i£x ICtbrtfi 
 
 SEYMOUR DURST 
 
 When you leave, please leave this hook 
 
 Because it has heen said 
 "Sver'thing comes t' him who waits 
 
 Except a loaned hook." 
 
 Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library 
 Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2014 
 
 http://archive.org/details/viewofcityofnewoOOmoul_0 
 
(Jo«.V.'.Mcullwv.del.) 
 
 Ill 1615. 
 
 ; Kob'M.Gaw sc.l 
 
V I E W 
 
 of Tin; 
 
 CITY OF NEW-ORANGE, 
 
 (NOW NEW-YORK.) 
 
 AS XT WAS IWT THE YEAR 
 
 WITH EXPLANATORY NOTES, 
 
 BY JOSEPH W. MOULTON, Esq. 
 NEW-YORK \- 
 
 PRINTED BY C. S. VAN WINKLE, 2 THAMES-STREET. 
 
 1825. 
 
Southern District of New- York, 86. 
 
 BE IT HEMEMBEBKO, That on tbe second day of 
 
 August. A D. J825, in the fiftieth year of the Independence 
 of tbe United Matesof America, Joseph IV. Moclton, Esq. 
 of the said district, hath deposited in this office the title of a 
 book, the l ight w hereof he claims as proprietor, in the words 
 following, to wit 
 
 " View of the City of New- Orange, (now New-York,) as 
 it was in the year 1673. With Explanatory Notes. By Jo- 
 seph W. Moulton, £o^." 
 
 In conformity to ihe act of Congress of the United States, 
 entitled, i( An act for the encouragement of learning, by se- 
 curing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors 
 and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein men- 
 tioned ;" and also, to an act, entitled, " An act supplemen- 
 tary to an act, entitled, an act for the encouragement of 
 learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and honks, 
 to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the 
 times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof 
 to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical 
 and other prints. 
 
 JAMES DILL, 
 Clerk of the Southern District of ?Jew-York. 
 
ASFSRBNOES TO THE EXPLANATIONS, 
 
 OP THE LETTERS AND FIGURES MARKED UPON THE VIEW. 
 
 Letters.— Let. A, page 23. B, 25. C, 25, 29. D, 
 25,32. E, 25. F, 28. G, 30. H, 30, 23. 1,31,39. 
 K, 31—33, 10, 13, 15, 19. L, 34, 11, 14. M, 36, 19. 
 N, 36, 10. O, 36. P, 37. Q, 38. R, 34, 35, 24. S, 
 29, 26, 25. T, 35. 
 
 Figures.— Fig. 1. page 24,23. 2. 29, 30. 3.29, 30. 
 4. 30,31. 6. 6. 7. 35,39. 8. 23. 9. 35 10.36,35. 
 11. 36. 
 
 Objects not indicated by letters or figures on the View : — ■ 
 viz. Streets — Pearl, page 23, 24. Wmkel, 30. Brug. 30. 
 Hoog, 31. De Warmoes, 34. Tun. 39. Prince, 31, 39. 
 Cingel, 3£. Burgei's Path, 35. Mire-lane, 34: Sheep 
 pasture, 31. Public buildings — Citizens' guard house, 34. 
 Corps de garde, 28, 12. Secretary's office, 28. Post office, 
 28, 29. Cucking or ducking stool, 33. Wooden horse, 
 8, 13. Whippingpost, 8. Gallows, 8. City fire engine, 
 8. City bell, 27, 2«. West India Company's garden and 
 farm, 31. Armed and private vessels, 7, 23, 24 Commons 
 or park, 9, 93. De Kolck, 9, 37. Bouvvery, 9. Corlear's 
 Hook, 9, 38. 
 
I caused the prefixed View to be engraved for the 
 purpose of embellishing a future volume of the history of 
 this state. In the progress of my researches I have been 
 so fortunate as to collect authentic and unpublished facts,* 
 which, though extremely curious and interesting, are too 
 local in their application to fall within the scope of the 
 general history. These I have prepared for my own 
 amusement, and may publish them in the shape of histori- 
 cal notes of the progress of the city, from the period when 
 the first trading and fishing huts were erected upon this 
 island to the date of the present view. 
 
