the patroon. He shall also see to it that all furs, tobacco or goods which are sent to the fatherland by the conimis of- the colony or whoever shall fill that place, be properly packed and marked, specifying for whose account they were sent, and shall procure three bills of lading or receipts therefor either from the skipi:)er or from the honorable director general of the Chartered West India Company, one of these to be sent to the patroon .with the goods, the second to be sent at the next opporttmity and the third one to remain there. He shall also see to it that each year accounts be settled with the honorable director general of the aforesaid Company as to the grain delivered, the accounts to specify whether it was paid for in furs or merchandise or other goods, always procuring the best advantage for the patroon and taking care that the furs be sent to the father- land at the first opportunity and in the best ships. He shall further see to it that all persons in the colony who need any goods shall each year notify thereof the commis or whoever takes his place in order that these orders may be sent together to VAN RKNSSKI.AF.R HOWIKR iVI A N USCRI T I S the patroon and tlie goods bought here in a regular manner and sent thither when convenient, as it is inconvenient for the patroon to correspond about this with every one incUvidually ; and this he shall let every one know. lie shall also see to it that a sharp distinction be made between goods which on the patroon's behalf are given to any one in discount of salary, daily wages, sums due for grain and boards delivered and the like and such other goods as are furnished to be bartered for furs, which furs must in tiu-n be delivered to the conimis of the colony or to his substitute^ in conformity with the conditions and contract of the freemen heretofore sent by the ship den Harinck, aufl he shall exchule all persons who should want to violate the same and in no wise admit to the colony any residents who intend to do so. It is not the intention of the patroon that his representative shall actually perform all that is written above, as every one is charged with his own duties, but that he shall see to it and cause those whom it concerns to do so and in or(Jer that no one may have any doubt that what is above written is the will of his patroon, the said patroon has thought fit to seal these instructions with the seal of the colony and to sign the same this fourth of August 1639, in Amsterdam. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jonkheer Gerrit van Arnhem^^ October 2<), idjQ Joncher Gerrit van Arnhem, deputy to the assembly of the High and Mighty T.onls the States General, at the Hague This 29th of October 1639 I still find myself with your honor's very agreeable letter dated September 17, 1^)38, from which I understand that it is your honor's sincere opinion and intention concerning the colonies in New Netherland that tlie first occupants ought not to be preju- diced in the rights w^hich they have obtained, to which you add that one can not pass conditions [in favor of one person] which are to the prejudice of another who has ah'cady obtained rights; truly the upright feeling of a faithful magistrate, and would to God that all the directors of the West India Company had the same feeling, they would not then pass freedoms contrary to it. >*V.R.B,Mss, Letter Book, f.ii6b. 464 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY It has pleased the Assembly of the XIX in its last session, without mention of the matter in the call for the meeting, to devise other and less liberal freedoms than those of the years 1628 and 1629,^^ and they try to bring me indirectly under that yoke and to take away from me what I have possessed so long and what has cost me so many thousands. The net which they have spread is this, that quite improperly they make the heading read : Freedoms and Exemptions, etc., for all patroons, masters, or private individuals who — N.B. — have planted or who shall plant any colonies in New Netherland, which words " have planted " are the venom with which they try to poison me. They have kept this so secret that I did not know anything about it before the close of the session of the XIX and later found it out accidentally when I requested Mr Hamel to let me read the said Freedoms, which he refused, notwithstanding the same in my absence seem to have been read in the meeting of the chief participants practically without remark, and what has happened further your honor will be able to see from the enclosed petition. And as your honor in the aforesaid letter was pleased to give me a favorable reply, stating that you would gladly see to it that I am not injured in my good rights, and also because your honor, the first named of the committee of their Fligh Mightinesses, is also appointed to investigate my case, I take the liberty to address myself to your honor in the first place, the matter being now so much more dangerous than when through the earnest appeal of the honorable Burgomaster Cocnradus in brief these words were inserted, namely "that no one — N.B. — henceforth or hereafter," and now in his honor's absence instead of "hereafter," we get practically the sense of "here before," which is a shameful distortion and a sly Italian trick; where it comes from I do not know. Inasmuch then as this is as much more dangerous as no differs from yes,^o I must be more careful and such persons ought to be given a sharp reprimand for this distortion by their High Mightinesses. My request is that your honor will please once more take trouble and in your capacity as member of the committee present the accompanying petition at the meeting of their High Mightinesses, or else to have this done by the Hon. Mr van voorhout^^ deputy to the XIX ; as I had no cer- tain knowledge of this deceit till the very last, I had the honor andre seriile vryhcedcn te beramen als die T'nnrfp Jaren l6sS en 162^. *" Dewijle dan deesen soo veel t'periculeuser is als het neen van het tae verscheelt. " Duyst van Voorhout; see fe/. to CoJ. Hist. N. Y., l:io6. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS to speak to his honor about it but once, the day before his de- parture, at least when I came again the next day he had left ; however, I think that his honor pretty well understood the matter. Or else, if your honor deem it advisable, you might have the petition handed in by the president of their High Mightinesses ; whatever your honor may do in the matter will be agreeable to me. Altliough the petition may be somewhat prolix, the con- clusion and my request are very brief, asking only for a certificate de non praejudicando^^ in order not to be judged without having been heard or summoned. I hope that their High Mightinesses will not refuse me this and I should be still more pleased if your honor would send me the same with a letter; or else, if this is too much trouble for your honor, if you would indicate to my friend niatthys millcr,^^ the bringer of this letter, from whom he should demand my aforesaid petition, with a view of returning it to me. If, as I hope, I should obtain an apostil to the above effect, no matter how simple it may be, I think that the directors will in the future leave me unmolested and not use further tricks, for their dispute with me is without foundation, especially now that they throw open to everybody the fur trade, about which they have so violently disputed and litigated with the patroons. I hope that before the end of this year I shall receive some more returns of furs, in which case I shall not neglect to send your honor some of the best beavers in view of the repeated trouble which your honor has had in this difficult matter. My nephew, the director, has come back ; the Company can not convict him on a single point and the former fiscal^ dincklagen, who slandered him so shamefully, instead of coming himself has sent his wife, and I take it that they received such a reply that they will henceforth leave the Hon Company and the director unmolested. " actc van Nonpreiudific ; an instrument safeguarding the patroon's rights. Written Mathys Mullet, on p. 450. 4^6 NKVV YORK STATli LIBRARY Memorandum of matters for cousin de Casembroot to bring to the attention of Secretary Musch"^ November i6^p Memorandum of matters for cotisin Casembrooth^^ to commend to the attention of the Hon. Secretary Mnsch 1639, November When tb.c question of New Netherland, or the freedoms lately framed by the Assembly of the XIX shall be presented to their Hig-h Mig-htinesses for approval, that his honorable worship will please to remember that the said Assembly of the XIX- did, first in the year 1628 and then in the year 1629 by way of resumption and amendmiCnt, issue similar Freedoms and Exemptions, upon which several patroons established their colonies, of whom some indeed have sold theirs to the Company; and that, inasmuch as kiliaen van rcnssclacr, patroon of the colony called Rensselaers- wyck, and acknowledged as such patroon in several letters'^" from their High Mig^htinesses, has so far kept and maintained his colony upon the aforesaid Freedoms, he begs the aforesaid secre- tary to recommend that before these new freedoms which are very injurious to him and his associates are approved, their High Mig-htinesses will take care that the aforesaid patroons and private persons be maintained without prejudice in all the rights and possessions which they have already obtained, and that in these new Freedoms a clause be inserted to the effect that the first occu- pants (according to article 5) be not curtailed or prejudiced in their acquired rights ; to which matter he, rcnsselacr, is obliged to pay the more diligent attention as the Company in these new freedoms niakes no mention whatever of the preceding, but on the contrary seems to try to include him under the new ones, calling them in tlie title, not " Freedoms, etc., for those who shall plant colonies or send cattle," but " Freedoms etc. for those who have already planted colonies or sent cattle and who shall yet do so." which being the case, their High Mightinesses would without their knowledge and intention deprive him, rensselaer, of what they have already acknowledged to be his; and as the Flon. Messrs Arnhem ^* V. R. B. Mss. Letter Book, f.iiyb. nicht Casembrooth; presumably the widow of Cotinrilor Jan T.eonard de Casem- broot; see note on p. 525. Nicht may mean citber female cousin or niece. missiven. VAN KKNSSICI.AICK liOVVlICK M AN USCKl I'TS 467 and z'oii Voorhout have some knowledge of this also, the hon- oraljle seeretary is very kindly requestc 1 and prayed to take care, when this matter comes up, that no one he unwittingly defrauded. Which doing, etc. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jacob Albertsz Planck"^ December (j, i6_^(j Jacup phuick, at Edam This 9th of Dcccmher 1639, in Amsterdam tiaying received hy the ship den hariitck the account of the grain furnished to the Company and comparing the same with your memoranchmi. 1 discover some discrepancies which you can no doubt explain to me. In your memorandum is written : from Gcrrit de rcux, 1638, 8 April, ifxj schepels of wheat, again 140, again 34, again 81 schepels; froiu Brant Peeleii, 108 schepels, again 108, again 98 schepels; from Coriielis theuiiisseii, 115 schepels; together 853 schepels of wheat. In the account of Director kijeft is written, 1638, 19 March, from braiidt pecleu, 43 schepels ; 12 April, from jaeob planck, 275 schepels; i8 IMay, from jacob plaiick, 355 schepels; together 673 schepels. Advise me at tlic earliest opportunity how this difference is to be accounted for, that Kijeft pays me less than you have noted down. On account of higli water, I have suffered great loss in my colony, both in grain and in animals which were (lro\<'ncd. It is the Lord's will and we must have patience. On the other hand, eight farms have been established which have a surplus of horses but arc much short of cattle. When you meet some good farm lal)orcrs, please keep an eye on them, as I intend to send some more thither. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart^'^ May 3, i6:]o Toussain Mtiijssart, at Leyden In Amsterdam, this 3d of May 1640 Yours with the \2 duffels and 25 blankets in two packages re- ceived. I deem it advisable to keep the rugs"**^ and have credited the amount 603 guilders 16 st on [your share of] the seventh as- sessment for the colony. As I have already paid for the greater V. R. B. Mss, T.rttcr Book, f . 1 1 ^h. This letter is in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.iiS. ^ Carpetten. 468 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY part of the cargo which we shall send and as I shall also have to provide the assessment of fri/) together with the money required for buying him out, I am quite short of funds. Please therefore do me the kindness to request Mr de lact that his honor will please send me his quota, being 600 guilders, at the first opportunity. I hope that the Lord will grant us good returns. The Campen duffels I have also in the house. They contain a good many yards more than those from Leyden and are at least two or three fingers wider. Before I pack them, I shall com- pare them with the others and see which I like better at the price. I shall expect the three blankets at the first opportunity, as the ship is beginning to make preparations. I have already engaged four worthy farm laborers and two free men and it seems that the daughters of brant pcclen are both resolving to go along, while their father hopes to secure some boys also, so that I hope that no less than 12 persons will go to the colony; may God protect them. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart' May 7, 1640 Toussain Muijssart, at Leyden This 7th of May 1640 Your favor of the 5th received. I shall expect the three blankets at the earliest opportunity and also examine closely into the re- spective qualities of the Campen and Leyden duffels. We were already last Saturday busy comparing them. In general the Cam- pen duffels are much wider than those from Leyden, but that is not strange as I had them made that way on purpose. The pieces are also about 10 yards longer than those from Leyden. The wool of one of the consignments from Campen, for I have two of them, is also fully as good as that of the other but the red color of the Leyden duffels is superior. We shall look into this more closely yet and weigh every piece to see how much wool it contains, and for our guidance make a note of the quality, the price, the color and whatever else is of importance. I see your advice as to the tobacco. I have a hard time selling it; there are many people that look at it but few that make an offer. I am further surprised and grieved that Mr dc lact refuses to pay his quota unless I declare myself as to my imderstanding of 1 V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.iiS. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 469 the patroonship. It seems to me that this request is made of me at an inopportune time, as the goods have been bought at common expense and nearly all are paid for and as this declaration needs ripe deliberation and consideration, so that I can not make it so promptly without perhaps injuring myself. This declaration I make with all my heart over my signature, that I do not seek in the least to defraud any one of the participants of what belongs to them, trusting that they in the same way will not curtail me in my rights of prerogative or patroonship, for which I refer to the documents, the discussions and the Freedoms granted by the Assembly of the XIX concerning it ; all of which is plain and clear and to my knowl- edge without any obscurity, and according to this I have from the beginning till now governed myself without to my knowledge having in any way extended or exceeded my power. I have also given notice of everything I did and in the matter of contributions and merchandise, usually taken special advice of the participants and frequently asked Mr dc lact in particular to read the reports of those who went to the colony and returned from there, where- upon his honor has usually acted as if he cared little, which gives me the more reason to be surprised that he should at present be so particular. At our last conference I noticed that there was some dissatisfaction; had the cause of it been revealed to me I could doubtless have removed it, but not being aware that in ten years there has been any misunderstanding between me and any of my co- participants, I thought it quite alarming that at the said conference so much stress was laid on an explanation of the patroonship, as the documents concerning it, which by subsequent resolutions con- tinued from year to year have been further strengthened and con- firmed, are at hand. And if in anything I have gone too far or curtailed the rights of the participants, I wish that it had been pointed out to me. All these years I have as a rule, coming now to the main point, had all the burden, care and trouble and from none of the participants received any assistance except when it happened to suit one or the other. I have also, in order to de- liberate on certain points, called various meetings at which perchance one or two, but as a rule no one, appeared, every one appealing to his private affairs [as an excuse]. Finding now to my joy that the last meeting on the contrary was very fully attended, I hoped that our business would relate to the points stated in the call issuefl by me and that the participants would leave me the honor of presiding over the said meeting, but instead I found that my ques- 470 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY tions for consideration were either forgotten or unknown and that business was introduced not from my side but from the side of the participants, very much Hke a separate body against me. Such things, Mr Muijssart, ought not to occur or the colony is ruined. There is, there should be and there must be but one head to rule the colony or we shall be in each other's way. Each one will think he knows what is best and meanwhile nothing but quarreling can be expected, as in the colony of SiCLDicndal^ which was placed under a board of directors;^' this is proved by experience. Truly I should be unhappy if, after I have had so much expense and trouble, others should knock over my foundations now that business looks bright, and so injure themselves and me. 1 hoi)e that 1 respect my partici- pants enough to heed their advice and recommendations so carefully that they have nothing more to wish for themselves, to render true accounts and to let them see, read, yes, gladly and willingly to let them have copy of, everything that concerns them, but I do not in the least approve of, much less do I want to subject myself to, the proposition of Mr de lact, among other things, that a case be made in which to lock all the books and papers and that to this case there shall be two keys, one to be kept by me and the other by some one of the participants, in such way that I should have to trust the participants with a key to go over all my papers while they do not seem to trust me by myself and alone to keep the papers in which they are concerned also. To tell the truth, though I am not as learned as Mr de Lact, I can easily foresee the consequence of this work. Pray, which of the two plans is the better for the participants, that the patroon, who also has the largest interest, alone keep the papers, and let the participants see them and have a copy of them, or that there be two keepers, each of whom has a key? If they can each get at the papers and unlock the case and anything should be missed, of whom of the two can it be demanded? If they must come together before they can get at the papers, would not the patroon then be locked out of his own house by the partici- pants and instead of the head become the tail? What reason have the participants to trust their coparticipants more than the patroon, and the said participants having in turn become suspect, could not each of the remaining participants claim a key also, and would the papers not be kept well then? In short, Mr Muijssart, I see well that there must be somebody who makes the others dissatisfied. I can not help that ; I do not desire greater rights than I have and they can not leave me less. Please to greet Mr dc lact from me 2 die veelhoof click wierde gemaeckt; literally, which was made many headed. VAN KlCXSSl'.l.AI'.R l!()\\ Jl':k MANUSCRIPTS 4/1 and ask his honor to be pleased to pay his assessment, as otherwise it win cause great confusion. When we left each other I did not know but that Mr dc laet was satisfied and I promise on my side to do all that an honest man and a Christian ought to do and more I can not say. If Mr de Laet pleases to hold back his money, it is already provided, and herewith I commend you, etc. We have further examined the duffels and find that the wool, workmanship and color of the Ley den make are better or at least as good as those of Campen, but they are fully two inches narrower, which we must keep in mind in the future. As to the three gray- colored duffels there is great misunderstanding. They should be only steel blue and not gray; they will not sell as well as if they were white. Another time we must send a quantity of white ones among them, which may perhaps bring as good a price as the colored ones, but they must be washed quite clean and be as white as chalk, like the white blankets. I expect the answers of your honor and Mr de Laet at the earliest opportunity. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart^ May 14, 1640 Toussain Muijssart, at Leyden The 14th of May 1640 Yesterday being Sunday, I could not write you an answer for rea- sons which I will state later. Today being Monday, I have decided (though I expect other merchants who have not seen it to inspect the tobacco and though 10 st have been positively offered to me for it before) to let your merchants have the said tobacco, in order to make these buyers more wide awake another time. I will deal with no one unless with your buyers till Friday afternoon, as Wed- nesday and Thursday are holidays. The price when they see it will be 10 st cash, just as it is,"* without allowance for defects.'' Upon this condition I shall expect the buyers Friday by the first boat, as they can hardly come tomorrow. I doubt not but our Amsterdam merchants will make pretty long faces, for it seems that they collude witli one another. I shall also expect a reply to my letter with the order to receive the money from Mr de laet, or ^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.iigb. This letter is in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. * mette voet te stoottcn; literally, to push with the foot; to sell a thing as it is, without guaranty. " sonder refactie. 4^2 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY else shall have reason for most serious complaint; for up to f4000 the majority of votes may decide and including this last assessment Mr de laet has not yet advanced f40O0, counting the assessments and not the sales, I have engaged some worthy farm laborers, and the daughters of brant peelen go along also, so that already more than 12 persons intend to go thither and the goods are already in the storehouse of the Company. May the Almighty direct all well. Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft^ May 25, i6jJ0 Willem Kieft, director in New Netherland 25 May 1640 The bringer of this letter, henirick van dijck, who sails to New Netherland on the ship den zvaterhont, as military commander, being at present still fiscal of the military court^ of the province of Utrecht, which office he has held for five years, during which he has been mainly employed in the service of the country, has asked me to give him a few lines of recommendation to your honor. See- ing his ability and his rank, which your honor can further learn from his commission from the honorable lords directors and find out by experience, and because some of my friends in the government of the city of Utrecht declared to me yesterday that they were well acquainted with the said person, I can not help recommending him to your honor for such favors as the service of the Company in accordance with his commission and histructions and your honor's affection and inclination will in anywise allow, by which you will do me an especial favor which I shall try to return on every oc- casion as much as is in my power. For the rest I refer to my letter, which God willing I hope to write to your honor tomorrow, in reply to your favor of September 30, 1639, although time presses now so that I can hardly get ready. Meanwhile, if the time should fail me, as I have not written any letter either to my people or to any one, being busy with the copy- ing of the invoice of my goods, I commend my private affairs to your honor, etc. Vale. • V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.120. This letter is in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. ' fiscael rande Crijghsraet. Fiscael is the title of the prosecuting officer. In Breeden Raedt it is stated that the fiscal Hendrick van Dyck " had committed a well known murder at Utrecht, and had been compelled to go from thence on account of it;" see Vertoogh van Nieu Nederland and Breeden Raedt, translated by H. C. INIurphy, N. Y. 1854, p. 173. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 473 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft* May 2^, 1640 Willcm Kieft, director in New Netherland 29 May 1640 At the kind and urgent request of the commander of the mihtia, called Hendi'ick van Dyck, who sails thither in the ship den zvatcr- hondt, I could not help giving him a short letter of recommendation to your honor, though I sufficiently gave him to understand that your honor was not in any way bound to pay attention to my recommendation. Please therefore to excuse my taking such liberty. I trust that he correctly stated his function to me, as I have read neither his commission nor his instructions from the lords directors, which were none of my business. During the little conversation which I had with him I noticed in him some good qualities both as to his intelligence and courage, which will be of great service to your honor. Though it was not my business, I talked also briefly with him about the extent of his commission as compared with that of your honor as director general. He said frankly that he was con- tent with the command over the militia, recognizing your honor as director general, so that I hope that your honor will in every way be satisfied with his service, as he must have learned by experience what rank every one is entitled to according to his commission. He ofifered also in case of disturbance in my colony to assist me with some soldiers, and as I know that (unless his commission is broader than I suppose) this can not be done without your honor's order, I requast your honor in all kindness, in case of need which may easily occur, and if your honor should be asked to do so by my cousin Arcnt Van Corlcr, to second or rather to fortify him in his good intention, as far as the service of the Company and of my colony will in any way permit. As to an ordinance made by me providing that no one shall carry any skins or grain out of my colony without having given due notice of the same and entered them there, which is of the utmost importance to the Company with regard to their duties and to me with regard to my profit, your honor is right in writing that the shoulders of this young man arc still too weak to take charge of such matters. I have been delayed here in this country more than two years with regard to two per- sons whom T had in view, without receiving any refusal or accept- V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.iza. 474 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ance, and as to the material in that country in the Company,^ if I were as sure of the faithfuhiess of any as I am of the aforesaid young man, I would certainly decide to appoint some one else. But these are still years of probation, and I rather suffer some definite loss than bind myself to untried persons without certainty as to quality and faithfulness. No matter what I write, I can neither from Pictcr Corndisscn nor from Cornells Thcunissen van Brciickel get a final account, which account would soon open my eyes as to [their] capacity and honesty. I ask you in all kindness to give me a little of your honor's good advice in this matter, which I promise your honor to keep as secret as I ask you to keep the above. Believe me, Sir, the success of my colony depends mainly on the good relations be- tween your honor and myself and it is far from my purpose inten- tionally or knowingly to hurt the Company in the least in their power or revenue. If my people speak any foolish words, it is by reason of their weakness and not of my orders. I can not believe either that Croll has caused my flag to be hauled down from my house by your honor's special order, tor in this country not only are those who have high, middle and low jurisdiction allowed to put out such flags but even the country inns during the fairs may do so. I have no advice of this matter except a verbal report and do not know what the truth is, nor do I know what my people did to prevent it. The least I could do was to ask Croll whether he did it by your honor's order, and if so to communicate and send over to me the order, that I might discuss the matter with the lords directors as principal with principal. It is well known that I have established a court of justice in my colony; even if the persons who hold office are not of much capacity (which with God's help I hope to remedy soon), this does not lessen the fact that there is one; and as a sign that it is a country where justice is administered I sent such a flag thither. Now as to Fort Orange, this was kept from the beginning as a trading place, the fortifications having served no other pur- pose than to secure the people and the goods against attacks of the savages, and that it is still kept as such by your honor I can see from your honor's letters. The person who holds the highest office there has never had any other rank than that of comniis, without power, so far as my knowledge goes, to administer justice and execute sentence among his men, and even if he had full power to " inde compaignie ; evidently a mistake either for inde colonic, in the colony, or for inde dienst vande compaignie, in the service of the Company. The first reading seems to make the better sense here. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 475 exercise high jurisdiction, could not the baliff of Amsterdam^" at the Hmit of his jurisdiction, which is close to the gates of Amster- dam, hoist a flag of jurisdiction without infringing on the high jurisdiction of the city? Have I not a certificate under the seal of the Company of my registration of the colony with the Chamber of Amsterdam on No- vember 19, 1629, which reads as follows : " Kiliacn van Rensselaer declares himself from now on as patroon on the North River of New Netherland, extending above and below Fort Orange on both sides of the river, with the islands situate therein, so many leagues downwards as has been fixed by the Assembly of the XIX, intend- ing to send a colony thither by the first opportunity on the condi- tions framed by the aforesaid Assembly of the XIX"? Examine' in connection herewith the deed of conveyance to me executed before the director and council under date of August 8, 1630,^^ of which a copy is undoubtedly in your honor's custody, whereby the high jurisdiction of the owners and their chiefs is transferred to me. Add to that the 5tli and 6th articles of the Freedoms of New Netherland, which are equally as efifective and binding as the rights which the Company holds of the High and Mighty Lords the States General. These pregnant reasons have induced their High Mighti- nesses to acknowledge me as patroon and to style me such in formal communications,^- as likewise his Highness the Prince of Orange has acknowledged me as such in his decision^^ in the matter of Cornells van Vorst. It would not be necessary to relate this to your honor at such length, except to prevent the rise of misunder- standing through ignorance of the circumstances and because I do not wish to get into conflict with the Company, as happened with the colony of Pavonia ; and in order that everything might be duly considered I could not refrain from informing your honor of it, the more so as your honor writes that it seems that the Company has no subjects but [only] partners. If they pleased or should still please to take partners, who would prevent them ? But then I ask whether they are partners who pay duty? And whether the inhabitants of this county cease to be the subjects of the High and Mighty Lords This should be: bailiff of Anistelland. The patroon draws a parallel between the situation of Fort Oranffe in the colony of Rensselaerswyck and that of the city of Amsterdam in the bailiwick of AmstcUand, each being within the geographical limits of the larger district but outside of its jurisdiction. " This document is recorded in Dutch Patents, GG, p. 4, where the date is given as the 6th. Compare also J. G. Wilson, Memorial History of the City of New York, vol. I, facsimile facing p. 162. " by expresse missiven. " hij acte van Renvoy. 476 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY the States General, though the provinces and the cities retain their high authority and jurisdictions? The form of government of our fatherland interprets the work itself. As to the contracts which I have made with my people, they do not infringe on the right to hear cases on appeal, for a judge is not appointed to seek cases but [to act] in case of need when parties can not agree, and I take it that if all contracting parties in Amsterdam could settle their disputes and differences by submit- ting them to arbitrators, the schepens would not take it ill but approve of it ; also that the members of the Supreme Court of Hol- land would not take it ill if parties having some dispute should by agreement exclude the Court and not appeal to it. The contracts with my servants, therefore, are but agreements [to the same effect] and not in any way restrictions on the appeal to the director and council of the Company; and this for the reason that, since I must furnish all my people not only with houses but also with ani- mals and land, I should not like to have them waste their money and time checkmating one another with pleadings, for which I should have to pay the bills on both sides. These "contracts are also not permanent but made for a certain number of years. When the people are their own masters and have their own money and property, let them plead and appeal all they please, but I will not allow my servants to do so. I am not aware either that the freemen of the colony are included in this agreement. Therefore, Sir, interpret my affairs in the most favorable manner according to the spirit of love and I think that your honor will be completely satisfied about my actions. Should I, however, make a mistake somewhere, I shall set everything right on being properly informed. This much as to Lucifer's question.^''' T shall now set myself to answering your honor's favors of the 30th of September 1639 and the last of March 1640, but especially to thank your honor for the good disposition and kindness, duty and diligence, shown in that of the loth of April, wherein you report the good condition of my colony, about which such bad rumors were circulated, as well as that your honor on the 15th of March sent a shallop with goods to the colony and that on its return you would send the rest thither also. Indeed, I have reason to be thankful and I should like to know how I can repay you for everything, for if your honor had refused me this favor I should have had to employ others of lesser " derogcren het wesen van appel niet ; literally, do not injure the system of appeal. " luci fors questie; that is, strife occasioned by pride, rivalry and jealousy. VAN RICNSSKLAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 477 rank who could not have helped me very much. Provisionally and as a first mark of gratitude I am satisfied to let your honor have a commission of one per cent on all my goods which your honor shall send up the river, as well as of all that they may consign from there to your honor to be shipped to me. It is but little at present, but when my colony increases it may get larger, and as long as I have no special person or house at the Manhatans, 1 can not find any one more suitable than your honor. In case you should please to accept this offer, it will not be in the least prejudicial to the Company but in every way advantageous that I consign my goods to their director, who has taken the oath of fidelity to them, so that they need not fear the least smuggling on my part. As to the ship's freight charges expressed in the Freedoms, 1 do not care to press the question very hard as to whether the goods ought not to be de- livered in the colony for them, but 1 do not see any reason which would preclude this altogether, the less so, as the Company has canceled the boat charges for my horses which were uiserted in your honor's account (but not crossed out) ; and in order to ac- commodate each other in every way, so that the Company may not suffer the least loss on my account, I would request that the shallops which take my goods up the river might be used to bring down again grain or skins, if there is any opportunity, in order to make the expense on both sides as little as possible, and in case your honor should please to accommodate me with this commission, you could advise my people when they should send their skins and other goods down to your honor so as to ship them to me at the first opportunity. Your honor could then assist Arent Van Corler in the carrying out of my ordinance that no one is to send any goods out of the colony without having duly entered them, and as I claim with justice the right of preemption of my people's half of the grain and of the animals, I would order that all the grain, with the exception of the tenths intended for the support of religion, administration and other purposes, be delivered to my provisional commis, Arent van corler, who could then send it to your honor to sell to the best advantage. Provisionally, I am content to carry out whatever decision the director and council may make in the dispute between myself and my farmers, without prejudice to the rights involved. Our dispute consists as far as I can see in that they concede that I have the right of preemption but claim that de facto I should pay them, in this country or there, their half at lo guilders a muddle, which is in many respects unreasonable; for lo guilders in money here is 478 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY better than lo guilders there; also, the money for the wheat fur- nished in 1638 I did not receive here from the Company till the year 1640, as appears from the accompanying papers, and all pre- vious deliveries of grain are extinguished by goods and provisions furnished to my people without specification as to who received them, as also appears from the accompanying papers; aside from this, the freight cliarges, salaries of my agents and other expenses must be paid out of that also; and further than all that, I claim not the mere right of preemption but preemption at the price at which the first and earliest farmers were obliged to furnish wheat to the Company, namely at six guilders a mudde. Against this, they allege that in the contract with Gerrit de Reus grain is not specified but only animals ; in reply to which I did not merely afterwards and at the present time declare that this was but a slip of the pen and that Gerrit de Reux would not have made any ob- jection if the contract had read grain and animals, instead of ani- mals, but sustained such [contention] long ago, already during the lifetime of Gerrit de Reux deceased, and I also received a written answer which does not dispute the preemption but says that six guilders a mudde is too little. These later colonists can not have better terms than Gerit de Reux himself, especially those Vk'ho have no other lease than my declaration, like Maurits Jansscn, Adriacn van barsingcrhorn and others whose first years have expired or will soon expire. I have however waived a good many of my rights which they agreed to observe, namely that they bound themselves not to barter, buy or accept as presents any furs without the con- sent of the Company and without my consent; this was the tie by which I held Gerrit de Reux and by which I can still hold them all, for they are dependent not only on the throwing open of the trade by the Company but also on the promise to and contract made with me. If they say that according to its strict letter grain is not mentioned in the contract, I reply that the prohibition of the fur trade is expressly stated therein in strict terms and on forfeiture of everything. And to find a middle way I have not declared that I will pay them only six guilders a mudde, except for the present, for if they do the right thing by me and pay me half of the profit on the fur, which [share] is also for me to accept or to reject, and honestly fulfil their contract, I will also deal honestly with them and not bind myself by the six guilders but according to their indus- try and fidelity pay them the highest price. Truly, if a master who is far from his property could not stop there, I do not know whether he had not better be a servant than master, and hereafter VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 479 leave such men at home or rather lease the farms to the highest bidder, which every one will have to expect next when his lease expires, for according to reports they cheat me in every way and hardly a vessel comes down that does not contain some smuggled grain, whereas it is my wish that everything be delivered to my commis and that this be then consigned to your honor for the pur- pose of supplying the Company first with as much as it may need and then of selling the rest to the best advantage, especially as your honor writes that the English themselves will let us have furs for wheat so that it is in every way necessary that the grain of the colony remain in one hand to avoid cheating and underselling. If any one then should fail to do his duty, I am willing, while re- serving my half, to have the other half, belonging to those who act contrary to my order in shipping grain, confiscated and hope that it may be divided among your honor, the fiscal, the informer and the process server^" as your honor shall see fit, and this till the time that they give me other satisfaction. I should write about this to the fiscal himself also but prefer to confine myself to the head. Your honor will therefore communicate it yourself to the fiscal, and in order that your honor may have less trouble I send here- with an extract from the terms expressly stipulated by me, though the patroon has power of his own and in his own right to make ordinances against all frauds. In this connection high jurisdiction is quite useful to the patroon, for those who have middle and low jurisdiction are not allowed to confiscate, but the high jurisdiction of the patroon must not be opposed to the Company, as little as the high jurisdiction of the Company must be placed in opposition to the High and Mighty Lords the States General, but every one [acting] in his own sphere, one having proceeded out of the other, in such way however that each one may and must preserve with a good conscience the jurisdiction which has been ceded him. Which being duly observed on all sides, the higher not hurting the lower and the lower not offending or defrauding the higher, the state oi New Netherland would be in a happy condition. Coming now to my private business, it has so happened that I have an old and long account with the Company from the year 1630 to the departure of Director van Twiller, and also the accounts during the time of your administration sent to me and to the Company. I had several conferences with the lords commissioners of New Netherland and at last, on ratification by the full Assembly on the 17th of March 1640, got things so far as the two enclosed resolu- exploicteur. 48o NEW YORK STATE LIDRARY tions drawn up by me show, the originals of which I gave Bclle- chere to keep. Report having been made thereof in the Assembly, the same, on the 19th ditto, was pleased to approve them in full, as will appear from the enclosed extract of its resolutions, which though differing in their original form somewhat from the enclosed copies we're finally completely approved as drafted by me. I doubt not but the Company will send your honor copies of them also, as for greater security I do herewith too. And as several things which needed further proof have not been settled, namely the first number of schcpels of wheat entered on my accounts by Jacob planck and amounting to 853 schepels, while in your honor's ac- count I find only 630, I enclose a letter from Jacob planck which will show your honor how the mistake occurred. Planck thinks that the mistake is in the wheat which was furnished to Croll for baking and delivered on the loft. Please to straighten this out for me, as I have already waited so long for my money. The other schcpels I consider also to be beyond dispute, as your honor's accounts stop on the 20th of May and the later consignments will follow in my next account ; herewith, by way of memorandum, that I have not settled further with the Company. Coming now to the question of private persons who have had goods from the comiiiiscn of the Company, since the Company has conceded to me that no private persons may have anything charged or credited to my account but that this must be done upon order of those who have been so empowered, and since I find in your honor's account : 1639 I January To provisions from Eslandt f 42 7 do To ditto for Cornells thcunisscn fii2 13 do To arcnt van Coder for 2 lb gun- powder f 3 do To merchandise from Wybrant pic- tcrs for corncUs Theunisscn f 47 2 8 do To ditto for Planck received 1638 f 20 4 do To Lubbert gysbertsscn van Blari- cum fi65 9 ID I September To provisions from Elslandt for brant Peelen f 25 I do To provisions to Elslandt f 97 do To carpenter's tools for cornelis Theunissen f 14 7 do To 5 yards of canvas at 14 st a yard f 3 10 VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 481 Your honor will in the future please see to this and tell and warn all your honor's commisen that they must give nothing on credit to any of my people personally but must refer them to Arent van coder, who provisionally holds the office of commis, to whom they can state what they want and who can then, not every time in small quantities but when it is worth while, request of your honor as head of the Company whatever he may need for himself and his people, turning over to your honor a detailed list signed by him, Corlcr, and by pieter cornclissen and conielis Theunissen as his assistants. If your honor will then please cause your commisen to send as much as they can spare to said corlcr, who will distribute it to the people and charge each one with the amount which he has had, your honor will have much less trouble and I much more cer- tainty that everything has been duly recorded, for many of the above items may be unknown to Arcnt van corler, and if I pay them here to the Company I may lose them altogether in two ways, first because Arent may be unaware of them, and secondly because even if he had been notified of them the people might not have so much due to them from me, as I mean to give no goods or provisions on credit to any one but those to whom I owe something. Please therefore, Sir, settle the account of the above items with arent and let him give your honor a receipt or discharge for the quanti- ties which he takes, with specification of the goods and the persons; whereupon, if you send these to the Company I will pay them the said items, but unless that is done the Company itself will have to seek the people to whom their honors gave credit and force them to pay by legal proceedings, among them those whom they may have given credit on the 2000 put down in one item, as otherwise these people could ruin me ; in the future I do not intend to let any pri- vate person have anything on credit, of which in all friendship I give warning to the lords directors by memorial and to your honor by sending you herewith a copy of the same ; and as to what has passed, I hope that with Arcnt J\m Corler your honor will find means whereby the Company may be paid for the aforesaid items and I through the crediting of the same may not suffer loss. How- ever this rule can stand this exception, that when my people come from the fatherland to go to the colony, some provisions may be furnished them on my account till they get to the colony, provided that Arcnt is advised to enter them on their account and that no goods are lent to them, while those who wish to go from the colony to the fatherland nmst defray their own expenses. Now concerning 482 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY the money for board during the passage of Clacs Jansscn Riiijter'^^^ and his wife, amounting to f 133 :i4, let him pay this to the Company or bring proof that he paid it to the couimis in the colony, other- wise tell him that he must go to the colony and work off the amount, as is indicated in my aforesaid memorial. And as to Jan Willems- sen cuijper,'^'' if the Company desires to keep him, i shall this time accommodate them, but Jan Willemssen will have to provide the money for his board himself or the Company may debit him with it like others ; the lords directors likewise promised me by word of mouth to write }'Our honor that they would do for my people whom I sent over and am sending over now as for others, granting them free passage. But although this would have to be done out of kindness of their honors and I can not constrain them to do so, it is very improper to charge my people that came over on den harinck more than 6 st a day according to the first article of the Freedoms also mentioned in my memorial. Mr de Raadt promised me in the presence of Messrs Berck and harinck hoeck, and also of Director Twiller, that they would do with my people who go over now as with the others, and as they may have forgotten to write this to your honor, please take this by way of notification and (freely quoting the above) remind the directors of it in reply to this, for I think that my farming people will, in proportion man for man, grow more grain than any others and thus help to make the country rich in grain so as in time to nourish Brazil and bring home sugar in return for meal sent there; then New Netherland would flourish. I also kindly request you. Sir, in future to help me main- tain the 19th article of the Freedoms concerning the (hscharge of my people and to see to it that no one is dismissed l)efore his time without my consent (except such as go astray, who should be sent out of the colony or banished as useless members) which the directors have also granted me according to my memorial. When these things shall be thus reformed and if your honor will please to accept my above proposition regarding the shipment of my goods, I shall be a great deal more at ease than I have been thus far. It will not lessen the respect for your honor either but cause all my people to stand more in awe of you. Now as to the grain which my commis will deliver to your honor for the account of the Company, therefrom must be deducted such goods and provisions as in return will be furnished to my conimis for my people, and the Same as Claes Jansz van Naerden. His wife was Pietertie Jans. " Jan Willemssen, the coopsr. VAN RENSSELAER BOW.TER MANUSCRIPTS rest must each time be settled and paid in beaver skins at f4 ^ a lb in conformity with the resolution of the director and council dated September 11, 1637, which being also contained in my me- morial drawn up in the presence of the lords commissioners and de- posited with bcllcchier, has been approved and granted by the others. And thereby, Sir, we shall right along have a fixed basis for set- tling our accounts and if your honor help my cousin Arent a little you will back up the chief administration of my colony sufficiently that for some time I shall have no need of such learned people and be able provisionally to get along with Arent ^ who I fear is not loo accurate in his bookkeeping but whom your honor with a little in- struction could make efficient, for which service or other I shall not fail to compensate your honor. And inasmuch as the Company au- thorizes your honor by letter, according to the enclosed extract, to settle all things in that country without referring them to the Com- pany, your honor can by corresponding with me instead of with my people settle things to our mutual satisfaction in accordance with the papers sent, in which all things are set forth and decided. I may conclude by saying that [if] Arent is too weak in carrying plans through, he will give the' greater contentment to your honor, who in many things can be of assistance to me and set me right. Enclosed is the invoice of the goods which go in this ship, being 8 items distinguished by figures and 16 items by letters from No. A to No. P, also 7 items which lie loose in the ship, amounting to fsm : 1.5. Also the roll of my people, consisting together, old and young, of 13 persons. I kindly request that no one be exchanged for any one else and no one detained, but that the people and the goods at the earliest opportunity be sent to the colony, thanking your honor very much for the expeditious way in which my horses were sent to the colony two years ago. I am exceedingly sorry that Broer Cornelissen so deceived our honor in the furnishing of grain; it must be that they themselves have not much to spare or that they carry it off secretly, in which case it is necessary to catch the cheats, I hope that from now on conditions will improve and that greater quantities will be delivered, as I shall otherwise fare badly. I can not get over my surprise as to the changes which are said to have occurred in the fur trade at Fort Orange, whence for at least 15 years in succession yearly 5000 or 6000 skins have come. There is no lack of furs, therefore there must be a lack of merchan- dise or the trouble must be that Crol holds the merchandise too high and that the English on the Fresh River, by corresponding with 484 NEW YORK STATE LTRRARV the Mohicans lying- about twQ leagues below Fort Orange and through these in turn with the luacquaas, draw everything away from us over land. That my people spoiled the fur trade can not by any means be true; they may have outbid and Ijrought about the high prices of the skins^ but such outbidding does not divert the fur trade, but causes a greater supply. Xow. as far as I can see, the trouble is not with the price of the skins but with the quan- tity, which is a great paradox to me that I can not understand ; for according to what I hear Croll has few skins and also little merchandise, which conflicts directly and diametrically with the outbidding which my people may be guilty of, for as a result of that there ought to have come more skins than before. It may be perhaps that Croll has placed the prices of skins so low for the magnaas^^ that it drove them away and diverted the trade. 1 f that is so he will get great thanks from his masters and have done the Company good service. The sister of Gcrrit dc Rcii.v has been here bothering me a num- ber of times. Please to further her business as quickly as possible ; even if it can not be brought to a final settlement let it be brought to it as closely as possible. The victory at the Downs^'-^ is bloody, but the victory for the Company in BraziP has been miraculous. Today comes the news that Admirals lichtHart and houttcbecn^'^ accidentally met the re- mainder of the fleet and completely destroyed it. What the I'rince of Orange will do in Flanders remains to be seen, the commence- ments, etc. P. S.^^ Mr Kicft. This is the true account of the purchase of my goods, on which according to the loth article of the F^reedoms I am obliged to pay for freight, and though the farm implements are free I make it 5^ throughout, amounting to f25o. The bills of lading of the Company are drawn in the usual way so as not to establish a bad precedent for others, but I do not owe more. Arent van Curler is ordered to pay to the honorable director general Willeni Kijcft in grain or other articles the sum of two So in Letter Book; intended for ^laquaas. Battle of the Downs, Oct. 21, 1639, when Tromp defeated the .Spaniards under Admiral d'Oquendo. Battle near the coast of Paraliiba, Jan. 12-14, 17, 1640, in which the Dutch with 41 vessels under Admiral Willeni Cornelisz Loos and Vice Admiral Jacob nuvgen succeeded in defeating the Siiauish-Portuguese fleet of 86 sail under Count da Torre. ^1 Kornelis Kornelisz Jol, nicknamed Iloutcbeen; literally, Wooden Leg. 2- The following postcripts arc in tlie handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. VAX ri-:xss]>:lai<:k ijowikr manuscripts 485 hundred and fifty guilders for freight of the above-mentioned goods, which with the receipt to be sent to me will be his warrant for payment, this 30th of May 1640. Air Kijcft. The wind is beginning to blow, the skipper left long ago and 1 fear that 1 shall not have time to write to arent van Cur- ler or to any one of my people. As I have not received letters from them either, oblige me in addition to so many other services for which I am obliged to your honor, by giving arc lit van Curler an extract from your honor's letter so far as it in any way concerns him and is to my advantage and guide him a little ; I promise your honor I shall not forget it. Also send him the enclosed package containing nothing but the invoice of my goods with several letters from private persons. If 1 have time 1 shall still write to him and others. Vale, 30 May 1640. The following papers sent to ^Irendt I'an Curler: 3 extracts from the negotiations between the commissioners and myself and the approval of the Assembly — invoice of the goods sent in the ship den waterhont, amount- ing to f5i 1 1 :i5 — list of the ])eople who go over — payments to the said people and other items — account of the sale of the tobacco of albert and arent andriesen Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler-'- May ?o, 7(5/0 Arent J 'an Curler, in the colony of Rensselaerswyck 30 May 1640 AA'orth^-, affectionate cousin : As I received neither goods nor letter from you by the lately arrived ship den Engel Gabriel, I am much surjirised that you let pass the opportunity of den han'nck because of talk of the ship den Dolfyn. which was to follow soon. The letters sent by the ship de Lieffde I did not get, as the ship was taken by the Dunkirkers, so that for the present I get neither ac- counts nor returns, just as if all the goods which I sent thither were confiscated. T wrote you that if the task should prove .too heavy r. R. B. ^[ss. Letter Book, f.i2.^b. On f. T26 of tlie Letter Book, the clerk once more wrote tlie lieading and first words of tliis letter, then canceled the date, writing " should be June 16, 1640." This date iirobably refers to the instructions to van Curler, which instead of being given in this jilace were co[)ied into the section of the Letter Book, f. 163—77, containing papers of tliat cliaracter. 486 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY for you you should warn me in time and you must not let any oppor- tunities go by in the hope of later ones. You coul 1 also have sent me a copy of the letter sent by de Licffdc. You look for the hen's egg and you let go the goose's egg. I hear that you spend too much time in the woods, that ought not to be ; you must stick to writing and never again neglect to copy your papers and accounts but always have some ready to send when there is an opportunity. This time I can overlook it because the ship den Engcl Gabriel left so soon, but let no opportunity pass without sending me copies of all your books and papers and accounts of all the people. I have not time to reply fully to yours of the 23d of August 1639, as all the other papers have gone and as I have written at great length to Director Kieft to' instruct you a little and to com- municate to you the documents which I send him. Let me know privately how he acts toward you. I have addressed to you the invoice of the goods which go over now, amounting to fsm :i5. If I have time I shall enclose another copy of it herewith. As you have now so much merchandise, try to buy skins to the best advantage and as soon as you have a reasonable amount send them down at once to Mr Kieft, that he may send them to me at the first oppor- tunity; however, pack them, mark them and store them well that they be not exchanged and make every effort to send a good sup- ply of skins by this ship. Enclosed is a bill of lading of the skipper; do not show this if it is net necessary for I have given Mr Kieft an order on you for f25o to pay for the freight. Now if he should have further advice from the Company about f6i7, as this bill of lading shows, give him only f250 according to the Freedoms, and appeal to me, stating that if I owe it I will pay it here to the Com- pany. I have made an agreement with the Company concerning the old accounts and sent the papers to Kieft, who will no doubt hand them to you. They refer to many matters for wdiich you have to look out, especially the 19th article of the Freedoms, to let no one leave my service before he has completed his time and paid his debt, for I reserve that power to myself; secondly, that no one have charged to my account anything gotten from the Company for his own use, but pay for it himself. When they need anything, let them notify you and you can then ask it of the Company and distribute it among those who have a credit balance with us, but be careful that you lend to no one whom we do not owe and do not let them deceive you. Keep Jchan barij^* with you wlien he has no carpentering to "Jean Labatie. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 487 do. You need not ask such things of the council, for I see that the council instead of being my council is their own council. If they act that way I shall appoint others. I am surprised that they dare call themselves an [independent] community,^^ as they are altogether my servants and subjects and every one promised to subject himself willingly to the laws and ordinances which 1 had made and might make. If they rise against me, they will ride an easy horse. What reason have maiirits'^^ and Ariaen^'' t ) join the others? If they do not want to accept the promotion which I offer them, they may leave it and serve me as many years and for such wages as I have engaged them and they are bound to serve me. It seems that they want me to trust them and that they do not want to trust me. I wrote to Mr kieft to please to support my ordinance concerning the shipping of goods from the colony and to confiscate all grain and furs sent by any one which are not entered according to the aforesaid ordinance at the manhatans, with reservation of my half. I see that these insolent people who hold everything that they have from me would like to defy me, so that I prefer to have these fello^vc, fpr ofif rather than near by. I have also explained to Kieft the provisional valuation of the grain at f6, stating that it is not my intention to keep it at that figure (though if it came to the worst, I could claim the right) but that this is done only provisionally to see how they will treat me. I want them to trust me or I will not trust them in the least, and in case any one should be refractory, the com- mander of the militia,^*^ who now goes to the Manhatans with a good many sol Hers, has offered to assist me if need be with a suffi- cient number against any one of my people who should be refrac- tory. I write this also to Air Kycft in case you should ask him for such assistance. I do not wish to injure any one but neither do I want to be injured. I write to Mr Kieft that, saving my rights in the matter, I am satisfied to submit the differences between me and my farmers to the arbitration of the, director and council of New Netherland, to show that I do not wish to injure them; but if they mean to threaten me by refusing flatly to accept my terms, I shall with God's hell) prevent this and in due time know how to find the bellwethers. They ought to be ashamed to refuse me yearly the f 16 of which I must pay half. It would cost them a great deal more if they had to look out for that themselves. Distribute the men vcrwondcr mij dat sy hacr een gcmcynte derven nocmen. ^" Maurits Jansz van Briieckhuysen. Adriaen Cornelisz van Darsingerhorn. '^^ Ilendrick van Dyck. 488 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY who go over now properly among those who hehave most honestly and decently toward me and who are most faithful to me. You will do this with the advice of dirrick Cornclisscn^'* and Coniclis Theunisscn and no one else shall have anything to say about it. I will teach the peasant councilors to mutiny against their lord. You will do the same with respect to the distribution of the supplies, advising only with the two above-named persons; and if Ivoer Coniclis mutinies too, he may see what he can gain thereby, for if I notice that he encourages others you will pass him by and advise with pictcr Corneliss only. I can not find out what service Coriiclis Theunisscn has rendered me in his capacity of my representative. If, because he is a farmer, he should side with tlie others, he would be of no use to me and it would be a lesson to me not to grant any of my officers or coininisen any farms, for instead of looking out for me they would look out for themselves. Tell coniclis Theunis- scn to write me some time what he has done for me. If you do not know better, he ought to know better than to let you be put off with such a poor answer from the farmers in common ; you should have asked each one individually and one by one what his inten- tions with regard to the patroon were and have asked them this in the presence of P''. cornelissen and hrocr conicliscn, or else have had them sign their answers with their own hands. If they want to submit the matter to the director and council of New Netherland, I am satisfied to do so for the present ; the letter to Kicfft contains my reasons. As to the new farmers or those whose lease has expired, I do not want to let any one have a farm except on the terms of the permit to Maurits Janssen'^''^ and of the contracts of Coniclis mocscn and Symon walichsen^^ even if I should not rent a single one, for I do not want to be defied by them whom I have made men. You will tell this freely to every one individually. The uncle of Maurits is here now ; I have complained to him that maurits, who really has no reason to do so and who should favor me so that I might treat him better, sides with the others who are of no concern to him. He therefore writes him the enclosed letter ; greet him from me and tell him that I had not expected such an answer from him ; that every one will hereafter think that he is master and can do as he pleases is wrong ; they must follow my instructions and not I Should be Pieter Cornelisz van IMunnickendam. ^ Dated May 12, 1639; printed on p. 437—38. "Dated August 15, 1636; see p. 491. These contracts are not among the van Rensselaer Bowier Mss. Cornelis Moesen is intended for Cornelis Maesen. VAN RENSSELAER BOVVIER MANUSCRIPTS 489 theirs. I shall not do them any harm for I am far enough from them and from my property. Crijn cornelissenP' goes over now. I have granted him a farm on the above conditions ; he had most of the trouble in engaging the men and should be allowed to pick out the best of them. How- ever, let him sign the agreement of maurits, as I have not time to write out his agreement. Send me without fail some barrels of the crystal found in the hill of michiel jansz. Have the expense of digging it noted down, I can see then whether there is any money in it or not, for it is of little importance; yet if it is large, white and clear, it is worth something. But send me good and bad as it comes and let no one pick out the best pieces and hold them back. It would be best if Michiel did it himself and got some profit from it too; I think he is one of the most upright farmers in the colony, and when there is an opportunity I shall have an eye to his advantage also. He writes most politely of all ; let him do what is right and he will be treated well by me. All these quarrels originated with Gerrit de Reu.v deceased, who made the people believe whatever he saw fit. I would write to him*^ and to others but the time has gone by. Give p''. Cofnelissen my compliments and tell him that I expect his final account ; I shall then have the more confidence in him. Let him make protest against those who will not pay him the tithes and if they will not pay them from what belongs to us in common, let them pay them provisionally from my share, for I desire by all means to have the right of the tithes for the future support of religion, the officers and other charges of the colony. It is childish to think of a minister going from here to be paid by the inhabitants individually. He, who is a servant of Jesus Christ, would then have to become a servant of the people, and when it came into the farmers' heads they would give nothing at all. Truly such ministers can not be found. It seems to me that it would be a good plan if Cryn cornelissen established a farm on the West Island wdiere brant peel en lives, as I am quite determined that there shall be two farms on that island, one to be called Rensselaers biirghte and the other Welys burgh. See note on p. 438. To Michiel Jansz. ^ See note to next document. 490 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Order of Wouter van Twiller to Aert Willemsz"'^ May so, 1640 ' Aert Willemsscn, foreman On receipt of this, deliver from among the animals which are on my farm and in your keeping to Cryyx cornclisscn van houten, for the account of the colony called Rensselaerswyck, two milch cows, now three years old, to be drawn by lot from the three which are on the farm, also two heifer calves born this year; and although this memorandum contradicts my letter, you are to comply with this last order and do right. Done at Amsterdam, this thirtieth of May 1640. Instructions to Arent van Curler as secretary and bookkeeper of the colony of Rensselaerswyck"^ June 16, 1640 Arundtt Van Curler, secretary and bookkeeper of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, is hereby provisionally and till further orders authorized, with the advice of pieter Cornelissen van munnekendam, receiver of tithes and supercargo of the vessel, and also with the advice of CorncUs Theunisscn van Breuckclcn, provided he uncon- ditionally accepts and consents to further this matter, and if he is not willing to do so then in his place niauris jansen van Broeck- huysen, and on his refusal Brandt pelen vander nykerck, and if he also objects Cornells masen van Buyrmalsen, and on his refusal michiel jansc van Schrahbekercke , and if they all refuse with pie- ter Cornelissen alone, subject to ratification by the patroon, to pro- vide other farmers for the farms on which the farmers refuse to accept without change the conditions of viatirits jansen van Broeckhuysen. The patroon exempts herefrom, however, the two oldest farmers, namely Brandt pelcn and CorncUs Theunisoi afore- said, not because he grants their argument, but taking that for ^ V. R. B.Mss, Letter Book, f.i66b. Mentioned in letter of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler, July 2, 1640; see p. 513. At the top of f. 126 of the Letter Book, after the worcs " si:ch ministers can not be found," of the preceding letter to van Curler, were written, and then canceled, the following: " Aert ■wallenessen, foreman. On receipt of this, deliver from among the animals which arc on my ." It is clear that when the clerk found himself copying this order among the letters he stopped abruptly and turned to the section of the Letter Book, f. 163— 71, containing orders and similar papers. The form of the name seems to be a mere copyist's error. ^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.i66b. VAX KKNSSELAER 150VVIER MANUSCRIPTS 491 what it is worth, mainly because at the time when they took posses- sion of their farms, they had not yet signed the pledge to submit themselves freely and to obey his laws and ordinances ; this exemp- tion to last till the expiration of their first lease, and no longer. As to the farmers who followed later, since the patroon noticed that Gcrrct de rcux, deceased, took the liberty to construe the contract made with his master to his own advantage by strictly adhering to the letter of the text in which by mistake a word had been left out, by changing dates and by passing by and rejecting other clauses by which he was strictly bound, the patroon wishing to prevent such things in the future, ordered his officer lacoh planck on the one hand to inform him of the impertinences of the said de rcux and on the other hand, in order to avoid all contradictions, ex- ceptions and obscurities, to be strict in obliging all future farmers to submit themselves to his rules and ordinances and to obey him as their said lord and master, which [obligation] began with the arrival of Cornclis viacsen and Symon walichs agreeable to their contracts dated the 15th of August 1636 in Amsterdam and has continued thus till recently. In order not to have his rights dis- puted, the patroon at present and for the future intends to accept no one for his colony except upon said pledge. Meanwhile noticing that several people seek, not the patroon's advantage but their own, he has been obliged further to declare his honest and sincere inten- tion regarding those who will serve faithfully and justly as appears by the penuit to iiiaiirits jans::: and adriaen CorncUsscn aforesaid uu(!cr date of the 12th of May 1639. Fully trusting that at least tliose who had made all their profits on, from and by means of his goods would have helped him in his goo.l intentions and conducted themselves most properly, he has learned on the contrary that, not- withstanding the farmers are not on an equal basis with one another but are divided into three groups, namely those who came first, those who came later and those who came last, they have nevertheless all together like one man plotted against their lord and master, just as if the patroon had aske:l of them something which it was in their power to refuse if they saw fit, styling themselves an [independent] community'" and even ofirering to fintl means of their own choice for the su]:)port of religion and the payment of the ministers. And although the patroon would gladly excuse their ignorance in this matter he can not help but resent and keeidy feel it, as such pre- tensions and rejections of the ordinances of their lord and master, ^' hacr qualilicc} ciuU' ccnc genieentc tc syn. 492 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY especially as to his right to the tithes, are of such consequence that in course of time he might be deprived, not only of his revenue and his right oi jurisdiction, but finally even of his entire colony, his own grounds and lands, in the way and by such farmers as are spoken of in the gospel of Matthew 21 :33-39, "^^'^^^^ must also ex- pect the consecpiences set forth in verses 40 and 41. Wishing now to make timely provision in regard to these matters, the patroon authorizes the aforesaid aruiidt van Corlcr and picttcr Cornclisscn aforesaid to categorically ask the aforesaid Brandt Pcelcn and Cornclis Thcunisscn separately, first one and then the other, first what their intentions are with regard to the first term of their lease; secondly, whether they are willing at the expiration of the said lease to ask the patroon for [a renewal on] the aforesaid conditions of inaurits jansz just as they are ; and in case they refuse to do the latter, to cancel their lease immediately on the expiration of the first term, on the first of January next. Hut in case Cor- nelis Theiinisscn agrees to do so, he shall with pictcr Cornclisscn and ariindt aforesaid be the third man to put this commission into efifect with regard to the evil-doers; if not, such persons as were mentioned in the beginning. Thereafter they shall ask each one, man by man, namely, Cornclis inascn, Syinon ivalichs, michicls jansa and Cornclis dircxscn van vcchtoi, whether or not they are willing to accept the conditions of niaurits as aforesaid, the patroon granting, however, that as these farms were only recently estab- lished they shall be free from paying tithes for the 3^ears 1640, 1641 and 1642, each answer to be put in writing and sent to the patroon. Finally, they shall ask inaurits jans:: and adriacn Cor- nclisscn whether or no they are willing to accept the conditions as they are now (provided that inaurits shall be free from paying tithes for the years 1640 and 1641, as his farm is somewhat lack- ing in equipment and adriacn Cornclisscn also for the year 1642, since Cryn Cornclisscn van houtcn, who now goes over, has already accepted the conditions over his signature, provided he also shall be exempted from the tithes for three years, till the year 1643 in- clusive) ; and if inaurits or adriacn are at all unwilling, expressly tell them in the name of their ]:)atroon that they shall not have liberty to leave but must serve him for the remaining years of their con- tract as farm hands on such farms as arundt aforesaid and his ad- juncts shall assign to each of them, and this upon such pains and fines as they have freely submitted themselves to by their signature. Now as to those who freely submit themselves to the rule of the VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 493 patroon or his commissioners, the patroon not only promises to overlook their faults and ignorance but to grant them upon their request such privileges as reasonable subjects might properly de- mand of their lord and master, always reserving his right of high jurisdiction, which will teach them that they can not have any rights, much less call themselves an [independent] community'^^ without his consent. If they desire any privileges, let them very discreetly ask them of their patroon, for if they fancy themselves too important they may commit a great crime which will then hurt the bellwetliers most. All those who are willing to accept the conditions shall have contracts similar to that of maiirits janss re- corded and sign the record, the names of those who are unwilling to be noted down and sent hither. And in case any farms should be deprived of farmers the following order shall be observed. If it is the farm of iiiaiirits jausen or [that of] adriaen Cornelisscii, it shall be publicly leased or rented for three years to the highest bidder for a certain sum of free money,'*-* the tithes, preemption of grain and of the animals and i6 guilders per year for each farm hand to be at the charge and for the benefit of the lessee, but the increase of the animals as usual one half for the patroon and one half for the lessee, oats and wheat to be bought at the price of eight guilders a mudde, [the lease to] commence the first of January next, all upon condition that the lessees may be no other than free- men who have a knowledge of farming and who give sufficient suret}- for the payment of the rent and the return of everything at the expiration of the three years in the same condition as they found it. If after the expiration of the lease of Brandt pcclen, his farm called rcnssclacrs biircli should be without a farmer, instead of engaging a farmer, arundt van Curler shall take this farm for him- self for three years on the conditions of maurits janss and shall keep a good foreman thereon at his own expense. Pieter Corne- lisscii mav do the same with the farm of Cornclis Theunisscn. if upon the expiration of the first term of his lease he does not ask and ol:)taiu from his patroon [a renewal on] the conditions of viaii- rits jaiisrj. And as it seems that submission to the right of collect- ing tidies is one of the principal objections of the farmers, though the patroon is not bound to give his subjects and servants any reasons therefor, he will nevertheless indulge their weakness and say that the said right is the most just, the oldest and the means ap- gemeente. Sceckere Soininc gclts vrygcli. 494 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY pointed by the Lord God himself, from which also the greatest blessing and protection, against loss of everything, whether animals, fruits, crops or anything else, may be expected ; that it is used in all Christendom and from it no lands are free (aside from those of the popish clergy) but those [whose owners] have transferred this charge from one piece of land to another, redeemed it or bought it off; also, that the freemen who went to the colony in the year 1639 and those who go thither now in 1640, have considered it fair and just and freely submitted themselves to it, while at present it differs in effect little or not at all from the offers which some seem to make for the furtherance of religion unless their object be to become themselves paymasters of the servants of Jesus Christ and to re- ceive credit in proportion to their gifts. Some may also think that these tithes might in time amount to a great deal ; this concerns the owner but not those who rent his land for a certain number of years unless they cast envious eyes on the property of the patroon and his copartners. Such property can not be obtained by lease but by cession and sale ; the patroon, however, is not averse to selling in course of time a few farms in perpetuity to those who shall be inclined and have means to take them and in this way gradually to form an [independent] community j'^'^ for tenants can not form a community apart from their landlord. It is also an obligation imposed upon the patroons by the 27th article of the Freedoms to endeavor to find means for the promotion of the service of God, so that by virtue of the said article, even if the land were owned by the farmers, the patroon would have the right and the power to introduce the levying of tithes for this purpose. How shamefully those persons act who oppose the patroon because by the conditions of the contracts and leases he provisionally charges his own land with this in order to save his inhabitants personally, bearing him- self one half of the expense. On the contrary, those who have a sound judgment and who do not let themselves be stirred up will find great cause for gratitude that the patroon at his own expense seeks to promote the service of God. And in order that no one may think but that what is aforewritten is the patroon's entire will, intention and meaning, he has besides his signature confirmed this with his own seal and that of the colony and ordered the secretary to enter the same upon the records. Done at Amsterdam thi:-' sixteenth of June in the year of our Saviour Jesus Christ sixteen hundred and forty. Was signed: kiliaen van rcnssclacr, patroon of the colony of Rensselaer swyck. *» eene gemeyntte oprechten. VAN RFvNSSKLAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 495 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornelis Teunisz van Breuckelen^^ June 2f,, 1640 Cornelis Teunissen Van Breuckclen, farmer in the colony of Rens- selaerswyck This 25th of June 1640, in Amsterdam I have not received any letter from you for a long time, more particularly not since I sent you the commission as representative of the patroon and the participants, nor can I find that you have done me in that connection any service in defending my rights against the unwilling farmers or advanced my interests in other ways, for instead of defending my rights — but be that as it may, it will show itself an.d I shall soon find out whether the farmers are my master or whether I am their master. I have signed com- missions for my cousin arcnt van CorJer and pieter Cornelissen and also for you if you will defend my rights; if not, some one else must do it. You can read the commission and then make your statement. I hear and see by the letters of most of the farmers that they object greatly to the Conditions of mauris Jansen. Who does not want to accept them as they are, need not. I can easily find masters enough if I can get servants enough, even if I have to send them from here. I am no child and know very well what profit the farmers can make, but if they think that they can become rich in a few years, they will find themselves mistaken. I, who have paid all tlie expenses and still daily pay them, must have the better part. I shall not dispute with you long, the four years of your lease will end on the first of January 1641. If you please to accept the conditions of mauris as they are, in God's name I shall extend your lease on these conditions for six or for four years at your choice, provided that you maintain my rignts against others who are unwilling, for which I shall compensate you so honestly that you will have reason to thank me. And if you faithfully accept to do tliis according to my commission let me know how much extra I should pay you yearly for this office and if you serve me well I shall in the future also see that you get promoted. You should first find out also who is most faithful toward me. I am far from my property and must therefore pay close attention so as to prevent losses. The farmers are keen in noticing that in writing the contract of G err it de reu.v, I omitted to mention the preemption of the grain. I wrote at length to Jacob planck in the years 1635 *^V.R.B.Mss, Letter Booh, f.126. 496 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY and 1636, that he must notify gerrit de rcux of it and I also spoke about it to cornelis masen and Symon Walings here at Amsterdam, and as to yourself, I engaged you in my service at a yearly salary and also paid you f3o extra allowance, which the farmers do not get and in addition have to pay their own passage, and when you said that your goods had been taken, I paid you f 30 more as an advance ; and further paid your board during the passage to the Company and instead of serving me so many years you have tried to establish a farm, promising me and making me believe by your letter of June 26, 1636, that the house would be finished much sooner than others and at half the expense. Now what the truth of this matter is you know best yourself, aside from the fact that the first house burnt down and that the next one was erected not by you but by others at an excessive cost to me, as I. wrote to Jacob planck. They know how to lay great stress on the words of gerrit de reus but my own words are not even taken into consideration and what you and others have promised me is kept only as the wind which blows past. What became in 1636 of your 25 or 30 morgens of summer and winter grain which you promised me and what has become of the servant whom your brother would bring with him? Is it not true, on the contrary, that in the year 1638 you had but 13 morgens of winter grain and 3 morgens of summer grain? From the account of grain delivered it is shown how much was furnished by )'^our farm but not at what great and excessive expense it was reerected. Where do you find in the contract which I made with gerrit de reu.v that the lease of his land will begin in ]\'Iay? It is true the lease of the house expires in May but the use of the land ceases on the first of January.'*^ In all these ways they try to deceive and cheat me and then tliey dare to refer to the contract of gerrit de reux. Who gave you and others orders to appraise the grain on the field in June 1638 at iy^ a morgen, chargeable to my account? You should have seen to it that the morgen produced fioo, and what has become of the grain? I sec people are only seeking commissions and, when they have them, they do not even think of their master. I write this somewhat fully because it grieves me to see that those who should in every way further his interests become at once arrogant and selfish. If you want to do me a favor, assist my cousin arent van corler and seek to observe [your duty under] my commission as much as possible and give me a reliable answer so that I may know how to govern myself and how far I can depend upon you. *' maer hct laiit cn den bouu' gact pmo Januarij uijl. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 497 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Pieter Cornelisz van Munnickendam*-^ June 2^, 1640 Piettcr Corndisen van Munnickcndam, in the colony of Rens- selaerswyck The 25th of June 1640 I have received yours of the 25th of Avigust 1639, which on account of the hasty departure of den zvaterhondt I could not answer, and what is more, all my other letters came too late, not- withstanding I handed them to the president of the Company; theirs, however, did not come too late. I rejoice' to learn that the sawmill is working and, from oral accounts of others, that the grist-mill is also completed. There remains therefore only for you to send me a correct account, having the same examined and entered there by my cousin aroit van corlcr as bookkeeper of the colony, to whom I have sent a commission which he is to execute with your advice and assistance and that of cornclis tciinisscn van breuckelen. However, as I am not sufficiently sure of Cornelis teunisscn because he is himself a farmer, and may perhaps act con- trary to my orders instead of bringing others to reason,^^ I have framed the said commission as you may see for yourself. It is necessary that arcnt make a copy of it for you, for I fully intend to reserve to myself the right to the tithes and the shipment of the grain, even if I have to provide other masters for the farms, if they stir one another up there, or have them worke:! by faithful foremen, as rutgcrt hendricksen has been, who has brought me the greatest profit ; but after the arrival of gerrit de reux^ who is the sole cause of this ill-will, things took cjuite a different turn. It is surprising that people who could get along so well should be so avaricious that they show themselves in every way rebellious and disobedient to their master who has provided them with every- thing at his expense. They may do as they please ; some of them will find out how well it is for them to continue therein. The Com- pany has sent a letter to their director stating that no one may leave the colony without my express will and consent thereto ; f have sent a copy of it to arent van Corler. The commander^^ of the militia who sails in den zvaterhondt promised to assist me with « V. R. B. Mss, Lcticr Book, f.i26b. " en misschien om andrcii tet redenen tc persiiaderen desclve tcgcn my stnjt. *^ Ilendrick van Dyck. 498 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY soldiers if any one of my people should become rebellious or tur- bulent, but Director kieft must always be consulted in the matter, as I wrote him. I shall not give them any cause, but those who urge and press me to it will soon find out, if not the first time then the next. I shall have patience but I want to remain master, even if I have to request the strong arm of the High and Mighty States General and the Prince of Orange, who will not refuse me the same against those who oppose me and refuse to obey my ■orders, which they promised to do over their signatures. Now as to [the execution of] your provisional commission, as the lease of braiit pclen expires next January and also that of C Orudis teyunissen, these farmers must leave or pay tithes to you [beginning with] the year 1641, in conformity with the commission given to crant*^ and yourself. The farm of mauris Janscii must pay the tithes [beginning with] the year 1642. Cornclis macsen and Syinoji zvolichs ought also to pay in the year 1642, but as they suffered some loss last year they shall with the rest pay tithes [be- ginning with] the year 1642 f protest must be made against those who pa}- too little and the protest sent to me that I may take the necessary measures. As to the commission concerning the vessel,^'' I desire that everything shall be entered according to my orders and who neglects to do so must expect confiscation by me as well as by the director and the fiscal at the manhatans, whom I have provisionally authorized to do so till further order. I am far from my property and must look sharply to prevent loss. As to [my j paying fyou] in that country, I do not know what you mean, for there is no money, so that it would have to be in furs or merchan- dise or in grain, but if you sell the boards to others you could for your half take such payment at the rate charged for boards which you furnished for my farmhouses. Does this [demand] become less, a plan might be adopted for selling the boards for our mutual profit at the manhatans, to the English or wherever else they are wanted most. Deal properly with me and I shall do as much for you. Therefore, assist my cousin arent van Corlcr; it will in the end do you no harm ; meanwhile I expect your accounts and the report of your doings. Arent van Curler. This should probably be 1643. *^ wat acngaet de commissie vant vaer tuygh. VAN RENSSELAliK ISOWIER ISIAX USCRIPTS 499 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Michiel Jansz van Scrabbekercke^'' June 25, 1640 Michiel J a II sen van Scrahbekerckc;'^ in the colony of Rensselaers- wyck The 25th of June 1640 I liavc received your letter and can hardly understand or read what you mean. I see only that you seek to make a definite lease at a fixed sum a year, but I can not make any change till I have arrived at a definite understanding with the other farmers. I can not conceive what they intend to do and why they should be so foolish as to stir one another up [to insubordination], as you may see by the commissions^ to arcnt van Corlcr, in which I also men- tioned you. Because you came last I have given you this farm, but do right, be honest and do not let them stir you up ; I shall re- member you in such way that you will get along well. The f400 a year do not come near [the real rental value ; at that rate] I should lose my whole [investment in the] country. You know what the horses, cattle, houses,' barns and hay barracks cost and what trouble I have in having good servants hunted up. Keep on the si'le of my cousin arent van Corlcr. You will oblige me by doing right and he will in the future also remember you and pro- vide you before others with good servants and other necessaries. I can not understand what sort of people I have in the colony. The four of them have appraised the estate of gerrit de reux, to my displeasure, as follows: 3[ morgens of winter grain at iy^ the morgen, amounting to f2325, also 7 morgens of summer grain at f3o, amounting to f2io, besides what may be expected in the way of butter and cows and from the fattening of hogs and the increase of the animals and what was still on the field and had to run the risk of reaping and bear the expenses of binding and bringing home. Truly, they have fully opened my eyes as to what such a V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.iz/b. ^"Erroneously given by O'Callaghan, History of Nciv Ncthcrland, 1:436, as Michiel Jansen van Broeekhuyscn. Michiel Jansz came over with his wife and two servants on het lVaf>en ran Noorwcgcn, in 1638, and from 1640 to 1646 leased from the patroon the farm called de Hoogebercli. In 1646 he moved to New Amsterdam, where he attained prominence as one of the Nine Men. Dec. 14, 1646, his age is given as 36 years. See MaentgcH Bocck, 1638—44, f.6 and Gercchts RoUe, 1648—52, f.:ob, among the Rcnssclacrswyck Mss, and A'. Y. Col. Mss, 1:34, 2:154. Scrabbekercke is a collo- quial form of the name of the village of 's Heer-Abtskerke, on the island of Zuid- I>evcland, in the province of Zeeland. " commissie; probably referring to the instructions of June i6, 1640; see p. 490-94. 5O0 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY farm can produce yearly and they must have shamefully forgotten their lord and master, who has done so much for them, to cheat him so grossly; these fellows will find that their avarice will de- ceive them. Read my reasons which 1 set forth in the letter to Arent van Corlcr ; you will in your conscience find that all their doings are but empty air and vanity. What will they say to this? A few days ago the Company framed new freedoms for New Netlierland by which the Company stipulates that all the lands of the patroons shall pay their tithes; however, this does not con- cern me, as I obtained my freedoms before, and I write it only to shut the mouths of such instigators who are unwilling to pay and to convince them of their mutiny .^^^ As to the crystal which you found on the hill, keep that matter as secret as you can and advise with arent van Corlcr about it. Perhaps it will be a source of profit to you if you serve me faith- fully. Have some barrels of it dug, good and bad, large and small, and send it to me : I shall know then what price it will bring. However, you must make an estimate as to the labor it takes for each barrel and look out carefully that the people do not keep back the whitest and largest and clearest pieces, for they are the best, and when I see how many of such pieces there are among it, I shall give you further orders to the profit both of myself and you. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Albert Andriesz''- June 2 J, 1640 Albert Andriesen, tobacco planter, in the colony of Rensselacrswyck This 25th of June, 1640 I have received your letters with the accounts, but I can not understand them very well. You should settle and liquidate ac- counts there with arent van Curler.. I see that you put in my account all charges for yourself and for your whole household. Tins is not according to our agreement and should not be done. There must be other reasons which induce you thereto and you ought not to write to me about these.^'"' The account of the sale of the four cases of tobacco, among which there was one of your brother arent, 1 send in another package of letters to arent van Curler. You have caused me and yourself great loss by making muytcrie. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f. 128. (lesck'e behoort f;hy ivy nict over te scliryi'cii. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS me hold the tobacco so high. It would have been left entirely unsold and have spoiled and I should not have dared to sell it except for the advice of hiiybert jansen, tobacco roller, the son of jan Cornclisoi, who had rated it so high. One must follow the market here. The tobacco which has lately come from the man- hatas is held high. They must probably pay two stivers duty and I paid but one stiver ; they must pay a stiver a pound for freight and I paid but 30 st a 100, which makes a considerable difference, and they will not get as much for it as they imagine. As to the goods which you request by letter, you should have given this letter to arent van Corlcr; he would then know what to furnish you in proportion to others. It is inconvenient for me to correspond witb everybody. By so doing I should become everybody's servant; i think that I do you enough kindness by selling your tobacco to- gether with mine and by sending the merchandise in return for it to my commis, who will supply you in the same proportion as others as I wrote him also. And if you are not satisfied with that you must make another contract with me. Each inhabitant of the col- ony would no doubt like to have a master at his beck and call f * that can not be. When your term expires we must enter into a different contract, so that I may know what I have above expenses, as my nephew twill cr does at the manhatas with his people. I see that you are diligent ; I am therefore willing to help you along, but I can as yet not comprehend or understand from your accounts what your yearly profit to me is. Could you arrange things so that I made something, I shall see that you get something, even if it were in merchandise or in furs to be delivered to you,^^ but everything must pass through the hands of the commis whom I shall appoint in the colony. If 3'ou know a better way, I will accommodate you but you must not make me your servant nor write as you did about the soap and other things ; I can not tolerate that from you. ^Meanwhile, I shall feel favorably toward you if you wdll give me further explanations and a more detailed account with arent van Corlcr. ^* sonde 'ivcl ecu Itccrc op syn Jtant willcii Iiebbcn; literally, would no doubt like to have a master on his hand, or side. «/ zvarc Uct iiicdc in Cargasocii in pcltcrrycn acn ii te levcrcn. 502 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Reyer Stoffelsz"" June 25, 1640 Reijcr stoffclscn, smith, in the colony of Rensselaerswyck The 25th of June 1640 I have not yet received any letter from you but understand that your wife's sister, the banns of whose marriage were published in my colon}^, married at the manhatans and stayed there. It would have been better if she had married in the colony, as she would have been more company to you in that way. How much iron and coal I sent by den ivaterhondt, you will sec from the invoice which I sent to arent van Coder. I trust that you will serve me faithfully and live up to your contract, unlike to oth.ers, who 1 understand Co nothing but misconstrue my contracts and seek to stir up others. According to v/hat I am told here they make my contracts out to be much worse than I do in order to arouse others thereby to mutiny.^''' They make the charges out to be greater so as to have reason for not paying anything; as for example, they make the freemen, who should receive 30 st a day, believe that they are to get but 25 st, saying that the patroon must have one sixth part which is 5 st, therefore there remain but 25 st. That is a shameful misconstruction, for in case they spend 30 st I am not to have a penny, as I get but one sixth part of the gain at the end of the year. In the same way they misconstrue the tithes, as well as the guilder on each hog, the idea being not to pay a guilder as often as tlie hog is sold but only when it is sold to be slaughtered, to be sent away or for some such purpose, and it seems to me that it is little enough to be able to keep a hog in the field or in the woods for one guilder a year. Therefore please construe every- thing to m.y best advantage and do not listen to the instigator to evil. The Lord will bless you the more for doing so and I shall return kindness for kindness, but those who want to oppose me will find themselves deceived, V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.i28b. ' " muytinatie. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Maurits Jansz van Broeckhuysen''^ June 2 J, 1640 Mauris Janscn, in the colony of Rensselaerswyck The 25th of June 1640 Cousyn manris Janscn: If you had thought of me as I thought of you, you would not have sent such an answer instead of thank- ing me. Something must have been wrong in your mind or you must have allowed yourself to be stirred up with others. You may be sure I shall find who is the cause of it all and whether it was not done by those who had the least reason for it. How much 1 thought of you appears from the fact that although you were but 19 years old I gave you such wages as men of 24 years and over received and that while I had engaged you for six years, having arrived in the colony in the year 1637, I made you at once in the year 1638 master instead of servant on a new farm and in the year 1639 gave you one of the best farms on which under the present terms and in your present capacity, you could earn yearly accord- ing to your own diligence and God*s blessing, three, yes, four times as much as at the time I engaged you. Now see what thanks I receive for this. You know or at least ought to know that Gerrit de rcux, deceased, during his lifetime misinterpreted the conditions made with me and frecjuently acted impertinently toward me, which deeds it would take too long to relate. All these abuses I wanted to remcd.y, trusting that a relative of mine, and one whom I had so soon and while he was so young promoted from servant to master would as a sign of gratitude help me therein. On the con- trary I discover that you are the principal one to oppose me, threatening to leave (as if you had a right to do so, which would soon appear not to be the case) if I do not grant you the conditions which you dictate in your letter. Examine your conduct conscientiously and you will find other matters to fill your letters than you have put in so far. Even if geerit dc rcux had been right, whicli he was not, w^as I, after his death and after the expiration of his lease, bound to observe the contract mad.e with him when there was but one farm in the colony and when he, being the second [farmer], promised to erect a new farm on. the fifth kill far from tlie fort and where nobodv lived? V. R. B. Mss. Later Book, f.i32b. 504 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY On this farm which you obtained, on the contrary, there were in the year 1638 morgens of winter wheat, which the farmers ap- praised at f75 a morgen, chargeable to the patroon. They have either scandalously overvalued it or you are not grateful that you are master instead of servant on such a farm. And as to the tithes, if according to my high jurisdiction I might impose tithes on all lands within that jurisdiction which do not belong to me, how much the more right have I and also how Christian and proper is it to stipulate the same in the lease of the land which I own. There- fore, think well what you do, and if you want to expect further promotion do not dispute my terms but accept them as they are and serve out the time which you have promised me, to which I shall expect a more carefully considered reply than I have received so far. Enclosed is a letter from your uncle. Understand me well, when you do right you will also be treated rightly, but remember all you gain there, so that I must remain the master and the oldest child and if you wish to have any prospect of advancement, do not oppose my cousin van korler but help him in every way. It will be better for you than if you did otherwise, for I shall not let myself be overruled by the farmers, even if not one of those fellows remain in the colony. Meanwhile, best wishes from your trusting, &c. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jan Cornelisz*'^ June 26, 1640 Jehaii Cornellsen,^- tobacco planter and carpenter in the colony of Rensselaerswyck This 26th of June 1640, in Amsterdam I shall briefly answer your undated letter to me. I understand your meaning and see that you are greatly mistaken about your stipulated wages, and that others have stirred you up and made you believe that instead of 30 st you are to get but 25 st. If you have saved 30 st free money,*''^ 5 st thereof belong to me, but if Omission in Letter Book. ^ dan gedenckt alles what ghy daer wtnt sulcx dat ick meester en het ousten kint moet blyven. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f. 128b. The heading and first four words of this letter are in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. '^^ In the account books of the colony, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, this man is designated as Jan Cornelisz Timmerman, Jan Cornelisz, carpenter, to distinguish him from Jan Cornelisz van Houten. 63 i,fy gelt. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS you spend 30 st on board and clothes, I do not get a penny. Therefore be at ease and satisfied with the contract made with me ; the years will soon pass. And urge others to do their duty and to fulfil their promises instead of stirring each other up against their patroon. It seems that many people have no conscience and while here in the country promise me a great deal which on their arrival there they do not think of giving me ; but I do not think this of you and shall favor you as much as the opportunity will in any wise allow. For this reason I have done your wife this favor that I have packed a small package for you_ in case no. 8, which now goes thither in deii waterhondt and which you can get upon request from my cousin arcnt van Corler when the case with God's help shall have arrived. Cask D contains a fishing net and what belongs to it, for which albert also has asked me. You may pay for it and use it together, as well as michiel Jaiiscn and sandcr leenderss; according to your letter. The grist-mill, I understand from pietcr zvyncoop, is entirely finished and grinds excellent meal and as to the 8 st a schepel for grinding, this must be so arranged that people have no ground for complaint. I am longing to hear how your tobacco plantation goes. Your son huybcrt writes you ; his letter is enclosed in another packet of letters. You had valued the tobacco of albert too high ; one can not fix there the market of this country. I shall make regular use of your son to advance and to recommend him ; return me the favor, especially in seeing to it that the necessary farmhouses be erected strongly and conveniently and at the least expense, and as I have sent a model of a church, see to that also, as Claes jansen ruijter has gone to the manhatans, and look around for suitable timber to be cut during the winter and brought to the [place of J building by the farmers. You must not make a mistake and take it too large ; the dimensions of the building are indicated in the memorandum. And as to sending a minister, I make every efifort to find suitable means but it seems that there are restless spirits in the colony who want to thwart my good work. I wish that I knew wdio they were, I would make a note of them. Is it not a shameful thing that they try to arouse you and other freemen against [paying] the tithes v»diich you granted me here in the country according to the contract of freemen? They want to dictate another way of paying the minister, but these fellows will find out whether they are my masters or whether I am theirs. ■I here is no more divine means than the tithes for where the Lord 506 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY God gives and lets grow nine trees, fish, or schepels of grain, he [the freeman] can easily give the tenth in addition and will be blessed more than those who try to keep it in their purse. I would rather yield my own right than allow myself to be deprived of the right to the tithes ; therefore, do your best also to manage everything according to the terms made with the freemen and put in the lease of the farmers. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Albert Andriesz'*^ July 2, 1640 Albert Andricscn, tobacco planter 1640, 2 July Albert andricscn: I have examined your letters and your ac- counts as well as those of arent, your brother. I can not get any clear idea from them. I have shown them also to my nephew van twiller, the former director, but he can not make them out either; therefore, as you sent me duplicates of your accounts I return herewith one copy to arent van Corler. You must settle with him there. Just as I send you a clear account of your tobacco, you must send m.e a clear account of everything that has been advanced there. That I should share in all the expenses of the household is contrary to your agreement. The three of you were like one man and if you had remained so you would together have needed but one house. That it must now be divided into three dwellings is to my disadvantage and not my fault but yours jointly. Therefore, you must not count as you do but as follows : first, you must calculate what your dwelling house costs you, which concerns you alone ; then what the drying houses or the tobacco, cost you, half of which is to be charged to you and half to me; further, as to my half of your board and that of the men whom you have employed, this must not be mixed and entered with the expenses for board, clothes and household articles of the whole household, but every week, year or month, you must charge each one with the amount which I think reasonable and also credit each with one half of what he has contribute ;1 to the kitchen by fishing, fowling or hunting. As to your wife, she should be credited daily or weekly with such wages as she has earned by her work, one half of which is to be charged to me; hereto must br '^V.R.B.Mss, Letter Book, f. 129. VAN RENSSELAER BOVVIER MANUSCRIPTS 50/ added one half of the wages of the men or other people whom you have employed in planting tobacco or in work connected with it. In return you must credit me with one half of all the tobacco which you have sold there to one person or another; also, one half of all the profit on the furs, which you do not mention in your accounts, though it is included in your contract. You must also credit me in your account with the f75 and the 50;^ additianal, together fii2:io, which I advanced you here in this country; with your Yt, share of the goods bought for the mill company, amount- ing to 448:18:8, of which my half is {22^:():^ and that for the three of you f224:9:4, your third part amounting to f74:8:i4, which you have paid me, but not the above f75, on which you promised me 50;^ additional and wfiich will be paid when you give me the fii2:io. You must also pay for board of yourself, your wife and the children in the colony, to the 24th of March 1637, amounting accord- ing to the account of dirck Cor sen to f 104 8 for the children f 52 4 fi56 12 I also paid for you to the West India Company f 10 duty on the lo skins sent to your godmother by Dirck corsen, for which I paid her fioo. Further [you must pay for] the merchandise and the like received from Jacob planck and arcnt van corler, or which you may have bought from the Company or others on my credit, to which must be added whatever else I may have forgotten. Against this I owe you for of the tobacco of the year 1639, amounting to f372:8; for your half fi86 4 for the tobacco of the year 1640, of your brother arcnt f63i :i8; for your half f3i5 19 Tliis is the way you must count, or everything will be confused and mixed up. No other result is possible ; I can not understand your accounts. 5o8 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler'"'"^ J\ily 2, 1640 Anindt Van Curler, in the colony of Rensselaerswyck 2 July 1640 As the preceding- letters came too late on account of the hasty departure of the ship den zcaterhoiidf, 1 shall answer somewhat more fully yours of the 23d of August 1639. sent hy Cornelis niclyn. By the letter of my hrother in law twiller, you will see the care taken of you with regard to the inheritance of your father and mother, especially regarding tiie succession to the estate near nicckcrck. Your uncle boldczvyii has been here but he did not even speak to me, as he is angry at having missed what was coming to him by right of primogeniture/^'^ It will turn out all right for you if you will onh' fear the I>ord and be faithful in your service and let no one induce you to sin against God or to injure your master. Remember that all things have their time and that one must not be too hasty and attempt to fly too high. If you do right, things will come of themselves, for which otherwise you would have to serve or solicit much ; and when you consider your- self too weak, let me know it and I will have no trouble in getting others ; however, I do not trust every one whom I chance to meet. I have this fault to find with several of your accounts, as for instance those relating to albert aiidricscn and Cry',i Coriielisz and his brother, that you put on the one side what they owe you but not on the other side what you owe them in return, while another time you put down what }'0U owe them and not what they owe you in return, so that this must be a lesson to you to kcc]:) debit and credit accoiuits. Even if there be nothing to- put down, this must be indicated, otherwise one thinks that it may have been forgotten. When you give anything to any one you must add briefly of what and to whom, so as to give a clearer idea. Herewith goes by CorncUs uielyn a cargo chest RO, which came too late for den ivaterhont. It contains three very fine blankets which you will give in my name t(^ three chiefs ; one to Sadcr Juciita, chief of the niaquaes, the other two to the two chiefs who have the greatest credit and power among the niaqiiaes or to V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, £.129!). <"* liy is quad oindat hy syit ccrstgcboortc versuijmf hccft. VAN RKNSSEr.AER ROWIER MANUSCRIPTS one of the principal men of the luahikaus. You will write out for these people my name in large characters, to wit : kiliacn van rciisclacr, ])atroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, presents and gives you (X.IS. putting his name) as a sign of peace and friend- ship and good neighborly relations, this present which you receive here from my hand. And although he does not see you with his own eyes you are nevertheless remembered in his heart by similar ceremonies of friendship. You might do this in the presence of picicr conielisscn and cornclis tcuiiissen, who can then further ex- tend the matter. There are also four blankets in case no. 8, sent by dc watcrJiondt. ( )ne is a present for you, the second for pictcr corncliss. the third for coniclis tciiiiisscii if he behaves well, and the fourth }ou must sell for me as high as you can so as to have some compensation. These small presents to the savages may sometimes cause great friendship and prevent much enmity. It would also serve as a means of making them acquainted with God, saying this person knows you, although he has not seen you, through those persons whom he has heard speak and who have written of you. How much better then can God, who made the heavens and the earth and created the sun which you can see, see your works, lie who each day lets his bountiful gifts come to man through the fruitfulness which He gives to the products of the earth and to man's sinful body, I have seen the accounts of Albert andricscn but can not under- stand them. I send them to you herewith for your examination. 1 write to albert as to the way I think the accounts ought to be drawn up. Talk with him about it and tell him that he must render the accounts in that form or there will be a great confusion, which I do not want, and before handing him his letter you will please first copy what I have written at the close about drawing up the accounts accordingly. However, if he should complain too much at bearing alone the ex]iense of his dwelling house and if everything went well, I would consent to pay one half of it, pro- vided that half the house then belonged to me; but the other freemen must ])ay for their own houses themselves. I have en- closed all these six letters under cover of yours. You must read them through carefully and cop}- what is of use to you and then give them to each one individually. Give niauris his letter first before he has spoken to anv one and see how he takes it. Then give conielis leiiiiisseii his letter without anyl)ody being ])resent and see whether he takes it well or not, thereafter give pietcr cornclis- NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY sen his letter, also alone, and read him a commission which I send you, in which he is also mentioned with coniclis teunissen if the latter is willing to comply, otherwise picter cornclisscn alone. The other letters you must give one hy one but in such a way that one does not know about the others and as soon after each other as you can. If you do not trust yourself to manage the matter alone, take pietcr cornelisscn from the first as your counselor. When you notice that he behaves well, listen more to him and trust him more ; but if he should not carry out my intention you must be somewhat cautious. You can reply to all objections that you must follow your commission and that I have strictly ordered it, asking them whether they would be served better if I sent another man to carry out my instructions than by having them carried out by you. I have no doubt that the bond will be broken and the net will be torn, which will prevent them from inciting each other as they have done. Let me know whether Jacob planck left you there all the con- tracts which I made with my people and examine the contract of the three people who formed the mill company, namely, pieter Cornelisscn, Claes Jansen and albert andriesen, in which you will find a promise to settle their accounts each year with Jacob planck or whoever may fill his place. How obedient therefore is albert when he writes in his letter that he does not want to get any goods from you. He will find himself in trouble if he keeps that course. However, keep quiet and carry out your instructions. H they have anything to say, tell them that they must write it to me, that you "must follow your commission and that I shall know how to find those who try to violate their contracts. I shall expect by the first opportunity the accounts of the aforesaid merchandise together with the returns in furs and the like. However, send me no- beaver skins except the very best. Others you might trade in again, as I have to pay the Company one guilder on each skin. That would be too heavy a charge on the small skins unless you count two as equal to one merchantable skin. It is great loss to me that the goods sent by the ship den Engel gabriel did not arrive there before the winter. I must have- patience and you must do your best to sell everything to the best advantage. Above all things take care that your goods are not reduced by fire or theft and give no one anything on credit except those to whom I ozve something and let no one impose upon you and construe my contracts in a zvrong sense as I notice everybody VAN RENSSELAER BONN IER MANUSCRIPTS wanis to. If you zvant to have somebody zvith you zvhom you can trust and who means to do right by me and you, I do not zvish that Cornelis teunissen or any one else shall refuse you this, but take no one unless he is honest and of good conduct. De ruijter'' and his wife must live by themselves when they come back; do not engage them. Have your house fortified that animals may not steal from you nor savages surprise you; be especially careful about fire and guard yourself against bad women, Indian or others, and keep the fear of the Lord before your eyes and He will bless you. As to the farmers, I want them to enter all their grain according to the former ordinance and also to offer to you first all the grain that they want to deliver to the Company or they will have no small dispute with me; and if they do otherwise, they will have to expect loss and confiscation. What you need for your own support you might get from brant pelcn or others on credit; and if they refuse to give it to you, you might pay them in merchan- dise. In this way one knife will keep the other in the sheath. I notice that }ou allow others to rule too much over you. Th.e farmer who can drink so much wine at a Maypole [festival] and not deliver anything, the representative of the patroon ought to accuse before the council and they ought to fine him heavily to the profit of the patroon. They will thus observe their duty better than in valuing the grain on the field at 75 guilders a morgen. If they are appointed councilors, it is in my interest; and if they do not seek my advantage, I shall if it pleases me appoint others. As to the debt which the farmers or the men owe the Company they must pay it themselves, as you can see from the arrangements made between me and the Company, which I have sent to Mr kieft, who will no doubt hand to you such of the papers as I do 'not send to you, for the Company itself has sent him a copy thereof. In the letter which I write to Mr kieft, there are many things which it would be useful for you to know. Ask him and he will un- doubtedly let you read my letter. Keep on good footing with him and present him in my name with two or three muddes of wheat, which you can do the more properly as he is helpful to you in niaking the farmers enter everything and deliver it into your hands. Carefully examine the papers containing the agreement between me and the Company, but as grain is in great demand in that country and beaver skins are becoming cheaper here, he ought instead of A1:ove all things. ..T)c ruiiter; tins pas?a:-;e underlined in original. De ruijter refers to Claes Jansz Ruytcr; liis wife's name wa.s Pietertje Jans. NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 43.'2 guilders a pound to furnish you beaver skins at 3)^ guilders a pound and [pay for] the wheat at [the rate of] 10 guilders a mudde. As to the debtors of dircks korsscn referring to their notes of hand, they talk about that to others, but as they know without doubt that dirck kovscn was my servant an;l that the goods which he sold to them were my goods, they may be assured that it will not do them any harm to pay to me as I am sufficiently able to guard them against further claims. They did wrong in making out their notes of hand in the name of dirck korscn, as they knew that the goods which he sold them were mine, in which I let dirck kors- sen and Jaii ficpi^ciis together have an eighth share, and as I under- stand that dirck corscn has sent over the notes of hand for collec- tion, let cornclis tcunisscn when they appear stop them in my name saying that they are false notes of hand. As to the fact that dirck korsscn has the goods belonging to the joint owners of the ship renssclacrszvyck entered in his own name, this ought to be investi- gated, and if they request Mr kicft to assist them, cornelis tcunisscn will no doubt defend my case and carry it out to my profit, for dirck corscn can not turn over to private persons goods owned in common. As to the right to the tithes, you will have to regulate yourself according to your commission, especially with regard to the farms whose leases will first expire, like those of brant pcelcn and cornclis tcunisscn, and do not change any date, for these leases must expire the first of January. This is clearly stated in the contract of Gcrrit dc rcux and therefore this date must be kept and brant pclcn must have none of the grain that was in the barn before the first of January. You must look out for that in his account, for he might think that he had a right to one half of the grain that stood on the field in May 1635. That year still belongs to me, as I paid the expenses of it and he must have his wages. [His term begins] Avith the year 1636, so that his four years end the first of January 1640 which is the end of his lease, and it is a favor on my part that I continue him till the first of January 1641. The same is the case with cornclis tcunisscn. These people do themselves a great deal of damage by depriving themselves of such beautiful farms ; hut they may do as they please. I will not rent them to any one except on the terms of the contract with inauris even if I have to have them tilled as in the beginning by rutgcrt hendrickscn, who has been an honest servant, as was also brant peclcn, but now that he begins to be rich it seems that he sides with others to his own VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 513 disadvantage. He is foolish, for I was favorably inclined toward him ; it is not for him to grant me land according to his wishes, but for me to grant him my land according to my wishes, and if he does not like it I will not force hipi to it, as others will be glad to take it. As to jacob wolfersen, he should have given me a cow for my half share in the horse. He must still do this if it has not yet been done ; or else put a price on the horse and draw lots as to who shall have it. He is a worthy man and I am surprised that he has taken the whole horse without paying me, as only one half share in it belonged to him. It is a great loss to me that cornelis teunissen and brant pclen have exchanged a horse for two cows and given four muddes of wheat in addition. I do not wish you to consent to such things next year, but inasmuch as there are so few cows in the colony I will this time overlook it. I am very anxious for the increase of the horses but especially of the cows. Enclosed is a memorandums^ from my nephew van tzvillcr to receive two cows and two calves from aert willemsen, which Cfyn cornelissen is to use on his farm and which I have granted him because he has done his best to procure good servants. The sample of the tobacco of arent van dricscn^^ is extraordinary but it has a strange after- taste, li his brother is willing to discharge him, I am willing to grant him a plantation on the basis of that of 1639, but not at all to share expenses. That must be entirely abolished and I must know what my profit will be; even if the contract of those who work without servants stipulates that instead of one half they will deliver one third to me in tobacco, I shall be satisfied. I have writ- ten to niichiel about the crystal. Read his letter and let him do as I told him. Something is said in your letter''''^ about the farm of brant pelcn. You must not get your advancement from that source.'^^ You will have enough to do in carrying out my commis- sion and instructions and in course of time when I hear of your capacity and efficiency I will give you proper promotion, but you must do like others and in the beginning not want too much. Many a young man serves his master six years in the hope of being advanced. The benefit will come to you of itself if you carry out my instructions, render me correct accounts and bring in some profit; for on this your promotion depends. You must give me an exact account of what has become of the 31 morgens of grain ^See p. 490. Arent Andriesen. commissie ; probably a mistake for missive. " ghy moet het van dikant niet hebben; literally, you must not have it from that side. 514 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY of the farm of Gcrrit dc reus which they vakied at iy^- Let the farmer'^2 account for that and if he can not do so he must be cahed before the council by cornclis teunissen to render true account. These are things which are of service to me and in case he does not render a true account he must be fined according to circumstances, for as far as I can make out from what inauris janscn says, he has been quite useless to me and caused me great loss. I am sorry about the accident of the flood and the poor crop which I had in the year 1639. One must have patience in regard to what the Lord God does, but what happens from neglect of the people ought to be remedied or punishe;!. I hope that this year 1640 will be a better year, both as to the increase of animals and the grain crop, of which I hope to be advised by the first opportunity ; and put in the inventory the hogs which are on the farms, which so far has not been done. As to Symon walings, who so far has not furnished anything, he shall also be called before the council to defend himself concerning the farm as well as the great expenses which he has occasioned, and in case the council be unanimously against their master, like the appraisers of the 31 morgens of Gerrit de reux, you will write to me about it ; and do not fear in the least to denounce their faults ; if they are unfaithful to me or very partial I must take other measures and send others. I see that last year there was a fairly good oat crop. You must take care of this and see that it is not uselessly squandered but disposed of and sold to my profit. [I see] that albert has bought a heifer for f200, which is much too high. You must make other arrangements about the provisions for the freemen, namely, if there are any oxen to be killed about that time, that they be properly divided and sold, the farmers having the preference, especially those who have raised them, and likewise about the hogs, that one does not get everything and another noth- ing. These are matters which the council are to settle. There ought to be regular fishermen in the colony who at the proper season make it their business to fish and to sell their catch among the people so that each one might get some, similarly hunters or game-shooters who can then sell their deer and turkeys to the people. Is not this much better than that every one spend his time doing this? The inventory of the animals is quite incorrect and full of mis- takes and you must in the future pay more attention to that, for " meester; intended either for bouwmeester, farmer, or for meester knecht, foreman. VAN RENSSELAER BOVVIER MANUSCRIPTS 1 can not get any clear idea from it. The lack of time excuses you to some extent, but you ought always to do this work in advance so that the time may not find you unprepared. Adopt a good form which you can continue with little trouble. If I had time I would send you one but my occupations prevent me. Vale. Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck prohibiting storing of grain and tobacco without inspection"^ July ig, 1640 The commissioners and councilors of the colony of Rensselaers- wyck by order of the patroon and his participants earnestly forbid and prohibit all farmers, tobacco planters and freemen, whoever they may be, from bringing any grain, of whatever kind, or tobacco and other products into their houses or barracks'^"* without consent of and notice to the commissioners or councilors there, in order that they may make proper examination and inspection of the same while it is still in the field or on the land, and whoever opposes or does anything against this ordinance and does not allow such proper inspection to take place, shall by way of fine forfeit the sum of 200 g-uilders. Let every one take heed that such is our intention and guard himself against loss. Done in the colony of Rensselaerswyck this 19th of July 1640. By order of the commissioners and councilors of the said colony. To my knowledge, Arendtt Van Curler, Secretary Memorandum of papers sent to the colony in the care of Crijn Cornelisz van Houten^^ Between July 2 and Sept. 10, iSzfo ^ N. B. Sent to Arundt van Curler the following papers by Crijn Cornelijsen: 1 A sealed authorization for arundt van Corlcr, />'". CorJiclijsen and Cornells teunissen, concerning the tithes 2 Copy of the letters to arundt van Corler of May 30 and July 2, 1640 3 Copy of the letter to Maurits Janscn 4 Invoice of the goods sent by the ship den Waterhont 5 [left blank in original] " V. R. B. Mss 17. Other copy in handwriting of Antony de Hooges in V. R. B. Mss 18. bergen. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.133. In handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. 5i6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet™ September lo, 1640 Johannes de laet, at Leyden 10 September 1640 I can not let the opportiiniiy of the going of S'' nutssart thither pass by without asking you to pay the last assessment (long ago ad- vanced by me), the said mussart having paid bis in good time. I see no reason why tliis is delayed. If any umbrage is taken by any of the participatits in the colony, this can b.^ properly remedied. As to the last memorial drawn up by you and caused to be hande ■ to me by Mr blonnnert, it seems to me, subject to correction, that it runs entirely off the track, and that you must have imper- fectly understood my intention, for the said memorial dissolves the colony, dispossesses the patroon and opens the door for separa- tion, which I am even asked to take the pains to procure. If thai had been the intention from the beginning, I would not have taken the trouble to undertake the management as of an ill success nothing could be expected but ingratitude an:l loss and of a gooci success nothing but trouble taken for others. It is well known that as early as November 1639''^ I declared myself as patroon, put everything in order and gave instructions in my private name and person to buy land and pay for it, and had the deeds and con- veyances made out in my name, yes, what is more, even in the be- ginning of 1630, before I shared the management with anybody in the world, I sent thither wulfert geeretsen as my director and rutgert hendericksen as my officer''* together with several farm hands and boys. This will be corroborated by all signed docu- ments, and although from January 1630 I had been spending money, I did not get a penny from any one till about two year.« later, [receiving then on the] 29th of September 1631 from blom- mert for the one fifth share {2S1 : 17: 8, from you by S'' boudewyns the same sum in November following, and from Godyn, deceased, not till February 1632 the same sum for one fifth share ; and it will nowhere appear that I have ever turned over, ceded or given any part of my patroonship or management to any one, [acting ni ■"^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.133. Should be 1629. Though Rutger Hendricksz was engaged as farmer by the patroon as early as Jan. 16, 1630, power of attorney to administer the oath of officer to him was not given to van Twiller till July i, 1632. VAN RENSSELAKR BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS this] as did Mr Godyn, deceased, and Mr hlommert, who left my name out of their conveyances, although I was one of the original subscribers to their colonies; so that I can not and may not cede in any way what belongs to me privately. But this 1 declared to you and wrote and said to maiissaert that inasmuch as the Lord has blessed me with several sons, I was willing to listen to such propositions as would prevent the patroon or the successor to the fief from cheating his brothers and coparticipants with false ac- counts and from making them pay other taxes or charges than those which might be decided by majority of votes and to such other propositions as would serve to preserve their rights ; also that if the undertaking through the Lord's blessing should get to such a point that a greater number of councilors must be appointed, each fifth and tenth share, according to circumstances, should have the right to nominate a person to hold such place under a com- mission from the patroon and that all participants, especially those who won a fifth share, may if they like empower such per- sons to inquire into such matters as they shall think advisable. And although the colony can not and ought not to be divided, it would not seem unnatural to m.e to make some subdivision and to apportion [to each participant] some private farms and lands as long as it did not interfere with the general rule, for if the sub- division were to be absolute, all things that are inseparable would have to be separated and each fifth would have to be absolute, or at least have its separate smiths, carpenters, wheelwright, shoemakers and tailor, which would be difficult. And as to the sawmill, grist-mill, bakery and brewery, how could these be sepa- rated from the wdiole, especially as to the men who often go from one master to the other? And wljat disorder would it give if there were absolute division. In short, if the colony were to be divided absolutely it would be better in order not to interfere with one another to have each fifth 10 miles from every other rather than to have them mixed. Such division has never been thought of and as to the new freedoms, these have nothing to do with the colony, otherwise we should be badly ofif, as they provide that tithes must be i)aid to the Company, from which we are free, as well as other servitudes. Some arrangement like that mentioned above serving to restrict the power of the patroon I should be willing to accept, but to do away with him entirely and to make the management popular™ is not suitable to the colony and has never been planned. ™ cjT dierectlic pofnlair te makoi; that is, to give each participant a sliare in the management. 5i8 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY It is also impossible to accomplisli it as, in addition to the patrooii- sliip and the management, I own three fifth shares, so that I can not be outvoted. It will therefore be better if we act in unity without formality as before and give the others no cause for um- brage or contention. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to the Chamber of Amsterdam of the West India Company*" October 2^, 1640 1640: 25 October, in Amsterdam To the honorable lords directors of the Chartered West India Com- pany, Chamber of Amsterdam Your honorable assembly can not be unacquainted with the fact that the long disputes which arose from time to time between your worshipful honors on the one side and Kiliaen van Rensselaer as pa- troon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck on the other side, both with regard to matters of account and the condition and the free- doms of New Netherland, were on the 19th of March last com- pletely settled and adjusted after previous consultation with the honorable commissioners of New Netherland and report thereon by the said gentlemen. All that remained to do was to grant him, the remonstrant, a proper order for the payment of the arrears agreed upon for wheat delivered for the support of your honor's subjects from March 1638. In addition to the previous delay seven months more have passed and he has not been able to ob- tain the said order, mainly, it seems, on account of the various absences of one or the other of the said honorable commissioners, and now that he has at last obtained a hearing, all he can see is that they are again trying to throw everything into confusion, re- ferring him to this assembly and seeking to render the matter al- ready decided upon as troublesome*^^ as if it had never been de- cided and this for two frivolous reasons ; first, because I drew up the resolution of your honorable body and N. B. the form to be used by the Company in granting the order, everything according to the written proposition entrusted by the said renselaer to heUechiere, which was approved by the aforesaid assembly, [the commissioners] holding that instead of " all according to " there ought to have been written "all in conformity with," as if one expression were F. i?. B. Mjj, Letter Booh, i.iz^h. raciiw; literally, raw. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 519 nut the same as the other, simply for the sake of making trouble contrary to the intention of the assembly on a subtle question of words ; second, a mere excuse, saying that in the heading of a document is written " proposition of renselaer with regard to the new account," and therefore interpreling this as a mere proposition (oh! Sancta Simplicitas) . But what at first was only a proposi- tion was later accepted by the honorable commissioners as a draft to be introduced into the assembly, first adopted on the 17th and thereafter on the 19th introduced into the assembly, not by Ren- selaer, but by the Hon. Mr hamel, who at the time presided over both the assembly and the commissioners, upon which such dis- cussion took place that he, Renselaer, waited in the anteroom for four, hours, inasmuch as the business with the honorable com- missioners consisted of two parts, the first having reference to what took place before the arrival of the Hon. Mr Kieft till the year 1638, the other as to what took place during his adminis- tration till June 1639. The first part having been read before other business was taken up, the other part was held over till after said business, when it was also read, examined and approved with the first part, whereupon the said Renselaer was called in and informed by the president that all questions of long standing were entirely settled and determined to the satisfaction of the assembly and that the papers would be placed in the custody of belechier to prevent their being stolen. The said rencelaer having accepted this ar- rangement, the president ordered a bumper of wine and drank to the health of said renselaer as a former member of the assembly in the presence of all the gentlemen present, whereupon he left gaily, notwithstanding the first document was very prejudicial to him, as may be seen clearly from the resolution, because of the lack of the proper documents on the part of the Company. However, for the sake of peace and to have once and for all an end to all disputes, he declared himself satisfied, so that he, Renselaer, has reason to be grateful as far as the honorable assembly is concerned, but on the contrary has the greatest cause to complain about the delay by the commissioners, who now at last come forward with such frivolous impertinence. Concluding, he requests of your worshipful honors an order to the honorable commissioners to grant him the order in conformity with the resolution of the 19th of March last and to let him have the substance of the contents of the approved documents in the custody of bellechier in order that they may now and in the future form the basis for mutual business. Vale. 520 NEW YORK STATK LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart"^- January 2j, 1641 Tonssain Mussart, at Leyden This 25th of January 1641, at Amsterdam This will serve to advise you tliat the ship den zvaterhondt which has long been lying in England has arrived from New Netherland in this country, but the goods and furs and other merchandise have not been brought here yet. I received some letters from there and even this morning got one from Picter cornelissen, but I suppose that there must still be many others which will gradually appear. In general, the affairs of the colony are all right, God be praised. In the year 1640 a small house burned down in which three horses perished, the accident having been caused by fire which blew from a torch with which the farmer set fire to the brush in the field, as is the custom there ; coming back he found his house on fire. On the other hand the Lord gave us that year a fair increase of foals and calves and a fine wdieat crop. We begin also to receive some returns, as I expect in three cases 681 beavers sent by this ship for the account of the colony and also a case for brant peelen and another for Cornells tcimissen, so that the undertaking is prosper- ing, God be praised. The fur trade begins gradually to get into our hands. They write from there that if we do not fail to send mer- chandise, we can each year expect plenty of returns. He had still some goods left but did not dare venture to exchange them for lack of letters from us, which unfortunately are still at Dunkirk or were thrown overboard. He writes that we should have the duffels made somewhat wider and heavier, so that it is necessary that we come together at the first opportunity to discuss the matter. Please to communicate this to Mr de lact together with my greetings. We are at hand here and can suit the convenience of the others. As to the previous request to declare myself more in detail regarding the patroonship, I referred you to the sixth article of the Free- doms, in which all our questions and disputes are decided and re- moved, to wit, that all lands purchase;! and lying within the limits of our colony, together with all the fruits, plants, minerals, rivers and springs thereof, belong to the participants in common, each in proportion to his share, but as to what the patroon liolds in fief, V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.135. VAN rensselai':r bowier manuscripts 521 this belongs to him separately an;l aloxie, the fees to be paid on each demise being also at his charge. I have never shared my right with any one of my participants, they have never asked me for it and there has never been any discussion about it with any of the participants. By what means could I then be deprived of it? I will gladly listen to reason but I declare in truth that I never heard any reason or can think of any that would deprive me of my prerogative, which belongs to me alone, and make it common to all. This is impossible, for even if I wanted I could not give it to my own children, for the article in the new Freedoms which allows the division of the jurisdiction is not found in ours, so that even if I should want to try it I could not find any ground to justify it. If a girl can lose her honor without being touched, I can lose my feudal right without having spoken a word about it or ever having given it a thought. As to what some say, that Mr Coeiiradts under- stands it that way also, I am sure that his honor will not say any- thing but what is true, but the answers depend often on the way the questions are put. Mr de laet took over his honor's share ; let Mr de laet show a document from his hand whereby his honor declares that any part or parcel of my right of patroonship belonged to him and that he ceded the same to Mr dc laet. (His honor knows very well that there were four patroons, each of whom registered in his own name at a different time, and tliat later we agreed to combine not by way of consolidation ])Ut by way of alliance, each patroon respectively participating for one fifth with the others in the three other patroonships. The truth of what I say appears clearly, namely that there were four patroons and each patroon had three partners, each of whom owned a fifth share under him and held respectively [each in his own colony] the same position [toward him as he did toward them], for it is impossible that five shares should constitute but four patroonships unless one- portion be with- out a patroon, or else not a single whole patroonship be found but each of the five shares have but 4/5 of a patroonship, to sustain which of course would be ri Uculous. Now it is beyond dispute that Mr de laett can not have taken over from Mr Coenradus more than his honor owned himself, being one fifth share in each of the three respective colonies. But, if Mr de laet claims to be a patroon, his honor is right, not of or in my colony however, but in full over the colony registered by Mr coenract himself on the first of No- vember 1629 on the east side of the South Bay, just as Mr bloiii- iiiaert on the bVcsh River, so that each one is and must remain 522 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY patroon and feudal lord of his colony and I of mine. Here, mon- sieur Mussart, you have the analysis of the whole undertaking from the beginning, with which I hope that y.ou as well as Mr dc lact and the other participants will be satisfied and rest assured, as all sensible and neutral persons will judge, that each tenth part is 50;^ better off having one head to take care of it than it would be if it were ruled by five or 10 heads, for if many heads became sleepy and trusted to one another to do the work the whole would be lost; on the other hand, if they became wide awake and each one extended his interests too far, there would be endless intrigues and dissensions and the whole undertaking would go to ruin. I con- sider each tenth part 50;^ better off and I sustain this not for my sake because I am patroon and because 1 have brought the under- taking thus far by my efforts and work, but I would sustain the same if I were simply participating under Mr dc lact or any one else who had charge of the patroonship, provided the patroon is held to render proper accounts to the participants, not to demand contributions according to his pleasure but with their consent and in all matters to consult them like confraters. I shall now leave the matter, with the understanding however that I do not want to prejudice any of the participants in anything that belongs to them and that I am willing and ready to prove and confirm and defend my patroonship and feudal right before any court or competent body of people before whom the participants might please to summon me, and more I can not do. But this is my wish and request that we may deliberate together in harmony, love and good fellowship and that I may be seconded by the help and good advice of my coparticipants, for I can say in truth that I have never been able to obtain this from Mr dc lact, not merely for a few but for many successive years, notwithstanding my repeated requests that his honor would be pleased to take the trouble to examine such papers as were sent out and received and to assist me with his good advice ; nor have I ever been able to learn that his honor, either in the Assembly of the XIX, or in the Chamber of Amsterdam, or before their High Mightinesses, has sought to recommend or to promote the cause of our colony, but this I found to my sorrow that his honor seldom or never called on me except to inquire about rarities or to ask me for some copy or document, just as if the colony did not concern his honor in the least. And when lately the undertaking through God's blessing and my trouble, care and management began to look promising, I sent VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 523 the aforesaid participants-a list of subjects for discussion at a stated meeting; but when we came together these subjects placed in their hands by my own hand were not discussed at all and not even pro- duced, indeed they would almost have pretended ignorance of them if I had not insisted on the urgency of their being taken up in connection with the letter from Messrs blonimant and de laet of which I wrote you at length on a previous occasion ; and since that time they have never come together except for the sake of Lucifer's question,^^ they state difficulties which might occur in the future in order to curtail me in what at present and rightly belongs to me and, what is more, band together against me by withholding assess- ments for which the money was furnished by me long ago; with this I do not charge you, as you paid me promptly, but the three others. This matter however has no connection with the previous question, for I do not refuse but have at all times offered and been willing to render a true account of my receipts and expenditures and to lay open the entire condition and situation of the colony, yes, more than I have been asked to do. Here I let this matter rest, having in the above lines stated and proved my contention and sufficiently protected myself in case of opposition and, I think, hereby acquitted myself of my task con- scientiously and properly in the judgment of God, of all courts and of all honest people. Neither do I intend to go further into this matter without hearing other arguments, for I have written a great deal but received no written reply except copies of propositions tend- ing to the division and consequent dissolution of the colony and the patroonship. I acknowledge that I talk too long and too much but, when I think of the trouble which I had for others and how I re- ceive nothing but opposition in return, I do not know how to bal- ance my labor against the ingratitude shown me. This was on my heart and had to get out. Further, monss Muijssart, in order that the things which are beyond question may not be neglected but properly attended to, I beg and request you once more, let us come together to attend to and put them in order (excluding Lucifer), for the affairs of the colony look so promising both with regard to the fruits of the land, as wheat, rye, oats and other summer grain, and with regard to the tobacco and other things, especially the fur trade, that by and by we may expect more returns than one might think. I will therefore in all friendship beg and request the Honor- able de Lact and yourself to have a peaceful meeting at the first oin de sake van lucifers questie; for the sake of rivalry; on accovmt of jealousy. 524 NiaV YORK STATE LIBRARY opportunity to attend to whatever is beyond dispute and in case I can not in good conscience satisfy you all, I hope that a basis such as 1 indicated above may be adopted for me whereby the profits which are beyond dispute may be attended to, the easiest means that can be found, namely, the preservation of my right under protest, being all that is necessary and that is the least 1 can do. I hope to receive a favorable reply to this from you and Mr dc Lact at the first opportunity as the time is getting short, especially for the making of the duffels so as to have them ready in time. It will be better to have our meeting in a week than in two weeks ; how- ever, you can therein suit your convenience. Vale. Sr Muijssart. When convenient please have inquiry made through Mr de laet or some one else regarding a young man, called vandcr donck, from the barony of hreda, who has studied law at Leyden and is desirous of attempting something connected with farming in our colony; and if there are no serious charges against his char- acter, as one can not always get the best to go thither, we might employ him also in some other capacity. Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Jonkheer Gerrit van Arnhem^^ January 2(), 1641 Jonckcr Gerrit Van Arnhem, deputy to [the assembly of] the High and Mighty Lords the States General, at the Hague 29 January 1641 Having- in October 1639 ^^^^ wise counsel of your honor re- solved to withhold my remonstrance to their High Mightinesses as the said High Mightinesses might perhaps have seen fit to send a copy of it to the West India Company, I decided in November following to request of the presiding Chamber of Amsterdam a grant of Venia testandi in order to confirm the rights which I had obtained to my colony.^^ Having obtained their consent as shown by the accompanying authentic copy attached to my peti- tion to their High Mightinesses and considering on the one hand the uncertainty of human life and [on the other] the changes which occur among the directors, in order that I or my family might easily obtain the further approval of their High Mighti- V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, l.izjh. *5 Venia testandi was granted by the Chamber of Amsterdam Nov. 14, 1639; approved by the States General Feb. s> 1641. See p. 537. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS nesses, I have thought it advisable to request them by petition, (referring them to the fifth article^*^ according to which their High Mightinesses are supreme in jurisdiction and sovereignty, their High Mightinesses occupying the highest position and the West India Company the next position, being second to them) not to refuse to ratify tlie same nor to delay it in any way, as at my death the young children might thus be completely deprived of what I should leave them by will. And as I do not know which is the best way to present this petition nor whether it is in proper form, I take the liberty to hand it to you by the bearer and to request you, after reading it over, to advise me what I had better do in the matter. I do not doubt its success, but much depends upon the manner of proceeding. Should your honor think it advisable to hand it yourself to the president when a good oppor- tunity ofifers I should be exceedingly honored; and if not, I should like your advice as to who should- do it for me. I could easily ob- tain some favor or recommendation from the son of my cousin^''' ^ Casemhroot, the brother in law of Secretary muts,^^ and have the petition presented by his honor if that is customary, which I doubt however as he must sign the apostil thereon. And if his honor please to do me the favor to affix the small seal of their High Mightinesses, I would gladly pay liberally for the pen, ink and wax. However, as I am ignorant of these matters I shall follow whatever advice your honor may please to give me, as you know best what is the customary fee in such cases. I beg of you very kindly and request very humbly to let me have a few lines of your honor's good advice and to hand the same when convenient to the bearer. I received by the last ship a first instalment of beaver skins or castors, but they are still in the ship ; when I get them I hope to remember your honor as the protector of my first fruits, or in case your honor's wife should have use for a good sized border of sable wliich I received from Muscovy I will send that to her honor for a New Year's present. Vale. Of the Freedoms and Exemptions, granted June 7, 1629. " nicht ; female cousin or niece. Cornelis Johannes Musch, secretary of the States General. According to a note in Oeuvres completes de Christiaan Huygens, 8:179, Jan van Casemhroot, the son of Councilor Jan Leonard van Casemhroot and of Anna Schadee, became quartermaster general of the navy and married Cornelia Musch. This Jan van Casemhroot, or Jan de Casemhroot, as the name is usually written, is probably the brother in law of Secretary Musch referred to in the text. 526 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY I do not doubt but the lord of rins-ivoiiiv^'-^ and the other gentlemen who request new freedoms will also be favorable to me in this matter, that there may be no delay or obstacle, the Company having paved the way. Sir, as the English from the North approach my colony from the Fresh River so that they can get there over land in two or three days and as I should like to defend the limits of my colony, under the supreme jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses and the Company, as far as the Freedoms granted to me allow, par- ticularly article 5, which says " and so far into the country as the situation of the occupants will permit," my situation demands that the English (who have without cause taken the aforesaid Fresh River from the Company, of which I see that the Company takes little notice so that I must pay all the closer attention to what belongs to me) that the English must remain at least on the further east side of the aforesaid Fresh River.'^'^ And in case their High Mightinesses should be pleased, in view of the Company's interest with regard to the entire North River on which I occupy the farthest position, to grant me proper commission to extend my colony into the country from the North to the Fresh River, that is to say not wider than my colony extends on that side, I would not hesitate to force a certain master pingen,^'^ an Englishman who is nearest to me, to retreat across the Fresh River, whereby the other Englishmen of the Fresh River will also be compelled not to come nearer to the Company, for if the English continue thus they will soon take possession of the whole of New Netherland, as the Company does little to come to a determination of the boundary, which is generally, it is true, a rather troublesome question. How- ever, if their High Mightinesses declared the limits of my colony to extend to the west side of the Fresh River, it would be but a private boundary and not affect the general limits which the Com- pany can defend as covering not only the entire Fresh River but even 30 miles further eastward into the country. I shall hold fast to my end and let the English try to settle the boundary them- selves, if your honor thinks that, inasmuch as the welfare of the country is also concerned in this matter, their Fligh Mightinesses will have no objection to it. I am willing to go to the Hague to Johan van Reede, lord of Renswoude. ^ The paragraph to this point is in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. ^ William Pynchon, in 1636, established a settlement in Agawam, now Springfield, Mass. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 527 lay the matter before their High Mightinesses, for I notice that the EngHsh on the one side an 1 the Swedes on the other encroach on the limits of the Company and take away their land. They might better grant it to the subjects of their High Mightinesses than to foreign nations and potentates. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart'^^ January ji, 1641 Toussain Muyssart, at Leyden This 31st of January 1641 The young man from Breda of whom I wrote you last, named vanderdonck, from the barony of Breda, called on me today and requests to contract for two or three families of farmers, from whom he has power of attorney which he showed me, to sail to our colony in \ew Xetherland on conditions that for us are better than or at least ecjually as good as those we have made before. If you hav^ made inc^uiry about him, as he studied at Leyden, please advise me of it at once, as he would like to return at the first op- portunity ; otherwise he goes to the lord of horst^ to whom our louys Satiinon, mentioned before, is also inclined to go. If this young man is of good moral character, it would be a good thing for us. Vale. V. R. n. Mss, Letter Book, f.i^Sh. dc hcerc vandcr hors' ; a; farently referring to the lord of Nederhorst, one of tlie proprietors of the colony of Achter Col, which was granted to ^leyndert Meyndertseti van Keren and which extended along the west bank of the Hudson River from about Caldwell, Rockland County, N. Y., to near Hoboken, N. J.; see N. Y. Col. Mss 2:8s, §9; Doc. rel. to Col. Hist, N. Y. Ingo, 411; 18:9; De Vries, Korte Historiael, p. 165-66; and van der Donck's map of New Netherland. In the absence of any direct evidence, it may be doubted whether O'Callaghan {Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 8:516) is correct in stating that the proprietor of the colony of Achter Col was Gerard van Reede, lord of Nederhorst, a son of Godard van Reede, plenipotentiary at the peace of Munster. Godard van Reede, who in the biographical dictionaries appears also as lord of Nederhorst, died in 1648 and presumably his son Gerard succeeded to the title in that year: any mention therefore of the lord of Nederhorst in 1641 would seem to refer to Godard and not to Gerard van Reede. 0'("allaglian's earlier statement (His'ory of New Netlierland, 1:238) that a colony "of which Meyndert Meyndcrtsen, the Ilecr Nederhorst, was patroon," was established early in 1641 — slightly modified by Brodhcad (History of the State of New York, 1:313), who sjieaks of Myndert Myndersen van der Ilorst — evi- dently rests on a confusion of persons. Nederhorst, a lordship in the former Ncderkwarticr of the province of Utrecht, now the southeast part of tlie province of North Holland, was so named to distinguish it from Hoogcrhorst, or Ter Horst, near Amersfoort, in the former Ovcrkwarticr of the province of Utrecht. \ 528 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes de Laet'-** February 4, 1641 Johan dc Laett, at Leyden In Amsterdam, this 4th of February 164 1 I duly received your honor's favor of the 29th uh., under cover from S'' Miiijssart and learned with joy that your honor was satis- fied with one part of my declaration, though you request a further explanation from me of others which seemed objectionable to your honor. Nothing- will please me more than that we may give each other satisfaction, but as far as I am concerned, during the 40 years that I have lived here I have never had any suit brought against me either here in this city or at The Hague on account of my per- sonal management, nor have I talked with any one about our affairs, as I notice has been done on the other side, except with those who made some propositions to me and to whom I did not fear to state the matter as it was. I see that the difficulty which your honor raises has reference to the freedom of your honor's person and is set forth in a lengthy argument. I never intended nor has it ever entered my mind to let my own person, or you or any one else, prevail in a way that would imply subjection, so that from the outset you are under great misapprehension and according to my mind, to give your honor any satisfaction in this matter, this dis- tinction must be made that owning property is something entirely different [from having the administration of it J. The partici- pants of the West India Company have the ownership but the administration or direction belongs to the directors, with certain reservations agreed upon between the directors and chief partici- pants by way of amplification of the charter. All the land in our colony together with the fruits thereof belongs to the participants equally, each in proportion to his share, but the administration or direction belongs to the patroon ; and herein we respectively shared in such a way that I trusted to some one else the administration or direction of my money and goods and that person trusted his to me in return and if we had remained on that basis we should all four of us have had the same privileges. What difference can it make to me that others make a change herein, as for instance that Mr Godyii, retaining but the bare name of patroon. per- mitted as many as ten people to share in the management, where- M F. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.isSb. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 5^9 upon the business ran into great expense on account of the many directors, one wanting this and another something else, and had to be sold at a loss of f40,ooo? What difference does it make to me that the Hon. Coenradus also sold and ceded his colony with its appurtenances ; or what dift'erence can it make to me that Mr blonimart never began or developed his? Shall I, who have usually been vigilant and diligent in my management, be deprived of my powers, and do my partners who have either sold or not cared for their rights now want to enter upon mine? This is without reason and ought not to be asked by any one. And as to the fidelity of my management I have stated with sufficient clearness that it is not my intention to make the participants contribute more than they please and see fit and have also submitted lo the request to render detailed accounts so that I make myself less rather than more important than any one else. However, as I feel sure that this will not remove your objection I shall proceed to the second part relating to the colony. Above I spoke of the participants who are on an equal basis each in proportion to his share and of the management which belongs to the patroon provided he is obliged to render proper accovmts ; it is a question which part is the more important. Leaving aside for the present the administration or management of the use and ownership of the property, I am com- pelled to refer to the jurisdiction or judicature of the colony and I notice that there is a great misapprehension on this subject which might have serious consequences, namely, that persons are supposed to be subject in the same sense as their estates may be. One can have a free or a dependent or, taking it at its worst, a servile es- tate but it does not follow that a free person on account of that dependent estate becomes a serf. So that, sir, the fear which your honor has of losing his freedom does not give the least cause for argument or worry, -though it is true that in my colony I have the management of your honor's property, as in similar circumstances your honor would have had like power over mine if you or the Hon. Coenradus had cared to keep your colony as I did mine. If I have anything special at present it is but what your honor would have had too, namely, the management of the property and the exercise of justice in the colony. Heretofore I have spoken of the property. I shall now speak also of the administration of justice which only those are competent to exercise who are specially authorized to do so either by virtue of descent from their fore- fathers or by grant froni competent authorities. As with us the 530 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY right was not acquire ! by descent we must look for a grant and see from whom and how it was acquired. The first place belongs to their High Mightinesses the Lords States General. The second to the Chartered West India Company by charter. The third to the patroons by perpetual fief. Now wliat has the company granted? The ownership of the land? Not at all, for by article 26 they stipulate that the patroons mwst compensate the savages for the land, so that the ownership does not proceed from a gift pure and simple but from purchase, in which many can participate. But this the Company granted, namely, according to article 6, " the high, middle and low jurisdiction, fishing, fozvling and grind- ing,^^ to the exclusion of all others to be holden from the Company as a perpetual inheritance " and this is what I am entitled to in my colony and others in theirs. I do not dare write here all I think of it; however, we must give each other all the information we can. It seems to me, sir, that, though I never noticed you to do so [in other matters], you on the contrary confound what the whole world distinguishes between, namely, ownership and juris- diction, for many millions of people have ownership in land over which but one has jurisdiction or is judge; it is true that in this country there are combinations of jurisdiction, especially in sticht,^'' but this is the result of their union in one person. Besides, here in Holland fiefs are rare and unusual, but in Gelclerland they are common and there are fiefs of all kinds and of all forms of succes- sion, for instance the duke of Gelderland is the overlord of the lady of eltcn'^" and the abbot of paterborn.''^ From this lady and the abbot respectively I hold fiefs, but without jurisdiction, nevertheless my fiefs have sitbficfs so that people of quality who hold the highest offices there must pay me rents of small value; however, for so far as these estates themselves proceed from me, would a nobleman have the less freedom or respect because he must pay me rent? In no wise, therefore, is yoiu- honor's freedom de- pendent on me, even though your honor's ])ropcrty lies within m\ jurisdiction, the less so as I shoul l have had ])ro]:)crty of the same kind under your honor's jurisdiction if things had taken their proper course. Therefore, sir, do not dispute my perpetual fief of inheritance which costs none of my participants a penny; but if it Underlined in Letter Book. ^ The Bishopric of Utrecht. ^ de vrouwe van elten ; the abbess of the former convent of Hoch EJten, on the Elten- berg, near Emmerich, Rhine province, Prussia. ^ Paderborn; province of Westphalia, Prussia. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS please you and the other con f raters I will speak not only of you or the other persons, to each of whom I leave his full prerogative, but so far as the land or property there is concerned, I will speak also of myself and what proceeds from my perpetual fief and shall show that it has more features, be they what they may, than you or any one else of the confraters suppose, and this the more so in consideration of the several children which the Lord has given me. about whom I have said and written enough. But as long as your honor or the others, no matter who it may be, dispute my per- petual fief, it is but reasonable that your honor show me some ground for it either verbally or by written instrument, for without that I do not know on what tack we sail. At first there were four of us who were patroons, now there is but one person ; at first there were five shares among us, thereafter four shares, then again, five shares, and now there are 10 shares and by death there might easily be 20, 40, 80 or even smaller shares and if every share made the same claims as the 10 shares do at present, what would become of the management and the administration of justice. Examine the matter well, sir ; the 80 shares would have the same reason to act against me that the 10 shares now have, for the smaller share has as much right as the larger share, unless some shares had certain specific rights, which will not appear. But your honors may rest assured, not for the sake of your honors' persons but for the sake of the property aforementioned, there are several territories and lordships in the colony and I shall gladly yield as much as I can but I do not intend that one tenth share shall have more than low jurisdiction and two tenth shares together, or one fifth, more than middle jurisdiction, otherwise the jurisdiction which is derived from the Lord God would give rise to despotism. The tribes of Israel descended from the twelve patriarchs never had more than one judge at a time in the promised land of Canaan. I am sorry that T have to bring up such an example, for our colony is still so tender and it will be so long before it can be called a village,^ or even a hamlet,^ that it will sooner be divided into 80 portions. However, as it has pleased the Assembly of the Nineteen to lay such founda- tion, I hope anfl think I know what has been given me and, be it said without boasting, that I understand my rights but I pray God that He will grant me the intelligence to exercise and maintain them. Although for a long time I have not thought about the ^ dorp. * gelmcht, 532 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY granting of the said privileges the matter is so definitely settled that in all the violent altercations which took place about the affairs of New Netherland it has never been disputed. It is true that Mr Coenradus never wanted to accep; the said articles but his honor never tried to get away from them except by transferring his pos- sessions. The Lord our God be judge between us and as for my- self I am satisfied that I do not keep more than belongs to me and have never ceded anything to any one, and if your honor and the other three do not desire more than belongs to them either, our dift'erence will soon be settled. If you will satisfy me on some points, I will show that I am neither obstinate nor too ignorant to give you satisfaction on others and in yielding my rights, with the exception "of placing the management of the colony in the hands of many, show myself to be as willing as can possibly be asked from me. I must ask your honor a question which you have so often asked of me, namely how I understand the right of patroon- ship. How does your honor understand it? Must each fifth part as it was at the time of Mr Coenradus, or each fourth part as it became later, or each tenth part as is is now, or each still smaller part as it might become by sale or death, be consulted in the man- agement of the property as well as in the administration of justice? And how must it go in case none of the participants have any sons or daughters? The inexpediency thereof will appear at once, so that each colony must necessarily have a single administrator of property which can be inherite l and owned and which may be divided and subdivided am.ong sons and daughters ad infinitum. On the other hand, if the administration of justice coultl also be divided like the ])receding so that many hundreds of people could have a share in the administration of justice, it ought to be re- stricted by special regulation. It is true that each colony might as- sume the form of a comi)any of ship freighters or be i)ut on the basis of the West India Company so that a certain number of chief participants or land owners would nominate the administrators from whom the company must elect a certain number. These nominators however would have to be limited to a certain number, otherwise one would have to meet new difficulties with regard to succession in case of death. [The Company], understanding this, entirely barred the way to all subdivision of jurisdiction by thus far not allowing any ownership of jurisdiction (so that no one in case of subdivision could make any pretension thereto) but de- cided to have the same administered and to grant it in fief, as the second part of article 6 shows as clearly as the light of the sun at VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 533 midday. The Company not desiriiig to give to the government of the colony many heads, states that the patroon, of whom mention is made in the preceding article, shall hold the high, middle and low jurisdictioi from the Company to the exclusion of all others'-^ (not as an estate of inheritance but) as an imperishable fief of in- heritance, subject to homage,'^ and this so strictly that if the pa- troon slioukl want to will any part thereof to his children or heirs (having no power to do so during his lifetime ami such action taking effect only after his death) he must during his lifetime re- quest a grant to do so. The provision in the new draft of the Freedoms that the high jurisdiction may be divided will not readily pass if the high an:l mighty government of this country properly see to it ; but taking it for granted that those who are intereste;! should obtain it, what would it mean? Would it be for the best interest of this country, or the best interest of the Company, or the best interest of the colony or the participants? Not at all; but for that of the patroon s who seek to obtain it and whose birth gives them a right to be called to a seat in the Provincial States when they have such right of jurisdiction, so that a patroon who had six sons and who should confer the high jurisdiction on each of them, could recommend one to a seat, in the States General, another in the Council of State, and the rest in the Provincial States, the representation of the nobility, and so on. If your honor thinks that these articles have reference to the participants, I can not find that as they are drafted at present the participants are in any way concerned in them, but their children and heirs, provided they also apply for a grant to transmit their jurisdiction. However our Freedoms are not so w^orded, so that it is unnecessary to speak thereof. And as the 7th article is not so limited that it precludes the patroon from including others therein and I have already ob- tained a consent or grant from the Company to dispose of the sai 1 fiefs by will according to my pleasure I am willing to make such disposition (not as a matter of obligation, but of my own free will) as to enfief my participants, that is to say, the fifth shares or each two tenth shares, just as my own chil 'ren, other than the patroon, with the middle and low juriscHction, fishing, fowling and grinding, to be divided respectively among the five lordships within the colony so that the patroon will in the first place keep the high juris- diction and also retain in one of the five lordships the middle and low jurisdiction and further — as two of his brothers, as well as t\Vo of his participants, are counted by mc each as one fifth share. " Underlined in Letter Book. 534 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY for the sale of one half of their right does not concern me — cede by way of fief to each in the lordship to be selected by him middle and low jurisdiction, fishing, fowling and grinding inclusive, sub- ject to a fee of fio, whenever the fief descends or changes hands. And further it is inadvisable, even impossible, to go; for if we made some agreement, contrary to the Freedoms of the colony, no matter how much I might grant or promise your honor or the other participants, believe me, sir, none of these promises could be kept no matter how firmly I bound myself to fulfil them, unless a special article to that effect (not a set of new freedoms, for these the other patroons could not oblige me to recpest) were inserted in the Freedoms by the Assembly of the XIX, at my request as fief holder, granted by the Assembly of the XIX and approved by their High Mightinesses who have acknowledged me as patroon. In this way it would have to and could be done and not otherwise, except by testamentary disposition according to article 7 afore- mentioned, by way of subfiefs. Sir, I have treated this matter somewhat more fully than was necessary for the sake of giving you as much satisfaction as pos- sible and I have taken this trouble to show you that I on my side am willing to do ail I can to exclude Lucifer, and if it is not stated as neatly as it might have been, it has flown this way from my pen in haste, without consulting anyone but a certain person^ who studied up to the time of taking his degree. Having got into an argument about feudal rights, he replied that the professors at Leyden had said that they seldom occur in Holland and that it was useless to waste one's time on them. Excuse me, sir, if I notice in your honor's letters that you confound the management of the property with the administration of justice, which are dis- tinguished from each other by the Freedoms, the first being made heritable, so that a last of grain might be divided into quantities not larger than a thimbleful, while on the other hand the adminis- tration of justice is made, not many-headed, but single-headed and, furthermore, not a single-headed administration transmissible by descent, but a perpetual fief which must pay homage to its lord and acknowledge him in other ways such as are reserved to the High Mightinesses the Lords States General and the Company from the patroons by article 5. The expression " high jurisdic- tion " is used here by mistake, as this is conferred on the patroons by article 6. It should be " supreme jurisdiction," having refer- ence to sovereignty. * Probably Adriaen van der Donck. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 535 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssarf* February j, i6^t Toiissdiii Muyssart, at Leyden 5 February 1641 Enclosed I send a letter to Mr dc laet in which I have set forth in haste yet at length not only the reasons but also the fundamental principles, as well of the management as of the administration of justice, upon which the Assembly of the XIX have granted the respective colonies, the management and administration of the property being accountable and communicable to the participants or owners of the said colonies, while the administration of justice is held by the respective persons as a perpetual fief from the Com- uany. I am sorry that my con f raters have not done as I have done ; they would then have the management of my property in the same way as I have now the management of theirs and they would see that their interests were equally well cared for. As I have stated at all times orally and in writing and as I now again declare to Mr de laet, I am willing to render proper accounts to the participants and to advise with them about everything. As far as the administration of justice is concerned it is out of pure affection that I reserve to my- self the high jurisdiction, in order to keep the colony in one hand and under one head as a protection against all injurious separation and subdivision. To each fifth part might be given middle and low jurisdiction under payment of a fee of fio whenever the fief de- scends. And if they should want to subdivide these fifth shares still further, each fifth share might grant by way of subfief a tenth share with stipulation of the payment of a fee of f5 whenever the fief descends, while retaining the low and middle jurisdiction, for I can not understand how a fiftli share consisting of two tenths shares could administer the middle and low jurisdiction except by their taking turns, and how would that go in the future? But according to the preceding arrangement there will always be one who administers the high jurisdiction in general, while there will be five participants who by right of descent administer middle and low jurisdiction, which is a good arrangement. Now as far as I am concerned, I do not care which twentieth share is to have the middle and low jurisdiction, whether one cares to cede to another or they draw lots for it ; it amounts to the same thing to me, I like the one as well as the other. * V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.i4ib. NEW YORK STATE LIL'.RARY Further, Monsz^ Muijssart, I am gla;l to hear the good testimony about the young man who left some clays ago and proceeds with his plan. I hope that we will get good service from him but if you should hear anything to the contrary, ])lease let me know. I am anxious that we should come together some time to talk about the merchandise which we are to send and also about having the duffels made somewhat wider, heavier and more woolly than the preceding. We shall receive more than twice as much for them not by getting more skins but by getting the largest and the best. I am sorry that the survey of the land in our colony by laiiioiitangnc was not com- pleted. I forgot to write about it and therefore Cornclis Teuncssen, whom I appointed as the representative of the patroon and the par- ticipants, objected to it and I can not blame him either that he did not allow this without order from his patroon, for it might have serious consequences, as one participant might give different orders from another. I did not think of this when you read the letter to me and it appears that the servants pay more attention to their duties than the masters. I think, however, that he refused this largely on his own account, as he has always stated that the lands are smaller than they really are. I will see to this at the first opportunity. It would have been better if you had given me a recommendation to la montaiignc to help me in this matter pro- vided I paid him for it and that I had requested and authorized him to carry it into effect. It seems to me his charges are pretty high, making a voyage of six weeks out of what in good seasons with a small vessel can be done in six days. I presume however that his survey took that length of time. I am surprised that Cornclcs teunisscn did not write anything about it. Vale. Resolution of the States General empowering Kiliaen van Rens- selaer to dispose of his fief of Rensselaerswyck by wilp February 5, 1641 Clein Segel Copy 2st Extract from the register of resolutions of [signed] /.• V : lisse the High and Mighty Lords the States Gen- eral of the United Netherlands Tuesc'ay the 5th of February 1641 There was read in the assembly fne petition presented to their High Mightinesses in the name and on behalf of Kiliaen van ^ V. R. B. Mss 19, marked ITiiij. Translation revised from Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. y. 1:124. VAN RENSSELAER liOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 537 Rensselaer, patroon of his colony naniccl Rensselaerswyck, situated on the North River of New Netherland, praying approval of a cer- tain order entered hy the Chamher of the West India Company sit- uated in Amsterdam, the 14th of November 1639, on the margin of the petitioner's request to be allowed according to the seventh article of the Freedoms granted to the colonists in New Netherland afore- said to dispose of his, the petitioner's, fief or estate of inheritance referred to in the sixth article of the said Freedoms. Where- upon after deliberation and consideration of the fifth article of the above mentioned Freedoms, th.e'r Fligh Mightinesses instead of the aforesaid approval by him prayed for have granted and allowed the petitioner Vcniam testandi, in order to enable him to dispose by last will, according to his pleasure, of the aforesaid fief of inherit- ance or feudal estate, whereof letters patent in c'ue form shall issue to the petitioner. Below was written: Agrees with the aforesaiil register. And was sigiied : Corn Musch 1641. Concordat hacc Copia cum suo Originali Quod attestor infrascriptus notarius Publicus Amstelodami rcsidcns A /j Mayiis A. 1641. [signed] /.• vande Ven nots Pub. xiij J641 5 Letters patent empowering Kiliaen Rensselaer to dispose of his fief of Rensselaerswyck by will'' Fehurary 5, 1641 The States General of the United Netherlands, to all who shall see these presents or hear them read, greeting. Be it known, that on the humble petition of Kiliaen 1 an Rensselaer, patroon of his colony named Rensselaerswyck, situated on the North River of New Netherland, within the limits of the Cjcneral Chartered West India Company of this country and taking into consideration the fifth article of the ]'>eedoms, granted by the Assembly of the XIX of said Company to all those who shall plant any colonies in New Netherland aforesaid, we have granted, allowed and conceded, and do of our sovereign power by these our letters patent grant, allow ^ V. R. B. Mss 20. Parchment, 52x67 cm. Translation revised from Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. y. 1:124. 538 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY and concede unto him, the petitioner, authority to dispose of, be- queath, and give directions concerning the aforesaid his fief, named Rensselaerswyck, either by form of last will and testament and codicil before a notary and witnesses, superintendents and commis- sioners of fiefs within whose jurisdiction the said property is situate, or elsewhere and otherwise at his pleasure, for the behoof of his children, if he has any, friends and relatives or others, strangers, as he shall please and think proper ; the aforesaid, his fief to his child- ren or other persons to give, convey, or leave, in whole or in part ; thereupon to charge rents, hereditary or for life, or to give any one the usufruct thereof, at his discretion and good pleasure. We have further given, and do hereby give, the petitioner permission and power to change, enlarge, diminish and revoke his aforesaid last will and testament which he shall thus make, or has previously made, by codicil or other arrangement of last will, whenever and at all times that he shall please ; which testament, gift and order thus made, or to be made, by the petitioner, we now, for them, have con- firmed and ratified, and by these our letters patent do confirm and ratify, and will that it be maintained and executed, and be valid and of good effect forever, and that to whomsoever the aforesaid petitioner has given the said fief, or a portion thereof, or assigned any rents or usufruct thereof, he shall use the same according to the laws, statutes and customs of the place wherein situated, in the same manner, and in all forms and ways as if the said gifts or grants were properly made and executed before the above mentioned General Company, or others, its agents. Provided, that to whom- soever the above named petitioner shall give, order, or make over the aforesaid fief, whether man or woman, he shall be bound, within a year and six weeks after the death of the aforesaid pe- titioner, or his or her entrance into possession of the above described fief, to do homage unto us and to no one else, and pay the fees thereunto appertaining and belonging, all without fraud, guile or craft. Wherefore we do request and order the aforementioned General Chartered West India Company to instruct and command the governors, or commanders and council, who now are, or shall hereafter be in New Netherland, and moreover all others whom it may in any wise concern, conjointly and each individually as it may behoove them, to maintain and execute according to its form and tenor the order, last will and testament of the above named pe- titioner, as he shall have made, or yet shall make it (and as now by us ratified and confirmed as said above) ; and to allow and permit VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 539 whomsoever he, by his last will and testament, has given and granted the aforesaid fief, or shall have made, assigned, or shall yet make, give or assign, any rents or usufructs, the quiet and peaceable use and enjoyment thereof, without causing or allowing him at any time to experience any let, hindrance or molestation therein to the contrary. Given under our seal, paraph and the signature of our secretary, at the Hague, on the fifth of February, sixteen hundred and forty one. [signed] P'' 0 Lijcaji^'" 1641 [Seal of the United Netherlands] By order of the aforesaid the honorable Lords the States General [signed] Corn Musch 1641 Johannes de Laet to Kiliaen van Rensselaer" February 8, 1641 Sir : I have duly received your favor of the 4th instant, in reply to which I shall briefly state the situation of our affairs as I have always understood them and still understand them. The Company, deeming it advisable to throw open to individuals those things which according to the charter it alone was entitled to do, did so by the offering of freedoms and in other ways and with the stipulation of what was to be done in return by those who wished to enjoy those privileges. Among those things which the Company alone possessed and wished to share with others was the right to populate the lands within its jurisdiction. These lands were of two kinds; some had iheir inhabitants and government (bad or good as the case might be), others were still wild ; and the conditions to be imposed on those who accepted the [freedoms] must be arranged accordingly. Our subject relates to lands which were inhabited. The Company by a general grant promises that all those who shall bring into New Netherland a certain number of people within a certain time shall in return enjoy such privileges as are more fully expressed in the grant so that the grant is a gift with conditions : do this, and you shall in (in pietcr Olycan, at different times schepen and burgomaster of Haarlem and i63i-,-^.i, 1640-42, member of the States General. He was born in 1572 and died in 1658. Hcraldieke Bibliotheck, 1879, 6:374. ■> V. R. B. Mss 21. 540 NEW YORK STATE LIP.RARY return enjoy that. In a'ldilion the Comi)any has stipulated that no former owners are to be (Hspossesse 1 of their lands by foree, but that they must be paid for their interest. This having been pro- posed by the Company and offered to every one, Messrs Conradi, Godijn, Blomrnart and your honor agreed to declare your willing- ness to the Company to do each in a certain district what is re- quired by the conditions and in return therefor to enjoy what is promised by the Company, with tliis understanding among your- selves that the expenses were to be borne by shares, in the same way in each colony, namely, that the person who should make the promise and sign the agreement with the Company shouhl be re- sponsible for two fifth shares and the others each for one share, making five shares in all. This has later been changed in some respects and can always be change 1 again, each one being master of his own, but is really not essential to the matter. Idie registration having been made, nothing was thereby obtained from the Company, nor could anything be obtained before the conditions which the Company exacted were complied wdth ; for example (to come some- what closer to the matter between us), your honor did not by your signature or registration in the Company's book become fief holder in New Netherland, but bound yourself to do as the Com- pany required in order in return to enjoy what it offered, the ar- rangement being exactly the same as that of the charter and participation in the Company, for it was not enough to sign to be a participant, but money hai to be furnishe 1 also. To proceed, your honor making registration on the North River, had no in- tention of complying with the conditions alone (neither had the other gentlemen), for you ha 1 agreed with one another to carry on all these affairs with common funds [contributed] in the pro- portion above mentioned ; nobody reserved anything special for himself but what existed in fact.^ Your honor ])romised the Com- pany and agreed to comply with the terms and so had the others ; by this a perpetual fief was to be obtained which was to be granted and to descend to a single indivi 'ual ; these things could not well be separated. In this way it was reserved for your honor, and also for the others who registered to receive the fief and have the name thereof. Anything more I do not find reserved in your contract or that of the others and those who were the participants or who since have become so in their stead did not have to make a single stipu- lation with your honor for they entered into partnership as to niemant en bcdongh daer ids spcciads voor hemscJucn ah t' gene dat in feijt hcstont. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS expenses and therefore must also have entered into partnership as to everything that might be obtained therewith. Even if it had so happened that you had first associate ! partners with yourself after the registration of the colony in the book of the Company, your honor could not (with reason) make stipulations with your partners, for your honor could not give them but what they could if they wished get from the Company jusl as easily as your honor got it, for everything remained still to be done, all expenses and nivestments were still to be made or to be considered by the copart- ners and those who might later be admitted as such by your honor or others, so that everything that was oljtained at the registration or was to be obtained later, was obtained with the money of the partners who contributed in even shares. Should your honor now come and say — these lands which have been bought belong indeed to the copartners in common, the people or the colonists which have been sent over there are for the loss or profit of the partners, but the hereditary fief belongs to me alone ; I alone have the ad- ministration of justice an:l whatever else the Freedoms grant in connection therewith accorc'ing to the regulations and, reserving to myself the high jurisdiction, I will gladly extend to niy partners the middle and low jurisdiction ? 1 wish that somebody could tell me the arguments upon which such an arrangement could be based. In companies for the diking of land, everything is obtained for the partners in common ; nobody gets anything for himself alone, but every partner receives in pro])ortion^tu his share in the whole, yes, even (to touch on this point also) he who owns a share of 6000 guilders in the company has just as much to say about the ad- ministration as he who has ten times as much in it ; and the small town of purincrend has as much voice in the assembly of the States'' as the city of Amsterdam. To conclude, as I have also explained to your honor by word of mouth, my un;!erstanding is (till some one can inform me differently) that all t'.iat has been produced and obtained in the colony of Rensselaerswyck and all that is owned there, free;loms, dignities, jurisdic'dcn, hereditary fief, was received by our company in common, and not one thing by your honor privately and the rest by us ; that your honor bears the name of the colony is all well and good inasmuch as you made the regis- tration and are the largest shareholder but your honor is not entitled to more, alone and above us and in good faith. Seeing that your honor talks so much about a fief, has your honor letters of feoflf- ' The States of Holland and West Friesland. 542 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ment from the Company and [from] their High Mightinesses by which Rensselaerswyck is acknowledged as a lordship with criminal jurisdiction and your honor as a vassal? 1 imagine not and that you would not easily obtain either. I shall say little of the admin- istration; it is true that it is customary in all companies to entrust the administration to a few ; so it happens in our company here aiid this because too many administrators make confusion, but no ex- amples will be found where the entire administration is entrusted to a single individual and I do not think either that your honor seeks this. Our number is still sufficiently small and in the course of time there would probably be enough work for us all to rack our brains about, one having knowledge of one thing and another of something else. That he who has ten shares should have some- what more power than he who has but two seems reasonable enough but is not taken into account by any government, otherwise in all cities the richest must become magistrates and the largest share- holders be chosen as directors. If we could only get over this first difficulty and if your honor could only understand that like master, like man^** and that "we form a partnership (your honor wants to make us cardinals but be pope yourself) and that everything still belongs to us in common, just as if it were a newly diked-in polder which has not yet been sold in lots, the manner of administration will then readily be settled among us. I shall say this however that, although I ascribe to your honor much intelligence and wisdom, I do nevertheless not believe that your honor would be able to do the work alone, especially if the government and the administration of justice must be looked after and proper officers and instructions and everything else connected therewith provided, as you would have to do if you alone should have the jurisdiction. And what would become of us if your honor or those who may succeed you should make an important mistake? To conclude, for my part, I do not want anything from you ; for, as I understand it, your honor has nothing that I have not also, except that as you have advanced more money, you ought also to enjoy more re- turns and if the polder (by way of speaking) came to be divided into lots, to expect more land. Your honor may now as well state your intentions in the matter, for I am neither inclined nor is it convenient for me to write again and again and at length on this subject and draw up a "process verbal" as it were; if I see that I can not have it as I thiirk it ought to be and as I should want to gel. municken gel. cappe; like monks, like caps. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 543 treat someone else if it were my case, I shall withdraw from the business, try to make the most of it without obligating myself in any manner but sell it for what it is worth. After friendly salutations, I commend you to God. Leyden this 8th day of February 1641. Was signed: /. de Laet Kiliaen van Rensselaer to^ Louis Saulmon" February 21, 1641 Louijs Saidiiioii, at Breda This 2ist of February 1641 In reply to yours of the loth instant, I will say that I am in- formed that the Company will make a ship ready to sail to New Netherland but I do not yet know definitely when, nor how much room there will be left in it. I have no doubt but there will be plenty of room for the passengers but I am much afraid not for the animals, unless a special ship be hired for that purpose. I spoke to the young man vanderdonck, who was here with you, about the condition of my animals in the colony. Fie showed me an order or power of attorney from the people who were to sail thither. He will tell you about my animals ; it takes too long to write about it. As far as I understand from him you are not quite agreed about the voyage. Let me know about this when convenient and tell him also that the ship is being made ready by the Company. I gave him some idea as to the conditions; you might come together and talk the matter over, especially if you are agreed. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart^^ March 25, 16 41 Toussain Muijssart, at Leyden In Amsterdam, the 25th of March 1641 I still have your letter of the i8th instant and see that you obtained consent to have duffels made yards wide, which suits me very well. However, as I do not know what the situation is among ourselves (though you have paid me your last assessment in full) and as the fur trade is not an essential part of the participation as regards the ownership of the colony,^^ I should like to know " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.i^zh. ^- V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.i42b. Underlined in Letter Book. 544 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY whether Mr dc Lact as well as yourself are willing to participate in the merchandise which is sent thither or might still he sent, in crdcr that we might revise the list proposed by me and according to circumstances increase or diminish the quantity. If so, I shall not fail as soon as I receive notice from you to call a meeting to discuss the matter thoroughly with one another. 1 shall expect the decision of both of you respecting this, so as to speak of it also to the participants who are here as soon as 1 receive notice from you and then to prepare for the appointed time. Now, as to the other matter, I had already drafted one half of my letter to Air de Lact, but as Mr Blommaert informed me of his displeasure at my prolixity, I broke off and stoppe.l my work, the more so as the said Mr Blommaert intimated to me that the participants intended to constrain or force me by legal process and because I understand further that four owners of tenth shares have banded together not to act without each other's consent, which is a kind of plot. In addition to this comes this third reason, that certain advocates or lawyers in going by boat from Utrecht to Amsterdam, discussed (though v.\ Latin) our controversy at length, mentioning me in fact on the one side and the other three (not mentioning you) on the other si le by name and putting me in the wrong (though no sentence has been pronounced) ; so that I can see clearly what is brewing. Therefore, Mr Muijssart, this short letter will serve only to request you and Mr dc Lact kindly to give me some information regarding the matter in order that I may not be taken unawares for I have till this hour consulted no one in this matter. If these things are done behind my back and with- out my knowledge and if efforts are made to draw me out by letters, this will not deprive me of my just rights and lo to T2 years' possession; the reasons which I gave are simple indeed and must be taken literally and to break off my prolixity I can not help giving from the bottom of my heart this categorical answer to his : that of all that is in dispute hctivecn us nothing zvas bought ■:cith his money or obtained by [his] promise [nor by any] giving or promising of money, but all zvas oivned before I ever gave money or promised to give money and zvas never ceded by me to any onc}'^ This will be found to be the truth and herewith ending, etc. 1* Underlined in Letter Book. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 545 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem van Galen^"* April 20, i6.ji Willem rail galcn, at Utrecht 111 Amsterdam, the 20th of April 1641 I see that the heirs of Gcrrit dc Rcux deceased have given you power of attorney to liquidate their accounts with me. I am sur- prised that after I here made them variovis propositions, as the matter is very intricate and confused, and after I offered to pay them a considerahle sum in order to avoi 1 long delay and to acquire reputation for liberal dealing since I send many people thither every year, and after they agreed to consider said sum with a view to letting me know their decision later, I never heard from them again and that now, on the contrary, I understand that they have given you power of attorney. If thcy seek tedious proceedings the work is sufficiently adapted thereto, so that it will not be so easily settled as one might think. If you like to try it, call at your convenience, as I am at home most of the time, Thursday after- noons however I am always engaged and each day gives me enough to do, especially at present when I am busy sending to New Nether- land 30 people with their necessary equipment. When you come please bring the power of attorney and the necessary papers to facilitate the work as much as possible. I am not the only one concerned in it and some of my partners live in this city and others at Leyden. However, I shall expedite the matter as much as pos- sible. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart^*' April 20, 1641 Toussain Miiijssart, at Leyden This 20tli of April 1641, in Amsterdam A few days ago I spoke to S^' bessels and yesterday to Mr hlom- mart about the sending of the merchandise to New Netherland, who gave me to understand that all will go well. Therefore, I ask you kindly, as much of the time has been spent in dispute, in all diligence to have 36 dufifels made of ''^ yards width, to wit: 18 beautiful red, nine steel gray and nine beautiful blue ones, V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.143. i« V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.i43b. 35 546 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Init none of those drab ones which were sent before and which no one wants; i also ordered some to be nia;le al ca.nl'eii, as L di 1 not know what onr friends were incUned to do. i'lease to let me know your decision in this matter; but if the friends should not be inclined to participate therein and to pay the previous assessments which are still wanting-, i shall rest content with those which I have luul made for ni}' account at kaiiipcn. And as to trading, which as aforesaid is not an essential part of the colony, 1 shall in the future have to carry this on for my private account, for there is no reason why those wdio do not furnish the money should derive any prohts. In the future those who do not care to furnish their share for the trade will have to run no risk on that account but also will have no rigl.t to claim or expect any profit. Yet I hope that my friends will not desert me, who have most of the trouble ; the other wav would be tlie easiest for me but as 1 have taken the trouble for so many years I shall not be the hrst to seek a change. I have engaged at least 25 persons to go thither and have com- miuiicated the contracts to Mouse'' bcsscls. \ also offered to send them to Air bloinmacrt and shall be gla.l to do so to Mr dc Lact and yourself, either jointly or separately. The Company has grante{l me permission to send over on payment of freight charges 12 cows which 1 ordered yesterday to be bought in goylant because the land is high there an 1 more of the nature of that of New Netherland.. 1 wish tr.at we might have a friendly meeting, leav- ing the question of jus palro)ia:cs alcnc, to consider together what we had better do or leave undone, in which case I shall do with joy and diligence for your four what 1 would do for my six tenth parts ; but if we can not bring about such meeting I shall do what is easiest and carry on the trade for my own profit and at my own risk. Please to communicate this matter to AJr dc lact before his departure in order that his honor may make arrangements about the money that his honor has not yet paid on the last assessmenr. I estimate that I shall send about fi2,ooo worth of merchandise, as our business promises to yield large yearly ])rohts and returns. Deducting at a rough estimate f6DOo which the furs above their cost and other expenditures will yiel 1, the remaining f6ooo come to f6oo for each tenth share. Jf his h.onor does not wisli to risk that much I am willing myself to furnish the assessment of his honor and those of all others who have any hesitation about it. provided that I keep for myself the profit or loss which the Lord shall grant me; but for them to let me go on like this and to think VAN RKNSSKLAER ISOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 547 that if the enterprise succeeds the j^mfit wiU be theirs and it fails the loss will l)e mine, aside from the fact that it is un-Christian, might turn out to be an unfounded conclusion. Therefore 1 ask you kindly to let me have your decision as far as your account is concerned and that of Air dc lact with regard to his. The remain- ing gentlemen I will speak to here. If the friends were willing, I should as far as my six tenth shares are concerned be glad to send f6ooo worth of merchandise beside- the a1x)ve named f 12,000, together making f 18,000, for our busi- ness looks very promising and the directors have also promised me every assistance and accommodation. 1 also think that I will insure most of the merchandise but the time draws near. The skipper thought the latter part of next week he would be ready to sail to the Texel. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Adriaen van der Donck^^ May 4, 1641 Adriaen Vandcrdonck , at Breda This 4th of May 1641, in Amsterdam 1 received yours of the i8th last past and see that everything there was going all right and that the people were getting ready to come hither ; however, the skipper makes great haste and several people have already gone on board with their goods, so that neither you nor they must tarry any longer. Oiir parting word was that you would come back on the last of April ; therefore, do not wait any longer, as your commission and instructions must still be drawn up, which requires some time for me to do too. As to the wheel- wright, I could perhaps accommodate him with some young cows, as I now expect to send 12 to 18 of them over, most of which have been bought already and are stabled at Craloo, the stalls on board being now made ready. If he is inclined to sail along, he must come over immediately with the other people. He couhl also take up his residence in your district as the other wheelwright lives in the over-district of the colony. I fear that I shall not be able to secure a suitable luinister to go by this ship inasmuch as the time is too short. Meanwhile, I shall make every effort to secure a learned and godly one. Vale. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.144. hct overquartier ■i'ande Colonic; rcfciriiig to tlie district on the cast side of tlie Hudson River, since the idace assigned to van der l^onck was in Rylaers dal, on the west side of the river. See p. 550—51. 548 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Wlllem Kieft^'' May 14, 16 1 1 Will cm kicft, (iirector in New Netherlancl 14 May 1641, in Amsterdam I am sorry that I am so pressed for time that I can not properly answer your honor's favor of the i2lh of October 1640, but 1 send herewith my previous letter of the 29th of May 1641^*^ sent by Cornelis melyn, which made a trip to Dunkirk^^ and which is cir- cumstantial and prolix enough. Though it contains several things which need to be somewhat corrected, it would take too long to do so and I rather send it on than correct it now. I refer therefore to that letter, especially as to the matter whether you would be willing to accommodate me by receiving and shipping my goods going to and coming from my colony an;l to and from the fatherland, which your honor has so far very kindly done. However, as I do not wish to trouble you with it any longer without knowing in what way I can compensate your honor for it, I shall expect the favor of your advice in this matter. I commend to your honor anew the sending of my people and their goods and animals to the colony, especially the tiles and brick which are in great danger of dis- appearing, as they lie exposed on the shore. The Company prom- ised me to send my goods in this ship but it is so overloaded with animals that there is little ballast freight^^ in it except iron, brick and smith's coal. They have promised me to hire another ship at the first opportunity to send over my goods and those of other people. I therefore request your honor, if it can be done without inconvenience, to detain the last sloop as long as possible so as to get my goods up the river before winter, as otherwise it will be quite a loss to me. I received the papers of gcrrit de reux deceased. The heirs want to have from me the money and the accoimts of what is still coming to him and your honor did not send to the Company the books thereof, nor me any order on them. The matter ought to have no connection with my other accounts and I can not pay the amount to the heirs because it is inserted in my account and I have not yet received any money. I have serious " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.144. -"Should be 1640; see p. 473. Melyn's fhip was captured by flic Dunkirk pirates. 22 ballast goet. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 549 complaints to make that the Company is so backward in paying' for the grain delivered by me, which they sold at a handsome profit. I thank your honor for having the bills of lading signed and for shipping the last consignment of furs sent to me by are lit uan Corler. I hope that the bearer of this letter, Adriaen Cornelissen vandcr donck, a young man of education, whom I have engaged as officer, will find means to compensate your honor for all your trouble and kindness. I firmly trust that he will keep up friendly intercourse with you and not treat you so impolitely as you com- plain that others of my people have done.- As to what your honor writes about my complaints to the Com- 'pany, you must not take this as detrimental to you in your relation with the Company for the more closely you look after their rights, the more activity and diligence you show them. I did it on account of the boat charges, because the horses had cost me so much. I have taken the resolutions of the Company^^ out of the letter and sent them to arent because you have received the same already from the Company. The resolutions show plainly enough that the cooper's"-^"* staying there was not your fault but that of Jacob planck, Vale. P.S. I value your honor's counsel more than the demand of the West Indian Islands for grain from New Netherland an 1 [shall therefore do my best] to entertain friendly relations. I am sorry that you are so badly served ; I do not know what the trouble is, for have I not made an ordinance that everything should be de- livered to my coinmis and by him sent to your honor for the Com- pany? Assist him, arent will not fail to do his duty. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler^^ May 14, 1 6 41 Arent van Corler, in the colony of Rensselaerswyck This 14th of May 1641 in Amsterdam I hope by the next ship to reply more fully to yours of the 14th of September 1640, as the bearer of this letter is in great haste and must leave this evening and as I am very busy preparing the papers and commission for Adriaen Cornelissen vandcr donck, a young man of education whom I have engaged as officer and in- See p- 483, 511- Jan Willemsz, see p. 482. -'^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.145. 550 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY structe;! to respect you; [I want you] to be mutually helpful to each other, which 1 have no doubt you will be. Herewith goes iJie invciice of the merchandise which I caused to be bought, though only a little of it will go over in this ship, which is indicated in the luargin of the invoice. The rest f hope will follow in five or six weeks. Do not fail to send to me by this ship on proper bills of lading as many skins as you can get. The manner of conducting the fur trade you will find fully described in the instructions to Officer I'lvi dcr doiick. The furs which you sent brought a fair price but I am sur])rise 1 that the merchandise sent by Miuuyct, deceased, and in liet ivapcii z'an iioonvccgcii, amounting at first purchase to f4O0o, have melted down so. You must see to it that they do not overrule you. This man vandcr donck will lend you a helping hand whenever necessary. He careful not to give any- thing on credit to any one who has no claims against us and fr(jm whom it might be difficult to collect payment and do not be so neglectful in sending co])ies of the books and accounts. I'y the next shi]) I hope to send you an active young man for your assist- ance. The case of hrant pcclcn brought more than 8o3 guilders, that of Coniclis tcimisscii 503 guilders. T have not time to deduct the amount of the freight and the duties but will do so tiext time. However, I do no know on what basis they were sent. People do not write me what the goods cost and to whom they belong, whetlier I have a half or a whole share in them nor how my account with every one stands at the end of the year. You will find what I mean in the instructions to the officer. Separately, by the ski])per of dcii eyckclbooin go the letters^** which I sent you more than a year ago by Cornells mclyii and which have made a trip to Dunkirk. Herewith, in God's name, 20 per- sons wr.o will establish three farms in bylcrsdal. on the west side of the river, between bccren Island, and smackx Island ; assist them in every way; also 24 young cows, six of which are for the account of Coniclis liiclyti and the other 18 are for the colony. The Lord grant that they may arrive safely. The animals must be distributed proportionately, and as many horses as can be spared must be added to them; both must content themselves with young horses or with geldings and stall'OTS. Plan everyddng with ■randcr donck how it can be best arranged. Enclosed is a memorandum given by [my] iiephew van Tivillcr to vandcrdonck to receive three milch cows; of these each of the -Sec p. 485, 508, S48. VAN RENSSELAER liOWIER MANUSCRIPTS farms now to be cstablishc:! is to have one an i also four each of the animals which g;o over now, so that they will have plenty. Xow, if tb.ey want to cxchang-e two of those four with some one else for a milch cow they will then have two milch cows and two heilers. The horses must be t^iven them as aforesaid at your discretion so that in (kxl's name thev mav with courage begin the tillai^'e of the soil in that ncii;"hborhood. I also send two cases with ^Tapevines which 1 b.o])e will grcnv, si^ as to form the be- g-inning- of a vine\ard ; some to be plante 1 in hylacrsdal near ivn- dcrdoiick, some near the tobacco planters, some near pietcr co- iiclisscH in the place where the trees are being cut down. Tint all these places must be kept well weeded so that no brush or weed- grow around the plants and sb.ould also be fenced in so that the shoots are not bilten off by any anhnals. I strongly recommend to you the building of the church as I hope to sen;! a minister. Take care in every way that the mer- chanrlise an;! furs l)c not stolen and damaged, guarding especially against fire. l\se the tiles, whicii I sent over for the roof of your house to protect it against fire arrows. You write me that the servants liave been distributed in ac- cordance witli n.iy instructions but you do not write me with whom they are placed. You i)ut off g'iving- the number of heaps of grain which were counted-" bjcause the summer seed is not yet counted; it is goo;! to have both l)ut belter to have one half tlian notliing at all. If you can nia!\e the trade in Indian corn profitable to me you shall have }'our share of it but a profit must be certain and get into tlie i)ockct and uct consist of elaborate accounts and loans. Contract to my arlvantage with sucli car])enters as you need from among those whose time expires an;l who have behaved well in the service of the Com])any. The other households which I have once formed and equipped must be supported from the profits of the farmers. The irregularity of the wheelwright and the farmer nnist be corrected by the council. Tlie officer wdio now goes over will arrange these tilings better according to his instructions. If they anno}/ }OU in any way you might keep the offenders in minci J'L stcllct op tien hojpe rant winter cooren die gcstelt waren vyt; which may have been intended for VL stcllct op tien hoope vant winter cooren die gestelt waren vyf, you put down ten hears of winter grain which were rut down as five, or else for VL stcllct I't opgcvcn Tan lict aan'nl'\ hoope '<-ant winter cooren die getclt zvaren 7'yt. you put off giving the nundicr of lieaps of winter grain wliicli were counted. The latter inter- pretation. thQugli requiring greater cliangcs in the text, corresponds with a statement on p. 558 and would th.ereforc seem to be correct. 552 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY when yoli nave new supplies. I send yon herewith a blank which you can use in the future to order your merchandise, stating after each item how much you want to have sent of each article. If any items are omitted add them to it. Vale. Order of Wouter van Twiller to Aert Willemsz-^ May ^4, 1641 Aert Willemsz, foreman On receipt of this, deliver from among the animals which you have on my farm to Officer adriaen vander donck, for the account of the colony called Rensselaerswyck, three of the seven^'^ cows which are on the said farm, the remaining six to be divided into two groups and kept separate. Done at Amsterdam, this 14th of May 1641. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart'^*^ June 6, 16 ji Toussain Muijssart, at Ley den This 6th of June 1641, in Amsterdam Before I received yours of the 21st ultimo I handed Mr BesseJs the form of a receipt as I think it ought to be. I should have been pleased if the last clause could have been left out as the said matter is entirely beyond dispute. Said Bessels told me that he handed the said form to Mr Blommaert and that the same handed it to Mr de Laet. Today through Mr Blommaert a man advised me that he was willing to be responsible for one half of the freight- ing of a ship to New Netherland ; there is also another man who would like to have a fourth share in said freighting and I have consented to take a fourth share also for the account of the colony, provided the participants be willing to contribute four tenth parts or two fifths parts to our cargo. I am ready as to my six tenth parts and I trust that the four of you will also agree; and if so, that you will have made at once 36 or 40 wide dufifels, such as I have before this more than once told and written you about. I can not tell exactly the time when they will be needed ; have them made as soon as possible so they will be well finished, we will then compare them with those from Canipen. But in case the con- =s V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.146. Nine? so V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.146. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIBIR MANUSCRIPT^?' 553 fraters at Leyden should not be quite decided, inasmuch as those here are satisfied, let me know it at once, so that I may not involve myself too far in hiring the ship, for I have no need of a half share"^ in the freighting of a ship for my three fifth parts, as our animals, people and freight ballast were sent by den Eijckenhooui. S'\ Besscls leaves here this minute and says that he is satisfied. Mr Muijssart, just consider in the interest of your heirs, as well as of mine and of those of Mr de Lact and the others whether it is not better for a definite person to have the management and to be accountable therefor, than to have the management in the hands of many people, so that widows and orphans, who might come in course of time, would not know to whom to apply, especially if trouble occurred among the directors, which with a large number of people can hardly be avoided, one blaming the other. I willingly grant that if the person who had the management were great and powerful enough to resist and defraud his partners if he wanted to, it would be a serious matter; as on the other hand, the rule of many has its objections also. But on that score no danger is to be expected from me, neither in one way nor the other, neither with, respect to the power nor the will. It would be much less trouble to me to do business for myself than to have the care and trouble for others also. I should not in any way be willing to undertake it, nor could I be moved to do so, except for the confusion which otherwise might arise; for, as we participate in the colony in pro- portion, business carried on for myself would cause jealousy all the time which I on my part shall try to prevent and if it is possible I shall not rest, after this ship is equipped, till I have settled. all accounts and made a clear path. I hope that after this we need to expect no more assessments but dividends. It is true that I have said this before but examine the matter well ; the last two assessments are not on account of the colony but for merchandise which is sent with the expectation of certain returns at the end of each year, and if I now conduct the business on a somewhat large scale this is done for the purpose of keeping others out and of establishing ourselves in it. I have not given up the hope, if the Lord will grant me a few years more, of diverting to the colon\ a large part of the furs of the savages who now trade with the French in Canada, and nothing grieves me more than that we now dispute with one another about formalities and do not even touch what is to yield profits. However, I hope that hereafter more Should be: a fourth share. 554 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY attention will be pai.l to this; nothin.g- will please me more than to receive advice and counsel from you and your confraters; but if they want to spoil the business, how could I who have such large interests at stake consent to their recpiest ; this by way of advice. Herewith, etc. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart''- June jS, i6ji Toussaiii Mitijssari, at Leyden This i8th of June 1641 These in haste to tell you that the freighte;l [shii)'s] skipper hurries us very much. Today we begin to pack our duffels and it will take probably two or three days before it is finished ; as I wish to compare them with those from Ley.lcn, please send five or six of the latter as soon as they are ready an;l let me know at once when the first consignment will be sent hither and how many can be ready in eight or 10 days, as the ski})per counts on setting sail with the Portuguese fleet. If you can not get ready there let me know it at once, for my man has ready 15 duffels more than I ordered. All our other goods are lying ready in the warehouse of the Company. I hope that the day after tomorrow our cases of duft'els will get in there also. Please use the amount of the assess- ment, to wit, fr)oo of the seventh assessment of Mr dc hiett and fi6oo on account of the eighth assessment of both of you, in pay- ment for the duffels there and pay the 1)alance to me here. You paid f3:i6 too much on the seventh assessment; you might deduct this from the eighth so as to even your account. Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornelis van der Donck''' June 18, 1641 Cornelis Vander donck, at Breda This i8th of June 1641, in Amsterdam I have received yours of the I3tli instant and sec that there are two families that would like to go thither on the conditions of Vos ^- V. R. B. Mss, Lc'.tcr Book, f. 146b. This letter is in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. V . R. B. ss, Le'.tcr Book, f.i46b. This letter is in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Rensselaer. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 555 and z'aii Xcs, to the district where your son is to reside. I wish that you had advised me of the make-up of their famihes and how strong- they are with regard to children an;l servants. 1 shouLl expect, if the animals airive safely which your son took with him and which I hope are already more than half way, that next year there would he no lack of cows or of horses, hut this year the people will have to make shift with little. In 14 days a ship will he rea:Iy at the Texel to sail thither, hut I fear that there will hardly he any room ffjr ])eople left i;i it as this notice is given rather late. Let me know pro:n])tly whether the}^ could he ready hy that time. I shall then talk to the skipper and let you have an answer at once, hut you must advise me of the numher of persons, their ages and how many sons, ('aughters and servants there are among them ; also whether thev understand farming and whether they know any trades hesi.'e.;, wliich in those countries is very con- venient. I shall exj^ect your answer hereto hy the first oi)por- tunity to govern myself accordingly, but I can promise neither one thing nor the other with certainty. In addressing your letter you give me the title of " %vclgcboren such titles belong to princes; I shall be satisfie;l if you give me a lesser title. Instead of "formerly councillor of the West India Company," put "ex- director of the West India Company." this being the way in which in this city the retired gentlemen, each in his capacity, are dis- tinguished from those who are in office. J 'ale. Order of the West India Company to Job Arisz, skipper of den Coninck David, to transport Antony de Hooges, Jan Ver- beeck and family, and others'"' Jtily 10, 16 41 The directors of the West India Com])any, Chamber of Amster- dam order and direct Job Arisscii, skipper of the ship named d' Co. David to transport in said ship under his command and to permit to sleep and eat in the cabin^-"' the person of Anthony de Flogus ill the service of Mr reiisehicr and Johan J'''beeck'''*' "a'ith ^*V. R. B. Mss 22. I'rlnted blank, 33x21.5 cm. 'J'o ^V^.t'»t- T^'Vi > . V ^ .\ -oCfMppcr op't 43CPip.gf)Ciii»«mt ^" "~- f _ i...-.^. , . ^ iii't (Hoc fijy <o waiting impatiently for the account of pieter Coniclisseii. tie writes of great profits but I do not know of what they consist. If they are supposed to consist of the house which he ljuilt, that is of wood and will wear out in a few years, besides he has had the use of it and not I ; if they consist in this that he furnishes the boards for my dwelling houses at such high ])rice, he wins twofold and I lose twofold. All these joint trans- actions must be abolished and 1 must know what my net gain is from the money which I advance as well as from the timber which they would like to get for nothing and sell to me at the highest price. You wiil have better help, now that you get vandcrdonck as officer and lu)<^cs as assistant, wdio are not j^ersonally interested, in these things. I have learned of the accident of the fire at the farm of adriacn Cornclisscii^ if it can be called an accident and was not due to carelessness. It is a pity about those fine horses which I hear were with colt. You must not fail to charge these to the account of Tennis dircksc (inclu ling tliose that were sent the second time ;ind those that died) ; they cost at least f400 a piece. That you have had a house Imilt to live in is well and I await the account. l\ni)iis dirckscii however has too much land so that a great deal will iie idle and remain uncultivated, ddiat he'*"' disposes of the dufi:'els at f3 like Director Kirft is well, l)ut inasmuch as the dye, especially the double steel gray, becomes ex])ensive and as I have also had the duffels made wider and heavier, this must hereafter be taken into consideration and if they are kept at the old price of f3 the i)ayment must be made in better skins. Director Kicft complains greatly that they furnish him so little wheat. I have still more reason to complain that so poor payment for the wdieat which T furnished has been made here by liquida- tion of unfounded accounts. I have not yet been paid for that delivered in the vears Uiji,9> and 1(^)39 and have indeed not yet re- " dat se V in iiiync iuiiiil' al sttUcn rrroorJccU Iiebbcii : nicaiiing pcrlia; s, that they liave, already condemned you as my agent. /)_v, in Letter Book; probably a mistake for gy, you. 564 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ceived one half of the money clue to me. The grain is of such high grade that it ought not to be paid by balancing it against bad accounts. Therefore, as you write that you can get f3 a schepel for the wheat, which amounts to fi2 a mudde, it is proper that the director pay you the same and this not with accounts but in cash there or drafts payable here on demand. I write about this matter to him also because Director Kieft or the bookkeeper stated in an account of grain furnished, which I had to show here, that the people of the colony owed at least f2ooo, so that I could not get any money and can not yet except by way of liquidation of those unfounded accounts of the wheelwright and others, which I have sent to kicft. I had to pay the Company this year 18^ interest on the increase of my capital stock which fell due in August 1639, while they owed me twice as much for grain which I furnished them. Therefore, if you can not get prompt payment either in merchandise there, or in drafts or letters of exchange here, with- out mixing up with them in some way the accounts of other people, try to sell the wheat to the best advantage for me but do not give it out on credit. By and by I shall send you some law books but have not time to do so now. I send you however, by hogcs, dc hollantsc rccht- geleerthey't/^ which is not yet bound. You need not send me copies of letters which you know have reached me but of those which have not arrived, like those sent by de licfde which were taken to Dunkirk. It is a good plan how- ever to send by the next ship copies of the letters sent by the pre- ceding ship for fear that they may not have arrived, especially if goods were sent by them, as in that case clemands might be made on the underwriter on presentation of the second bill of lading. As to Conielis Tcunissen van niekerck^'^ do as you think best and as is most advantageous to me. If he is not capable, leave him as he is ; but if he behaves well and is able treat him like the others. It was very wrong of you to say to Director kieft that he should charge the duty on the skins to my account there ; I do not owe the duty in that country but here when the skins have arrived and when they do not arrive I do not owe any duty; but I wrote you to pay for the freight of the goods sent over, according to the Freedoms ; however, inasmuch as the ships generally receive their *^ Hugo Grotius, Inleiding tot de Hollandsche rechts-geleertheyt, the first edition of wliich appeared in 1631, and the eighth edition in :64i. See article on this work in Robert Fruin's Verspreide Geschriften, 8:10-31. ^ Probably a mistake for Cornells Teunisz van Meerkerck. VAN rensselaes BOWifiii Manuscripts 565 Cargo here it is best that the freight be paid in this country, espec- ally as the skipper who is his own master has agreed that I should pay him on his return for my goods and the board of my people toward which I had to give him here for each person f2o in cash, contrary to custom; herewith I end. P. S. I forgot to write in the letter about the carpenters who have no work especially in the winter when the wood [cells] are closed and [the trees] fit to cut down. A goodly number of oak trees should then be cut down, using as much as is necessary for timber and cutting the others to the length of pipe staves, which measure the cooper will probably know. It is about four feet, rather an inch longer than shorter. These lengths may then at a convenient time be split into staves, so that you must take this into consideration and pay due attention to the splitting of staves, for these might be used to make barrels in which to send flour to Virginia and bring back tobacco, so that the splitting of staves is a very important matter. And in order to get the work done more cheaply you might give the carpenters piecework and, with the advice of Jan Cornclisscn, andrics de vos and Cornelis Teunisscn, settle for yourself how much each carpenter ought to accomplish per day in the way of felling trees, sawing or splitting; but you must be sure about the proper length of the staves and when there is an opportunity you must find out where the most suitable trees for this purpose are and make plans for everything that is neces- sary thereto. Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck prohibiting the sale of powder, lead and firearms to Indians^^ July 18, 1641 As the council of tlie colony of Rensselaerswyck notice that many persons and inhabitants of the colony make bold against the order of the ordinance of the Chartered West India Company to sell to the Indians or savages, who frequent these parts, firearms, powder and lead, which might cause great harm, with regard both to war and to the great dispute between our patroon and the Company. Therefore, every inhabitant of the said colony, whoever he may be, is expressly prohibited from selling, repairing or lending any ^' V.R.B.Mss 23. Other copy in V. R. B. Mss 31 and third copy dated July 1641, in handwriting of Antony de Hooges, in V. R. B. Mss 18, where it follows the ordinance of Aug. 12, 1641, with the note: The following ordinance belongs to the preceding one. 566 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY firearms, powder or lead, on forfeiture of ico guilders and on pain of being sent home under such sentence as the case shall warrant, and any one who shall inform against a man who has acted contrary to this ordinance shall receive 50 guilders as a re- ward. Thus done in the colony of Rensselaerswyck this iSth day of July 1641. ])y order of the council of the said colony, In my presence, Arciidt I 'an Curler. Secretary. [Endorsed] Pul)lication concerning |)ow(ler, lead and firearms. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft''- July I (J, j6 // Willem Kieft^ director in Xew Netherland This 19th of July 1641, in Amsterdam On the 14th of May last, on account of the hurried departure of the ship de)i eyckenboom, I was obliged to reply in haste to your honor's letter of the 12th of October 1640. This letter by the bearer anthonie de hooges, un:!erbookkeeper and assistant of the colony, serves only as a confirmation of the other, supplemented by the usual message and kind request to help him send my people and goods to the colony. With that end in view I have given him a letter of recommendation to your honor. He has also with him the invoice of my goods ; if your honor should like to see it he will show it to you, and if your honor should find anything in there that you like you might pick it out. It is unspeakable what trouble 1 have in sending my goods thither as I do not know at all on what to count, otherwise I should already have sent you a good draught of French wine, as I suppose the Spanish is more abundant there. My goods which had lain for a long time in the warehouse to be sent by the ship den hariiick came back by the lighter and had thereafter to be loaded into den Eiv^el i^ahriel, which arrived [at the Manhattans] in the winter and sailed again before I could receive tidings of the arrival of my goods in the colony, much less obtain any furs or letters. With the ship den icaterhont, it went better. However, it saile;! so unexpectedly that my letters to you remained behind, although, when I delivered my letters to the presi- dent on Wednesday, he said that matters would be determined " V. R. n. Mss, Letter Book, £.149!). VAN RENSSELAER LOWIER MANUSCRIPTS upon on Thursday and that the ship would have to wait therefor, 'i'hese letters, having thereupon been sent by Cornclis niclyii, were taken to Dunkirk but recovered and lately sent by den eyckcnboom. This year the worst that happened was that my goods which were in the warehouse in time had to stay out of dcii cyckenboom though the fact that the animals got in made it bearable. The goods which were already then in the warehouse have even now to stay for the larger part out of this shi[) and are waiting for the third ship, which is the niost vexatious thing in the world. I made some inquiry as to the cause of it; line lac ir'-' in the warehouse said that he had orders not to load my goods and, when at the last minute I inquired al)out this, 1 could not find out who the man was who had forbidden this. However, 1 can guess the reason, namely, that there are some directors who hold that I must pay such duties as the recent Freedoms prescribe. In that case no'one could be sure of the future, whereas one who has already obtained his right is not subject to future changes; in this contention, when I further urged the matter, I received the full approbation of their High Mightinesses for myself and my successors forever, which docu- ment I have already shown to the Hon. Coenradus. I at once re- ceived permission to proceed with the loading but the ship was then so full that the greater part of my supplies are still left out and will follow by the next ship. Is it not vexations also that I can not get any payment for the grain of wdiich you sent me the ac- count and which was already delivered in 1638 and 1639? I re- ceived toward this 11272, to which must be added f228 charged to me for 18;^ interest on fi2oo wdiich I had to pay the first of August 1639, making fi5oo, but a great deal inore is due to me. They quarrel with me about the rest because at the end of the ac- count, which your honor sent me and which I had to show them, it was stated that the freemen of the colony owed about f2000. I have advised you of the amount in dispute. In fine, for the grain which is of such high grade, for which one has to wait so long before it is ri])e, and to get which one must first throw good grain into the soil, then thrash it, an 1 thereafter deliver it, for this after it is delivered one has to wait a long time before the accounts are settled, first because the accounts which are sent in October entered only the quantities delivered in jMay, and then because the ship was so long on its way, and finally because they wanted to balance the grain which was delivered in June and July 1638, when Jacob Probably a mistake for Einclacn; see order to Job Arisz, July lo, 1641, on p. 556. 568 M£W YOKK STATE LIBRARY planck left, not only for payments due on the first of August 1639 but also for i8;i' interest which I had to pay to tlie first of August 1640; so that, deducting therefrom {220 as aforesaid and adding thereto the fi272 which I receive 1, I received in all fi5oo as afore- said ni August 1640, which was the first money I have received for all the grain delivered by me since the year 1632, everything being paid [by way of liquidation of] accounts drawn up at their pleas- ure, without evidence, either against or without my order and en- tirely without receipt from my people. Whether these things are endurable I leave for you to consider; and I should not object either if 3^our honor sent these complaints to the lords directors. I have the more reason to complain as grain is ready money and ready money from Brazil is at 18;^ premium, more or less, while instead of giving me i8;^' additional they make me pay 18;^ interest. I have patiently endured all this till now ; I would have sufl;ered it stiil ioriger if it had not been that your honor's complaint conflicted with those of my people, as your honor says that they have delivered little or nothing whereas they complain that instead of fio they can get fi2 [a mudde], yes, that grain is sold at the manhaians at f3 ^2 a schepel.^'* I am therefore forced to issue this order that they must deliver my grain to the Company before any one else, provided you pay them what they can get from others and do not credit this on account but pay for it on the departure of the vessels with collectable letters of exchange or drafts. What I owe the Company I am also ready to settle in cash or negotiable paper without mixing them with or balancing them against any accounts of my people who are in debt to me. It is [no] more than reason- able that upon my account is entered what is delivered to my com mis or to those to whom I give credit but that every one should charge my account, as has now been done for 11 years, is unbearable and would tend to my ruin. Further, sir, as we must adopt a definite basis for mutual trans- actions between the Company and myself, I say frankly that the Freedoms granted to me form the standard according to which we must regulate ourselves on both sides. If you have permission to deal with me from the honorable directors, we shall have no dif- ficulty in coming to an understanding; but if they should have any objection to it, I would like to be informed of it. It is a very dangerous business if succeeding administrators want to alter the privileges granted by their predecessors ; if their successors in turn "Equal to £14 a mudde. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS change the Hmits set by them, great changes will soon take place when one third [of the directors retire] and what certainty will the people have from one [administration] or the other? It is right to make changes upon proper information, but not with re- gard to those who have already obtained their rights. In their leases, I have imposed tithes upon my people for the support of re- ligion (as at the first opportunity I expect to seek a suitable minister and have given orders to build a church) and also for the support of the officers and of justice, but I have not done this during the term of their service but when it expired and they and I were free. Whether brocr Cornelis has done me good service with regard to this matter I know partly but he knows best of all. Sir, the state- ment that I have been untruthful is a pill I can not swallow as I have never to my knowledge lodged either hypocrisy or lies in my heart. Your honor understands the matter quite differently from the -way it is ; you observe and contend that I have complained about you ; such is far from me. I have thanked you and do so again and most heartily, most of all for the good plan which you devised and carried out to my great service of sending my horses up the river in lighters for lack of other vessels; but as according to my Freedoms I rightly maintain that I am not bound to pay for this, since the Company promises to send the animals there free when there is room in the ship and the said lighters took the place of the ship, [for this reason] I tried to avoid paying for it and not for the purpose of checking you as if you had charged for more days than it took in reality. Far from it, that would have been very ungrateful and unfaithful toward your honor, instead of grateful. On the contrary my complaints tend to the advantage of your honor who stands up so well for the Company's rights. In which matter I also said, not to you but to the Company, that these lighter charges were trifling compared with the ship freights from here to New Netherland. I do not refer to what was done about the lighter charges but claim that as sea vessels and sloops of the Company often lie idle at the wharf without making a voyage, it could have been arranged to send up the sea vessels ; and [if it is alleged that] if these vessels were used then here and then there for the Company the voyage would take longer than it need otherwise with diligence take, I explain that in six or eight days a trip can be made from above to the mouth of the river. That this is the truth I can easily get attested as there are examples of small vessels coming down from above in 24 hours. Even if it had been 30 570 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY clays each time, it woul 1 still be less than to come from there here. They have [never?] according to their promise transported any animals for me | free ? |'"'"' but once consented to take six calves in the ship upon condition that in case of need they might throw them overboard, which they actually di:l when they got out to sea; there was reason to, but the clause made them decide to do it sooner than they would otherwise perha])s have done. Here your honor has my sincere declaration in regard to this matter. If I have reason to thank you and the Company has rea- son to laud your carefulness, must this now cause you to break your friendship? It seems to me unreasonable and uncalled for; if I had said " the director charges me but six or eight days whereas they have been thirty days on the way," that would be to your disadvantage but being obliged to you while yet dissatisfie 1 and the Company having reason to praise you for doing your duty, I hope that you will continue favors which you commenced to show me ; upon which I shall await your reply. At all events, if your honor should be inclined to warn me once more and, as this time no other arrangement has been mac'e by me, to lend me once more a helping hand or to give me good advice as to what I had better do in this matter in the future, I should like to know in what way I can please your honor and hope at the first opportunity to obtain your honor's definite answer with regarrl to my previous letter. I would decide to keep a vessel in the North River myself but that as yet I have received but few returns conpared with my large consignments. I hope that now it will begin to go better, were it only that I could make more definite and liberal arrangements ; and as I find that other colonies are to be founded on the North River, my preroga- tive respecting it under the fifth article of my Freedoms ought at any rate not to be diminished or disputed. For a while, it is true, I shall not be able to do much; nevertheless, every one likes to hold on to what belongs to him by good title. I am surprised that the English are sai 1 already to deliver grain, both those of Virginia and those of New England, though flour is still one of the best articles that is traded in Virginia for tobacco ; if it were not that I wished to deprive the Com])any of all chance for trouble, I would already before this have made my plans accordingly. That your honor received so little grain from my colony is principally due to the fact that they can get more for it from others ; it seems that with them the highest price is the supreme law and, as during the Iiebbcii naer hare hcloftcn hacr icvcn mij ccnigc bccstcn ovcrgevoert. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS last years <,o niany farms have been established at the nianhatans, I am half inelined to trade with A'irginia which is much nearer than the island of the West Indies while its tobacco is also much better and its price reasonable. If I had a vessel I would make a small venture. Brocr Coniclisscii writes that you urge him to have me appoint an agent^"' at the uuiuliatans. If I could find a suitable man 1 would have (!(Mie so alread)^ J lov/ever, I can not see that accord- ing to article 2,8 I must do this, but only that I am allowed to do so and as to the re])ort which 1 am bound to make, I could not do anything- more than communicate to your honor what goods and people go thither and come back, also how much grain comes from there; other particulars I do not know myself for I only know what brocr coriiclis, Arciit van Corlcr or others communicate when con- venient. Wishing to be further informed regarding your honor's intentions as to these matters, vale. N. B. If I have been remiss in one thing, the Company is remiss in ten things at least. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Adriaen van der Donck"'' July 21, 16 I [ ^■Idriacii z'aii dcr doiick^ officer, in tiie colony of Rensselaerswyck This 23d of July 1641, in Amsterdam Of your honor's safe arrival and that of the other people and goods, especially the animals, I hope to learn with joy in due time and with still greater joy that you have not only arrived at your place of destination in the colony but that you have duly settled down to enter with fidelity and zeal on the one hand upon the ex- ercise of your ofiice, an.l on the other upon the cultivation of your farm (may the Lord our God bless both). Herewith go again some ])ersons ; two in my service and seven freemen, among them Johan v''bcck, tailor, with his wife, from hrcda, recommended to me by your mother, according to the contract sent to the secretary arcnt 7'an Corlcr. Ditto 7'aii Corlcr has complained to me about the ini.pertinence of some of the farmers who let my carpenters go about i;de and em])loy others who are not in my service at higher wages and to my ('amage, concerning which I have enclosed a mcn'orandunr''^ in his letter which he is to hand to you in order that dat ick ccn agent of' den nianhatans sonde stellcn. The wor.l used in article 28 ot the Freedoms is geconunitteerde. 5' V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f. 151b. See p. 560. 572 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY you may see to it that such disorder and impertinence he checked by ordinances of the commissioned councilors.^* I doubt not but you will find so many of these things to remedy that you will be- come aware of the task of redressing them, and the delinquents of your fines. I send herewith enclosed authority to the secretary to deliver to you merchandise, at the first purchase price without counting any expenses, to the sum of f32:i3, advanced by you for lighter charges of the animals from naerdcn. I would a lvise you of one thing and another more at length, but the pain I suffer from a sound heart'"^ takes away my courage. P. S. As several other colonies now appear on the North River, 3^ou must take great care to acquaint them in the beginning, with tact and suavity, of my rights under the fifth article, specially ap- proved by their High Mightinesses, and confer about it in friend- ship, but duly maintain my rights. -Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler'"'^ July 2y, 164 1 Arent van Curler, in New Netherland This 27tli of July 1641 After closing my preceding letter and sending it to you by anthony de hooges two days ago, I found enough time to draw up your instructions concerning the three commissioners and four ad- junct councilors*'- mentioned more fully in the instructions to officer Adriaen vander donck which I enclose in this letter,*'^ sent by Jehan Theunissen,^-*^ carpenter, whom I have engaged since as a freeman for four years, on condition that he serve me the first year as a servant at fi5o a year. Instead of f4o according to his enclosed contract, I paid him in cash f5o; this you will charge to his account with the 50;^ advance, also his board on the ship, toward which I have paid already f20 just as for the others, and any other expenses which he may yet occasion till he arrives in the colony, gecommiteerde raden; probably a mistake for gecommitcerde cn raden, commissioners and councilors. een gesont hertc ; probably a mistake for ecn ongesont hcrte, an unsound heart. " y. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.isib. This letter is in the handwriting of Kiliaen van Renssela'-r. 7 ande dn'je gecommittccrde en 4 bijge'i occhde Raden. Cf. letter to Adriaen van der Donck, ]\rarch 9, 1643, p. 639. "3 The instructions to Adriaen van der Donck are not among the Van Rensselaer Bowier Mss, nor have they been preserved among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. Jan Tcvinisz van Leyden; sailed on den Coninck David, VAN RENSSELAER BOVVIER MANUSCRIPTS 573 when 1 must furnish board to him an;l others the first year that they are in my service. I shoulJ Hke to know how this board of youisell as well as of other servants in my employ is charged au'l what it costs me each year per head. This must be figured as closely for me as possible. I'alc. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornells van der Donck*'^ August I, 1641 Cornells I'audcr Donck, at Breda This 1st of August 1641, in Amsterdam Jdirough indisposition I have been unable to answer you sooner; am now only in fair health. Tl:e tailor'^' from hreda with his wife and still other company, together 10 persons large and small, set sail for New Netherland on Tuesday last ; may God be with them. They have good weather but the wind has changed and become contrary ; 1 fear that they will have to seek shelter in England. I could still use a smith's helper and a brickmaker. A ship is being- made ready which I hope will lie ready to sail in a month ; it would be well if the men could go across in that ship, but this you must know that there is a smith^'' in the cottntry but no brick- maker, so that the brickmaker must have a boy or other help, un- less he could burn brick alone. Vale. Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck regulating trade'* August 12, 1641 We, Adriacn Vandcr donck, chief officer,*^^ with the commis- sioners and councilors of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, to all who shall see these or hear them read, greeting. As we see and notice daily the great strife, uproar, quarreling, yes what is more, mutual discord, all of which are causes that generally bring about the ruin of a well ordered community, springing solely from the trade which our inhabitants carry on with the foreign residents «^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, £.152. Jail Verbeeck. Reyer Stoffelsz, who Aug. 18, 1639, succeeded Hurger Jorisz, with whom council of the colony entered into a contract on May 26, 1637, when news had been received of the death of Cornelis Thomasz. See copy of the contract and Maentgelt Boeck, 1638-44, f.38, 48, among tlie Rensselaerswyck Mss. In W R. B. Mss 18; in Iiandwriting of Antony de Ilonges. Other copy in Ordiiianrcs, 1639-58, among the Rensselaersivyck Mss. Hooft OfRcier. 574 NEW YORK STATI': r.TIiKARY • — that is such persons as have no fixevl residence there and only go thither to practice usiu-y, provoke ([uarrels and discord and in- cite tile inhahitants to private tra ling of furs wliicli causes them to neglect their own proper duties — and in or>!er to sto]) all this and i)revent it b}- proper means, we have sceii til to order, enjoin and command, as we do by these, all the inhabitants ot the colony on whatever basis or under whatever contract they may live here, that they shall not undertake to buy from or exchange wdth the residents any goo;ls, or in any manner let them have any beavers, otters or other furs, directly or indirectly, upon fine and forfeiture for the first olTense of three times the value of the goods first bought, exchanged or delivere 1, and ico lix-doUars additional, if any one should act contrary to this ordinance. Ihit, if any shallops or vessels of the Company or any one else come up the river and the inhabitants want to buy anything of which they are in great need, they shall ask permission of the officer, wdio will act accord- ing to circumstances. Secondly, no one, whatever his rank may be, shall be allowed on forfeiture as above, to send any beavers, otters or other furs down the river or cause them to be sent down, without handing in a true inventory of them or giving notice of their number, before they are shipped. Herein we dispose as above. riiirdly, no vessels except those of the Co iipany shall be allowed to sail down the river without inspection and they shall also give notice of everything they carry out of the colony. Everything on forfeiture as above. Done and conclu.'e 1 in council this I2tli of August 1641. J5y order of the officer an 1 council of the colony of Rensselaetswyck. Underneath was written : To my knowledge Arciidt Van Corler Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Cornelis van der Donck™ September 21, 16 fr ConicUjs van der doiick, at Breda This 2 1st of S'jpteml)?r 1641, in Amsterdam This morning I received yours of the rSth instant, in reply to which it may serve to say that if the ship were now at the d'exel, it would run out by this east wind. However, it still lies before the '"^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, £.152. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 575 city, but in a few days will sail from here to the Texel and being- there will have to wait for the wintl. You must therefore not neglect to send your things speedily but, if your honor does not need these things very much, I should advise you to wait till spring, as the winter is now at hand and the goods can not reach the colony this year before the frost ; also, this ship does not sail direct for New Netherland but first to Curacao in the West Indies, which lengthens the way and increases the danger especially at this season of the year; but you must do as you think best. The preceding ship, on which the tailor from brcdacl sailed, was the 23d of August lying in luigland in Plymouth. I hope that it has left there since. It will be difficult enough for the persons anJ goods wdiich sailed in it to get to the colony before the frost. If by next spring you could secure an able smith's helper and a brick-maker, but especially one who can also make tiles, it would be well ; but you must pay due attention that they know their trade thoroughly and are of good moral conduct. I hope that your honor's son is now already settled and housed and that in eight or 10 days, God willing, we shall have tidings thereof. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft'^ September 2g, 1641 Willem kieft, director in New Netherland This 29th of September 164 1, in Amsterdam In the letter sent on the 19th of July last by Anthoonie de Hoges who sailed in the ship den Coninck david, I replied at length to yours of October 12, 1640. On the 23d of August the said ship was still at Plymouth but hoping that it sailed shortly after and may have arrived safely before your honor receives these I refer entirely to my previous letter. These go by the ship de brandarys, which will stop first at Curaqao in the West Indies, and it will there- fore make a long voyage for my goo;'s, which have already been six months in the warehouse. I know no better way than to have ])atience, praying Almighty Go;l to let these and the preceding arrive safely without accident. I beg and pray you earnestly to favor my people and goods wdth your assistance, that everything may as soon as possible get to the colony, especially the goods sent by den Coninck dai'idt, which will have a hard time unless the Lord " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.iszb. 57*5 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY please to grant her a speedy voyage and you second it by your efforts. I long- to know wherewith I can recompense you for all your former kindnesses as well as those to come and whether my previous propositions please you in any way. The accompanying- goods are numbered and marked as in margin: No. D a case, quite long and narrow^ No. E a similar case, much shorter No. II a cask of prunes No. 12 a cask of oil /.^ No. 13 a hogshead of vinegar No. 14 a cask of soap No. 15 a large barrel with kcitles and lead No. 16 a cask of train oil, which leaked in the warehouse and was not sent No. 18 a barrel of tar No. 27 a case with duffels If they can not get to the colony before the winter, as there are many perishable and liquid goods among them, you would do me a favor by sending them to the colony in the first sloop in the spring to my cousin arunt van Coder. It would also be a great service to me if Arunt van Corler sent you each year by the last sloop going down before the winter some cases of beavers to be shipped to me in the spring when the ships leave so suddenly, as did den 01 gel gabriel, that he has not time to send any. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler'- [September 2^, 1641] Arunt van Corler, in the colony of Rensselaerswyck By the ship den Coninck david, by Anthonie de Jioges sent to you as assistant, I wrote you at length and also sent you the goods mentioned in the invoice sent previously, with the exception of the following, which came back because they could not be loaded in the • ship. The ship den Coninck david was on the 23d of August still in England in the liarbor of Plymouth. I hope that it sailed shortly after, as it is of great consequence to me that the goods get to the colony before the winter, as well as the people, 10 in number, sent to the colony by the same ship. I also hope that the ship den ■2 r. n B.Mss, Letter Book, f.153. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 577 cyckcJibooin, which left here on the 17th of May, having on board Officer adriacn vandcr donck and the people whom I sent over, being about 20 persons strong, arrived in the colony in due time and that 1 shall be informed thereof at the first opportunity. This serves mainly to enclose the list of the goods which remain from the last consignment and which arc now sent via Curagao in the ship dcii braiitaris; may Almighty God watch over it all. It will also serve to advise you that 1 insured 1800 beaver skins on the follow- ing three ships, to wit, den cyckenboom, which sailed from here in May ; den Co David, which sailed in July following ; and this ship, which I hope will sail in October. You can load the aforesaid 1800 beaver skins in these three ships named; the insurance policy is equally valid and it amounts to the same thing whether the 1800 skins are divided among three ships or whether they are sent in one or in two of them ; therefore, as I fear that den eyckenboom has left too soon, I expect but little by that ship though I should wish it otherwise. The largest quantity, however, I expect by de Co: David and if this should fail, the rest by this ship in the spring, up to the 1800, if you have as many. As you write that some debts in skins are still outstanding, also that goods sent by den Enge gabriel are not yet sold and that the stock of goods sent by den waterhont is still complete, I estimate there ought to be as many as 1800 or more; nor need you confine yourself so closely to the number insured but even if there were three or four hundred more send those too ; it will also be very necessary for you as a rule to keep some skins at the inanhatans ready for shipment by the next ship. Whenever they do not give you sufficiently timely notice to send ytmr goods down, it is a good thing to have a cer- tain (juantity in stock in the keeping of Mr kieft in order that they may be sent hither by his honor. You will also do well to advise me of the quantity which you estimate you will have during the year in which you write me so that I can arrange the insurance ac- cordingly. Write me also each time how the skins are marked, whether there is little or much merchandise in the country (that I may regulate myself accordingly in the purchase of merchandise) and everything else that occurs there with reference to the trade. You were under a great misapprehension in understanding by " resi- dents " the farmers or other inhabitants of the colony. I mean by that term such people as Goyver and the like who come to trade in the colony without authority from the Company and have no con- sent from me to do so. I have explained my meaning and my 37 578 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY rights orally and at length to Officer van der doiick^ namely, that you can not forbid the trade to the West India Company but only to private ihaividuals. Of substitution of private individuals for the Company there can be no question, for next to the Company, I come. Should 1 settle the country and incur great expenses and should other private individuals clandestinely reap my profit? riiat is without right and reason; outside the jurisdiction of the colony 1 have nothing to say but within the same I have. In the beginning great discretion must be used, as I stated to vandcr donck, who will no doubt communicate to _ you everything. As long as I have merchandise private individuals shall not undermine and spoil my trade, but when 1 have no merchandise, in order not to divert the trade, one can be a little more lenient with them, though it would be best that the private resitlents traded with you, that you traded in my name with the Indians, and that they as well as I might make some profit. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft*'^ October 8, 1641 Willem kieft, director in New Netherland The 8th of October 1641, in Amsterdam I>y my last letter to your honor of the 29th past, by this same ship den brant arys, I recommended to you the forwarding of the balance of my goods which go thither by this ship via Curasao ; I have since learned from my nephew zvoiiter van Tiviller that your honor is a great lover of fine horses, which I presume are not wanting there, and thinking that a fine saddle looks well on a fine horse to show off the rider to better advantage and that suitable saddles can not be had in that country, I have with the advice of my aforesaid nephew discovered one which I hope will be pleasing, useful and convenient to you. I send it to you in the care of Gysbert op den dyck and kindly request you to accept it as a first sign of gratitude for the favors bestowed upon me. I hope that it will arrive without damage. I have had it sewed in canvas with everything that belongs to it and addressed to your honor with the mark of the colony, as in the margin. Ihis young man has asked me to recommend him to your honor, and although I do not doubt but that he will have stronger recom- V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.issb. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 579 menclations from various other people, even from the directors, I could nevertheless not refuse to do this hereby. 1 beg" your honor to excuse me for this and to be assured that I have tried to avoid it as much as I could ; sometimes these things must be done on account of other recommendations and sometimes on account of importunities. Your honor need not pay any more attention to this than the person's capacity and your honor's opinion of him will warrant. 1 think that this young man has a good disposition ; he served the Company in that country from the very beginning and did not take sides with any faction but properly respected and obeyed his superiors, which 1 have no doubt now that he is so much older and more experienced he will do better than ever. Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem van Galen"^ October p, 1641 Willcni Van Galen, at Utrecht This 9th of October 1641, in Amsterdam I return herewith to you the power of attorney which in my opinion ought to be drawn up in an entirely different form. i'irst, I can not find that all the heirs of Gcrrit de rcux, deceased, are named or represented therein. Secondly, the inheritance of their brother C err it de rcux, de- ceased, is not even mentioned therein. Thirdly, this power of attorney does not state that you may arbitrate or compromise but simply empowers you to begin a suit against me in the name of the persons mentioned. Fourthly, it does not give you any power to receive any money or to give a receipt. Further, my name is incorrectly given (being, not Guilliacn Rcnsclacr but Kiliaen I 'an Rensselaer) and furthermore they have nothing to do with me individually nor I with them, but there is an open account concerning the service of their deceased brother which does not concern me alone but also others who participate therein with me. I did not individually enter into an agreement with Gerrit de reiix but did so in the capacity of patroon of the colony called Rensselaerswyck, lying on the North River of New Netherland, which capacity nnist necessarily be stated in the ])ower " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.154. 58o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY of attorney or my other participants would not want to contribute their share in the restitution. I kindly request your honor, there- fore, to help the people somewhat that their business may be done in good order and that they may give you proper power of attorney and the matter remain hereafter beyond dispute ; for it is incon- venient for me to deal with each one individually but I am willing to do so with them jointly or with the person to whom they give a power of attorney, in which capacity I shall be pleased to meet you. P. S. I must add that it was not I but dc rcux, deceased, who kept the accounts; that I did not administer his property, but he mine; that he did not die and leave an estate in my colony or juris- diction but at the manjiatens or in the jurisdiction of the West India Company, and that not I or my officers but he himself always delivered his grain to the Company and received therefor other necessaries for which he had to pay, so that accordingly the director of the Company, and not I, undertook the settlement of his estate; the situation is therefore Cjuite different from what you think and the good people were not well informed simply to go by the report which they hear from one person or another. I have told jan bastiacnsz right along that I will not keep a single letter or writing back from them and will deal in all fairness with them. They dream of mountains of gold but do not count on expenses. Journal of Antony de Hooges on his voyage to New Netherland in den Coninck David'^'' July so-Novcmhcr 2p, 1641 in the year of our Lord 1641, the 30th of July, I commenced this journal in the name of the Lord. May the Lord conduct us to the place of our destination, in order that on our arrival we may offer to the Lord the offering of our lips, to His honor and our salvation. Amen. N. B. Tn order to make tliis journal complete, I obtained from our mate the courses and changes thereof together with the lati- tude, and hope that your honor may not become tired of it. '"^ V. R. B. Mss 24, entitled: Jonrnacl gehoudcn opt Schif den Coninck David, gedestineert naer Nieuw-N ederlandt Anno 1641. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 581 Journal kept on the sliip dcii Coninck David,'^^' bound for New Netlicrland, 1641 In the year of our Lord 1641, we set sail from Tcxcl 1641 with an K.S.E. wind and a light breeze, in company July 30 with 35 or 36 sail, among which were four convoys, three Phainiauihocks^"' traders, four boyers"^ bound for Rozvanc'^'-^ and the rest French traders. When we got outside it became calm. We shaped our course S.W. when we had Campcrdutjn^^^ E. by N. from us. 31 In the morning there was a breeze. By noon we reckoned that we had sailed a total of eiglit leagues S.W. We saw 12 ships and supposed them to be Portuguese traders. August I Variable wind, mostly W. At five o'clock in the morning we sailed close to Schcvclingcn.^'^ We saw upward of 20 Portuguese traders at anchor and kept on our way tacking again and again. In the evening dc BricF^ lay about two leagues S.S.E. from us. 2 Very light westerly wind. We had made no prog- ress on account of the calm. At noon we anchored in 13 fathoms, to prevent the tide from. carrying us away. Den Briel lay S.S.E. from us. In the evening we weighed anchor again and set sail. In the evening at the end of the first watch we again secured our- selves against the tide. Still calm. 3 At daybreak we weighed anchor again. Wind S.W. with dark weather; the course was W.N.W. Den Briel t lay about two and a half leagues S. S. E. from us. Toward noon the ship Elisahcth bound for Pharnamhnco, having on board the wife of Admiral Lichthart, joined the fleet from the rear, as did two East India traders. After our admiral had spoken one, he continued on his way. " King David. Pernambuco. " An old type of sloop built very high at both ends. Rouen. Camperdown, N. W. of Plaarlem. Scheveningen. Brielle, on the island of Voorne, province of South Holland. 582 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 4 Wind S.W. At daybreak we turned south again. We reckoned that since we had stood out from land we had saik^d 15 k^agues N.W. l)y W. In the even- ing we went west again and reckoned that we had saik>d 10 leagues S.E. During the night, at two l)ells in the dogwatch,"*-' we took in the foresail.**^ IJad rough weather; wind W. and S.W. 5 In the morning the wind W.S.W. At eight o'clock we again hoisted, our foresail and again turned south. We reckoned that we had sailed a total of six leagues N.W. That night one of the men-of-war lost its topmasts and we were widely scattered. Five of us however, namely the three Pharnamhocks traders, with which wc had made company at Tc.vcl, and the ship Elizabeth, kept close together. In the evening we turned north again and reckoned that we had drifted five leagues S. E. by E. since morning. The rough weather had separated us from the French traders. We once more took in our foresail. During the night a horse died and we threw it overboard. 6 During the night our mainsail was torn in two ; we repaired it and set it again. The wind was westerly with rough weather. W^e saw three strange ships; they were lying to with two courses.^'* At noon we set our foresail and the five of us came together again and were joined l)y a small flute. In the evening we turned south again. The course was S. by W. We reckoned that from last evening to this we had sailed five leagues N.E. by E. and four leagues N.E. The wind was west. Toward even- ing we turned north again with a mainsail breeze. 7 In the morning the wind W. by N. Still rough weather. At noon we were in 22 fathoms of water. We reckoned that we had sailed nine leagues N. by \i. In the afternoon the wind became N.W. and we turned again to the south. We sailed one league N.N.E. We again shaped our course S.W. by W. Had very rough weather during the night. One calf dead. '2 The Dutch dogwatch is from midnight to 4 a.m. naemcn wij dc fock op de Boech. 85 sij leyden het met 2 Schoverseijlen bij. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 8 The wind N. with a fair breeze. Squally weather. Our fore-topsail blew away. We reckoned that on the whole we had sailed 17 leagues S.W. In the evening it became calm. The wind became westerly. 9 Squally in the morning. During the past night we followed various courses. At daybreak our main yard broke. We found that we were off duijn- ckerkm^^ which lay S.E. by S. from us at a distance of about three leagues. We saw our vessels lying in the schcurtjc.^~' We steered north as we drifted toward the Flemish coast. We were in five fathoms. At noon our yard was ready again. We sailed toward the fleet and stayed with it. We had vari- able winds. In the evening we turned again to the north. Duijnckcrckcn lay about three and one half leagues from us. 10 The wind S.W. At mess time we reckoned we had sailed nine leagues W.N.W. Toward noon we came close to the Voorlandt^^ and anchored S.S.W. of the Noord Voorlandt, in 15 fathoms. At noon there was a breeze from the E.S.E. During the night we ran before the wind past Gom, alias Goi- 11 The wind S.E. In the morning we ran close by Kalis Klicffy^ It became very calm. Shortly after noon we anchored in 15 fathoms. In the evening there was a light breeze from the W.N.W. and during the night from the north. 12 In the morning the wind N.N.W. We sailed close by the SiiigeLr^^ and on to Vierlcip^ and Bcvcsier.'-''-^ At noon the wind became quite westerly ; Bcvcsicr lay then about four leagues from us. The course was S.S.W. We and the ships that joined company with us were still together. There were ^0 Dunkirk. " See note on p. 356. ^ The Foreland; the Nortli Foreland is tlic northeast corner of Kent. The Goodwin Sands. «« Calais Cliff. " Singels; on a map of the English Channel in Sautter's Atlas Novus, vol. t, plate 48, this place is located just east of Rye in the southeast corner of Sussex. Fairlight ; on Seiitter's map this is given as Ferlay. It is situated a short distance east of Hastings, in Sussex. ^ Beachy Head; on Sautter's map the name is given as Cap Beachy or Bevesier. 584 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY also a frigate and a galley, both from Vlissingen, and some French traders, which in the evening- sailed cast again toward the fleet. That evening we saw the French coast and tnrned again to the north. Course N.W. 13 In the morning the wind west with a fair breeze. We sailed close to shore past Bcvcsicr and again turned south. The course was S.S.W. In the even- ing we reckoned that we had sailed eight leagues S.S.W. That evening it became very calm, foggy and dark. We saw none of our company. That day a calf died. .14 In the morning the wind F.N.]<3., still foggy weather. Now and then we fired a musket to which the other ships replied. At mess time the weather became clear again. We found ourselves to be near one another. The course was west. At noon we reckoned that we had sailed since last night 10 leagues W. by S. At sundown the west needle of wicht^* lay six leagues north of us. We shaped our course west. The wind E.N.E. with a fair topsail breeze. 15 At daybreak the Kiskasscn'^^^ lay S.E. by S. from us at a distance of about two leagues. We had sailed nine leagues west. The wind became southerly and we had some fog. The course was N.W. At noon it cleared off somewhat. In the evening we came close to the high land of DortmuijdenP^' At sundown Goutstart^'' lay three leagues S.W. by W. from us. We saw some English vessels which tried their best to get around to the west. We turned south again. Changeable winds. 16 The wind west. We turned to the north. We reckoned that we had sailed S.E. two and a half leagues and S.W. five leagues. At four o'clock in the afternoon we came close to the shore of Salcain?^ ^ Isle of Wight. ^ The Caskets, or Casquets; a group of rocks in the Englisli Channel seven miles west of Alderney. ^ Dartmouth. ^ Start Point. Salcombe. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS We tacked to the south again and again. That night during the dogwatch we stoo:l toward shore again. We reckoned that we had sailed eight leagues S.S.E. The course was W.N.W. The wind S.W. and a fair breeze. 17 Very foggy weather. W^e sailed six leagues N.W. by W. The wind was S.W. We tacked again and again. At noon we stood in toward shore and in the evening we turned again S.W. We should have liked to go to Pleijmuijdcn^-^ to get water and hay but could not on account of the fog. The frigate which was with us stood toward shore. The galley also became separated from us so that there were only five of us left. 18 The wind was S.W. That night we tacked again and again. Before noon we arrived between Plcij- muijden and Goutstart and tacked back and forth. During the night we ran closely past the Mceu- zvcsteen^ and let oiu'sclves drift along in a calm. A dead horse overboard. 19 At daybreak the wind S.S.W. A dense fog set in. We found ourselves before the beacon of Plcijmnij- dcn. There w^ere only two of us, the vice admiral and ourselves. We thought it advisable to run in. Before Dracckenkastccl- we found five English royal vessels at anchor. We sailed on toward the easr Conscr^ and anchored there in five fathoms. We found the frigate and the galley at anchor. 20 In the morning the wind was westerly. Our three other ships also came to anchor near us. We began to get our casks ready to draw water in the nearby village, as no water could be had where we anchored. 21 The wind S.W. At night our crew brought over 20 casks of water on board. At noon we got a quantity of hay. 22 The wind westerly with dull weather. Our crew hauled water again. A. dead calf overboard. 23 The wind variable. Our sailors again hauled water. A dead horse overboard. ^ Plymoutli. ^Mewstone; an isolated rock near the east coast of Plymouth Sound. - Drake Castle. ' het Oost Conser; apparently a reference to some part of Catwater. See below. 586 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 24 The wind westerly. Nothing else of importance. 25 The wind east. We weighed anchor to set sail but it became calm and then the wind rose from the S.W. so that we remained where we were. 26 In the morning there was a calm antl at noon the wind was S.W. Our crew hauled water again, as a great deal of water was spilled. 27 The wind from the shore and at noon S.W. We got some more water on board. 28 In the morning there was a calm. At noon the wind blew from the sea. In the afternoon a fleet of English vessels bound for the Straet* arrived here in the Kaddegat.^ Outside the fort a fleet of Por- tuguese traders was seen which the aforesaid fleet had met. We got some more firewood on board. .29 The wind was W.N.W. in the morning with calms and good weather. At noon it was still calm with a breath of air from the northward. We got water on board ; and some more during the night. 30 In the morning it was still calm. At noon the wind became E.S.E. with a fair breeze. We got a fathom of Norwegian wood on board. Two hours before sundown we weighed our anchor to set sail. In the evening we got to a point inside the beacon and the five of us anchored there to wait for General Half- hoorn, commanding the ship EHcabeth which could not get its anchors clear. 31 At daybreak Halfhoorn joined us. We weighed our anchors and set sail, the five of us and one galley. The wind was E. by N. May the Lord grant us hence- forth a happy and speedy voyage and everything else that may tend to our salvation. Amen. Some English vessels followed us. We shaped our course S.W. At 10 o'clock in the forenoon we came near a fleet of 19 sail. We spoke one of them which came from Caep de Vorde.^ Most of the rest were French traders. At noon Lesaerf lay two leagues W. by N. of us. W^e kept our former course. * Strait of Gibraltar. " Catwater or Cattewater, the estuary at the northeast corner of Plymouth Sound. 8 Cape Verde. ' The Lizard. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS September 1 At noon we could not take the latitude. The wind was S.E. by E. By our reckoning we had sailed 34 leagues S.VV. Squally weather, much thunder and lightning and a hard pelting- rain. The wind became southerly and during the night easterly. The sea ran high. West and S.W. with whirlwinds. 2 After the mate had taken the latitude, we found that we were in the latitude of 47 degrees 13 min- utes and during the day we had sailed 19 leagues S.W. The wind was E. by N. with a topsail breeze and clear weather. In the evening the wind became southerly again and in the dogwatch S.S.E. with a stifif breeze and squally weather. 3 In the morning the wind S.S.E. with a fair breeze. We were in the latitude of 46 deg. 40 min. The distance sailed 18 leagues. Eor the most part the wind had been S.W. by W. It became S.W. with a light breeze. 4 In the morning we turned south. The wind W.S W. Distance sailed 13^ leagues. The course south. At noon we reckoned that we had sailed another three and a half leagues south. The latitude was 47 deg. 4 min., the wind became W.N.W. with a topsail breeze. The sea ran high from the south. At night the wind was again S.W. 5 A little before dawn we took in our topsails. At daybreak two English vessels passed us. After four bells in the day watch we turned west. After dinner it began to blow harder and harder. We took in the foresail. We could take no latitude. The distance sailed was 12 leagues, mostly S.S.E. Toward even- ing we set our foresail again. The course was S.S.W., the wind west with a light breeze. 6 In the morning we turned west again. The wind S.S.W. The course west. At noon we were in lati- tude of 46 deg. 21 min. The distance sailed, keeping on our course, was three leagues W. from yesterday which was Sunday. Shortly after noon we took in the foresail. The wind was S.S.W., course W., rough, squally weather, variable wind. 588 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 7 At eight o'clock in the morning we turned south and set our foresail again. The wind W.N.W. with squally weather. At noon we were in the latitude 46 deg. 5 min. The distance sailed six leagues, mostly N.N.W. The wind changed to the N.W. The course was S.W. with a mainsail breeze and high seas. For the first time we began to pump water from the hold for our needs. In the morning we set our topsails again. We saw a sail and passed it. We presumed that it was an Englishman. At noon we could not get our latitude. Distance sailed 23 leagues S.W., the wind N.W. with rough weather. In the evening it quieted down and became beautiful weather. Course S.W., wind N.W. by N. 9 In the morning the wind N.W. with light breeze. At noon we were in latitude 43 deg. 28 min., distance sailed 30 leagues S.S.W. with a fair breeze and fair weather. At noon we saw a sail west of us which stood to the east. Our course was S.S.W. 10 We were in latitude 41 deg. 56 min., distance sailed 28 leagues S.S.W. The wind N.N.W. with a fair breeze, fine weather. 11 We were in latitude 40 deg. 12 min. Distance sailed 28 leagues. Course S.S.W. Wind N.N.W. with a fair breeze. Fog on the horizon. 12 Latitude 38 deg. 40 min. Distance sailed 23 leagues. Course S.S.W. Wind N.E., light breeze. 13 No latitude at noon, variable winds. Distance sailed 22 leagues S.W. Wind N.N.E. with a light breeze and fine weather. Clear view. 14 Found ourselves in latitude 35 deg. 50 min. Dis- tance sailed 21 leagues S. by W. with good weather. Wind variable. At noon we shaped our course south. 15 We were in latitude 34 deg. 24 min. Distance sailed 22 leagues S. The wind northerly with a lighr breeze and fine weather. We reckoned that it was still 28 leagues S. to the east end of the island of Madera. 16 At six o'clock in the morning the island of Porio Santto^ bore S.W. from us, distant about three and a * Porto Santo, an island of the Madeira group. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS half leagues; and at noon west. We had sailed dur- ing this day 29 leagues S.W. The wind mostly N.N.W., variable with squalls but mostly clear weather. We found that we were further east than we had reckoned and that we should have shaped our course west of Jlha de Palmo^ but did not dare leave the other vessels, as at times the weather was calm and at others the wind N.W. We thought it there- fore advisable to stand to the south with the other vessels. In the evening the cast point of the island of Madera lay west from us at a distance of about six leagues. We shaped our course S.S.W. with a fair breeze and fine weather. 7 At eight o'clock in the morning, the south point of de Sarters^^ lay north of us, distant about seven leagues. At noon we were in latitude 31 deg. 43 min., distance sailed 21 leagues S.S.W., the wind N.N.E. 8 We were in latitude 29 deg. 33 min. Course S. by W. Distance sailed 33 leagues. The wind N.E. with a fair breeze and fine weather. At noon it be- came calm. At sundown the Pico van Tenerifd^^ lay S. by \L. from us. The S.E. point of Jlha de Palmo lay S.W. from us. We shaped our course S.S.W. It became calm. 9 In the morning we were between Jlha de Palmo and Tenerifa. Wc passed between them and were west of Goinera. The course was changed to S.W. by S. Wind N.W. with a light breeze. At noon the course was S.W. We lowered our boat. The skip- per went to the other vessels to take his leave before wc continued our voyage, hoping that we were out of danger. That night the wind became S.S.W. In the morning we had just passed the island of Camera. The wind was W. with a light breeze. Before noon we spoke our vessels and took our leave of each one by firing a salute, whereupon in the name of the Lord we stood out to sea together with the * Palma, of the Canary Islands. Desertas, small uninhabited islands belonging to the Madeira Bjrpup. " Peak of Teneriffe, properly the Pico de Teide. NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY galley. May He guide us to His praise and honor and to our advantage. At noon the south point of the island of fcrro lay ahout four leagues from us. It became calm. For nine leagues the course had been, about S.W. by S. In the evening at sunset we saw a sail. During the night the wind became S.W. In the morning the vessels were in full view east of us. At noon we reckoned that during the past day we had sailed 12 leagues S.W. The course was W.S.W. The wind N.N.W. with a light breeze. At noon we were in latitude 25 deg. 45 min. Distance sailed 27 leagues S.W. by W. Wind north- erly with a light breeze. It was still calm. Latitude 25 deg. 2 nn'n. Distance sailed 17 leagues S.W. by W. Wind N.N.E. but calm. At night we shaped our course S.W. in order to catch the trade wind better, as daily there was a calm. The wind N.N.W. We were in latitude 24 deg. 24 min. Distance Sailed 19 leagues S.W. by W. Wind N.E. We were hoping that we would catch the trade wind. We shaped our course again W.S.W. with a fair breeze. We were in latitude 23 deg. 54 min. Distance sailed 24 leagues W.S.W. Wind E. N.E. with a fair breeze. At noon we were in latitude 23 deg. 12 min. Distance sailed 28 leagues W.S.W. Wind E.N.E. with a topsail breeze and a fair tratle wind. God be praised. At noon latitude 22 deg. 26 min. Distance sailed 31 leagues W.S.W. Wind N.E. by E. with a topsail breeze, fine weather, good trade wind. The course was W. by S. Piefore noon there was a small travado. We took in all our sails excei)t the foresail, but it did not reach us. It was to the N.N.W. Toward noon the wind became N.N.E. with a light breeze. The latitude was 22 deg. 2 min. Distance sailed 28 leagues W. by S. with good weather. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 59I 29 At noon we were in latitude 21 deg. 42 min. Distance sailed 19 leagues W. by S. Wind N.E. with a light breeze. At times it became somewhat dark but we did not get any travado. 30 At noon we could not take the latitude. We reckoned that we had sailed 17 leagues W. by S. with a light N.E. breeze ; clouding weather. October 1 We were in latitude 21 deg. 17 min. Distance sailed 23 leagues W. by S. Wind N.E. with a light breeze. 2 We were in latitude 21 deg. 6 min. Distance sailed 30 leagues W. by S. The wind E. by N. with a steady breeze ; clouding weather. 3 We were in latitude 20 deg. 44 min. Distance sailed 32 leagues W. by S. Wind E. by N. Topsail breeze and a good trade wind. Overcast sky. 4 In the morning after mess we began to put things to order to see how many casks of water we still had, as each day we found another one empty. Except for lack of water, we were resolved to set our course straight for New Netherland. In the afternoon when all the casks had been examined, we found that of the 29 casks which we supposed were still left, only 16 were full. These were provided with iron hoops; of the others the hoops had sprung. By reckoning we were still 600 leagues from New Netherland and the animals consumed at least two casks of water in three days, so that we had water for the animals for only 24 days. We began to look at each other. At last after some questions had been asked we de- cided unanimously that for the preservation of both man and beast it was necessary to go to the island of Christoffcl^" and continue our voyage after we had obtained a supply of water. We shaped our course therefore W.S.W. Wind E. by N. with a steady trade wind. Latitude 20 deg. 25 min. Distance sailed 24 leagues. " St Christopher, also called St Kitts. 592 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 5 We were in latitude 19 (leg. 40 min. Distance sailed 33 leagues W.S.W. Wind east with a topsail breeze and steady trade wind with good weather. A dead heifer overboard. 6 We were in latitude 18 deg. 41 min. Distance sailed 36 leagues W.S.W. Wind E.N.E. with a steady stiff trade wind. Fog on the horizon. In the evening there was sharp lightning and the weather became very dark. After the first watch we took in our topsails as it looked very dark in the south. 7 In the morning we reefed'** our mainsail and furled the spritsail.^'* At daybreak we had a travado from the south which lasted three hours. Toward noon we set our mainsail again antl shortly after our top- sails, and the wind became east with a light breeze. We got no observation at noon. Distance sailed 31 leagues W.S.W, 8 We were in latitude 17 deg. 14 min. Distance sailed 34 leagues W.S.W. ; the wind east. The galley got separated from us during the night. We set our course W. by S. We had a stiff breeze during the past night. A dead heifer overboard. 9 We were in latitude 17 deg. 7 min. The course was now changed to west. Distance sailed 32 leagues. The wind E. by N. with clouding weather and fog on the horizon. At times a topsail breeze ; sometimes less. Toward evening there was a travado from the S.S.W. with rain. We took in all the sails. At night there fell a calm. The whole sky was very dark. We lay there till morning. A dead horse overboard. The four horses on starboard were now overboard and the four on port still remained. 10 A little before dawn there came a stiff travado from the S.E. At daybreak the weather cleared off. Wind E.S.E. We were in latitude 16 deg. 59 min. Distance sailed 10 leagues W. by S. Wind as above with a fair breeze. ^^gijpten; the word gijpen means to jibe but throughout this journal «|)pears to b? used for geien, also spelled gijen, to reef. blinde; see p. 361. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 593 We were in latitude i6 deg. 44 min. Distance sailed 26 leagues W. by S. The wind E. by N. A fair breeze and good weather. Course W. By reckoning we were still 100 leagues from the island of Antigo}^ We were in latitude 16 deg. 42 min. Distance sailed 28 leagues west. Wind E. by N. with a fair breeze. Weather as above. We were in latitude 16 deg. 38 min. Distance sailed 30 leagues west. Wind E.N.E. with a fair breeze. Weather as above. We were in latitude 16 deg. 40 min. Distance sailed 25 leagues west. Wind E. by N. with a light breeze. We were in latitude 16 deg. 37 min. Distance sailed 23 leagues west. Wind east with a light breeze ; fine weather. In the afternoon there was a travado from .the south with much rain. Sharp lightning during the night. A little before dawn we had a travado from the S.E. with much rain. We were in latitude 16 deg. 46 min. Distance sailed 20 leagues west. Varial)le and clouding weather. At noon we saw the island of La dc Ccdc^^' four and a half leagues S.S.VV. of us ; after throe o'clock the islands of Marigalaiitc^'^ and Gucrc de Loupc,^^ as we thought. Weather was still foggy. Toward evening we saw an island bear- ing W.N.W. Very foggy so that wc could not make out what it was. We let ourselves drift before the wind. At daybreak we got under sail again. It was still as foggy as before. Wc ran to the aforesaid island ; on approaching it wc learned that it was Antigo}^ Wc saw two ships lying in the roadstead which is on the N.W. side. We shaped our coiu-se W. and W. by N. We were in latitude 16 deg. 54 min. The 594 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY l8 19 20 west point of the island Montfuratte-^^ lay W.S.W. at a distance of two leagues. For 17 leagues our couise had heen about W. by N. and we kept our course. We passed just nt)rth of the island of Rodondc'-^ and then set course for the island of Mcvesr''- Toward evening the west point lay N.W. at about two and a half leagues from us. We reckoned that since noon we had sailed nine leagues W. bv NF. The course was W.N.W. and later N.W. After four bells in the first watch the south point of the islanil of ChristoffcF^ lay N.N.E. from us at a distance of three and a half leagues. We took in our sails and let ourselves drift in order to remain near the road- stead. The wind was west. A dead horse over- board. At daybreak vvc set oiu- sails again and ran into the roads, where with (lod's help we anchored a little before noon in 10 fathoms. We found in the roads two Zealand vessels, namely one flute and one frigate. Our course was changed and we drifted five miles W.N.W. and till morning three miles N.N.W. ; when we came into the roads we had but one cask of water left. We sent our boat ashore in haste with empty casks. The wind was S.E. with a stiff breeze. We reckoned that wc were in latitude 17 deg. 6 min. During the night and also in the morning, at noon and in the evening the sailors brought some casks of water on board having fine pleasant weather. Most of the time there was a land breeze. We saw two sail which did not stop in the roads. In the early- part of the night we took another boat load of water on board. Sunday; no water was drawn. Meanwhile we filled the casks in the hold. We also careened our ship and cleaned the side. Foggy weather with drizzling rain and calm. 2° Montserrat. Redonda. 22 Nevis. ^ St Christopher. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 595 In the morning we took more water on board and had a travado from the S.W. with much rain. The sea began to run high. The rain lasted till the after- noon. A small English vessel drifted from shore and the English on board had neither anchors nor cables so that it was carried far out to sea. The frigate went out and caught it again. In the evening we took some more water on board. We took our last load of water on board and stored it away. Wc cleaned the other side of our ship and got ready to set sail. The wind was S.E. At two o'clock in the night we set sail again in God's name. May He bring us to the place of our destination. The wind was variable but mostly calm. Wc ran along the island to the Sant puntf'*' at day- break we were close to it. Wc ran between the island of Eustachio"^' and the Sant punt of Christoffcl, along a reef which projects from Christoffel. The course was N. by W. and N.N.W. We passed the islands of Saba and Bartholomeus?^ We spoke a small bark which came from the island of St Marten and learned that there were no ships near the said island which made us feel more at ease in passing it. We laid our course close to St Marten and found the above statement to be true. In the evening we came close to the north point'^" of the aforesaid island which bore north. W^e were almost becalmed and tlierefore did not quite dare stand on because of getting near the island of Sombrero. We took in our topsails and tacked back and forth. The wind was E. and E.S.E. with squalls. From the santpunt we had sailed about nine leagues averaging a N.N.W. course. One hour before daybreak we set our sails again There was a light N.E. breeze. Wc sailed a half lea- gue below the lower point of St Marten and so on past the island of AnguiUa. Wind N.N.E. We ran to the westward of the island of Sombrero not being able Sandy Point. St Eustatius. St Bartholomew. Should probably be: the south point. 50 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY to sail any higher. We were in hititiulc i8 deg. 6 mill. The north point of Angtiilla lay then E.N.F2. of us at a distance of ahout four leagues and Som- brero N.E. by N. one league. In the evening Som- brero lay E.N.E. of us at a distance of about two and a half leagues. It fell calm. N.W. of us we saw another island. The wind changed to W. and W.N. W. We turned north. Course N.N.E. At the end of the first watch we sailed above Sombrero having it E.S.E. of us about a half league off. Light breeze. 25 At daybreak Sombrero lay south of us about two leagues oft". Wind W.S.W. with a heavy sky. We had much rain. At noon there was a travado from the S.W. with a pelting rain. At noon we saw an island bearing south. Course N.N.W. with squally weather. We took in our topsails. Variable wind. 26 Weather continued squally. We were in latitude 19 deg. 52 min. Distance sailed 24 leagues N.N.W. Wind mostly S.W. but variable. 27 We were in latitude 21 deg. 10 min. Distance sailed 21 leagues N.N.W^ Wintl S.S.W. with a light breeze. 28 Latitude 22 deg. 43 min. Distance sailed 25 leagues N.N.W. Wind S.W. Now and then we had squalls. 29 We were in latitude 23 deg. 8 min. Distance sailed seven leagues N.N.W. It had been calm since even- ing and still continued so. Today we tarred our ship. A dead sheep overboard. 30 We were in latitude 23 deg. 20 min. Distance sailecl four leagues N.N.W. During the past day it had been very calm ; now we got a light breeze. 31 We were in latitude 23 deg. 46 min. Distance sailed seven leagues N.N.W. A gentle S.S.E. breeze, almost calm. During this day we passed the Tropic of Cancer. November i We were in latitude 24 deg. 36 min. Distance sailed 14 leagues N.N.W. Wind E.S.E. with a light breeze, fine weather. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 597 We were in latitude 25 deg. 44 min. Distance sailed 18 leagues. Wind mostly S.E. with a light breeze. During the night we had a travado from the E.N.E. We reefed all our sails. The wind went around the entire compass. It was the hardest tra- vado we had had. It blew very hard with much thunder and lightning and hard pelting rain. At half past two o'clock in the night the wife of Govcrt Loockcmans gave birth to a daughter.^^ Thus was our number increased; God be praised. In the morning after breakfast we set our sails again after having had very rough weather during the night. The wind was west; thereafter E. by N. The sea began to run high from the north. No latitude was taken at noon. We reckoned that we had sailed 14 leagues N.N.W. In the morning after the dogwatch wc took in the foresail and let ourselves drift with the aftersails. It began to blow very hard and to look ugly. At daybreak we took off the foresail bonnet-'^ and stoo;l on with the courses. The wind was E.N.E. We were not able to take the latitude at noon. The distance sailed was 16 leagues N.W. by N. Wind as al)ove. Rough weather, high seas and fog on the horizon. In the evening the wind began to turn southerly. We were in latitude 2ro forma and on their arrival there do as they please. All other people whose time has expired and who remain in the colony, whether married or unmarried, and outsiders who may come into the colony, must take the oath of fealty on the same conditions as the other freemen who went thither made with me. And as at present, carpenters are somewhat scarce there, especially journey- men, we must exercise prudence and rather have a little patience than get under obligations to these people. There are several masters but few journeymen; some of the fellows who now go over might be assigned as helpers'""* to the carpenter^^ who came to the country with anthonie de hoogcs. They will try to conspire against us but we must try to divert them from their purpose, and, as was said, rather have patience than grant them such unreasonable wages. The houses which were contracted for on the advice of Officer vanderdonck cost a good deal more than is paid here though andrics de Vos according to his contract is bound to be satisfied with the latter, so that this matter must be carefully seen to. It docs not matter to me whether private individuals promise them more than the prices fixed by me ; they are bound to serve the patroon for their stipulated wages before anyone else, but it seems that the prices of the private individuals fix the market for the lord patroon who will know how to find compensation again in some other way. In fine, it is better to have a little patience and to write to me about it than to give such extra wages contrary to the contract. To this end, the brick and tile kilns would be very useful, fc^r while it would not cost much more the work would be much more lasting. js my acngcwccst. ^* handtbereyders ; but the memorandum formerly among the Rcussclacrswyck Mss, according to O'Callaglian, has liaut bcrcydcrs, literally, lumber [)re| arors. Jan Teunisz van Leyden. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 613 Further it is necessary to unload in the most convenient way all my goods which go over now and to ship them again to the colony. If my people have a vessel, they should be notified by an express by land, or much better by a small boat by water. Giving the honor- able Director kicft my greetings, his honor's advice should be asked how everything can be done to my best advantage and, as the hon- orable Director kieft had heretofore and still has a great deal of trouble with my people and goods, I send herewith as a present and an acknowledgment of gratitude the following: First, a saddle with everything that belongs to it, packed in canvas and addressed to the honorable Director kicft, which should have been received by the last ship but was sent back by mistake and now accompanies this, numbered No. 24, with the mark of the colony; also, packed in the East India chest. No. 22, are the fol- lowing things in my name to be presented to the honorable director : a gold and silver ])lated rapier with its scabbard and all that belongs to it a gold and silver embroidered baldric a pair of gold and silver plated spurs a pair of i^oots with spur straps These tilings having been taken out, the chest must be closed again. If necessary for the transportation of malt some sacks wliicli are only loosely sewn, so that they can be ripped apart later and sold as canvas, must be taken out also and a memorandum kept of everything. The goods which are now sent over by this ship arc packed as follows and marked as in the margin : Nos. 1,2, 3, 4 are four large casks containing two lasts, 1 1 muddes of malt for brewing for E-c'crt Pels for which he is to pay me according to contract Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8 are four cases with all kinds of goods No. 9 a keg of nails No. 10 a small case with lead and shot No. II a hogshead of vinegar Nos. 12, 13, 14 are eight cases of duffels 15, 16, 17, i(S, 19 No. 20 a case with shoes and seven hides cjf sole leather, 4000 tiles, 3000-''"' clinker bricks re- 30,000 in O'Callaglian, llislory of New Nctlicrland, 1:454. 6i4 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 4f No. 21 No. 22 ceived from the Company's brick [yard] 20 bundles of iron rods loc^olb 10 " " 500II) 20 square bars of iron, weighing 735 lb 10 rods of very thin iron 228 lb 8 hoet of smith's coal a case with plowshares an East India chest with books and other No. 23 things according to invoice a small case with three dufifels for zaiidcr- No. 24 Nos. 25, 21 ■6 donck the saddle two small tubs with grapevine shoots and madder^' On the arrival of the above people and goods in the colony with God's help, D'-' Megapolcnsis shall hand this memorandum to Coniniis Arent van Coder that he may attend to the contents thereof as carefully as possible and communicate them to OtTicer vandcrdonck. While at the inanhatans he shall acquaint the honorable Director kicft with the improper procedure of those among my people who, after I have paid their board and advanced them other expenses and money, marry there and remain at the nianhatans or near there notwithstanding they are bound by definite contract in case of marriage to go to the colony and, according to the 19th article,^^ may not be hired there. He shall request his honor to lend me a helping hand herein and meanwhile order Officer vandcrdonck to serve notice on each of the said persons as well as on the hus- bands of the married women (])rovided he first obtain consent from Director kicft and the officer at the nianhatans) to reimburse the patroon for the money advanced and expenses or to serve out their time at the place agreed upon with the patroon and in case of refusal to do either one or the other he shall request the director to lend a strong arm, at all events to [let my officer] protest against them especially against the husbands who by marrying such subject persons'"*"' have become also liable for their debts and promises, namely on forfeiture of all their goods and property which they had and which they shall acquire within and without the colony, ^' O'Callaglian's translation ends here. °* Of the Freedoms and Exemptions, granted June 7, 1629. '''' omryc pcrsooncn. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 615 and in due time levy on the same and proceed therein at law ac- cording to the express words of their contracts. As to lucas Sniit/'^' who is prohably still at the manhatans with the minister I)'' hogardiis, who would like to keep him in his service on condition of reimbursing me for my expenses and money advanced, although 1 would gladly do D'^ hogardus every service and favor I can not let him have this man on account of the evil consequences, also because at least half of my people who came over by that ship left me at the manhatans and vicinity by getting married and for other reasons as well as on account of the great trouble and expense of traveling, board, and agents' commissions which I have before I can get any servants, not to speak of those who run away from and desert me, and because of the great lack of good servants in the colony and of the fact that this is one of the most upright servants of that nation whom I have and that he will serve the others as an example. Therefore I can not grant this but would request that he be allowed to go with the others to the colony and am willing to reimburse d'^ hogardus for his expenses in connection with him. D'^ Bogardus should be able to suit him- self sufficiently upon the arrival of so many people as now go over for the account of the Company. D*^ Megapolensis knows how much trouljle is connected with this matter, what difficulties I have with the Company before I can get my people on board and what risk I run of losing them together with all the money advanced by the action of some disaffected persons and will there- fore please to excuse me with D'^ hogardus. Herewith goes my resolution regarding the affair of Pictcr Cor- Entered in Rccckeningc dcr Gocdcren geconicn p'het Schip den Houttnijn, A" 1642, i.76, among the Rcnssclacrswyck Mss, as Lucas Smith van Jehansberch, not van Icksemburgh, as given by O'Callaglian, History of New Ncthcrland, 1:440. In N. Y. Col. Mss, 2:4, lie is referred to as Lucas Smits van Coarlant. Kurland is an estate and Johannisburg a town in the district of Gunibinnen, in East Prussia. Lucas Smith, or Schmidt, as his name should probably be written, arrived at the Manhatans, on den Coninclc David, Nov. 29, 1641, and at once entered the service of Domino I'ogardus. Aug. 13, 1642, he arrived in the colony, where till May i, 1644, he was employed at the patroon's house at a salary of fioo a year. From May i, 1644 to Ajiril 13, 1646, he served at the Flatts as farm hand and clerk at a yearly salary of f2oo (See Maentgcit Boeck, 1638-44, f.55 and Croot Boeck, No. F, 1640-50, f.i8, among the Rcnssclacrswyck Mss). April 13, 1646, .\ntonio de Ilooges, Loco D' Patroni, issued a certificate stating that Lucas Smith hem soo in dienst sijne Hcere eii Patroon als bij ijder ecn int bijsonder Vroom en getrouwelijck heeft gedraegen ah een ecrlijck en Vroom Jonghman toebehoort daer nict valt op tc seggen als ccr ende deucht — Lucas Smith has in the service of his lord and patroon as well as toward everyone else in particular conducted himself uprightly and faithfully as becomes an Ijoncst and pious young man of whom nothing can be said but what is honorable and virtuous {Copijc van ccnige Acten en andere Aenmerckclijcke Notiticn, 1643-48, p.46, among the licnssclacrsivyck Mss) . 6l6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY nelisscn which D'' mcgapolcnsis will please to communicate accord- ing' to my oral request. Furthermore, as I notice and fear for various reasons, as well as because of express warnings from the iiiajiJiafaiis saying so, tliat the administration of my colony is in a very confused state, which might easily cause some trouble among my principal agents*'^ of the colony, I still keep the supreme direction in my own hands nor will I readily cede it either for the reason that those in the colony (even if I were not their lord) need me here more than I need them there, for who will supply their necessities if I do not? Who will furnish them the money if I do not? All this does not even concern the government so that I am very much surprised at'the ingratitude of the people there who seek their own interests so entirely and mine so little that when they get there they misconstrue according to their own desires the contracts made with me here which might easily cause me to abandon this work altogether for I would rather sit idle than suffer loss. Let them consider for a moment what it has cost me to establish each farm, aside from the horses, cows and land which I furnish them, and how much they have given me in return. They think that as soon as they have delivered their grain to the Company, I am bound to credit them with the amount. This is not so at all. For all the grain which they have delivered for lo years, I have received no payment but the amount has been balanced against accounts and supplies; so that I will not pay any one a single penny no matter how much they may furnish to the Com- pany. But what they deliver to my coininis, not on the books but on his own loft and in his own power and possession, and for which they obtain his receipts, with that I shall credit them ; this as far as the common people are concerned. Coming now to the agents, '^^ my intention is that everyone no matter whether he is wiser or more intelligent than someone else, shall be strictly and expressly held to his contract. The more intelligent shall instruct and admonish the less intelligent and seek to dispose him to do what is useful or necessary, also to protest, if necessary, against his not doing so and to send the protests to me, but in no way to trespass on some one else's duties and to do what others ought to do. For instance, I take it very ill that Officer vandcrdonck, knowing why I placed him at the entrance to the colony which I explained to him orally at great '^^ Cominittcntcn ; constituents, j rincipals. erroneously in tlic sense of agents. committcnicn. The term is used here and in otlicr places VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 617 length, with the mere remark that there was room for only two farms, left that place and settled at the extreme upper end, as far as possible from the place intended for him, from the people and from the entrance to the colony where the key ought to be, and all this too without the consent of the commissioners of the colony or at least of my cousin Arciit Van Corler. If below there was room for but two farmers, he ought to have been one of them ; matters being now thus and the contract being let for a dwelling on the farm at the upper end, I am willing to let vanderdonck keep the said farm for himself on the conditions made with him; but as to his personal residence, I can not consent to its being there as it is too far from the people near whom he must constantly be, so that at a con- venient time, when the first hurry of the most necessary building is over, he must cause an inexpensive house such as will meet his most urgent needs to be erected in the church neighborhood, where he can have his regular domicile in order to be present and at hand. Once in a while he can also inspect his farm, but that [only] one farm should be established there as he requests must be further investi- gated as I find that the place of broer Cornells and the Great Flats'"-' together, including some woods which can easily be cut down, contain about 140 morgens according to the survey of M*" Creyn Cornclisen^ surveyor, so that by and by another farm ought to be established in that vicinity. It would be surprising if from bylacrs dal on, being four leagues upward, there should not be room for 20 farms as Director minuyet and wolfert gerritsen advised me at the time and it should turn out now that there could hardly bo found room for a dozen. What would that be for such a district? D' Mcgapolensis will therefore have the patroon's commissioners who are not personally interested in farms, such as, Arunt van Corler and P'' Cornelisen, with the help in this instance of surgeon Abraham Stacs, further investigate this matter in order to send me definite advice as to how many farms could conveniently be established there according to the number of morgens which I have agreed by contract to furnish the farmers and how much clearing of land can be expected in the future. I exclude Officer vanderdonck from this work only for so far as he is personally interested in the matter, for no one may be judge in his own case. As to the tithes, a suit- able arrangement ought to be made whereby they shall be properly collected to the best advantages of the patroon, by individual agree- <53 de groote vlacktc. Probably a mistake for Crijn Fredericksz; see p. 636. 6i8 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ments with the respective farmers, by leasing them yearly for each parcel of land or farm to private persons upon proper surety, by having private persons for a commission gather them in the field and thrash them, or by such other means as will be most profitable, having in view the heavy burden of paying the salary of the minister and other officers which the patroon has taken upon him, which salaries ought to be paid out of these tithes as far as possible so that the latter must be sold in the most profitable way. As to the ad- ministration of the colony this is under the present circumstances chiefly vested in the person of Arciit vati Coder, [for just as] ad- riaen vander donck in case of need, represents the chief officer, so Corlcr, also in case of need, represents the director, so that the said Corlcr must provisionally be acknowledged as the first and chief administrator of the colony,**^ with this understanding how- ever, that each of them shall be unprejudiced in his rights and powers described in his instructions; each of the other commission- ers and councilors shall also be maintained in his rights ; and the lord patroon expressly orders that, if any dififerences of opinion as to the meaning of their commissions and instructions should occur among those of highest rank which they can not settle among them- selves, both parties or one of them must address themselves or him- self to D'^ Megapolensis, showing his reverence besides his instruc- tions and commission the reasons on which he bases his argument, whereupon the other party having been summoned and heard, the decision of d^ megapolensis shall stand without contradiction till the lord patroon sends over his decision concerning it. In all cases [Megapolensis] shall have an eye to the rights and advantages of the patroon that the common welfare may not sutler from misunder- standing, contention or the like ; and hereby disorder shall cease and the patroon be satisfied that everyone acquits himself of his duties as he ought. • In conclusion I commend Megapolensis with his worthy wife and children to the gracious protection of Almighty God that He may keep them from all hindrances and accidents, grant them pros- perity in the colony, bless his ministry and work to the honor of His holy name and to the extension of the Christian religion not aengaende de saecke vande administralic vandc Colonic tcgenwoordich soo als hy nu leijt cappitalyck aenConiende opdcn j I'soon •"an Arent van Corler, en adriacn vander donck representeert het hoof tolTicicrschap by node soo rcprcscnteert Corler hct dirccteiir- schap derselver Jnsgelix by noode dienvolgende sal dito Corler by froi'isie moeten bekent warden als de eerste eh de voornacmste administratcur der Coionie. For note on the term hooftofhcier, see p. 283. VAN RENSSELAER liOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 619 only among Christians but, if it please God, also among the blind heathen in or>Ier that the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, creator, redeemer and sanctifier to the end of the world, may be preached, served, lauded and praised in my colony till the second coming of our Lord and Savior in order that, being raised from the dead by His power, we may possess with him the eternal joy of His Father's kingdom, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart or thoughts of man. Amen.'* His reverence's very affectionate Kiliacn %'(m Rcnselacr, patroon of tlie colony of Rensselaerswyck. P. S. Immediately upon his arrival />' }fef/apohvisis shall go to my cousin /Ircnt 7 an Corlcr and stay with him till he shall find a convenient opportunity, with tlie advice of Ofificer z'andcr donck and the other commissioners,"" to have a suitable though inexpensive temporary house built with the intention later when the colony is a little more prosperous of having a larger house built for him. Meanwhile, as I fear that the church will not be finished yet, he shall select the best place that can be found to preach the word of God. The church neighborhood, where in time all mechanics must settle shall if it is not too late be chosen near the pine grove, on the east side of the river, to the south of dc lacts biirgh, placing the center thereof at the place on the river where inland the swamp is deepest and so may serve as defence in times of need, as ahraham Stars knows ; and all houses must be located there as indicated on the accompanying small map.^^^ But as it is written, Eye hatli not seen, nor car heard, neither liave entered into the heart of man, the things wliieli God hath prcimrcd for them that love liim. I Cor. 2:9, A. V. ofHcicr Tander donck en dc andre gecommiiteerde. Dc kcrckebiiyrtc alwacr mcticrtyt allc ainbachtcn liacr sullen nioctcn ncdcrshicn son hct nict te spade is sal gcnoincn warden ontrcnt liet grcyiic bns aendc oostcydc vande revier besuijden -.'an de lacts bursh het midden daervan nemcnden tcr placfse aeii rcvicre wacr te landewaerts jn hct Moeras hct diepste js om die in tyden en wijie tot f ortificatie te connen dienen gelyck abrahani Stacs bekent is eii. allc zvonninghe gcleghi warden gelyck dit ncvens gaende Caertgcn uytweyst. 620 \"EW YORK STATE LIHRAftV Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Antony de Hooges'" June 8, 1 6 12 Antlwiiic dc Hooi^cs, in Xew Xctherland This 8th of June 1642, in Amsterdam Your letters from the Texel and from Pl\-mouth, and your last letter from the iitaiihataiis, dated June, August and December of last year, were duly handed to me together with the journal'" which has g"iven me a great deal of satisfaction. If you continue in \-our course and do not allow yourself to he diverted from your toil, diligence and faithfulness, you v.dll, if tlie Lord spare my life, distinctly notice the results of your good conduct even during the term of years for which you have engaged yourself. This I must recommend you, as long as you are under some one else, do not be sullen but obey in matters about which you think you have good ground for being of a contrary opinion ; communicate this opinion to your superiors and persuade them to weigh it without however forcing them, for hitman nature is such that those who have charge of anything do not like to l)e instructetl by those who are below them in rank. But if the case were such that my loss or my rights were involved to a considerable extent and if it were worth wdiile (for one must not let himself be burned for a tritle) you might press the matter a little. l>ut aljove all things guard yourself against the presumption of thinking your- self in the right when as a matter of fact some one else is in the right. Therefore, in the beginning, hear and see, notice and learn, obey and make yourself agreeable and liked; in that way you will be able to accomplish much. I would answer ycmrs more full}', but it is now Pinkster day, the eighth of June, the wind blow s and we must break off. \\ hat I have to observe about your letter from the iiiaiihataiis is that you will find out that many words, even if they come from persons of importance, are but plumes. 1 ho[)e that later you arrived safely in the colony with the goods and that you are helping my cousin /I rent van Corlcr in whatever way he seeks my advantage in what I have entrusted to him. I am curious to know how many followed you to the colony. It was a mis- fortune that your ship was so long on the way. Have ])atience and continue to keep a full diary of every thing worthy of note 03 V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.157. " Journal of de Hooges' voyage on den Coninck David, printed on p. 580-603. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 621 wliicli occurs lo you. iM-om this you might scud uic brief extracts every \veel< or mouth, for 1 have cause to loug to kuow about everythiug- that occiu-s there, as everythiug concerus uie aud de- j-ends ou uie. I uiust cud 1 gave to IV. Mcgapolcnsis a letter writteu to you by my l)rotlier in law Johannes van 2vclP The friends are, God be praised, still well and send you greetings. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft^^ June 8, 1642 Will cm Kicft, 13ircctor of New Netherland 1642, in Amsterdam, this 8th of June This unexpected breeze today compels me to make haste and to Ijreak off. I can not refrain from thanking your honor for your kind assistance with regard to my goods and the good treatment of my servant, Anthoonic dc hooo;hcs, who expresses his thanks him- self for having been accommodated at [the home of] oloff Stcvcn- scn, to whom I should like to write but can not do so now. 1 delivered his letters, sent under cover to mc, to his mother. I must complain about the fickleness of my people who let themselves be held fast there at once. I have given orders to bring suit against them and request your honor's favor and assistance. It was very unfortunate that den Conin. dav. arrived so late that arcnt had left. I fear on that account still more calamities than I can write of l)ut hope that this spring everything will have come out all right and that the loss will be made good. As I hear that there is little merchandise in the country, I commend to your honor to send the people and goods that go over now promptly to the col- ony. I also send to the colony a very pious and experienced min- ister who has occupied the pulpit for at least 10 years. I hope that the Lord will bless his ministry among the dissolute Christians and blind heathen and that my colony may in time reach a state of peace and harmony. I noticed also that those who complain the most about disorder are frequently themselves the cause of it. I sent you by the ship den hrandaris a good saddle with its belong- ings, but whether it is the fault of the skipper or of Gyshcrtus opdendijck, it has been returned to me in the cag.'-"' I therefore send Johannes van Wely. " V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, i.iS/h. Cage, same as kaag, a flat-bottomed vessel used for inland navigation, in the present instance for transporting goods between Amsterdam and the Texcl. The English vi-ord cag, as a translation of the Dutch kaag, is at presejit obsolete but is found in works of the seventeenth century. 622 NEW YORK STATE LIl'.RARY it to you herewith once more, also a rapier with baldric and belong- ings, of which our D'^ mcgapolciisis lias the list and an order to hand them to you because of the gratitude which I owe you. Please accept them as a mark of gratitude. I am very much troubled, however, that the account sent has not been settled with my cousin arciit van Corlcr according to the advice of the lords directors and our agreement, dated the 5th of May 1639, stipulating that the (Urector of the Company on the one side and the commis of the colony on the other side shall settle their accounts in skins or money by balancing one debt against another or by delivery of mer - chandise as fairness and circumstances shall require. That my debt is computed at the sum of f24o8 without my knowing the items in detail,^"* and without my receiving the least sign or notice from my coiiiniis, is directly contrary to our agreement made with the Com- pany. This ought not to be and I have expressly said and pro- tested to the directors that I will not pay or credit them a penny of that nature without further information and proof. According to what they tell me these debts arise mostly from the consumption of wine. Can it be that Fort Orange is a wine cellar to debauch my i)L'()[)le, exhausting them as long as they can find something to ])ay and after that charging it to my account? I am forced to seek some remedy or other against these things and request you kindly, sir, if it is so, to see to it. The law of the Lord commands me expressly to prohibit such excesses on account of the sin and the evil which may result therefrom and [I do so] also and especially on account of my own interests, since in these excesses my people uselessly squander what is called their property but in reality is mine. As to the customs, duties [to the Company], averages, and freight charges which I have found in the accounts, 1 have also emphatically told the directors that I am not in the least inclined to pay these. If they are not satisfied with the prices fixed in my Freedoms, let them refuse to accept my shipment ; I do not want to cause them any loss but will send ships myself accord- ing to my Freedoms. This has been my frank statement of my position all the time and is so still, and I would not depart from it whether up or down, as I absolutely refuse to submit to these changes of the Company. I have their Freedoms given to me in the years 1628 and 1629 by the Assembly of the Nineteen and ap- proved by the High and Mighty Lords the States General. This sondcr tc wccttcn man oft pccrt broot o ff wyn; literally, without knowing man or horse, bread or wine. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 623 is an unchangeable law and by virtue of it as well as on account of the aforesaid agreement with the Company, I request your honor to settle with my coniuiis accordingly. I can easily step over a straw and I do not insist on trifles, but I must maintain the Free- doms, which I duly obtained and which have cost me so much, against every one no matter whom. This I told the directors here. They asked from me payment for the goods which come over now. I offered them to pay according to my Freedoms but that remained unsettled. If my Freedoms are subject to alteration there will in all eternity be no certainty to be had from the Com- pany. With regard to the discontent among my people, some who threaten to come home will be ordered home sooner than they think. I do not ask for such threats in the least ; I can find at least 100 masters who want to go thither but what I lack most is serv- ants, for they must work. To finish with our old disputes, I can not refrain from explaining the misapprehension your honor is under with regard to the instrument of the 17th of March 1640; this date indeed refers to the period of your administration, but the proceedings in question occurred during the time of Cro/, and thereafter during the time of the fiscal dinclagen and my nephew zvn TzvilU'i', w licii niy ] )C( )| )le and animals were shamefully de- tained, about which I made due protest to the Company ; I have not the least complaint to make about your honor in this except that it costs me too much ; on the contrary I sincerely thank your honor for your prom])titude. I would write more but the time is gone and I must break off. Vale. Willem Kieft to Kiliaen van Rensselaer'^ September 11, 1642 Sir: On the 4th of August arrived here the ship d'houtuyn with all your honor's people in good health and the goods in good condi- tion ; they have for the most part been sent up the river ; the brick and coal take up much room. Herewith we sent the letters in re- turn which have come from above and from which your honor will learn the complete situation of your colony. I trust that hence- forth, on account of the arrival of do'', grootstedius,'^^ there will be " V. R. B. Mss 25. " Grootstedius = Megapolensis. 624 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY more regularity both in secular and spiritual matters, things hav- ing- been in pretty bad shape thus far. 1 have received your honor's favor of the 8th of June, to which the following lines serve as reply. The saddle, rapier, boots, spurs and Ijaldric have been delivered to me and although I would rather these things had not been sent — first, because I am still pretty well provided with everything, secondly, because I expect to be called home next summer and, thirdly, because it is against my oath to accept presents — nevertheless, to show that it is my desire to render your honor and your honor's colonists as much service as I can and as is consistent with my bounden duty, T. have neither been able nor willing to refuse the aforesaid articles and have accepted them on behalf of the honorable Company, as whose effects they have been entered on the books. I further thank your honor heartily and shall always try to repay this debt with gratitude. Concerning those of your honor's colonists who have let them- selves be tied down by marriage, it seems that this can not be pre- vented. They must either go to your honor's colony or give com- ])lete satisfaction ; I believe also that there are contracts to that effect in existence which we shall' enforce by law if requested; likewise we have always been ready to settle accounts with s: Arcut van Curler, to which I have often urged him, but it seems that the good young man is somewhat negligent in the matter, as I believe he is also as to your accounts. The fault lies rather with his inex- perience than with his carelessness ; I hope that he will henceforth through the urging of the minister be more diligent and attend to his business in proper manner. I believe the will is very good. We have had some conversation whether it would not be best and whether it could not conveniently be arranged that no freemen be allowed to sail up to your honor's colony. I wish this was already forbidden for all the trade carried on by the private in- dividuals is injurious both to your honor and to the Company ; grain and skins are stolen. It is true that formerly much wine was sent to the colony but I do not hear that unusually great quantities go there now, for the reason that there is no money there and the credit of the farmers is exhausted. They owe a great deal here to private individuals for cloth, powder, lead, wine and other articles. I have long since forbidden mons' Crol to lend to any of your honor's colonists except s^. Curler; I believe that the individual farmers have paid their debts mostly in wheat. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 625 As to your honor's freight charges and other expenses, I wish that I could give you satisfaction. I am charged in an entry with the freight and average; in order not to fall short, I must again charge them to those whom the directors indicate, hut I trust that if your honor's cause is just the same shall be made good in Hol- land. The crop has been very bad this year ; many farmers in the colony will not have more than the grain for their own use and for seed, on account of the severe frost last winter and the high water. Here around the Manhatens it is a good rye year and there are also plenty of peas ; I estimate that we shall have about 50 lasts of rye and 20 lasts of peas in our granary. The Maquaas have taken a French church on Lake Champlain, killed one Frenchman and taken prisoner three whom they treat very badly. I have ordered Crol to ransom them, in which I hope he will succeed. The cruel war which the savages wage against one another is the reason that no skins arrive ; I fear that the trade will be reduced to nothing. Wherewith, after friendly salutations. I commend you to the protection of the (}od of grace. Sir, Your honor's willing servant [signed] IVillcin kief!: At Fort Amsterdam the nth of 7emb 1642 In New Netherland [Addressed] Sir, Mr Kiliacn Van Rciisclacrs at Amsterdam [Endorsed] Mr Willem Kieft Received by the ship den houttuijn on the 9th of January 1643. dated ii Sept. 1642. 16 March 1643, have written briefly and postponed reply till the next. 626 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck prohibiting free- men and private traders from coming with their vessels within the limits of the colony"^ October 10, i6f2 We, the commissioners and councilors of the colony of Rensse- learswyck to all those who shall sec these presents or hear them read, greeting. As we are noticing every day many abuses, frauds and misdemeanors, which originate entirely from the sailing up and down of the vessels of the freemen and the private trade which they carry on in the colony, whereby not only is the honorable patroon wronged in his jurisdiction but also the inhabitants greatly im- poverished ; as furthermore, we not only hear rumors but are well assured that they supply the Indians with powder, lead and firearms and incite the inhabitants of the colony to such trade, wdiicli not only strengthens the savages and imperils our lives but heaps contempt and ridicule on the good intentions of the honorable West India Company and practically annuls their ordinance, all of which are things of very serious consequence; therefore, we have ordered and decreed, as we hereby do order and decree, that hereafter (without prejudice to the jurisdiction of the honorable Chartered West India Company) no one of the freemen and private traders, whatever his rank or condition may be or under whatever pretext he shall do so, shall undertake to enter the limits of the colony with any vessel, on forfeiture of ship and lading and on pain of peremptory punishment at the discretion of the court. And if any one obtains license from the honorable officer to come with a vessel for the service of the honorable patroon, such skipper on his arrival in the colony shall not be allowed to unload any goods or to let any one come on board before his vessel has been inspected by the officer and he has handed in his bill of lading. In the same way such skip- per shall not be allowed to sail and leave the colony without similar inspection and permission from the officer; everything subject to fine as above. We enjoin and command every one whom it mav concern to govern himself accordingly. Therefore, let every one take heed and guard himself against loss. Done in council the loth of October 1642 in the colony of Rensselaerswyck. " V. R. B. Mss 26. Also copy in handwriting of Antony de Hooges in V. R. B. Mss 18. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 627 By order of the honorable commissioners and councilors of this colony of Rensselaer swyck To my knowledge, Arcndt Van Curler, Secretary [Endorsed] Publication concerning vessels. Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck prohibiting in- habitants of the colony from, trading with the " residents " without special consent'^ October 18, 1642 We, the commissioners and councilors of the colony of Renssel- aerswyck, let every one know that we have thought fit, ordered and decreed, as we hereby think fit, order and decree, for the behoof of the residents and inhabitants of the aforesaid colony, not only for good reasons us hereunto moving, but also for the further ex- tension, confirmation and execution of our preceding ordinance, dated October lo, 1642, that none of the inhabitants of the said colony, shall presume, tnidcr any pretense whatsoever, to buy, sell, exchange, l^arter, or trade anything from, to or with any of the foreign residents and j^rivate traders, not to take them into their houses or lodge them without previous consent, much less to render them any assistance, wholly or in part, directly or indirectly, on forfeiture (if any one should act contrary hereto) of 200 guilders Dutch, and, the second time, of life and property, everything sub- ject to imiiiediate execution, without defense or contradiction. Wherefore let every one take heed and guard himself against loss. Done in council, this 18th of October A° Chr^ 1644.'^'' By order of the honorable court of the colony of Rensselaers- wyck. Underneath was v/ritten : To my knowledge, Arcndt Van Curler, Secretary In V.R.B.Mss i8; in the handwriting of Antony de Ilooges. Another copy in Ordinances, 1639—58, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. "'^ The copy of this ordinance in the Rensselacrsivyck Mss is dated and endorsed Oct. 18, 1642, which is correct, as shown by the reference to this ordinance in van Curler's letter to the patroon, June 16, 1643, O'Callaghan, History of New Nctherland, 1:461. 628 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Ordinance of the colony of Rensselaerswyck prohibiting export of goods without special consent and forbidding people who come to live or hunt in the colony from leaving without making a contract"^^ We, tlie commissioners and councilors of the colony of Rens- selaerswyck to all those who shall sec these presents or hear them read, g'reetint^-. Whereas it is rij^iit and just to prevent and cor- rect as far as possible all frauds and abuses ; and whereas many of these have their origin in the sending of various goods out of this colony by tlie inliabitants or residents, without properly enterint;- and indicating them; therefore, we have thought fit, or- dered and decreed, as we here1)y do think fit, order and decree, that no one, whoever or of whatever rank he may be, within the jurisdiction of this coloiiy shall be allowed to sail down either in his own or in any one else's vessel, not even the Company's, or to send away any goods, directly or indirectly, without previcnis con- sent and written permission of the officer of this colony, on forfei- ture of such goods as they take .with them or send by some one else and 50 guilders Dutch in addition. I'rovided also that no one, of whatever rank or condition he may be, who comes to live, re- side or to hunt in winter in this colony shall be allowed to sail away, even if he requests permission to do so, without previously making a contract with the patroon or the person acting in his stead, on forfeiture of all such effects as he possesses in this coun- try. Tlierefore, every one is hereby warned not to leave before he has made a contract. Neither is any one permitted to lend or hire out any vessel ex- cept to such people as are under contract with the patroon or his representatives, also on forfeiture of 50 guilders as aforesaid. Let every one take heed and guard himself against loss. Done in council this 164 : By order of the court of the colony of Rensselaerswyck To my knowledge, as secretary, Antonio dc Hoogcs, Under bookkeeper In V. R. B. Mxs i8; in handwriting of Antony de Hoogcs. Another copy in same handwriting is 1'. R. B. Mss 29, which ends as follows: Thus done hy the commis- sioners and councilors of Rensselaerswyck. To my knowledge, Antonio dc Hoogcs, Under bookkeeper. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 629 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Hendrick Willemsz^^ January 12, i6z[j Hendrick U'illcniscn, at Alckniacr This 12th of January 1642^^ in Amsterdam Herewith I send your houor letters from d" Johannes niega- poleusis, who, God be ])raise;l, arrived safely and well with all his family at the place of his destination, and who kindly sent me the enclosed sermon which he ])reache(l there on the I7tli of August last. Please be sure to have the letters delivered at the first op- ])ortunity to his hontjr's father in law and uncle,''*'"' the minister at Coedijck,^'^ and inform me when you have done so. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes Megapolensis of Coedijck'^''* January 12, id.jj D'' Alei^apolensis, minister at Coedijck This 1 2th of January 1642;'*^ in Amsterdam Under cover to Hendrick willenisen, tailor at Alckinaer [I send you I the letters received by me from your honor's son in law,''**' by V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.isSb. Should be 1643. schoonvader en 00m. O'Callaghan {History of Nezv Ncthcrland, 1:328) states on the authority of Albany Records, 5:323 and 339, that Johannes Megapolensis, minister at Rensselaerswyck, " was tlie son of the Rev. Joannes Megapolensis, minister of Coedyck in Holland, and of ITellegond Jansen. lie married his cousin Machteld Wil- lemsen, daughter of Willem Steengs, or Ileengs." The documents referred to are in 1)rief as follows: Alckmacr, Aug. 31, 1649. Do. Joliannis vicgapolcnsis, senior, minister at koedijck, gives 500 Carolus guilders to " Ililgout Jans, oldest daughter of Do. Joliannis Megapolensis, Junior, at present minister of the Gospel of the Christian Reformed Church in New Netherland, born of machtelt Willems dr., his, the donor's Nichle Tniece or cousin]." A'. Y. Col. Mss, 8:122; translated in Alh. Rec. 6:323. h'ort Amsterdam, Jilarch 26, 1655. Machtelt Willemsen, davigliter of Willcm .Slccngen, in the presence of her lawful husband Do. Joliannis Megapolensis, minister at Amsterdam in New Netherland, e-xecutes a power of attorney to Jan Clacsen, draper at coedijck, to " collect from the worthy Hendrick Willcinsen, re- siding at suijt schcrwout op langcdijck, and the other coheirs, her portion or share of the inheritance descending to her from the estate left by Hillegont Jans, wife of the reverend and very learned Do. Joannis Megapolensis, senior, minister of the Gospel of the Cliristiau Reformed Church at Coedijck." Signed: Machtelt Slccnie willem [margin of ] aper torn olTl. A'. Y. Col. Mss, 8:129; translated in Alb. Rec. 6:339. Inasmuch as the term schoonvader in 17th century writing may mean stepfather as well as father in law, it is not entirely clear whether Megapolensis, junior, was the stepson, or rather the adopted son, of Megapolensis, senior, and married the niece of the latter's wife, or whether he was the nephew of Megapolensis, senior, and married the daughter of the latter's wife by her first husband, Willem Steengen. The second solution seems the more probable. Cf. letter to Megapolensis, senior, July 22, 1643. Koedijk, a village four miles N. N. E. from Alkmaar, in the province of North Holland. S5 V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.isSb. ^ schoonsoone. 630 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY which your honor will learn of his happy and speedy arrival and reception. It is unnecessary for me to repeat these matters but as the diversity of advices gives a great deal of relief and satisfac- tion and their agreement gives further information and gratifica- tion, I shall be pleased if, leaving personal matters on one side, you will communicate me further information regarding the con- dition and appearance of the country and the people and wliaL might in any way tend to my advantage or disadvantage as it is well to know both the one and the other; also his satisfaction and ob- servation, for although he had been there but six or seven days he had already noticed a good deal. As far as I can see from his let- ters, he is quite satisfied thus far; he praises the country very much and pities the faults and failings of the people very much. It is not strange that people become reckless when they do not profess their faith, so much the more as every one has thus far been without admonition. I hope that the Lord God will bless his ministry there in such a way that it may not only bear many fold fruit among the Christians but also lead the blind heathen to the fold of our Saviour Jesus Christ and by the fulness of ITis mercy include even those who are thus far estranged. Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Adriaen van der Donck'^" March p, 164^ Adriaen van der donck, in the colony of Rensselaerswyck This 9th of March 1643, ^'"^ Amsterdam On the occasion of this extraordinary ship and for fear that the one of the Com])any may be delayed, I can not refrain from communicating to you these lines in reply to three [letters] of yours, namely those of 7 September 1641, 21 June and 19 August 1642. Although in the memorandum'^" given to D<^ Mei^apolensis (being at that time, through haste, prevented from writing to every one in particular, [though] I intended to do so) I put several things for the maintenance of harmony and good order among the heads of the colony, for which I had occasion on the one hand and to which I was urged on the other, and although I intended to wait V.R. B. Mss, Later Book, f.i58b-i62b, i7ib-i72b. ''A canceled note in the margin of the Letter Book reads: P. S. Tn the letter to Cornells Melyn, which I gave you, I forgot to ask whether he kept liis promise or not. He has . . . (the rest of the note is illegible). Printed on p. 609—19. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 631 what the effect thereof would be, I can not refrain, since I notice your sensitiveness (in that of the 19th of August, confusing the matter of Arcnt van Corlcr with that of niaurits Jansen), from re- veaHng you mine also ; it is not blood only which I have had in view, as I value the carrying out of my commission and instruc- tions as well as my advantage and profit far above blood, which on account of the distant degree [of relationship] is pretty col l and would have to be much nearer to me before I should feel it as keenly as your honor pleases to write. From the beginning niaurits Jansen has done nothing but dispute with me without obeying; such conduct 1 have as yet not noticed in .Ircnt van Gor- ier . That he keeps me waiting by [not] sending books and ac- counts is for him to exi)lain and the harder to justify if he should have exceeded his commission. What pleases me now in you is the zeal and diligence which I notice in your honor in expediting several matters and especially the matter of Piter Cornclisse and Cornclis teunissen, regarding which, as i.>an Corlcr advises me in a hasty and brief appendix to his last letter, an agreement has been reached; I hope they will not abuse their powers. I have no objection to the letting of the contract for the houses except that the price runs too far above the specifications and prices here in this country, of which I still have some from de Vos. It displeases me greatly, hozvever, that zvithout the consent of the commissioners^'^ you have chosen a place so remote from where I intended and in- structed you to settle, also, that complaints have been made to me that from the beginning you have acted not as officer but as di- rector, respecting zvhich I had more confidence in your honor's prudence and had expected more from your patience so that instead of procuring a premature advancement you zvould haz'e given me time to find out by experience and to have the honor of the advance- ment myself for be assured that not importunity but well doing and this not in words but in deeds and in experience will con- stitute the supreme law in the matter. I beg your honor, show me in what way I could have advanced you more than I have. //, in- stead of smoking your ozvn ncF^ you had advised nie, article for article, what you had done regarding each point of my instructions, zvhich is the only means tozvard your honor's advancement and ought to be your sole object, it might haz'e moved me to take fur- ^ gecommitteerde. Underlined in Letter Book. *2 hadt gliij in plaetse van VE eygen nett te roocken. 632 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ther notice of your honor's person ■■^''^ this serves therefore here to recommend such course again most strongly to you and to com- mand it in all seriousness. If anything has happened of which I do not know, it should appear to me from a resolution, or from advices, or from actual results, and none of the three can I find. If these matters have been recorded in the minutes and the books are slow in coming, as they are, your honor could easily have made a brief extract therefrom or at least briefly have written me the substance thereof; for the execution of my instructions, I say it once more, is the sole object of the promotions I malce.'^'^ The memorandum sent by Mcgapolensis was for the most part drawn up because of your failure in the above, for your honor'^ letters make little mention [of things] touching your honor's com- mission and my instructions. On the contrary, I find therein a great freedom in charging me without reason with a number of things, namely, among others which will follow later,'-^^ that the council had no dignity. Answer : this is not strange for they never have had an able leader and I have therefore sent your honor to give them proper dignity among the people and whether they help you only with words when they are half drunk depends largely on your action in making proper protest against those who fail to perform their duty and sending me the copy. If the intentions of Corler were good but he knew more of commerce than of government, all that is needed is to instruct him well, which is properly your work, but in the way of com- mand rather than of information. The subtlety of pieter Cornelisscn and the laxity of Cornelis teimisscn give you cause to spur on the latter and to match clever- ness with cleverness in the case of the former, in which you have accjuitted yourself well. As to the willingness of Broer Cornelis to give tithes provided he be allowed to seed the farm once more after the expiration of his term, but the refusal of himself and every one else to recog- nize the right of preemption, while these people when their lease has expired may express such determination and force me, I do not see on what right they base that action nor that your honor could not with justice eject them from their farms and in case of opposition make a strong protest against them. I shall never Underlined in Letter Book. ^ Underlined in Letter Book. The clause " among others which will follow later " inserted in Letter Book copy- by Kiliaen van Rensselaer. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS lack master farmers but rather servants who if things go this way can become masters. Your two propositions to send a minister and yearly I03 duffels have been complied with, but the third, to send yearly f 15,000 worth of merchandise, I can not understand ; the whole revenue of the colony is not worth enough to pay that unless the people were to take from me on account only and never pay me ; you will therefore explain it somewhat further to me. I have never claimed the right of preemption by virtue of authority but by virtue of the contract made with Gcrrit dc reus or those offered to them after the expiration of their leases and I insist that all the grain and other products must get into tiie hands of the patroon or his agents,''^ in order to conduct the sale and shipment in an orderly manner. That I give cause for a good deal of discontent by words used in my letter sem by den cyckcn boom has no foundation, for, aside from the fact that such words are written to my commis- sioners who must treat them with discretion and silence, they were written in great fairness and justness. How could those who re- fuse to pay what they owe me under contract, constrain me to grant what I neither owe them nor have promised them, especially those who if they know wdiere to get but one penny more for their goods pass by my agents and my goods, as they do frequently? What I do in these matters is more a question of favor than of contract or promise; let them show me any sign of either. And that they threaten me with leaving, proceeds from impudence; let them fulfil what they have promised and when they have done that, they may request permission to leave; even if there were some 25 of those threateners less, things would go all the better, but still that does not give them consent from me to leave and they would be forced to account if they had means, for who of those threateners brought anything with him and who has not had it better in the colony than at the place which he left? I wish that I knew the names of those impertinent fellows in- dividually, I could then regulate this matter better. Therefore, in the future, do not advise me of general but of specific matters with the names of the persons, their claims and the reasons that may be advanced to the contrary. I shall some day when I have sufficient documents call in a higher and stronger hand, who will '>'' Conuiiittcnic ; constituents, principals, erruncoiisly in the sense of agents. The term is used here and in (.)tlicr )ilaccs 634 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY then no doubt make an example of some of them. If they hang together, try to separate them, and pick out the bellwethers, count them in bianco'^'' and proceed against them according to each one's deserts, for it is not my intention to do any one an injustice. That the goods arc purchased too high and that bad faith is practised m the matter of the invoice is calumny on their part and wrongly alleged by you ; if any one has said such a thing, it is your express duty to bring- him before the court to make him furnish proof or keep quiet; it can not be done by mere talk. That all purchases should be at the same price, that even the times should cause no change therein, is unreasonable and impracticable. As far as I am concerned, I buy with ready money and I even give i;^ commis- sion to buy at first hand and never placed a fixed price on any goods your honor does very wrong in reporting this matter to me without naming the man who says so, what is more, without even making complaint thereof against him, for I have no one nearer than yourself. Furthermore, I am not bound to do it,'-^^ unless it were for rycr Stoffclsscn, the smith, who has contracted with me about it and on such basis, but of any such contracts with others I know nothing. Such people do nothing but slander their voluntary benefactor whereby they will close his hand and then feel to what a state they have brought themselves. Whereas I have been inclined to have a large number of people in my colony, I become disgusted with it, seeing that the greater the amount the worse the bargain and the better I regulate everything the more every one looks out for himself, from which disorder proceeds. If the people make one another believe that the sending of the goods and the fixing of the prices at 5;^^ above the invoice price is stipulated by contract, they are far from right, as must appear from the contracts. I have not taken such things upon me; I have indeed followed the custom as to borrowed money but not as to the goods, of which I can regulate the profit as I please.^ Should I have to bind myself also as to the prices where the West India Company tries to charge me for freight and duties three times as much as I owe them? The rights which the Company promised me would first have to be settled with their director or with them- telt haer in blancko. °* en hebbe noijt ecnich goct gccargccrt. ""To furnish goods at 50% above the purchase price? 1 Should probably be 50%. 2 siilc.v hebbe jck noyt tot mijnen laste genomcn maer wel een Costuymc oin het gelecndc gelt maer nict ic goedcrcn dat ware mijn vrijewilligc benefitie. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS selves before my people, whom I have promised nothing, would have a right to open their mouths against me. They argue from false maxims and principles; and in order that you may know of everything, you must make copies of everything and act upon written documents and not upon oral statements. It is surprising that you write me again in a general way in re- gard to Piter Cornelisscn, that he tries to distort my writings; some day take up a special point, introduce it in proper form in the council and see whether the conclusion of the entire council or of the majority of the votes will be in his favor or put him in the wrong, and notify me of the actions of those who behave badly, making public protest against them, for your honor knows what is right and what is not right. The reason that your honor can not force the removal of hrocr CorncHs from the council is that they might seek to degrade yourself, as it would be exceeding your in- structions in case they uph-^ld [him] f therefore use caution, prefer your charges in writing if they sustain [him], let them properly debate and conclude and send me the decision with advice as to those who judge with partiality; you have done well in so far as you have maintained tlie true sense and meaning of my instruc- tions, in which I shall also support your honor to the utmost when I know the true state of the case and whereupon every point turns, for in dealing with matters at large no solution can be found. Therefore, some time, get hold of somebody who proposes such wanton impertinence and insults or slanders and proceed against him as stated above; you will then learn what I shall do therein if the matter duly merits it and is of any consequence and what thanks and benefit you will derive therefrom, especially if you follow exactly the oath which you have taken and keep yourself free from censure, for one who is guilty himself has no right to accuse any one else, no right whatever even though it were a con- trary or entirely dififerent accusation. I have no advice that Curler was to pay Lahatie {20 a month, nor can I understand why he should do so before his term has ex- pired, and thereafter I do not know what the object is. I recog- nize no improvements but those which take place with my consent and timely knowledge beforehand. I consent that you establish your farm at the south end of the West Island, where brant peelen ^ That is. they might seek to remove you from office, as you would exceed your |)o\vers ill reinoviuR hroer Conielis from the council contrary to the decision of the court, ins(ca" Underlined in Letter Book, de regeeringe dat ghij schrijft dat jck in vcrdccJt hcbbe vcrstaet hem niet verder als in judicieele en crimineele saecken, vallende tusschen partije en partyen, alsoo mijn particulicrcn saecken cygentlycli gehooren tot soodanigc pcrsoonen, die Speciael gelast zijn tot eenige dingen maer generalyck ter directie vande geCommitteerde vanden patroon geexcludccrt van 4 raeden die geene geCommitteerde en sijn. 640 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ceive but half the pay and also cat but half as much; if one should compare the work of the farmers in the Vcliizvc'^'^ with the work there, I take it that [he would find that] most of the cacklers do but half as much work. That all grave complaints of great im- portance must be made after communicating and advising with the commissioners is not with a view to curtailing the power of the officer but in order to prepare the work better. Coming now to the administration of the law, if the commissioners have refused to entertain any of your complaints, protest against it and send the complaints to me, for the rest it is but Lucifer's strife. It is an outrageous thing that the farmers in order to defraud and cheat their lord themselves, refuse to take the oath for their servants, alleging the knavery of their servants as the objection to their oath, when as a matter of fact their only purpose is to keep open the opportunity for their own deceit under cover of the knavery of the servants whom they do not wish nor dare to punish as they are guilty themselves, perhaps of more than they charge their ser- vants with. It would be outrageous if the master had to take an absolute oath for his servant; such is not the intention of the patroon, the oath requested being absolute, it is true, as far as they themselves are concerned, but with regard to their servants and family reaching no farther than it is possible for them to go nor beyond what comes to their knowledge, for otherwise [it is un- lawful and] under cover of their servants they themselves commit the greatest fraud. I rec[uest therefore that they shall take such oath; by refusing, they will make me suspicious of fraud and be guilty of pure rashness and disobedience. And if you have no basis or argument by which to defend this oath from a legal point of view, I will send you sufficient opinions of jurists, and when you have sufficient arguments, convince them and make protest against the unwilling. To find a man who should have absolute power to direct has never been and will never be my intention and [although] there are some countries where the sovereigns them- selves have such power, in all well regulated governments dis- tinction is made, some persons having charge of justice, others of government, others of military matters and others of commerce ; that too is my intention exactly. Justice, consisting of well define ! rights, I have assigned to the three commissioners and the four councilors of whom the officer occupies the first place in making complaints and propositions, as said several times. Government, " Northwestern part of the province of Gelderland. VAN RENSSELAER J'.OWIER MANUSCRIPTS 641 having its origin in the paternal powers of parents over their children, I have assigned to the three commissioners of the patroon to the exclusion of the four other councilors, who have nothing to say about it, unless the first, having difficulty in solving some im- portant matter, wish to call the four to their aid; of these three Arciit vail Corlcr occupies the first place; their duties concern the rights of the patroon, his special profits and the afifairs of the country [colony] in general, as for example, to turn from a less important to a more important instance, the States of Holland have business distinct from the courts of justice, so that the busi- ness of the three commissioners is quite different from that of the seven, among whom are included the four councilors as explained above. The military, as long as it is unnecessary (or if unduly strong, when you can not do without it), I consider as having no foundation i n the law of God, and only the greatest need must call for it. Commerce I have committed to those to whom I send my goods. From none of these is the officer excluded but, as said repeatedly, his duty to protect me from loss and to seek my ad- vantage gives him the power to make representations and com- plaints, nothing that afifects my rights and profits excepted. The minutes which you mention would afiford me great relief; if sending does not rest absolutely with you, I recommend you to take pains to procure them. Copies of matters which concern you can not be refused yoti, at least you could have given me some idea as to the substance. By commission you surely have the right to exercise the powers of chief officer^-* if necessity demands it; and if not recjuired you have no business to do so, unless it be again Lucifer's strife. You ought to know better than to think that I would write such things to P'"' Cornclissc ; if necessity requires to constrain him, he may see what exception he can find, he will then find the authority over him al^solute enough. I am trying to get a man for your assistance; no one who has any ability will accept the terms, so that one can induce none but rough fellows'"* thereto. One has been recommended to me and has also called on me, but I am very much in doubt and fear that he will cause more disorder than order, being a rough and strong fellow who would be quite serviceable to you if he were disciplined a little better. If I should accept him and he disobey you or rebel against you, or give ofi^ense by drunkenness or other scandalous living you 13 hoofd-officicr; see p. 283. ruyac gastrii. 642 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY may send him back at once as he must stand under your absolute control. I am almost thinking of asking some of the negroes (with consent of the honorable Director kieft) or even to employ for your assistance some Indian of good courage and obedience who could then also be of service to you in other things. The management must be in your hands and these people must be used almost as brute forces against malevolents. One should be enough, for justice must be executed not by force but by intelli- gence. I also want you to consider whether or not some one in the colony, who has become so deeply indebted to me that there is no appearance of his ever being able to pay me, could be per- suaded or commanded to take that office. It is not proper for you and you far exceed your bounden duty in criticizing my adminis- tration and this once more on slanderous statements that I am sending informers into the country and that I place a confidence in them that is both blind and deaf}^ Surely, you do not increase thereby the faith I have in you, but diminish it; no one has a right to complain before he suffers. I shall account for my actions to those to whom such account is due and be you careful to do as much for me as I do for you. If it were true that I am not watching the least of my officers and agents^^ as much as I do the highest, I should not be worthy of the name of lord or patroon of my colony ; a prudent and vigilant captain divides his officers over several guardposts, but none of them all would dare to censure him that in addition he has some one make the rounds ; how much less proper is it for you to reproach me with what you have neither been informed of nor felt? Do you not think that the looking after my people at such a distant place involves a great deal more care and danger for me than if I were near at hand? Should you not rather give proof and taste of your good service and thereby confirm the faith I have in you, instead of reproaching, hindering, worrying and accusing me at an untimely moment and of pre- senting to me your supposed unhappiness? Do you want me to trust you whether you do good or wrong, or do you imagine that you can do no wrong? For if you can, it is my business to look out for it and you must not prescribe the manner in which I shall do it. When harm is done to you through my action, only then is it time to speak; you know no doubt the saying that excuses " Underlined in Letter Book. Committentcn. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS lead to accusation^^ and that no one ought to accuse or to excuse himself before it is time, also that no one ought to praise or blame himself but that the works must crown the master; this is enough about this matter; do well, fear no one. The greatest and most important reason for help I consider the necessity of keeping the traders from outside out of the colony and of preventing communication with them except in the manner set forth in the sixth article of your instructions, for many private individuals are already going thither from here mainly for that purpose; therefore, because you lay so much stress on the objection of the farmers to take the oath for their servants, I beg of you to consider with sober judgment whether this is not calculated to raise more suspicion of wrong than I could give you by sending thither some informers; to be frank,^^ the object of all New Netherland traders is, indirectly, to destroy the privilege of the fur trade which belongs to me and which costs me dear enough and to use my agents whom I must support as cat's-paws to rake the chestnuts out of the fire. Therefore the only way by which you can seek my ad- vantage and yours is hy discovering the pretexts which are used in the name of the West India Company and by preventing the frauds with my inhabitants, masters or servants, whomever it may be, and it is for that rectson that I have taken it so ill that {prejudicial to this object) you had planned your farm so far aivay, at the extreme end,^^ therefore, sometime in the future let me know what progi'ess you have made herein; and as to Corler, whom your honor wants to convince me that I have appointed as director, that is not true, for to represent somebody in case of need is quite different from being at all times the man himself. What I have done, I have done to forestall all ambition and to preserve my own right of disposal, for I have written several times that I keep the directorship open ; nor shall I lightly dispose of it either, unless I l)c belter informed and have other proof, and if, in opposition to you, pieter Corn'^ has in this sense understood the chief otificership his contention is closer to your instructions than your opinion, for according to your opinion, I should have no right to appoint another director over the colony, or take another chief officer, except after discharging Corler in the one [capacity] and you in the other. I have conferred this repre- sentative character on you both in case of need, in order that no excusatie accusatie prepareeren; cf. the French proverb: Qui s'excuse, s'accuse. ^' om malcanderen geen wasse neuse aen to setten; literally not to put wax noses on each other, i. e. not to deceive each other. " Underlined in Letter Book. 644 NEW YORK STATE LIRRARY one could in any way plead exception, but 1 have not absolutely committed myself as to [the appointments] ; also, as I have said, to represent some one is not to be the man himself. I do not know why on the one side you lay before me the dispute of P'' Cornelissen and on the other settle that of Coder; you would have done well to take the matter as it is, at all events, [in mentioning it] to me who know better. / say frankly, if your desire inclines to high office, your efforts zvill be directed more toivard your ozvn advance- ment than toivard my advantage. However, I trust that yon zvill observe your oath, my instructions and advices; but time will show. They are nothing but spitefid ivords zvhich you use about hating and liking; yon should first have proof thereof. If you have im- agined that you, can extort the directorship from me, you zvill be much deceived, for that is not the way to get it. Do you think also that you had reason to break off your last letter so abruptly because you received no letter from me; furthermore, to shozv me my duty to zvrite in good time? If you had written in good time on the i6th of June 1642, and not put it off till the 21st, I should not have had to content myself zvith a fezv lines, for a zvhole year ; as time slipped azvay from me on Pinkster day, zvhen the zvind began to blozv and the same day T)^ Alegopolensis was urged-^ to sail for the Texel, you have been without letter also. Was the memorandum sent by D'^ Megapolensis not addressed to your honor also, in which in ad- dition to your instructions and commission you should find sufficient material and topics that reports thereon ought to fill many pages and give you plenty of work of which I ought to hear the effect? If you act contrary to me, T can not help it; I mean it well with you, but you will have to adjust yourself to me, and not I to you, though I am glad to hear of objections, if they arc made with reason, without passion, without ambition, and without selfishness. Your honor's goods sent by your father 1 have forwarded and sent over as my own ; I hope that later they reached you safely. Here- with goes another from your father which I received today, being the 13th of March. If my letter is somewhat prolix and badly arranged, it is because I have for four days been many times inter- rupted and have not been able to make good connections between the parts. Vale. Underlined in Letter Book. VAN RKNSSELAER nOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 645 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes Megapolensis'-^^ March ij, Joliaiiites iiicgapolcnsis, in the colony of Rensselaerswyck 13 March 1643, in Amsterdam Pastor of Jesus Christ in my colony. Passing by yonr reverence's letter dated 14 June 1642 from the Texel, pausing at that of the 8th of August following from Fort Amsterdam at the manhatans and. sitting down to that of the 19th of August from the colony of Rensselaerswyck, I shall take advantage of this extraordinary op- portunity^^ and reply to one and all. On the i6th of July, two days after your reverence sailed, I had the fiooo insured; I paid the premium of f5o and have the policy in my possession. I received the list of the people that went over ; the drunken fellow who fell in the mud will no doubt have dried on the way and he had a profitable fall if together with the dirt and mud he rid him- self of the evil of drunkenness. We did not fail to join our daily prayers with yoiu's, nor do we fail to contitmc therein, hoping that as the Pord our God has been your leader and given you a ha])])y and speedy voyage, he will also bless the purpose which I thereby have in mind, extending His blessing over yourself, your wife and family, especially to make your reverence a blessed instrument in His service to establish there a church and community both among the Christians and the blind heathen ; for the Christians, that they may see the day of their holy baptism and confession and practise righteousness more and more ; for the heathen who live among and about us, that their stony hearts may be softene 1. their blind eyes opened and their deaf ears unstopped by the power of the Holy Ghost, in order that they may see and understand the wonders of Ilis law, recognize their sins and His grace and that they may be brought to the fold of Jesus Christ and go among ether heathen bringing forth righteous fruits of confession and gratitude. Amen. T have been exceedingly glad about your speedy and happy voyage, the journal of which T comnnmicate 1 to several brethren of the consistory. ])articularly to Laurciitins"' and U'itfcz'roin^cliiis-'^ who V. R. B. Msx, Letter nook, £.172!). '-- ilccsc cxtraordinnric occasic ; referring to the s!iii> ilcii suuirlcii raei'cn sent out by private persons. Sec p. 656, 663. -'Jacobus Laurentius, born about 1585, died in 1644. Petrus Wittewrongel, born about 1609, died in 1663. 646 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY send your reverence hearty greetings, the latter especially renewing them again the day before yesterday. I noticed what your reverence did at the manhatans and your diligence in reaching the place of your destination, also your opinion as to the excellence of the country and the faults of the inhabitants who are to be pitied and made better. The Lord our God will not fail to bless the good example, good manners, work in season and out of season, diligent prayers and continuous patience. If it does not show much in the beginning, the Lord will cnown the end ; His word will not be spoken in vain or return unto Him void. The affidavit concerning your reverence's service on board is in my possession but your best chances of success do not lie in work- ing through me, as your reverence knows from experience while here; if any one of your family comes here, I shall try to instruct him and consider with him how we can best set about it. I fear that it will turn out like the case of the farmer's discretion about which you told us here. I should be especially pleased to hear that your reverence had found freedom and comfort in a suitable house according to the situation of the country. It is a pity that the carpenter from Leyden^^ behaved so badly, having left his wife and shamefully deceived me by saying that he was a widower. The poor woman whom he left here in great poverty with two small children complains to me daily. Would that God might touch his heart, so that he would change his conduct, leave off drinking and work diligently ; he could then prosper so much that he could have his wife and children come over or at least send them some of his savings. If admonition does not help, communicate the matter to the officer and council, urging them to show him that he is in a place where godless people can be punished by such means as seem most suitable to them, for there is no lack of such means if they are willing and united. If he is an example of vice, a man who leaves his wife and children, lives a godless, reckless, drunken and lazy life, let him be punished as an example; but if your reverence can gain anything by words and admonition, such punishment is unnec- essary. I am advised by others also about the expensive house of Arcnt van Corler; tell him in my name that I know it and that he must remedy it. He must not keep the pace of Director kicft, which I can not follow. Represent to him that as he has my favor 2' Probably Jan Teunisz van Leyden, who sailed by den Coninck David. Cf. state- ment about Jan Cornelissen in van Curler's letter to the patroon, June 16, 1643, O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:458. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MxXNUSCRirTS 647 he ought to retain it; that he need not spare the people at my expense and that he must not wait long before sending over my books and accounts. He puts a heavy load and responsibility upon himself these many years, during which I have not seen what profit has been made on my goods and how they have been distributed and managed, and makes me fear exceedingly that he may have done many things contrary to my advantage and will, whereas if I had had the books and accounts, I might have made other arrange- ments in time which might now come too late. Exhort the officer also in my name to be humble, for he shows many signs of ambition. Do not hesitate in private conversation to tell him of his faults and others of theirs ; you will thereby keep your conscience clear, render an agreeable service to God and duly perform your duty, and I trust that your reverence shall manage things so prudently that their respective offices shall not lose in dignity. I am pleased to hear that Director kieft received my present gratefully, which he also gave me to understand in his letter. What your reverence heard further about him must be accepted with caution ; on the one hand your reverence may have been misinformed ; on the other there is a great deal of jealousy encouraged by his principals beyond what might otherwise be expected from common characters,^^ so that the experience will no doubt have made you wiser. Confer some time with Antonie de hoogc, who spent winter before last at the Manhatans, and extract the quintessence of his discourse. I imagine that the substance will not be favorable to the colony and that under a polite pretext it will serve to prepare for unfavorable judgment; for instance I take it that hroer Cornelis is the best man in his judgment, while in my opinion he is the worst one I have. That you do not find the people in the colony what we should both like them to be is apparently and without doubt due to the luxurious- ness of the country,^''' the small number of people (for people usually fear more the opinions of others than the penetrating eye of the Lord), lack of a good pastor, the natural tendency towards evil and the fact that the best people seldom go so far across the sea. All this will give you cause for sorrow and diligence, patience and attention, in order with the Lord's blessing to make other people out of them. They will try in every way whether they can make you connive with them; they will, each with respect to his own affairs, know how to bring a great many charges against me; they 2' meer door syne principale daertoe geanimcert, als andcrssins gemene nature wel eygen is. ^ delicentie vant I ant. 648 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY will bring np wrong principles and make every effort to benefit themselves and to cheat me. Their willing offer of the tithes the very first day is not for my benefit bnt for yours in order to gain your favor ; I have now tried it for many years but have discovered few people that have any conscience, though there are still some who I think are conscientious and if i!iy opinion agreed with yours it would be a great touchstone of truth. I do not care for words, the deed must follow ; those who do the finest talking before our faces are the very ones who stir up others behind our backs, so that I pray the Lord to grant you the spirit of wisdom and of prudence and discernment. As for myself I desire what is fair and just and what they have promised me by contracts and by word of mouth. With the papists they want to appeal to tradition and oral promises, which is all useless, for just because words are for- gotten or can be twisted written instruments are made. As to the written instruments, they want to accept what serves tiieir ])ur]X)se and pass by the rest ; they want to interpret them to their own advantage and to the disadvantage of the person to whom the interpretation belongs. I shall close this matter knowing that you have already had experience thereof. I am glad to hear that you secured lucas Smith from bogardus; let me know whether it was worth while and what testimony is given of him by domiiic boi^ardiis. While referring to the inanhatans, as to the statements of kicft, let me know sometime what Corler has done to the people who married there about collecting the money advanced by me and the amount of their board and about their stipulated service. I can not readily believe that most the inhabitants of the colony are poor ; their drunkenness and laziness prepares the way thereto, but I take it that as a rule they are better off than those at the inanhatans. Pnit if it were true, Corlcr should be advised thereof so as not to give them too much on credit. The quantity of wine which kicft has sent up the river has helped a good deal to bring this condition about. It is very necessary for you to urge that an ordinance be issued against excessive importation of wine and liquor into the colony, which cause the people not only, contrary to God's law, to burden their consciences, to ren:'er their persons unfit for work, to waste their time and to squander their money, but also and finally to resort to evil practices in order to pay for them and ultimately to become too poor to reimburse the patroon for what they owe him and what he has lent and debited to them in the way of board and clothing, so that they are forced to produce strange exceptions VAN RENSSELAER IIOWIKR .MAXUSCRIRTS and arguments for, according to the saying, an empty purse makes a desperate mind.^*^ And as to vanderdonck, I am surprised; if what you write me that you heard kicft say were true and not said in passion, he wouhl not be worthy to hve and would be unfit for his office. I guess that this must come from broer Cornells; yotif reverence has a divine riglit and it is my bounden duty to God to investigate the truth of this statement. He complains that I send informers into the country but I make a pretty sharp reply to that. I send my letter to him open and enclosed in yours ; you can say to him that I do this on purpose and that I have understood things to be as you write, without mentioning any one's name, and that in case it should be true I have given you orders not to hand him my letter and not to communicate the contents till further orders; this will cause him to justify himself or^ in case he admits that any of these charges are true, to humble himself and reform, in which case you will be able to make a deep impression on his conscience. If he reforms and a beginning is thus made with the superior officers wdio hold commission from me, the others will begin to reflect. Carefully examine my letter to him and read it before you hand it to him and if you find the matter suitable you will greatly oblige him and he will greatly respect and uphold you^^; and if it will do at all, or if he is innocent or promises to reform, hand him the letter, but at all events give him the letter from his father ; if you do your full duty according to the word of God, whereto I shall add my authority, I have no doubt that by the Lord's bless- ing we shall make other people out of them even if I should have to discharge all those who lead a godless and reckless life and put others in their stead whenever the conduct is unmistakable, which if it is true that vanderdonck boasts of it, is clearly so in his case. (Here I must make a digression.) Having just come from the house of Sommerhis, whose eldest son has just died and is not yet buried and whose son in law is to be installed tomorrow as minister at Schagc, he charged me though with a sorrowful heart to greet you most heartily from him. To return to the manhatans, as to the charge that Corlcr and dc Hooges have taken to drinking, it ought to be carefully investigated whether they have become, one more and the other less, completely addicted thereto or whether they drink occasionally. maecht een bcroijde burse oock beroijde sinnen. eil vint ghij de saecke Conpatibel, gij suit Item grootelyck.r Terobligccreii , <■!} ii opt hooghste te respcctecre, eil maintenecren. 650 NEW YORK STATE LIIiRARY Tell Arcnt van Corlcr especially to show you in what shape his accounts and books are and whether they are in proper order to be sent to me, for if he delays doing this 1 shall make an entirely different arrangement, and tell him that I will not, will not, will not, be put off any longer; [ask him] if he is not ashamed not to have sent me any reports or accounts in all these years of the many thousands of guilders worth of merchandise which I have placed in his hands ; all his good deeds can not balance the anxiety and delay which he has caused me. He ought to have done that every year and I shall not send another penny's worth of goods until I receive accounts and goods in return, even if the whole colony were to rise against him, so serious do I consider this matter. As Director kicft told you that the farmers sell their wheat secretly at {2 a schepel and cheat me, and as kicft also writes to me about it, I urgently request that his honor's men and mine may jointly devise means whereby all vessels which sail up and down the river may be inspected, lx»th by his and my agents.^^ The Company is cheated out of its dues as much as I am cheated out of my profits and by helping each other care could be taken that no vessel, with- out proper pass from the director at the manhatans, could sail up the river without being confiscated, said vessel upon arriving in the colony being obliged to exhibit its pass and to allow its lading to be inspected by my agents as well as those of. the Company at Fort Orange. Coming from above each vessel must also have a. pass from the Company as well as from me or, with the exception of my own goods, be confiscated by the director upon its arrival at the manhatans or wherever it is discovered on the way. Let the di- rector give orders to that effect to his fiscal and 1 to my officer, and also give orders to his soldiers in regard to the exemption, and not so much fraud will be practised. Communicate this also to Corler and Tanderdonck, if they are not impeached, for much de- pends on this. I see also that Arent meanwhile supplies Director kieft without receiving payment, yes, even without advising me what he has supplied him with. I also hear that he has contributed some muddes of wheat toward the erection of the church at the uianJiatans. What orders has he to give away my goods in this fashion? I could use them very well for the erection of my own church. I hope that it is not true. These young people, like Arent and vanderdonck, do not think at all of my interests, each one thinks of his own advancement, especially vanderdonck. You must geCommitteerde ; here probably intended for commisen. VAN RENSSELAER BOWlER MANUSCRIPTS 65 1 hold the helm of the vessel till it has started on a good course. For all that I have furnished the Company for 12 years I have not received a penny aside from the supplies for my people. In the year 1640 I adjusted my accounts with them and agreed that • thereafter all business should be finally settled in that country, according to the enclosed authentic copy v^hich I send your rever- ence. What has Arent done thereupon but just as much adjusted his accounts with the director as he sent accounts to me."^ He sent supplies down from above without receiving goods in return, and kicft, who is probably too clever for him, calls his attention to accounts which are unfounded, as the Company asks three times more for freights and duties than I owe them according to my Freedoms. I have complained to kicft; he says that he must fol- low the orders of his masters. That is all right as far as his orders are concerned, but according to my Freedoms, given me by the Company itself and approved by the States General, of which vanderdonck has an authentic copy, kicft is directed to maintain these Freedoms for me. Now if he prefers to follow the orders from his masters to following those of the States General, let us settle that question here in this country. I will not pay them there what ought to be settled here and have decided that 1 do not want to have any merchantable grain and other goods furnished there to Director kicft in payment of disputed freight charges, duties, etc. But leaving aside the question of freight charges and duties, according to instructions of the Company he must promptly pay me in money, in merchandise or in furs for what I furnish him. I must also pay him in grain or other gooc's for what I receive from him and in this way we shall settle accounts. It is intolerable that Corler should furnish anything to kicft without receiving prompt payment for it there and it is also against the order of the Com- pany to keep open accounts. If kicft wants to deduct from my grain such freight charges as I owe, I am satisfied; if not, let him advise his masters that they must make me pay here. I have enough evidence for my defense but do not want any grain to be furnished except upon receiving other goods in return in that country. This point is of the utmost concern to me. I hope that Air kicft will be notified of this decision of mine and that I shall not have to run after the Company so many years more for payment for my mer- chantable grain. Please tell arent that I do not want to have the '1 wat heeft arent dacrof gedacn even sooveel ah den dierectcur gelequidcert ah myn rehcn gesonden. 652 NEW YORK STATE LIT'.RARY latest consignments, sent by Hooycs and }()ni" reverence, sold or given out except for furs, but as to supplies of stockings and shoes, linen and wool, he may sell or give these to the people to whom I owe anything or who pay for the same with furs, grain or tobacco, for all this giving out on credit does not suit me. 1 expected a great many skins in return for the preceding consignments, as ahraham stacs and Maurits Janscn. told me that a great many skins were then due to Arcnt and that he had also a great deal of seawan, to which must be added those that were not sent. 1 still have 1400 skins insured, of which the insurance was paid long ago. Let him send these first as soon as there is a ship and advise me as to the quantity which T can expect that I may govern myself accordingly with the insurance. I had 2000 skins insured for the year i'')43, but as ho(\(/cs remained at the MaitJuitans during the winter, 1 have returned and canceled [the insurance of] the said 2000 skins, so that at present there are only 1400 skins insured as aforesaid. Skins ought always to lie ready at the manhatans, so as to be sent whenever a ship sails. Hereafter many small vessels will come over and it ouglit to be seen to that he send some in each. As to the debts which Coder is said to have contracted at the vianhatans and which he neglected to pay, this is a matter of evil consequence. Please find out from him how this is. Coming now to your rev- erence's experiences in the colony, I would go into this a little more fully, but as I have this day, the ir)th of March, been told that the ship will sail from here tomorrow morning early, I shall contrary to my intention be obliged to break off, the preceding matter having taken too much of my time. I received the list of the commutation of the tithes by the farmers. The tobacco planters and others must do the same and in the future this must be looked after a little more closely, as otherwise things go irregu- larly. The collecting [of the tithes] of the grain must be care- fully managed and I urge your reverence to see to it that the proceeds may be used in the most profitable way, without mixing them up with other accounts. I was pleased to hear that you delivered your first sermon on the 17th of August last in the store- house'^^ in the presence of about too persons. The Lord grant that their hearts be touched and their number increased. I am also glad to hear your opinion about the country and colony, that every year great profits may be expected therefrom if things go as they ought, and shall expect with much ])leasure your advice anvl packliuijs. VAN RKNSSELAER liOWIRR MANl 'SCRIPTS counsel as to the manner in which I may reach that point. I shall not fail to contribute thereto as much as is in my power and to discharge such people as are unserviceable to me if I can get better ones. Good people are few and far between and even if they are good they are easily corrupted there. If Coder should leave there, let him settle as many accounts as possible and turn over all papers, with an inventory thereof, to Anthonic de hougcs, likewise all the merchandise, charging the said dc hooijhcs to take good care of the latter. But if Corlcr does not leave, hold this order back till his departure occurs or till I issue another order. Every effort ought to be made to stop the excessive drinking and now that there is a public brewer^' I hope that private brewing will cease. Some regulation might be made regarding the beer brewed by him, but as he has not taken a brew kettle with him I do not know what he is going to do. As to the evil rumors that Corlcr visits a certain woman in Fort Orange, this gives me much ground for serious reflection. If it is true you can as pastor ad- monish him to kec]) away from her in order to avoid all scandal and, if you think it necessary, also prohibit it in my name, especially if the substance of the suspicioii proves true. In the i)receding pages I have written enough about him, I shall also write him that he will learn from you the complaints against him and that he must reform in whatever respect he is delinquent or he will entirely lose my favor and his reputation amtMig his friends and country- men when he comes here, whereas he is otherwise on the way to honor and ])rofit and a good marriage. It should be impressed upon him that everything depends U]X)n the manner in which he serves me. As to his extravagance in office, he must reme:ly this also; T have written above at length about this; if he found such bad practices, he need not follow them. 1 do not believe that jacoh planch was so extravagant; the account which he rendered me does not indicate this as he was oblige 1 to ])ay for his own board, so that he [Corlcr] di l not find that custom there but made it him- self. If Corlcr had sent me my accounts T could see whether the yacht which lay idle for so many days was charged to me or not. Now I can not tell. Is that not a wretched state of affairs? Let me know what he gives the people to eat and where he gets the food and at what price. At the present rate he might consume the entire revenue of the colony, wliich is still small. T ho])c that Anthonic dc Ilooycs will conduct himself well. What I fear most "Evert Pels. 654 NKW YORK S'I'AI'l': [.[liRARY for him is that he may become addicted to drink, against which he must be strongly warned. His sweetheart here, Anncken Sporoin, married at Campen, so that he need not wait for her any longer. I have sometimes thought that his thoughts were too much con- centrated on her and that he liked the country less on that account. You might tell him this when there is an opportunity or have somebody else tell hini in order that he may be at ease, and especially warn him to abstain from strong drink and women. I understand that he says that he is little respected ; let him behave well and have patience and he will be advanced in due time. One must first suffer before one can enjoy. I am sorry that the vine shoots died; make some effort to get a few plants from manhatans and to propagate them where you are. You write me that there is plenty of land and animals to establish some new farms. I am surprised that no people have come to me from the noorder quar- ticr;^* there have been two from sevenhcrger lant^'' but I have put them off till the next ship. If the carpenters could manage it, a farmhouse or two might be erected in convenient places, in prepara- tion for the coming of these people. I am glad to hear that the lumber intended for the ferry house will be used for your dwell- ing. I hope that it will be speedily built and that the carpenter from Leyden^^ may have repented and reformed. Your recommendation as to women for the colony, I follow as well as I can. Several of them were detained at the manhatans, wdiere they settled down at once. They should be strictly proceeded against in conformity with their contracts and my Freedoms. The farmers from hrcda have already several daughters and by and by these will come in handy. Everything can not be perfect from the first but things will improve gradually. My children are still too young and inexperienced to send any of them thither, but I hope that this can be done by and by. Meanwhile I recommend to you to do the best you can by admonition and instruction and especially to state in your reply to the suggestions made by me what measures have followed them, what the results has been and what further had best be done and undertaken ; also give me particulars as to the farms which could be erected, namely, how many and where room could be found for them. Wherewith ending, I commend your reverence The former name of that part of the present province of North Holland which is situated north of the IJ and tlie Wijl is and your wife to the gracious protection of Almighty God and send you hearty and friendly greetings from us all, that is my wife and my son Johannes, as the others with the exception of the smallest are at boarding school out of the city. My nephew W outer van Tzviller three months ago married Miss Maria momma; they also send you hearty greetings. Vale. P. S. I urgently request you to make a brief summary of the contents of this letter and as opportunity offers show, now to Hooges, now to Corlcr and now to x andcrdonck, what they [should] have done about this or that, so as to remind them of [their duty], for youth is not so thoughtful as people of more advanced years. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Oloff Stevensz^^ March i6, 164s Oloff Stevenscn, in New Netherland at the Manhatans This i6th of March, 1643:, in Amsterdam On account of lack of time I can not write you at length nor answer yours of the loth of September last. This will tell you briefly that I thank you very much for the accommodations pro- vided for my servant Anthonie de hooges. I do not doubt but he himself before his departure, or my cousin Arcnt van Corler after his departure paid and settled for everything that he ate or drank. I thank you also for the present offered to my daughter Maria; that was unnecessary and it is entirely against my habit to accept any presents. As to what you ask of me, I shall take care that your money is well invested according to your suggestions. Send your accounts to my nephew JV outer van Twiller, who three months ago married here a young woman maria Momma, well connected and of means. He will collect the money and then I shall see to it that it is profitably invested for you. I congratulate you also upon your marriage, which may the Lord bless to His glory and to the happiness and contentment of both of you. Please to recommend and to urge that the enclosed letters, under cover to the Hon. Director Kieft, be sent to the colony by his honor in the safest way and at the earliest oppor- tunity. I am not pleased to hear that the trade is spoiled so. Let me know your opinion as to the cause of it and whether it can not be remedied. I fear that the arrival of so many Englishmen will later give trouble. The Lord grant that it may turn out better. f V. R, D. Mss. Letter Bool-, f.177. 656 NEW YORK STATE LTP.RARY Write me your opinion of the colony, in what way you think the greatest protit may he derived therefrom, and how the people conduct themselves, especially the officers. I shall keep your ad- vice secret. J\ilc. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Willem Kieft"^ March i6, 164^ Willem Kicft, director in New Netherland This i6th of March 1643, in Amsterdam I find that I have several letters from you, among others that of the 17th of September 1642. I must answer briefly, as the super- cargo of this private vessel in which I have neither goods nor people wants to leave tomorrow morning early. I only commend to you hereby the forwarding of the enclosed letters to the colony to D'^ Mcgapolensis, in whose name, as well as in my own, I heartily thank your honor for the help and assistance given his reverence on his arrival and for his voyage up the river; I shall leave the ])rincipal matters till the sailing of the Company's ship, though it is still uncertain not only wdien it will sail but even whether they will send any ship this year. I think they will. The Assembly of the XIX will meet in a few days to consider the whole question of equipment; I hope that they will then also establish the free- ('oms of New Netherland on a definite basis. There are many heads, and opinions differ. Some go on the principle of commerce ; others, though fewer, on the principle of colonization. It is to be hoped that these two principles may be neither mixed nor separ- ated but combined. According to my o])inion they will not im- ])nwe the first [freedoms] much. If they left the clause relating to colonization in force and raised the duty somewhat on commerce in other quarters the country there would by and by flourish, which is of the greatest importance to me. Thus far, however, I have not been able to find out anything about it. My people have thus far not observed proper order in the administration but have thrown my instructions in a corner and they have mainly studied their own benefit and advancement. I hope that the said rnega- poloisis by Christian admonition will produce some imprcn'emcnt in their conduct and behavior and also cause them to kec]) in mind »8 V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.i 77. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS and follow my instructions. In the enclosed letters, which for certain reasons I put under cover addressed to the minister, I write about various things which must be arranged with your honor, especially about proper regulation of the sailing up and down of the vessel by which the Company is so shamefully cheated out of its dues and I out of my profit and about the freight charges and duties which are in dispute between me and the Company and have been referred here for settlement. Merchantable grain must be credited there against other merchantable goods and each time the balance paid by the one or the other in money, merchan- dise or furs, about which my cousin areiit has been so neglect- ful that it is a shame. I hear from others of my people that 12 lasts of wheat were delivered to your honor but I learn neither from Arent nor any one else anything [more] about it. It goes again in the old way. That I, who bear all the expenses of my people, be paid in accounts for everything that they furnish your honor is contrary to the orders of the Company to settle all ac- counts there and I do not in the least intend to furnish merchantable grain for the payment of freight and duties for which they charge mc three times as much as I owe them. If the Com]:)any will not transport my goods for what I owe them they may leave them and force me to send ships myself. But when they have my goods in the storehouse, then to fix freight and duties as they please and to make me pay them in merchantable grain from my colony is unreason- able. On such conditions I do not want to furnish any more and if Arcnt van Corlcr had understood his business, he would, even ac- cording to the orders of the Company, not have furnished wheat wildly but for cash or bills of exchange. I do not find that he has ever said or done anything against your honor's fixing everything to the interests of the Company and in this way I never get a penny for all the grain I furnish. The Company knows very well that they have no right to ask this of me; therefore, they send an order to your honor and you must follow it, but my people ought not to have agreed to it nor thereupon to have furnished grain wholesale ; this ought therefore to be remedied. The rest I must postpone till later ; only I can not omit telling you that my nephew IV outer van Tzvillcr married here three months ago, a young woman of respectable family of means, so that his voyage to New Nether- land has had a good result. I understand that your honor intends to come over some time this year and I learn from others that your honor has some of my merchandise which I bought from 42 658 NEW YORK STA I K LIKKAXY lopes. If this is so, I shall he glad to give it to your honor at the most reasonable price. Vale. P. S. Willem Kieft The owners of this ship have in the presence of supercargo Wil- lem tiirck promised me to bring me home some cases of furs in case your honor has any there from Coder or my people on condi- tion that I pay the freight. Do me the kindness to send them to me with the bill of lading and, if .there is time, to advise Arent van Coder thereof. I understand that there are brickmakers amongst the English on the Fresh River and that Jan Evertsen bout gave them an order for some bricks. If that succeeded all right and if the wages are not too high, I should like to contract with them for some hundreds of thousands, as there is fine clay in the colony for that purpose. Excuse me that I ask so much of and trouble your honor so much.^^ Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Arent van Curler*^ March i6, 164s Arent Van Coder in New Netherland This i6th of March 1643, in Amsterdam I am in receipt of your letters of the 18th and 26th of August, hastily written at the manhatans, to which I can not properly reply on account of my annoyance that last year you did not send me any accounts or books. You make me suspicious. You will learn of my dissatisfaction through Megapolensis, as I can write more calmly to him about such wrongs than to you. You know that since you left the country your father and now lately your uncle holdcivyn bave died and you would also make me pass away my life without knowing once, in all the years that you have been there, how you have administered my property. I have ofifercd you help but you reply that you can manage it alone. I do not know what has become of the merchandise which I sent you ; I do not know what the farms which are there cost me; I do not know what the house that you live in cost me ; I do not know what you have eaten up or given away; I do not know whether or not you have kept proper record of all the consignments ; I do not The above postscript was written on a separate jnece of paper found in tlie Letter Book. That it belongs to the letter to Director Kieft of Mar. :6, 1643, seems evident from the heading and from the occurrence of a corresponding passage in the lettei' of same date to Arent van Corler. <« V. R. B. Mss, Letter Bopk, f.178. VAN HKNSSRr.AER I'.OWTKK AT A N HSCRI PTS 659 know how my account there stands with the Company, except that kieft, of his own accord, charges me on behalf of the Com- pany for fr.eight three times as much as I owe and for ditty the same as others though for lo years I do not have to pay any con- voy charges on goods going thither; for the furs coming hither however I must pay one guilder here^ each time, before I can get my skins. For this amount you furnish in advance wheat from the colony, which is as if I threw money into the water, for if I should furnish wheat in payment of such freight charges and duties I must be a fool and an idiot. You should have referred the duties and freight charges to me and not furnished any wheat except to settle a debt, for merchandise, furs or bills of exchange on the Company, according to my agreement with the Company of which I sent you a copy. Mr kieft knew how to protect the rights of his masters but you have protected the rights of your master like a child. 