 I have ventured to look a little into that " dark age" of 
 our history, viz. the twenty years between the discovery by 
 Hudson, in 1609, and arrival of governor Wouter Van 
 Twiller in 1629, during which interval Christianse and 
 Eelkes officiated as supreme authority under the first " pri- 
 vileged trading company," and Peter Minuets as the first 
 director-general or governor, under the " privileged Wes 
 India company." 1 have traced the advancement of the 
 city during the nine years' administration of Van Twiller, 
 the nine years' administration of William Kieft, the seven- 
 teen years' administration of Peter Stuyvesant, the nine 
 years' administration of the English governors, Richard 
 Nicolls and Francis Lovelace, and the one year and five 
 mouths 1 administration of their Dutch successor, governor 
 Anthonio Colve. J. W. M. 
 
 * The principal portion of which I have gleaned from thirty manuscript 
 volumes, folio, of public records. I am, also indebted to judge Benson's 
 Memoir for some information respecting the location of several streets. 
 
CITY OF NEW-ORANGE, &c 
 
 » ■ « 
 
 The city, until its surrender by governor Stuyvesant to 
 the English in 1664, had been denominated New-Amster- 
 dam, and during the governments of Nicolls and Lovelace, 
 New- York. In August, 1673, while England was at war 
 with Holland, a fleet belonging to the latter,and commanded 
 by commodores Cornells Evertsen, junior, and Jacob 
 Benches, captains Anthonio Colve, Nicolaes Boes, and 
 Ab. Fierd. Van Zyll, recaptured New- York. Exercising the 
 power of a supreme military tribunal, they named the city 
 New-Orange, in compliment to the prince of Orange. 
 Pursuant to the treaty of peace that closed the war in 1674, 
 New-Orange, in the month of October, was re-delivered to 
 the English, who resumed the name by which the city has 
 been ever since distinguished. 
 
 It was at, the remarkable era when the above inter- 
 mission of the English government occurred, that the pre- 
 sent view was taken. It originally appeared published at 
 Amsterdam in Holland, at the bottom of a map bearing 
 this title : u Totius Neo-Belgii nova et accuratissima Tabula 
 apud Reinier and Joshua Otlens, Amstelodami. " The pro- 
 spect had this inscription, Kieuw Amsterdam onlang 
 Nieuw Jorck genamt ende hernomen by de Nederland- 
 ers op den 24c Aug. 1673, and underneath since has 
 been added, eindelijk aan de Engelse weder afgestaan, which 
 
I 
 
 6 
 
 plainly appears to be an addition, as it is engraved over 
 the etchings of the clouds. It appears to me that this 
 map was published by the Dutch immediately after the 
 surrender of New- York to them in 1673, for the follow- 
 ing reasons: — First, by the inscription upon the prospect 
 of the city, wherein it is said, JVew Amsterdam, lately called 
 New-York, and retaken by the Dutch on the 24th Aug, 1673. 
 Now this appears to me to be a certain proof that it was 
 published during the time the Dutch were in possession of 
 the place, or very shortly after, as the words finally quit- 
 claimed again to the English, are written over the former 
 graving, as I observed before. Secondly, in the ornamental 
 figures over the said prospect, the principal is a woman 
 crowned with a naval crown, resting upon a club, holding 
 in the left hand a wreath of laurel ; behind her stands Mer- 
 cury, and round her, Europeans and savages as returning their 
 thanks to her for their liberty ; one of the Indians offering 
 to her an Indian village which he holds in his hands, emblem 
 of the offer of their lands, (the Dutch in their paintings run 
 much in emblems and allegories,) and under the said figure 
 is written the word Restitutio. Thirdly, in the map, below 
 the south side of Long Island, and near the entrance of the 
 bay of New-York, are little ships anchored, and over them 
 is written vloot van Corn Everlsen, which was the commo- 
 dore that commanded the fleet that retook New- York. 
 Fourthly and lastly, there is upon the street before the 
 harbour in the prospect, the representation of some compa- 
 nies of armed men, which, with the rest, seem to concur in 
 asserting the date of the publication of the map at the time 
 of the Dutch conquest." 
 
 In 1769, an exact copy of this etching was taken by Du 
 Simitiere,a French gentleman of taste, learning and research, 
 well remembered as an amateur, by some of the elder 
 citizens of New- York and Philadelphia, wherein he resided. 
 