1 hoped from year to year that matters would improve and that some day I should get the accounts and books, but I do not get them and if meanwhile I should happen to die, as my children are still yoimg and do not know the exact situation, I should lose everything. Yes, just lately, you have caused 12 lasts of wheat to be delivered and you do not even write me about it, let alone that you should send me bills of exchange or furs thereof. What must become of this? Do you want to ruin me and yourself and do you not think that you must answer for all that? Therefore, listen to and follow the advice which D"^ Mcgapolensis will give and read to you. Do not neglect your duty unless you want to make yourself the laughing-stock of all people. If the books and accounts are not entirely closed, or not even half closed, send them as they arc. If you had done that long ago, I could have seen by them what your management was and have instructed and ad- vised you. Now you pile it all on top of each other. The more I tried to advance you, the less information I received. In two of your last letters you write me that you have no skins, seawan or anything in stock, not of the last consignment which had not begun to be sold yet, but of the preceding consignment; you do not even write me what persons I am in del)t to and who are in debt to me. In sum, for five years, which may mean life or death to a man of advanced years, I do not know what has happened in my name and on my behalf in such a far-off country and my long patience begins to change to impatience. You have now had charge of about f36ooo worth of goods, at the purchase price 66o NEW YORK STATE LTIiKARY here, of which 1 have not yet received a sins^Ie account, b'ullovv the advice of Doinine Megapolciisis and do not hghtly reject the advice of hooges, although he is younger than you and not so ex- perienced; 1 consider him an upright young man. If your charge is too heavy for you, you should have asked for help. To close this quarrel, make at once on receipt of this letter a list and in- ventory of all the merchandise and be especially careful that the duffels do not get damaged, wet or eaten by rats. Make also a list of the furs, seawan, debts to be paid and to be collected, in order that you may be ready when the ships arrive and send me some furs b}- each ship. There are still 1400 skins insured which I expected already last year in return for the goods sent by hooges. I want yearly to have accounts and returns or I shall entirely stop sending- things. I notice that there are many stallions in the colony. It would have been better if some had been gelded while young, for so many stallions are too hard on the mares. From the letter written while among the mahicans I understand that the matter with Conielisscn and Cornells teiiiiisseii was settled. Let this agreement be carefully observed and the papers examined point for point, for p'"' Cornelissen can easily say that the patroon's docu- ments must not be taken literally but interpreted somewhat freely, so that care must be taken that he does not defraud me by fur- nishing me more than I need or poor stuff. [ understand that vander doiick will establish his farnf at the south end of West Island, which is satisfactory to me as he will then be opposite and not far from the church neighborhood where henceforth all the mechanics and freemen must take up their residence. But I hear that you want to put labatije on the farm at the Great Mats'*! and give him f20 a month. What does he know about farming? I must have further information about this before I can give my consent to it. I do not want farms for myself, f(jr when the ex- penses are shared equally with the farmers great expenses are incurred, and what would the result be if I became alone respon- sible for the expenses? If I had the accounts of the farmers who have now long gone on half shares, I should know what to say, but now I am blind ; therefore, I must have further information as to the basis on which it would be done. Hereafter, it must be no longer a matter of speculation but when I furnish houses and animals I must draw a definite income from it. and I know no more than a child what profit the old farms have been to me. It may « de groote vlacte. VAN RENSSELAER P.OWIER ATANUSCRirTS 66i turn out better than 1 think, but i fear that it will result badly and that you will be held responsible, for what measures could I take about things of which I knew nothing? I do not know either what provision you have made for jan labatie, who promised to write to me from time to time ; in all I received one letter from him in the beginning and nothing more thereafter. He was engage'l as carpenter and ought to serve out those years. You wrote me that in winter when they could not build, he could stay with you to hunt in the woods and supply the table. This he and you must know, that I will not allow any increase of wages except such as is given with my approval and knowledge. The tobacco of albert andrissen and his brother sold on an average of 8j/^ [st] a lb. It weighed 4484 lb gross, deducting 6^, 270 lb, for the stems, there remains 4214 lb net which amounts to fi 790:19;"*- of this the C"om- pau)', counting on 4580 lb, claims a duty of c^'/, f 114:10; freight charges of 1 st jjcr lb, f 229 ; and convoy charges of ij4 st per lb,*'* f286:5; together f629:i5; but I do not want to pay them so much and if the tobacco planters in my colony, especially albert andriesen, compensate me according to my ordinance for my land on which the tobacco grows I shall see to it that he pays less than half of these expenses, but as long as he is in dispute wdth me and I with the Company, I must deduct these f629:i5 and also the duty on the tobacco which luiybert jansen., the son of Jaii Conielissen, dis- posed of very cheaply, which | duty] with the cases amounted to f2i3:i5. Adding thereto f20:8 st to jeroniuins La Croijs for ex- penses, the total amount is f863:i8, so that there remains f93i :i2 net in money, half of which f93i :i2 should belong to me. How- ever, you must see on wdiat basis this tobacco was sent and whether half of it belongs to me or not. I wish no more than belongs to me. You will therefore pay him there the sum which is due to him of this account in proper goods and at current prices, to be agreed upon with him. If they give me what is right and agree with me as to what I should have from my land, I could reduce the ex- penses of the Company to at least half of the above amount. I learned here that in Virginia the tobacco, without counting expenses or duties, is worth but 2 st a lb, reckoned by purchase prices in Holland. H this is so, I might send a ship thither also. As to Andries hudde, his claim is impertinent and unreasonable. I have *^ Letter Book has f^7 90 49 which is clearly an error. *' Letter Book has p Cento out a calculation shows that it should be as above; the Company not only counted on 4580 pounds of tobacco but appraised it at 10 st a pound, as shown by the items given. 662 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY a good deal to claim from him, first, £26 paid in his behalf, in the colony to Haiis Hansen, tobacco planter, for grain. If he had anything to claim from me he should have informed me of it be- fore he turned over the farm and the animals, as I should then have deducted half of the money from the animals bought of bclcvelt whom I paid in full when I received word that the animals had been delivered. Therefore, if he had anything to say he should have spoken then or may see that he gets it from bylevelt whom I paid in full. As for myself, in addition to the i2b, I have the following to claim from hudde. In my contract with bylevelt, of which I sent a copy and which was shown to hudde\ is written N. U. Uoard and wages of the people till May 1632, which andris hudde agreed to upon condition that he have the milk and butter ; also, feed for the animals till the new planting;^-* so that the butter which he made after the first of May, during the summer, belongs to me. I am further entitled to the seven morgens of winter grain of the new planting of 1632, all of which hudde received; also the supply of summer grain, oats, barley, gray peas, which bylevelt left there, together with the crop proceeding therefrom, which he [Hudde] also enjoyed and used to fatten the hogs and hens which he sold. He also had the benefit of a well planted garden which beylevclt left there and in addition to all this a stack of grain^-" which the council estimated at 90 schepels of rye and wheat, for which I had to pay the Company fioo. All this hudden received and yet he is not ashamed to demand money from me who bought all these things from bylevelt and fully paid him therefor. I have the original of the contract but the authenticated copy, in accordance with which hudde turned over the animals and the farms, must be in that country. H it is necessary, I shall send the original to make the impudent fellow rightly pay what he rightly owes me, letting him get from beylevelt what he has to claim from him ; I bought and paid cash for all these things. You might give Di- rector Kieft an extract from this to show the impertinence of hudde and also broer Cornells who wrote me for information. As to the church, if this is not yet contracted for or begun, I should like that the model which I sent be kept back till some other time and that at first and provisionally a suitable place be erected which can be used first for preaching and later on be turned into a dwelling house.. This could be made ready quickly, about 26 totte nieuwe bouw toe. eenen bergh sact. VAN RENSSELAKR BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 663 feet wide and 60 feet long, but the location must remain as di- rected and this dwelling- must be ])laced with the others in proper order. Next to the house of D'' Mcgapolciisis would not be un- suitable and later it could be used as a school. I am surprised that you do not write me at all about the crystal near the house of michicl Janse and do not send me any further samples than the little pieces which you sent at first. There may be a great quantity, some pieces larger than others, and these must be dug out with care. I am also surprised that such poor care has been taken of the vine shoots which I imported alive into the colony at great expense and trouble and which are now altogether neglecte i and dead. I received the inventory of the animals taken by Iioogcs; it is arranged better than the preceding one but I send herewith a blank which in the future will serve as a model for the inven- tories. The paper can be taken lengthwise and in that way many more columns made. The cows of the same age must be put on the same line, and after them the horses, specifying the full-grown cows, oxen and bulls, and then in turn heifer calves, oxen and bulls of one and two years, according to the example of the accompany- ing blank, beginning with those of the year 1640, 1641 and 1642, but those of 1641 and 1642 must be distinguished so as to show the difference. See also to this ; I do not know what privilege albert andriesen has received that his cows are not mentioned in the in- ventory. I do not want any one, no matter who he is, to own any animals which are not subject to the right of preemption. There- fore, have his animals included therein too, or make him leave the colony and pay me for pasturing and hay during the past years. You wrote me that clacs jaiisen ruytcr promised to give me one half of what he made at the manhatans and that thereupon he ob- tained permission to leave. What has become of these earnings? Is he ever asked for them? The owners of the ship called den swarten racven, of which Willem turck is supercargo, have prom- ised me to bring over some cases of furs on condition that I pay the freight. Do not fail to send me some when it is possible; dur- ing the year 1642 I did not receive a single beaver. The statement that vanderdonck seems to have made to you that he was to invest yearly f3000 in merchandise is mere talk ; his con- tracts must show it. I wrote him and I write to you also that I do not want to hear of verbal statements; everything must be regu- lated according to my writings, of which you have the origi- nals and I the copies. Every one of you ought to be satisfied to 664 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY pcrluiTii his duties but it is every one's duty, apart from his in- structions, to seek and to further niy advantage. Vandcrdonck, as my sworn officer, has the right to propose everything that he thinks win serve to my advantage, but in civil actions involving the interests of the patroon (and of the whole colony) the commis- sioners must examine the proposition"*" and if they reject it, he has a right to protest. It is strange that all your letters speak of haste. Have you not had time once in five years, to write to me in time and beforehand? Is not that rather strange ? You answer my letters from memory ; you should put my letters before you and read them paragraph by paragraph and write me what has been done in each case. You write me in every letter that you will send the accounts l)ut you do not do it. In reply to yours of the 29th of Jmie last 1 will say tliat it is well that all the merchandise sent was duly received; of the sale thereof and that this year and last year you bartered a good deal with the Indians, I hope to learn in good time. If I could l)c sure of that, I would insure more than the 1400 skins which are in- sured now. You might send some at every opportunity. As to the fact that Kicft is not willing to pay fio for the wheat, I do not intend to let him have it for less. You need not refer that to me but should have asked his honor frankly whether he was will- ing to pay, not by crediting it on undetermined freights and duties but by balancing the amount against debts or in other ways as written heretofore, and if he was not willing to do so, you should have advised me, telling me at the same time how much I could expect so that I might take proper measures. Now my hands are tied. You furnish in good faith ; I receive no payment and even the price is in dispute. You should have told his honor, if he did not care to pay at the rate of fio as formerly, that you would have to advise me of it and that I had adopted and would adopt other measures. In that way you would have shown that you had sense, for there is no need to sell such sta])le for less ; it has a standard value the world over. What has been written to me about this I consider of no importance. Meanwhile, find out whether the people of Virginia would not be glad to buy the wheat at that price. These are things you oi:ght to pay attention to. Vox the farmers to sell [the wheat] at f8 or is fraud; if he could indicate who they are. I shall know how to punish them. Words do not count ; deeds must dan dc Ccconunittccrdc jn de saeckr van patroon {cii dc gansche sacche) jn Civiele saecken moetcii hetsclve examineeren. VAN RENSSELAER UOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 665 reveal the man completely. I am sick of all this talk that the farmers will not yive me more except at fio;^' it is childish, they must give me one half as belonging- to nie after the tithes have been deducted; their half is uncertain. Who promised them fio? And furthermore, braiit pclcii, crayn Cornclissc and brocr Coriiclis have accepted the conditions of maurits jansen of f6; the farmers from brcda have agreed to that price also, so that it hinges then upon a few whose leases will soon expire when we shall settle that matter. You excuse them audi I do not, for 1 can get 10 masters to one servant. I'hey ought to be ashamed of themselves for hav- ing disputed the 16 guilders so long. Are they not aware that everything comes in ckie time, and that it is a ])oor schout who can not wait for his fine and opportunity? Hereafter, they will not torment me so much. As soon as their time is up I shall let others, who can barely make a living here and who often enough apply to me, take charge of the farms of these tormentors, [even if] they all have to go down.*^ If no one stands by you, call upon the officer in a formal way and if he does not assist you then write to me, not generalities but exactly what the matter is. I can then adopt ])roper measures, but to act on promises, on what people say and repeat, amounts to nothing and produces only confusion. What is uncertain must be set aside and what is clear must be set- tled. They seem to think that in matters which are uncertain, their wish ought to be consulted before mine. If they defraud me so much in the sending of grain ask p'"' Cornclisscn, supercargo of the vessel to assist you, also v''doiick, in his capacity as officer, and if they refuse to do so, protest against them and write to me, not in a general way that they will not assist you, but stating in what they will not assist you. In that way I can take the neces- sary measures but not on mere talk. You complain that I am cheated but it is your duty to prevent this in the way described above. You must not listen to any excuses from vandcrdoiick or any one else, but tell them plainly and frankly your duty and theirs, or write to me. If you had done this regularly I would have supported you regularly and, when there was occasion for it, re- duced the others in rank and at the end of their term either have called them home or dismissed them from their farms. This is the way I intend to proceed in the future, even if I have to send new dattr hnuwmr vicl luccy als fin ^crcii; literally, tliat the farmer will not give more than fio. hut the meaning is douhtless that the farmers will not furnish me more grain unless I pay them fio. ji7 sHttcn [sittcti or sullen?^ altcsamcn met mij slippe jnde asse. 666 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY people altogether who fear God and treat me rightly. You ought to give me the names of the councilors who are unserviceable to me ; I would pass those by, but to exclude all is uncalled for. You must ask those who are partial in the matter or themselves guilty^^ to stand outside, and as to the residents, of whom you write that they go to the savages as soon as the latter arrive and spoil the trade, communicate this matter to the officer, notify them at once that they came into the colony without permission and forbid them to trade with the Indians. If they will not obey, call them before the court; and if the court refuses to sentence them, refer the case to me and write me especially how vanderdonck behaves in the matter. Should I bear all the expense, possess the jurisdiction from high authority and should strangers be allowed to ruin the trade for me? That is unthinkable. First issue a general pro- hibition and then prosecute the law breakers. Serve notice on them at their places of residence^^ and if they are obstinate, cause them to be fined; and let vanderdonck assist you herein, and you him, and no one will be able to oppose you. I have no objection to your coming over after you send me the accounts ; but if you should leave there without sending me the accounts every one would dispute them to your disadvantage and who would know how to settle it but you? Therefore, do not neglect any longer to send them ; your coming over depends upon that only. I am not at all willing that you turn the balance of your goods over to lahatije. He is a foreigner and is under a severe ban in his own country.^^ I have given you Anthonie de Hooges as assistant and you must turn it over to him if I do not take other measures. As to their threatening vanderdonck, I shall send him help if he conducts himself well and the threateners will think ten times before they act once, for I would make them feci what it means to maltreat the officer. I approve of the farm of vanderdonck near brant peele and as to my own on the Great Flats, you must proceed carefully. Lahatie has no knowledge of farming but if you do it'^^ on account of the trade, that is a different matter. If you and vanderdonck were united and you had Labatie and hooges on your side, who could harm you? But vanderdonck complains about the imperti- (/it' Jndc siicckc lY'/icli ■''VII oflL' I'aiiJc sd^ c nalnrc; literally, lliosc who arc partial in the matter or of the same nature. A general prohibition warning private traders not to sail into the colony and a notice to he served on them individually were issued in print by the patroon under dates of Sept. 2, and .Sept. 8, 1643; see p. 682—85, 697—99. hy is ccn ■i'rccmdclijnrk cii stact onder een sw.ire sensure in syn lant. °2 Put Labatie on the farm. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 667 nence of Labatij. You have great plans about the farm at the Great Flats but see to it that it does not become too expensive and that care be taken about the servants so that the undertaking may do you credit and be of profit to me. That the farmers refuse to furnish animals without actual payment is not justified by their contract. You must find out who the author of that statement is and give me the name of the man. It must be some invention of Cornelis teunisse, who in order to avoid paying me what he owes me asks me [to pay] the note of hand which dirrick Corsen un- faithfully made out in his name. Let them first settle their ac- counts and then when their lease expires, make an inventory of the increase and loss of animals. The original number must be kept. If I paid them for the increase and a horse or cow died the next day, where would these fellows get another in its stead except through my efiforts? In that case they would also have to make prompt payment to me. I should like to know who said that. You must not write in general terms but name the man who said it. If you boxed the ears of such rude fellows who thus state their in- tentions against their lord and master, so that they felt for them with both hands, they might then realize against whom they have spoken so insolently. As to Willem Juriaensen, who sailed I think as a baker, make an example of him. Let vanderdonck bring ac- tion against him ; his time has expired long ago and make him leave the colony, for if you have no one to proceed against by way of example you will accomplish nothing. See who is with you in the council, and who is against you. If they do not help you against a man whose contract entirely forbids trading and whose time has expired, they are not worthy to be councilors and I would dismiss such people from the council as unworthy. You must not bind yourself so strictly by the price of the skins. When you have nuich merchandise you must give a little more and keep strangers out both by your authority and by outbidding them. / sec your plan about the English bark. I can not say very much about it yet ; experience zvill be the best guide in the matter : bnt I am sur- prised that the skins can be bought cheaper from some one else than in the colony. If it has been bad thus far, I hope that it will improve, hut it is a good thing that you cause seawan to be used in trading. I am pleased to hear that Sander lecnderscn is an. upright man,^^ such people^^ I am inclined to advance. ■'^ Jck Iworc gccrnc dot Sander Irendersen Troom is. " Underlined in Letter Book. 668 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY I do not want the council to change the first of January to the first of Alay, for the grain which is in the field on the first of May belongs to the new planting. Therefore, I do not want the ac- counts to be closed on another day than that on which the lease of the land commences, but I have no objection to its being a little later in January. It seems that the council is inclined to change all my ordinances so as never to settle any accounts. The council must know that I appointed them and that they did not appoint me. You will ask vanderdonck to have the accounts settled on the day fixed by me and to have every one notified in time and to have those who fail to settle their accounts fined. Meanwhile, it will be all right if this time the accounts be settled on the first of May next but hereafter it must be done in January, when the animals are in the stable where they can be counted and the grain is in the barn. As [the leases of] the houses begin in May, I hope that the debit and credit accounts balanced in January will be settled then ; no stock must be taken of the animals, which they can hide then, as they run in the field. I notice that there is some trouble about this already. 1 am also willing that an estimate be made in January and the accounts adjusted and j^aicl in INTay but the registration of animals must at all events take ])lace in January, specifying which are with calf or colt. I am also surprised that in the inventory no mention was made of the sheep and hogs, upon which sheep mauris jansen has prided himself a great deal. You understand this, that when T send an ordinance or instruction they must for the time being be issued and executed as they are ; and if any change ought to be made in them, you must advise me thereof in good time, with the reasons, and await my further orders, for you and all those who represent my person must understand that I am superior to the council appointed by me and they are not my superiors. They must follow my orders and not I theirs. To let one of the councilors count the vimmen^^' [of grain] of a farm will not do ; the farmers who are members of the council must have nothing to do with that; they are partial.^® '•''vimmen; see p. 558 note. ■'"At this point in the Letter Book, at the bottom of folio iSrb, occurs tlic word vcrvolght, continued, but there is no continuation of the letter in the book. Tt is worth noting that it is the only letter from the patroon to his agents in the colony to which the reply, at least in translated form, has been jireserved. Unfortunately the translation given by O'Callaghan in his History of New Nethcrland, 1:456-65, is in many places clearly incorrect and the Dutch copy or draft which he found among the Rensselacrswyck Mss is not with those papers at present. VAN RENSSELAER BOWTER At AXl'SCRIPTS 669 Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Antony de Hooges'"'' March 18, Anthonic dc Hoogcs, in the colony of Rensselaerswyck This 1 8th of March 1643 Amsterdam I have your letters of the first of March and the i8th of August of last year, 1642, to which the following is a brief answer, as time has gone by in writing to others. I have recommended you well, as you will learn from d'^ megapolcnsis, but I must admonish you for your own good to continue to be religious and faithful and especially to guard yourself against drunkenness and lewd women. There are many rumors current about the first but you can best test the matter yourself; heed the faithful admonitions of your pastor d" Megapolcnsis and do not follow the footsteps of those who may be guilty thereof, but fear the Lord ; do right and fear no one. You will do well to keep and send me a daily journal, giving a truthful account of alTairs, for I have no use for things that are not true. Respect the conimis Arcnt van Corlcr and by and by he will like you. Keep good order and peace, but not when things are wrong. Have the accounts of the manhatans entered on the books, which probably is already done. Those who marrie;! at the manhatans must bear their own expenses and if they refused to do so you should have stopjjc I the publication of the banns or made them promise to go to the colony according to their con- tracts, for they were not their own masters. Mr kicft must hel]) you therein l)y order of their High Mightinesses the States General, as is well known to Ofiicer z ander donck. You duly notice the evils which are present in the colony ; that is the way things usually go in the world and the deeper you get into it the more you will notice it. H you walk uprightly among this wicked and adulterous generation, you will find peace for your soul. Do not let the evil examples seduce you but take them as a warning. I received the list of the animals ; it must be made out each year according to the blank and the brief instructions to my cousin Arenf van Corler. You might put the horses and cows on one paper with several columns, but the transfer, increase and deaths of animals must be entered on separate blanks. I hope that you will have more and more satisfaction ; all new things are difficult but V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.182. 670 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY matters will turn out to your advantage if you conduct yourself well. I must thank you for communicating to me the text of the first sermon of c?^ megapolensis ; no other foundation can and ought to be laid. Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart^^ July p, 1643 Toussain Muyssart, at Leyden This 9th of July 1643, in Amsterdam This afternoon we bought, with the advice of ship's carpenters and other experts, a ship^''^ suitable for our intended voyage, of 80 lasts burden, well protected with an upper deck, five feet high, ex- tending the entire length, a comfortable forecastle to lodge people in, mounted with six pieces properly supplied with powder, lead and ammunition, and well provided with tackle and sails and all that belongs thereto. I was on it yesterday with confrater hlom- maert and Besscls; we looked it over carefully and this after- noon purchased it for 7000 guilders. It has lately come from Portu- gal, having taken 79 lasts of rye to that country, and is a ship with a square stern,^ built at Lubeck, of heavy timber, but somewhat old though well kept. It has also rather too much draught but will serve us well enough to send people and goods to Virginia as well as to New Netlierland. We shall now make all possible haste in purchasing the cargo and supplies. The ship will not need exten- sive repairs as it was thoroughly overhauled a half year ago. The duffels are very expensive at 35 st a yard. For the present you will please with all diligence have 12 pieces, [instead of] half of them red and half of them steel gray, made gray only as an offset against the others and so as to reduce the average price.*'^ I sent a great many which are probably not yet all sold. You must look out especially for the width, for the last time the duffels from Leyden were the narrower. ^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.182. This was the ship het Wapen van Renssclacrswyck, which sailed in September of the same year. Jan Simonsz was skipper and Pieter Pietersz Wijncoop was supercargo. The invoice of this voyage is found among tlie Rensselaerswyck Mss and amounts to fi287o:ii :i2. For the experiences of the ship at New Amsterdam, see O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:342. ^ is een Spiegel Schip. V. I sal gelieven in alle diligentie vooreerst 12 p 1/2 roode 1/2 staelgrauwe enckel stael te doen maehen ende tegen malcanderen balanceeren en daermede de duifrte cesseeren. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 671 The loth ditto. This letter written to this point yesterday was left till today as we have been busy making invoices and engaging the skipper and the supercargo, which was done today. Please to greet Mr de laet; when he comes here, we shall talk the matter over further and as his honor hesitates about contributing his tenth share because he is director,*^^ I shall be pleased to have you furnish it as 1 must fur- nish six tenth shares; otherwise I shall have to find some one else, which I do not like to do, so as not to pave the way for another. I shall expect your reply at the first opportunity. I was looking forward to your coming here, as Mr de laet wrote of it, but you have not come. In order to keep strangers out of this business, I have admitted my mother in law to an equal share with the par- ticipants of the colony, so that she will participate to the amount of fpooo. May Almighty God grant us good success, of which I have great hopes from the appearance of things. We intend to have the ship and lading insured as far as the half share of the colony is concerned. Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart^ July 18, 164s Tousain Muijssart, at Leyden This 1 8th of July 1643, in Amsterdam I still have your favor of the 12th instant. As to the duffels which were to be made as soon as possible, we would have ordered here 12 pieces more but on account of the high price we had only six made and shall let it go at that for the present, as a considerable number were sent before. As to providing the tenth share of Mr delaet among the three of you, besscls is willing to do so but he thinks that when Mr dclaet comes here, he will be able to induce him to furnish his share. If not, it will remain as you write. We are very busy ; we hoped to have the outside of the ship ready today but some worm holes which go clear through show themselves on the last side, which keep the work somewhat back as they must be properly attended to. I wish you could come here sometime that we might communicate to each other matters which it takes too long to write with a pen. We intended first to include in our cargo about f200 worth of cam- bewinthebber; i. e. director of the West India Company. ^ V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.j82b. NEW YORK STATI': LI!11■;.\I■^^■ let or cloth from Leyclen, but I am informed tliat the English material will be more to our purpose and cheaper. Tlie double dyed cloth, grayish and 5/4 wide, is sold at f24 to £30; camlet from rcyscl/'^ 3/4 wide, red and violet, at f 28 ; English serge, 6/4 wide, dark green, musk*^' and red, at f 37 ; and as I do not know much about this I shall wait to hear from you the prices of the materials from Leyden with your statement as to the difference and what will serve us best. I shall then answer immediately how much you may furnish us. Vale. [Son of Kiliaen van Rensselaer] to Jan Bastiaensz''"' July 22, Jan hastiacnscn, at Utrecht, on the Coorcn marckt,^' at the stadt Santen^^ This 22d July 1643, in Amsterdam This morning my father duly received your letter and learned from it that you have good peas. You will therefore at the first opportunity please send the following: 15 sacks of white peas 7 ^ sacks of green peas 8 sacks of beans And if fresh peas are to be had which are hard and dry enough to stand the voyage, let us know, as we have still eight or ten days. Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Johannes Megapolensis of Coedijck"" July 22, 16 IS J oh: Megapolenscs, minister at Coedye This 22d of July 1643, i'"' Amsterdam These few lines will serve to advise your reverence that at the earliest opportunity a ship will sail for New Netherland. If your reverence should like to send or write anything, it ought to be here 0* Rijssel, or Lille, in Artois, France. museus, perhaps intended for niusctis. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.183. " Literally, the grain market, referring to the section of the Gude Gracht, hetwecn the Hamburger and Wees bridges. At the sign of the city of Santen. Santen, or Xanten, lies near Wescl, Rhine Province, Germany. <'■■■> y. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.183. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 673 in eight or at the latest in 14 days. It would be well if some one came over some time when convenient, as your nephew Mega- polensis has some claim in connection with his service on board ship which had better be presented by his relatives than by me. As I have a great deal to do in equipping the ship, I must be briet. Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart^^ July 22, 1643 Tousain Muysart, at Leyden This 22d of July 1643, in Amsterdam In reply to yours of the 20th instant, will say that you will please order as soon as possible, to be sent here with the dufifels : 2 pieces of Leyden grosgrain, double dyed and 5/4 wide, light liver color or gray 2 pieces of Leyden serge, first quality, color at your discretion. The lowest prices will suit us best. I should like to know when the dufifels will be ready. Yesterday we began to load as ballast, bricks, tiles, smith's coal, iron and the like. We make diligent haste. 'Mr de Laet has come. We shall have further talk with him ; otherwise his one tenth share must be furnished by the three of you. Vale. Kiliaen van Rensselaer to Toussaint Muyssart'^^ August 6, 1643 Tousain Muyssart, at Leyden This 6th of August 1643 at Amsterdam These in haste to urge you to press the matter of the duffels as today we began to put provisions on board and hope to load the wines tomorrow and the other goods in the beginning of next week, so that tne duffels ought to be here by the middle of next week with the other goods or else they will cause delay. The other duf- fels, those from Campen, are finished and I hope everything will be ready, if possible by the middle of this month, to sail hence to the Texel, unless some other delay should occur which we neither know of nor expect. ■"> V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.183. V. R. B. Mss, Letter Book, f.183. 674 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Today I handed the skipper the papers concerning the boy stay- ing with lamontange and urged him to bring him back. It is exceedingly inconvenient that I have no assistance of any kind; Mr blomaert suffers from gout and bessels lies sick with fever, but I hope that they will soon recover ; which may God grant. Do not fail to advise me at once so that I can regulate myself accordingly. [End of Letter Book.] Extracts from agreements and contracts between Kiliaen van Rensselaer and his colonists^^ January 12, 16^1-August 2^, 1643 Clein Segel 2 St [signed] / bruijningh This seal serves for the annexed extracts. By me : [signed] /; Vande Ven Not. Extracts from the agreements and contracts entered into and made by kiliaen Van rensselaer, as patroon of the colony of Rens- selaerswyck, situated on the North River of New Netherland, with diverse persons, farmers, servants, millwrights and others, whom he in his capacity aforesaid sent to the aforesaid colony from the year I 63 I to his death. MARINUS ADRIAENSZ VAN DER VEERe"^^ January 12, 16 Agreement entered into with marijn Adriaensen van der veer, this I2th of January 1631. On conditions and terms hereafter specified, kiliaen van rensse- laer s as patroon of his colony situated about Fort Orange on the " V. R. B. Mss 38, marked H iij. These extracts were prepared by Notary Joost van de Ven, Oct. 7, 1649, in connection with the controversy between the late patroon's copartners and the guardians of Johannes van Rensselaer. " The full agreement is found in the Letter Book; see p. 176—79. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS North River of New Netherland, on one side, and Marijn adriaensz van der Veere for himself and his men, on the other side, have agreed, stipulated and contracted, etc. In witness of the truth of the above agreement, this is signed by the patroon and marijn adriaensz with their own hands, in the presence of the undersigned witnesses, in Amsterdam, this 12th of January 1631. Was signed in the several hands: Marinus adriaensen Kiliaen Van Renselaer W : Van Twiller, as witness. ANDRIES CHRISTENSZ VAN FLECKERO " AND OTHERS'^^ July 2, 16^1 Another At the request of andries Cristensz van vleeckeren, 40 years of age, Laurens Laurensz van Coppenhage, 36 years of age, and Barent thomassen van heijligezont, 22 years of age, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, as patroon of his colony situated above and below Fort Orange on the North River of New Netherland, has agreed and contracted with the aforesaid persons for the term of three years, commencing on their arrival in that country, etc. In testimony of the truth of the above agreement, this is signed by the patroon and the persons aforesaid with their own hands, in Amsterdam, 2 June of the year 1631. Underneath was written: the mark X of andries Cristensz, the mark X of laurens laurensz, X berent thomassen, Kiliaen Van Rensselaer. GERRIT THEUSZ DE REUX'^^ June 15, 1632 Another Contract made and entered into by Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, as patroon of his colony called Rensselaerswyck situated on the River maritius or North River of New Netherland, above and below Fort Orange and on both sides of the said river, with Gerrit theusen de reux, as farmer of a farm to be established on the Fort Orange "The full agreement is found in the Letter Book; see p. 186-89. The date is there given as July 2, 163 1 and the name here spelled Thomassen is there and elsewhere in the Letter Book found as Thonissen. " The full contract is found in the Letter Book; see p. 193-9S- 676 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY side near the fourth creek, now called blommaerts kil, situated above and'^*' north of Fort Orange, this 15th of June 1632 in Am- sterdam, etc. Thus done and passed in the city of Amsterdam and for all that is aforewritten the said de reux pledges and binds his personal possessions, movable and immovable, present and future, none ex- cepted, subjecting the same to the execution of all the honorable courts and judges; in witness whereof it is signed. Below was written: the mark X of Gerrit theusen de reux. JACOB ALBERTSZ PLANCK^'' March 4, 1634 Another This day, the fourth day of the month of March in the year 1634, before me, Sijnion ruttcns, notary public admitted by the court of Holland, residing in Amsterdam, and before the hereafternamed witnesses, appeared and presented themselves, Mr Kiliaen Van rensselaer, as patroon of his colony situated on the North River of New Netherland called Rensselaerswyck, of the one part, and jacob alhertsz planck of this aforesaid city, of the other part, both of which parties, known to me, the notary, declared that they had contracted and completely agreed about the following things and conditions. First, etc. Thus done in the city of Amsterdam at my, the notary's, house and office, etc. PIETER CORNELISZ VAN MUNNICKENDAM AND OTHERS August 26, 16^6 Another In the name of the Lord, Amen. On conditions hereafter speci- fied, we, Pieter Cornelissen van nmnnickendam, millwright, 43 years of age, Claes jansz van naerden, 33 years of age, house car- penter, and albert andriessen van fredrickstadt,'^^ 29 years of age, " Or in the Letter Book. " The full contract is found in the Letter Book; see p. 250—54. Albert Andriesz from Frederikstad, in the southeast of Norway; hence, in the early records, his usual appellation of Albert Andriess Moorman. After 1670, he appears in the Albany county records generally as Albert Andriess Bradt. O'Callaghan, perhaps on the strength of Roeloff Swartwout's statement on the death of Albert Andriesz, in 1686, that he was een van de oudste en eerste inwoonders der colonie Rens- selaerswyck (one of the oldest and first inhabitants of the colony of Rensselaerswyck) includes Albert Andriesz among the colonists of 1630, but no reference to him can be found in the Van Rensselaer Bowier Mss or in the Rensselaerswyck Mss before 1636. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 677 tobacco planter, have agreed among ourselves, first, to sail in God's name to New Netherland in the small vessel which now lies ready and to betake ourselves to the colony of Rensselaerswyck for the purpose of settling there on the following conditions made with Mr Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, as patroon of the said colony, etc. Thus done and passed, in good faith, under pledge of our per- sons and property subject to all courts and justices for the fulfill- ment of what is aforewritten, at Amsterdam, this 26th of August 1636. In witness whereof we have signed these with our own hands in the presence of the undersigned notary public. Below was written : Kiliaen Van Rensselaer Pieter Cornelissen albert andriessen and Claes jansen J Vande Ven, Notary REYNIER THIJMENSZ AND DIRCK JANSZ August 26, 16^6 Another We, the underwritten, acknowledge hereby that at our request we have agreed with kiliaen van rensselaer, in his capacity as patroon of his colony calle:! Rensselaerswyck, to sail in God's name to the aforesaid colony in the ship that now lies ready, for the pur- pose of settling there for a period of four years as free colonists and inhabitants of that colony, etc. Thus agreed by us, the undersigned, this 26th of August i63(') in Amsterdam and was signed in the several hands : reijnier thomas- .y^w/'^-the mark X of dire jans:^,^'^ etc. ™ Given in the account books among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, as Reynier Thijmenss, Tijmense or Timanss, van Edam. Given as Dirck Janss van Edam. 678 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ABRAHAM STAAS AND FAMILY February i, 1642 Another Extract from the record of Mr kiliaen van rensselaer, lord of Rensselaerswyck, etc., of privileges and contracts granted to and made with his inhabitants and subjects in the said colony, situated in New Netherland, etc. Abraham Staas van Amsterdam,^'^ 24 years of age, for himself as well as for trijntgen jochims, his wife, 19 years of age, and a servant or boy whom he must take with him, has gratefully ac- cepted the conditions of freemen of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, after they were read to him, and this for the period of six years commencing on his arrival in the colony, with a view to practising his profession of surgeon in the colony during the aforesaid time (to the exclusion of all others) on the strength of the good, written testimonial given him by master jan dircksen brimmer,^"^ surgeon of this city, and shown to the patroon, etc. Whereupon the aforesaid Abraham. Staas, besides signing these conditions shall take the proper oath of submission and fealty to the lord patroon according to the copy thereof, given him. Done at Amsterdam, the ist of February 1642, and in witness thereof signed by the said Abraham Staas in the presence of the under- signed notary and witnesses. Was signed: Abram Staas, H: V: Velde, j. Vande Ven, notary public residing in Amsterdam. '1 In reply to an inquiry made for the purpose of ascertaining wliether Abraham Staas, or Staes, was in any way connected with the contemporaneous and well known city carpenter of Amsterdam, Hendrik Jacobsz Staets, Mr W. R. Veder, archivist of the city, informed the editor that the records of births for 1617 and 1618 show no Abraham whose father is called Staas, or Staes; presumably Staas' father is entered under his patronymic. Though Staas is not entered in the register of master surgeons, he is called surgeon in the record of his intended marriage, Jan. 9, 1642. His place of resi- dence is given as Nieuwe Weg, Amsterdam; that of his bride Tryntje Jochems, as Haarlemmer straai, Amsterdam. Both his parents were dead at the time and Staas' uncle, Dirck Jansz, acted as witness. The name of Staas' master was Jan Dircksen Brumer, not Brimmer- Staas was apprenticed to him Aug. 14, 1635. Mr Veder also stated that Mr N. de Roever, the former city archivist, left among his notes the following memorandum: Abraham Staets in Manhattan, 1653; see Protocol of Notary Touw, 3 May. See preceding note. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 679 EVERT PELS June 5, 1642 Another The patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, understanding that several people in this colony outside of their trade occupy themselves w^ith the brewing- of beer, which not only hinders the said people in their ordinary work but exposes the houses of the patroon to the danger of fire and in addition causes the said beer to be sold there in an irregular manner at very extravagant and high prices, to wit, at 20 guilders a barrel, to the burden of the community, and wishing to make provision in this matter, has thought advisable and fit for the service of his subjects, to license and authorize, as he does hereby. Evert Pels van Statijn,^ who is well acquainted with brewing, for the space of six consecutive years, etc. Finally, he must govern himself according to the laws and ordi- nances of the lord patroon or his commissioners and submit him- self to all the clauses and articles relating to the freemen or colo- nists of the colony for so far as they do not conflict herewith and which have been read to him, for that purpose, under special pledge and obligation more fully expressed therein. Done at Amsterdam the 5th of June 1642. Below was written: Evert Pels. CORNELIS SEGERSZ VAN VOORHOUT I August 25, 164 J Another In the name of the Lord, Amen. On conditions hereafter specified, Cornells Segertsen van egmont,^ farmer, about 44 years of age, for himself, for hrechtgen Jacobs, his wife, 45 years of age, three daughters and three sons named Cornells, 22 years of age, Claes, 20 years of age, and Seger Cornelissen, 14 years of age, also " Stettin, in Pommern, Germany. This is the only instance the editor has found in which the designation van egmont occurs in connection with the name of Cornells Segersz. In Notarial Papers, 1660—76, v.ij in the Albany county clerk's office, Cornells Segersz is frequently referred to as Cornells Segersz van Voorhout and the same designation van Voorhout appears in the Van Rensselaer Bowier Mss, the Rensselaerswyck Mss and the records in the Albany county clerk's office in connection with the names of the children. Voorhout is a small place near Leyden; Egmond lies near Alkmaar. 68o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Lijsbethj i6 years of age, jane t gen, lo years of age and neelgen CorneliSj 8 years of age, for whom he makes the promise that they wilh also faithfully carry out and fulfil the following agreement, has bound himself and his wife and six children as he hereby does bind them, to the honorable Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, ex-director of * the Chartered West India Company and patroon of this colony of Rensselaerswyck, situated on the North River of New Nether- land, etc. In witness of what is aforewritten, this has been sealed with the seal of the aforesaid patroon and the colony and signed by the aforesaid Cornells Segerss van egmont with his own hand, in Am- sterdam this 25th of August of the year 1643. Was signed in the several hands : Cornelis Segers-Soon. This mark made by hreghje Jacobs. These nine extracts are made from copies and originals and after collation are found to agree with them, which is certified by me, residing in Amsterdam, [signed] /; vande Ven nots Pub. vij. A". 1649 10. Commission to Nicolaes Coorn, as commander and commis on Rensselaers Steyn, and to Jan Dircksz van Bremen, as skipper of the vessel^'^ August 26, 164^ The patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, noticing with sor- row the great disturbances which have lately occurred between the heathen and the Christians near the island of the Manhatans and fearing that this might extend further, even to his colony, has on the occasion of the oflfer of certain persons to go thither as free men (imitating to some extent the example of the Chartered West India Company with regard to the island of the Manhatans) and also for the sake of having a suitable place of retreat for his people to which they can conveniently and with the smallest boats betake themselves in time of need, which God forbid, and finding that the island commonly called Beeren Island, now named by him Rensse- laers Steijn, situated in the river at the entrance to the colony, is very suitable for both his purposes, has thought fit to admit the «» V. R. B. Mss 27. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 68i above persons on certain conditions agreed upon with them the 21st of this month and, in order to benefit as much as is possible and advisable the place of their residence aforesaid, has deemed fit, provisionally and till further order, to confer upon the said island the right of staple or bulk breaking of all merchan:!ise which wishes to or must pass up from below or down from above, exempting always the goods or vessels of the said West India Company which going to or coming from Fort Orange may want to pass there (provided that under this pretext no goods are included which be- long to his colonists or are intended to be sold to them) ; also to favor the said inhabitants of Rensselaers Steijn, provisionally and till further order as before, with the carrying trade so that all goods coming from below or wishing to go down must be transported up there or from there down in their sloops and vessels, as is more fully stipulated in the aforesaid contract of the 21st; and whereas suitable persons are required for this, the patroon respectively ac- cepts and hereby appoints under the proper oath of fidelity Nicolacs Coorn, as commander and comrnis^*^ on the said island, and Johan Dircxss van Bremen, as skipper of the vessel, and hereby orders and commands all the inhabitants of the colony, whoever they may be, quietly to allow the same to execute their office in conformity with their contract, oath and instructions without molesting them in any manner, but rather rendering and showing them every favor, help and assistance that circumstances will admit of. And whereas the patroon is now sending two millstones to erect another grist- mill, in the hope of shipping yearly a great deal of meal either to the Manhatans or vicinity or within the limits of his Freedoms, in case the inhabitants of Rensselaers Stcijn should find it convenient and expedient to erect at their own expense a wind or water mill either on that island or some nearby creek, the patroon leaves to the judgment of his three commissioners and the officer of the colony the question whether it would be more expedient to erect the said wind or water mill there or somewhere else and in what manner the patroon, aside from the ownership of the millstones shall receive proper recognition of the mill or water rights. And in case the inhabitants of the island of Rensselaers steijn, or upon advice as aforesaid other persons of sufficient means in the colony, should be willing to erect the said wind or water mill at their own expense, charging proper fees for grinding as in this country and giving the patroon for the use of his stones and the Wachtmeester en Commis. 682 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY mill or water rights a just third part of the ground grain, the said commissioners and the officer are hereby authorized to deal with the persons who may be willing to undertake the same, preference being given in this matter to those of Rensselaers steijn, if their location is the most favorable and if they have enough wind or water. And in testimony of the truth, the patroon has sealed this instrument with the seal of the colony and signed it with his own hand, and has ordered it to be recorded in the secretary's office. In Amsterdam, this 26th of August sixteen hundred and forty three. Underneath was written and signed: Kiliaen van Rensse- laer, patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck ; the fold bearing a seal in red wax covered with white paper, [Endorsed] Copy of the commission of Nicolaes Coorn. Placard warning private traders not to sail into the colony and setting forth new trade regulations in connection with the staple right of Rensselaers Steyn^^ September 2, 164^ Warning, Prohibition and Permission concerning the colony of Rensselaerswyck The patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, foreseeing that his necessary, good and sincere intention in occupying and peopling Beeren Island (now named by him Rensselaers-steyn) , either through misunderstanding or for selfish motives, will be miscon- strued and resented because he can no longer sufifer that others eat the fruits of the table which he has spread and provided; having also now for many years past been at heavy expense and spending more money all the time without the enjoyment of any returns worth mentioning, while others who come only occasionally have through the unfaithfulness of his inhabitants taken more skins out of his colony in a few weeks than he has done in many long years, notwithstanding that his commts has at hand quantities of goods for barter, resulting from the fact that several colonists or freemen pass so freely and easily in and out of his colony as if it were their V. R. B. Mss 62; entitled: Waerschovwinge, Verboth, ende Toe-latinghe, weghens de Colonic van Renselaers-wyck. Broadside 41 x 28 cm; letterpress 37.8x24.4 cm. The issue of a general prohibition to private traders is suggested by the patroon in his letter to Arent van Curler of March 16, 1643, on p. 666. WAERSCHOVWINGE Verboth , cndc Toc-Iatinghe , weghens dc Colonic van RENSELA ER S-W Y C K. fijiK f otoiut otifttt be teloRc l?t£pt ttmsjc PclKittfit tii.igd ii.ir, txknl 3is ma fijiiOditUfii : mtjt Caiiftiit U.m ((,«cn l)m tii5c JCccBtr. ,i&o IB lilt IViioon gli(0ttioiiO"i tut iii.iinWtiiit u.tii ftji'it Coloiiit : mat ftjit'tttljt jiiiiijtrriira turn umtt \:oa:(lm htWii nBr Ottn btttr iiiitiati fsomim miitoiiOtn ate bi popiil.itif u.in litt tolitii UniooiiSc CiitoiiDt tnOf Be gumooiiatro u.in liti ftRn- mtt I|tt Otci / m atiipptl rrtlic , b.nci aUcv (in \ ID.Klu illccfttr tiioc foiiimis , cnDt l .) ;> ais 5>fllipiKi tatil!ttl\KituiiflliI)tcftg(|trtclt : mc; l.va ^lu,,,. tt\TOii litiiifttum : fijiit "liilDoonOfrs : ola crniijc w.pc tiii;Orii tof hmiitnOt: luftiuttntic oTiLKiifnnUolthttUtilwoy.-ii . a&ah- a oiitlolTm mitt m fijiit Ojertuuijtini .illc Oc (jcuotmOf aotoci cii cot ft.itiTiuor, tiii)fbo;6tviutt opcuOraftcDitngfii. 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' -'"i f«i- liaaotupsqrtttttlictiitUMit , Hctuickli,' ii. ^ ■ ■ ■ '••« D'OtiiBf nifttnl^oiin?liarrgfIatii mart let iittaiui . . t ip.'itcUiUi- (itiii UanfiiiionafiyStiilOcCooitii omUjnnatii ■ tnar tjtiiott'.ir.Kii ail! ticroolitii. iT-iiOf alfoo iMtrftllitn mUi-iiiianii iiiat:!itiii|tm rr lifiniigtfnatritlitiiiaitaotii; I n . ■ , iijBtWrafiariifeOaiiiiilit (MuDtf.itrsBrtiaiitftlitliaiiatliiiotBii ptltttunt feiBtltmatiifttiit Dan 6t IDtfl rfiiDiftiit i'oiii'iJ.iiiiiit ; al ufitatiifitnliaii liniii'- ") ',aoo;o(iilti!(5ni!iBtDa:iatt.iiiifc;i aivfcliitv ptistnitii iiomtii otaciimfriittiiaatt UaiittniiitnlcnSt.ltlciiuoo; attlruan Cr IDil am tiiBt Iiti uitimijE oUnftl'loi in fi.matii Ban Bf pamtiilitrcn lulci 0,11 Itao! (itiiil>ii: birBotllBf tOii Dtii iittt ftf a tf gtlifn : tiiait fitmoofU itonliifliirliliitUoiiifu uton Uocnritii iiittmrtrUooiarii aloarninmrttii r>Mr(ii iuirtln laal at pattitufitit tiiBt UittiiiBt li.inBrlaf rsi I'tlK : Batt aoii) iiitiiiant in fcasv oil c.-i . . . t!iitittH'Ua,'i-:i!a-\ liOOSen.i.Mictr:-.-!. rtfntat iitcjtn, Hmgarncf _kL^ ' . ■ IslilitcUnr- , fWliatltllo;i. ttipiilttrB.- • oficOattli.Di • btrooftut 0::. 1 ■ , . ■ op I lllttlnBtColoiiit. iniat alfa op Br Uooiint K i nnilrii Utrlt foiiJiB tt i tniOtballtii Imo: at Daiia.-tirtfl lo uiaitbftfi-B.i!ati!>'i,- i.wr-iOanteii;BtiiUoiiimaniattijototrm'jaltaiiCr^a.-ii ' - ■ ' mi.rn li.iii etii IJftrt iMiiv . tt(jfiM Ptiitir.-ii l', sBranuurvCaniiiiifniaitaftoni rtuftiffi'A atii at U'l Dm Pclltn tnOf a;i! l>::lfn til Cantir Pi it a 1 I ni t Bl 0 1 'I B' Ilfl' Bit 111 111! I'^ctBtl 1 fortlirr Br: ll I L iltiuwiat .v/ MSTE KfD AcM:, Gcdrucktb iBttteatnBt •InmooiiBn'. a;i oTjIoi r ihdniBf a.-p:nirl!rDailfrtff!!tfll a.ir tirn ^^ : v!|Bf. tiiBcarlianatlatisatn liait aul, iiiiii - , . Culoiiie iiBrrtmtuiattettitii iiijiili iifn .i;i![tliiii>falUoiint!inrrriiita.ii aii-uii ■ ' 1 iilBfii Bit nil Blo opllfitfitiini (v t ul ui f Bl lalOt!,' , 111 nt 1 MiT et iOain{(0 n. . 1 I I nlini tauim Wr-- 1 ai bn yiiliiif •Tl,- ' 1 I 1 1 fj D'iir |ri t'l n >>! ^ ^ifi Ct 1ft 1 in tt iBai rfu I Ufftli^ rtf iJil nti ,! ri i it lu lift aarl&il -tt iilicuti^-gcit. Ill .Itn 1 pun an I ■ Placard warning private traders not to sail into the colony, Sept. 2, 1643, V.R.B.Mss 62. About 2/5 of original size VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 683 colony, their people and their jurisdiction: therefore the aforesaid patroon by these presents gives notice and warning to all such trad- ers that by virtue of the fifth article of his Freedoms, granted to him by the Assembly of the Nineteen of the Chartered West India Company and enlarged by special sovereign act of the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands, with orders from their High Mightinesses to the aforesaid West India Company, as well as instructions and commands to the director and council of New Netherland, present or future, to maintain him the said patroon and his descendants forever in the quiet and peaceful enjoyment of his privileges (which fifth article cedes to him as patroon of the earliest colony on the North River the command on the said river, with regard to subsequent colonies and colonists, em- powering said subsequent colonies to appoint one or more councilors to assist him that in consultation they may look after the interests of the colonies on the river, for which purpose nobody has thus far been presented to him so that the said command still rests with him alone), by virtue of this he now requests first of all that the director of New Netherland in accordance with the instructions received from the High and Mighty Lords the States General assist him in maintaining the same so that no private traders abuse the said river, go forth and sail against his will and intent into his own colony, where according to the sixth article the right of high, mid- dle and low jurisdiction is vested in him, trade contrary to his will and intent with his subjects, even with those who are tenants of his lands and his houses and who hire his cattle and, without set- tling their accounts, much less restoring the goods entrusted to them, occupy his estate. Such traders furnish them, in the first place, with wine and spirits which is bought^'^ there in extravagant quantities at very high prices, not only by the farmers but even by the farm laborers and others, for which they can not pay if tliey treat their master justly but for the payment of which they steal, and almost completely rob him of, his undivided wheat and thereby render themselves incapable of settling their accounts and restoring the property entrusted to them ; secondly they ruin the whole trade in furs as well for the West India Company as for him, the pa- troon, by raising the price of the said furs, the larger part of the profits going to the savages and the small remaining portion to the private traders, so that nothing is left for the patroon who is under heavy expenses in supporting officers, a minister of the Gospel *• The Dutch text has verkocht, literally, sold. 684 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY and other councilors; the profits of his commis (who has to feed the savages and provide also for those who assist him faithfully) do not exceed those of the least farm hand or even the private and foreign traders themselves, notwithstanding no one in his colony is allowed, under the oath taken, to trade any furs except with the permission and the consent of their lord and master. For all of which reasons he, the said patroon, is compelled, for the mainte- nance of his colony and his right, to resort to different methods, and has been unable to discover any better means than the peopling of the above-named island and the granting of the carrying trade and staple right to its inhabitants, for which he has appointed Nico- laes Coren as commander and commis^'-^ over the same and Ian Dirckss z'an Bremen as skipper of the vessel with orders to unload there all goods belonging to himself, to his inhabitants, or to any freemen — intended to be sold to his people — and to ship all the said goods in his vessels thereto and not further, up or down the river; enjoining all those whom it may concern, subject to him and within his colony or under his command (with reference to the river), that they must govern themselves accordingly and in case of opposition must expect both loss and dishonor. Further he pro- hibits the sale of wine or spirits to his people in conformity with the ordinance previously issued. He permits any one whomsoever to transport in his said vessels any goods on proper payment of freight charges, with the exception of the said wines, for which a special license must be obtained, and to ship the said goods to Rensselaer-steyn and unload them for the purpose of selling them there, subject to the following regulations : I That no one shall be allowed to transport goods higher up in the colony. II Also, that as long as the commisen of the colony have any goods for sale on behalf of the patroon, all other goods of the same kind must be kept back till the first named have been sold. III Also, to deal with no one who has an open account (more than one year old) outstanding, much less with those who have failed to restore what was entrusted to them. Further, that they are not allowed to accept in exchange any wheat on which the patroon has any claim growing out of his tithes, his third part or his half, or his right of preemption until the pa- troon or his commissioners have waived the said right of preemp- tion. Wachtme ester ende Commis. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 685 With reference to the skins of beavers and others, inasmuch as none are permitted to trade in the same without his especial con- sent, he is provisionally willing that such of the inhabitants as have obtained from him the right to trade shall barter or sell the said skins to the free traders residing on Rensselaers-steyn, but not in the colony, on turning over to him in advance the number of skins stipulated by contract or paying him his half share of the profits; all others being excluded. And inasmuch as the aforesaid articles impose many restrictions on the traders, it were better if the free traders coming from down the river exchanged their goods with the commisen of the patroon for furs or wheat and the said commisen in turn exchanged the same, partly with the savages for skins and partly with the inhabit- ants of the colony for skins and wheat, fixing the prices so judi- ciously that the patroon on his part and the traders on theirs, as well as the inhabitants of the colony, may each get a share in the profits, which by this means may be easily accomplished, as the. only sufferers will be the savages, who now by the exorbitant prices offered them get what virtually belongs to the patroon, while on the other hand this will serve to restore the fur trade to a flourish- ing state. And in order that each an I every one may be duly in- formed as to the contents hereof, the commander and commis of Rensselaers-steyn, Nicolaes Coren, is directed to request the di- rector. Will em Kieft, to bring the same to the attention of the free- men residing on or near the Manhatans, either by proclamation, by posting of placards or by service of formal notice. And in testi- mony of the truth, the patroon has signed these presents with his own hand and sealed them with the seal of the colony, in Amster- dam, this 2d of September 1643. Amsterdam, printed by Thcunis Jacohss. in the History of Josephus. 686 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Redress of the abuses and faults in the colony of Rensselaerswyck^ September j, 164^ Redress of the abuses and faults in the colony of Rensselaerswyck Though the patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, in found- ing said colony, has had an eye to the enjoyment of the products of the country and of his labor and to the profits of his invest- ments, he has nevertheless also had in especial view, by means of settling the country and the practice of godliness, to have the Chris- tian Reformed religion proclaimed there in order that the blind heathen also might be brought to the knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ, and has now already for many years past sent over many people, officers and goods, together with a godly and learned minister in the hope that by the exercise of justice and order as well as by teaching and admonition, he might attain his aim and object. It is therefore to the deepest grief of his heart that he has learned that the contrary is the case, namely that things there are in such a state that hardly any semblance of godliness or righteous- ness is to be found. As to godliness, whereas the word of God ought to have softened and opened their hearts to accept not only all consolations and admonitions but also all reproaches for their sins and to govern themselves accordingly, there are many who, having become hardened and calloused, absent or hide themselves so as not to hear the word of God; as to the righteousness, which consists in keeping the commandments of the Lord and in the humble obedience to their lord and master as regards fulfilling their oaths and promises, executing their contracts and settling and pay- ing their debts, all of these duties the majority of the people scarcely think of, much less observe, the reason for which, as far as the patroon can discover, must be ascribed to the following cir- cumstances : First, to comfort and abundance^ neither of which the majority of the colonists were accustomed to in the fatherland as they sailed *o F. R. Mss 63, entitled: Redres/Van de/Abuysen ende Faulten in de/Colonie van Rensselaers-wyck / t' Amsterdam / Gedruckt by Thunis lacobsz, Woonende/ in de IVolve- straet, in de Historie van Josephus, Anno 1643. Pamphlet 20x151/20111; letterpress 17x11% cm; title page+14 pages text. Signatures A and B; 2d and 3d rectos of signature A marked A2, A3; ist, 2d and 3d rectos of signature B marked B, B2, B3. This document was prepared by Kiliaen van Rensselaer to remedy many of the evils complained of in his letter to Arent van Curler of March 16, 1643, for which see p. 658-68. REDRES Van de Coloitie ban l^encrelaeijS-toi jcfe* t' A M S T E R D A M. <^D?ucfetbp Thunis lacobf^Bommide itt Dell^olue- ftraetym J^iOojie uan 3lorep(|W]8i/ Aano 1 643 , Title-page of Rcdres Van de Ahuyscn cnde Faiiltcn in de Colonie van Rensselaer s-nnjck From V. R. B. Mss 63. Original size VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 687 in a state of want and poverty, but which they acquired by reason of the favorable conditions offered by the patroon, who credited them with their passage, advanced them money, furnished them free houses, hve stock and fertile lands, provided them with serv- ants, necessaries, yes, practically with everything they could think of, wine and spirits excepted, that their situation and occupation did not aflford. Secondly, to extravagance, in using that which is not proper for them, not being satisfied with the ordinary drinks of farmers, nor -with beer, but the majority of them, even to farm laborers and others, using to excess wines, brandies and other strong liquors, and at such exorbitant prices that they find it impossible to pay for them without robbing their lord and master, as the quantity of wheat which they have exported without declaration proves suffi- ciently. Thirdly, to licentiousness and wantonness, (advantage being taken of the youth of the commis of the colony), which the prin- cipal inhabitants have themselves under personal guaranty par- ticularly undertaken to prevent in order under this disguise more effectually to play their part and impose upon his youth. Fourthly, to unfaithfulness, not only disregarding the ordinances and regulations of the patroon to which they have voluntarily sub- jected themselves, but directly violating and abusing the same, tak- ing all they can get on credit, and never paying as the unpaid ac- counts show. Fifthly, to covetousness, which they show in the execution of their contracts, interpreting the same to suit their own will and pleasure — a privilege which does not belong to them but to the patroon only ^ — ^ accepting whatever suits or profits them and reject- ing what does not satisfy their cupidity, not being content that the patroon provided them at the outset with houses and the necessary requisites without charge, in order later to reap the benefit thereof, but involving him constantly in new expenditures without ever ren- dering account, much less settling the same, yes, what is worse, remaining on their farms after the expiration of the leases, with- out getting new ones, as if these farms were their own property. Sixthly, to persuasion, on the part of other freemen coming up the river, who make them forget their bounden duty and the fidelity which they owe their patroon, all of whicli being duly considered will go to prove that there are greater and worse sins among those who profess to be Christians than among the heathen themselves. To which must be added the trade in furs, which no one is 688 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY allowed to carry on without special consent from his lord and master and from which the patroon has nothing but a very little in the way of his half of the profits, which they are also bound to make ^good at the liquidation of their accounts. And before the patroon speaks of the remedy, he desires to point out to the inhabitants that these heinous sins and this unrighteous- ness cry for vengeance to the Lord God, who has already punished and chastised them in a noteworthy and exemplary manner with injurious and destructive floods, which in former years never occurred and now within a few years have taken place often; fear- ing also that God's visitations might still further add to their de- struction through extermination by the sword of the heathen whom many through avarice have but too liberally provided with the weapons for such an attack, the patroon has been unable to think of any other or better means of protecting the pious and of punish- ing the wicked than by erecting at his own great expense a suitable place of security and refuge for his people in times of danger which shall also serve as a check on the malevolent, for which refuge has been chosen Beeren Island, now called by him Rensselaers- steyn, to be peopled and settle:! in accordance with the conditions agreed upon with the inhabitants and the privileges granted them, with orders and instructions to leave them in the quiet and peace- ful enjoyment of the same, without attempting anything to the contrary on pain of being arraigned for rebellion and mutiny. In order now to remedy as much as possible the aforesaid abuses so that the patroon may some day enter into the right use, arrears and returns of his lands and his half profit on the furs, in the first place all farmers must first pay the just tenth of all crops of this season, without composition of any kind. Then, those whose contracts so provide must pay the patroon's third, while those on the half share plan, after deducting the above tenth, must divide the remaining nine tenths into three equal parts, one third to go to the patroon and two thirds toward the wages of the farm hands and the profits of the farmers, and settle accounts accordingly ; warning being hereby given to all farmers on the half share system whose lease expires that they will have to accept the terms of Andries de Vos and Cornells van Nes and of Cornells Zegerscn who sails by this ship,^"'' or else leave the colony, it being the intention of the patroon that the wages of the farm hands be defrayed out of the produce directly after deduction for the tithe has been made and that the same shall not be charged to the patroon. Het Wapen van Rensselaerswyck. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 689 Concerning the wheat which may remain as a surplus in the colony, this shall be delivered to the patroon in accordance with the right of preemption at six guilders per mudde, the balance of what is due to those who have settled their accounts to be paid in goods or other products (skins excepted) at 50}^ net advance over the purchase price, instead of 100;^ or two to one, which the merchan- dise costs the patroon, but in consideration of the price of six guilders now counted at $0^, as above. As regards the farmers who have not settled their accounts, they must have patience till the same are settled provisionally by the commis, Arent van Corler, everything however being subject to the approval and closer inves- tigation of the patroon, as he does not intend to have the final settlement of accounts take place over there but here at this place where the contracts were drawn up and the acquittal must be granted, though the liqui-'ation by the commis shall provisionally have eiTect till further investigation, and inasmuch as the needs of the colony may perhaps not reach the amount to be paid for the wheat, since the patroon contemplates sending a goodly quantity of the same to Virginia by this ship, Supercargo Pieter Wijnkoop shall be at liberty to place the price of his goods at loo"^ above the purchase price and of the wheat at eight guilders the mudde or at $0^ and the wheat at six guilders, which are the prices of Commis Arent van Corler, and dispose of the same in behalf of the partici- pants in the equipment of said ship and in case any farmer should refuse to deliver the said wheat he shall actually be brought to Rensselaers-steyn to remain there till he has settled his account and delivered his wheat there, the patroon being unwilling to depend any longer on the ill will of the peasants, said farmers being also required to render accounts of one half of the profits on the beaver skins. On the first of January 1644 "^^t ensuing, or on the arrival of this ship in the colony, all books and accounts in the entire colony shall be closed, new books to be used thereafter and the old dis- used.^^ And. to begin with those who are at the head, Commis Arent van Corler shall without delay make out his own accounts and ('eliver them into the hands of Pieter Wijnkoop, who will look them over and then bring them home with him and hand them to me for further examination. "A few accounts among the Rensselaersivyck Mss are closed in July 1644, but the majority in August and September 1644. 44 690 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Thereupon Arent van Corler shall make an accurate list and in- ventory of all merchandise and wares previously received that re- main in his charge, as well as of all the skins, seawan, goods sent away or remaining in the charge of others and of all the property belonging to the patroon, and continue the same from day to day, without fail, noting down everything in proper form in a book and not on scraps of paper; [noting] also his expenditures, transactions and matters connected with them, without fail, on pain of losing his office and incurring the extreme displeasure of his patroon, who hereby warns him for the last time. Concerning the goods formerly received by Arent and those which are now sent to the colony by the ship, he shall distinguish according to the blank between goods used for the fur trade and goods needed by the people. Of the goods employed in the fur trade Arent van Corler shall be cornmis and have the administra- tion, and the skins which he shall receive in exchange he shall turn over to no one else under any circumstances, but forward them hither. Thereafter he shall specify which goods are suitable for the people in the colony to be exchanged against wheat, without lending, but merchandise against merchandise. Of these goods Anthoni de Hooges shall be commis and have the administration, though he must submit his accounts to Arent van Corler. As regards the daily wages or pay of the laborers, separate ac- counts shall be kept by Anthonvde Hooges, satisfaction to be given either in goods not used in the fur trade or in wheat or otherwise. Officer Adriaen vander Donck shall also promptly render ac- counts to Arent van Corler. As for the farmers whose accounts have not been settled, they must liquidate the same at once on pain of forfeiture of the remain- ing years of their lease, the latter to be given to the foreman or other competent person in the colony when the time for settling the first year's accounts shall have arrived, everything, both at the time of leaving and of reoccupying the farm, to be duly inven- toried without concealment, it being the patroon's intention to leave no one in possession whose account shall remain unsettled for longer than one year and in case any one should object to this measure the same shall be forcibly ejected by the commander, Nicolaes Coorn. In the same manner shall actually be removed from their farms all those whose terms of lease shall have expired and who have obtained no new leases from the patroon and this also without VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 691 connivance, for otherwise the patroon is not master of his own prop- erty, and if, in spite of this, any one should still stay on his farm without lease the same shall not be allowed to reap any profits from his labor, said action constituting a form of violence. Those whose leases expire and who are ready to accept the condition of one third, before mentioned, must give the patroon timely notice thereof, while all freemen whose lease is up and who have not set- tled their accounts or obtained a new contract must actually be made to leave, or otherwise reap no profits from their land, such as Willem Juriaensen hacker, whose term has long since run out and whom the patroon deems unfit to remain any longer in the colony, and who after liquidation of his accounts shall be discharged and removed from the colony, inasmuch as he has neither made nor obtained a new contract with or from the patroon. Symon Walichsen is to be definitely notified that he must leave his farm at the expiration of his term, as the patroon has had no gain but great loss through him and that he must liquidate and settle his accounts, the patroon not wishing to continue him in ser- vice any longer. Albert Andriesen, whose term has also long ago expired without his having made or obtained a new lease or contract, shall never- theless be continued for the present but shall not own any live stock otherwise than according to the general rule of one half of the increase belonging to the patroon and of the right of preemp- tion and, in case he does not accept this, his cattle shall immediately be sent back to the place whence they came, with this understanding however that half of the increase bred in the colony shall go to the patroon in consideration of the pasturage and hay which they have used ; and as to his accounts he shall also be obliged to close, liqui- date and settle the same; and as far as the conditions after the expiration of his lease are concerned, the patroon adopts for him as well as for all others this fixed rule, of which they must all be notified and if they do not wish to continue under it must immedi- ately leave the colony, namely, that every freeman who has a house and garden of his own shall pay an annual rent or five stivers per Rhineland rod and for land used in raising tobacco, wheat or other fruits 20 guilders per Rhineland morgen, newly cleared land to be free for a number of years, more or less, according to the amount of labor required in such clearing, said number of years to be fixed by agreement with the patroon's commissioners ; all of which stipu- lations tend in no wise to impair but confirm the right of levying 692 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY tithes, and by this means the patroon shall know what his revenue will be and they on their part shall know what they are entitled to, the right of preempting grain being also reserved; and as to the trade in furs, this is generally forbidden, being reserved for such as have obtained a license from the patroon on condition that they pay promptly what has been stipulated and not otherwise. Officer van der Donck shall diligently inquire respecting those who have formerly exported wheat and other goods, as well as furs, out of the colony without entering the same and to this end he shall with the consent of the patroon's commissioners or any two of them order all servants and others who may have had knowl- edge of the facts to be examined regarding such persons as appear in any way implicated, the patroon having been specially advised that Cornelius Theunissen van Breuckelen has often done the same, wherefore his former and present servants must be examined under oath, it being the patroon's firm intention to renew and reassert his smothered rights against those who imagine them already forgotten and no longer to permit the license practised by certain farmers, who hold great banquets served with an abundance of wines and meanwhile do not close their accounts, consequently, use what be- longs to the patroon, as no man, no matter who he is, can have any property of his own as long as he has not rendered proper accounts and returns, not according to his avarice but to justice. Moreover, the money which Piefer Cornelisz and Cornelis Theuniss owe the patroon under the name of Dirrick Corssen and withhold under pretext of their note of hand (notwithstanding they know full well that it was the patroon's property), if they refuse to hand it over to him willingly under his promise of indemnifica- tion, the officer shall force them to deposit with the court, and he shall especially prosecute Cornells Theuniss, who was not allowed to trade in furs, in such manner as shall lead to the confiscation of these. Coming to the question of the wages of those laborers who have served the individual farmers and who were engaged here by the i)atroon, if they are not paid yearly by said farmers, the said wages shall be made good separately in the annual account to the patroon in wheat or skins or seawan, so that the farm hands may know definitely where they are finally to seek their payment, which ought to be with the farmers unless the same have turned it over sep- arately to the patroon, of which the farm hands must be notified in order to govern themselves accordingly, as otherwise in coming VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS here they could obtain no satisfaction, for if the amount were charged to the accounts of the farmers it wouLl not be paid till the whole account had been cleared and settled. Concerning the newcomers in the colony, they must be supplied with wheat for seed and domestic use, as well as with other articles stipulated by contract, and those who are industrious and faithful be assisted, care being taken to ascertain at the annual settlements who is the least in debt and who has accumulated the largest store of produce, in order to see whether the patroon can be sufficiently certain of ultimate restitution, but no further loans are to be made to those who have been three years in the colony, unless, at the settlement of accounts which is to take place every year in January, it is found that there is a good supply of wheat in the barn on which a further small credit could be allowed, provided that the wheat immediately after it is thrashed be delivered to the patroon to pay for his share. With regard to the tithes, the same shall no longer be com- muted but lawfully collected, unless the commissioners deem it advisable to sell the same publicly to the highest bidder, either for cash or on short-time payment, wdien the wheat might be thrashed and the buyer pay therewith, the wheat to remain as the patroon's security, with this understanding that a farmer may not be the buyer of his own tithe but one farmer may buy the tithe of the crop on another man's land; and in case it shall seem better for the patroon to have his own hay barracks or barns built in which to thrash, the two carpenters who go over now may be employed on this work and a strong fellow added to assist them, care being taken to have the barracks and barns strongly built and erected in the most convenient places where many farms are found close together and to put in them the crops of at least three farms, as the expense would otherwise be too great, also to look out for the third part, which the patroon has reserved for himself. And inasmuch as wine and spirits are the cause of God's wrath, of the patroon's loss and of all evils, no one whose account is open and unpaid shall be allowed to have the same till he has discharged his debt, unless the commissioners and councilors think fit to make a small allowance for each family as occasion requires, for which a license must be given them, as otherwise without showing such license to the commander the wine would not be permitted to pass Rensselacrs Steyn; with regard to those 694 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY whose accounts are settled and who owe the patroon nothing, in order that they may not pass their Hves in drunkenness and dis- sipation, it is the patroon's desire that the commissioners and councilors allow each family, according to its station, so much wine or good beer as will suffice them for all honest purposes and not lead to drunkenness, on which heavy fines shall be imposed and proceeds thereof go to the same objects as those of other fines and one third to the officer, but if the officer himself be found guilty of drunkenness, he shall pay a double fine to the behoof of the commander at Rensselaers-steyn ; and all of the persons living there, from the humblest to the highest, shall be subject to the same restriction. Coming now to the unchastity with heathen women and girls, whoever is found to have intercourse with them shall pay the first time a fine of 25 guilders, if the woman becomes pregnant 50 guilders and if she gives birth 100 guilders, leaving it to the discretion of the minister and the consistory to decide what the obligations of the offender are with regard to the baptism of such children; and if he continues to have illicit intercourse a yearly fine of 50 guilders and according to circumstances banishment from the colony, one third of which fines shall go to the officer, another third to the commander at Rensselacrs-Steyn and the remaining third to the patroon for the benefit of the building of the church. All those adults or youth who do not attend Divine service at least once a week, unless prevented from so doing by sickness or other important cause, shall forfeit for the use of the church now in course of erection, the men each week . . . .^^ stivers, the women .... stivers, the servants .... stivers, and since the people are quite widely dispersed the minister shall devise the best means [of reaching all], the patroon wishing to suggest to him whether it would not be well to preach occasionally at Rensselaers-Steyn in order to be nearer the people who live in that quarter, or else on some week day to offer them more opportunity and less excuse ; another thing that must be taken into consideration is that of the families who live farthest ofi^, members can only attend in turn so as not to leave the houses entirely without supervision, consequently that husband and wife shall only count in the fines for one if both stay away; but in other cases if either the hus- band alone or the wife alone stays away, each to pay his share ; and may God grant that they have tg pay few fines, as this will " Left blank in the original. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 695 tend to their salvation, there being greater reason than ever for leading a godly life in such distant countries. As the patroon intends to send a large quantity of wheat to Virginia by this ship, it is necessary to take along as much well ground meal as the mill can grind and to this end instructions have also been given to Supercargo Pieter V/ijncoop to treat with the inhabitants of the colony regarding this matter in accordance with the above stipulations. Since Andries de Vos and Cornells tan Nes have each written for two servants, the four men from Hilversum^^^- will be allowed them, but as one is a shoemaker and another understands wagon making, the shoemaker, if he wishes to be free and to repay the patroon for his advance and expenses, shall be permitted to earn something toward this by making shoes, which he could well do at the house of van Nes while assisting him at other times on the farm; likewise the wheelwright at the house of de Vos and, since Lubbert Ghijsbertsen the wheelwright lives near there, this servant could help both the said Lubbert and de Vos, the latter to reach some agreement with each other in regard to the matter, but if Lubbert should not want this, the young wheelwright may come to some understanding with de Vos as to what he shall earn with the tools which he takes with him at the expense of the patroon, and shall at the same time assist him on the farm, for some means must be found whereby the patroon shall be repaid for his dis- bursement for the tools together with the advance of loo^ on the same. As the patroon is in every way inclined to benefit the inhabitants of his colony, he would have sent a great many more supplies than he did, but seeing that everything he sent was charged year after year on accounts without end and that no payments were made, while on the other hand all goods furnished by private individuals, especially wines, were promptly paid for, and that the patroon misses therefore both his returns and his goods, he has been unable to do more, no matter how much he would have liked to; but he assures the people hereby that if they will duly pay him and render prompt returns and if he shall receive satisfactory profits from the colony, he will in the future take more pains and send suffi- cient supplies in anticipation of prompt payment, either in skins or in wheat, and shall expect to that end an annual list showing Probably Jacob Lambertsz van Dorlandt (Gojer), shoemaker, Jacob Adriaensz, wheelwright, Claes Andriesz van Hilversum and Dirck Hendricksz van Hilversum. 696 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY the kinds and quantities of things needed in the colony with indi- cation of the sort of payment and statements regarding the furs to be deHvered to his co minis upon conditions minutely described above. All persons who leave the colony and possess any houses or property there may sell the same to whomsoever they please at their own price, but shall in no wise force the same upon the patroon, at an appraised valuation, as such valuation is derogatory to the rights of the patroon, who reserves unto himself in case of sale the right, which belongs to him, of preemption at his pleas- ure, in which respect his commissio;iers have not well watched his interests, as such property must be sold at public auction and the price honestly made known to him or his commissioners, who are then at liberty to accept or to refuse the same, but under no circumstances must the present com mis or his successors accept such property in discount of the person's debt, except what he or they seize directly in the patroon's name or is of no importance or consequence, and this may serve as a warning for the future, as they will be obliged, in case of refusal by the patroon, to keep things for themselves and therefore should be careful as to what they do seize. Coming now to the conclusion, inasmuch as the patroon is not able to .remedy everything at once, he refers for other matters to his commissioners (reserving the final approbation to himself as he has always done, still does and will do in the future) ; it being understood that he has never given, nor gives, nor will give in the future, any unlimited power to his commissioners, his councilors or anybody else, but on the contrary well defined authority to supplement provisionally such regulations as may here be wanting, all to his service and profit accor^'dng to their discretion aiid to justice. In like manner the patroon reserves to himself the right of in- terpretation, extension, decrease, increase or alteration of anything herein written, allowing on the one side as well as on the other all reasonable complaints or grievances of those who may feel themselves hereby unjustly reproached either through lack of knowl- edge of the exact circumstances or owing to wrong information, without however in any way opening the door to unfounded or selfish claims, leaving and commanding every one, the commis-gen- erael, the commissioners, the officer, the commander, the respective commisen in the colony and on Rensselaers-Steyn, as well as the Infinuatic, Proteftatie , ende Prefeiitatie van wcghcn den Facroon vail de Colonic van Renflclacrs-wijck. Civ Nicolacs Coorn J Wacht-mccftci op Rc nd'c lac t s- StL ^ n cnijo van wc^-Iicn dcnfc.Hccre Ai/iafivan ^atikiji-r^ofKkr ilc Hooshc lunyictit-viindi- Hoot-c jiti t 1 J Comnundtiit di i < ) o? v \ op tSt fi. So irt ri\ii.rv. i > tndc '.i'-.-'.'. , L -ComniauJcitf i£izi)nc plaetic. Lacicu Jiet \'cr'2-?,vo!2ondc Tijm; vrvncdcii ctidc cxcnipiicnvan do v.-rf, V ti k [ ri ' ' ( /f \uka r*!* nhc *r U I r S\ h m \n ^ =: (.Ioo*nMn( dt J (a ^ "> wt /f 5 ' 1i P iff >ii / r £ J '( , I r it Hii\ i\ k ioor U Hn ^ Mo ij, n ic Ht^,!- i w irnni hh n s di. r i hi tilu'tr ' in d< iv, hcffii;cldc brieve \:tn li^jrc i tof):Lr Niut^rtcfidc. op i...^ icl'aiaru I641. LiKK- itv vcrk!.i;-er,- grii. fiidc loo hct u moj;c!!iekwarc to d;vcfrcrcn . toe llmrn !!,!d.'c.c,o!Ecnftdcif ichuvi-placticn van li-indclirgo - Jc?eiVi_- n.Ukfiaciuc \vu!vii.!irooicIiitA{orprciudit!e voor dt' fla: ■ ■ • ■ cnJt: !u-iii f-ntrmui. I il / Dir ^'!iv uijtliiu* !'i itirvc fsm t u*inpii /" hi! 1 II i L u u J d it n o ti, 11 vht ii 1 r\ m litt i V ' k t I'l ! * C >iur t.'t I nu uii' (till I d U 1 ) / I ni J til ! I m<,rl hon ii^MilKiuk Mku i \u luEUikk ! ni ■nntl'-ondt'n, l'n)fi.-!kfci!<> - nitiii i di. 1 lilfUt-ln, 1 1 E i I I >i.n u t !i t u iKii ( n 1< «. li I !i ' ^ t % nil nit nn^tnhii '1 'i. i ti t ni 1 i^n I i V i V i!d i i I 1( 1 ( i ' J X ' n t t ii! ti V ! i i tndc r Itii C r I t t < t,' n 'k i W i n < s TCi n H 1 \ i I i i J t! J i > ' li k ! ' ( \\ trop 1 \ !i) 11 iin ! < fi, ' ! 1 ^ Sc lun Gi IK) I i it \ c ( n ' a 1 ' ! Ics hciii Pau'ooji tui! iu'Mini tc \ '.t ■ ■W cic.^e voori'.'. Acicdoordni \ - : ■ dt'rtc\'CKe!iJiliTi.- v.m Jiif.3 cvr, -uh-inf. t : t I iK J It.n uiiilknS>.puml \ i h u 1 £ ' d< 1 ) K It ^1 1 f-- n ' uiJt it [ \\ ! ' i-i t if 11 11 iHu t ( ' a Kt. ili^^!u ' lP u >. ) 1 £ t UiXkkXx UiOorUi 1 d u V 01 11. u n nivv' c J ,iU t» t Mr n i J II a u I I 1 J £ i 1 r rt UsU|c 3 omuu i K 1 in ktiUtU K%\\k ;^<.fs hiriV i iwii;M\di. !■ cnooL\vt:nJ]i;hUiicnvV(.\r. \ \ i \o)r''.n ' v!tL ii t 'f 1 V i ! i t "v ! t !K \t{ n itn w I I n k h ' \ ti ' ti I ^ t-dikoiitn alUt. I,!* t.id<,n ii n ■>! ' i-onnnn leuf itiE^EitfUit fn p 'in ^^t ^ x li jjiXs lit Urn i uroon i. d 'irCuc u ondeneci'\cnt Kiiiacil van Rcollliter, Notice to be served on private traders who sail into the colony, Sept. 8, 1643, ]\R.BMss 64. About 2/5 of original size VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 697 councilors and others, and every one whom it may concern, each one in his respective sphere of duties, collectively or individually, to govern themselves accordingly, under the penalties and fines herein provided or to be provided hereafter. In testimony of the truth of which the patroon has signed these with his own hand and affixed the seal of the colony. At AmsterJ.am, this fifth of Sep- tember 1643. Below was written : Kiliaen van Rensselaer, patroon of the colony of Rensselaer swyck. Notice to be served on private traders who contrary to the patroon's orders sail intO' the colony*^^ September 8, 164^ Notice, Protest and Permission on behalf of the patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck I, Nicolaes Coorn, commander of Rensselaers-Steyn, on behalf of the honorable Kiliaen van Rensselaer, hereditary commander of the colonies on this North River of New Netherland under the high jurisdiction of the High an 1 Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands and of the Charterer! West India Com- pany, and as his vice commander in his stead, give you notice that you shall not presume to abuse the said river to the injury of the right acquired by the aforesaid gentleman in his capacity as patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, the first and oldest on this river. Which right he obtained as early as the 19th of November 1629, pursuant to the Freedoms an 1 Exemptions granted by the Assem- bly of the XIX of the Charterei West India Company, by article 5 of which it is promised that care shall always be taken that the first occupants (in this case the patroon) shall not be prejudiced in the rights which they obtiined. Which by the aforesaid High and Mighty Lords the States Gen- eral was further confirmed and extended by letters patent of their High Mightinesses granted to him and his heirs, forever, on the 5th of February 1641. And whereas he declares that he is greatly injured : First, in that you navigate this river without his knowledge and have come thus far against his will. V. R. B. Mss 64, entitled: Insinuatie , Protestatie , ende Presentatie ran weghen den Patroon van de Colonie Tan Rensselaers-wijck. Broadside 41.3x33 cm; letterpress 31.4x22 cm. Translation revised from O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:466-67. 698 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Secondly, in that you try to draw away and to allure to your- self and if possible to divert, to his injury, the nations who for many years have been accustomed to trade either at Fort Orange with the commis of the Company or privately with his commis; or to show to the said nations other and secret trading places, greatly to the injury of the West India Company and the patroon. Thirdly, in that you spoil the fur trade (by driving up the price and bidding even against the commis of the Company at Fort Orange as well as against the commis of the patroon) and that you who are satisfied as long as you get some booty out of it do not ask whether the trade is being so spoiled that the patroon may thereby become unable to meet the expenses of his colony or not, which is a great injury to him, the patroon. Fourthly, in that you seek to debauch his own inhabitants and subjects and to incite them against their lord and master, furnish- ing them among other things with wine and spirits and selling these to them at usurious and high prices, against his will ; caus- ing yourself to be paid in furs which they obtain by barter con- trary to his orders and their own promise, or in wheat which they purloin from their lord, of which they have rendered no account, of which the tithes have not lawfully been paid and of which the patroon has not even received his third or half share according to the contracts and of which he has not waived the right of pre- emption, obliging the patroon who provides his people with com- modities at little or no advance in price (considering his expenses) to charge these on account while you go ofif with the (yes, with his) cash, whereby he is rendered unable properly to provide his people with everything because you so exhaust them and impoverish his colony, by which the patroon sufifers great injury. There- fore, not being obliged to suffer any of these things from private individuals, he hereby causes notice to be served on you that you must entirely refrain therefrom and in the name aforesaid I de- clare, should you in defiance of law, contrary to this protest, pre- sume to attempt to pass by force, that I have orders to prevent you from doing so. Permission is granted you however, as expressed in the Warning^ and more fully to be seen and read in the instruc- tions given by the patroon to Pieter Wijnkoop, as supercargo, and to Arent van Corler, as commis- generael, under the restrictions of the regulations contained therein, to trade with his commisen, but in no wise with the Indians or with his private subjects them- selves. Warning, Prohibition and Permission, Sept. 2, 1643; see p. 682—85. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 699 And in case you should use force, I am to declare to you that you will commit: First, Crime against the High and Mighty Lords the States General. Secondly, Crime against the West India Company and their governor. Thirdly, Crime against the patroon and his command^ within whose jurisdiction you are at present against his will, forcing us to necessary resistance. Wherein I shall await what you will answer, do or not do, in order to govern myself accordingly, once more giving you full warning that you can have no grant (unless from the High and Mighty Lords the States General themselves) which can deprive him of this his right and that in case of loss you will have to in- demnify the patroon of everything. Which foregoing instrument, drawn up by the aforesaid patroon and commander, he hereby ratifies by signing it with his own hand and sealing it with the seal of the patroon and the colony of Rensselaerswyck, this eighth of September 1643, in Amsterdam. Was signed: Kiliaen van Rensselaer. Extracts from instructions and commissions issued by Kiliaen van Rensselaer^^ January 12, 1630 — September 8, 1643 Clein Segel [signed] / brnijningh 2St Extracts from the instructions and commissions prepared and issued by Kiliaen van Rensselaer, as patroon of the colony named Rensselaerswyck situated on the North River of New Netherland, to the following officers and servants of the aforesaid colony, till the death of the said patroon, comprising a period of about 14 years. Commandement ; referring to the patroon's command over other colonies on the river. •* V. R. B. Mss 36, marked H ijo. These extracts were prepared by Notary Joost van de Ven, Oct. 7, 1649, in connection with the controversy between the late patroon's copartners and the guardians of Johannes van Rensselaer. yoo NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY BASTIAEN JANSZ KROL''''' January 12, 16^0 Laus Deo, the 12th of January 1630, in Amsterdam. Instructions from Kiliaen Van Rensselaer to Bastiaen jansz Crol, commis at Fort Orange, who if he sees fit may call to his assist- ance Dirck Cornelissen,^^ his onder-commis, and such other per- sons as he shall think best and advisable. First, Crol shall try to buy the lands hereafter named for the said rensselaer from the mahicans, maquaas or such other nations as have any claim to them, but treating them with all courtesy and discretion, etc. In witness that I have requested this of him, with promise of proper compensation for his trouble, I have signed this with my own hand. Done as above. Underneath was written : Kiliaen van Renselaer. WOLFERT GERRITSZ®^ January 16, 16^0 Another Instructions from kiliaen van rensselaer to zvulfert Gerritsz van Amersfoort, January 16, 1630, in Amsterdam. Wtilfert Gerritsz aforesaid is engaged by rensselaer, his service to begin on his arrival in that country. He is bound for four summers, but rensselaer may end the contract after one or two summers, etc. What further may be necessary for the accomplishment of this task, wulfert gerritsz shall do according to circumstances and write The full instructions are found in the Letter Book; see p. 158-61. Dirck Cornelisz Duyster^ Mr A. Bredius, in an article on Pieter Codde and Willem Duyster {Oud Holland, 1888, 6:187-94), cites the settlement of the estate, Oct. 1, 1631, of Duyster's father, Cornelis Dircksz, in his lifetime messenger between Amsterdam and Hamburg. It appears from this document that Dirck Cornelisz Duyster was a half-brother of the landscape painter Willem Duyster and a brother in law of the painter Simon Kick. June 19, 1635, Simon Kick is authorized to collect fi7o from a barber (surgeon) at Fort Orange, from which we may infer that Kick visited New Netherland. Dirck Cornelisz Duyster lived at that time in de duystere werelt (" the dim world ", apparently a play on the family name) on Koning street, at Amsterdam. After the death of Willem Duyster, in January 1635, Dirck Cornelisz Duyster changed his will so as to constitute his sister. Lijsbeth Cornelis Duyster, his sole heir. Dirck Cornelisz Duyster was drowned off the English coast, on his return from Pernambuco, apparently shortly before October 1636; see p. 329 of this volume. ^ The full instructions are found in the Letter Booh; see p. 161—63. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS "JOl me all particulars thereof and try to have the house built at the place of which I have written to Crol; other matters I leave to their discretion and wish them good luck on their voyage. Was signed : Kiliaen Van Rensselaer. RUTGER HENDRICKSZ VAN SOEST^ July 20, i6s2 Another. Copy of a copy. Instructions for Rutgert hendrickss van soest, officer, and his associated council^ in Rensselaerswyck, sent him by kiliaen van rensselaer, patroon of the said colony, according to which, so far as they apply, he and the other inhabitants of the said place must faithfully and honestly govern, comport, conduct and acquit them- selves. First, rutger hendrix aforesaid, after taking the oath of fidelity and as officer aforesaid, shall present himself before and call on the commis of Fort Orange and offer him every favor, assistance and the usual tokens of friendship, in order that they may mutually aid one another not only with word and deed, but in time of danger with Hfe and limb, against the common enemy ; he shall fur- ther entertain friendly relations, each respecting the other. Thus provisionally decreed and decided by me the underwritten, as patroon of Rensselaerswyck in New Netherland, this 20th of July 1632, in Amsterdam. Was signed: Kiliaen Van Renselaer. JACOB ALBERTSZ PLANCK^ \April 2y, 16^4 Another Instructions prepared and issued by kiliaen van rensselaer, as patroon of his colony called Rensselaerswyck, for jacoh Alhertsz Planck, in the capacity of officer of the aforesaid colony, accord- ing to which he must faithfully govern himself, this 25th of April 1634, in Amsterdam. 'The full instructions are found in the Letter Book; see p. 208-12. * sijn hijgevoegde raden. ' The full instructions are found in the Letter Book; see p. 292-96. 702 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY When he arrives on board ship he shall take care that the goods sent with him according to invoice herewith enclosed under letter E, be properly loaded, etc. These instructions, broken off on account of lack of time, shall be completed in my name by Director W outer van twiller. This 27th of April 1634. Underneath was written: K. V. Rensselaer. PIETER CORNELISZ VAN MUNNICKENDAM^ October 2, 16 j6 Instructions by Kiliaen van Rensselaer, as patroon of his colony called Rensselaerswyck, according to which Pieter Cornelissen van Munnickendam, master millwright (or in his absence or on his demise, Claes jansz van Naerden) must govern himself, this 2d of October 1636, in Amsterdam. As soon as he goes on board he shall look over the accompanying list to see whether all the persons mentioned in it are on board, etc. Thus issued on the day and date as above and signed with my own hand. Underneath was written: Kiliaen Van Rensselaer. CORNELIS TEUNISZ VAN BREUCKELEN^ August 4, jdjp Another Instructions for Cornelis theunissen van breuckel, representative of the patroon and the participants of the colony of Rensselaers- vi^yck, according to which among other things he must govern him- self in defending the rights of his lord and master. First, he shall take care and help to bring it about that means be found to pay the persons connected with the church and the government, etc. And in order that no one may doubt that what is above written is the will of his patroon, the said patroon has thought fit to seal these instructions with the seal of the colony and to sign the same, this 4th of August 1639, in Amsterdam. * The full instructions are not among the V. R. B. Mss. ■> The full instructions are found in the Letter Book; see p. 459-63- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 703 ADRIAEN VAN DER DONCK^ May 14, 1641 Another Instructions issued by Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, as patroon of his colony called Rensselaer swyck, for Adriaen Cornelissen vander donck, officer in the said colony, according to which he must faith- fully conduct himself. First of all, he shall promote the true and pure service of God, in conformity with the Christian Reformed religion as the same is publicly taught and maintained in the churches and schools of these United Provinces and, by the authority of the High and Mighty Lords the States General, more fully set forth and confirmed by the national synod held in the city of Dordrecht in the years 1618 and 1619. Given at Amsterdam, on the 14th day of the month of May of the year 1641 ; signed by the lord patroon and sealed with his seal and that of the colony. ADRIAEN VAN DER DONCk'^ May 13, 1641 Commission for Adriaen vander done, officer in the colony called Rensselaerswyck situated on the North River of New Netherland. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, by purchase from the native owners and by the sovereign power of the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands and by the Freedoms and Exemptions of the Chartered West India Company of the said Netherlands perpetual patroon and lord of his colony called Rensselaerswyck situated on the River Mauritius or North River of New Netherland, being the first colony on the said river, to all to whom it shall be necessary to show this present commission, grace and peace, eternal bliss and temporal welfare from God the Father in Jesus Qirist his beloved Son, our only and perfect Savior, Amen, etc. Given at Amsterdam and in witness thereof confirmed by the signature and the seal of the lord patroon and his aforesaid colony, on this 13th of May 1641. Underneath was written: Kiliaen van Rensselaer, patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck. • The full instructions are not among the V. R. B. Mss. ' The full commission is not among the V. R. B. Mss. 704 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ANTONY DE HOOGES** July ij, 1641 Another Instructions for Anthonie de Hooges, engaged as under book- keeper and assistant to Arunt van Corler, according to which he must faithfully conduct himself, this 17th of July 1641, in Ams- terdam. Going on board at the Texel, with God's help, he shall first of all see whether the people, who are to sail now for the colony, are on board ship, namely, etc. NICOLAES COORN AND JAN DIRCKSZ VAN BREMEN^' August 26, 164s Commission of Nicolacs Coorn and jan dircksz van hrcenien, com- mander of Beeren Island, otherwise called Rensselaers-steijn, situ- ated in the colony of Rensselaer swyck, on the North River of New Nether land. The patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, noticing with sorrow the great disturbances which have lately occured between the heathen and the Christians near the island of the manhatan and fearing that this might extend further, even to his colony, has on the occasion of the offer of certain persons to go thither as free- men (imitating to some extent the example of the Chartered West India Company with regard to the island of the manhatans) and also for the sake of having a suitable place of retreat for his people, etc. And in testimony of the truth, the patroon has sealed this instru- ment with the seal of the colony and signed it with his own hand and has ordered it to be registered in the secretary's office. In Amsterdam, this 26th of August 1643. Underneath was written : Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck. ' The full instructions are not among the V. R. B. Mss. The full commission is V.R.B.Mss 27; see p. 680-82. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRirTS NOTICE TO SEKVKi) () ^ PRIVATE TRADE.^S WHO SAIL INTO THE COLONY^ ' September 8, 164^ Notice, Protest and Permission on behalf of the patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck I, Nicolaes Coorn, commander of rensselaers steijn, on behalf of the honorable Kiliacn Van Rensselaer, hereditary commander of the colonies on this North River of New Netherland under the high jurisdiction of the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands and of the Chartered West India Company, and as his vice commander in his stead, let you, etc. Which foregoing instrument drawn up by the patroon and com- mander, he hereby approves by signing it with his own hand and sealing it with the seal of the patroon and the colony of Rensselaers- wyck, this 8th of September 1643, in Amsterdam. Was signed: Kiliaen Van Rensselaer. These eleven extracts are taken from the Letter Book'^^ and the copies of the original instrurnents preserved in the house of Mr Kiliaen van Renselaer, deceased, and after collation are found to agree by me, notary public residing in Amsterdam ; in witness whereof, I have subscribed this with my notarial signature, VII October 1649. [signed] /.• vande Ven nots Pub. vij. A°. /dz/p. 10. "The original from which this extract is made is a broadside, V. R. B. Mss 64; see p. 697—99. " copij hoeck. 45 7o6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Account of ammunition for Rensselaers Steyn^^ September lo, 164^ Account of ammunition for Rensselaers Steijn and the arsenal 2 three-pounders, iron, of 1890 lb at 11 guilders [a 100 lb], with their gun carriages, ladles and sponges f2I7 7 I cannon of 13 10 lb at 6 guilders f 80 10 I gun carriage with its ironwork f 13 pieces oi 3°^5 '-^ "-^ ° g^LUiuers a loo id f3io 10 Q 0 gun carriage wheels and 15 tackle blocks f 9 15 ID musKCt Dans I 11 10 uaiis (Ji ^ ID anu 20 Dans 01 0 id t 14 4 ream cartridge paper f6:io and 4 cartridge molds f4:i2 1 II 2 2 cylindrical brushes, 2 cartridge sticks, 3 patterns. ,2 files f2 :8 f 5 9 I large chest to put the ammunition in ■f A 4 I drum with 6 skins, two sticks and accessories f 22 10 I trumpet f 7 f707 gl4 12 shackles with bolts and locks f 12 100 lb pig lead f 10 15 100 lb shot, with expenses f 12 II 8 300 lb powder, 200 coarse and 100 fine, with the kegs f 120 2 ball molds, 4 lead ladles, i cutting tool f 13 10 18 muskets with their shoulder belts f42 5 firelocks f6o 2 pistols fio 18 spears fi6 4 ^^Ib of match f 8 fi36 4 12 F. i?. B. Mss 28. " Wagenhuijs ; evidently a mistake for Wapenhuijs, arsenal, referred to in Groot. Boeck, 1640—50, No. F, f.23, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. "Should be f 707:7. " Blank in original. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 707 I silver-plated sword for Coren^^ fi.6 16 broadswords with belts £43 4 I hand screw f 3 10 £62 14 f 62 14 6 entrenching tools at fi:i2 stivers; 12 shovels and spades at 17 stivers; together f 19 16 £1094 18 8 [Endorsed] 1643 -lo 7tt>. Ammunition of Rensselaers steyn. Proper remedy against the abuse of outstanding accounts in the colony of Rensselaerswyck^^ September 16, 164J Copy. N. B. No latitude to be given to the conscience or discretion of the farmers, but the law to be rigorously enforced. Here follow the instructions. 1643, Sept. — Proper remedy against the abuse of outstanding ac- counts of the principal farmers as well as of others. As the Redress of the abuses and faults in the colony of Rens- selaerswyck,^^ issued by the patroon in printed form, refers to many irregularities and among these principally to the running up of unsettled accounts, special attention is here given to the form and manner in which said accounts must be drawn up. With reference hereto comes up the question: who are obliged and who are not obliged to make up these accounts. For the farmers or inhabitants of the colony to think that the cornmis of the patroon must make these out for them, that is a mis- take. For he is by no means in the employ of private individuals, but in that of the patroon. His duty, therefore, is really to pass " Nicolaes Coorn. " This document does not form part of the Van Rensselaer Bowier collection but is recorded in a volume entitled Copije van eenige Aden en andere aenmerckelijke Notitien, 1643-48, p. 24-34, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. A translation appears in O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:442-47, but is so faulty as to be practically worthless; for this reason and because of the close connection of the document with the within mentioned " Redress " of Sept. S; 1643, a new translation is here inserted. See p. 686-97. 7o8 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY provisionally, in the name of the patroon, upon all accounts in the colony and to look them over, adding thereon his advice and opinion ^ and then to send them over to the patroon for his approval, criti- cism or rejection. Although he is accountable specially to the patroon, he is so far accountable to the inhabitants that he must deliver to them the accounts of such property (merchandise or other goods, which they receive from him) as is under his administration. But as regards the accounts [of property] under the management and direction of the farmers, and of all others who have administration of any prop- erty, belonging in whole or in part to the patroon or to him in com- pany with others, such must be rendered not by him to them, but by them to him. As it is just that each one should render account of his own acts, since an outsider can not know what thereof is right or wrong, it necessarily follows as is customary throughout the world : — That all farmers or others who hold any of the patroon's prop- erty, must make out their own accounts, and deliver them to the patroon or his coinmis for examination. Should they say that they are not able to do this, then they ought not to have accepted or un- dertaken it, much less allow it to run on for several years, lest other- wise the inability or the loss to result therefrom, may fall on them, and they remain bound notwithstanding to render the account. It is not inability on their part but a perverse desire to defraud the patroon, and thereby to place him at crossroads thinking that everything that they in this way can conceal from him shall remain concealed and that he will know nothing thereof. That it has been feasible for them [to render accounts] every year and still is so, shall appear. But that they design something else thereby, that shall also quickly come to light. Under the cloak of this simplicity, the following bad practices are concealed. I That they make themselves trustees of property which is under their administration and direction and for which they are account- able, without rendering any account. II That they may run up their outlays and expenses according to their [own] pleasure. III That they include in the expenses of the farm their own per- sonal expenses which they incur for clothing, furniture and unlaw- ful drink. " En daermeede op eenen kruys wech te sctten. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 709 IV That they can embezzle as much wheat and other produce as they please. All of which the patroon repudiates as inconsistent with right and conscience; the trouble is therefore not only with the manner in which the accounts are drawn but that the people thereby alter his contracts and their promises. They have made promises to him in accordance with the first ar- ticle of the contract of Gerrit de Reux, deceased, whereto all con- tracts refer, until the arrival of the farmers from Breda. Of this contract of the late Gerrit de Reux, which they well knew how to cite with keeness and impertinence, as regards the preemption of the grain, they stated that copies were in that country; to these copies, as well as to the original remaining in his hands, the patroon appeals. And it will be found in the beginning thereof, that they are bound under oath, on pain of losing their wages and eflfects, that neither they nor their people will trade in any forbidden peltries of otters or beavers, nor obtain any such as presents or otherwise, with- out the express consent of the patroon. So that all such as have done so have forfeited their effects, un- less they have subsequently obtained the consent of the patroon ; proving which to him, he will confirm the same provided they ful- fil the conditions on which he granted it to them : Namely, half the profits each time they trade and barter. They must therefore render upright account and declaration of what they have gained thereby, and credit him with his half. If they now say that they can not render such account, the patroon insists, according to their contract, on the confiscation of their efifects, giving them the choice between one and the other; and that continuously from year to year ; and this is the first point. Coming now to the other points of their contracts, they turn these around completely. Brant Pcclen and Cornells Tan Breuckel are for themselves per- sonally bound to render an account for the goods brought by de Calmer Sleutcl and het Waepen van N oorzvegen, among which were divers goods which they traded for beavers, whereof Arendt van Curler writes that not 12 pelts have come into his hands. They re- main, besides, bound and accountable as security for Arendt van Curler, whom the patroon sent over only as assistant and they put up as commis under their bond, as appears by their own hand. Further, they misinterpret all these following points. Their con- tracts read that they must defray out of the common produce and profits : NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY I The wages of their men and boys. II Next, their board. III Next, their own expenses, as regards board on the farm, their contract speaking in no way of drink but simply of wages and board ; as far as drink is concerned, they must content themselves like other farmers with milk and ordinary beer, but during the har- vest, as an exception, good beer, and for the rest with what the river affords. IV That they have undertaken to pay, out of the general produce, all wear of wagons, ploughs ; in fine, all damages and losses. All of which most of them fail to pay, leaving not only the wages of the servants to fall on the patroon, who with trouble has obtained these for them, but even taking on credit, without paying any money, such merchandise as the conimis, Arcndt van Curler, has de- livered to them. From which it appears clearly, that over and above all their de- bauches in wine and strong drink, every one would fain claim and has much to demand in settling accounts, and the patroon who in the first place supplied their equipment, their requirements of dwel- lings, cattle, wagons and plows and their needs of stockings and shoes, linens and woolens, as the invoices sent by him can prove, would still, instead of the returns from his goods and profits from the farms, have to pay large sums, which he never intends to do. He forbids his conimis to settle any accounts of masters or serv- ants until the masters shall first have made out and paid the ac- counts of their servants, and so from year to year, and shall then have drawn up their own accounts in the following manner (charg- ing him, the commis, not to meddle in any one else's affairs nor to make up any accounts except of what he has [in charge], but to de- mand in the name of the patroon that all outstanding accounts set- tled in the following manner by the farmers and other persons who are to render accounts) : Firstly, those who hold the land on half shares shall make up their accounts accordingly. I Each year report honestly the whole amount of grain and other produce obtained that year from the farm ; and those who can not do so shall incur fine and penalty. II Item, what they have received from the sale of hogs, from milk, butter and other products. III Item, what grain they have delivered and sold to freemen in the colony. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRITTS 7II Herefrom must be deducted, and by them be paid, according to their contract : I The wages of the farm hands, with the i6 guilders yearly for the patroon. ii The board of themselves and people. Ill The wear of wagons, plows, repairs of houses, barracks, fences, and other such things. This being deducted, they must make out an account of what then remains ; indicating to the patroon, or his commis, the just half which falls to him, first deducting the tithes. Now as regards the just half of the remainder, which belongs to the farmer, therefrom must be subtracted the following: I What he has had for himself each year for clothes and house- hold articles. II What he has had each year from the patroon's store for him- self and his men (from whose wages he in turn is to make a de- duction). III What he and his people spent each year in wine and strong drink, whereof the patroon is not bound under his contract to pay his half ; the patroon stating peremptorily that all the wines which have been drunk in the colony and paid for in grain or other com- mon efifects shall not be deducted from the general stock, much less from his share, but from that of the person who consumed them, whether man or woman, master or servant, having promised no one such, much less in so great abundance as many have used. And as regards the increase of the animals, each farmer shall each year give in an exact account of those that have died, those that have been added and those that have been disposed of; and the patroon understands the preemption price of cows to apply to those which calve in their third year, and not in the second, as the valuation on the part of the Company, to which the preemption price has reference, is understood of cattle which calve in their third year. So that those calving in their second year, which gradually decrease in size and produce smaller stock, are to be taken at only half the price or a little more. And whereas the farmers commonly employ contrary means and enter upon wrong courses, as for example, when grain became scarce and more in demand, then many of them sent a great deal away and sold it higher than the preemption price or delivered it recklessly and in gross on their own authority to the Company's servants without receiving special payment therefor or obtaining special bills of exchange or drafts; therefore the patroon resolves, 712 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY as is just, that for all such wheat as is delivered in this manner to the Company he is not boun 1 to give compensation until the payment therefor has come into his purse. He hereby gives the farmers notice that, from the beginning until now, being now nearly 13 years, he has received but one payment in money, 1500 guilders, in all that time ; the remainder has been credited against goods and provisions delivered to the farmers and the people of the colony, who have had the same charged to the patroon in amounts of two to three thousand guilders, without naming man or horse. These accounts must first be properly itemized as to who is, and who is not, to pay for those amounts, allowing no exceptions or excuses from one or the other as, I have not had this ; I have not had that," each one desiring to clear himself by his own statement; and although some will be found more at fault than others in this respect, yet it must nevertheless first be cleared up or settled from whom these sums are due. For what one has delivered and another has received, that he must fin 1 out to whom payment is due, and not the patroon. Nor can any money be charged to the patroon which has not been received at his office, particularly not if [the grain] has, without his consent, been delivered or sent to the Com- pany and by them accepted on the general account of the colony, as appears to have been done ; and such farmers had done better to have immediately taken their payment in return therefor. And whereas grain is now somewhat less in demand and will apparently be somewhat lower in price, the patroon hereby also notifies the farmers who have running accounts that they must not hand in their statements of produce delivered in gross, but sep- arately : I The tenths. II That which is for tb.e men's wages and that which is for the yearly expenses. III The third or half belonging to the patroon. Which being done, what is then found to be justly coming to them may each year be balanced against other accounts so as not to get into arrears. They must offer the total number of mud 'es of grain to the patroon's commis, demanding of him whether in the name of the patroon he consents or declines to take it over, in which matter the commis must govern himself according to the orders of the patroon and according to the expected prices and sales, which he may be able to obtain for it in cash, goods or peltries, without giving credit, and if conditions are contrary he must refuse to take it over, VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 7I3 in which case the farmers are at hberty to do their best with it, and this is the option of the right of preemption. But that the farmers should wish to crowd up the commis and overload him with produce when it is low in value, and when at a higher price, themselves sell it, as many have done — that is in no wise the in- tention of the patroon. He warns all farmers to put their people on their guard against this and not to celiver any mixed grain; that is to say, where from the tenth and the third, or half accord- ing to contract, have not been separated or paid. Coming now to the conclusion : the patroon declares that he will not accept any accounts which cover several years ; but that every farmer, or whoever he be, shall deliver to him yearly ac- counts of the year's profits, as well for them as for him. That also things delivered where for they have not received special payment, or which have not come into the patroon's office, must remain in the general account until everything has been cleared up and itemized. That none of the inhabitants have or can have any free or private goods, except such as have rendered their yearly and proper accounts. And if they should complain of this, the patroon, who has not received any accounts from them in all that time, has much greater cause to complain. As to their reference to the patroon's commis, saying that it is his fault, it has already been stated that he is not in their service but in that of the patroon, that he is not obliged to make out their accounts but the patroon's, and that every person, be he who he may, the patroon's commis as well as other persons who have entered into contracts, farmers, yearly or daily laborers, each shall make out his own account. The commis generael is specially enjoined to account to the patroon ; and all others, none excepted, shall account to the commis generael for his examination first, and afterwards for the approbation of the patroon. As for their imagining that all their secret practices of covetous- ness will through length of time be forgc.'tten, they will find them- selves deceived; if they take a course toward the west to escape, the patroon will take a course from the east, in order with the ris- ing of the sun to expose their deception. The patroon does not propose to wrong any one in the world, much less the least of his inhabitants ; but as he will not wrong any one, so on the other han:l he will not be hoodwinked or wronged by any one. Every man whose conscience is not asleep or seared will well understand what that means. 714 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY And all persons, farmers or servants, are warned that if they come over with any accounts which they have extorted from the commis through his ignorance, or by persuasion or threats, they will have to pass the review of the preceding points before they can get satisfaction from the patroon, who being far from his property is near to his loss. In the meantime, the patroon is heartily desirous of a full settle- ment with all who have obtained their goods, however much, witii- out prejudice to him, and wishes them all luck and prosperity there- with. While it is in part due to the carelessness of the commis that neither he nor any one else has, for five or more years, sent any accounts, yet the patroon must first make his demands upon those who have not, according to their bounden duty, rendered any ac- counts to the commis, which every one in the colony was obliged lo do, and their neglect shall tend not to the accusation but to the excusing of the commis. Nevertheless what he was bound to do, and must and ought and could have done, in regard to the goods sent to him, thereof he shall not be excused by the patroon. These things then being so, you are requested to direct the work so that for the future I may know precisely, each year, what profit each farm gives me, for I am not liable in case of loss ; after I have once delivered to them dwellings and cattle, they must find means to pay the tithes, the servants' wages, and the patroon's half and third without confusing them ; and what supplies they then need, they must pay for out of their own share ; and God grant that regular and proper accounts may at last be kept there from year to year. Done this i6th of September, 1643, Amsterdam, and signed with his own hand. Was subscribed : ' Kiliaen van Rensselaer, Patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck. Then followed : There has been sent to me here, from the Manhatans, an extract of the contract of Gerrit de Reux, deceased, in which many articles are left out. Let Arent look among the papers to see if they have not a complete contract. Otherwise I have the original here, which I will send over if necessary. But I think that Arent has it. Vale. Was signed : K V R^o ^ Judging from this note, it would seem that the original of the above document was sent by the patroon to Johannes Megapolensis. The original is not among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. VAN RENSSELAER 150WIER MANUSCRIPTS Account of grain delivered by Teunis Dircksz van Vechten to the West India Company^^ August (), 1644 Tucnis dirchsa van Vcchtcn, farmer, has dehvered the following grain to the honorable West India Company. 1640, 8 October To skipper Cors Pictersz schepels 108 1 64 1, 10 April To skipper her cut Jacobs:: 40 26 May To skipper cors Pictersz 68 1642, 19 January To crol 60 do. To do. in the granary 160 3 July To skipper wessel Evertsen 190 20 September To skipper Egbert Van Bar sum 108 1642,^2 27 September To Sr Croll 12 Schepels 746 And was signed: Areiit lan Gorier This a farmer (delivered in three years. This day, the 9th of August 1644. Arendt Van Corler [canceled in original] Sentence of banishment pronounced on Adriaen Willemsz^^ August /J, 1644 The honorable president and council^ of this colony of Rensse- laerswyck, having heard the voluntary confession of Adriaen Wil- lemss, at present in irons, to wit : that he on Saturday last, being the 6th of August, at the house of the patroon where the commis- generael, Arendt Van Curler, resides, climbing in through the win- dow of the said house, stole seven beavers and in the afternoon of Written on the back of the ordinance concerning the fur trade, May 8, 1645, V. R. B. Mss 31. The account is apparently a copy of an extract made by van Curler from a ledger account of grain furnished by himself and seven others to the West India Company, 1638-43, among the Rcnsselacrswyck Mss. On f.5 of this ledger account, the present entries occur under the heading: Tuenis Dirckss, credit, by the following grain to the Chartered West India Company since Bastiaen Jansen Croll has had his residence here. "This should be 1643, 27 October, according to the above mentioned ledger account, in which Egbert van Borsum is called the Comjiany's skipper. ^ Copy in handwriting of Antony de Plooges in V. R. B. Mss 18. Other copy in same handwriting, signed by Arent van Curler, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. Translation revised from O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland, 1:320—21. Presidercnde en Raden. 7i6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY the following" Monday eight beavers and a third ; also that on the aforesaid Saturday he stole from the garret of the said house half a hide of upper leather; and having further heard the demand of the officer against the delinquent and duly considered the circum- stances of the case, have ordered and sentenced, as we hereby do order and sentence, that the delinquent be brought to the public place where justice is executed and, tied to a post, be exposed to ignominy for the space of two hours, with some of the stolen goods around his neck, after which he shall prostrate himself before the honorable gentlemen of the court and beg pardon of God and of justice; and further that henceforth and forever he shall be banished from this colony and never be allowed to return to it. Done in council this 13th of August 1644. By order of the president and council of this colony of Rensse- laerswyck. Underneath was written : Arendt Van Curler. Ordinance regulating the picking of hops-^ August jj, 1644 The honorable court of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, noticing the great evil which occurs yearly by the untimely picking of the hops which tends largely to the loss and detriment of this colony, and wishing to remedy this, have ordered and thought fat, as they hereby do order and think fit, that no one shall be allowed to pick any hops in this colony or to carry any hops that are picked outside into the colony before the 25th of September of each year, on for- feiture of the said picked hops and an additional fine of 25 Carolus guilders whenever any one is found to act contrary to this ordi- nance ; and the hops which have been picked or are being picked at present shall be burned by the officer of this colony, as they are not merchantable hops and cause great fraud by being mixed with others and otherwise. Therefore, let every one take heed and guard him- self against loss. Done in council, this 31st of August 1644. By order of the honorable court of this colony of Rens- selaerswyck. Underneath was written : Arendt Van Curler, Secretary. -'Copy in handwriting of Antony de Hooges in V.R.B. Mss 18. VAN RENSSELAER ir.VTER MA.M'SCRTPTS 717 Ledger of the accounts of the ship het Wapen van Rensselaers- wyck^*^ October 20 — December 26, 1644 Laus Deo in the ship het Wapen Van Rcnsselacrs Wyck fol. i 1644 Johan Simonss, skipper, debit Oct. 26 To payment to hendrick Jansen Smitt fl7 10 as appears by his receipt do. 28 To payment to flips Gerritsen as appears by his receipt {17 16 8 do. To payment to Thomas Bruijn also as appears by his receipt f26 Total f6i 6 8 Steven Stevensen, boatswain, debit (Jet. 20 To the amount paid to him by Pieter Hart gens fi6 Steven Stcvenss, Frenchman, debit Oct. 20 To tbe amount paid him by Pieter Hart- gens fl2 Lonzveris dc Bloein, eng'aged as sailor by the skipper, debit Oct. 26 Paid to him f 2 10 do. 28 Also paid to him f 2 10 do. Also paid to him f 2 10 Total f 9 lo''^'^ '^'^ V. R. B. Mss 30, entitled: Anno 1644. Scluilt Bocck Voor Reeckcniughe Vant Schit> het Wafen Van Rensslacrs-lVyck ; marked No. M. Entries in the ledger show tl-at it must have been kept by some one in authority, other than the skipper, Jan Simonsz, or the supercargo, Pieter Wijncoof. The closing of the early account books among the Rensselaerswyck Mss by Arent van Curler, in August and Seiitember 1644, references to van Curler's departure in subsequent accounts kept by Antony de Hooges, and ? draft by Arent van Curler on the owners of het Wapen van Rensselaerswyck in favc of Jan Jansz Damen for a fat ox and a fat hog delivered for the use of said shiji Oct. 19, 1644, (N. Y. Col. Mss, 2: 131), make it practically certain that van Curle>- sailed by het Wapen van Rensselaerswyck and that the ledger was kept by him. -'If the items are correct, this sum should be iy.io; it is entered in the cash credit account as f6 10. 7i8 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Laus Deo in the ship het Wapen Van Rensselacrs Wijck fol. 2 1644 Lubbert Jansen, engaged by the skipper as sailor, debit Oct. 28 To payment to Philips Gerritsen for him £2 4 Johan Tomasa, sailor, debit Nov. 9 Paid to him f 2 G err it Slouip, engaged by the skijjper as boatswain's mate Nov. 6 Paid to him £13 Piefer Wijncoop, debit Nov. 6 To the amount which I paid for hiai to Director Kieft for duty on 13 beavers in my custody f 9 15 N. B. The above debits of the ship's crew. Skipper Jan Simonsz must credit in his accounts with the honorable owners, as I have handed the same to him in writ- ing and he has deducted the amounts from the monthly wages of the sailors. Laus Deo in the ship het Wapen Van Renssclaers IVijck fol. 3 1644 Ship's expenses, debit Oct. 23 Paid to Arent hcndricksen Smitt at the Manhatans, for repairs of muskets, pistols, augers and other things fi2 6 do. Paid to Jan Claessen for small beer £24 do. 25 To Claes Backer; at the Manhat-, for bread furnished to the ship as appears by his receipt f35 6 do. To 4 oaken boards gotten by the carpen- ter for necessary repairs on the ship f 5 VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS do. Paid to Wincoop for one ox bought of Claesen damen, as appears by the note of hand sent to the honorable Van Twiller f 3 do. Paid for butchering said animal f 3 do. 27 Paid to Merten Cruijer, for one water cask for the ship f 5 do. 28 Paid to Evert duijcker, for barrels and replacing the compass glass f 7 Nov. 6 To Barent Jacobscn, who piloted the ship Rensselaers Wijck outside the Santt- Punt, 3 beavers f2i do. To Egbert Van Borscm, who brought me in his sloop to the santpunt fi4 i)ct 28 Paid for 10 schepels of peas, each schepel at 3 guilders f30 Amounts to fi6o^^ Laus Deo in the ship het Wapen Van Rensselaers Wijck fol at the Bermudas. 1644 Ship's expenses at the Bermudas, debit Nov. 20, 23, To fresh provisions f 7 & 28 Dec. 13 To more fresh provisions f 28 15 do. 13 Paid to an Englishman for 391 pounds of beef for the ship f 58 13 do. Paid to do. for 216 lb of bacon, each at 3 st — amounts to f 32 8 do. . To six gallons of vinegar f 7 ic do. To nine gallons of fig juice'i^ f 15 12 Dec. 18 Paid to 2 Englishmen who worked on the ship, together 6 days f 15 do. Also paid to two carpenters who to- gether worked 4 days on the said ship f 7 IC Actual sum of these items is fi6o i St. 2i> I'icgcndranch. 720 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Nov. 23 To 100 lb of gunpowder £150 do. ' To 12 balls of oakum f 12 do. To one anker of French wine with which I entertained the English General Jackson and his captain, who came to ask us what we might need on the ship and offered to help us with everything, as they did f 20 Laus Deo in the ship het Wapen Van Renssel. Wijck fol. 5 1644 Beavers, debit Oct. 21 To 150 beavers which I took out of the case loaded in the ship Rensselaers Wijck, as appears from the accompanying certifi- cate 1 50 Nov. 26 To 15 beavers which on account of great need I took out of said case and sold at the Bermudas to Tomas Willet at 7 guilders apiece 15 £105 Total number of beavers 165 Beavers, credit Nov. 2 To the number I paid director Kicft for duty on 1078 beavers according to his reckoning, as f appears by his receipt loi 808 Nov. 5 To the number I paid Bercnt Ja- cobsz, as appears on fol. 3 3 21 do. To Egbert van Borscm, as ap- pears on fol. 3 2 14 do. To Jan Clacssen, as appears on fol. 3 3 24 do. To the number I sold at different times, as appears on fol. 6 56 392 Total number of beavers 165 VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 721 Laus Deo in the ship het Wapen Van Rensselaers Wijck fol. 6 1644 Cash, debit Oct. 25, 1644 To 41 beavers which I sold at 7 guilders apiece, money of Hol- land £287 Nov. 26 To 15 beavers which I sold at the Bermudas at 7 guilders apiece, in money £105 £392 Dec. 24 To 10 kans of brandy which I sold at the Bermudas of the remaining ship's wines at f2-io a kan £ 25 do. To amount I have received from Skipper Jan Simonsen f 50 Dec. 26 To further amount which I have re- ceived from Skipper Jan Simonsen f 59 Cash, credit Oct. 26 To various amounts paid to Skip- per Jan Simonsz, as appears on fol. I f 6r 6 8 do. To Lauzveris de Bloom, as appears on fol. I f 6 10'*'^ do. 28 To Lubbert Jansen, as appears on fol. 2 £24 Nov. 4 To Jan Toniassen, as appears on fol. 2 f 2 do. 6 To gerrit si 0 nip, as appears on fol. 2 £ 13 do. To J^ieter Wyncoop, as appears on fol. 2 f 9 15 Oct. 23 To Arent hendricksen Smit, on fol. 3 f 12 6 do. 25 To Claes de Backer, as appears on fol. 3 f 35 ^> do. To oaken boards, fol. 3 f 5 do. To Wlncoop, fol. 3 £ 3 On the debit side this amount is given as fg lo, see p. 717 whereas the sum of the items there given is ij 10. 46 722 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY do. To butchering an ox f 3 do. 27 To Met ten Cruijer, for a water cask Q do. 28 To Evert duiicker, fol. f 7 do. To 10 schepels of peas, appears fol. 3 f 30 J\'ov. 20,23,28 To fresh provisions at the Ber- mudas ; fol. 4 f 7 Dec. 13 To do., appears as above f 28 do. To 391 lb of beef, appears on fol. 4 f 58 13 do. To 216 lb of bacon, apiiears on fol. 4 f 32 8 do. To vinegar, appears on fol. 4 f 7 10 do. To fig juice, appears fol. 4 12 Dec. 18 To carpenters' work, appears as above do. To do., as above f 7 10 do. To 100 lb of gunpowder, appears on fol. 4 fiSO do. To oakum, appears above f 12 Nov. 23 To one anker of French wine f 20 Total f554 8-^i Ordinance concerning the fur trade issued by the officers at Fort Orange in conjunction with the court of the colony of Rensselaerswyck^^ May 8, 1645 Copy The court of the honorable Charlered West India Company here at Fort Orange and the honorable presiding officer and council of the honorable patroon of this colony, to all who shall see these presents or hear them read. Greeting. Whereas, we notice the great abuses which are daily practise;! in the fur tra le here and which tend greatly to the detriment both of the honorable Chartered West India Company and of the honorable patroon of this colony, we have ordered and decreed, as we hereby do order and decree, as follows : 8' As the column stands the total is not f 544 o S but £550 4 8. If the item con cerning de Bloom is changed to f/ 10, tlie total would still be only £551 4 8. 3= V. R. B. Mss 31. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS First, that no one, whoever he may be, may give more than 10 hands of white and five hands of black seawan or four hands of dufifel for one merchantable beaver, smaller or larger as the case may be, on forfeiture of the said fur thus obtained and such mer- chandise as he shall be found to have with him and in addition under penalty of a fine of 25 Carolus guilders. That no one shall presume to barter any furs with the Indians during the night or at unseasonable hours outside of his house on forfeiture of 50 Carolus guil 'ers. That no one shall be permitted to meet any savages outside of his house to barter with them, much less to go to the woods, unless he shall have obtained special authorization to do so from the court here, on pain of 50 guilders aforesaid. That if any one is found enticing any savages to him from the houses of either commis, he shall be liable to a fine of 30 Carolus guilders; or if he allures them from the house of some one who has obtained a right to trade freely, 25 guilders aforesaid. For good reasons us thereunto moving, we further ordain that good seawan for trading purposes shall not be sold at a higher price than four seawans for one stiver, the DOor seawan remaining as before at six for one stiver. Whoever shall be found to act contrary to what is written above, whether he does so on water or on lanrl, directly or indirectly, no matter under what pretense or however it may be called, shall be liable to the aforesaid fine and, in addition, to summary correction at the discretion of the court according to the nature of the mis- demeanor. Thus done by both sides in Fcrt Orange this 8th of May 1645. By order of both courts aforesaid.^'"' To our knowledge, Harmaiunis A: Boochardc, Cotiimis Antonio de Hooges, Secretary [Endorsed] Copy of the iniblication concerning the trade, dated the 8th of May 1645. '■^ Ter ordinantic van Beijdc gerechten -. oors^. The first formal court for Fort Orange and Beverwyck was established by proclamation of Director General Stuyvesant, Aj ril 10, 1652. NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Johannes de Laet and Samuel Blommaert to Albert Coenraets Burgh, with reply^^ August 4, 164/ Copy To Mr Albert koenraets Burgh : As your honor knows best on what basis the first colonies in New Netherland Were established and what was understood by the word patroon of the respective colonies, in regard to which several dis- putes occurred between us underwritten and Mr killiaen van Rens- selaer, deceased, during his life and still continue with his heirs and the guardians of his minor children, the aforesaid construing the right of patroonship into a supremacy over us, their copartners, even so far that without our consent they dare choose a director over the colony and other officers an 1 give instructions to the same of which they claim to let us have the mere approval, whereas we, according to the first plan and contract agreed upon respecting this matter, understand this patroonship to have been conceded to the said z'an Rensselaer and his heirs inasmuch as the same must be entered under one name, but the force and effect thereof to belong to the copartners in common, without the pretended patroon being at liberty to do anything without the knowledge and approval of his associates or to claim for himself in particular anything in the way of dignities or emoluments ; we request most urgently that your honor will please to make such statement regarding this mat- ter as you may deem proper. At the Hague August 1647. ^^^^ signed : / delaet, S. blomaert. Below was written : Having read the above written Casus positie and having been requested to refresh my memory in regard to what passed when Messrs Samuel blommaert, killiaen van Rensselaer and myself agreed together to plant colonies in New Netherland and other parts, [I declare] that the agreement and understanding has al- ways been that all dignity, preeminence, profit and loss which might in any wise accrue either from the government or the cul- tivation of the lands, should be had in common ; that also the name which was chosen to be designated to the Company as patroon and in course of time if wished to raise [the patroonship] to higher 3* V. R. B. Mss 32, marked D. VAN RENSSELAER BOV^'IER MANUSCRIPTS rank should not confer any advantage or superiority in authority or other matters, but that everything was to be arranged and regu- lated after joint deliberation on the situation ; that matters so re- mained till about the year 1630, when I departed for Russia, since which time, or since my return, when I found that my share had been ceded to Mr jehan delaet, I have not troubled myself further about it. Done at the Hague, the 4th of August 1647. Was signed : Albert Burgh. Resolution of the States General on the petition of Samuel Blommaert and others.^^ November 20, 1648 Extract from the register of resolutions of the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands Friday, the 20th of November 1648 The memorial of Samuel Blommart, Johannes de Laet, Margriete Reinst, widow of Adam Wcssels;^*'' and Touchain muijssart against the guardians of the minor son of Kiliaen van Rensselaer concern- ing a certain colony in New Netherland, after deliberation, is by copy placed in the hands of the said guardians for the purpose of setting forth their position in writing. [paraphed] W v Haren vt Agrees with the aforesaid register [signed] Corn Musch 1648 [Endorsed] Defense against the pretensions of the participants in the colony of Rensselaerswyck. Resolution of the States General in the matter of Johannes van Rensselaer and others^'' April 26, 164^ Extract from the register of resolutions of the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands. ^ V. R. B. Mss 39, marked No. 5. The body of this extract revised from Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 1:255. Should be Adam Besscls; name is correctly given in Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 1:255- V. R. B. Mss 40, marked No. 7. The body of this extract revised from Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 1:256. 726 NEW YORK STATE LIDRARY Monc'ay, the 26th of April 1649 The answer of lohaii van IVeclij and iV outer van Tzviller, guard- ians of lohan van Rensclaer, son of Kiliacn van Renselaer, to the memorial heretofore presented to their High Mightinesses by Sam- uel Bloemert and associates, is after deliberation placed in the hands of the parties concerned for the purpose of replying thereto within the space of 14 days after service hereof. [paraphed] T. van Gent vK Agrees with the aforesaid register [signed] Corn Musch 1649 Reply of Samuel Blommaert and Johannes de Laet to the States GeneraPs May 21, 164P To the High and Mighty Lords the States General High and Mighty Lords : The answer of Jean van IVely and Woultcr van Tzvillcr as guard- ians of Johan van. Renselaer, to the memorial presented by us, the underwritten, to your High Mightinesses on the 20th of Novem- ber 1648, was handed to us by the said guardians on the 8th of May of this year, as appears by the Copy hereto annexed, to which we add the following by way of refutation. First, that it is indeed said by the defendants that Kiliaen van Renselaer, deceased, registered the colony in New Netherland in accordance with the freedoms granted for that purpose, but they omit to state that he registered it euin Socijs; these were the plain- tiffs or their predecessors, ?o that those freedoms were obtained for them as well as for the said Renselaer, just as from the beginning they have also jointly borne the expense in proportion to their shares. Secondly, that they wrongfully pass by the contract signed by the parties which the plaintiffs annexed to their memorial to your High Mightinesses and set forth another agreement which was never signed. Thirdly, that they are wrong in alleging that the management and jurisdiction belong to them alone and the gain or profits to the par- ticipants in proportion, it being an unheard of arrangement, which no one in his senses would enter into, to let some one else have com- »8 V. R. B. Mss 41, marked F. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS plete control where he himself might suffer loss. The plaintiffs trusted Renselacr, ('eccased, with the management as long as he gave them regular notice of his doings ; hut when they noticed that the said trust might be considered a right, as he began to consider it before his decease and as these people have openly treated it (just as if we were their vassals instea 1 of their coparticipants), they always objected both during his lifetime and later. Fourthly, it is truly said by them that they have never refused to render accounts, but they omit to state that they have never ren- dered them though requested to do. so long ago; there is not much difference between not doing a thing and refusing to do it. Fifthly, it seems strange to us that these people refer to the man- agement of other colonies in.New Xetherland in which the aforesaid Kiliaen van Renselacr as well as the plaintiffs participated because the minutes of the meetings and some, of the participants who arc still living can testify that the patroons of the said colonies have not taken upon themselves the management and jurisdiction, but that everything that was to be done was decided by joint vote, the title of patroon only, and nothing else, being reserved to one jjerson for the sake of the descent of the fief. Finally, that after having delayed us for a long time with the expectation that according to our request they would submit the questions between us to the decision of arbitrators to be chosen by both sides and having meanwhile done everything they please,!, they sent a director thither without consulting us in the least, yes, against our protest, gave him and others without our knowledge instruc- tions of such content as might lead to misunderstanding between us and the Chartere.l West India Company (as indeed complaints have already been made about certain acts caused by their instruc- tions) and do not communicate to us the letters which they write thither or those which come from there, as if the matter did not concern us. After these and other abuses, they now request your High Mighti- nesses to refer us to the ordinary courts of justice, to all appear- ances as if it did not belong to your High Mightinesses to take cognizance of a question which depends on a regulation approved and issued by your High Mightinesses, the interpretation and de- cision of which belongs to your High Mightinesses alone. Taking all this into consideration, we once more very humbly reqviest your High Mightinesses that your High Mightinesses will please to summon both parties on a certain appointed day before 728 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY a committee of your High Mightinesses and, after hearing the arguments on botli sides, to effect a settlement or to decide the questions at issue, in such a way as your High Mightinesses shall deem fit. Which doing, etc. [signed] [In the margin of the first recto is written] The States General of the United Netherlands, after deliberation, have placed this refutation in the hands of Messrs Huygens, Vett and z ander Hoolck to investigate and examine the same and report thereon; both parties shall meanwhile be free to send in their re- joinders without prejudice to the above. Done in the assembly of the aforesaid honorable States General, the 31st of May i6i\gp [paraphefl] N : Ripperda ^'^ By order of the same [signe:l] Corn Musch 1649 [At bottom of the first recto] June i, 1649 [Endorsed] Refutation by the participants of the colony in New Netherland of the claims of the guardians. Cf. Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 1:256, where is found the corresponding minute of the States General which is dated June i, 1649. The minute of June 4, again gives the date of this action as May 31. VAN RENSSELAER ISOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 729 Resolution of the States General in the matter of Johannes van Rensselaer and others^" June 4, 164P Copy Extract from the register of resolutions of the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands. Friday, the 4th of June 1649 On deliberation, it is hereby resolved and decided to amplify their High Mightinesses" decision of the 31st of May last, placed in the margin of the reply presented on the same day to their High Mighti- nesses by Samuel Blonimaert and Ian de Laet, qnaJitate qua, so that Messrs Huijgens, Vett and vander Hoolck, their High Mighti- nesses' deputies aforesaid, shall be empowered to summon both parties before them on a certain day to be appointed by them for that purpose, in order to settle, if possible, the diiferences existing between them; and if not, to render a report of their proceedings to their High Mightinesses. Was paraphed A'.' Ripperda Be- low was written: Agrees with the aforesai 1 register. Was signed: Corn Musch. States General to Jan van Wely and Wouter van Twiller*^ July 3, 1649 The States General of the United Netherlands Honorable, pious, dear, faithful: On the fourth of June last we appointed Messrs huijgens, Vett and vander hoolck a committee from the midst of our assembly, to sum- mon before them Samuel Blommaert and Jan de iMct, qualitate qua, on the one side, and you as guardians of Johan van Renselaer, on the other side, on a certain day to be appointed by their honors, and to settle, if possible, the mutual differences existing between you and if not to report their proceedings to us; and as next Thursday being the 8th of this month has been appointed for that purpose, we have thought fit to give you notice hereof and also to order and enjoin you to repair hither on the aforesaid appointed day, for the *^ V. R. B. Mss 42, marked No. 9. The body of this extract revised from Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 1:256. V. R. B. Mss 43. This letter was sent in accordance with resolution of July 3, 1649, for which see Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 1:257. 730 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY purpose aforesaid, without fail. Trusting that you will do so we commend you to God's holy protection. At the Hague, the 3d of July 1649. [paraphed] Jacob vcth By order of the aforesaid honorable Lords the States General In the absence of the secretary [signed] /.• Spronssen [To] Jan ran Welij and zvouter van Tzviler [Sealed with the seal of the United Netherlands and addressed] Honorable, pious, our dear and faithful Jan van Welij, and Wouter van Tzviler, guardians of Johan van Renselaer, jointly and to each one separately. Resolution of the States General on a petition of Samuel Blom- maert and Johannes de Laet^ November 5, /(5^p Extract from the register of resolutions of the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands. Friday, the 5th of November 1649 The petition of Samuel Blommaert and Johannes de Laet, cum sociis, against Jan van IVclij and IVontcr van Tzvijlcr, both guard- ians of Johan van Renselaer, respecting a certain colony in New Netherland, being read in the assembly, it is after consideration re- solved and concluded hereby to order and enjoin both parties to furnish their respective documents within the space of 14 days after service hereof to their aforesaid High ]\Iightinesses' deputies for the examination of the matter aforesaid, in order, such being done, that their High Mightinesses may make further disposition thereof. . [paraphed] G. Vander Nissc'''^ Agrees with the aforesaid register [signed] Corn. Musch 1649 *- V. R. B. Mss 44. The body of this extract revised from Doc. rcl. to Col. Hist. N. >, 1:320. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Sentence of Claes Andriesz^'' March 26, 1650 TRANSLATED BY MRS ALAN H. STRONG A conditional sentence in 1650 In the matter of several serious ixiisdemeanors of Clacs Andriesz. from Hilversum. On the very urgent prayer of his master Jan Barentsz. Wemp and his wife, and perceiving the great need of the same, the honorable members of this Court have been moved to what follows, yet under express pledge of the delinquent. 1st. That Clacs Andriesz, shall not enter any tavern of this place to drink beer, wine or distilled liquors. 2d. That he shall promise under oath that he will faithfully serve his present master and master's wife, or any other whom he may get in the colony, and do their work, in everything obey them, not leave their service or leave the colony before and until he has ful- filled his obligations to the aforesaid, the director and the patroon according to his contract and promise and that on the Lord's day of rest he will go to hear Goal's Holy Word instead of going to the taverns and will perform and show all proper obedience to the au- thorities. 3d. That he shall also promise under oath that he will give to no one, whether man, woman or any aged person, either by word or deed, the least cause which might result in damage of any sort, and if such be done, that then he shall publicly be punished for all pre- vious misdemeanors*^ though all his fines, charges for extraordinary sessions of the Court, etc., had been paid. All the aforesaid Clacs Andriesz. promises, without legal con- straint, to perform in every respect, fully confirming the same by oath in the presence of the aforesaid honorable members of the Printed in Dutch in Oud Holland, 1890, 8:80. As the source given at the end indicates, this document does not form part of the Van Rensselaer Bowier collection but was co]-ied by !Mr dc Roevtr from a copy of tlie proceedings of the court of Rensselaerswyck found among the files of the former tribunal of the district of the Veluwe, province of Gelderland, Netherlands. The original record of the sentence is found in the volume of court proceedings entitled Gcrcclits Rolle, 1648—52, f.S2b— S3, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. March 18, 1650, Clacs Aiidriess, while denying a number of charges brought against him, confessed that July 16, 1649, he struck at Hendrick driess with a knife; that he had spoken insolently to Director Brant van Slichtenhorst on the street; that Jan. 31. 1650, he struck gysbert aende berch over the head. Gercchts Rolle, 1648-52, f.5ob, 52. 732 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Court, according to his own hand, pledging therefor his person and property, which he now owns or hereafter may own, be it in this country, in the fatherland or elsewhere ; to this end submitting him- self to this honorable Court and to all other courts and justices without exception, all with expenses. In witness whereof, he has signed this with his own mark in the colony of Rensselaerswyck, this 26th of March 1650. (Copy of a copy from the court proceedings of the colony of Rensselaerswyck appearing among the legal documents used in the suit of -ivn Slichtenhorst against Van Renselacr before the Hoog Adellijk Landgericht of the Veluzve 1656/59, preserved in the government archives at Arnhem.) The sentence was quoted in the lawsuit as proof that the sellout had set free some one " contrary to oath and contract " and was therefore apparently not approved by the patroon. N. de R. Inventory of animals in the colony sent over by Johan Baptist van Rensselaer^^ 1651 Animals found on the farm of tomas Chamber the 14th day of February 1651 Horses Years Cattle Years I gray mare 14 I red cow with a blaze 12 I ditto 10 I gray ditto 8 1 gray stallion 13 I red heifer with a star 4 r ditto 4 I ditto with white head 3 I bay mare 10 2 red heifer calves I I bay ditto about 3 I ditto with white head I brown filly about I I red ox 3 I ditto stallion I 8 cows 8 horses *''' V. R. B. iVlss 46, entitled: Invcntaris vandc bcstiaelcn hide Colonic door lehan batt° : fan Rensseler ouergesonden; marked 19. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 733 Animals found on the farm of euert pels, the loth of February 1651 Horses Years I bay gelding, called pingster- I stallion, called konning I black stallion, called dick kop 1 old mare, called de valck 2 bay mares I black filly Years Cattle I old cow with a blaze I ditto, called kromhoorn I red cow with a star 8 I red heifer 2 I bull 3 3 heifer calves I r 8 Animals found on the place occupied by Cornells van es,'^'^ the loth of February 1651 Horses I old gray mare I bay ditto with a star I brown stallion with a star 3 Animals found on the farm of teunis dirrcksen,'^^ the 14th day of February 165 i Horses Years Cattle Years I sorrel mare 6 I brown cov/ 8 I mare with a star 8 1 ditto 5 I black mare 4 I cow with a blaze 4 I sorrel stallion 3 I red cow 3 I brown ditto with a star 4 2 red heifers 2 I mare with a brown nose 2 I red bull 2 I bay ditto with a star 2 I brindled ditto 2 I sorrel stallion 2 I red heifer calf I I sorrel filly I I brindled ditto I 9 10 Literally translated, the names of these animals are: Pinkster r)loom, King, Thick Llead, The Falcon, Crooked Horn. " Elsewhere given as Cornelis Ilendricksz van Nes. ^ Teunis Dircksz van Vechten. 734 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Animals found on the farm of Claes segers/^ the 14th day of February 165 1 Horses Years' Cattle Years I sorrel mare 5 I red cow about 6 I brown ditto with a star 3 I ditto 5 I brown mare 2 I ditto 3 I gray gelding 20 1 heifer with crooked horns 3 I gelding with a blaze 7 I heifer without a tail 3 I black gelding about 5 1 red yearling I barren mare (in addition I red heifer calf I to the number that be- longs to the farm 7 7 Animals found on the farm of jeuriaen bestval,^^ the 14th day of February 1651 Horses Years Cattle Years I black mare 12 I red cow about II I brown ditto with a star 7 I spotted cow 8 I black mare with a star 6 I red cow 7 I black mare about 3 I red heifer 2 2 black stallions 3 I red heifer calf I 2 black stallion colts with blazes I 5 I brown ditto I 9 *® No farmer by this name a()pears in the account books among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. The name occurs several times in Gerechts Rolle 1648-52, but on f.gib of that volume and also in the index to Account Book, 1642—54, the name Cornelisz is written over that of Segersz, while the occupant of the farm on Papscanee Island is given in the Notietie Vn de Bouwerijen, 1651, on p. 741, as Claes Segerts, and in the renewal of the lease, 1652, on p. 767, as Claes Cornelisz. It seems certain therefore that Claes Segersz was the same person as Claes Cornelisz, the son of Cornells Segersz van Voorhout, and that contrary to the visual rule of Dutch nomenclature he was occasion- ally called Segersz to distinguish him from Claes Cornelisz, the brother of Gijsbert Cornelisz op den Hoogenberch. This name is given in the account books among the Rensselaerswyck Mss as Jur- riaen Bestvall, Bestevall, Bestivall, Bestwall, Westval, Wesh'ael, Westvaelt and West- phael. In a patent to Johanna de Laet, for land at Esopus, March 27, 1657, Dutch Patents, HH, p. 74, he is referred to as Juriaen van Westphalen. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 735 Animals found on the farm of gijsbcrt Cornelissen van breuckelen on the hiU,5i 14th of February 1651 Horses Years Cattle Years I brown mare with a star 7 I brown cow 8 1 bay ditto 7 I brindled ditto 8 1 black stallion with a star 10 I red ditto 6 I ditto 6 I brindled ditto 5 1 brown ditto 5 I red heifer 3 I bay mare with a star 2 I red heifer calf I I stallion colt with a blaze I 6 7 Animals found on the farm of jan reijerszj'" the 14th February 165 1 Horses Years Cattle Years I old mare with a blaze I brindled cow, about 15 about 20 I cow with a blaze 7 I brown mare with a star 7' I brindled ditto 4 I ditto 6 I heifer with star 2 I stallion with a blaze 4 I red heifer calf I I marc with a blaze about 2 I bull calf with a blaze I I brown filly I I brown stallion colt with a 6 star I 7 Animals found on the farm of jan helms, the 14th of February 165 1 Horses Years Cattle Years I old gray mare i red brindled cow 8 I bay mare, called maeger'^ i red cow with a star 5 about ' 20 I red cow 6 1 black mare with a star 7 i old cow with a blaze 2 brown stallions with stars i red cow about 5 about 3 I red heifer 3 I brown filly with a star i i bull (in addition to his num- — ber) 6 — 7 '•^ aende berch ; from its situation this farm was called de Hoogeberch, see p. 769. Jan Reyersz van Houten. " Lean. 736 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Animals found on the farm of aert jacobsen, the 14th of February 1651 Horses Years Cattle Years I bay mare, called block 16 I red cow with a star about 10 I brown mare with a star I brindled cow 7 about 10 I cow with a blaze 6 I ditto, called raeuen^ 6 2 red heifers 2 I black stallion with a star 7 I red spotted ditto 2 I brown stallion 2 2 bull calves with blazes I 1 bay stallion colt with a star I 8 6 Animals found on the farm of Cornelis segerss,^^ the 13th of February 165 i Horses Years Cattle Years I black stallion with a star, i black cow 4 called dobes^^ . 4 i red cow with a star, called I brown mare, called de kleijne 4 jonge licht hart about 4 i red cow, called krom- I old mare, called de blecke 10 hooren 5 I bay gelding with a blaze 3 i red ditto, called kort specn 5 I mare, called de ouwde lich i red ditto, called de man- hart 12, hatansche veers 12 I bay mare with a star i red ditto, called kreupylbos 6 about 20 I black brindled cow 5 I mare with a star, called i red cow, Hans 5 de jonge snel about 4 i whitish cow about 4 I mare, called de jonge mae- 2 red heifers with stars 4 ger about 3 3 red ditto 4 1 gray gelding, called de 2 red oxen " 2 honger lijder about 3 i red heifer 2 2 bay fillies with stars I i black bull calf I I stallion colt I 2 red heifer calves i I mare, called de jonge kol i black heifer calf i about 3 1 red bull calf i 13 22 ^* Raven. Cornelis Segersz van Voorhout. ^'^ Translating such of these names as can be so treated, the names of the animals on this farm are: Dobes, Young Light Heart, Whitie, Old Light Heart, Young Fleet, Young Skinny, the Starveling, Young Star, Tiny, Crooked Horn, Short Teat, the Man- hatan heifer, Cripple Bush, Hans. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 737 Animals found on the farm of jan baerentsen,^'^ the 13th of February 1651 Horses Years Cattle Years I bay gelding with a star I red cow with crooked horns 4 I bay ditto I fallow cow 6 I sorrel mare with a blaze 4 I red ditto with a blaze 6 I bay mare with a star 10 I muley cow with a blaze 10 I gray mare 6 2 red heifer calves I I ditto 2 2 ditto bull calves I I brown stallion colt with a star I 8 Animals found on the place occupied by thomas jansen, the 13th of February 165 i Horses Years Cattle Years I brown gelding with a star 1 1 2 red cows 9 I bay ditto v/ith a star 9 I red ditto 4 2 red oxen 2 2 2 red heifers I I red heifer calf of this year 8 Animals found on the farm of adrians Huhertsen, the loth of February 1651 Horses Years I gray mare 5 I brown mare, called de Ra^^ I mare called smiyf"'-* I 1 mare, called de ouzve bruijn^'^ 2 mare colts about 2 I mare colt with a blaze about r I brown stallion colt with a star about i Cattle Years 2 red full-grown cows I whitish ditto I red ditto with blaze I whitish heifer 2 I red ditto 2 I red ditto with a blaze 2 I red bull with a blaze 2 I red yearling 8 Jan Barentsz Wenip. Fleet. Snout. Old Brown. 47 738 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Animals found on the farm of Cornelis teunissen van hreuckel the ist of February 165 1 Horses Years Cattle Years I bay mare with a blaze 4 red full-grown cows about 13 I red heifer 2 2 gray marcs about 6 I red heifer calf about i I light gray ditto 5 I bay stallion with a star 3 6 I bay ditto 3 I ditto with a star 3 I bay mare with a star 2 8 Animals found on the farm, called de vlacktc, used by Arcnt van Coder, the 20th of August 1651 Cattle Years 6 red full-grown cows 2 black full-grown cows 1 black ox (of the half and half increase) 2 3 oxen (of said increase) i 2 bulls (of said increase) 2 1 heifer (of said increase) i 2 heifers of the year 1651 (of said increase) I ox of the year 1651 (of said increase) Horses I gray mare, called troon^^ I gray mare, called poest I black mare I bay mare, called snuijt I bay mare with a blaze, called rosbeier I black mare with a star I black gelding, hanes Years de pa- 6 8 9 7 6 4 12 I bay gelding, called spiering 9 I brown stallion without mark 3 (belongs to the increase divisible half and half) I sorrel colt with a blaze i (belongs also to the in- crease) 18 20' 62 Translating such of these names as can be so treated, the names of the animals on this farm are: the Patroon, Poest (possibly a horse that had belonged to Jan Barentsz Wemp, nicknamed Poest), Snout, Rosbeier (horse of Bayard), Hans, Smelt. ®^ So in original; should be lo. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 739 Animals found on the farm of pieter teunissen^^ at kats kil, the 20th of August 165 1 Horses ' Years I old mare with a star I stallion, called lap^ about 12 I mare, called de jonge zvac- kcr 4 I filly i>4 I filly of this year Cattle Years I cow, called koe staert about 12 I cow, called dc groote about 12 I heifer with her first calf I heifer 2 3 calves I 3 calves of this year 10 On the farm of jan van hreemen,^^ also at Catskil, the 20th of August Horses Years I mare, called block I mare, called Corlaer 6 I mare, called euert pels 4 1 mare, called snuijtgen^'^ 5 2 colts, a stallion and a mare Cattle Year I cow with a star, with her second calf I heifer with her first calf 1 cow with her second calf 2 calves of this year On the farm of Thomas Chamber Evert Pels Cornelis van Es Thetmis dirckxss Claes Zegerssz jnriaen Bestval Gysbcrt Cornelissen jan reijcrsz jan helms Acrt jacobs.c Horses 8 7 3 9 7 9 7 7 6 6 Cattle 8 8 o 10 7 5 6 6 7 8 "^Pieter Toiinisz van Tiriinswijck. Ccrcclifs RoUc, 1648--S2, £.104!), among tlie Rcnssclacrswyck Mss. The names of the animals on this farm are: Patch, Young Lively, Cow's Tail, P.ig One. /(JM Dirckss van Bremen, according to Croat Boeck, 1640-50, f.34, and Gercchis Rolle, 1648-52, f.71, among the Rensselaerswyek Mss. Erroneously given by O'Cal- laghan. History of New Netherland, 1:441, as Jan Jansen van Bremen. Little Snout. 740 NEW YORK STATE Lir.RARY On the farm of Horses Cattle Cornelis Zegerss 13 22 jan barensz 7 8 Thomas jansz 2 8 adriaen huijbertsz 8 9 Cornelis theuniss 8 6 Arent van Corler 10 18 Kats Kil, Pieter theuniss 5 10 jan van breenien 6 5 128 horses 161^'^ cattle i68'''^ cattle Total 296'^^ Memorandum of farms in the colony"** 1651 Farms in the colony Guilders Morgens Horses Cows A farm used by Cauibre,^'-* on the east side of the North or Great [River], on the mainland 30 9 8 This is newly cleared land which will not bring rent till next November f500 One ditto used by Evert pels; adjoins the pine grove'" f400 20 7 8 Has two sav/mills, fi25 Due for water rights fi25 So in original but the numbers should be 151, 151 and 279, respectively. This document does not form part of the Van Rensselaer Bowier collection, but is found among the Rensselacrswyck Mss. It is endorsed: 16^1 Notietie Vn de Bouwcrijcn In Nicuncderlandt Endc Wat deselve Behoorde te Rendceren ; Vtit Capt. slijters Raport (1651, Memorandum of the farms in New Netherland and what rent the same should bring; from Capt. Slijter's report). The document is valuable for its information as to location, size and quality of the farms mentioned in the preceding " Inventory of animals, 1651," and in " I^eases and agreements relating to the farms, 1650—58," which follows, and has therefore been deemed worth printing here. A comparison of the document with the " Inventory of animals, 1651," will show some discrepancies in the number of animals reported. Capt. Slijter had charge of the colony during the absence of l^irector van Slichtenhorst, in the summer of 1651. Thomas Chambers. leet aent grijne bos. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS One ditto used by Cornel is Van ncs; poor One ditto used by t'hcuiiis dircksc ; lies behind the island of Paepsichenc and is one of the best This ought to bring- more and gives oak tithes One ditto used by Juriacii WeestmacI,'''^ on papskhinc Island ; also one of the best farms Has never paid yet and gives tithes : — • One ditto used by Claes So- ger ts,''" on the aforesaid island ; also one of the best farms and gives tithes One ditto used by Cornclis van Brnckelen,''^ on the hig'h hill of crystal a fine farm And for tithes and rent of two sawmills used by jacoh janse flooder A farm used by Joan heling,''^' on Betelhems Island Also tithes, but does not pay A farm used by aret Jacobss, on the mainland called Bet- telhcni; poor. The west side is a good farm. Will clear three morgens more at his own expense Jurriacn Westvael, or Bestval. ^'^ See note on p. 734. " Gijsbert Cornclisz van Breuckelcn. aende Hooge barch Van Cristal. " Jan Helms. Guilders Morgens Horses Cows f225 9 3 f5oo 30 II 14 f56o 28 10 5 {460 28 7 10 f36o 27 7 II fi25 2 — — f300 40 6 II f25o 16 5 12 74- NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Guilders Morgcns Horses Cows Behind these two farms Hes a sawmill wliieh does not work for laek of water A farm used hy Jolian Ba- rciitsc; a stately farm on the side of Castle Island; tithes f5o:— f275 14 8 9 A tobacco plantation used by Jacob Havick f20 — — — Two large sawmills used by albert andris inoonnan. This is a powerful waterfall, worth as much as fiooo; gives for both {2^0 A farm used by Cornells scgers, being a good farm situated on Castle Island; with re- cently cleared land large fi2io 70 13 22 And was to give for tithes 1000 guilders A farm used by t'hoiiias janscn, lying on the bcvers kil. Has his own house fi30 618 Follows the outline of the village ;'^*' the house was rented last year for about 85 beavers at 8 guilders f68o — — — A farm called Blommendael, used by arion Huijberts; rut Jaeobs lessee f300 14 9 10 Guilders 6670 334 96 128 [Folio 2] Guilders Morgens Horses Cows 13 Farms carried forward from the other side amount to f6670 334 96 128 ™ Volcht dc Bij een wonigh onteent. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 743 Guilders Morgens Horses Cows A farm used by Cornclis teu- ncsse Vail Bruckclen. Does not pay, claims ownership f6oo 255^ 10 9 A farm called de Vlackte, used by arent Colacr, being the best farm one island 16 morgens, very good one ditto 5 morgens, good mainland 23 morgens, fair 44 44 10 18 Guilders 7270 4033^ 116 155 For farm of Corlaer, by estimate 1000 Bill of lading for three parcels of furs shipped from New Amsterdam by Jan Baptist van Rensselaer in the Elbinck'^'^ May 2Q, 1653 T, Jan Janse Visscr, of Amsterdam, skipper under God of my vessel named elhinck, which now at the present moment lies ready at Nezv Amsterdam to sail with the first favorable wind which God will grant to Amsterdam, which shall be my true place of unload- ing, witness and declare that I have received into the hold of my aforesaid ship from you johannes renselaer, to wit, three parcels of peltries, all dry and in good condition and marked with the mark hereto affixed, all of which I promise to deliver (if God grants me a safe voyage) by means of the aforesaid ship at Am- sterdam aforesaid to the worthy patroon and co- directors of the colony of Rensselaerszvyck or to his factor or deputies, provided I am paid for freight of the aforesaid goods 20 guilders and eight stivers and " K R. B. Mss 47. Written on a printed blank 11.5 x 22.5cm. Written parts are printed in italics. No 1: 2 & s 744 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY three stivers per guilder for average in addition to the average according to maritime usage. And to fulfil what is written above, I bind myself and all my possessions and my aforesaid ship with all its belongings. In testimony of the truth, I have signed with my name or there have been signed by my clerk for me, three bills of lading,'^^ all of the same tenor, one being receipted, the other two to be of no value. Written in Nezv Netherland the 2pth day of May 1653. [signed] Jan Jansz visscher Petition of Anna Van Wely and others for appraisal of houses and lots in Amsterdam belonging to the estate of the late Kiliaen van Rensselaer, with appraisers' report^" November 6 and 8, 1653 Clein Segel 2 St. [signed] / hruijningh To the honorable gentlemen of the honorable Court of the city of Amsterdam. Show with due reverence, Anna van Wely, widow of the late kiliaan van Renssehier, of the first part, also jean van Rensselaar, her stepson, of the second part, and joan van Welij and W outer van Twiller, guard- ians of the minor children of the aforesaid Anna van Welij begotten by the aforesaid Kiliaan van Rens- selaar, of the third pa'rt, that to the estate of the de- ceased belong several houses and lots which could not be divided at the settlement without previous knowledge of the value of each, and in order that the same may be made impartially, the petitioners respectfully pray that your honors will please to appoint and authorize Connosscmenten. V. R. B. Mss 48. Dr GilHs Valckenier. Joan Munster. «2 Dr Roetert Ernst. Dr Willem Jorisz Backer, secretary. Scliepens appoint the Hon. Pieter Adrianss Raep, IJsbrant vandcr Hem and Arent Dircksz Boscli for the purpose as herein re- (juested. Done the 6tli of November 1653 Present: Messrs Dr G: Valckenier,^" J : muiiter^' and Dr Ernst/'^ schepens [signed I W. J. Backer"^ 1> AM I/O 1. A-^ t,V.- fi -j.^^ ^^^^ t'>^^,l-^i?t«,^ / etition of Anna Van Wely and others for appraisal of houses and lots at Amsterdam l)clonging to tlie estate of the late Kiliaen van Rensselaer, November 8, 1653 From V.R.B.Mss 48. About .^/^ of ' original size VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 745 three persons to make such impartial valuation and appraisal as the said persons shall think proper. Which doing etc. [signed] Anna van Weely, widow of Kiliaen van Rensselaer deceased Johan Van Rensselaer Jchan van Weely zvoiiter van Tzviller In accordance with the above written -commission, we, the under- written, after inspection appraised the following houses and lots (though subject to correction) and declare the same to be worth, at the regular season, namely : The large house on the Kaysers i^raft, about 32 feet wide, the lot 170 feet deep f 23.000 The smallest, next to it, lot 170 feet deep f 9000 The other, occupied by Domine Rode, lot 170 feet deep f 1 2000 Two houses in JVolf street, each 6000 guilders, together f 12000 The house de Roos, by the nieu ayds churchyard f 7000 £63000 In testimony whereof, signed the 8th of November 1653. [signed] Ysbrant Hem Pieter Ad'. Raap Arent. d. Bosch [Endorsed] Anna van JVely, widow Valuation of the houses. 746 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Leases and agreements relating to the farms, sawmills, planta- tions and other property in the colony of Rensselaerswyck'*^ August 25, i6jO — September 11, 1658 OFFER OF LEASE OF GRIST- AND SAWMILLS ON THE FIFTH CREEK TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER AND MEMORANDUM THAT 11' HAS BKFN GRANTED TO JACOB JANSZ FLODDER^ January 2g and February 2, 1654 The director and commissioners of the colony of Rensselaers- wyck desire this day, the 29th of January of the year 1654, to lease to the highest bidder the grist- and sawmills situate;! and being on the fifth creek,^^ upon the following conditions. First, the mills shall be delivered to the lessee in working order with all that the former lessee received with them ; he shall keep the aforesaid mills in working order and at the end of the term of his lease again deliver them up in working order ; but if he removes the mills to another place or rebuilds them, he shall at the end of his lease receive 400 guilders. The lease shall be for eight consecutive years, beginning the i8th of May of this year 1654.^''' ^*V. R. B. Mss 45, entitled: Extract Vande Bouwerijen, Saeghmolens, Plantagicn ende Anders. Concerncrende de Colonie Van Rensselaerswijck, 64P. folio. This manuscript consists of a series of certified copies of leases and agreements which, with the exception of one instrument, dated Aug. 25, 1650, were executed during the ad- ministration of Jan Baptist van Rensselaer as director of the colony. It was ap- parently prepared by Dirck van Hamel for the use of Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, shortly before the latter's departure for Holland in September 1658, at which time the account books of the colony were closed and duplicates for use in Holland were also prepared. A comparison with these account books shows that the manuscript in- cludes every farm and mill for which rent was charged at the time of its preparation, those referred to in the memoranda on p. 770, 772, 775, being apparently farms and mills which continued to be occupied but for which the leases had not yet been renewed. The arrangement of the leases is not by date but by locality. Of the originals from which the manuscript was prepared, none but the lease to Cornells Hendricksz van Nes, Aug. 25, 1650, are at present among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. May 11, 1659, Jeremias van Rensselaer writes to his brother, Jan Baptist van Rensselaer: "and if you have not yet looked over the papers which you took with you, please do so, for among them must be some contracts which can not be found here, such as the con- tracts of Cornells fan nes, jan heliness., the goijes kit, the noormans kit and some other papers. The instruction of September 4, 1647, to the director and commissioners can not be found either, so that you will please send that or see to it that another is made according to which we can govern ourselves." See copies of letters of Jeremias van Rensselaer, 1657-59, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. 8= V. R. B. Mss 45, p. I. Now ( ( (i Patroon's Creek, in the northern part of the city of Albany. According to the account books of the colony, the mills were leased to Rutger Jacobsz and Barent Pietersz till May 18, 1654, at 550 guilders a year. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 747 Within two years from* the commencement of the lease two new millstones shall be fnrnished for the grist-mill. The lessee shall pay once for the expenses connected with the leasing- one stiver on each guilder and annually as toepacht^^ eight fowls. The lessee shall always and before others accommodate the farms, especially those which are far away, because of the greater amount of the wages involved, and further help every one as fast as possible. To the mills shall be furnished two stallions or geldings which the lessee shall use without any payment therefor. The horses shall be appraised at the commencement of the lease and the lessee shall bear the risk. At the end of the lease they sh.all be appraised again and their decrease in value made good by the lessee. Payments must be made promptly each year in good, strung sea- wan or merchantable beavers. The price of grinding remains as l)efore. The lessee shall submit himself to the honorable court of the aforesaid colony as well as to the ordinances already passed or to be passed hereafter. The lessee shall be obliged to furnish two sufficient sureties, who shall submit themselves to the honorable court aforesaid. No one shall be allowed to take as surety a member of the court of the aforesaid colony. The lessee shall immediately pay the secretary a fee of two rix- dollars. In leasing the mills, the same rules shall be followed which have been observed heretofore by the honorable court. These conditions being understood by the hearers, every one is to suit his own interest. Was signed : Jaii Baptist van Rensselaer, Anthonms de Hoogcs, Arcnt van Curler. Jacob lanss. Plodder has leased the aforesaid mills on the above conditions for 1906 guilders a year and Sander Leendertsz. Glen and Willcm Frcdricxsz, van Leyden offer themselves on behalf of lacob lansa. aforesai;! as bondsmen and sureties for the fulfilment of the above conditions, for which the lessee and the sureties, each one for himself, submits his person and property, movable and im- movable, owned at present or to be acquired hereafter, to the juris- diction of the honorable court of the colony of R: IVyck, or where it may be most convenient to the lessors or their successors. In tocpaclit ; literally, an additional rent, usually in kind, in recognition of the feudal rights of the patroon. i - i 748 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY witness whereof, Jacob laiisa, Plodder, as lessee, and Sander Leen- dertsz. and Willem Fredricxsz., as sureties, have signed these with their own hands. Done in R: Wyck, the 2d of February 1654. Was signed : jacob janssen Plodder, Sander Leendertsen Glen, the mark X of zvilleni Predricxsz. van Leyden, made with his own hand. ACRKEMENT ABOUT CHANGES IN THE ABOVE LEASE^^ June 2, iS^.f. On the 19th of May 1654, Jacob jansz. Plodder took over the mills at the fifth creek on the aforesaid conditions. It is found, however, that the sawmill has fallen considerably into decay, which at the end of the lease will be taken into proper consideration. On the date aforesaid there were delivered to lacob laiisz. two stallions which upon request have been appraised by Goosen Ger- ritsz, and Cornells Cornclisz. van voorhout, the stallion taken from Cornelis aforesaid at 240 guilders and that from de Hoogenberch^ at 200 guilders. Without prejudice to the preceding lease, as the aforesaid mills are found greatly out of repair, the director, Johan Baptista van Rensselaer, and the commissioners have further agreed and con- tracted with Jacob Janss. Plodder together with Willem freder- ic.vsz. and Sander Leendertsz, sureties for the aforesaid Jacob, that the term of the lease shall be extended and prolonged four years, so that it shall run 12 years, but only 10 years' rent shall be paid, two years' rent to be equally distributed over the 12 years and each year deducted,^^ while on the other hand the mention in the contract of 400 guilders for the renewing or removing of the mills shall be annulled and void. And in case they should erect another grist- mill on the aforesaid creek they shall pay no rent for it during the aforesaid period and the patroon and codirectors shall on the ex- piration of the lease take over the newly erected mill at its proper valuation and during the aforesaid time no other grist-mill may be erected on the said creek. All of which, being done without guile or deceit, the contracting parties have confirmed with their signa- tures. R. Wyck, the 2(1 of June 1654. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V : JJamel, Secretary. «9 V. R. B. Mss 45, p.3. Tlie name of one of the farms;, see p. 769. That is, the rent is reduced by one sixth, in accordance wherewith Flodder is charged in the account books of the colony with a yearly rent of 1588 guilders and six stivers, instead of 1906 guilders, the amount stated in the preceding lease. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 749 transfer of lease of maize land, behind land of cornelis teunisz van breuckelen, from abraham stevensz to barent pietersz coeymans, and extension of the said lease"^ March i, 1655 Copy At Easter of this year 1654,^^ I, Barcnt Pieterss., took over from Abraham Stevenss., two years' lease of the maize land lying behind the land of Cornelis Teunisse^'^ and have further leased the afore- said land from Ian Batist van Rensselaer, director of the colony of Rensselaer, for the four succeeding years, for the sum of f24 a year. In testimony of the truth I have signed this with my own hand, the first of March 1655. in Rensselaerswyck. Was signed: jan Baptist van Rensselaer, this is the mark X of Barent Pieterss made with his own hand. Agrees with the original, which I certify, Still leased as above. [signed] D: V : Hamel, Secretary. lease of water power of THE UPPER MILL ON THE FIFTH CREEK TO BARENT PIETERSZ COEYMANS AND TEUNIS CORNELISZ VAN SPITSBERGEN^^ December 14, 16^4 Copy This day the 14th of December 1654, Mr lohan Baptista van Rensselaer, in his capacity of director of the colony of Rensselaers- wyck, has agreed and contracted with Barent Pieterss. and Tennis van Spitsbergen concerning the lease of the water power of the V. R. B. Mss 45, P-S- , , , 'Gileses lacrs 1654; apparently a mistake for dcs locrs 1654, q£ llic ycai 1054- Abraham Stevensz leased the Valeije behind the farm of P.roer Cornells on I'cb. 3, 1650 for four or six years, at an annual rent of one and a half beavers, taking upon himself all the expenses; Gcrcchts RoUc, 1648-52, f.47l', among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. Barent Pietersz apparently took over the two years' lease from Feb. 3, 1654, to Feb. 3, 1656, and then March i, 165S, had the lease extended from 1656 to 1660. Abraham Stevensz is in the Gcrcchts Rollc and in the account books frequently re- ferred to as de Croact, the Croatian. Not unlikely he had come to Holland with the bands of Croatians who under Ernst, count of Montecucculi, invaded the Veluwe and the Gooi in 1629. Barent Pietersz appears in the Rensselaerswyck Mss, under date of 1647, as Barent PieSerss Koijemans. «The farm of Cornelis Teunisz van Breuckelen was situated some distance north of the Patroon's Creek. See p. 751. »5 V. R. B. Mss 45, P-6- 750 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY upper milP'^ on the fifth creek in the aforesaid colony, namely, that they may use the same for the space of six successive years, com- mencing on the (late above written, on condition that the aforesaid lessees pay Mr van Rensselaer or his successors, the sum of 150 guilders a year in merchantable goods at market prices. In testi- mony whereof both parties have confirmed these presents with their signatures. Agreed on the date as above. Was signed : Jan Bap- tist van Rensselaer, this is the mark X of Barent Pietcrss., made with his own hand, Teunis Cornelisa. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V : Hamel, Secretary. PERMISSION TO BARENT I'lETlCRSZ COEYMANS AND TEUNIS CORNELISZ VAN SPITSBERGEN TO ERECT ANOTHER SAWMILL ON THE CREEK'" August J, 1656 Copy This day, date underwritten, Mr jan Baptist van RenssJaer, di- rector of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, has contracted and agreed with Barent Pietersc. and Teunis Corncliss van Spitsbergen, as fol- lows : the director gives them permission to erect another sawmill"^ above the sawmill situated at the fifth creek, which said mill they may use for the space of 10 years next ensuing, commencing when the first board shall be sawed. They shall pay as an annual rent, for the first three years after they begin to saw, the sum of 100 guilders, and for tlie remaining seven years, 125 guilders, payments to be made in good merchantable goods, either boards or good, strung seawan. In testimony whereof, parties have confirmed these According to Hie account hooks of tlic colony tin's was a sawmill, formerly owned by Riitger Jacobsz and Barent Pietcrsz who, Dec. 14, 1654, are charged with six years' rent for water power at 125 guilders a year. It was called the boi'cnstc molcn, or upper mill, on account of its location on the fifth creek relatively to that of the com- bination saw and grist-mill belonging to the patroon and codirectors, for which, May 18, 1654, Rutger Jacobs and Barent Pietcrsz are charged with six years' rent at 550 guilders a year and which after that date was leased to Jacob Jansz Floddcr at 1588 guilders and six stivers a year (see p. 746). A third mill, which was erected in 1656 at the expense of Barent Pietcrsz and Teunis Cornelisz van Spitsbergen, in accordance with the agreement printed below, is in the account books usually referred to as the alderborenste molen, the uppermost mill, but in some entries as the bovenste molcn, in which cases the mill mentioned in the present lease is called the onderste molen, the lower mill. »T V. R. B. Mss 45, p. 7. ^ In the account books of the colony among the Rensselaerswyck Mss this mill is usually referred to as the alderbovenste molen, the uppermost tpill. See pote to pr?. ceding lease. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS with their usual signatures. Done in Rensselaerswyck, the third of August 1656. Was signed: jan Baptist van Rensselaer, the mark X of Bareiit Pieterss., made with his own hand, Tcunis Cornelisse. The first board, the ist of August 1657. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretary. LEASE OF FARM, NORTH OF THE FIFTH CREEK, TO JOHAN DE HULTER^^ March J, 16^4 Copy Mr Johan Baptista van Rensselaer, director of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, has agreed and contracted with Mr I.ohan de Hulter regarding the lease of a farm situated from the fifth creek north to the farm of Cornclis Teuniss van breuckelen, on the fol- lowing conditions. The lessee shall accept the aforesaid farm with its house, barn and barracks as they are delivered to him at the beginning of the lease, the risk and care of the aforesaid buildings to be borne equally by the lessor and the lessee, general war excepted, in which case the lessor takes the entire charge upon himself. Fences and all other expenses, of whatever nature they may be, are to be at the charge of the lessee alone. The lease shall run for six successive years, commencing the first of May 1654, at the yearly rent of 275 guilders in merchantable grain, wheat counted at 10 guilders and oats at four guilders a muddc. For use on the farm are delivered three marcs, one stallion, one gelding and four m'llch cows, one half of the increase to go to the lessor and the other half to the lessee, provided that at the expira- tion of the lease the lessee must first of all turn over the number of animals furnished to him and if then there is found to be any increase, it shall be divided as aforesaid. The lessee shall yearly pay tithes of all grain as on other farms, also the toepacht just as others. To avoid all disputes, the house, barn and barracks shall be ap- praised and the increase or decrease in value estimated accordingly. For all that is above written and for the execution thereof the ^V,R.B,Mss 45. p. 8. 752 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY lessee binds his person and estate, nothing excepted, submitting them to all courts and justices. In testimony whereof, the con- tracting parties have confirmed this with their signatures, in Rensselaerswyck, the 7th day of March 1654. Was signed : jan Baptist van Rensselaer, Johan de hulter. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V : Hamel, Secretary. RENEWAL OF LEASE OF FARM TO CORNELIS TEUNISZ VAN BREUCKELEN (CORNELIS ANTHONISZ VAN SCHLICK) AND JEAN LABATIE^ August 28, 1652 Copy Mr lohan Baptiste van Rensselaer, director, and the commis- sioners of the colony of Rensselaerswyck have this day, the 28th of August 1652, again leased and rented the farm used to this day, by Cornelis Anthoniss. van Breuckelen^ to the aforesaid Cornells Anthoniss. and lohan Labatje in company on the following con- ditions. I First, the lessees bind themselves to have built at the first op- portunity a dwelling house, barn and barracks on the high ground in the pasture of the aforesaid farm, at their expense without any charge to the lord patroon and the codirectors. As to the dwelling house, it shall belong to the lessees without any obligation on the part of the owners of the colony to take it over ; but the lessees may for their own profit dispose of it to the next lessee. 3 The barn and the barracks shall be appraised by impartial judges when they are completed and again at the expiration of the lease, and the [excess of the] last appraisal shall be deducted from the last rent. 4 All expenses, such as stockades, farm implements and other necessar ies are to be at the charge of the lessees alone. 1 V. R. B. Mss 45, p. 10. = For location of this farm, see preceding lease. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 753 5 The lease shall run six consecutive years, commencing on the date above written and ending on the same date at the expiration of said period. 6 The lessees shall the first two years pay an annual rent of 500 guilders without tithes, and this for the reason that they have to expend money on the building ; the Jast four years annually 500 guilders as rent and 100 guilders as tithes. 7 Payment shall be made in grain, wheat at 10 guilders, oats at four guilders a mudde, promptly each year without postponing it to another year ; and if they do not pay in grain they must turn over good beavers at market prices to the required amount. 8 They shall receive in hand •"'horses and ^cows, one half of th'i increase of which shall be theirs provided that they may not sell their share outside the colony except with special consent. 9 For the fulfilment of which conditions, the lessees bind their respective property, movable and immovable, now possessed or to be obtained hereafter, subject to the jurisdiction of the court here or wherever it may be most convenient to the lessors. And instead of sureties, the lessees pledge the dwelling house, barn and barracks which they are to have built at their own ex- pense as above mentioned. Done as above. Was signed: Cor- nelis Anthonisen van Salick.^ This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamcl, Secretary. Still leased as above. ^ Blank in original. ■* Evidently an error of the copyist for van Sclilick, as lie signs liis name in N. Y. Col. Mss, 2:i6o. Sec note on p. 255-56. 48 754 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY LEASE OF WATER POWER, ON THE MILL CREEK SOUTH OF FARM OCCU- PIED BY JAN BARENTSZ W1<:MP, TO ABRAHAM PIETERSZ VOSBURGH AND HANS JANSZ VAN ROTTERDAM^ September jo, 1656 Copy On this day, the last of September, Mr Ian Baptist van Rens- selaer, director of the colony of R. Wyck, as lessor, and Abraham Pietersz. vosburch, with Hans lanss. van Rotterdam, as lessees, have agreed and contracted about the water power on the mill creek" south of the farm now occupied by Ian Barentss Wemp, on the following conditions. The lease shall commence on the first of January of next year, 1657, and continue six successive years at 100 guilders or 100 good merchantable boards and two pair''' of fowls each year, the boards to be delivered at the water's edge of the river. The lessees may plant a garden and also keep some horses, cows and hogs but upon the express condition that the farm of Ian Barentss aforesaid shall not be injured or inconvenienced thereby and that they must enclose the land which they want to use for their horses or cows with a good fence. The aforesaid lessees further ex- pressly promise, each one for himself, that they will not in any way, either directly or indirectly, sell or cause to be sold to the savages any brandy, good beer or any liquor by whatever name it may be called, on the forfeiture of the share in the mill of the one who is found to have committed the offense, without any ex- ceptions or excuses. They further submit themselves to the orders, regulations and ordinances of the honorable court of this colony of Rensselaerswyck, both those which arc already issued and those which may be issued in the future; and for the fulfil- ment of what is above written the lessees besides their persons and goods pledge the aforesaid mill by way of mortgage, and to that end the lessor as well as the lessees have confirmed these with their own signatures, without guile or deceit. Done at R. Wyck, on the date as above. Was signed: jan Baptist van Rensselaer, = V. R. B. Mss 45, p.13. "Wynant's Kill, on (he cast side of the Hudson River, in the southern part of the city of Troy. This creek wag bought from the Indians Jan. 37, 1651: gee note on p- 755-56. ' ' ^ coppelen, VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 755 Abraham Pietersen vosburch, the mark X of Hans lansscn van Rotterdam, made with his own hand. Below was written : In my presence, D: V: Hamel, secretary. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamcl, Secretary. LEASE OF FARM BETWEEN THE TWO CREEKS, LAST OCCUPIED BY THOMAS CHAMBERS, TO JAN BARENTSZ WEMP^ November i8, 1654 Copy On the date underwritten, Mr lohan Bap*, van Rensselaer, di- rector, and the commissioners of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, have agreed and contracted with Ian Barentss. Wemp respecting the lease of the farm last occupied by Thomas Chamber in the aforesaid colony, upon the following conditions. I The lessee shall use the land between the two creeks as cultivated by TJioinas Chamber, and if the adjoining land can 1)e obtained from the savages, he shall use it with the aforesaid land, without further charges than those mentioned in this contract. 2 The house, barn and barracks shall at the first opportunity be appraised by experienced men, the risk and charge of the same ^ V. R. B. Mss 45. p. 15. The farm rc'ferred ff) in tliis lease was established by Thomas Chambers uiuler a contract with the officers of the colony, dated Sept. 7, 1646, which is found in Cofiije van ecnigc Aden en andere AenmcrckeUjckc Notitien, 1643— 48, p.74— 7S, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss. The land is described as being " situated obliquely opposite the farm called tie I'lacktc, on tlie east side of the river, between the two creeks," by which is meant the land between the present Wynant's and Poesten Kills, in the southern part of the city of Troy. Tlie contract provides that Thomas Chambers shall use the said land for the period of five years, commencing Nov. I, 1647; that be shall build at his own expense a barn, 60x28 feet, in all re- spects like the barn of Poentje, a dwelling house, 32x18 feet, hay barracks and a fence, and that at the end of the five years he .shall surrender these to the patroon in lieu of rent; also, that he sliall receive two marcs, two stallions and four cows, and that each year he sliall pay tithes and, as an acknowledgement, 251b of butter. The con- tract provides further that if there is an opportunity to erect a sawmill, Thomas Chambers shall have the preference, and that at the end of the five years he may extend the term of his lease for three years, on payment of an annual rent of fsoo, in addition to tithes. In the account books of the colony, Thomas Chambers is charged w^ith tithes from 1647 to 1652, and with rent and tithes from 1652 to 1654. July 74, 1654, Thomas Chambers gurrendered his farm, dwelling house, b^rn and hay 756 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY during the term of the lease to be shared half and half by the lessors and by the lessee, except in case of general war, when the lessee shall not have to bear any of the charges. 3 All expenses of whatever nature shall be defrayed by the lessee, who is also solely responsible for the fences. 4 The lessee receives four mares, one stallion and four cows, which he must return at the end of the lease or replace from the increase; half the increase of the said horses and cattle shall belong to the lessee. 5 The lease of the said farm commences at stubble time of this year 1654 and shall end the first day of May 1659. 6 The winter seeding which is put into the ground during the last year of the lease shall be appraised in the latter part of May after the expiration of the lease and the next tenant must take it at its valuation and pay the tithes upon it. barracks and gave a promissory note to Jan T'aptist van Rensselaer for £1388:3. Soon after he moved to the Esopns, where he had bought land June 5, 1652. As far as any reeords show, the farm of Tliomas Chambers was the first one to be established on the east side of the river, north of the present city of Rensselaer, while the tract on which it was located was probably the first to be purchased from the Indians in that vicinity. (See note to the certificate of purchase of Aug. 13, 1630, on p. 167.) Jan. 27, 1651, according to a certificate among the Rcnssclacrswyck Mss, the commis- sioners of the colony bought from the Indians a " certain creek situated south of the farm of Thomas Chambers and north of Monamin's Castle, with the surrounding wood and the adjoining land and the jurisdiction thereof, to the castle, oblitiuely opposite the house of Rroer Cornelis." This refers apparently to the purchase of the Wynant's Kill and to a tract of land to the south of it, in sjiite of the fact that Monamin's, or Monemin's Castle aiipears on the parchment map of the colony, reproduced in this volume, as lying at the mouth of the Mohawk, on what is now called Peoblcs Island. The lease speaks of an eventual purchase of adjoining land. This refers to land on the Poesten Kill, for which a confirmatory patent was issued to Sweer Teunisz van Velsen on April 13, 1667. From this patent we learn that "a Certain pcell of Land lying neer Albany on the other side of the Creek or Kill beginning from the Mill on the Creek and to goe on over the sd: Creek unto the Great Meadow Ground where- about Sixty six paces the Trees are markt " was " in the Y'eare 1659 Purchased of the Indyan Proprietors by Ian Barentsen Wemp with the Leave and Consent of Ian Baptist van Rensselaer and Arent Van Corlaer." The purchase evidently covered the Poesten Kill, so named after Jan Barentsz Wemp, also called Poest, and a narrow strip of land to the north of said kill. The year of the purchase, though coinciding with the expiration of the lease of the farm between the Wynant's and Poesten Kills, may not be correctly given in the patent, as Jan Baptist van Rensselaer left the colony in the fall of 1658. It is interesting to note that the issue of a patent to Sweer Teunisz shows that Wemp must have bought the land in his own name. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 757 7 As rent for the use of what is described above, the lessee shall pay the aforementioned director or his successor yearly, promptly and without delay, the sum of 600 guilders, that is for four and a half years' lease 2700 guilders, over and above the yearly tithes and tocpacht, in mercliantable grain, the wheat at 10 guilders an-i the oats at four guilders a mudde. 8 And as bondsmen and sureties for the terms of this contract and for the due performance of the same, offer themselves Rutger lacobsa. and Goossen Gerritss., to that end, subjecting themselves to the honorable court of the aforesaid colony. Ian Barents::, aforesaid promises further to conckict himself dili- gently and honestly as an upright colonist should, submitting him- self to the laws and ordinances of the aforesaid colony, for which purpose tlic aforesaid parties together with the sureties have signerl this with their own hands. Done this i8th of November, 1654. Was signed : jan Baptist van Rensselaer, Anthonius de Hoogcs, the ordinary mark iB of I an. Barents.":, made with his own hand, and as sureties, Riitger lacohsz., the mark X of Goossen Gerritsz. made with his own hand. Below was written: This contract is extended for two years at the request of Ian Barentss. Wcmp, on condition that the sureties of the contract are satisfied therewith, the 21st of August 1658 in Rensselaerswyck. Was signed : Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, this is the mark iB of Ian Barents.:. IVenip made with his own hand, Rntger lacobsz., the mark X of Goossen Gerritsc. made with his own hand. Still lower was written: In my presence, D: V: Haniel, Secretary. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D V Hamel, Secretary. This lease still continues as above. 758 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY AGREEMENT ABOUT LEASE OF A PARCEL OF LAND ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RIVER, OPPOSITE DEN SACK, TO GOOSSEN GERRITSZ AND THOMAS JANSZ" September it, i6f^8 Copy Mr Ian Baptist van Rensselaer, director of the colony of Reus- selaerswyck, as lessor and Goosen Gerritsz}^ as lessee together with Thomas lanss: have contracted and agreed about a certain parcel of land lying on the east side of the river opposite den sack^^ the lease of which commenced on the ist of May 1655 and shall continue for the space of 10 successive years^^ at an annual rent of 40 guilders besides the tithes and two pair of fowls as toepacht and in case any expenses have been or are to be incurred to keep the natives of this country out of the said land, the said expenses shall be at the charge of the lessor and be deducted from the rent. Thus done and agreed, this nth of September 1658 without fraud. In testimony whereof, the contracting parties have confirmed this with their own signatures, in the colony of R. Wyck, date as above. Was signed: /; B: van Rensselaer, the mark X of Goossen Gerritsa, made with his own hand, the mark X of Thomas lanssen, made with his own hand. To my knowledge, D: V: Hamel, Secretary. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D V Hamel, Secretary. LEASE OF LAND ON ISLAND OPPOSITE BEVEKWVCK TO ARENT ANDRIESZ^-'' May I, 1658 Copy This day, the 1st of May 1658, Mr Ian Baptist van Rensselaer, director of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, has agreed and con- 9 V. R. B. Mss 45, p.i8. "Given in Account Book, 1634-38, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, as Goosen gcr- retsz van westerbroeck ; first entry dated April 8, 1637. The same book gives Cornelis Teunisz Bos, commonly called van Westbroeck, as Cornelis Thcunissen van wester- broeck, first entry dated April 8, 1637. It seems most likely that westerbroeck refers to Westbroek, in the province of Utrecht, though there is a Westerbroek, also called Westbroek, in the province of Groningcn. The children of Goossen Gerritsz used the name van Schaick. " Literally, the cove, or hollovi'. '-'It is not clear whether the 10 years are from May i, 1655, or from Sept. 11, 1658. The account books of the colony record the payment of rent and tithes from May i, 1655, to May I, 1658, but contain no accounts with Goosen Gerritsz and Thomas Jansz after Sept. 11, 1658, so that the above lease would seem to have been canceled ^^V.R.B.Mss 45, p.19. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 759 tracted with Arent Adriessen, about the lease of ah the tilled land on the island opposite the center of the village of Beverwyck^^ with all the land which he can further obtain from the natives of this country, with the exception of land already cultivated by the honorable van Rensselaer which his honor keeps for himself, and this for the sum of loo g'uilders a year besides tithes and two fowls as toepacht, to be paid in good wheat and oats, the wheat to be delivered at lo guilders a mudde and the oats at four guilde'rs a mudde, and in case the lessee should be prevented from using the said land by the savages or otherwise, he shall be free from the obligations of the lease and not pay for such period as he does not have the use of the said land. The lease shall continue for the space of four years commencing today. In testimony whereof, Mr Rensshicr and /I rent aforesaid have confirmed this with their signatures, without fraud ; in R. Wyck, date as above. Was signed: /.• B: van Rensselaer, Arent Andries. Below was written: In my presence, D V Hamel, Secretary. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretary. RENEWAL OF LEASE OF FARM AND WATER POWER IN GREENBUSII TO EVERT PELS^'^ May I, i6^^s Copy Evert Pels promises by his signature, hereto afifixed, that this winter without further delay he will make prompt and full pay- ment in merchantable grain to the director of this colony for all debts remaining unpaid according to the accounts; and in case of his failure to do so, the following contract shall be void and of no effect. On the date underwritten the honorable Johan Baptista van Rensselaer, director, and the commissioners of the colony of Rens- selaerswyck have agreed and contracted with Evert Pels about the lease of the farm used by him to this date and now leased again on the following conditions. over de by een wooninge der dnype. Dererwyck. In the account books among the Renssclaerstvyck Mss, the island is referred to as lying opposite the fort; it is ap- parently what is now known as I'oston or Van Rensselaer Island. V. R. D. Mss 45, p.20. 760 NEW YORK STATE LIDRARY I The lessee shall use the old plowed land and the other as before,^'' 2 As to the house, barn and barracks, the lessee shall deliver them up in the same condition as he received them, according to the inspection and valuation of competent persons, and Evert Pels shall furnish the carpenter and others who are to work on the new barn with meat and drink at his own expense and shall furnish all the heavy timber at the place of building, also at his own expense without making any charges therefor. As to other materials, such as boards, hardware and the roof which Evert Pels is to furnish for the barn, as well as the wages of the workmen, these shall be at the charge of the lessors. What the lessee advances will be credited to him in the next rent. The lessee must further each year repair the aforesaid buildings and keep them in proper order and on the expiration of the lease deliver them with tight sides and roofs, one half of the risk to be borne by the lessors and the other by the lessee, except in case of general war, in which case the lessee shall not have to bear any of the loss, as aforesaid. 3 The lessee shall take upon himself alone all expenses of what- ever nature they may be. 4 The lessee shall have the use of as many animals as there are on the farm at present, one half of the increase to be his on condition that he do not sell or remove his share without consent of the authorities here. There have been delivered to him ^^horses and ^'^cows. 5 At the expiration of his lease, the lessee shall turn over the seeded land to the next tenant upon an appraisal to be made in the latter part of May. huyrder sal gebruycken hot oudc Douwlandt ende het andere als voor desen; het andere refers to newly cleared land. Cf. lease to Cornelis Hendricksz van Nes, Aug. 25, 1650, p. 763-63. " Blank in original. VAN RENSSELAER BuvVlER MANUSCRIPTS 6 And (luring the first years of his lease, he shall spi-'cad the manure over the land and cut down or kill the trees which stand in the way. 7 The lessee shall pay promptly each year, as rent of the aforesaid farm, in addition to the tithes, 400 guilders in merchantable grain, wheat at 10 and oats at four guilders a mudde, the toepacht being the same as on other farms. 8 The lease runs for the next 'four consecutive years, commencing on the first of May 1653. 9 It is further agreed that Evert Pels for the use of the water power and the logs for the two mills shall promptly pay each year 125 guilders in merchantable boards, the period commencing and ending as above. 10 The lessee must provide two sufficient sureties for the rent and the fulfilment of the contract. II For all that is written above, Evert pels and his sureties pledge their respective possessions, movable and immovable, now owned or to be acquired hereafter, none excepted, submitting them to the honorable court of the aforesaid colony or wherever it may be convenient to the lessors. 12 Finally, the lessee promises to conduct himself quietly, faithfully and diligently, to observe all proper laws as an obedient subject and to pay proper respect to the director and commissioners as his law- ful superiors. In confirmation whereof, the lessee and the sureties have ratified this by their signatures. Agreed as above. Was signed: Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, Anthonius de Hooges, as com- missioners, Evert Pels. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretary. This lease continues as before. 762 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY LEASJC OF LAND AT TllIC SOUTH END OF GRlClCNIiUSII, FORMERLY OCCU- PIED I!Y TEUNLS CORNELISZ VAN VECilTEN, TO CORNELIS IIEN- DRICKSZ VAN NES^*^ August ='5, 16^0 The farm of Cornelis van Nes. This (lay, the 25th of August 1650, the honorable director, com- missioners and councilors of the colony of R. Wyck have contracted and agreed v^-ith Cornelis Hendricxss van es about the lease of the farm heretofore occupied by Tcunis Cornelisz van vechten, including six morgens of the farm of Tennis Dircxss, also used by the above, on the following conditions, 1 First, van es shall accept the aforesaid farm in its present con- dition and alone defray the cost of building house, barrack and barn as well as of stockades, wagon, plow and all farm implements, nothing excepted without any charge to the lord patroon, on con- dition that at the expiration of the lease they shall be the property of the aforesaid van es. 2 Secondly, the lessee shall receive two mares and one stallion or gelding, and if no three or four year olds can be found among these the lessee must be satisfied with a two year old, also two cows ; one half of the increase of the aforesaid animals to be the property of van Es free from any preemptive right; he may also keep his own animals without any requisition thereon. 3 As to tithes, van Es shall pay these on the land that is at present cleared, that is, on the land of Tennis Dircxss. — six, on the new land — three, total — nine morgens. On what land he clears hereafter, he shall be free from both rent and tithes. 4 The lease commences at stubble time 1650 and shall run for eight successive years. 5 The lessee must annually pay the director's tocpachten namely, two large schepels of wheat and two pair of fowls. V. R. B. Mss 45, p. 23. The original of this lease, signed: B. V. Slichtenhorst, A: de Hooges, Cornelis Hendricks van nes, Rut Jacobsen and the mark of Gonssen Ger- ritscn made with his own hand, is found on f. 17—18 of Leases and contracts, 1648—52, among the Rcnssclacrswyck Mss. On f. 15 of the same record is found an unsigned lease by van Slichtenhorst to Tcunis Cornelisz, dated at the beginning Oct. 15, 1648 and at the end April 1649, in which the land is described as being het Suijet eijnde vant' greenen bos, met ses morgens ouwt Landt van't noordt eijnde vande Bouwerije van Teunis Dirckss. (the south end of the pine wood, with six morgens of old land at the north end of the farm of Tcunis Dircksz). VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 6 For which said land the lessee shall annually pay the patroon or his agent the sum of 225 guilders in merchantable grain or other products at current prices, payments to be made twice a year, the first payment on St Martin's day^^ 165 1, the second on the 22d of February 1652, being St Peter's day, and so forth. Thus agreed in the colony of Rensselaerswyck on the date above written; in witness whereof, we have hereto set our hands. Was signed: B. V Slichtcnhorst, A. de Hooges, Cornells Hendricxss. van Nes, Rut lacohsz., the mark X of Goosen Gcrritss. Underneath was written: Which I certify, A: dc Hooges, Secretary. Agrees with the copy, which I certify, [signed] D V Hamcl, Secretary. This lease continues as before. LEASE OF FARM IN GREENBUSH, NORTH OF THE FARM OF CORNELIS HENDRICKSZ VAN NES, TO AERT JACOBSZ^^ May I, 1654 Copy Mr Johan Baptista van . Rensselaer, director of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, has agreed and contracted with Acrt Jacohss. about the lease of a certain tract of land lying in the aforesaid colony in 't Greenebos, north of the farm of Cornelis van Nes, on the following conditions. The lessee shall have the use of the aforesaid tract of land for 12 successive years, commencing on the first of May 1654, and may enlarge and clear the said land as much as he is able, but without prejudice or detriment to the adjoining farms or any one else, provided that he shall alone defray all expenses of whatever nature they may be and that at the expiration of the lease he must turn over the cleared land to his honor aforesaid or his successor, freely and wdthout receiving any compensation therefor, with the ex- ception of the fence, for which he shall be paid or compensated according to an appraisal by impartial persons. As to the rent, the lessee shall have the use of the land which is clear during the first two years without paying any rent or tithes, but the stipulated toepacht he must pay each year of the lease ; during the other 10 years the lessee shall for the use of the said land pay an annual rent of 25 guilders besides the tithes, in Nov. iith. V. R. B. Mss 45, p.2$. 764 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY merchantable [grain] or other current form of payment. Tlic * lessee may keep as many hogs as he can without damage to any one else. The lessee may keep two cows on the aforesaid land without paying anything for their pasturage. The lessee i^romises that during the term of the lease he will conduct himself as an obedient and humble colonist, submitting himself to the honorable court of the foresaid colony and to its laws and ordinances. In confirmation whereof, Mr lohcm Bap- tista van Rensselaer and Aert lacobsa, together with Schout Gerard Szvartt and Cornelis van Nes, as witnesses thereto invited, have ratified this with their signatures. Done in the aforesaid colony on the date above written. Was signed: Johan Baptist van Rensselaer, Aert Jacohsen. As witnesses: G: Sivart, Cornelis van Nes. Below was written : Executed to my knowledge, Anthonio de Hooges, Secretary. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V : Hamcl, Secretary. RENEWAL OF LEASE OF FARM SOUTH OF GREENBUSII TO TEUNIS DIRCKSZ VAN VECHTEN^^ May I, t6^=^7 Copy On the date underwritten, Mr Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, direc- tor, and the commissioners of the colony of Rensselaerswyck have agreed and contracted with Tennis Dircxsa. about the lease of the farm used by him to this date and now leased again on the follow- ing conditions. I He shall use the old plowed land and the other-" as before. 2 The lessee shall deliver up the house, l)arn and barracks in the same condition as he received them, according to the inspection, appraisal and valuation of persons of knowledge and competence to be chosen for that purpose. He must further each year repair them and keep them in proper order and on the expiration of the lease deliver them with tight sides and roofs, the risk of fire to be " V. R. B. Mss 4S, r.27. See note p. 760. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS borne half and half, except in case of general war, when the pa- troon shall bear the whole loss. 3 All expenses, of whatever nature they may be, are and remain at the sole charge of the lessee. 4 The lessee shall receive six horses, to wit, four full-grown mares, one two year old mare and one stallion, six cows among which four full-grown cows and two heifers, just as he received by the pre- ceding contract, one half of the increase to be his provided that he do not sell or remove his share out of this colony without special consent of the authorities here ; and the number of animals re- ceived he must make good from the increase and return. 5 At the expiration of his lease, the lessee shall turn the seeded land over to the next tenant upon an appraisal. 6 The lessee shall further during the first years of his lease spread the manure over the land and cut down or kill the trees that are in the way. 7 The lessee shall pay promptly each year as rent of the aforesaid farm 550 guilders in addition to the tithes ; in merchantable grain, wheat at 10 guilders and oats at four guilders a muddc. 8 The lease runs for the next six successive years, commencing the first of May 1657. 9 The lessee must provide two sufificient sureties for the rent and the fulfilment of the contract. 10 For all that is written above, Clacs Coniclisa. and his sureties pledge their respective possessions, movable and immovable, now owned or to be acquired hereafter, none excepted, submitting them to the honorable court here or wherever it may be convenient to the lessors. Finally, the lessee promises to conduct himself quietly, ■66 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY faithfully and diligently, and to observe all proper laws as an obe- dient subject and to pay proper respect to the director and commis- sioners as his lawful superiors. In confirmation whereof, the lessee and the sureties have ratified this with their signatures, all without fraud, this first of May 1657. Was signed : this is the mark X of Tennis Disc.vss. made with his own hand. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretary. SETTLEMENT OF ACCOUNTS, 1638 TO 1657, OF THE PATROON AND TEUNIS DIRCKSZ VAN VECHTEN^^ March 2g, 1652 Copy Whereas the patroon and codirectors have been under contract with Teunis Dircxss. from the year 1638 till the first of May of the year 1657, first with the said Teunis Dircxss. as farm laborer, later on shares half and half and finally for eight years under con- tract of lease, and whereas it has been impossible from the begin- ning to settle the accounts between the patroon and codirectors and Teunis Dircxss. ; therefore, we, the underwritten, have with the approval of Arent van Curler agreed that all that the patroon and codirectors have received from the said Teunis Dircxss., as well his services as laborer as the delivery of grain to the Company or others on behalf of the patroon and the delivery of horses and animals and one half of the farm products and whatever his claims may amount to on the first of May 1657, shall acquit the said Teunis Dircxss., on the aforesaid date, of all his obligations and of whatever he may owe the patroon and codirectors, except that the aforesaid Teunis Dircxss. must at his own expense have put in a heavier beam for the support of the chimney in the new house and have the barn straightened and provided with a new roof, all of which together with the barracks shall be and remain the prop- erty of the patroon and codirectors. Thus agreed and stipulated this 29th of March 1657, in Renssclacrswyck. Was signed: Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, Director of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, A: Van Curler, this is the mark X of Teunis Dircxss. made with his own hand. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretary. This lease continues on the aforesaid conditions. » V. R. B. Mss 45, p.30. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 767 RENEWAL OF LEASE OF FARM ON PAPSCANEE ISLAND TO CLAES COR- NELISZ VAN VOORHOUT^^ September 14, 1652 Copy Claes Corneliss promises by his signature, hereto suscribed, that this winter without further delay he will make prompt and full payment in merchantable grain to the director of this colony for all debts remaining unpaid according to the accounts; and in case of his failure to do so, the following contract shall be void and of no effect. ^ * On the date underwritten the honorable johan Baptista van Rens- selaer^ director, and the commissioners of the colony of Rensselaers- wyck have agreed and contracted with Claes Corneliss. about the lease of the farm used by him to this date and now leased again on the following conditions. I He shall use the old plowed land and the other as before.^ 2 The lessee shall deliver up the house, barn and barracks in the same condition as he received them, according to the inspection, appraisal and valuation of persons of knowledge and competence to be chosen for the purpose. He must further each year repair them and keep them in proper order and on the expiration of the lease deliver them with tight sides and roofs. 3 All expenses, of whatever nature they may be, arc and remain at the sole charge of the lessee. 4 The lessee shall receive -"horses and -"cows, one half of the the increase to be his provided that he do not sell or remove his share out of this colony without special consent of the authorities here. 5 At the expiration of his lease, the lessee shall turn the seeded land over to the next tenant upon an appraisal. V. R. B. Mss 45, p.31. ^ See note p. 760. ** Blank in original. 768 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 6 As the lessee had to leave his farm now at stubble time and his new lease begins on the first of May 1653 he shall for the interven- ing period pay a rent of 240 guilders. / The lessee shall further in the first years of his lease spread the manure over the land and cut down or kill the trees that are in the way. 8 The lessee shall pay promptly each year, as rent of the aforesaid farm 480 guilders, in addition to the tithes, in merchantable grain, wheat at 10 guilders and oats at four guilders a mudde. 9 The lease runs for the next four consecutive years commencing the first of May 1653. 10 The lessee must provide two sufficient sureties for the rent and the fulfilment of the contract. II For all that is written above, Claes Cornelisz. and his sureties pledge their respective possessions, movable and immovable, now owned or to be acquired hereafter, none excepted, submitting them to the honorable court here or wherever it may be convenient to the lessors. 12 Finally, the lessee promises to conduct himself quietly, faithfully and diligently, and to observe all proper laws as an obedient sub- ject and to pay proper respect to the honorable director and com- missioners as his lawful superiors. In confirmation whereof, the lessee and the sureties have ratified this with their signatures. Done as above, this 14th of September 1652. Was signed: this is the mark X of Claes Corneliss. made with his own hand, Cornelis Zegers, this is the mark X of CorncJis Corneliss. van voorhout made with his own hand. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretary. This lease continues on the preceding conditions. VAN RENSSELAER BOWlER MANUSCRIPTS 769 RENEWAL OE LEASE OE THE FARM CALLED DE HOOGEBERCH TO GIJSBERT COR.VELISZ VAN UREUCKELEN"''' J Vine 2^, 16 j f Copy •On the following conditions, Mr Johan Baptista van Rensselaer, director of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, and the commissioners have agreed and contracted with Gijsbert Cornelisz van Breuc- Icclcii-''"- ahout the lease of the farm called dc Hoogcbcrch^^ The aforementioned honorable gentlemen shall supply the lessee, out of the animals which are on the aforesaid farm, with four mares and four cows, which number he must deliver again at the expiration of the lease, replacing such as are wanting by others out of the increase, one half of the increase to be the lessee's pro- vided that he do not remove them out of the jurisdiction of tl.te colony before he has offered them to the above regents at a valua- tion fixed by impartial persons. Further, if this colony (which God forbid) should become in- volved in a general war, it shall, if necessity requires it, be suffi- cient for the lessee to return [such] animals [as he has] to their honors aforesaid, provided it be done in good time; and every three years delivery [of the surplus animals] must be made. The lease runs for six successive years commencing the first of May 1654, the rent, to be paid yearly in addition to the tithes, amounting to 350 guilders in merchantal)lc and good grain, wheat at 10 and oats at four guilders a mudde, which must be paid off each year with- out delay. The toepacht is according to agreement. The lessee shall take the barn and barracks at previous valuation, with which =^ V. R. B. Mss 45, P-34. ^'"Confused by O'Callaghan, History of New Nctherland, 1:441, with Gijsbert Cor- nelisz van Weesp, who in the Gercchts Rolle, 1648-52, among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, is frequenty referred to as waert, or weert, the tavern keeper. Gijsbert Cornelis van Weesp appears at New Amsterdam in 1639; he owned a house in Beverwyck and died before 1654; see A^. Y. Col. Mss, 1:134, 158, and Early Records of the City and County of Albany, translated by Jonathan Pearson, p. 193. Gijsbert Cornelisz van Breuckelen, usually referred to as Gijsbert Cornelisz acn den berch, or op den Hoogenberch, does not seem to have arrived till 1647 and appears in the account books of the colony as late as 1685. 28 This farm was from 1640 to 1646 leased by Michiel Jansz van Scrabbekercke and is frequently referred to in the letters of Kiliaen van Rensselaer on account of the rock crystal which was found there. It was situated on the east side of the river, near the present Mill Creek. April 23, 1646, Antony de Hooges, in the absence of in- structions from Holland leased the farm for one year to Teunis Cornelisz van Vechten, formerly a farmhand of Michiel Jansz, and April 18, 1647, this lease was renewed for one year. {Gerechts Rolle, 1648-52, f. lob, and Copije ran eenige Aden en andcre Aenmerckelijcke Notitien, 1643-48, p. 44-45). 49 7/0 A'lLVV YORK STATE LI13RARV he shall be debited on his account; and on the last year's icnt he shall be credited with improvements made or make good depre- ciation, and Air c'ciii Rensselaer aforesaid shall at the first opportu- nity furnish the lessee with as many bricks as are needed for a chim- ney with which he shall also be debited as above. One half of the risk on the house, barn and barracks is to be borne by the patroon and codirectors and the other half by the lessee, except in case of general war, when their honors aforesaid shall bear the loss alone. Further, all expenses, of whatever nature they may be, are and remain at the charge of the lessee. The grain which is sown during the last year of the lease shall be appraised at the end of May, at the expiration of this contract; tne lessee to ])ay the rent and his successor the tithes. For all that is above written and for its fulfilment Goossen Ger- riisz. and Teunis Dircxs.z. van I'^cchtcn become bondsmen and sure- ties, pledging their persons and possessions, movable and immov- able, now owned or to be acquired hereafter, none excepted, and submitting them to the honorable court of the aforesaid colony or wherever it may be convenient to the lessors or their successors. And the lessee promises to be submissive and diligent as a good colonist ought to be. In confirmation of what is written above the lessors as well as the lessee and his sureties have ratified this by their signatures, in R: Wyck the 23d of June 1654. Was signed: Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, lohan de Hulter, Anthonius de Hooges, the usual mark X of Gyshert Cornelisa. as lessee, made with his own hand, the mark X of Goosen Gerritss. as surety, made with his own hand, the mark X of Tennis Dircxsz., as surety, made by him with his own hand. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretary. I1ic I lease of the] water i)ower of the mills opposite Bethelem has not been renewed. -'■'den IVaierLoof' tviik/c Meulcns tencn over Betlielcni blyft open. l^.R.B.Mss 45, P-38 blank. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS RENEWAL OF LEASE OF ISLAND OPPOSITE BETHLEHEM TO JAN REYERSZ VAN HOUTEN'"* February 15, idjj Copy On the* following- conditions, Mr lohaii Baptist van Rensselaer, director of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, and the commissioners have agreed and contracted with Ian Reyersz: van Houlterv'"'^ about the lease of the island situated at the end of the place called Beth- lehem used by him to this day, as follows. In the first place Reyersr;. shall have and use the land as before, for which he shall pay a yearly rent of 230 guilders and 45 guil- ders for tithes, in merchantable grain, wheat at 10 guilders and oats at four guilders a mudde, and as toepacht, also yearly, 12 pounds of butter, four fowls and two schepels of wheat. The lease commences on the first of May 1653 and runs for eight consecutive years so that the term ends on the first of May 1661. The lessee receives two mares, four stallions, four cows and one heifer calf, one half of the increase of which shall be his, but be- fore any increase can be counted the number of animals received must be turned over and, in case contrary to our hopes all the horses and animals happen to die or be killed, the lessee must never- theless pay for them and make good the loss and may not convey away any of the animals raised by him without consent. As to the buildings, the lessee must defray the cost thereof him- self and they shall be his property ; for them he shall be furnished with 200 boards for which he must pay at the first settlement of accounts. As by the preceding contract a dweling house barn and barracks were promised to Ian Reyerss., which he did not receive, one year's rent, that is, 300 guilders, is deducted from the amount due under the preceding lease, provided that Ian Reyerss. must pay for the 160 boards delivered to him. The lessee shall further bear alone all the expenses of fencing, farm implements and the like, for which, as well as for the seeded land, the next lessee must compensate and reimburse him according to proper appraisal. Finally, Ian Reyerss: promises to conduct himself as a good and obedient colonist and inhabitant of the colony should, submitting V. R. B. Mss 45, p. 39. Houtpn, a small village about five miles S. by E. of Utrecht. 772 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY himself to the honorable court of the aforesaid colony and to the ordinances already made or to be made. In confirmation whereof, their honors aforesaid and Ian Reyerss., as lessee, have signed this in the colony aforesaid, the 15th of February 1653. Was signed : Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, the mark X of Ian Reyersz., made by him with his own hand. • This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretary. The [lease of the] farm of Ian Helmssen has not been renewed.-^- The [lease of the] sawmills of Eldcrt Gerbertzc has not been renewed.^ TRANSFER OF LKASE OF FARM FROM PIETER WINNE TO ELDERT GERBERTSZ CRUYF^* April 10, 1655 Copy On this date underwritten, Pieter winne, with the consent of Mr lohan Baptista van Rensselaer, director of the colony of Rensse- laerswyck, has conveyed and made over to Eldert Gerbertss. the use of the farm occupied by him, Pieter Winne, to this date accord- ing to contract, and of which the lease runs for two years more, ex- piring on the first of May 1657, on the following conditions. Eldert Gerbertss. shall accept the aforesaid farm in its present condition and use as much land in connection with it as the former lessee; but all expenses incurred during the aforesaid time, of whatever nature they may be, are at the sole charge of the lessee. As to the house and barn, which have been newly erected, the risk tliereof is to be borne half and half; and to avoid disputes, since Eldert Gerbertss. must deliver up everything in equally good condition as he received it, the said buildings are put down at the sum of 2400 guilders. As to the barracks, the charge thereof shall remain as before, so also the provisions about their redelivery. "^De Bouwerye van Jan Helmssen blyft open. V.R.B.Mss 45, p.41; p.42 blank. In the account books among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, Jan Helmsz (written Helms, Helmsen, Helmes, Helmessen and Helmichsen) is charged from May i, 1630, to May i, 1672, with an annual rent of 445 guilders for a farm at Bethlehem, formerly oc- cupied by Jan Dircksz van Bremen. De saach Moolens van Eldert Gerbertse blyven open. V.R.B.Mss 45, p.43; p. 44 blank. In the account books among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, Eldert Gerbertsz is charged from 1634 to 1658 with an annual rent of 400 guilders for the moolens, the mills, and from 1658 to 1671 with an annual rent of 100 guilders for the molen, the mill. " V. R. B. Mss 45, p.45. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 773 As to the grain which the lessee leaves on the field the last year, the next lessee must take it over from him according to the ap- praisal of impartial persons. Elder t Gerbertsz. shall at the end of the term return as many ani- mals as Pieter Winne received with the farm, that is, three full- grown mares and one yearling mare (but if this mare should die, the lessee may make good the loss by furnishing a yearling, other- wise he must return her as she is), one stallion and one gelding, four cows and one yearling bull. The number of animals received is reserved and of the animals found in addition to that number the lessee shall receive and possess one half with the provision that he may not transport them out of this colony's jurisdiction without pre- vious consent from the rulers here. As to the rent, Eldert Gerbertsz. shall pay the same as the former lessee, to wit, 275 guilders a year in addition to the tithes and toepacht, payments to be made in good merchantable grain, wheat at 10 and oats at four guilders a mudde. The lessee must furnish two sufificient sureties for the fulfilment of these conditions, it being left to the discretion of the lessor whom he shall call upon for that purpose, whether the principal or the sureties. Finally, the lessee submits himself to the honorable court of this colony and to its laws and ordinances, promising to conduct him- self as an honest and obedient colonist should. In confirmation whereof, the contracting parties, with the approbation of the said Mr Rensselaer, have ratified this with their signatures, in Rens- selaerswyck the loth day of April 1655 ; and was signed : Pieter Winne, as grantor, Eldert Gerbertsz, as lessee. Below was written : This is approved by me, /.• B: van Rensselaer. Jan Labatje and Claes Hendricxsz. Schaef offer themselves as sureties for Eldert Gerbertsz. and for the fulfilment of these conditions ; witness their sisrnatures hereto subscribed, on the date as above written. Was signed : Jan Labatje. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretary. This lease continues on the preceding conditions. 774 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY ADJUSTMENT OF FIRE LOSSES ON FARM OF AERT JACOliSZ AT BETHLEHEM'''' September lo, i6j8 Copy On the date underwritten, Mr laii Baptista van Rensselaer, in his capacity of director of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, on the one side, and Aert lacobsen, on the other side, have amicably agreed and come to an understanding about the accident of the burning of the house, barn and barracks on the farm at Bethleni hereto- fore occupied by the aforesaid Aert lacobsa:^^' It is contracted and agreed that the aforesaid Aert lacobss. shall pay once and for all for the aforesaid damage to the director or his representative the sum of 300 guilders in merchantable wheat at 10 guilders a mudde, in two instalments, one half each winter after the date hereof. It is further expressly stipulated and provided that the aforesaid Aert lacobsz. shall, be free to recover all his interest and claims arising from the damage suffered by the fire on the aforesaid farm, either at law or in friendship or in such other manner as Aert Iacohs.z. shall see fit from Pieter Winne or his partners or the people with whom he has made a contract, and hereby all claims which might be made on account of the said damage in the name of the patroon and the codirectors are declared null and void, includ- ing the claims of the servant Dirck de Gooyerf^ and said claims shall at no time be renewed. Not included in this agreement is the farm debt which Aert lacobss. must pay according to his ac- count. In testimony of the truth the contracting parties have signed these with their own hands under pledge according to law. Thus done and passed in the colony of Rensselaerswyck, this loth of September 1658. Was signed: /.■ B: van Rensselaer, Aert lacohsz. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretary. V. R. B. Mss 45, P.4S. '"Fire occurred before Feb. 3, 1^54. Cf. Early Records of Ihc City and County of Albany, translated by Jonathan I'earson, p. 224. "That is, Dirck, from Gooiland; in the Rensselaerswyck Mss. Gcrechts RoUe. 1648-52, £.41, his name is given at one time as Dirck de Goojer and at another as Dirck Hendrickss van Hilversom; Hilversom, or Hilversum, being a place in Gooiland. VAN RENSSELAER nO\\'IER MANl-SCRIPTS 775 The[leasc of the] farm of Cornell's Cornclisscn van voorhout.^^ [The lease of the mill power and the land of] Albert Andriesscn has not been renewed.^* LEASE OF FARM, WEST OF THE CREEK OF CASTLE ISLAND AND LAST OCCUPIED I5Y JAN BARENTSZ WEMP, TO JEAN LABATIE*" July 20, 1 6 =,4 Mr lohan Baptista van Rensselaer, director of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, hereby agrees and contracts with Ian Lebatje, about the lease of the farm situated west of the creek of Castle Island, last occupied by Ian Barents^. Wemp, on the following conditions. I First, the lessee shall have and use the farm aforesaid and its appurtenances like the former lessee. As to the dwelling house, valued at 6oo, the barn at iioo and the three barracks, exclusive of the hardware, at 6o guilders, the lessee must keep them in proper order and repair and at the ex- piration of the lease deliver them up with tight sides and roofs and there shall be turned over and delivered to him loo boards or so many tiles as may be require 1 for the roof of the dwelling house which the lessee must cover at his own expense. The risk of the house, barn and barracks is to be borne half and half, except in case of general war. when the lessor takes the entire charge upon himself. 3 The lessee shall receive two mares, two stallions or geldings, one filly, three cows and one full-grown heifer, one half the increase of which shall belong to the lessee with the provision that he may not Dc Bowwcryc Van Cornells Cornclisscn van voorhout. V.R.B.Mss 45, p. 50; p. 51 blank. In the account books among tbe Rensselaerswyck Mss, Cornell's CorncHsz van Voorhout is charged from Jan. 31. 1652, to Jan. 31, 1658, with an annual rent of 100 guilders; from May i, 1658, to May i, ififit, with an annual rent of 100 guilders and from May i, 1661, to May i, 1668, with an annual rent of 300 guilders. '■'^Albert Andriesscn blyft open. V. R. B. Mss 45. p. 52; p. 53 blank. In the account books among the Rensselaerswyck Mss, Albert Andriesz is charged from May 4, 1652, to May 4, 1672, with an annual rent of 250 guilders for de Moolcn kit en 't lant, the mill creek and the land. *o V. R. B. Mss 45- P-54- 77^ NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY remove them out of the limits and jurisdiction of the colony afore- said, without special consent from the lessor or the person who" may fill his honor's place. The numher of horses and animals de- livered in the beginning is reserved and must be returned before any increase can be counted and if any animals are wanting the lessee must return us others in their stearl and complete the original number. Each third or fourth year there shall be a division of the increase, if 3.ny. 4 The lease commences at stubble time 1654 and runs till the first of May 1661, it being understood that the lessee shall pay 150 guilders for the intervening period between stubble time and the first of May and that thereafter the year shall be counted to begin in May. 5 The crops of the land found to have been seeded in the last year of the lease shall be turned over by the lessee to the next tenant upon an appraisal to be made at the end of May and the next tenant shall pay tithes of the grain which he takes over. 6 For the use of the farm the lessee shall promptly pay each year 300 guilders, besides and in addition to the tithes, in merchantable grain, wheat at 10 and oats at four guilders a mudde. 7 All expenses, of whatever nature they may be, are and remain at the charge of the lessee. 8 For the aforesaid conditions and the fulfilment of the same, the lessee, instead of furnishing sureties, pledges to the lessor as security his house in the village,^^ near the bridge. 9 And during the term of the lease the lessor shall receive from the lessee as rent for the aforesaid house 200 guilders a year. Finally, the lessee promises to conduct himself as an honest and good colonist should, submitting himself to the magistrates and the laws of the aforesaid colony. jnde by een wooninge. VAN RENSSELAER r.OWllCR Al A X L'SCRIPTS In testimony whereof, the contracting parties have confirmea these with their signatures. Thus agreed the 20th of July 1654, in the aforesaid colony. Was signed : Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, Ian Labatje, This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D V Hamel, Secretary. LEASE OF CASTLE ISLAND TO CORNELIS SEGERSZ VAN VOORHOUT*^ September 2p, 1652 Cornelis Zegersa. promises by his signature hereto affixed that he will this winter promptly without delay pay to the honorable lohan Baptista van Rensselaer or his agent in good merchantable grain, as part payment of his old account, the sum of 3000 guilders, wheat counted at 10 guilders and the oats at four guilders a mudde ; and in case of his failure to do so, the following contract shall be null and of no effect, his honor aforesaid being then free to rent Castle Island to whom he pleases. On the date underwritten the honorable Johan Baptista van Rensselaer, director, and the commissioners of the colony of R. I'Vyck have agreed and contracted with Cornelis Segersen about the lease of the whole of Castle Island used by him to this day*^ and now leased again on the following conditions. I Cornelis Segcrsz. shall use and properly cultivate the aforesaitl island as before. 2 The lessee shall take over the old farmhouse as his own on con- dition that he pay the sum of 200 guilders for it, which shall be V. R. B. Mss 45. p. 57. ^•'Previous to 1646, Cornelis Scgersz van Voorhout occupied one of the two farms on Castle Island, for which in 1648 he acknowledged to have signed a contract on August 25, 1643; the other farm was occupied by Adriaen van der Donck. In 1646 the farmhouse of van der Donck was destroyed by fire and van der Donck, who decided to leave the colony, ceded to Cornelis Scgersz the remaining three years' lease of his farm together with certain live stock and grain; from that time therefore Cornelis Segersz occupied the whole island. In 1648 and 1649 the court of the colony re- peatedly ordered Cornelis Segersz to settle his accounts and Jan. 31, 1650, 'the au- thorities offered the lease of the whole of Castle Island to the highest bidder, Gijsbert Cornelisz (probably the tavern keeper, from Weesp) becoming the lessee at an annual rent of 1210 guilders. In the account books of the colony Cornelis Segersz is charged, however, with the rent of 1210 guilders from 1650 to 1652, so that he appears to have remained in possession of the island. (See Gerechts Rolle, 1648-52, f.2ob, 32— 33b, 8o-8ib, 82b— 83b; Leases and Ordinances, 1648-52, p. 8; Copije van ecnige Aden. 1643-48, p.49-50; Account Book, 1642—54, f.17; among the Rensselaerswyck Mss.) 778 XKW VOKK STATE LTIiRARY accepted in place of the provisions in the former contract concern- ing redelivery of the said house and of the new barn. And if, at the expiration of the lease, the director and commissioners can coine to a suitable agreement with the lessee on the basis of a proper appraisal, they shall take over tlie house, otherwise the lessee shall be free to remove it for his own profit. The barracks he shall deliver up as he received them. The new barn and the other buildings, with the exception of the old barn and the barracks as aforesaid, he shall deliver up with tight sides and roofs. 3 All expenses connected with the island or the farm, of whatever nature they may be, are and remain at the charge of the lessee. He shall also during the first years spread the manure over the land and cut down or kill the trees that are in the way. 4 There are placed in the hands of and delivered to the lessee as many horses and animals as he received at the very beginning on the whole island, to wit, six mares, four stallions and nine cows, one half of the increase of which shall belong to the lessee, with the provision that he may not sell or remove them without special consent from the honorable director and commissioners here. Neither shall he have the right to stable any one's horses or animals or to lend or take away any from the farm, without special consent. 5 The term of the lease shall be for four or six years at the option of the lessor and commences on the first of May 1653. 6 The lessee shall pay yearly, in addition to the tithes, the sum of 1200 guilders in grain at the prices aforesaid, without postponing payment to another year. 7 As the lessee was to leave his farm now at stubble time and his lease as aforesaid commences on the first of May 1653 when he takes possession of the farm again, he shall for the intervening period pay the sum of 600 guilders in grain as aforesaid. VAN RENSSELAER BOVVIER MANUSCRIPTS 779 8 At the expiration of his lease, the lessee must turn over the seeded land to the next tenant upon an appraisal, the lessee and the next tenant are each to pay one half of the rent, but the tithes are at the charge of the next tenant and the last winter seed shall at the end of May be appraised by competent persons. 9 The lessee must provide two sufficient sureties for the rent and the fulfilment of the contract. lO To all that is written above ConicUs Segcrs::. and his sureties pledge their respective possessions, movable and immovable, now owned or to be acquired hereafter, none excepted, submitting them to the honorable court of the aforesaid colony or wherever it may be convenient to the lessors. 1 1 Finally, Cornells Segcrs.':. promises to conduct himself hence- forth quietly, faithfully and diligently, to observe all proper laws as an obedient subject and to respect and obey the honorable di- rector and commissioners as his lawful superiors. In confirmation whereof the lessee and the sureties have hereto affixed their sig- natures. Done as above; this 29th of September 1652. Was signed : Cornelis Zcgers., the mark X of Cornells Corneliss. van voorhout made by him as surety with his own hand, the mark X of Claes Cornelisz. van voorhout, made by him as surety with his own hand. Below was written : Passed and signed in my presence and to my knowledge, Anthonio de Hooges, Secretary. The aforesaid contract is extended for two years to Cornalis segerss, provided that he provide two sufficient sureties. Witness our hands, this day the I2tli of August 165S in Rensselaerswyck. Was signed : Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, Cornelis Zegersoon, francois Boon as surety, this is the mark X of Seger Corneliss., made with his own hand as surety. Below was written: To my knowledge, D V Hamel, Secretary. This copy agrees witli the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Ham el, Secretary. This lease continues as above. 78o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY LEASE OF HORSES TO THOMAS HIGGINS, CALLED COMPEER''"* April 28, 1657 Copy This day the 28th of April 1637, Ian Baptis van rcnssclacr on the part of the patroon and the codirectors, on the one side, and Thomas Higgins, commonly called Compeer on the other side, have contracted and agreed in the manner following. The afore- said Ian Baptis van Rcnssclacr leases and delivers on this date in the name of his masters to the aforesaid Thomas Higgins two horses, one mare called Hans, seven years old, one black gelding, about five or six years old, which aforesaid horses Thomas Higgins hereby acknowledges that he has received sound and well and for each of which he promises to pay yearly to the aforesaid I: B: van Rensselaer or his successor 30 guilders in good merchantable beavers, or well-winnowed grain such as can be traded here. The aforesaid Thomas Higgins must return the said horses sound and in good condition at the expiration of his lease. The lessee shall use them for six consecutive years commencing the first of May 1657, one half of the increase to be to the profit of the lessee and the other half to that of the lessor. In case the aforesaid horses be lost by any mischance, whether by sickness and death, by being killed by the savages or in any other way, and there is no increase so that the number received can not be restored, the lessee shall pay 200 guilders in good beavers for the gelding and 300 guilders for the mare. For the fulfilment of what is above written, Jacob Janss: Stol offers himself as surety for the lessee. Tn witness of the truth, the contracting parties have signed these with their own hands. On the day above written, in the colony of Rensselaers- wyck. Was signed : Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, this is the mark X of Thomas Higgens, made with his own hand. This copy agrees with the original, which I certify, [signed] D: V: Hamel, Secretar3\ « V. R. B. Mss 45, p. 61. VAN KKNSSRLAER BOWIEK MANUSCRIPTS 781 Agreement of the council of Rensselaerswyck to pay tithes to the West India Company*^ July 12, 1658 Copy Whereas Mr lohan La Montague, accompanied by Abraham staets and francois Boon, did on the loth instant serve on me, Ian Baptist van Rensselaer, director of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, tlie order^° issued by the directors of the West India Company concerning the collection of tithes in the colony aforesaid, accom- panied by a letter*'' from the director general and council of New Netherland, in the which order issued by the directors it was firmly *^ V. R. B. Mss 45, p. 63. The original of this document is among tlie Rensselaerswyck Mss. This order, referred to in the letter from the director general and council as an " extract from the letter of the directors," was part of the letter of Dec. 22, 1657, and reads as follows: " We hear with regret that the colony of Rensselaerswyck perseveres in its un- founded contentions and can not in any way be persuaded to provide and pay the tithes and other taxes. As this is vmreasonahle and neither can nor may be permitted on account of the consequences, we have deemed it well that you try once more and for the last time what you can do and, in case of nonappearance or refusal, that you bring them to compliance by means of legal execution or otherwise." Letter from the directors of the West India Company, Chamber of Amsterdam, to the director general and council of New Netherland, Dec. 22, 1657. N.Y.Col.Mss. 12:69. The letters of May 20, June 7 and June 19, 165S, make no reference to this matter but in that of Feb. 13, 1659, the directors express satisfaction with the settlement made. " Copy Honorable, beloved, faithful: This letter serves to enclose an extract from the letter of the directors, from which you can see what their orders and intentions are in regard to the collection of tlie long since due tithes of the colony Rensselaerswyck, which orders we intend and hereby command shall, on receipt hereof, immediately be put in execution against the j-eoplc of the aforesaid colony in the following manner. On receipt of this letter you will send for Mr Rensselaer or go to his house and communicate to him the extract from the letter of the directors, as well as the con- tents of our own, and in the best way persuade him to obey the high orders and authority; and if he is willing to comply therewith you are authorized to enter into a reasonable agreement with him concerning the amount to be paid for the ensuing year. But if the aforesaid Mr Rensselaer should raise objections as before and refuse to comply, you will publicly farm out these tithes to the highest bidder with ample and full promise to the collector that he shall be supported by us in the exercise of his duties; and after such farming of the tithes, you will serve notice, or cause notice to be served, on the farmers of the colony that neither they nor any one else, under penalty of a fine of 100 guilders, shall undertake to remove any grain from the field 782 XKW ^•()RK STAIM-: LlliKARy resolved to proceed to attachment, whereupon 1 requested a co])y of the aforesaid resohition and repHed to their honors that I must first communicate it to and take action upon it with our council ; and whereas it came to pass on the 12th instant that Mr La Montague, having heen called to our meeting and requested to sus- pend the aforesaid order as we could not find that according to the Freedoms the colony owed any tithes to the Company, in reply said that he could not do otherwise than follow his instructions and therefore offered to come to an agreement with us about the tithes but that in case of refusal he would proceed with the public farming thereof ; therefore, we, considering ourselves in the highest degree aggrieved on account of the injury to and infringement upon our jurisdiction, have imder due and serious protest agreed, as we hereby do agree under protest, to pay on the first of July 1650, as tithes on the present year's crop, 300 schepels of wheat, or the value thereof if in good payment, but before the aforesaid date the patroon and the codirectors come to an agreement with the West India Company in the fatherland either by process of law or by way of amicable settlement, the present agreement should be of no effect and the stipulated tithes for this year 1658 should be reimbursed. And in case the advice through any accident happening to the vessels should not arrive in time, the honorable Company shall be paid as tithes for the year 1659, 300 schejiels of wheat, on t'^p above conditions. Thus agreed and concluded in our council of the colony of Rensselaerswyck, this 12th of July 165S ; present. Messrs Ian Baptist van Rensselaer, Cornells van Nes, Tennis van Spitsbergen, Geerardt Sivartt, officer, D: V: HaincJ, secretary. This compromise in the terms above written has been agreed upon between the Hon. Mr Rensselaer, director of the colony of before tliey shall liave entered into an agreement witli the collector or |)erniitte" V. R. B. Mss 52, iiiarkiMl D. 788 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY List of papers sent to. Jan Baptist van Rensselaer and Johannes Pietersz van Brugh in the name of the delegates to the convention at New Amsterdam^^ November lo, i66j List of the papers written in the name and by order of the honor- able delegates of the city of Amsterdam and the villages of Amers- foort, Breuckelen, Midwout, Haarlem, Uytreght, Boswyck and Ber- gen, lying in New Netherland, in attendance at the Gemeene Landts vergaderingh within the city aforesaid, and sent to the honorable duly empowered deputies, Jan Baptista Reinselaar, patroon of the colony of Rensselaerswyck and Johannes Pieterzen van Brugh, ex- schepen of this city. No. A Copy of the petition presented by burgomasters and schepens of the city of Amsterdam in New Netherland to the honorable very worthy gentlemen, the director general and council of New Netherland, and the resolution there- upon. B Remonstrance setting forth the alarming situation of this province. C Letter from the delegates of the aforesaid city and villages. D Copy of the letter to the honorable directors. E Commission of Messrs Jan Baptista Renselaar and Joannes Pieterzen van Brugh. F Letter from the burgomasters and schepens of the city of Amsterdam in New Netherland. Done at Amsterdam in New Netherland, the loth of November 1663. [signed] Joannes Nevius, Secretary. [Endorsed] List of the accompanying papers and writings. 5* V. R. B. Mss S3. Last part of letter of burgomaster and schcpens of Now Amsterdam to Jan Baptist van Rensselaer and Johannes Pietersz van Bruj^li, November lo, 1663 From V. R. B. A'Iss 54. Original size VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 789 Burgomasters and schepens of New Amsterdam to Jan Baptist van Rensselaer and Johannes Pietersz van Brugh, urging them to exert themselves in the interests of the province^ November 10, 166^ To Messrs Jan Baptista Renselaer. and Johannes Pieterz: van Brugh The loth of November 1663, in Amsterdam, in New Netherland Worthy, wise, prudent and very discreet gentlemen and well af- fectionate good friends. Greeting. While the accompanying documents and papers will acquaint your honors with the sad and very distressing situation of this province, whose flourishing condition concerns your honors and every inhabit- ant of the same to the highest degree, we have in addition thought it necessary to. communicate this situation to your honors with the earnest request to exert yourself in the matter which we commend most urgently to your honors. As to the costs and the expenses of promoting this important work, the secretary, Cornelis van Ruijuen, has pledged himself to the sum of 400 guilders money of Holland, which to that end will be paid to the honorable Company. The honorable director general of New Netherland has also promised to write about the matter to the honorable Jan baptista Renselaer, so that we do not doubt but your honors will be reimbursed with thanks. Meanwhile, we are and remain after cordial greetings, Sirs, Your honors' obliging and affectionate friends, the burgo- masters and schepens of the city aforesaid. [signed] P L van de grist By order of the same, [signed] Joannes Nevius, Secretary " V. R. B. Mss 54, marked F. \ 79° NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Insurance policy on the ship Het Gekruijste Hart, issued to Jan Baptist van Rensselaer'"' April 28, 166 J Clmi Segel, 6 St [signed] Schaep We, the underwritten, promise and h'md ourselves to insure, and hereby do insure, you Jan Bapt". z'an Rcnsclacr, merchant in this city, or any one else interested in the whole or part, nothing ex- cepted, to wit, each of us for the sum here underwritten by him, from Manahatans in New Ncthcrland and parts circumjacent thereto to this city of Amsterdam, the risk to begin from the hour and day that the ship lifts her anchor at Manahatans to sail hither, with permission to enter port and sail to any place at the skipper's pleas- ure, zvith or tvithont the knozvledge of the insured or the super- cargo, and this on all goods and merchandise perishable or im- perishable, none excepted, already loaded or still to be loaded in the ship hereafter named, as ivcll as on the hull or body of the ves- sel, zvhich God preserve, with her cannon, ammunition, equipment and appurtenances thereof, belonging to the insured aforesaid or to any one else, the ship being named 't gekruijste hart'''' of about . . lasts burden, having as skipper Siezvert Dirckss:: or whoever may sail in his stead as skipper or skippers, also on the ship's stores, with the condition that the insured may insure him- self for the full value, without being obliged to risk a third or tenth or even a single stiver himself. We deliberately zvaive the insur- ance ordinances of this city and all other laws and ordinances in so far as they are contrary to the contents of this [policy] and promise in good faith and honesty in case of damage (zvhich God forbid) to except nothing nor to claim any interest much less to require or exact accounts or other documents, but in all questions to accept the simple statement of the insured or the holder of this policy and zvithin one month after the abandonment to pay truly and promptly the sums subscribed by us, zvithout any deduction, in full, without urging of the chamber of insurance aforesaid. And in case of dis- pute or average zve submit ourselves to tzvo or three referees to be V. R. B. Mss 55. Printed blank, 40x31.3 cm, following the form suggested by the Court of Amsterdam, Jan. 31, 1598; Groot Placaet Boeck, 1:856. To distinguish the ])rinted from the written parts, the written parts are printed in italics. •'" The Crossed Heart. VAN RENSSELAKR liOWIKR MAXTSCklPTS yC)l chosen by the iiisitred or holder of this policy and promise promptly to comply zvith and satisfy their decision, in good faith, whether the nezi'S received be good or bad. The risk, peril and adventure whereof, we herehy tife'city"* agree to take upon ourselves, from the hour and day sterdam] abovc and to continue till the aforesaid ship with tlie cannon, ammunition, equipment and appurtenances thereof shall have arrived and been unloaded at the place aboz'c named, the aforesaid shi]) -a'ith her appurtenances and cargo being free to sail back and forth, to turn and change her course to the right, to the left and to all sides, and in case of need or desire to enter all such ports and roadsteads as the skipper or skippers shall please. We also insure you against all perils of the sea, storm, fire and wind, against friends an:l enemies, against arrests and detentions by kings, queens, princes, lords and communities, against letters of marque and reprisal, knavery and carelessness of skippers and crew, and all other perils and adventvires which the aforesaid ship with her appurtenances and cargo may in any wise encounter, whether premeditated or tmpremeditated, ordinary or extraordinary, none excepted, putting ourselves in all such cases in your stead to guard you against all loss and damage ; so also if anything else should hap- pen to the ship with her appurtenances and cargo (which may God prevent), we bind ourselves hereby to pay to you, the insured, or to your supercargo, all the damage which you may sustain, to wit, each of us according to the amount subscribed by him, the first underwriter with the last, and this within three months next succeeding the time when we shall have been properly advised of the loss or damage ; and in all such cases we give you, the insured, and all others full power to hel]) in saving and protecting the afore- said ship with her appurtenances, whether it be to our loss or profit, and to furnish the same with whatever it may need; also to sell the same and to distribute the money if the circumstances so require, without our consent or permission. We will also pay the expenses thereby incurred and the damage suffered, whether anything be saved or not, and for the expenses of the same credence shall be given to the person who incurred them, on his oath, without any objectic^n being raised. also agree that the insured (as he hereby promises) shall j)ay us an insurance premium of 20 per cent, of the amount insured in ready money zvithout discount, and to re- in gercdc gcldc. Instead of this expression, the form printed in Groot Placaet Bocck, 1:856, lias over drie ccrst i-olgende Macnden, after three months next Ensuing. fJEW YORK STATfi LIBRARY frain from all prolixity, we hold this insurance policy of the same force as if it had been drawn up and approved by the schepens and equally binding as if all the clauses therein mentioned were put in the best form imaginable, to your profit and our loss. All without guile or deceit and according to the ordinance of the Chamber of Insurance of the city of Amsterdam, submitting ourselves on both sides to the laws, usage and judicature of the said Chamber and binding therefor our persons and estates present and future, re- nouncing as men of honor all cavil and exceptions which might be made against this. Thus done at Amsterdam, this 28th of April 1665. The risk to be for tzvo thirds on the ship aforesaid and for one third o)i the cargo. [Subscribed] f75o: — I, Isaac de Bra, agree to this insurance, which God protect, for seven hundred and fifty guilders. Date as above. f750- — Robert de vicq, agree to this insurance, which God pro- tect, for seven hundred and fifty guilders. This day the 29th, ditto. [Endorsed] Hon. Renselaer. Policy for fi5oo — Yz part on tlic hull of the ship 't Gckruijste Hardt and Yi part on goods loaded in said ship. Jan Hendricksz van Gunst to B. Coornhart, notary at Amster- dam^^ May 15, 167 1 Mr Coornhart, kind friend, greeting. Your letter dated the 12th of July 1669 was duly handed to me by the bearer of this, which will further serve to transmit the enclosed power of attorney made out to you and respectfully to request that you will be pleased to make it effective according to its contents and to send me the results thereof. As to the money from my uncle Jan Minnekes which you trust I must have received, I have never found out who is supposed to have drawn it on my behalf and transmitted it to me. I request you therefore to demand it once more ac- cording to the power of attorney and to give an ac- V. R. B. Mss 58. (I) Jan Gunst VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 793 to inquire after the wife or heirs of jail gerritss, glazier has as security the following articles Juff. AcUie Marschal, i-in- keeper's f'.augh- ter, lived in St Anna 's: To inquire of Julf. Verhocven in the vlas huys where Juff Marschal count thereof in due form. It might be that one Ian f^irrits, glazier, deceased, who lived on the Hecrc Gracht in Amsterdam, has received some of it. In that case, he should have informed me of it, for as security for my debt to him I left in his hands as a pledge, a silver girdle with key ring, two silver chains, two silver-handled knives, four silver spoons, three gold rings, a Bible with silver mountings and a chain, also twelve napkins and two table cloths ; these, or the value thereof, must then be returned; please to in- quire into this also. I shall consider it a favor If you will please send glass for the money you may re- ceive and retain for yourself what is due to you for your fees and trouble. Aside from the loo guilders, there is due to me from aeltje marchal, on account of house rent paid to Mr Sille, tht sum of 20 guil- ders, and also ii guilders [paid] to Egbert van Bor- sum, the last two amounts in seawan, ordinarily reck- oned here at four to one in money of Holland, so that she ought to be ashamed of herself for having denied this. Please do not spare her, but in case of unwil- lingness constrain her thereto by force of law. Trust- ing the matter to you, I shall in return not fail to do you such service as I can ; with best wishes I com- mend you to God, and remain, Your affectionate friend. New York, the 15th of May 1671. Power of attorney from Jan Hendricksz van Gunst, glazier at New York, to B. Coornhart, notary at Amsterdam, to collect money from Aeltje Marchal and others*"'^ May T^, i6yi Appeared before me, Willcin Bogardus, notary public residing in New York and admitted by the honorable and worthy Francis Louc- «• V. R. B. Mss 57. 794 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY lace, on the part of His Royal Highness, James, Duke of York, Governor General of all his territories in America, and before the hereafter named witnesses, Ian Hendricks:: J\iin Gunst, glazier within this city, who declared that he had constituted and fully empowered, as he hereby does constitute and empower S''. B: Coornhart, notary at Amsterdam, to demand, procure and receive in the name and be- half of the principal : 1 From the honorable commissioners of insolvent estates at Amsterdam such moneys in the possession of the said chamber of insolvent estates as have devolved upon the principal by succession and inheritance through the death of Ian Minnekes Van Gunst, his uncle on his mother's side,^^ who when alive was a resident of Am- sterdam aforesaid ; and to acknowledge receipt of the same and give security against future claims. 2 Also, from Aeltje Marchals, widow of Evert Marchall de- ceased, the sum of lOO Carolus guilders, according to the original note of hand signed by her the 28th of Jul y'''^ 1662 at the nianhatans, hereunto annexed. 3 Also, from Juffzv. Houthuysen dwelHng in the gecroonde Stockvis^ on zvarmoes street in Amsterdam, or in case of her de- cease, from her heirs or executors or administrators of her estate, the sum of 77 guilders, 15 stivers, 12 pence, earned luages,^"^ ac- cording to the account hereto likewise annexed.^^ Also to acknowl- edge receipt of the same and if need be to give security against future claims. Also, in case of unwillingness to pay, to act in the matter and bring or defend suit before all proper courts, justices, laws and jurisdictions, either as plaintili' or defendant, to see and hear sen- tence or sentences pronounced, to cause them to be executed or to move appeal or modification thereof, to prosecute the matter of appeal or modification as well as to renounce the same, and all this with such absolute warrant, power and authority as the principal could or might have if he were present himself, promising under the bond of law to keep inviolate and to cause to be kept inviolate whatever may be done or performed in the matter aforesaid by his representative; the representative being obliged under like bond of linderlined in original. Underlined in original. The date is given in the note of hand as Jvinc; see hclow. ^ Crowned Stockfish. "* Underlined in original. This account is not among the Vati Rensselaer Bowier Mss. VAN RENSSELAER DOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 795 law to render proper accounts, proof and returns. Thus done and passed in New York, the 15th of May 1671, in the presence of Messrs Hendrick Van Dijck, Hans Kicrsteede and Willem van Vredenburgh as witnesses hereunto invited, who have also signed the original minute, with the principal and myself, the notary. Which I certify, [signed] W. Bogardus, Not. Pub. [Endorsed] From van gunst, out of New Netherland. Sent by Captain Black, skipper, 4 Dec. 1671, to take to New York. Note of hand of Aeltje Marchal to Jan Hendricksz van Gunst'''' (Annexed to the above) In the menadiis,^'^ the 28th of June i66.? I, the underwritten, acknowledge that I am truly indebted to Jan henderixse van guynst or the bearer of this, for the sum of one hundred Carolus guilders, which I owe him for board received dur- ing two winters, to wit, in the year 1661 and in the year 1662, which I will honestly pay him as I received it while my husband was to verginy. I say 100 guilders. acltic -MarcscliacI This I have written with my own hand. [Endorsed] On hartc street, under the - - - [ ?] Account and invoice of the ship de Witte Kloodt"^ July 6, 16'/ T 1671, in Amsterdam Account and invoice of the ship, dc zvittc kloodt,^''^ skipper dirck muyssen Hooninch, and of its lading and equipment, which said ship sailed on the 6th of July for the account of Messrs Jacob van aJdcrivcrclt, Matthys ten brocck, Jan baptist van Rensselaer, \pi]e- tcr van wcrckhoouen and Abel de woIff. each one fifth part, to which may the Eord God please to grant his blessing. Amen. r. R. B. .l/.w 5Q. Manhattans. V. R. B. Mss 56. ""The White Globe, 796 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY boxes marked with the letter A in which are 32 pieces of say at 31}^ guilders fiooS 36 pieces ditto at 343^ guilders 1242 9 pieces ditto at 355^ guilders 319 10 61 pieces ditto at 35 guilders 2135 2 pieces ditto at 34 guilders 68 for hauling, lightering and un- loading 17 10 H790 H790 30 boxes marked with the letter B in which are 700 guns at 31^ guilders f2450 700 muskets at 63 stivers 2205 600 carbines at 53 stivers 1590 to the skipper 3 f6248 3 I ^ off 62 10 received from danicl le febure f6i85 13 £6185 13 16 small boxes marked with the letter C in which are 1032 bed sheets at 27 st f^393 4 received from matthys fen broeck fi393 4 fi393 4 I box marked with the letter D 50 small anabasse"^*^ blankets at 24 st f 60 50 large anabasse blankets at 48 st 120 50 small worsted rugs at 18 st 45 7 small packages of yellow amber which are specified below received from matthys ten broecke f225 £225 '"' Anabasse is a coarse blanketing made in the Netherlands and Normandy and still used in the African trade. VAN RENSSELAER I50WIER MANUSCRIPTS 797 I cask marked with the letter E 141 lb yellow amber from eliyas at 36 st £253 16 off 2 10 300 bunches'^^ of small coral at 19 St £285 ifc off 2 17 £251 6 f282 3 62 bunches of small coral from dyonys baeilly at 16 st 49 12 f583 I f583 I I keg, letter F, containing 50 lb white tassels^- at lol^ st ' £26 5 oft" o 10 f25 15 for the cask O 16 from gerret hessels i26 11 f26 11 4 small boxes, letter G, with 50 mengeP^ pitchers | 164^ lb pewter 20 pint pitchers j at 51 guilders f83 18 for making the pitchers 20 total £13203 9 brought forward from preced- ing page £13203 9 1 1, " Mas; from Italian masso, a bvmch of assorted corals consisting of a definite number of strings. '2 quispell; the ordinary meaning of this word is as given above but its sense here is obscure. " mengel; a liquid measure, approximately 1.25 quarts. 798 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 123 bowls weighing 169 lb at 56 guilders 94 13 £198 II \'fc off 2 from the widow of pieter borscdt iigG it {k^G ii 12 small boxes, letter H 688 dozen knives and as many sheathes at I4>4 st f498 16 i^ off 5 from Jail mom f493 16 f493 16 I cask, letter J 48 pivots at 66 guilders, 200 lb fi32 I cask, letter K 55 pails weighing 202 lb at 74 guilders £149 9 18 small casks, letter L 22910 bracelets weighing 7046 \h at 49 guilders 2/ off for the casks, etc. from Jan gerrctsz de Jonge . 1000 bars of ballast''''* iron weighing 29938 lb at yyl guilders f2r7o 10 ifc off 21 14 f3452 10 ^3733 19 74 14 ^3659 5 29 17 f3689 2 from s'' Jacob van aldcriverclt f2T48 16 f2i48 16 '* voycigie. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 799 25 ankers"' of brandy at 18 guilders £450 for the casks and expenses 27 11 8 from s'' Jacob van alderwerelt i4yy 118 £477 118 40 kegs containing 1000 lb powder at 29 guilders £290 for the kegs and expenses 26 6 from s'' jacob z>an aldcnvcrclt f3i6 6 f3i6 6 3 boxes, letter A 60 pieces of say at 35 guilders f2ioo from abraham Rooleeuw f2ioo £2100 for convoy fees and cliarges"^ paid by alderwerelt f 1 02 for convoy fees and charges paid by Rensselaer 645 9 for boxes, chests and bringing on board f236 £983 9 £983 9 total £23609 o S To Mr zvilhelm ysbrandtsen for the hull of the pin- nace, 85 feet long, 21 feet wide, 20 feet deep, the deck about 5 feet, according to the specifications and orders to the carpenter and paid therefor f 5000 to cornelis schaagen and fan keyser, sail makers, for two sets of new sails according to bill 1349 18 to jan ■witteboll for 12179 rope with some lines according to bill 2058 15 to the widow of nikolaes visch for 10 pieces of can- non with the testing of the same according to bill 722 6 to harnien steenbergen, coppersmith, for kettles, pots, pans and other copper ware for the ship according to bill 195 anker : a li(|iiifl measure of alioiit ten gallons. connoy cn veylgelt. 8oo NEW YORK STATE LIliRAKV to arent hendricxsen, woodcarver, for carving 70 lo to jan anthonissen for painting the ship inside and outside 78 u to lysbet Cornells for beer consumed during the car- pentering and sheathing 76 to mattheus coenraetsen, plumber, for some lead and balls according to bill 69 18 8 to furnishing various kinds of materials used in sheathing the ship according to bill 413 5 to willeni ysbrantsen for wages of the men in sheath- ing the ship 279 17 to corneiis bruynneel for flags, compasses and lanterns according to bill 255 6 to jan Jillesen for 6 anchors costing according to bill 377 2 to the smith for bolts, bands, hoops and other iron ware according to bill 203 5 to luycas claassen, mast maker, for the round timber 154 10 to dirck fransen for a new boat 85 to dirck symonsen gordt for 10 gun carriages with accessories 66 8 to hendrick abelsen for wainscotting the cabin and accessories 103 to jan claessen mnyshondt for 188 boards for the sheathing 129 14 to corneiis cornelisz, block maker, for blocks, etc. 140 12 to s'^ jacob van alderwerelt for 400 lb powder 116 to dirck muyssen hooninch for food consumed in going to sardam and for freight 174 11 paid for caulking of the ship 40 for measuring the ship and tax bill 17 12 to dirck muyssen hooninch for provisions bought by him, porters' wages, freight on the cordage, tow- ing of the ship and other sundries 174 17 for three figures carved on the stern of the ship 17 11 to daniel le febure for 8 muskets, 6 pistols, 10 broad- swords, 6 pikes, 2 muskets and a pair of pocket pistols 81 19 to pieter rvitsen for pewter in the cabin 29 10 total '"12480 17 8 VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 8oi to the widow of cornelis de vries for 40,000 ballast bricks £172 6 to dirck niuyssen hooninch for one month's wages in hand paid and for his journey to the Texel 409 11 to ^ alderwerelt for 7 barrels of pork at 27 guilders 189 to J alderwerelt for 20 bags of barley at 3^4 guilders £75; for the barrels for the barley fii 86 for 56 lb caraway cheese 5 12 for 4 earthen pitchers, i wooden funnel, i clock, some earthen pots and soap 16 16 to marya vander vinct for 3 ankers train oil 22 13 to saertien huys for 3 barrels of salt • 10 10 to ellard de zveer for 2000 lb stockfish 150 10 for 12 iron and 18 bundles of wooden hoops 17 4 to hendrick gerretsen for 9 casks for dry wares 12 to arent bulsinck for 44 lb cheese, 3 lb wicks, 121 lb tallow and 64 lb lard 53 19 to cornelis Radt for 3 barrels of olive oil and spices 112 11 to frederick broech for i case of distilled liquors 27 12 to Reyer Jacobscn for 3728 lb hardtack 287 to klaes hooninch for 12 bags of gray and 12 bags of white peas 88 4 to claes gerretdtsen blauwpodt for 4 firkins of butter 7^ ^5 to Jan van crayepoel for 5 barrels of tar, i barrel pitch 64 for 53 loaves of soft bread 9 18 to gerret tiercxsen, cooper, for 18 brandy casks with iron hoops 84 to cornelis and Jan bykerck for 25 spars and 50 sawed boards 54 to gerret noppen for 12 brandy casks, with 34 barrels of ship's beer and 4 kegs of good beer, with the casks and hoops 204 to jan pietersen for 10 fathoms of firewood and 12 straps 71 16 to Arent vanden binck for 4 half hogsheads of vinegar, two casks Spanish wine, 4 casks French wine, 8 ankers of cognac brandy with the casks 329 to hendrick Roodt for 100 sweet milk cheeses, various sorts of nails, gunner's and cook's supplies and rosin 339 15 51 802 NEW YORK STATE LIP.RARY to pliilip allcrdinck for 1040 lb bacon, 3 hams and 2 pieces of smoked beef with 6 tongues 193 to hghtcr charges for tlie stores, porterage and 6 cartridge pouches - 28 18 to dirck muysscn hooiiiiicJi for ship's money 126 to 1 oiicciiaar, some cheese, bread and butter 21 18 8 to 15 small empty merchandise boxes 28 10 to various meetings at sardaiii as well as here, with sundry expenses 136 total £3428 18 8 the merchandise loaded in the shi]) (/' 7ciitc Icloot amounting to 23609 o 8 the ship with its equipment 12480 17 8 the stores for the intended voyage 3428 18 8 for cash ke])t in case anything should have been forgotten 76 for our commission at i ^ 395 3 8 for tavern ex]:)enses at the settling of this account 10 total £40000 Specification of what I have paid on account of the ship de ivittc Moot, which must be brought under the head of expenses. 1671 T(; January, for a meeting at the N here loijiiii' " £41 26 ditto, for a meeting at the dracck"'^ £ 4 6 2(j ditto, for a journey to sardam the 6 of us f 16 16 12 p^ebruary. for a meeting at the 5rflc^£^ ^ijTOM?™ £ 6 6 7 March, for a journey to sardam, the 6 o£ us £ 16 ii 8 26 May, for a meeting at the N here logim* £ 5 — 4 June, for a meeting at Vandcr elst doelen £ 7 13 8 ditto, for earnest money to vande ringen £14 18 ditto, for transportation of 30 boxes £248 17 4 19 ditto, for transportation of 8 large and 16 small boxes and 2 small casks £165 12 4 Niciiwc Here logiiiwnl ; New Getitlemen's Hotel. 1 )raif()ii. ™ lii ackisli rirntinfl. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 803 23 ditto, for transportation of 16 small boxes 26 ditto, for a farewell dinner at the kluijvciiirs docleii/'^ etc. 27 ditto, for transportation of 3 boxes 1 Jnly, for 2 meetings at the (/oiiwdc Icciii^';^ etc. 2 ditto, for transportation and otlier ex])enses of 18 small and 2 larger casks, toL^ether total f 31 18 4 f 26 14 8 f 32 — 4 f 7 10 fi67 2 4 f74i 1 S2 continued to M'' irHleiii iisbrtnitsc, 4 entries to / G', 2 entries also, to your brother at sardam to da II id lefchnrc above amomit commission balance still due £1264 2 £3689 2 f4953 4 31 TO f4984 14 2134 13 f7ii9 7 741 I £7860 8 f 79 o 8 f7939 8 8 60 IT 8 fSooo — - Brant Schuyler to Kiliaen van Rensselaer*^' December jo, t6q6 In New York, 30 Dec. 1696 "Dear sir and friend : Yours of the 20th of November, T received with pleasure and in Klovcnicrs doc'.cii; Arqucbusiers' ( ;iiilranf Pcclen. His name docs not appear in the records of llie colony after 1634. Roelof Jansz, from Masterland | Marstrand, on tlie coast of Sweden]; sailed in 1630 with liis wife Annelje Jans, his daughters Sara and Trijntje and anotlier child born before in New Netherland. He was farmer on dc Laets Burg and was appointed schepen July i, 1632. He prob- ably left the colony in 1634. Seger (Zeeger) Jansz, from Nykerck, [province of Gelderland]; sailed in 1630 and served 'as farm hand under Rutger Hendricksz, on Rensselaers Burg. Oct. 3, 16,36, he is referred to as having been drowned. Brant Peelen, from Nykerck, [province of Gelderland]; was engaged as farmer in Jan. 1630, for the term of four years, at wages of firo a j'ear, and in 1632 was appointed schepen. He was married twice, first to I^ub- bertjc Wouters, by whom he had three children, Lysbeth Brants, Geert Brants and Gcrritje Brants and secondly, at New Amsterdam, July 3, 1643, to Marritje Pieters, widow of Claes Sybrantsz, who had two children, Sybrant Claesz and Aeltjc Claes. Lysbeth and Gcrritje llrants came to the colony by den Watcrhondt in 1640. One of them married Claes Jansz Calff. I>rant Peelen died before May l, 1644, wlien Cornelis Segcrsz van Votirhout suc- ceeded him on his farm, called Wclys Burg, on Castle Island. 1631 By dc Eendracht Sailed from the Texcl shortly after July y, 1631 Marinus Adriaensz (Marijn Adriaensz, Maryn Adriaensen, Marin Adriaensz, Marinus Ariaens), from Veere, [in the province of Zealand]; entered into a contract with I\iliaen van Rensselaer, Jan. 12, 1631, to serve as tobacco planter for the period of three years, if possible, on the farm on the north side of Fort Orange, which he began to clear before his depar- ture." He sailed with his wife I^ysbet Thysen and one child and several farm laborers l)y de Eendracht in July 1631. In 1632 he was appointed sche- pen and the same year he is referred to as farmer on Godyns Burg situated south of Fort Orange. His name docs not occiu- in the account books of the colony; he probably left the colony at th.e end of his term in 16.34. *Claes Brunsteyn, from Straelsundt [Stralsund, in Pomerania] ; entered into an a.grecment with Marinus Adriaensz, May 27, 1631, but did not sail for the colony. *Andries Christensz, from Flecker [Fleckero, Norway]; entered into a contract with the patroon for the erection of a sawmill, July 2, 163T, but did not come to the colony. Jasper Ferlyn (Ferlin, Ferlijn) van der Gouw, from Middelburgh, [in the province of Zealand] ; entered the service of IMarinus Adriaensz as tobacco planter, Feb. 17, 1631, for the term of three years, beginning on his arrival in the colony. His name does not appear in the account books of the colony; he pr't!>;!bl\- left at tlic end of In's term in 1634. * Cornelis Goverts (Gerritssz), from Flecker [IHeckero, Norway]; was engaged to sail by dc Eendracht in 163 t, but failed to go. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 807 Laurens Laurensz (Lourenssen, Loerens), from Coppcnhagen; also referred to as Laurens Laurenscn noorman. He and two other Scandina- vians were engaged, July 2, 1631, for three years, to erect a sawmill in the colony. Laurens Laurensz was appointed schepen in 1632 and in July of that year is referred to by the patroon as miller on dc Laets kil, which is the present Mill Creek in the city of Rensselaer. Laurens Laurensz' name does not appear in the business accounts of the colony for 1634 ; he probably left at the end of his term of service. Cornelis Maesen (Maersz, Maertsz, Martsen, Maessen), from Buyrmal- sen [Buurmalsem, in the province of GclderlandJ ; sailed for New Nether- land as a farm laborer in 1631, having been engaged by the patroon on May 27th, for the term of three years, and went back to Holland shortly after Aug. 2, 1634, on which date he is charged in the colony with f 12:18 for clothes and brandy. Aug. 15, 1636, he entered into a new contract with the patroon and the same year he sailed by the Rcnsselaerswyck, accompanied by his wife Catelijntje Martens and a servant by the name of Cornelis Teunisz, from Westbroeck. On the voyage, Jan. 30, 1637, a son was born named Hendrick Cornelisz. Cornelis; Maesen arrived in the colony the second time about April 17, 1637. From that time till his death, some time before April 8, 1648, he occupied a farm on or near Papscanee Island. Cor- nelis Maesen and his wife were buried the same day; their efYccts were sold at auction Shrove Tuesday, 1649. Barent Thonisz (Berent Thonis, Thonissen, Tonisz, Theunisz, Thomas- sen), from Heijligesont [Plellesund, on the south coast of Norwaj'^] ; he and two other Scandinavians were engaged, July 2, 1631, for the period of three years, to build a sawmill in the colony. The name of Barent Thonisz does not appear in the account books of the colony; he probably left at the end of his term in 1634. Jan Tyaerts (Thyerts, Chierts, Teersz, Terssen, Treersz), frorii Franicker, [in the province of Friesland] ; was engaged as a farm laborer. May 27, 163T, for the period of three years, at f6o a year, and sailed with Marinus Adriaensz on de Eendracht in July of that year. In the account books he is entered as a farm hand of Cornelis Teunisz, from Breuckelen, from June i, 1635, to July 19, 1637. He probably left the colony soon after the last named date. 1633 By den Southcrg Sailed from the Texel shortly after July 20, 1632 ; arrived at New Amsterdam in April 1633 Hendrick Fredericksz (Frerixsen), from Bunnick, [near Utrecht] ; was engaged as farm laborer for Gerrit Theusz de Reux and sailed with him, being then 26 years of age. In the accounts of the colony he is charged with supplies from 1638 to 1643 ssesst'd of a lionst' and lul and therefore nf)l bound to st-r\e, and that lie had not yet settled all his accounts with the patroon. I lis objections however were o\'erruled and he was lU'ged once more to accept the office, the court, in case of refusal, llu'cif ening to ijroceed to other measures. He fina.lly yielded, on condition that he be first rdlowed to make a trip to the Manhatans. This was granted and Nov. 19, T648, he took the oath as member of the court. At his urgent request he was released from his office on Jan. 5, 1651. In the accounts he is charged from 1648 to 1652 with f32 a year for groimd rent of a house and license to trade and, jointly with Rutger Jacobsz, from May 1649 to May 1650 with f450 for the lease of the brewery. July r8, T650, he was granted permission to become a tap- ster and Sept. 9, 1650, he was with Arent van Curler appointed trustev^ 8l2 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY of a fund for the building of a school. From May i, 1655, to May i, 1658, he and Thomas Jansz are charged with an annual rent of f40, for a small piece of land situated opposite den sack. July 19, [1659?] he entered into an agreement with Jeremias van Rensselaer regarding the purchase of hides of cattle to be killed in the colony, showing that by that time he was engaged in the tanning business. After 1660, he is occasionally referred to as Goossen Gerritsc van Schaick. • Robert Harmensz; his account in the colony runs from April 17, 1637, to 1638. He is credited with 'wages earned in repairing a fence, splitting wood, thatching and grinding, and would seem to have been in the employ of Gerrit de Reux. tie came probably by the Rcnsselaerswyck. Adriaen Huybertsz; is credited with six years' wages at fioo a year, from .April 8, 1O37; like others whose term of service began at that date, he came probably by the Rcnsselaerswyck. For four and one half years he was employed by Cornelis Teunisz, from Breuckclen. In 1652, he is charged with five years' rent, at f.ioo a year, for a farm on the fifth creek, which he seeui.s to have taken over from Rutger Jacobsz, and for the same length of time with f20 a year for trading privileges. Rutger (Ruth) Jacobsz, from Schoonderwoert [Schoonrewoerd, prov- ince of South Holland] ; served as farm hand on the farm of Cornells Teunisz, from Breuckclen, for the term of six years, beginning April 8, 1637, at fioo a year, and probably came on the Rcnsselaerswyck. Feb. 9, 1643, he was engaged as foreman on de groote Vlacte (the great Flats) at f22o a year, a suit of clothes, two shirts and two pairs of shoes, his term of service to be- gin April 7, 1643. From Jan. i, 1645, he appears as lessee of a farm on the fifth creek, which in 1647 seems to have been taken over by Adriaen Huy- bertsz. From 1648 to 1654 he is charged with an annual rent of fi25 for a sawmill on the fifth creek, taken over from Andries dc Vos, and for the same period he is charged, jointly with Barent Pietersz, with an annual rent of fSSO for a saw- and grist-mill, also on the fifth creek. He owned a yacht from about 1648, and April 4, 1649, agreed to pay f32 a year, for three years, for rent of his house lot and the right to the fur trade. Oct. 18, 1650, he and Goossen Gerritsz were authorized to brew beer, on condition of pay- ing a duty of one guilder for every barrel of beer and of brewing, free of charge, the beer needed for the households of van Slichtenhorst and dc Flooges. Rutger Jacobsz is credited with f36 for nine months' salary as racts vrieiidt (councilor) and again with salary as councilor, at the rate of fSO a year, from Dec. 18, 1649, to Oct. 18, 165 1, when at his urgent request he was released from his duties and succeeded by Jan Baptist van Rens- selaer. Rutger Jacobsz married June 3, 1646, at New Amsterdam, Trijnljc Jans, from Brecstede [Bredstedt, in Schleswig], and died before Dec. 9, 1665. Claes Jansz, from Nykerck, [province of Gelderland] ; is credited with four years' wages, at fi20 a J^ear, beginning April 2, 1637, and with carpenter work done between 16^2 and 1644 on houses of van Curler, van der Donck, Megapolensis and others. Aug. 30, 16^16, Antony de Hooges ordered Nico- laes Coorn, officer of the colony, to seize grain on the farm of Broer Cor- nelis and to turn the same over to Claes Jansz, from Nykerck, in payment of wages earned 1)y him on de Vlackte while Broer Cornelis was at the Manhatans, as per account of Ruth Jacobsz. VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Dirck Jansz, from Edam, [in the province of North Holland]. He and Reynier Thijmensz, from Edam, entered into a contract with Kiliaen van Rensselaer on Aug. 26, 1636, to sail by the ship Rensselaerswyck and to settle in the colony as free colonists, for a period of four years. He is charged in the accounts with supplies from May 9. 1637, to 1642. Under date of May 29, 1643, he is referred to as deceased. He was a member of the council of the colony in 1637. Jacob Jansz, from Amsterdam; was a carpenter by trade and was engaged for the term of four years, beginning April 2, 1637, at wages of f40 a year. He appears for part of this period to have been employed by Albert Andriesz; in the harvest of 1640, he served under Cornelis Teunisz, from Breuckelen. May 1, 1640, he received f32 extra pay for " faithful service to the patroon." In 1641 he was employed by van Curler to do some copying and from that date till Aug. 20, 1643, when his account was closed by van Curler, he was engaged with other carpenters in building houses and barns. Thomas Jansz, from Bunnick, [near Utrecht]; was engaged as farm hand for the term of six years, beginning April 8, 1637, at fiio a year, and served under Brant Peelen and Symon Walichsz. He probably came by the Rensselaerswyck. From May i, 1646, to 1650 he occupied a farm, for which he is charged with an annual rent first of fiSo and then of fi3o; April 11, 1650, van Slichtenhorst leased to him an additional piece of land formerly occupied by Hendrick Albertsz, and from that time till 1652 he is charged with rent of fi8o a year. From May i, 1655, to May i, 1658, he and Goossen Gerritsz are charged with rent and tithes for a small parcel of la^nd on the cast side of the river opposite den sack. In 1656, the accounts contain the name of Thomas jansen Tiimnerman. This man is probably to be identified with Thomas Jansz Mingael, the car- penter, who appears to have been a resident of Beverwyck, and not a settler of Rensselaerswyck. Jean Labatie (Lebatie, Lebattij, Labatyn, Labatis), also referred to as Johan Labatie fransman (Frenchman) ; was engaged as a journeyman car- penter for the term of four years, beginning April 2, 1637, at fSo a year, and for part of the time was employed hy Albert Andriesz. At the end of the four years, he engaged himself to the patroon for three years more, at f200 a year. Thereafter, van Curler intended to put him on the farm at the Great Flats to trade, but he probably left the patroon"? service. In 1648, he is charged, in the accounts with the patroon's Gerechticheyt (dues) for four years, beginning May T, 1643, compounded at the rate of f25 a year, which may indicate that he was engaged in the Indian trade, as in 1650 he is spoken of as being well versed in the Maquaes language. June IS, 1647, he received permission from the West India company to erect a house in Fort Orange and to brew therein ; in 1640, he is referred to by van Slichtenhorst as being in command of the fort, which may have reference to a temporary absence of Carel van Brugge, wh© was appointed eommis Nov. 6, 1647, and is supposed to have acted in that capacity till 1651. Sept. 23, 1650, Jean Labatie, inhabitant of Fort Orange, was summoned to the house of Director van Slichtenhorst and asked to accompany van Curler, Cornelis Teunisz, from Breuckelen, Thomas Chambers and Volckert Hansz on an embassy to the Maquaes to renew the covenant of friendship, but he refused to go, saying that it made 8i4 NKVV YORK STATIC I.UikAKY litllc difference to those in tlie fort whether tiiey were :it war f)r at peace with the Indians. Aug. 26, 1652, Labatie and Cornclis Tcunisz, from Brenckelen, jointly leased the farm formerly occupied by Cornelis Tcunisz, but in the accounts Labatie is not charged with rent for this farm and it is likely that he never occupied it. July 20, 1654, Labatie took over the farm on Castle Lsland formerly leased to Jan Barcntsz Wenip, for which from stubl)!e lime 1654 to J\Tay i, 1655, he is charged with £150 and thereafter with an annual rent of f^oo. Fel). 20, 1672, Labatie settled his accounts with- Jeremias van Rensselaer. Arent Pietersz, generally referred to as Arciit Pictcrss Jongcn (the boy) ; was engaged for si.x years, beginning April 3, 1637, three years at f45 and three years at f75 a year, and serxed at different times imder Al- bert Andriesz, Cornelis Teunisz and Tennis Dircksz. He is probalily the same person as Acrt Pictcrsr: alias Solder, or Solder Pictcrs::, who was fur- nished with supplies in 1642 and who appears as late as 1651. The nickname Solder would seem to indicate tliat he was in cliarge of a graaii colder, that is, a grain loft, or granary. July 8, 1649, Acrt Pictersc was summoned be- fore the court to slate whether he would fulfil his promise to seccker vrotnv- vieiis, (jenaemt Blaiielce acl (a certain woman, called fair Alida) and in reply declared that he wtnild marry her at the first opportunity. Jacob Pietersz, from Utreelit; in one account referred to as Jacob Pietersz van. Uijirccht alias J'celtjc, and in another as Jacob Pietcrs:: Vcelfje; was en.gaged for six years, from April 8, 1637, at fioo a_ year, and served under Brant Peclen. He left the colony on, or before, Nov. 16, 1644. * Hans van Sevenhuysen; sailed by the I^ensselaerswyck as smith's helper lo Cornelis Thomasz, l)ut was arrested in England for killing his master in a tavern at llfracombc, Dec. 8, 1636. Arent Steffeniersz (Steevenniersz, Steveniersen), hog dealer; entered into a contract with Kiliaen van. Rensselaer before Oct. 4, 1636, and sailed by the Rensselaerswyck. ]\Tarch 22. 1637, he married at the ]\Tanhatans the widow of the nmrdered smith, Cornelis lliomasz. Arent Stefifeniersz is charged with supplies in the colony from April 17, 1637, to 1644. In 1639, he accompanied Pieter Cornelisz, from Munnickendam, to the Manhatans to get lime and iron. Cornelis Teunisz, from Westbroeck (Westerbrocck, Wesbrocck, Wijs- broeck) ; also referred to as Cornelis TJieiinisf: bos, Cornclis Thcunis:; van- dcn has. Cornclis Thcnnisscn schocster, an.d Kecs schoestcr; signs his name Cornells thonisen bos. He came pro])a1)ly from the \illage of Westbroek, in the province of Utrecht, and would seem from the designation schocster, to have been a shoemaker by trade. He sailed with Cornelis IMaesen by the Rensselaerswyck, in 1636, and served him in the colony for six years, begin- ning April 8, 1637, at wages of fioo a year. As early as April 8, 1648, he and Teunis Dircksz van Vechten are mentioned as guardians of the minor chil- dren of the late Cornells IMaesen. March 25, 1649, Cornclis Teunisz, from Westbroeck, Volckert Hansz and Cornelis Vos were warned not to engage in illicit trade with the Indians ; April 3, 1649, their license was revoked for not observing the ordinance. July 13, 1650, Cornelis Teunisz was ordered to send Jan Hagemans, a free trader, away from his house; April T, t6,^o, he was granted the use of a garden between the first and second creeks. He was a magistrate of Fort Orange, prior to Aug. 19, 1662. VAN RENSSELAER liOVVIER iM AN USCRI I'TS 815 Reynier Thijmensz (Tijmense, Timansz, Tymansen), from iulam, [province of North HollandJ. He and Dirck Jansz, from Edam, entered into a contract with Kiliaen van Rensselaer, Aug. 26, 1636, to sail l)y the Rens- selaerswyclc and to settle in the colony as free colonists for the period of four years. His account in the colony begins May 7, 1637, and closes Sept. 12, 1643. In an extract from his contract his name is given as rcijnicr thomasscn. * Cornells Thomasz, from Rotterdam; engaged as smith, Oct. 4, 1636, and sailed with his wife by the Rensselaerswyck. Dec. 8, 1636, he was stabbed to death by his helper, Hans van Sevenlniyscn, in a tavern at llfracombe. His widow was married to Arcnt Steffeniersz, March 22, 1637, at New Amsterdam. Burger Jorisz took his place as smith of the colony. Teunis Cornelisz van Vechten; his first account in the colony, entered under the name of thcunis Cornclisscn van dcr vcclitcn Jongoi, runs from April 8 to Nov. 14, 1637. He appears next in 1641 as having been three years in the service of Michiel Jansz. It is not unlikely therefore that he arrived as a boy, on the Rensselaerswyck, early in 1637, went liack to Holland in the winter of that year, and returned to the colony in 1638, with Michiel Jansz and Teunis Dircksz van Vechten, both of whom came by het Wapen van Noorwegcn. He proliably came from Vechten, a small vil- lage southeast of Utrecht. In the Schiilt Bncck vandc gocdcrcn vant'scJup den Watcrhondt, 1640-41, his name is indexed as Tenuis Cornclisscn van IVcstbroeck, but this is probably a clerical error, due to confusion with Cornclis Teunis::: van Westbrocck, Between 1647 and 1656, he is referred to as Thunis Cornelissen alias jongc Poeticn. ioeiiis Cornelisrj poyiitgcn and funis Corneliscn Jongc pocntic. Teunis Cornelisz served under Michiel Jansz till May 1, 1646, and then succeeded him on the farm called de Hooge- berch, which he occupied till May l, 1648. Oct. 15, 1648. Director van Slichtenhorst leased to him for six j-ears the south end of liet grcenenbos (pine woods) with six morgcns of old land forming part of the farm of Teunis Dircksz van Vechten, but, owing apparently to animosity on tlie part of Teunis Dircksz, he was allov.'ed to leave the farm Jan. 27, 1650, and was promised a house in some other part of the colony. Jan. 29, 1650, he complained that the house which he occupied was uninhal)itable on ac- count of smoke and Mar. 17, 1650. Director van Sliclilenliorst sold to him for fT25 a small house south of the fifth creek, formerly occupied hy Barent Pietersz and Jan Gerritsz, deceased. Symon Walichsz (Walichs, Walichsen, Walinchsz, Walings, Walingen, Waelingen), from Wijngaerdcn, fin the district of het Bildt, in the province of Frieslandl ; entered into a contract with the patroon Aug. 15, T636, and sailed by the Rensselaerswyck. His account in the colony be- gins April 17, 1637. He occupied a farm on Papscanee Island till May t, 1647, when it was leased to Evert Pels, for six years, at f56o a year. Jan. 14, 1649, Evert Pels had the lease transferred to Juriaen Bestval and Jochem Kettelheym. Symon Walichsz agreed to buy Picter van dcr Linden's planta- tion on Manhattan Island, Oct. 7, 1648. and was killed by the Indians near Paulus Hook, at Pavonia, in March 1649 {see N.Y.Col.Mss. 4:428, where his name is given as Sijmon Walingen vant hilt). Burger Jorisz; was at New Amsterdam in 1637 and was secured as smith of Rensselaerswyck to take the place of Cornclis Thomasz, who had been killed by his helper Hans yan Sevenhuysen, on the voyage out, at 8l6 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Ilfraconibe, Dec. 8, 1636. The terms upon which Burger Jorisz was en- gaged are as follows : " Inasmuch as CorneHs Tomasscn died and Arent Stcveniersen, who married the widow, does not understand smith's work, the council of the colony have decided to turn the iron and coal and all the tools over to Burger Jorisen Sniit at 50% advance in price, and to let him do the work at the rates paid by freemen at the Manhatans, to wit : pound work at six stivers, nails at 10 stivers a hundred, braces at 12 stivers, double braces at 28 stivers and other work proportionately, and this till the pa- troon makes different arrangements. In the year 1637, the 26th of May, and was signed, Jacob Albertsen Planck, Pietcr Cornelissen, X the mark of Dirck Jansen." Burger Jorisz' account in the colony runs from June 4, 1637, to Aug. 18, 1639. when he turned over his tools to Reyer Stoffelsz and moved to the Manahatans. Dec. 18, 1639, he married at New Amsterdam, Engeltje Mans, from Sweden. In the marriage records of the Reformed Dutch church of New York, Burger Jorisz is given as from Hersbcrg, in Silcsicn (Hirschberg, in Silesia). 1638 By den Harinck Sailed from the Texel shortly after September 21, 1637; arrived at Neiv Amsterdam, March 28, 1638 Frans Altersz (Aldersz, Albertsz), cooper; sailed by den Harinck, Sept. 1637, in the stead of Jan Willemsz Schut. His board on the ship is charged to Symon Walichsz. He is credited with wages for 39 months and IS days, at fi4 a month, beginning April 27, 1638, and is charged with supplies till 1642. Nov. 20, 1644, a bill of Frans Altersz, for cooper's work, signed by Symon Walichsz, is sent to Arent van Curler, then on his way to Holland. Jacob Jansz (Gardenier), from Campen [Kampen, in the province of Overyssel], carpenter; generally referred to as Jacob Jans:; Hodder; appears first in the accounts of the colony as knecht (helper or servant) of Claes Jansz Ruyter and not imlikely sailed with him on den Harinck, in Sept. 1637. In the spring of 1642 he was at Amsterdam and applied to the pa- troon for permission to do carpenter work in the colony; the same year he is in the accounts charged with supplies. In 1647 he had a saw- and grist- mill in Greenbush which on Nov. 18, T649, was leased to Evert Pels and Willem Fredericksz. From 1653 to 1654 he appears as lessee of a mill at Bethlehem and Feb. 2, 1654, he obtained the lease of the saw- and grist- mill on the fifth creek, for the term of eight years, beginning May 18, 1654. In the first two volumes of deeds in the Albany coimty clerk's office, he is referred to as Jacob Janss Gardenier, alias Plodder. Claes Jansz, from Naerden, [province of North Holland]; also referred to as Claes Janss Ruyter, and as Claes de Ruiifer; was a house carpenter by trade and 33 years of age in 1636. Aug. 26, 1636, he entered, jointly with Pieter Cornelisz and Albert Andricsz, into an agreement with the patroon for the erection of a sawmill in the colony, but for some reason failed to ac- company his partners on the Rensselaerswyck in 1636, and sailed by den Harinck in Sept. 1637. In May 1640, he and his wife Pietertje Jans were apparently living at the Manhatans. He is credited in the accounts with 60 weeks' board of Arent van Curjer, VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 817 By den Calmer Sleutel Sailed from the Tex el at the end of December 1637 Gijsbert Adriaensz (Arentsz, Aertsz), from Bunnick, [near Utrecht] ; sailed on den Calmer Sleutel, at the age of 22, and was engaged as farm ser- vant for six years, at wages ranging from f8o to fiio a year. He served for four years, beginning April 2, 1638, on the farm of Brant Peelen; for ^ year on the farm of Teunis Dircksz; and for years, jointly with San- der Leendersz, in running the colony's yacht Rensselaerswyck. He was a brother of Rutger Adriaensz, the tailor, who appears first in 1646. Arent van Curler (Corler), from Nykerck, [in the province of Gelder- land] ; sailed as assistant to Jacob Albertsz Planck by den Calmer Sleutel, at the age of 18 years. May 12, 1639, he was commissioned secretary and bookkeeper of the colony, and from 1642 to 1644 he held the office of commis. He sailed for Holland by het Wapen van Rensselaerswyck, Oct. 20, 1644, having married, probably in 1643, Anthonia Slachboom, or Slaghboom, whom O'Callaghan, apparently on the strength of van Curler's statement. History of New Netherland, i :464, has identified with Teuntje Jeuriaens, the widow of Jonas Bronck. Sept. 30, 1647, while van Curler was still in Holland, he obtained a lease for six years of the farm called de Vlackte, l)ut May S, 1649, this lease was transferred to Jacob Jansz, from Stouten- burch. Van Curler returned to New Netherland probably at the end of 1647 and on the arrival of Director van Slichtenhorst, early in 1648, was nomi- nated as Gecommittecrdc, but various circumstances prevented his accepting tlie office and taking the oath till Jan. 5, 1651. In the accounts he is credited with an annual salary of f20O, as Gecommitteerde & raetsvrint, from July T, 1652 to July I, 1655, and with an annual salary of f200, as gecommittecrdc, from 1655 to 1658. Sept. 9, 1650, on the petition of the inhabitants of the colony, Arent van Curler and Goossen Gerritsz were appointed trustees of voluntary contributions for the erection of a school, and Sept. 23, 1650, van Curler was chosen to go with others on an embassy to the Maquaes. He be- came one of the leaders in the settlement of Schenectady in 1661-62, and was drowned on Lake Champlain in 1667. Elbert Elbertsz (Albertsz), from Nykerck, [in the province of Gelder- landl ; was a weaver by trade and sailed by den Calm.er Sleutel, at the age of 18 years. In 1646 he married Aeltje Cornelis, the widow of Gcrrit Wol- phertsz (N.Y.CoJ.Mss, 2:152). Gerrit Hendricksz, from Nykerck, [province of Gelderland], shoe- maker ; sailed with Arent van Curler by den Calmer Sleutel, at the age of 75 years. He was engaged for six years, at wages ranging from f40 to fioo a year; his first three years' wages, from April 2, 1638, to April 2, 1641, arc charged to Albert Andrie.sz. He does not appear in the records of the colony after 1642. Claes Jansz, from Nykerck, [province of Gelderland]; was a tailor by trnde and snilcd with Arent van Curler by den Calmer Sleutel, at the age of 17 years. 8i8 XKVV YORK SIATK l.II'.KAKY Jh' hef IVapcn 7'aii Noonvcgcn Sailed from the Tcxcl in May 1638: arrived at New Auisterdani about August 4, 1638 Adriaen Cornelisz, from llarsint^crlioni, [province of North Ifolland]; also referred to as Adriarn Cdrndisz lU'rgJioorn and Adriaen Cornelisz van Barsiiif/cnvouf ; was engaged May 10, 1638, for three years, as foreman mider Manrits Jans/, and sailed on het Wapen van Noorvvcgen. TTis wages in the colony, at fi4o a year, hegan Aug. T4, 16.38. lie does not appear after 1643. Jan Dircksz, from Amersfoort, fin the province of Utreehtl; is entered in the acenmits as /(//; dirckscn lijujclsman van Amersfoort, showing that he was a nati\ e of l\ arrived atNezv Amster- dam, December 27, 1638 Willem Juriaensz, commonly referred to as Willem Jeuriaenss Backer (the baker), once, in 1646, as Willem Jeuriaenss, alias Capitaijn, and again, in 1650, as Capiteijn (captain). He made a contract with Kiliaen van Rensselaer, May 7, 1638, and sailed by "the ship of the West India Com- pany," presumably de Liefde. PTe is credited from about 1641 to Oct. 8, 1647, with wages earned by baking on the farms of Symon Walichsz and Gerrit de Reux and on the farm called de Vlackte; also, in 1643, with boards furnished to various farmers, apparently from the sawmill of Cars- ten Carstensz, in which he may have had an interest. At first he probably worked with Harry Albertsz, baker, who sailed for Holland about April 1641. Willem Juriaensz was sentenced to banishment from the colony for various misdeeds on Feb. 4. 1644, and again on Aug. 29, 1647, for attacking de Hooges with a knife, but in each case respite was granted on condi- tion that he refrain from molesting people. In 1650 new charges were brought against him and July 18, 1650, he was once more sentenced to banishment from the colony, the court resolving July 27, 1650, that he be brought in irons on board the yacht of Rutger Jacabsz and taken to the Manhatans. Aug. 4, 1650. he was released to settle his affairs, on promise that he would comply with the last sentence, but whether on account of his old age (in 1650 he is described as fully 70 years of age), or for other rea- sons, nothing more seems to have been done in the matter. Nov. 30, 1651, Willem Juriaensz declared that he refused to fulfd his contract with Jan van Hoesen, dated Jan. 30, 1650, and Jan. t8, 1652, the court gave Jan van Hoesen permission to occupy the erf (lot, or bakery) of Willem Juriaensz, on condition that the latter be allowed to dwell in his house as long as he h'ved nffe de gelegenheijt presenteert (or an opportunity for removing to another place presented itself). Cf. O'Callaghan, History of Nezv Nefhcr- hnd, 1 :437-38. Jacob Aertsz (Arentsz), from Utrecht; referred to as Jacob Aerfss Wagenaer, and also as Jacob Adriacnss Wacjcnaer (the wagoner) : sailed on den Calmer Slcutel, Dec. 1637, the age of 25, as farm servant for Al- bert Andriesz. He served for 1X4 years at the Manhatans and Jime 2.(^, 1630. began his service in the colonv. for the term of six years, at waores ranging from fgo to fT20 a year. He is charged in the accotmts with sun- plies furnished by Albert Andriesz, but is entered as servant of Cornells Maesen. April 2, 164??, the court ordered him to serve Evert Pels for one year, so as to complete his term. Feb. 23, 1649, he appeared before the VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 821 court on the charge of having the preceding day, with Jacob Adriaensz Racdcmaecker (wheelwright) and liarmen Bastiaensz, prevented Director van Slichtenhorst from arresting Jacob Toenijs, servant of Jan Verbeeck, in the Grecnen Bos. By den Harinck Sailed from the Te.vel in May 1639; arrived at Nezv Amsterdam, July 7, 1639 Jan Cornelisz, tobacco planter and carpenter, probably from Leyden; sailed by den Harinck in 1639; he is usually referred to as Jan Cornelisz Timnierman and appears to have been a master carpenter who had other carpenters in the colony in his employ. July 18, 1641, the patroon designates him as the person who may build the proposed church. His account runs from 1639 to 1647. In 1646 he offered to repair the mill dam on the fifth creek for f550, but his bid was thought too high and rejected. Sander Leendertsz Glen; sailed with his wife, Catalijn Donckesz, by den Harinck, in 1639. March 11, 1649, they acknowledged their signatures to contracts of March 28, 1639, and Feb. 23, 1645, and stated that they sailed the two yachts of the patroon from 1641, for three years, " but not when they tapped liquor." The nature of the two contracts is not disclosed. Sander Leendertsz is credited with wine and beer furnished between 1644 and 1646, and charged with f32 a year from 1647 to 1652, for ground rent and the right to trade with the Indians. Aug. 2, 1649, Director van SHch- tenhorst notified Sander Leendertsz and other skippers not to transport colonists to the Manhatans without his consent. Andries Hendricksz; arrived by den Harinck and served for four years, beginning Aug. 14, 1639, under Cornells Teunisz, from Breuckelen. Marten Hendricksz, from Hamelwaerde [Hamelvvorden, near Freiburg on the Elbe, Hanover] ; came on den Harinck and was engaged for six years as farm hand at fioo a year, beginning Aug. 14, 1639. He was for three years and 8j4 months employed by Michiel Jansz, and for two years and 3^/2 months by Cornells Teunisz, from Breuckelen. From Nov. i, 1645, to March i, 1646, he was in the service of Antony de Hooges. He is credited with 26 weeks' board of Hans Vos, the court messenger, and in 165 1 appears to have had an interest in the brewery, with Evert Pels. In 1657, he is referred to as Marten de bier Cracker and Marten de bierkraclccr. He is perhaps the same person as Marten Hendriclcsz Ver- heccli, who on Feb. i, 1652, obtained a lot next to Jacob Simonsz Klomp, the rent to commence Easier 1653. Barent Pietersz Koijemans [Coeymans]; came by den Harinck and was engaged for six years, beginning Aug. 14, 1639, at f30 a year for the first two years, f40 for the next two years and fso for the last two years. He worked for four years under Pieter Cornelisz, the millwright, and is in the accounts referred to as the latter's jonghcn (boy). Early in Oct. 1645, Barent Pietersz and Jan Gerritsz entered into an agreement with de Hooges for sawing boards at the patroon's mill on the fifth creek; Oct. ir, 1646, the agreement was canceled and a new one entered into whereby the two men jointly took charge of the sawmill, and Jan Gerritsz alone of "both the mills" [sawmill and grist-mill?], the contract to last till the end of Jan Gerritsz' term of service. May 18, 1648, [perhaps the 822 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY (late of Jan Gcrrilsz' dealhJ, JJareiit Pietcrsz and Ivutger Jaci)1)sz leased the sawmill and t^risl-niill on tlie fifth creek, at an annual rent of f550. From Dec. i^, 1648, to Dec. 14, J()54, the same men are charged with fi25 a year for water rights of a sawmill on the hfth creek, which Riitger Jacobsz took over from Andrics dc Vos. Dec. 14, 1654, the same water rights were leased to Barcnt Pietcrsz and Tennis Cornelisz Spilsenlierch for fi50 a year, and Ang. 3, 1656, the two men obtained permission to erect a third mill on the fifth creek fiu* which they are charged fioo a year, from Aug. i, 1657. After 1645, I>arent Pietcrsz is sometimes referred to as Barcnt de Molcnacr (the miller). Jan. 19, 165 [, he is called szvacgcr (brother in law) of Andries de Vos. A l)rotlier by the name of Lucas Pietcrsz is mentioned in the court proceedings in 1650. Harry (Hendrick) Albertsz, from London, baker; his first accounts in the colony run from i()3y to /vpril 2, 1641. lie then left for ] lolland and in June 1642, at the age of 2'"<'i"t Peelen van Nykerck. 1 hey came hy den Waterhondt. Cornelis Cornelisz, from Schoenderwoerdt [Schoonrewocrd, in the province of South Holland! ; served as farm laborer for six years, begin- VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER AIANUSCRIl'TS 823 iiing Sept. 4. 1640, at wages ranging from f8o to fioo a year. He is prob- ably the same person as Cornells Vos, and Cornells Cornelisc alias I'osjc, who appears in the account books from 1642 to 1657. Jan. 29, 1649, Cornclis gen' vossgcn (Cornells, called vossgen) leases a farm adjoining Rem Jansz, the smith, on the north. Jan Cornelisz, from Houten, [near Utrecht]; was engaged as farm hand for six years; three years at fioo a year and tiiree years at flio a year, liis wages beginning Sept. 4, 1640. For the iirst year and eight months he was in the service of Symon Walichsz; the rest of his term he was in the service of Crijn Cornelisz, from il(jiitcn. He was probably a brother of Crijn Cornelisz and would seem to have come witli him on den Water- In )ndt, in ct)mpany with Ct)rnelis Crijnen and Jan Crijnen. Cornelis Crijnen (Krijnen, Quirijnen), from Houten, [near Utrecht]; is charged with board on den WaterhoiuU and credited wilh wages for mason's work on cellar of Homine .Megaiiok-nsis and for spailing of gar- dens. He was probably a son of Crijn ("urnelisz, from Houten, whose surety he became July 7, 1646. Oct. 13, 1648, he was forbidden to leave the colony witliout furnishing two sureties for the payment of certain amounts owed by him, and April 29, 1649, he is referred to as having left the colony. Jan Crijnen (Krijnen), from Houten, [near Utrecht]. Before Sept. 6, 1642, he was for a year and six months in the service of Symon Walichsz; after that date he appears to have been in the service of Crijn Cornelisz, from Houten. He was probably the latter's son and may have arrived with Cornelis Crijnen by den Waterhondt. Claes Gerritsz, from Schoeimerwoorde [Schoonrewoerd, in the prov- ince of South Holland] ; was engaged as farm laborer May 26, 1640, for six years, three years at f too a year and three years at fiio a year. His wages in the colony began Sept. 24, 1640. He was at different times em- ployed by Brant Pcelen, Michiel Jansz, Cornelis Teunisz, from lireuckelen, and on the farm called dc Vlacktc. In 1648, he was prosecuted by Di- rector van Slichtenhorst for selling amnumition and bartering skins, contrary to his contract. Oaes Gerritsz claimed that van Curler gave him permis- sion to trade and the case dragged along till Nov. 10, 1651, when it was settled by arbitration. Nijs Jacobsz; was engaged for six years, as farm hand, at wages ranging from f20 to f4o a year. His term of service began Sept. 4, 1640, and his 1)oard is charged to Crijn C"( irnclisz, from llonlen; hv doulitless came with the latter on den Waterhondt. Teunis Jacobsz, from Sclioonderwoerl | Seb.oonrewoerd, in the province of Soutli llollandl ; in one instance referred to as Tui'iiis Riil Jucobs.-: brocdcr (Tuenis, the brother of Rutger Jacobsz); was engaged as farm hand for the term of six years, beginning Sept. 4, 1640; three years at f9o a year and three years at fioc) a }'ear. He served a])parently first under Symon Walichsz and then under Conielis lYnmi'^z, from Breuckelen. He probably came by den Waterhondt. ]''rom 1650 to 1652 be is charged with fi6 a year f(M- a house lot. He married .\pril 19, 1(150, at New Amsterdam, Sara Denijs, from luigland. Jan Reyersz, from Houten, [near Utrecht]; was engaged for six years, beginning Sept. 4, 1640, at wages of f 105 a year for the first three years and 824 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY of fii2 a year for the last three years. He served for years under Cor- nelis Maesen and for the rest of his term under Crijn Cornelisz, from Houten. March 17, 1650, he took over from Rijck Rutgersz the lease of Bethlehem's Island, which was renewed on Feb. 15, 1653, for eight years, at a yearly rent of f230 and f45 for tithes. Dirck Teunisz, son of Teunis Dircksz van Vecliten; came by den Waterhondt. Gerrit Jansz, from Haerlem; also referred to as Gerrit Jansen Cuypcr and Gerrit Jansc Kuijper (the cooper) ; seems to have done cooper's work in the colony as early as 1640, and is mentioned in the court proceedings under date of July 16, 1648. May 4, 1647, Antony de Ilooges gave him a promissory note for f28, being the balance of money due to him for 'thaelcn vant Geschut (bringing the ordnance). Cornells Spierinck; charged with supplies in 1642 and 1643 and credited with fi07:i5:8 for copying and other work in the service of Arent van Cur- ler, in the course of i^^ years, previous to the arrival of Antony de Hooges in the spring of 1642. 1641 By den Eyckenboom Sailed from Amsterdam, May 17, 1641 ; arrived at Nezv Amsterdam in August 1641 Adriaen van der Donck, from Breda, [in the province of North Brabant] ; son of Cornelis van der Donck, who appears in New Netherland in 1655. Adriaen van der Donck was commissioned officer of justice, or schout, of Rensselaerswyck, May 13, 1641, and sailed four days later by den Eyckenboom. He occupied a farm on Castle Island till Jan. 17, 1646, when the house was destroyed by fire and he and his wife, the daughter of the Rev. Francis Doughty, temporarily accepted the hospitality of Antony de Hooges. Feb. 23, after a quarrel with de Hooges, he left the latter's house and moved to the fort {see de Hooges' account of the quarrel, O'Callaghan, History of Nezv Netherland, 1 -.460-70, erroneously attributed to van Curler, who was at the time in Holland). May 3, 1646, van der Donck was still in the colony, but soon after he left and established a sawmill and planta- tion on the Saegh kil, in his colony of Colendonck, in the present city of Yonkers, for which he had obtained a grant in 1645. Before leaving Rens- selaerswyck, he transferred to Cornelis Segersz van Voorhout the remaining three years' lease of his farm on Castle Island. He was succeeded as officer by Nicolaes Coorn. Early in May 1646, in an account with Abraham Clock, de Hooges refers to van der Donck as de Joncker, which is prob- ably the earliest mention of the title and which may have reference to his having recently become proprietor of a colony. Adriaen van der Donck died in 1655. Cornelis Hendricksz van Nes (van Es); was in the colony in 1641, and probably came with' Andries de Vos, on den Eyckenboom. From 1642, he is charged with tithes of a farm at Bethlehem, which he seems to have oc- cupied till the fall of 1648, when van Slichtenhorst brought actions against him for calling him a liar and a cheat and for throwing oat straw on the dump heap out of spite against the director and to the detriment of the next VAN RENSSELAER EOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 825 lessee. In April 1649, he made preparations to leave the colony, but for some reason stayed and Aug. 25, 1650, he leased, for eight years at f225 a year, a farm in Greenbush, formerly occupied by Tcunis Cornelisz van Vechten, to- gether with six morgcns of land belonging to the adjoining farm of Teunis Dircksz van Vechten. Van Nes served as racts pcrsoon (councilor) of Rcns- sclaerswyck, at an annual salary of fso, from 1652 to 1658, and again in 1660, 1661 and 1663. lie lived with his wife Maijgen Hcndricksen, at Viancn, province of South Holland, in 1625, and owned land at Scherpcrswyck, near T.eksmond, in the neighborhood of Viancn, as late as 1661. Andries de Vos; was a carpenter hy trade and sailed by den Eycken- boom in May 1641. He occupied a farm [at Bethlehem?] from 1642 and in Oct. 1648 is referred to as gcrcchts pcrsoon (member of the court). Jan. 21, 1649, the court of the colony decided that he must pay f62:io a year for the patroon's rights of the mill at Bethlehem. Oct. 18, 1650, he entered into an agreement to lease the creek south of Thomas Chambers' farm for six years at an annual rent of ijs and to erect thereon a saw- and grist-mill, but Feb. 16, 1651, he was released from his obligation on the ground of in- convenience. He was a brother in law of Barent Pietcrsz Koijemans. Hans Jansz Eencluys (een kluijs, in Cluijs), by his mark well identified with }lans Jansz, from Rotterdam; appears at New Amsterdam in 1639 and seems to have been in Rensselaerswyck as early as 1641. He was in July 1648, preparatory to Stuyvesant's visit, employed with Jan Dircksz, from Bremen, to clean the colony's cannon, and in the spring of 1650 acted as interpreter for Jacob Jansz Flodder in buying land from the Indians. In 1651 he operated a sawmill for Evert Pels, being under contract till May 1652. Nov. 3, 1651, Hans Jansz and Crijn Cornelisz received permission to erect a sawmill on a creek on the west side of the river, a little north of Beercn Island; Sept. 30, 1656, Hans Jansz and Abraham Pietersz Vosburch obtained a lease of the water power on the creek south of the farm of Jan Barentsz "VVemp. 1642 By den Coninck David Sailed froiii Amsterdam, Inly 23, 1641 ; arrived at New Amsterdam, November 29, 1641 Antony de Hooges; was engaged as underbookkeeper and assistant to Arent van Curler, and sailed from the Texel by den Coninck David, July 30, 1641. He reached New Amsterdam Nov. 29, 164T, but apparently did not arrive in the colony till April 10, 1642, being credited from that date till April 10, 1644, with a salary of fi5o a year. From van Curler's departure for Holland, in Oct. 1644, till van Slichtenhorst's arrival on March 22, 1648, he was entrusted with the business management of the colony ; from the latter date till his death, on or about Oct. ir, 1655, he held the offices of secretary and gccommittccrdc. In the accounts, he is credited, from May II, 1652, to Oct. IT, 1655, with a salary of f36o a year as secretary, and for the same period with a salary of fioo as gccommittcerde, also with f56, for salary as voorleeser (reader in the church) during two months and one week in 1653. In a petition for salary, March 27, 1648, he states that he has been for more than six years in the service of the patroon and for four years has not received any salary; that he has now been entrusted with a new 826 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY oflfice without any mention of salary; and that he must have a house built inasmuch as the storehouse, assigned to him for a dwelling, has been turned into a cliurch. lie married, in Oct. 1647, a daugliler of All)ert Andriosz, iianiod Eva, who on Aug. 13, 1657, l)ccaine tlie wife of Koelof Swarlwout. Lucas Smit (Smith, Smitt, Smits), from Jehansberg [Jolianrrisburg, in the district of Guml)inncn, in East Prussia] ; arrived at New Amsterdam, by den Coninck David, Nov. 29, i64r, and at once entered the service of Domine Bogardus. Aug. 13, 1642, he came to Rcnsselaorswyck and from that date till May i, 1644, was employed at the yatroon's house at wages of fjoo a year. b>om JMay i, 1644, to April 13, 1646, he served as a farm laborer on dc Vlackte and also as a clerk, at a yearly salary of f200. He left the colony in 1646, with a testimonial of good conduct from Antony de Hooges. Jan Teunisz, from Eeyden, carpenter; sailed by den Coninck David at the end of July 1641, l)ut does not appear in the colony till 1642. lie left probably about 1646. Jan Verbeeck, from Breda, [province of North Rrabantl, tailor; was to sail by den Coninck David with his wife, child and maid servant, but in the accounts of the colony is charged with passage of himself, wife and child only. His account begins in 1642; he probably spent the winter at the Manhatans. Oct. 22, 1648, he was indebted to the amount of f737:9:8, which, he promised to pay promptly in five instalments on condition that the fir.st year, 1649-50, he should be free from ground rent for his lot in the hijcenzuoningc (village). ITe failed to fullll his agreement and accordingly is charged with an annual rent of f32 from 1649. His house stood in Greenbush and was in 1658 taken over by Jan Baptist van Rensselaer. April 30, 1648, the court of Renssclaerswyck granted the petition of Jan Verbeeck and Jan Michielsz for the exclusive right to exercise their trade as tailors with one helper [Jacob Tcuniszl, at wages of 36 stivers a day each for themselves and 30 stivers a day for the helper. Jan Verbeeck was ap- pointed Gercchts pcrsoon (member of the court) of Renssclaerswyck on Jan. 5, 1651, and took the oath on Jan. 12th. Volckert Hansz, after 1651 usually refe4-rcd to as Volchcrt Jaiiss, and still later as V olckcrt Jansz Douw. His name is first mentioned under date of April 27, 1642; in the harvest of 1647, he was employed on the Vlackte. From 1647 to 1649, he and Jan Thomasz are jointly charged with f32 a year for ground rent and the right to trade; from 1649 to 1652 Volckert Jansz is charged with f32 a year - for his place aenden bcrch (on the hill) on which he built a house. Erom May i, 1653, to May i, 1658, Pieter Hartgers, Volckert Jansz and Jan Thomasz are charged jointly with an annual rent of f56o for a farm on Papscanee Island, formerly occupied by Juriaen Bestval. Volckert Jansz and Jan Thomas bought this farm in 1658, for 950 beavers or f76oo; and Oct. 12, 1694, Volckert Jansz settled his account for one half of the tithes till 1688. Jan. 24, 1664, the council of Renssclaerswyck passed a resolution annulling the purchase of land from the Indians, at Schodac. made by Volckert Jansz and Jan Thomasz without the consent of the colony. When notice of this resolution was ser\cd fm ihcni. they provluced a patent from Stuyvesant, dated Nov. 3, 1663. In 1650, V('lcl'ith a rent of ii6 a year. Egbert Doysz (Dojesz) ; servant of Sander Leendertsz Glen, mentioned in the court records of the colony under dates of April 3, 1649, and March 22, 1652. Thomas Fairfax; was eftiployed by Christoffel Davids in 1649 and 1650 and is referred to as a mason and an Englishman. Huybert, servant of Andries de Vos; was wounded by Poulijntje, in tlie brewery, in 1649. He may be the same as Huybert Jansz, who is mentioned in tlie court proceedings under date of Dec. 11, 1651. Frans Jacobsz; testified in 1649, being then 17 years of age, as to a fight which took place at midnight Oct. 20, 1649, in Greenbush, before the house of Evert Pels. He may be the same as fransoijs jacobsen de bruijn, referred to in an account of 1656, or perhaps as Frans Jacohsz Coningh, who was in the colony in 1657. Adriaen Jansz, from I>eyden; also referred to as Adriaen Janssen van Lcijdcn alias Appcl; appears in the records of the colony as early as 1649. Feb. 19, 1655, he bought from Thomas Coningh a house, brewhouse, pig- pen and fence which on Feb. i, 1655, were acquired by Thomas Coningh from Juriaen Teunisz and which had formerly been in the possession of Jacol) Hevick. He was a tavern keeper in 1656. From May i, 1655 to May I, 1657, he is charged with an annurd rent of f24 for a garden, formerly used by Jacob Hendricksz. Paulus Jansz, from Gorcum [Gorinchem, in the province of South lloliand] ; testified on Jan. 20, 1651, as to the killing of a horse of Thomas Chambers by the Indians in 1640. Steven Jansz, master carpenter ; moved from the Manhatans to the colony in Jul}' 1649 with his wife and daughter, and immediately entered into a contract at wages of f20 a month, which were paid to him for two years. Jan. 18. 1651, he acknowledged that he had tapped beer at his house without license from Director van Slichtenhorst. Feb. i, 1652, he obtained permission to occupy a lot next to Hendrick Reur, the rent to begin in 1653. Jacques Meulewels; testified on March 4, 1649, before the court of Rensselaerswyck, that the servant of Sander Leendertsz had gone into the woods with a loaf of bread and brought Indians with six packs of skins 840 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY to his master's house. No other reference to Meulewels is found and it is doutful whether he was a colonist. Aert Otterspoor, also referred to as Aert aerntsz van Otterspoor; was at Bethlehem, in 1649, 1650 and 1651. He came probably from Otterspoor, in the province of Utrecht. Tijs Pietersz; was ordered, July 31, 1649, to present himself within 24 hours at the house of Director van Slichtenhorst to receive orders where to go according to his contract. The same day, Broer Cornells was notified not to harbor him. Jacob Toenijs [Teunisz] ; was employed by Jan Verbeeck, presumably as a tailor. Feb. 22, 1649, Director van Slichtenhorst attempted to arrest him in the greenen bos (pine woods), for abusive language to the director and assault on the director's son, but was prevented from doing so by Jacob Adriaensz Rademaecker and Jacob Adriaensz Wagenaer. Jacob Toenijs is probably the same as Cobus de snijcr (the tailor), who is referred to in 1657, and may also be the same as Jacob Toenisz, from Tuijl, in Gelderland who married Hilletje Toenis, at New Amsterdam, March 29, 1658. Jan (Johan, Johannes) van Twiller; referred to by Jeremias van Rensselaer as Necff Jan van Tivillef- (cousin Jan van Twiller). He was probably a younger brother of Wouter van Twiller, or perhaps, of Aert Goossens van Twiller, who on July 26, 1663, executed in the colony a power of attorney to Mr Peel van Hennekela, schout at Nieukerck, to demand of his brother in law Aert Jansz, shoemaker at Nieukerck, an accounting of the estate of his deceased father Goossen van Twiller and his mother Emmeke. Jan van Twiller was one of the Gecommitteerden (commissioners) in the colony in 1649, and at that time boarded with van Slichtenhorst. From July 24, 1652, to July 24, 1657, he held the office of raedts persoon (councilor), at an annual salary of fso. He probably left the colony in 1657. Abraham Pietersz Vosburgh (Vosburch, Vosbergen, Vosberghen) ; was in the colony in August 1649, and from Easter 1651 is charged with fi6 a year for a house lot, north of the patroon's house. Sept. 30, 1656, he and Hans Jansz, from Rotterdam, jointly leased a mill on the creek south of the farm occupied by Jan Barcntz Wemp, for six years, at fioo a year. Gerrit (Gerardus) van Wencom; was assaulted by a Mahikan Indian at Bethlehem, Dec. 8, 1649, and Sept. 23, 1650, was chosen to go with others on an embassy to the Maquaes. He was still in the colony in 1653. 1650 Pieter Bronck; was at New Amsterdam in 1643 and would seem to have been a relative of Jonas Bronck, who was probably a Dane. He is charged from 1650 to 1652 with an annual rent of four beavers for a lot in the bijeemvoninge (village), on which he received permission to build. Sept. 7, 1651, the court granted him permission to erect a tavern near his house, the director having withdrawn his request that according to instruc- tions from the guardians of the young patroon but two taverns be allowed. Dirck Jansz [Croon, from Amsterdam]; was a carpenter by trade and, apparently in 1650, built with Harmen Bastiaensz a house in Beverwyck, which was transferred to his name Jan. 25, 1652, on condition that he enter into a contract with the authorities of the colony and pay the patroon's VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 841 dues. He is entered in the accounts as Dirck jansz timmerman, but is well identified with Dirck Jansz Croon, from Amsterdam, who in 1655 became one of the magistrates of Beverwyck. Tijs Evertsz; testified on Jan. 12, 1651, as to the insolence of Jacob Lambertsz to Director van Slichtenhorst, Oct. 9, 1650, on the farm called de Hoogeberch. Wilhelmus Grasmeer, a son in law of Johannes Megapolensis; sailed from Holland shortly after April 16, 1650, and preached in the colony of Rensselaersw5'-ck in 1650 and 1651. He returned to Holland in Nov. 1651. In the court proceedings of the colony, under date of Aug. 4, 1650, occurs what purports to be an extract from a letter from Wouter van Twiller to Gerrit Vastrick, asking him to enjoin Director van Slichtenhorst not to let Wilhelmus Grasmeer preach in the colony, because he had been forbidden to preach by the Classis of Alckmaer. The passage was read by Gerrit Vastrick and written down by Antony de Hooges, but was afterwards found not to agree with a copy furnished by Vastrick. Aug. 15, 1650, Vastrick refused to have a certified copy made and the authenticity of the extract was questioned. Laurens (Louwris) Jansz; lived with his wife Stijntje Pieters on '/ goct [farm on the fifth creek?] of Adriaen Huybertsz, in Jan. 1650. The same year a garden was granted to him north of the large garden of Sander Leendertsz, according to resolution of the court, dated April i, 1650. Rem (Remmer) Jansz, from Jewerden [Jeveren, or Jever, in Olden- burg], smith; was at New Amsterdam as early as 1638, and in 1643 owned land on Long Island. Early in May 1650, he obtained from the authorities of Rensselaerswyck a lease of a garden adjoining the churchyard, and is re- ferred to as being an Inwoonder int Fort Orangien (inhabitant of Fort Orange). Lucas Pietersz [Koijemans] ; mentioned in the court proceedings of Rensselaerswyck under date of Jan. 1650, and is called the brother of Barent Pietersz [Koijemans], who came in 1639. Thomas Sandersz (Sanders, Sandersen), from Amsterdam; was an early resident of New Amsterdam and came to the colony about July 13, 1650, when the court granted " tomes Sanders . . . Smith, living at or near the Manhatans," permission to settle in the byeenwooninge (village) to support himself by his trade. July 17, 1650, Saertjc Cornells, wife of Thomas San- dersz Smith, testified as to misdeeds of Willem Juriaensz, the baker. Thomas Sanders was a smith and occupied at the Manhatans some time before 1649 the mallesmits berch (crazy smith's hill), which may have derived its name from him (cf.N.Y.Col.Mss, 3:68; 4:235). Jacob [Jansz] van Schermerhoorn ; presumably from Schermerhorn, in the province of North Holland; was in Rensselaerswyck in 1650 and per- haps as early as 1648, Jan Barentsz Wemp being credited between those two dates with the price of 12 lb of nails, paid to labbatie and schermerhoorn. Philip Pietersz Schuyler. According to O'Callaghan, History of Neiv Netherland, 2:177, Philip Pietersz Schuyler came from Amsterdam to America in 1650, and married Dec. 22, 1650, Margareta van Slichtenhorst, daughter of the director of Rensselaerswyck. The earliest reference to him in the accounts of the colony is under date of 1652, when he is charged with a small amount for some old boards from the patroon's house. March 25, 1652, he testified that Dyckman had stated " that he [Schuyler] would not have his father in law long, and that he, Dyckman, had written informa- 842 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY tion to that effect " ; also that Dyckman had threatened to run him and Rob- bert Vastrick through when, on New Year's chiy 1652, they tried to prevent the soldiers from beating the son of Director van Slichtenhorst. In the court proceedings, in 1652, the name is spelled Schenlcr and ScJicullcr, in the accounts, after 1655, the usual spellings are Schnijlcr and Schuyler. Willem Jansz Stol (StoU), cooper; is charged from 1650 to 1652 with ground rent of fi6 a year for a lot granted to him in May 20, 1650. He married the widow of Claes ifendricksz and moved to the Esopus in 1661. Jannitgen Tuenisz [Jannetje Teunis] ; sailed by den Coninck bavid and is charged in the accounts of the colony, under date of 1642, with fi6:2 for her passage and money in hand paid by patroon. She married at the Manhatans Dec. 22, 1641, Dirck Jansz LCroon], from Amsterdam, and Nov. 6, 1642, was sued by van der Donck for not fulhlling her contract with the patroon. She probably came to the colony with Croon about 1650. Gerrit Vastrick; was one of the Gecommitieerden (commissioners) of the colony in 1650, and on Aug. 15, 1650, was suspended from his office till he had cleared himself of the accusation of having given out a false state- ment regarding Domine Wilhelmus Grasmcer. He was at New Amsterdam as early as July 16, 1644. Jacob Waelingen, from Hoorn [province of North Holland]; was at New Amsterdam in Jan. 1639 and may have come to Rensselaerswyck at an early date, though his name does not occur till May 12, 1650, when he was about to leave the colony. Efforts were made to retain him by offering him a choice of several farms, but he declined to take any, stating that he had not been able to support his wife and children satisfactorily. Oct. i, 1650, he received permission to move to the Manhatans. He obtained a patent for land near the Kil van Kol, Oct. 23, 1654, and died before Aug. 17. 1657, when his widow Trijntje Jacobs married Jacob Stoffelsz. 1651 Claes Cornelisz; mentioned in 1652 as the servant and brother of Gijsbert aende berch [Gijsbert Cornelisz, from Breuckelen]. Adriaen Dircksz, van B\1, [from 't Bildt, in Friesland?]. On the com- plaint of Thomas Chambers that he refused to stay with him and fulfil his contract of March 24, 1651, he was sentenced on Sept. 28, 1651, to two weeks' imprisonment and the payment of expenses incurred by Chambers in hiring another servant during his absence. At the request of friends, he was released on the seventh day on condition that he faithfully perform his service. Reyer Elbertsz, from Breuckelen, [in the province of Utrecht] ; appears with his wife jMarritje Baerentsz in the records of the colony under date of Sept. 25, 1651, when they leased a small parcel of land between the third and fourth creeks for eight years, at f2S a year, the lease to run from Easter 1652. Jan. 25, 1652, the court granted him permission to make brick. Gillis Fonda; about 1646, Picter Hartgers advanced some money to Gillis, a boy in the service of Antony de Hooges, possibly Gillis Fonda; Oct. 19, 165 1, the court gave Gillis Fonda permission to distil liquor in't greenen bos (Greenbush), in a house belonging to Evert Pels, next to the brewery, on condition that he enter into a contract as to the Cerechticheijt VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 843 vande Heercn M^^. (dues to the patroon and codirectors). Gillis Fonda is at a later period commonly referred to as Gillis Douwes Fonda. To judge from his name, he must have been a Frisian. Albert Gerritsz, carpenter; was at his request granted a lot north of the house of Laurens Jansz, Nov. 7, 1651, the rent to begin at Easter 1652. Casper Jacobsz; obtained a lease of a hofstcde (house lot), in 165 1. lie was apparently a day laborer. Adriaen Jansz, schoolmaster; appears first under date of Nov. 23, 1651, wlien the court, upon his petititon, granted' him f5o towards the payment of his house rent. He came probably soon after Sept. 9, 1650, when the council of the colony, in response to a petition from the inhabitants for a competent schoolmaster, appointed Arent van Curler and Goossen Gerritsz trustees of a fund to be raised for the building of a school. He was still schoolmaster in Beverwyck in 1657, and may have been the same person as Adriaen Jansz Croon, who Aug. 20, 1660, was about to sail for Holland. Claes Jansz, from Bockhoven, [near Bois-le-Duc, province of North Brabant] ; also referred to as Claes de Brachandcr. In 1651 and 1652 he was summoned before the court for having, out of spite against Director van Slichtenhorst, caused his servant to hanh wood for Hendrick Wester- kamp and Lambert van Valckenburch, contrary to ordinances of Oct. 16, 1648, Nov. 23, 1651 and Dec. 18, 1651. Jacob Simonsz Klomp; appears among those who took the oath of fealty to the palroon on Nov. 28, 1651. Feb. i, 1652, he was granted a lot next to that of Steeven Jansz, the rent to begin at Easter 1653. Jacob Luyersz (Luijersz); was in the colonj^ before Oct. 19, 1651, being ordered on that day to fulfil the terms of his contract with Jochem, the baker. March 2, 1652, Claesje, the negro girl of Sander Leendertsz, testi- fied that she had delivered some of the goods which she stole from her master to Jacob Luyersz, who promised to take her to the Manhatans and there get her a husband. Adriaen Pietersz, from Alckmaer, [province of North Holland] ; leased in 165 [ a house, north of Fort Orange, which the authorities of the colony and Charles van Bruggen, commis of the fort, had been forced to allow an Indian, named den uijl (the owl) alias stickstigeri, to build, and which, being found a nuisance, was bought of said Indian by Mons'r Labatie with the consent of the court of Rcnsselaerswyck, Nov. 28, 1650. Jan Baptist (Johan Baptista) van Rensselaer; was in the colony as early as June 29, 1651, and Oct. 18, 1651, at the earnest solicitation of the court consented to accept the office of Gereehls Persoon (member of the court), in place of Rutger Jacobsz, who had asked to be relieved of his duties. In the accounts he is credited with an annual salary of fiooo as director of the colony, from July 24, 1652, to Sept. 24, 1658, when he left for Holland, and also with f 1083 7 for 13 months' salary, from June 29, 165 1 to July 24, 1652, when van Slichtenhorst was most of the time at the Manhatans and van Rensselaer acted as director. Hendrick Jansz Reur, from Munster, [Westphalia] ; was appointed Gercckts Boode (court messenger), Aug. 18, 1651, at a salary of fioo per year, in addition to fees for sunnuonscs and arrests. Nov. 14, 1658, he complained that his salary was insufficient and the court fixed a rate of fees for serving summonses in the various districts of the colony. Feb. i, 844 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 1652, he obtained permission to occupy a lot next to Juriacn Teunisz, the lilazier, the rent to begin at Easter 1653. He died before Feb. 4, 1664, when his household effects were sold at auction. Captain Slijter (Slijtter) ; is charged with £114 for gy^ weeks' board for himself and his son, at the house of Director van Slichtenhorst, by order of the codirectors of the colony, from June 27 to Sept. 2, 1651. During this period van Slichtenhorst was at the Manhatans and Capt. Slijter appears to have had the management of the colony in conjunction with Jan Baptist van Rensselaer. July 30, 165 1, Capt. Slijter made an agreement with Gijsbert Cornelisz as to the tithes of the farm called de iioogeberch. Robbert Vastrick; is first mentioned under date of Jan. 11, 1652, when he became bail for Lucas, the brother in law of Jan Thomasz, and his partner Arijen. March 25, 1652, Philip Pietersz Schuyler and Robbert Vastrick lesti- hed as to Dyckman's threatening to run them through with his rapier when on New Year's day 1652 they tried to prevent soldiers from beating the son of Director van Slichtenhorst. He left the colony before Sept. 30, 1657. Cornells de Vries; his name occurs but once, under date of Sept. 28, 1651, when Willeni Fredericksz asked that he be summoned before the court. He may have been an inhabitant of Fort Orange or a free trader and not a colonist. Jochem Wesselsz, baker; petitioned, Sept. 28, 1651, for a place in the byeenwooninge (village) to support himself by baking and was granted a hojsteede op dc kil (house lot on [Rutten?] kill) at an annual payment of f32 for the right to bake and to trade. Jan. 26, 1652, he was ordered to remove within eight days the wood pile and pigsty from the lot of Jan van Hoesen and to refrain from molesting him or his family. 1652 Jan Bastiaensz van Gutsenhoyen; the first reference to him in the records of the colony is under date of Feb. 8, 1652, when he testified to Dyckman^s appearance in the patroon's court, accompanied by an armed posse. He was apparently engaged in business and in some way seems to have been related to Wouter van Twiller, or to the latter's wife, Maria Momma. He died in the colony between April 3/13, 1666 and July 6/16, 1667. Gideon Schaets;was engaged as minister of the colony of Rensselaers' wyck, May 8, 1652, at an annual salary of fSoo, for the period of three years from the date of his arrival in the colony (O'Callaghan, History of Nczv Netherlands 2:567-68). In the accounts he is charged with f300, which he received before his departure at Amsterdam ; and credited with one year's salarj' at fSoo, from July 24, 1652, to July 24, 1653 ; with two years' salary at fiooo a year, from July 24, 1653, when it was found that Domine Schaets could not well support his szvaer huyshouden (expensive house- hold) on fSoo; and with two years' salary at fi300 a year and house rent, from July 24, 1655, to July 24, 1657, when he became minister of Fort Orange and the village of Beverwyck. He continued as pastor of the Dutch church at Albany till his death, Feb. 27, 1694. Gerard Swart (Gerret Swardt) ; entered into a contract to serve as schout, or prosecuting officer, of Rensselaerswyck, at an annual salary of £400, April 24, 1652, and succeeded Brant van Slichtenhorst in that capa- city, July 24, 1652. He acted as schout of the colony till 1665, when the VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 845 courts of Rensselaerswyck and Albany were consolidated and he became sheriff of Albany. According to his contract, Swart was to proceed to the colony with his wife, maid and servant, and to occupy "the house in which the former minister [Megapolensis] lived, standing in 't grcnen bosch." The name of Swart's wife was Anthonia van Ryswyck. Juriaen Teunisz, often referred to as Jiiriacn dc Glascmacckcr (the glaz- ier) ; signs his name Jure Jan tunsen tappen and Jure Jan iunsen van tappen. Jan. 25, 1O52, the court of Rensselaerswyck granted him a lot between Gijsbert Cornelisz, the tavern keeper, and the land of Thomas Jansz, the rent to begin at Easter 1652. He kept a tavern in 1659. Lambert van Valckenburch ; reference to him is found in the court proceedings of Rensselaerswyck under dale of March 7, 1652, when Qaes Jansz, from Bockhoven, is prosecuted for having his helper do some hauling for Lambert van Valckenburch, contrary to the ordinances oi Oct. 16, 1648, Nov. 23, T651, and Dec. 18, 165 1. Lambert van Valcken- burch was at New Amsterdam as early as Jan. 1644 and received a patent for land there, March 16, 1647. In 1652 he was probably an inhabitant of Fort Orange and not a colonist of Rensselaerswyck. Pieter Winne (Winnen); also referred to as Pieter de Vlamingh (the Fleming) ; charged in the accounts with an annual rent of f275 and tithes from stubble time 1652 till May i, 1655, for a farm, apparently situated at Bethlehem, which on April to. 1655, was taken over by Eldert Gerbertsz Cruyf ; also with two years' rent of a sawmill, at fi50 a year; and with two years' hire of two horses for the mill at f6o a year. He made a will, June i, 1677 {Nolarial Papers, 2:11-13, Albany County clerk's office), in which it is stated that he vv-ps born in tlie city of Gent in Vlaenderen and his wife, Tannetic Adams, in the city of J.eeitzvaerdeii ■ in Vrieslandt. 1653 Johan de Hulter;was a participant in the colonj' of Rensselaerswyck and sailed with his family and a nrnilxT of free colonists by the Graft, in May 1653 (N.Y.Col.Mss, 11:78). March 7, 1654, he obtained a lease of a farm north of the fifth creek, for which he is charged an annual rent of f275 for four years. Tn the accounts he is also charged with fgoo for the purchase of a tract of land which is not described, but which is probably the land con- veyed to his wife by Jan Baptist van Rensselaer, Aug. 24, 1654, upon which she seems to have established a farm, a brickyard and a tile kiln, all of which were sold by her at auction on Nov. 7. 1655. Johan de Hulter was a member of the court of the colony in April 1655 and died before Aug. 7, 1658. Aug. 5, 1660, his v/idow Johanna, who was a daughter of Johannes de Laet, appears as the wife of Jeronimus Ebbingh. 1654 Eldert Gerbertsz Cruyf (Cruijff, Kruyf), from Hilversum, [in Gooiland, province of North Holland] ; also referred to as Eldert de Goiicr ; is charged from 1654 to 1658 with an annual rent of f400 for [two?] sawmills; from May I, 1655, to May i, 1658, with an annual rent of f275 for a farm formerly occupied by Pieter Winne; and from 1658 to 1671, with an annual rent of fioo for a mill, apparently at Bethlehem. Feb, 20, 1659, Jan Dircksz, from Bremen, convej'ed to him his farm at Catskill in exchange for a 846 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY house in Bcvcrwyck. A brother of Eldcrt Gerbcrtsz Cruyf, by name of Cornelis Gerbcrtsz Cruyf, was living at Hilversum in 1661. Teunis Cornelisz Spitsenberch (Spitsenbergh, Spitsenbergen, Spits- bergh, Spitsberghen, van Spitsbergen); signs his name Tenuis Cornclise spitsenberch. He"''and Barent Pictcrsz Koijemans are from Dec. 14, 1654, to Dec. 14, 1657, charged with an annual rent of fi5o for a mill on the fifth creek, and from Aug. i, 1657, to Aug. i, 1658, with fioo for water rights of another mill on the same creek which they were authorized to build on Aug. 3, 1656. Teunis Cornelisz .Spitsenberch appears as a member of the court of Rensselaerswyck in 1658, 1660, 1661, and 1664. In 1656 mention is made of a Catrijii jans spithcrgcn, who may have been his wife. Jeremias van Rensselaer; sailed from Holland by de Gelderse Blom, Aug. 4, 1654; returned to Holland by den Beer, Oct. 28, 1655, and sailed the second time from Amsterdam by den Otter, shortly after June 14, 1656. He succeeded his brother, Jan Baptist van Rensselaer as director of the colony, Sept. 24, 1658, and held that office till his death in 1674. According to his own statement in a letter to his mother, he married Maria, daughter of Olofif Stevensz van Cortlant, July 12, 1662; in the records of the Reformed Dutch Church of New York, his marriage is entered under date of April 27, 1662. 1655 Pieter Adriaensz, referred to as Pictcr Adriacnss alias Soo^iciiiackclyck (so easy), and as Pictcr Macklick (easy) ; was one of the tavern keepers in Rensselaerswyck whom the director general and council in 1656 ordered to be arrested and sent to New Amsterdam for refusing to pay the excise. Dirck van Hamel; succeeded Antony de Hooges as secretary of the colony in Oct. 1655, and served as such till his death on July 2, iGfx?. June 6, 1660, Jeremias van Rensselaer writes to his brother Jan Baptist van Rens- selaer that van Hamel is unfit for the office of secretary and very fond of brandy ; that last winter he was for two months unable to attend the meet- ings of the council; and that since the arrival of his wife he has been very ill, apparently the result of drinking. His wife was Sophia van Wycker- sloot ; shortly after van Hamcl's death she married Anthony Toincl. 1656 Trijntje Claes; mentioned as a servant girl of Jan Baptist van Rens- selaer in 1656. Teunis Jacobsz, from Hamersvclt, [near Amersfoort, province of Utrecht] ; entered June 14, 1656, into a contract with Jeremias van Rens- selaer, at Amsterdam, Holland, to sail by den Otter, and to do farm work for the term of four j^ears from the date of his arrival in the colony, at f8o a year and board. He is described in the contract as being a boere knccht (farm laborer) and 20 years of age. 1657 Tjerck Claesz; charged in the accounts with f32 for hire of a horse from May t, 1657, to May i, 1658. Frans Jacobsz Coningh (Koningh); charged, May i, 1658, with f24 for one year's rent of a garden which he took over from Adriaen Jansz Appel. VAN RliNSSELAER HOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 847 FORMER DUTCH COINS, WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND THEIR EQUIVALENTS Coins duit''' {% stuivcr) ■. $.0025 stuiver 02 schclling (6 str.ivcrs) 12 gulden ) , . ■ \ % , y (20 stmvers) 40 Caroliis gulden ( goud gulden (12/5 guldens) 56 daelder (i^ guldens) 60 rijksdaelder (2j/{> guldens) i.oo ducatcin (3 guldens, 3 stuivers) 1.26 pund Vlaamsch (6 guldens) 2.40 Weights Amsterdam ons 1.085 ounces (avoirdupois) Amsterdam poiul (16 onsen) i pound, 1.36 ounces (avoirdupois) Linear measures Rhineland duim 1.03 inches Rhincland voet (12 duimen) J 2. 36 inches Rhineland roedc (12 voeten) 12.36 feet Amsterdam duim i-0r3 inches Amsterdam voet (11 duimen) Ii.i43 inches Amsterdam roedc (13 voeten) 12.071 feet / 1/20 degree uur gaands ) j 3 nautical miles ) i 18,261 feet / i/is degree geographische mijl < 4-6ii statute miles ( 24,348 feet Square measures Rhineland niorgcn (600 s(iuare rocden;^ ., 2.103 acres Amsterdam morgen (600 square roeden) 2.069 acres 8' In accounts of Kiliaon van R3nis:;lacr, Ih'j duit is som^tiinis counted at ,'i stuiver. Liquid measures mengel (mingel) stoop steekkan anker viertel aam ton okshoofd vat smalton kwarteel OIL 1 . 266 quarts 16 mengelen 5 . 064 gallons 120 mengelen 37.98 gallons 717 mengelen 226.93 gallons WINE 1 . 266 quarts 2 mengelen 2.532 quarts 1 6 mengelen 5 . 064 gallons 32 mengelen 10.128 gallons 4 ankers 128 mengelen 40 . 512 gallons 6 ankers 192 mengelen 60 . 768 gallons 4 okshoofden 728 mengelen 243 , 072 gallons 31.096 gallons ■ 2 smaltonnen 62.192 gallons BRANDY 1 . 304 quarts 1 s mengelen 4 . 89 gallons 60 mengelen 19.56 gallons I . 2« 2. IS 16 5-12 BEER quarts mengelen quarts mengelen gallons 128 40 . 96 mengelen gallons MILK 1 . 9 1 5 quarts 1 6 mengelen 7.66 gallons VAN RENSSELAER BOVVIER MANUSCRIPTS schepel zak mudde (mud) vat last smalton honderd hoed (hoet) Dry measures WHEAT o . 764 bushel 3 schepels 2.292 bushels 4 schepels 3.056 bushels 36 zakken 27 mudden 82 . 5 12 bushels X2 last 6.876 bushels ship's last vim (vinne) SALT 1.29 bushels 4 schepels 5.16 bushels 704 . 32 bushels COAL 33 -35 bushels 3.71 cubic yards 100 . 17 cubic feet 2^ tons burden 104 to 108 sheaves INDEX Abelsen, Hendrick, 800 Abogardy, Hermanns Minardi, see Bogaert, Harmcn Meyndcrtsz van den Account of the jurisdictions, management and condition of the territories named Rensselaersvvyck, 306-12 Accounts, instructions to patroon's representative concerning, 462; time of settling, 668, 689; failure of farmers to render, 687; final settlement in Holland, 689 ; outstanding, proper remedy against abuse of, 707-14. See also names of individtiah Achter Col, colony of, 527 Achtticnhovcn, sec Pauw, Michiel Adam en Eve (ship), 339 Adams, Tannetie, 845 Adriacnsz (Aertsz, Arcntsz), Gijsbert, from Bunnick, 395, 397, 398, S35; biographical notice, 817 Adriaensz, Jacob, from Ililvcrsum, 695, 821, 840; biographical notice, 831 Adriaensz, Jacob, from Utrecht, see Acrtsz, Jacob, from Utrecht Adriaensz (Ariacns), Marinus, from Vcere, sent to Rcnssclaerswyck as tobacco planter, 57, 309 ; can not raise tobacco, 59, 282 ; appointed schepen, 63, 202-3 ; black hat with silver band presented to, 65, 205 ; agreement with Kiliaen van Rensselaer, 176^79, 293, 296, 674-75; house of, 178, 309; agree- ment with Jasper Fcrlyn, 179-80; request for transportation of, 184, 185; sails for New Netherland in ship de Eendracht, 190; Rutger Morris to assist, 233 ; biographical notice, 806 Adriaensz, Pieter, biographical notice, 846 Adriaensz, Rutger, from Bunnick, 817; biographical notice, 835 Adriaensz, Willcm, from Elsseneur, accounts, 418 Aerssen, C, 115, 121, 125, 135 Aertsz (Aerntsz), Acrt, sec Otterspoor, Aert Aertsz, Brant, sec Slichtenhorst, Brant Aertsz van Aertsz, Gijsbert, sec Adriaensz, Gijsl^ert Aertsz (Adriaensz, Arentsen, Ariaensz, Arisch), Jacob, from Utrecht, 394, ."^95. 397, 398, 840; l)icgraphical notice, 820 Aertsz, Job, sec Arisz, Job Agawam, settlement at, 526 Agent at the Manhatans, colonics may appoint, 151; Kicft wants van Rens- selaer to appoint, 571 Agreements, see Contracts and agreements Albany, court consolidated with that of Rcnssclaerswyck, 30; surveyor, 836; pastor of the Dutch church, 844; sheriff, 845. See also Beverwyck Alberts, Eva, 826 Alberts, Femmetje, 839 Albertsz, Albert, sec Elbertsz, Elbert Albertsz, Frans, sec Altersz, Frans 852 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Alberts?, Harry (Hendrick), from London, 609, 611, 813, 820, 827, S35; bio- graphical notice, 822 Albertsz, Storm, see Zee, Storm Albertsz van der Alckmaer, 606, 629. See also Pietersz, Adriacn Alderwerelt, Jacob van, 795, 798, 799, 800, 801 Aldrichsz, Jacob, 271, 273 Allerdinck, Philip, 802 Altersz (Albertsz, Aldersz), Frans, 836; biographical notice, 816 Amazon River, colony on, 50, 176 Amersfoort (Holland), location, 818. See also Dircksz, Jan; Gerritsz, Wol- fert; Wolfertsz, Jacob Amersfoort (L. I.), 788 Ammunition for Rensselaers Steyn, 706-7 Amstelland, 475 Amsterdam, see Claesz, Gijsbert ; Croon, Dirck Jansz ; Jansz, Albert ; Jansz, Jacob ; Sandersz, Thomas ; Staas, Abraham Amsterdam Chamber, sec West India Company Andriesz (Bradt, Noorman), Albert, from Frederikstad, contract with van Rensselaer, 327, 332, 510, 676-77; greetings to, 351; birth of son, 360; as- sistants for, 394, 396, 397, 398; separated from Pieter Cornelisz, 406; letters of van Rensselaer to, 409-10, 446-48, 500-1, 506-7; admonition and rebuke to, 409, 411, 446, 500-r, 506-7; servant of, 414; unlawful trade with Dirck Corsz, 418; letter to alluded to, 442; accounts, 485, 508, 509, 558; price of tobacco raised by, 661 ; animals of, 663 ; instructions for, 691 ; sawmills, 742; rent for the mill creek and the land, 775; mentioned, 402, 407, 455, 505, 514, 810, 813, 814, 817, 820, 826, 831; biographical notice, 676, 809 Andriesz (van Driescn), Arent, from Frederikstad, account of sale of to- bacco of, 485, 506, 507; van Rensselaer proposes to grant tobacco planta- tion to, 513; lease of land to, 758-59; mentioned, 831; biographical notice, 816 Andriesz, Claes, from Hilversum, 695, 833; sentence of, 731-32; biographical notice, 831 Andriesz (Dries, Driesz), Hendrick, from Doesburch, 609, 731; biographi- cal notice, 827 Andriesz, Jan, from Dublin, 830 ; biographical notice, 837 Animals, transportation of, 51, 56, 61, 68, 242, 570; Wolfert Gerritsz to direct purchase of, 56, 160, 162; van Rensselaer's agreement with farmers concerning, 58, 605; agreement between van Rensselaer and Pauw con- cerning, 57, 69, 162, 257, 274; bought from Minuit and Bijlvelt, 60, 61, 71, 79, 206, 223, 225-29, 274, 27s, 309-10; on farm no. 3, Island of Manhattan, inventory, 192; agreement with Notelman regarding, 276, 333; of de Reux and Bijlvelt, protest of van Rensselaer to West India Company on account of detention of, 290-92, 296, 297, 300; letter to Notelman concerning, 317- 19; van Rensselaer defrauded by Notelman, 330; finally sent to Rens- selaerswyck, 333; killed by savages, 62, 72, 243, 266, 270, 286, 304; greatest profit from cattle, 63, 199; in the colony of Rensselaerswyck, list of, 220- 21 ; van Twiller to buy for patroon, 275 ; buying by private parties, 275 ; prices, 275, 605 ; instructions to Planck regarding, 294, 295, 300 ; in Rens- selaers Burg, 308; in de Laets Burg, 309; to be purchased by Kieft, 428; INDEX TO VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS to be delivered to van dei* Donck, 552 ; sent up the river by Kieft, 569 ; number of, on farms, 606, 740-43 ; farmers refuse to furnish without pay- ment, 667; inventory, 668; list of, sent by de Hooges, 669; increase of, farmers to give an account of, 711; inventory of animals sent over by Johari Baptist van Rensselaer, 732-40 Antell, Mr, 804 Anthonisz, Cornells, see Schlick, Cornells Anthonisz van Anthonisz, Jan, 800 Appeal from judgments of patroon's courts to director and council of New Netherland, 149; van Rensselaer denies that contracts restrict right of, 476 Appel, Adriaen Jansz, see Jansz, Adriaen, from Leyden Appel, Jan Louwrensz, see Louwrensz, Jan Arentsz (Aerntsz), Aert, see Otterspoor, Aert Arentsz, Brant, see Slichtenhorst, Brant Aertsz van Arentsz, Gijsbert, see Adriaensz, Gijsbert Arentsz, Jacob, see Aertsz, Jacob Arisz, Job, 555 Arnhem, Jonkheer Gerrit van, letter to alluded to, 80, 81 ; letters of van Rensselaer to, 424^-25, 463-65, 524-27; mentioned, 282, 466 Backer, Claes, 718, 721 Backer, Willem Jorisz, 744 Backholt, Sara Maria, 38 Badius, Domine, 268, 269, 287 Baeden (Badens, Baden), see Vos, Hans Baeilly, Dyonys, 797 Barbados Island, 50, 166, 171, 174 Barents (Baernts), Annetje, from Rolmers, 360, 8og, 810 Barents, Gijsje, see Berents, Gijsje Barents (Baerentsz), Marritje, 842 Barentsz, Jan, see Wemp, Jan Barentsz Barentsz, Thijs, 456; biographical notice, 810 Barij, see Labatie Barlt, location, 609, 827. See also Carstensz, Johan ; Helms, Jan Barnegat (Baernde gat) Inlet, 374, 379, 382, 602 Barren Island, see Bceren Island Barsingerhorn (B^irsingerwout), location, 818. See also Cornelisz, Adriaen Bartells, Eva, 270 Bartolotti (Bartelotty), Guiliam, 59, 270 Bartrinck, 66, 270 Bastiaensz, Harmen, 821, 840; l)iographical notice, 836 Bastiaensz, Jan, 580, 672 Bastiaensz, see also Gutscnhovcn, Jan Bastiaensz van Bears Island, sec Becren Island Beaumont, Anna van, 38 Beeldsnyder, Susanna Cathcrina, 38 Beemster, 63, 311 Beeren Island, 33, 34, 36, 181, 182, 198, 207, 306, 376, 680. See also Rens- selaers Steyn 854 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Bellechere (Belechier, Bellechier), 480, 483, 518, 519 Berbice (Brebice), registration of colony in, 50, 176 Bcrch, Gijsbert aen den, 837. See also Cornclisz, Gijsbcrt, from Breuckelen Berck, Mr, 482 Berents (Barents), Gijsjc, biographical notice, 822 Beresteyn, Jonkvrouwe van, 37, 39, 41 Bergen (Holland), location, 828 Bergen (N. J.), 788 Berghoorn, see Barsingerhorn Bessels, Adam, share in colony of Rcnsselaerswyck, 55, 175, 334; wishes slate hill named Bessels Burg, 397; receipt for, 552; sick, 674; widow of, 725; mentioned, 545, 546, 553, 606, 670, 671 Bessels, Gerret, 797 Bessels Bnrg, farm, 78 ; slate hill to be so named, 397 Bcstval (Bestvael, Weestmael), Juriaen, from Liiydcrdorp, sails on den ITonttuyn, 609 ; animals on farm of, 734, 739 ; different forms of name, 734 ; farm, 741 ; biographical notice, 827 Bethlehem, purchase of land at, 167; farms at, 74T, 772, 810, 819, 824, 825, 827, 832, 837, 845 ; lease of water power of mills opposite, 770 ; renewal of lease of island opposite to Jan Rcyersz, 771-72; adjustment of fire losses on farm of Aert Jacobsz, 774-75 ; mills at, S16, 825, 845 Betuwe, 63, 311 Beusekom, van, family, 39 Bever, de (yacht), 62, 243, 304 Bevers Kill, 611, 742 Beverwyck, first formal court established, 30, 723; lease of land opposite, 758-59, 810; delegates from to convention at New Amsterdam, 784, 785; houses in, 832, 836, 840, 846; schoolmaster, 843. See also Albany Bicker, Cornelis, 59, 270 Bier Craaker, Marten de, 821. See also Ilendricksz, ]\farten Bijlaer (Bijler) , Hillegond van, 36, 45 Bijlaer (Bijler), Wolfert van, 43, 44; marriages, 45 Bijlaer (Bylaer), Wynnant van, 408 Bijlaers Dael (Bylersdal), 36; farms in, 202, 203, 547, 550; grapevines to be planted in, 551 Bijlvelt (Bijleuelts), Gcrtruijt, 301 Bijlvelt (Bijleveldt, Bylevelt), Pieter Pietersz, animals bought of, 60, 206, 221, 230, 232, 255, 274, 275, 278, 279, 280, 295, 296, 309, 317, 662; detention of animals and implements transferred to van Rensselaer, 71 ; protest of van Renssselaer to West India Company on account of detention of ani- mals of, 290-92, 296, 297; bill of sale of animals on farm no. 3, Island of Manhattan, 225, 227; promissory note of Kiliaen van Rensselaer to, for animals and implements on farm no. 3 with receipts, 226-29; farm, 61, 213, 276, 293, 294; inventory of animals on farm of, 192-93; autograph facing 226; signs certificate of purchase of land, 168, 183; foreman of, 222^. 232; ejected from farm, 231; letter to the copartners of the colony of Rcnsselaerswyck, 234; ordered home, 290, 291, 295; arbitration of accounts with van Rensselaer, 301; contract with alluded to, 662; Tennis Dircksz van Vechten on farm of, 819; mentioned, 304, 662 INDEX TO VAN RRNSSELARR ROWIER MANUSCRIPTS 855 Bil, see Dircksz, Adriaen Bilt, Adriaen Teunisz van der, biographical notice, 822 Bilt, Sijnion Walingen vant, see Walichsz, Symon Einck, Arent van den, 801 Bischop, Evert Evertsz, 836 Bisschop, Ccrnelis, 420 Black, Capt., 795 Blacksmiths, 78, .354 Blancke Ael, 814 Blaricnni, location, 808. See also Gijslicrtsz, Lubbert Blauwpodt, Claes Gerretdtsen, 801 Bloem, Louweris de, 717, 721 Blommaert (Blocmacrt, Blomacrt, Blomart), Samuel, notice of intention to send two persons to New Netherland to inspect the country, 50, 154; registration of a colony on the Fresh River, 50, 157, 284; registration of a colony on the Island of St Martin or on Barbados, 50, 166; colony under the management of not started, 55, 175; share in Rensselaerswyck, 55, 165, 175, 20T, 334; agreement l)etween patroons, 55, 171-75, 540; disagreement with van Rensselaer, 83 ; share in certain colonies, 164, 165 ; region con- trolled by as patroon, 174; letter from alluded to, 285; accounts with, 335, 427, 516; sick, 674; letter to Burgh, 724; resolution of the States General on the petition of, 725, 726, 730; reply to the States General, 726-28, 729; autograph, 728, facing 556; mentioned, 273, 333, 516, 521, 523, 529, 544, 545, 546, 552, 556, 670 Elommaerts P)urg, 61, 193, 198, 203, 210, 307, 3T0, 435, 675; men on farm, 222 Blonmiacrts Islands, 198 Blommaerts Kill, 36, 193, 198, 676, 808 Blommaert's Point, 374, 383 Blommaerts River, 50, 157. Sec also Fresh River Blommendael, farm, 742 Bloom, Lauweris de, see Bloem, Louweris de I'ock, Jan de, 827. See also Ilelmsz, Jan Bockhoven, see Jansz, Claes Boer, Pieter Jansz de, 838. See also Jansz, Pietcr, from Hoorn Bogaert, Ilarmen Meyndertsz van den, 417, 723 Bogardus, Fvcrardus, quarrels with van Twiller, 77; married to Annetje Jans, 352, 834; slandered by Dincklage, 352; requested to go to Rens- selaerswyck and Fort Orange, 4P4, 431; goes to Rensselaerswyck, 423; wishes to keep Lucas Smit, 615, 648; mentioned, 269, 287, 826 Bogardus, Willem, 793 Boldewyn, uncle of van Curler, 508, 658 Bolles, Catharina, 45 Boocharde (Booghardij), ITarmannus A., sec Bogaert, Harmen Meyndertsz van den Boon, FrauQois, 779, 781, 833, 834 Bornstra, Gcertruy, 75 Borrelingen (Borlingen), Joris, biographical notice, 829 Borsedt, Pieter, 798 Borsum (Borscm), Egbert van, 715, 719, 720, 793 856 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Bos, Cornells Theunisz, see Teunisz, Cornelis, from Westbroeck Bosch, Arent Dircksz, 744, 745; autograph, facing 744 Boston (Baston), 786 Boston island, 759 Boswyck, 788 Botgreve, 300 Bouckhorst, N. van, 135 Boudewyns, Sr, 516 Bout, Jan Evertsz, 282, 658 Bout, Willem Fredericksz, see Fredericksz, Willem Bouwcssz, Minne, 213 Bowier, Jonkheer Jan, 38 Bowier family, founded in Holland by Ralph Bowyer, 39. See also Rens- selaer Bowier Bowyer, Ralph, 39 Bra, Isaac de, 792 Braconie, Aeltje, 827 Bradt, Albert Andriesz, 360, 676. See also Andriesz, Albert Braebander, Claes de, 843. See also Jansz, Claes, from Bockhoven Brandaris (Brandarys, Brantaris, Brant Arys) (ship), 575, 577, 578, 621 Brandy, distilling of, 67, 200, 211, 219, 253, 267, 282; sale of, 283. See also Liquors Brants, Geert, 806 Brants, Gerritje, 806; biographical notice, 822 Brants, Lysbeth, 806; biographical notice, 822 Brazil, subdued, 78; Johan Maurits appointed as governor of, 339; trade to, 401 ; victory for the Company in, 484. See also Aldrichsz, Jacob ; Rasiere, Isaac de Brebice, see Berbice Breda, location, 824. See also Donck, Adriaen van der; Jansz, Claes; Ver- beeck, Jan Bredenbent, Wilhelm, 827 Breen, see Broen Breestede, see Jans, Trijntje Bremen, see Dircksz, Jan Breuckelen, Cornelis Teunisz van, see Schlick, Cornelis Anthonisz van Breuckelen (Holland), location, 809. See also Cornelisz, Claes; Cornelisz, Gijsbert; Elbertsz, Reyer Breuckelen (L. I.), 788 Brew kettles, 200, 211, 299 Brewery, 200, 211, 219, 253, 282, 406, 407, 4T3, 637, 653, 679, 812, 819, 834, 835 Brickkiln, 160, 207, 283, 612, 829 Brickmakers, 573, 606, 637, 658 Bridges, Charles, see Brugge, Carel van Briggom (Brigham), Richard, biographical notice, 835 Brimmer, see Brumer Broech, Frederick, 801 INDEX TO VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 857 Broeckhuysen, Maurits Jansz van, letter from alluded to, 347; letters of van Rensselaer to, 408-9, 503-4; to be head farmer, 412; farm of, 412; animals belonging to, 412, 668; permit to settle as farmer on de Laets Burg, 437-38, 440; commission for, 453; messages to, from van Rensselaer, 456; condi- tions of lease alluded to, 478, 488, 4)89, 490, 491, 492, 493, 495 ; to advise van Curler, 490; farm must pay tithes, 498; rebuke to, 503-4; is in Holland, 606; must accept van Rensselaer's terms or serve out his bounden time, 611; disputes with van Rensselaer, 631; mentioned, 487, 509, 514, 515, 631, 652, 665, 818; biographical notice, 81Q Broen, Hendrik, 59, 166, 270 Bronck, Jonas, 817, 840 Bronck, Picter, biographical notice, 840 Brongers (Brougers), Tyaert, 289, 418 Brouwer, Jacob de, biographical notice, 839 Brouw^er, Jan Janssen, 170, 272; signs certificate of purchase of land, 168 Brugge, Carel van, 813, 843 Brugh, Johannes Pieters;: van, letter from delegates to convention at New Amsterdam to, 785-86; entrusted with delivery of remonstrance of Novem- ber 2, 1663, y^y; list of papers sent to, 788; letter of burgomasters and schepens of New Amsterdam to, 789 Bruigh, Trijn Janse, 346 Bruijn, Fransoijs Jacobsen de, 839 Bruijn, Thomas, 717 Bruijningh, J., 157, 164, 674, 699 Brumer, Jan Dircksen, 678 Brunsteyn, Claes, from Straelsundt, agreement with Marinus Adriaensz, 180-81; request to send to colony, 189; enrolled on ship de Eendracht, 190; biographical notice, 806 Brunswijck, see Teunisz, Pieter Bruyne, Anna Cornelia de, 38 Bruynnecl, Cornells, 800 Bulsinck, Arent, 801 Bunnick, location, 807. See also Adriaensz, Gijsbert; Adriaensz, Rutgcr ; Fredericksz, Hendrick ; Jansz, Thomas Burgh, Albert Coenraets (Coenradj, Coenradts, Coenradus, Coenraetsz, Con- raets), registration of colony on east side of the South Bay, 50, 156; of colony on the Island of St Vincent, 50, 156; colony sold to the West India Company, 55, 175; agreement between patroons, 55, 171-75, S40; term as director expires, 64; van Rensselaer offers share in colony to, 65, 321, 334; resumes seat in West India Company, 66, 270; shares in certain colonies, 164, 165; region controlled by as patroon, 174; share in colony of Rensselaerswyck, 165, 174, 175; advises van Renssselaer, 267; takes van Twiller's part, 267; complains of van Twiller, 272; promises Duyster to make settlement concerning furs, 273 ; instructions to be issued through efforts of, 282; understanding of patroonship, 521; unwilling to accept certain articles regarding patroonship, 532; letter of de Laet and Blommaert to, 724; reply to de Laet and Blommaert, 724-25; mentioned, 60, 268, 270, 274, 312, 321, 464, 482, 529, 567 858 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Burgomasters of New Amsterdam, petition to director and council of New Netherland, 784-85; letter to Jan Baptist van Rensselaer and Johannes Pietersz van Brugh, 789 Buyrmalsen (Buurmalsem), location, 807. See also Macsen, Cornelis Buytenhuys, Geertruy, 38 Bykerck, Cornelis, 801 Bykerck, Jan, 801 Bylaer, see Bijlaer Eylersdal, see Bijlaers Dael Bylvelt, see Bijlvelt Cajana, sec Cayenne Calff, see Kalf Calmer Slcutcl, de (ship), 3S9, 390, 400, 403, 411, 558, 709; colonists sailing in, 395, 817 Cambre, see Chambers Camp, Hendricsz op de, 191 Campen (Kampen), location, 816. Sec also Gardcnicr, Jacob Jansz Canada, conditions of trade, 407; van Rensselaer wishes to divert fur trade from, 553 Cape Henlopen (Hinlooep), 373, 380 Cape May (Maeij), 380 Capiteijn (Capctcijn), 819, 820. Sec also Juriacnsz, Willem; Stevcnsz, Abra- ham Carpenters, to be sent over, 283 ; contract with, 332 ; work in winter, 565 ; farmers employ outside carpenters at high wages, 560, 571 ; from Leydcn, 654. See also Houses Carstensz (Christensz, Cristensen), Carstcn, Noorman, 442, 820; biographi- cal notice, 810 Carstensz (Karstenssen, Kerstensscn), Hendrick, from Nordcn, to sail in de Eendracht, 263; engagement as farm laborer, 288; sent to colony, 311; instructions for, 329; biographical notice, 808 Carstensz, Johan, from Barlt, 609; biographical notice, 827 Carstensz, sec also Christensz Cascmbroot, Jan de, 525 Casenibroot, Jan Leonard van, 525 Casembroot, widow of Jan Leonard van, 525; memorandum of matters to bring to the attention of Secretary Musch, 466-67 Castle Island, grain raised on, 63; farms on, 63, 210, 214, 260, 286, 307, 308, 489, 742, 808, 814, 824, 833; included in purchase, 167, 307; named West Lsland, 198; Wolfert Gerritsz to settle on, 280; Planck to settle on, 294; included in tract called Petanock, 307 ; farm at, van der Donck to settle on, 635, 660, 666; extent, 636; lease of farm west of the creek of, 77S~77', lease of to Cornelis Segersz van Voorhout, 777-79. Sec also Godyns Burg; Rensselaers Burg; Welys Burg Cat (ship), 274 Catskill, 376; purchase of land at, 167; first patentee, 256, 809; farms at, 739, 740, 832, 837, 839, 845 Cattle, see Animals INDEX TO VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Cayenne (Cajana), registration of colony in, 50, 176 Certificate of purchase from Indians of land from Smacks Island to Moenemin's Castle, Aug. 13, 1630, 166-69 Certificate of purchase from the Indians of land on the west side of the Hudson River between Beeren Island and Smacks Island, May 1631, 181-83 Chambers, Thomas, animals on farm of, 739; farm, 740, 831; lease of farm occupied by, 755-57; house built by, 834; animals killed by Indians, 837, 839; mentioned, 825, 836, 842; biographical notice, 835 Chambers of West India Company, see West India Company, charter Charcoal burner, 637 Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions, see Freedoms and Exemptions Charter of West India Company, sec West India Company, charter Chierts, see Tj^aerts Christensz (Cristensen, Kristensen), Andries, from Flecker, agreement with van Rensselaer, 186-89, 675; request to send to colony, 189; enrolled on ship de Eendracht, 190; payment to, 191; ran away, 285; biographical notice, 806 Christensz, Christen, see Carstensz, Carsten Church at Rensselaerswyck, Brant Peelen to take charge of services, 63, 208; proposed building, 82, 414, 454, 459, 551, 561, 662; Planck to conduct services, 251; location, 454, 459, 662; model sent by van Rensselaer, 454, 459) 505, 662; houses to be built near, 455, 611, 619; Jan Cornelisz to build, 505, 821; non attendance at, penalties for, 694; patroon's storehouse near Fort Orange adapted to, 828, 829 (Jhurch at the ]\Ianhatans, contributions of grain for, 650 Ciccanames, sec Sickenanies Claes, Aeltjc, 806 Claes, Trijntjc, biographical notice, 846 Claesz, Claes, from Vlcckcr, 222, 282, 308; Inographical notice, 805 Claesz, Gijs1)ert, from Amsterdam, l)iographical notice, 810 Claesz (Claessen), Jan, second mate of hct Wapcn van Noorwegcn, 420 Claesz (Clacsen), Jan, draper at Coedijck, 629 Claesz (Claessen), Jan, trader at the Manhatans, 718, 720. See also Damen, [Jan] Clacsen Claesz (Claasen), Lu3cas, 8f)0 Claesz (Niclaesz), Pietcr, from Norden, biographical notice, 810 Claesz, Sibout, 836 Claesz, Sybrant, 806 Claesz, Tjerck, l)iograpliical nntice, 846 (Jlaverack, ])urchase of land at, 167 Clock, Abraham, biographical notice, 833 Cloth, manufacture forl)idden, 153; purchase of, 672, 673. See also Duffels Coat of arms of van Rensselaer family, 35, 42, 43 Codde, Pietcr, 700 Coedijck, 629. Sec also Megapolensis, Johannes, sr Coenraetsz, Albert, sec Burgh, All)crt Cocnraets Coenraetsz, Mattheus, 800 Cocrlant, see Sniit, Lucas Coeymans, see Koijemans 86o NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Coins, 847 Cole, Lenaert, signs certificates of purchase of land, 169, 183 Colcndonck, 824 Colonies in New Netherland, registration of, 50, 154-58; first combination of and shares each partner is to have in them, 164-65; agreement between patroons, 171-74; failure of early attempts at colonization, 236; disagree- ment between West India Company and van Rensselaer concerning, 236; fur trade increased by establishing, 248; Company should admit more, 428 Colonists, conveyance by the West India Company, 51; terms offered to, 57-^58, 178, 188; transported to Rensselaerswyck 1630-32, 58; restrictions on, 61 ; restrictions on fur trade deter, 77 ; at the Manhatans, return to fatherland after expiration of six years' contract, 79; van Rensselaer's care of spiritual welfare of, 82, 208, 251, 404, 415, 418, 419, 547, 569, 605-8, 618-19, 621, 622, 645, 647; measures against cheating of, 160, 411, 415-18, 431, 441, 445, 450-52, 482, 487-88, 490-500, 509--15, 559-60, 612, 616, 620, ^3?r3S< 637, 648, 663-68, 682-99, 707-14; mutual disputes, 170; memoranda of payments to, 191-92 ; must not trade with strangers and private traders, 441; indebtedness, 564; sent by van Rensselaer, who marry and stay at the Manhatans, 614, 624, 654, 669 ; ingratitude toward van Rensselaer, 6t6; list of, 805-46. See also Contracts and agreements; Farmers; Mechanics ; Freedoms and Exemptions ; Patroons Commis, use of term, 27 ; at Rensselaerswyck, Jacob Planck, 67, 332 ; Arent van Curler, 435, 460, 481, 690; at the North, Dirck Cornelisz Duyster, 219; of fur trade of Rensselaerswyck, Pieter Bijlvelt's petition, 234; sent to Swanendael, 246; trade with the English, 407; trade to be carried on with, 418, 479, 482, 501, 549; strangers and private traders must trade with, 441 ; colonists who need goods to notify, 462 ; furs to be delivered to, 463; unwise to grant farm to, 488; accounts with director, 622; at Rensselaers Steyn, Nicolaes Coorn, 680; patroon's accounts, 713. Sec also Coorn, Nicolaes ; Curler, Arent van ; Planck, Jacob Albertsz Commis at Fort Orange, Albert Dieterinck, 34; Dirk Cornelisz Duyster, 60; Hans Jorisz Hunthum, 60, 243; Bastiacn Jansz Krol, 158; power of attorney to, to administer oath to Rutger Heudricksz, 205 ; Rutger Hendricksz to aid, 208; furs to be delivered to, 209; mines to be reported to, 210; to furnish men for building houses, 210; relations to colony of Rensselaerswyck, 212; new, appointment, 217; petition to recall Hunthum, 249; salary, 273; requested to defend van Rensselaer's houses, people etc., 298; Marten Gerritsz, 329, 401; does not have power to administer justice, 474. See also Brugge, Carel van; Dieterinck, Albert; Duyster, Dirck Cornelisz ; Gerritsz, Marten ; Hunthum, Hans Jorisz ; Krol, Bastiaen Jansz Commissioners of Rensselaerswyck, 30, 461, 572, 639, 640, 641 ; powers, 696 Commissions issued by van Rensselaer, 433, 435, 436, 437, 680; extracts from, 699-705 Compeer, Thomas, see Higgins, Thomas Conduit, Hendrick, from Coninghsbergen, farm of, 260; contract with van Rensselaer, 260-62, 280, 286, 296 ; to sail in de Eendracht, 263 ; engagement of farm laborer for, 288; biographical notice, 808 Coney Island, 374 INDEX TO VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS Coninck David, de (ship), 557, 561, 562, 575, 576, 577, 621; colonists sailing i"> 555. 572, 825-26; journal of Antony de Hooges on voyage to New Netherland, 580-603 Coningh, Frans Jacobsz, 839 ; biographical notice, 846 Coningh, Thomas, 839 ; biographical notice, 836 Coninghsbergen (Konigsberg), location, 808. See also Conduit, Hendrick Connecticut River, see Fresh River Constapel, Andries, see Herbertsz, Andries Contracts and agreements with colonists, 171, 176, 179, 186, 193, 195, 250, 254, 255, 257, 258, 260, 332; extracts from, 674-80; leases and agreements, 746-83 ; councilors warned not to change without approval, 461 ; van Rensselaer's explanation of, 461, 476; van Rensselaer denies that they restrict right of appeal to director and' council of New Netherland, 476; to be given those who accept conditions, 493 ; misconstrued by colonists, 502; ordinance forbidding people who come to live or hunt in the colony from leaving without making a contract, 628 Convention at New Amsterdam, letter from delegates to, 785-86, 787; list of papers sent to Jan Baptist van Rensselaer and Johannes Pietersz van Brugh in name of delegates, 788 Convoyen, 95 Coorn (Coren), Nicolaes, commission to, as commander and commis on Rensselaers Steyn, 680-82, 704; succeeds van der Donck, 30, 824; notice to be served on private traders by, 697, 705; mentioned, 684, 685, 690, 812; biographical notice, 831 Coornhart. B., letter of Jan Hendricksz van Gunst to, 792-93 ; power of attorney to collect money from Aeltje Marchal and others, 793-95 Coortsen, Dirck, see Stam, Dirck Corssen Coppenhagen, sec Laurensz, Laurens Coren, notary, 75 Coren, see also Coorn, Nicolaes Corler, see Curler Cornelis, Aechtje, 556 Cornells, Aeltje, 817 Cornelis, Brocr, see Schlick, Cornelis Anthonisz van Cornelis, Divertgen, 311, 808 Cornelis, Lysbet, 800 Cornelis, Lysbeth, see Voorhout, Lysbeth Cornelise van Cornelis, Saertje, 841 Cornelis, Stijntje, see Maesen, Stijntje Cornelis Cornelisz, Adriaen, from Barsingerhorn, foreman for Maurits Jansz van Broeckhuysen, 408, 412; farm for, 438; permit, 491; conditions of lease of farm, 492, 493 ; fire at farm of, 520, 563 ; mentioned, 423, 478, 487 ; bio- graphical notice, 818 Cornelisz, Claes, son of Cornelis Segersz van Voorhout, 734. See also Voorhout, Claes Cornelisz van Cornelisz, Claes, from Breuckelen, brother of Gijsbert Cornelisz, 734, 833; biographical notice, 842 Cornelisz [Swits], Claes, wheelwright at the Manhatans, animals belonging to, 206, 401, 403; contract with, 317; to send ship with cattle, 403; mentioned, 232, 375 862 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Cornelisz, Cornells, see Voorhout, Cornelis Cornelisz van Cornelisz, Cornelis, blockmaker, 800 Cornelisz, Cornelis (Vos), from Schoenderwoerdt, 554, 631, 814, 823; bio- graphical notice, 822 Cornelisz (Corncliscn), Creyn, surveyor, probably mistake for Crijn Fredericksz, 617 Cornelisz, Crijn, from Houten, references to in account books, 438; farm, 438, 489; advised to establish a farm on Castle Island, 489; animals for, 490. 513; conditions agreed to, 492; accounts, 508; papers sent to colony in care of, 515 ; agrees to price of wlicat, 665; mentioned, 823, 824, 837, 838 ; biographical notice, 810 Cornelisz, Dirck, see Duyster, Dirck Cornelisz _ Cornelisz, Gerrit, 181 Cornelisz, Gijsbert (van den Iloogenberch, or aen den Bercb), from Breuckelen, struck by Clacs Andriesz, 731; brother of, 734; animals on farm of, 735, 739; farm, 741; renewal of lease of farm to, 769-70; agree- ment as to tithes of farm, 844; biographical notice, 837 Cornelisz, Gijsbert (Waert), from Weesp, lease of Castle Island, 777; garden, 810; wife, 833; mentioned, 822, 845; l)iographical notice, 769, 833 Cornelisz, Ilendrick, see Maesen, Hendrick Cornelisz Cornelisz, Jan, from Houten, 504; biographical notice, 823 Cornelisz, Jan, from Leyden, letter of van Rensselaer lo, 504-6; mentioned, 444, 501, 561, 565, 661 ; biographical notice, 821 Cornelisz, Maes, see Maesen, Maes Cornelisz Cornelisz, Marten, see Maesen, Marten Cornelisz Cornelisz, Marten, from Ysselsteyn, 181 Cornelisz, Pieter, from Munnickendam, commissioner, 30, 436, 459 ; instruc- tions for, 327, 328, 332, 702; contract with van Rensselaer, 332, 510, 676-77; contract with van Rensselaer alluded to, 327 ; appointed councilor and schepen, 327; memoranda for, 332; letters of van Rensselaer to, 350-51. 406-7, 443-45, 497-98; goes up the river in a yacht, 375; parted from Albert Andriesz, 409; to build a grist-mill and brewery, 413, 809; accounts with, 417, 474, 489, 563, 692; to advise van Curler, 434, 488, 490, 509-10; commission as receiver of tithes and supercargo of the vessel, 436-37; commission for alluded to, 453, 495 ; charges for lumber, 442 ; to furnish boards for the church, 454; with others to fill place of officer of justice, 459 ; councilor, 461 ; instructions to concerning farmers, 492 ; may take farm of Cornelis Teunisz, 493; letter to alluded to, 509; blanket for, 509; authorization concerning tithes, 515; letter from, allusion to, 520; message to from van Rensselaer, 561 ; van Rensselaer's resolution regard- ing affair of, 615-16; to advise van Rensselaer concerning number of farms, 617; subtlety of, 632; disagreements with van Rensselaer, 635, 644; dispute with van Rensselaer settled, 660; should be watched, 637; manage- ment of sawmill and grist-mill, 638; sawmill, 639; to assist van Curler in regard to disputes concerning wheat, 665; son in law, 818; mentioned. 320, 323, 329, 354, 447, 455, 481, 488, 509, 551, 559, 631, 639, 641, 641 814, 816, 821; biographical notice, 811 Cornelisz, Roelof, from Houten, 438; biographical notice, 811 Cornelisz, Seger, see Voorhout, Segef rornelisz van INDEX TO VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 863 Cornelisz, Teunis, see Spitsenberch, Teunis Cornelisz Cornelisz, Teunis, see Vechten, Teunis Cornelisz van Cornelisz, Tobias, see Maesen, Tobias Cornelisz Corssen, Arent, 398 Corssen, Dirck, see Stain, Dirck Corssen Cortakelis, see Tortarolis Cortlandt, Maria van, 846 Cortlandt, Oloff Stevensz van, 433, 621 ; letter of van Rensselaer to, 655-56 Council of New Netherland, see Director and council of New Netherland Council of Rensselaerswyck, members, 63, 205, 327 ; black hats with silver bands presented to, 63, 205; instructions to, 208-12; to consist of seven persons, 459 ; too independent, 487 ; to consist of three commissioners and four associate councilors, 572, 639, 640; van der Donck to give dignitj' to, 632 ; powers, 696. See also Schepens Court of Fort Orange and Beverwyck first established, 30, 723 Court of Rensselaerswyck, record of, 1648-52, 30; consolidated with court of Albany, 30; first established, 62, 63; appeals from, 149, 476. See also Schepens Couwenhoven, location, 161, 805. See also Gerritsz, Wolfert; Wolfertsz, Jacob Crailo (Craloo), van Rensselaer's estate in Holland, 49, 284, 454, 547 Cramer, Cornelia Judith, 38 Crayepoel, Jan van, 801 Cremyn, see Kettclheym, Jochem Crijnen, Cornells, from Houten, biographical notice, 823 Crijnen, Jan, from lioutcn, biographical notice, 823 Cristensen, Cristen, sec Carstensz, Carsten Croaet, Abraham Stevensz, 819. See also Stevensz, Abraham Croix (Croijs), Jeronimus la, see Lacroix, Jeronimus Crol, see Krol Croon, Adriaen Jansz, 843 Croon, Dirck Jansz, from Amsterdam, 836, 842; biographical notice, 840 Cruijer, Merten, 719, 722 Cruyf, Cornells Gerbertsz, 846 Cruyf, Eldert Gerbertsz, from Hilversum, sawmills, 772; lease of farm to, 77-~73, biographical notice, 845 Cuirsen, Dirck, see Stam, Dirck Corssen Culenbiirgh '(Cuylenborch), location, 808. See also Mensen, Marcus Curasao, 77, 320, 561, 575, 577, 578 Curler (Corlaer, Corler), Arent van, from Nykerck, so-called Journal of, 1634-35, 26, 271; assistant to Planck, 29, 78, 392, 411; commissioner, 30, 434, 459, 641 ; baptized, 78 ; recommended to Minuit, 390, 395 ; engaged to go to Rensselaerswyck, 397, 398 ; recommended to van Twiller, 402 ; letters of van Rensselaer to, 410, 438-4I3, 45^56, 485-89, 49°, 508-15, 549-52, 556-65, 572-73, 576-78, 658-68; admonition and rebuke to, 410, 438-39, 454, 508, 513, 557, 650, 653, 658-60, 664; accounts, 415, 480, 622, 624, 650, 65T, 653, 657, 658, 689; accounts with Albert Andriesz, 500, 506, 507; invoice to be sent to, 430; commission to as secretary and bookkeeper of Rensselaerswyck, 433-34, 437, 453, 495, 497, 499; Cornells Teunisz to 864 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY assist, 435, 496; provisionally holds office of commis, 435, 460, 481; to assist Pieter Cornelisz in his duties, 436; with others to fill place of officer of justice, 459; opper-commis, 460; councilor, 461; Kieft to send soldiers to, if necessary, 473 ; grain to be delivered to, 477 ; payments to Kieft, 484; papers sent to, 485; instructions to, 490, 492, 651, 655, 689, 690, 698, 714; farm for, 493; Pieter Cornelisz to assist, 498; Maurits Jansz to assist, 504; ordinances etc. signed by, 515, 574, 715, 716, 747; furs sent by, 549, 576; house for, 551, 563, 646; to register settlers, 610; messages from van Rensselaer to, 612, 650; memorandum for, 614; to advise van Rensselaer concerning number of farms, 617; administrator of colony, 618; represents director, 618, 643; Megapolcnsis to stay with, 619; Antony de Hooges assistant to, 620, 704 ; van der Donck to instruct, 632 ; payments to Labatie, 635 ; collection of money advanced by van Rensselaer, 648 ; charged with intemperance, 649 ; contributed wheat toward erection of church at the Manhatans, 650; supplies Kieft without receiving pay- ment, 650, 651; skins due to, 652; debts, 652; to turn over papers to de Hooges, 653 ; extravagance in office, 653 ; evil rumors concerning, 653 ; grain furnished by, 657 ; instructions to Kieft concerning, 658 ; advice to de Hooges concerning, 669; price of wheat fixed by, 689; commis of goods employed in the fur trade, 690; security for, 709; furs stolen from house of, 715 ; accounts of ship bet Wapen van Rensselaerswyck apparently kept by, 717; animals on farm of, 738, 740; farm, 743; mentioned, 287, 413, 414, 432, 438, 446, 448, 477, 483, 500, SOI, 502, 505, 506, 515, 571, 631, 644, 655, 669, 710, 756, 766, 816, 823, 824, 834; biographical notice, 817 Curler (Corler), Goossen van, 78 Curler, Hendrik van, 78 Curler (Corler), Jacobus van, cousin of Arcnt van Curler, 78; appointment as onder-commis at Fort Orange suggested, 216, 219; accounts, 417 Curler, Joachim van, 78 Cuttelhuyn, see Kettelheym Cuyper, Gerrit Jansen, 824. See also Jansz, Gerrit, from Haerlem Dam, van, 804 Damen, [Jan] Clacsen, 719. See also Claesz, Jan Davids, Christofl:"el, 811, 819, 833, 839; biographical notice, 819 Delaware River, see South River Denijs, Sara, 823 Desens, 806. See also Jansz, Barent Dieterinck, Albert, surveys of colony by, 33, 216, 217, 218. 219; commis at Fort Orange, 34; summoned home, 215, 217; mentioned, 402 Dijck (Dyck), Gijsbert op den, 316, 392, 397, 578, 621 Dijck (Dyck), Hendrick van, 472, 473, 487, 497, 795 Dijckman (Dyckman), Johannes, 158, 822, 835, 836, 841, 844 Dincklage (Dincklagen, Dinxlaecken) , Lubbert van, fiscal and officer, 72; van Rensselaer wishes him to take farm, 72, 297; strife with van Twiller and Bogardus, 77, 320, 352, 465 ; sails to New Netherland, 207 ; complaints about salary, 325; mentioned, 268, 623 Dircksz, Adriaen, from Bil, 838; biographical notice, 842 Dircksz, Adriaen, skipper of den Houttuyn, 609 INDEX TO VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 865 Dircksz, Barent, seed inspected by, 193 Dircksz, Cornelis, father of Dirck Cornelisz Duyster, 700 Dircksz, Cornelis, van Vechten, see Vechten, Cornells Dircksz van Dircksz, Jan, from Amersfoort, biographical notice, 818 Dircksz, Jan, from Bremen, commission to, as skipper of colony's yacht Rensselaerswyck, 680-82, 704; animals on farm of, 739, 740; farm of, 772; mentioned, 684, 820, 825, 827, 831, 837, 838, 839, 845 ; biographical notice, 832 Dircksz, Siewert, 790 Dircksz, Tennis, see Vechten, Tennis Dircksz van Director and council of New Netherland, letter of van Rensselaer to, 297~99; ordinance prohibiting sale of firearms to Indians and requiring vessels sailing to or from Fort Orange, the South River or Fort Hope to obtain a permit, 426; petition to, 784-85 Diterinck, Albert, see Dieterinck, Albert Does, Simon van der, 59, 157, 270 Doesburch, location, 827. See also Andricsz, Hendrick ; Dries, Gcertruyt Dojesz, see- Doysz Dolfyn, de (ship), 485 Dominees Hoeck, 819-20 Dommelaer, 836. See also Schut, Jan Willemsz Dompselaer, 284 Donck, member of States General, 282 Donck, Adriaen van der, from Breda, acted in capacity of schout till 1646, 30; succeeded by Nicolaes Coorn, 30; van Rensselaer makes inquiries con- cerning character of, 524; van Rensselaer proposes to send to New Netherland, 527; consulted by van Rensselaer, 534; letters of van Rens- selaer to, 547, 571-72, 630-44; recommended to van Curler, 549; recom- mended to Kieft, 549; animals to be delivered to, 552; sailed on den Eyckenboom, 556, 577; to advise van Curler, 557, 610; duties, 558; memo- randum for, 560; instructions for, 572, 655, 692, 703; ordinance regulating fur trade, 573-74; case for, 614; to serve notice on persons remaining at the Manhatans, 614; location of residence, 616, 617, 631, 643; repre- sents chief officer, 618, 619; admonition and rebuke to, 631-32, 636, 637, 642-44; assistant for, 641; criticises van Rensselaer's administration, 642; ambitious for directorship, 644; van Rensselaer's opinion of, 649, 650; f ann, 660, 666, 777 ; statement on investments in merchandise, 663 ; com- missioners must examine his propositions, 664; to assist van Curler in regard to disputes concerning wheat, 665 ; van Curler to report to van Rensselaer on behavior of, 666; threatened, 666; advised to bring action against Willem Juriaensz, 667; settlement of accounts, 668; to render accounts to van Curler, 690; commission for, 703; mentioned, 543, 550, 551, 559, 563, 578, 612, 651, 665, 666, 669, 714, 812, 827, 830, 831, 833, 834, 842; biographical notice, 824 Donck, Cornelis van der, letters of van Rensselaer to, 554-55, 573, 574~^75) 603, 608; mentioned, 824 Donckesz, Catalijn, 439, 821 Doorn, location, 827. See also Lambertsz, Cornelis Doose, Hendrick, 202, 203 55 866 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY Dorlandt, Jacob Lanibertsz van, 695, 831, 832, 838, 8ji ; biograpliical notice, 832 Doughty, Francis, 824 Douw, Volckert Jansz, sec Hansz, Volckcrt Downs, victory at the, 484 Doysz, Egbert, biographical notice, 839 Dries, Geertruyt, 609, 822 Dries (Driesz), Hcndrick, sec Andriesz, TTendrick Driesen, van, see Andriesz, Arent Drunkenness, fines for, 694 D'.iffels, 336, 410, 411. 417, 446, 467, 468, 471, 520, 524, 543. 545. 552, 554, 576, 614, 633, 671, 673, 723; price of, 563, 670 Dusart, Isaak, 38 Duties, West India Company exempt from, 95; to be paid to West India Company, 145, 147, 149; on furs, 147, 443, 458, 564, 611, 651, 659; van Rensselaer refuses to pay to the Company, 622 Duval, Judith Henrietta, 38 Duycker, Evert, 719, 722 Duyster (Duijster, Duuster), Dirck Cornelisz, to assist Krol in purchase of land for van Rensselaer, 54, 158, 700; succeeded as commis by Hunthum, 60; certifies to purchase of land, 181, 183; recommended to superintend men during van Twiller's absence, 206; letter from van Rensselaer, 215-17; appointment as onder-commis, 217; suggested that he exchange places with Jaco])us van Coder, 216, 219; salary, 273; recpiests settlement con- cerning furs, 273; proposed as commis, 316; drowned, 329; mentioned, 33, 58, 269. 270 ; 1)iographical notice, 700 Duyster, Lijsbeth Cornells, 700 Duyster, Willem, 700 . Dyck, see Dijck Ebbingh, Jcronimus, 845 Edam, location, 809. See also Jansz, Dirck; Michielsz, Jan; Planck, Al)raham Jacol)sz ; Planck, Jacob Al])ertsz; Thijmensz, Reynier Education, patroons and colonists to provide for support of schoolmaster, 51, 151; building to be used for a school, 663; trustees of fund for building, 811-12; schoolmasters, 838, 843 Eeckhoorntje, 't (ship), 196, 197, 285 Eelkens, Hendrik, 69 Eelkens, Jacob, 69, 72, 302, 303 Eemland, 62 Eencluys, Hans Jansz, from Rotterdam, lease of water power to, 754-55 ; mentioned, 8tj, 840; biographical notice, 825 Eendracht, de (ship), 67, 73, 189, 266, 288, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 319, 322; names of colonists sailing in, 190, 263, 805, 806-7, 808-9 Egmont, location, 679, 833. See also Voorhout, Cornelis Segersz van Eincklaen, J., 556, 567; autograph, facing 556 Elbertsz (Albcrtsz), Elbert, from Nykcrck, 395, 397, 398; biographical notice, 817 Elbertsz, Reyer, from Breuckelen, biographical notice, 842 INDEX TO VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 867 Elbinck (ship), bill of lading for furs shipped in, 743-44 Eliyas, 797 EUertsz (Elberlsen), Lucas, biographical notice, 830 F^lsseneur (Helsingor), see Adriaensz, Willem Emden, refuge during Spanish persecutions, 288 Engel Gabriel, de (ship), 453, 456, 485, 486, 510, 566, 576, 577 English, encroachments on Ercsh River and elsewhere, 69, 79, 422, 483, 526; on the Sloepsbay, 170; obtain foothold on Fresh River, 284; claims to territory of New Netherland, 786 English subjects, revolts, 784 Ernst, Roetert, 744 Es, Cornells Hendricksz van, sec Nes, Cornelis Hendricksz van Esen, 806. Sec also Jansz, Barent Eslandt, Claes van, 480 Esopus (Esoepes), 376, 828, 835, 837. Sec also Wiltwijck Esopus Indians, war with, 784 Essequebo, colony in, 50, 176 Evertsz, Tijs, biographical notice, 841 Evertsz, Wessel, 715 Export of goods, ordinance prohibiting, without special consent, 628 Eyckenboom, de (ship), 553, 556, 561, 562, 566, 567, 577, 633; 20 persons sailing by, 550 ; colonists sailing by, 824-25 Fairfax, Thomas, biographical notice, 839 Farm laborers, terms offered to, 57-58; wages, 82, 329, 433, 692; memoranda of the engagement of, 195-96; lists, 204, 222, 397, 398; misbehaving, shall be punished, 211; sent with de Reux, 218; instructions to Megapolensis concerning, 610. See also Colonists; Contracts and agreements Farmers, terms offered to, 57, 210, 490, 604; conditions upon which they came to Rensselaerswyck, 82; raised wages of farm laborers, 82; names of, 198, 222; misbehaving, shall l)e punished, 211; on de Laets Burg, 222, 437; copies of contracts with given to Planck, 296; not to pay higher wages without consent of van Rensselaer, 329; instructions to Planck concerning, 329; directions to for sowing wheat, 442; plotted against patroon, 491 ; unwilling to accept van Rensselaer's conditions, 495 ; sell grain without van Rensselaer's knowledge, 559 ; suit to be brought against, 560; employ outside carpenters at high wages, 560, 571; refuse to take the oath for their servants, 640; redress of abuses and faults of, 686-97; accounts with, 690; proper remedy against the alnise of outstanding accounts, 707-14. See also Colonists ; Contracts and agreements ; Tithes Farms, first estal)lished, 57 ; new, 61 ; near Fort Orange, 61, 162, 210, 214, 287; van Rensselaer asks for men from garrison to work on, 73, 298; Wolfert Gerritsz to direct affairs of, 160; materials for use of, 204; to ^e put into working order, 210; directions for care of animals, 211; directions for selling produce, 211; list of men on, 222; fourth, to bo started under Lul)bert Gijsl)crtsz, 285; number on West Island, 286, 287, 307, 308; possible number in colony, 293, 617; instructions to Planck concerning, 326; near Paep Sickenes Island, 408; van Rensselaer's prin- cipal object directed toward farming, 412; of Tennis Dircksz van Vechten, 868 NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY 412; patroon is willing to sell, 494; of Adriaen Cornelisz, fire at, 563; of van der Donck at West Island, 635, 660, 666; new, plenty of land and animals to establish, 654; at Great Flats, 660, 666, 667; animals on, 220-21, 732-43; leases and agreements relating to, 746-80; of Aert Jacobsz, adjustment of fire losses on, 774; names of: 198, 210, 222, 309-10; Bessels Burg, 78, 397; Blommaerts Burg, 61, 193, 198, 210, 222, 307, 310, 435, 675; Godyns Burg, 34, 61, 198, 222, 260, 280, 307, 310; de Laets Burg, 34, 57, 198, 210, 222, 260, . 307, 309, 437, 560; . Rensselacrs Burg, 34, 57, 63, 199, 210, 222, 260, 307,. 308, 489, 493; Trippen Burg, 78, 397; Welys Burg, 6r, 199, 210, 222, 307, 310, 489 Farms at the Manhatans, one to be kept for van Rensselaer, 278, 322; contract with Company, 295 ; van Rensselaer's letter to director and council concerning, 297; farm no. i, contract of sale of animals, tools etc., 223, 230; farm no. 2: detention of animals on, 291; animals from to be sent up the river, 294; farm no. 3: inventory of stock on, 192-93; bill of sale of increase of animals on, 225; promissory notes of van Rensselaer for animals and implements on, 226-27, 228-29 ; detention of animals on, 291 ; animals from, to be sent up the river, 294. See also Bijlvelt, Pieter Pietersz; Focken, Evert ; Manhattan Island ; Minuit, Peter ; Notelman, Coenraet ; Reux, Gerrit Theusz de Ferlyn, Jasper, see Gouw, Jasper Ferlyn van der Fernambucq (ship), 339 Fernando do Noronho, Island, 50, 155 Fifth Creek, 193; house near, 815; farm near, 751, 809, 812, 841, 845; mills on, 746-48, 749-51, 811, 812, 816, 821, 822, 831, 832, 846. See also Patroons Creek Firearms, sale to Indians forbidden, 426; ordinance of Rensselaerswyck prohibiting sale to Indians, 565-66 Fishing, 149, 188, 514 Flag of Rensselaerswyck, sent by de Eendracht, 67 ; hauled down by Krol, 474 Flecker (Fleckero, Vlecken, Vlecker), location, 186, 805. See also Christensz, Andries ; Qaesz, Claes ; Goverts, Cornells ; Goyversen, Jacob Flodder, Jacob Jansz, see Gardenier, Jacob Jansz Focken (Fockes), Evert, 162, 206, 220 Foeyt, 268 Fonda, Gillis Douwes, biographical notice, 842-43 Poorest (Foreest), Gerard de, brother of Jesse de Forest, 74; contract with, 74, 328, 332; accounts with van Rensselaer, 74, 335, 336-38, 339, 34i"45, 347, 348; mentioned, 30, 334 Forest (Foreest), Hendrick de, arrived in the spring of 1637, 31, 75; mate of ship Rensselaerswyck, 75, 343, 375 ; sailed with David Pietersz de Vries in 1632, 197; forms of name, 197; son of Jesse de Forest, 343; wife of, 343, 349; letter to van Rensselaer, 345; autograph, facing 345; letter to alluded to, 407; death, 75, 382 Forest, Isaac de, 197 INDEX TO VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS 869 Forest, Jean de, 343 Forest (Foreest), Jehan du, 343, 345, 347, 349 Forest, Jesse de, 74, 343 Forest, Melchoir de, 34/3 Forest, Rachel de, 75 Fort Good Hope (de Hoop, Hope), 216, 426, 818 Fort Orange, court first established at, 30, 723; van Rensselaer's domain situated near, 34, 35, 50, 53, 157, 159, 166, 475; van Rensselaer exerts himself to maintain friendly relations with commander and authorities, 54, 212, 415; farms near, 61, 162, 210, 214, 287; van Rensselaer asks for men from garrison to work on farms and to guard the mill, 73, 298; land near to be tilled, 160; house to be built near, 160; number of men kept by company at, 200; supplies for men at garrison, 200; proposed purchase of islands near, 207 ; van Rensselaer's claim to land on which it is situated, 212, 216; distance from the Manhatans, 245; arrival of ship Rensselaerswyck at, 376, 377 ; vessels sailing to or from to obtain a permit, 426; van Rensselaer plans to get trade at into his hands, 455; kept from the beginning as a trading post, 474; fur trade at, 483; wine sent to, 622, 624; ordinance concerning fur trade issued by officers at, 722-23. See also Commis at Fort Orange h'ourth Creek, 35, 193 Franicker, location, 807. See also Tyaerts, Jan Frans, Marritjen, 837 Fransen, Dirck, 800 Fransz, Jan, from Hoesen, 830 Frcdericksz, Crijn, 33, 217, 218, 617, 636 Fredericksz, ITcndrick, from Bunnick, memoranda of engagement of, 196; facsimile of mark, facing 196; sails for colony, 204, 310; farm laborer at Blommaerts Burg, 222 ; biographical notice, 807 Frcdericksz, Willem, from Leydcn, 747, 748, 811, 816, 828, 838, 844; biographi- cal notice, 829 Frederikstad, location, 809. See also Andricsz, Albert; Andriesz, Arent Free trade, directors unalile to decide upon, 79; proposed, 80; O'Callaghan's statements concerning, 81 Freedoms and Exemptions, established, 47-48, 237-38; first charter of, 50- 52, 136-53 ; Company disinclined to fulfil, 61 ; printed copy sent to officers and schepcns, 62, 209, 215; attempt to undermine, 64; disputes concerning, 68; meaning of concerning fur trade, 76-77; I'^ew, van Rensselaer's pro- test against, 80, 424-25 , 463-65, 466, 500 ; effort to deprive the patroons of, 244; needed to raise up patroons, 246; approved anew, 266 Freemen, privileges granted to. 52; instructions to Planck concerning, 327; contract with alluded to, 441, 444, 463 ; not included in contracts made with colonists, 476; wages, 502; changes in contracts with, 562; Kieft's recom- mendations, 624; ordinance of the colony of Rensselaersv/yck prohibiting freemen and private traders from coming with their vessels within the limits of the colony, 626-27; place of residence, 660; rule of patroon governing, 691 Freight, carrying of, 64-65, 143, 147, 236 870 NEW YORK STATU I.IHKAKY Freight charges, colonists not to know of, 430; statements to Kieft con- cerning, 432, 477; directions to van Curler, 443, 564; van Rensselaer re- fuses to pay to the Companj', 622; letter of Kieft concerning, 625; Com- pany's demands excessive, 651 ; in dispute between van Rensselaer and the Company, 657, 659 Fresh River (Blommaert's River, Connecticut River), proposed colony on, 50, 165, 171; registration by Samuel Blommaert of a colony on, 157; colony not begun, 175; opposition to patroons reason for failure of colony, 248; advantages, 284; English encroachments on, 401, 4S3, 526; brickmakers at, 658 I'Vuit, cultivation, 414 Fimis Island, 381 I'ur trade, van Rensselaer's proposal to curtail, 47; Company desires to monopolize, 48, 70, 76, 77, 244, 314, 320; rights of West India Company, ■51 ; amount of skins imported 1624-27, 51 ; patroons accused of monopo- lizing, 58, 237, 239; prohibited to colonists, 58, 161-62, 178, 180, 188, 193, 209, 216, 253-54, 256, 259, 260, 411, 478, 688, 709; attempt to undermine Freedoms and Exemptions relating to, 64; claims of patroons, 68, 70, 314; patroons do not attempt to supplant Company in, 70, 412; proposal of van Rensselaer to farm out, 73, 316 ; officials suspected of smuggling, 73; dif- ferences between van Rensselaer and the West India Company concerning, 76, 244, 316, 320; regulations in charter of Freedoms and Exemptions con- cerning, 76, 145, 266; privilege given to colonists, 80, 81, 413, 425, 611; revocation of monopoly followed by revival in colonial affairs, 81 ; pay- ment of duty on furs, 147, 443, 458, 564, 61 r, 651, 659; at Rensselaerswyck, petition of Pieter Bijlvelt to l)e cmidoyed as commis of, 234; van Rens- selaer's opinions on, 235, 237. 314, 4