7 
 
 and in the latter city founded a museum and ended his 
 days. From his manuscript copy I drew the one from which 
 the present view has been engraved,* His remarks above 
 quoted appear conclusive that it was taken at the period 
 of the re-capture. The reference on the original etching 
 to the conquering fleet is particularly significant. The fleet 
 in July, 1673, anchored off " Nayah," at the outlet of the 
 narrows, and near the very spot that the English conquer- 
 ing fleet under Nicolls,&c. had moored, nineyears previously. 
 The former approached the fort in August, and after the 
 surrender of the city, continued some time in the north 
 river. In fact the " fregatt Zee-hond" (Sea Dog,) com- 
 manded by capt. Evertsen, and the 4 Surrinam,' a 44 gun ship 
 under the immediate control of Gov. Colve, did not return to 
 Holland with the rest of the fleet, but at the urgent request 
 of the Burgomasters, were left for the protection of the 
 city. It is also a fact on record, that the Heeren-Gracht, (see 
 view 1) was filled up, and the street levelled and paved, 
 three years only after the date of the present view in which 
 the gracht (canal) appears delineated. 
 
 The view, as copied from Du Simitiere's manuscripts, is 
 unaccompanied by explanations, except a few letters and 
 Dutch names. The design of the following notes is to sup- 
 ply this desideratum, and the design of another publication, 
 if 1 should think proper to make it, will be to present an 
 amusing view of the singularly slow progress and strange 
 peculiarities of the ancient city ; when, for instance, the le- 
 gislative, executive and judicial power was vested in the 
 governor and his council, under the supreme law of the 
 land, the will of the Dutch West India company department 
 at Amsterdam ; when de Heer Officier, or Hoofd-Schout, t 
 acted as the Fiscael or Procureur-general ; J when he or 
 
 * For fear of impairing the authenticity of the original, I hare copied it 
 as it was, notwithstanding the badness of its perspective. 
 
 t High Sheriff. i Attorney General. 
 
8 
 
 the provost-mar shall, the gaoler, conducted offenders to 
 the gaol, the whipping-post, the wooden-horse, the gal- 
 lows, or to the transport ship, if the criminal had been 
 guilty of crimen lesce majestatis ; or of a libel merely 
 on the good Burgomasters, then only to a stake, with 
 a bridle in his mouth, rods under his arm, and an ap- 
 propriate label on his breast ; when the wees-meesters took 
 charge of fatherless children and widows ;* wheirthe Roy- 
 meesters viewed the city fences and regulated them ; 
 when the overseers of the city fire-engine inspected 
 all reed and straw roofs and wooden chimneys ; when 
 the official duties of the court-messenger were to summon 
 parties to court, await the orders of the governor and 
 council, read in church on Sunday, sing with the school, 
 assist in burying the dead, and attend in tolling the bell ; 
 when " the first commissary of marriage affairs" determin- 
 ed all matrimonial controversies ; when the city school- 
 master was, ex-officio, clerk, chorister and consoler of the 
 sick ; when the miller could receive no grain unless ac- 
 companied by a certificate of its inspection by " the comp- 
 troller of the revenues of the company's wind mill ;" when 
 the citizens were divided into great and small, agreeably to 
 the destinction of Groot Burgerrecht and Klein Burgerrecht ;t 
 whenmerchants, traders and shop-keepers were obliged not 
 only to pay a duty for the privilege of becoming small 
 citizens (klein burgers,) but also to pay a recognition duty, a 
 duty to the public wharf, a duty to the overseer of the weigh- 
 
 • A wees-huys or orphan-house is mentioned — but it was probably the 
 house of the wees-meesters, for the city, according to the records of the 
 times, was too poor to undertake " so grand an enterprise" as to erect a 
 house like that in Amsterdam 
 
 t Great citizenship and small citizenship. 
 
9 
 
 scales, a duty to the public pack huys,* and a duty to the eyck 
 meester] for marking their weights and measures agreeably 
 to the true Amsterdam standard ; when the amusements and 
 customs of the citizens consisted principally in dancing the 
 hipsey-saw, shuffle-shuffle, or a simple reel ; playing with 
 cards, nine-pins, balls and trick-track ; plucking the goose ; 
 firing guns, beating the drum, and planting JVJay-trees on 
 New- Year'sand May-Day; sometimes plantingthe May-pole, 
 surrounded with ragged stockings, before the door of the 
 bridegroom ; sailing to Nut Island,! Pavonia,§ or " Breu- 
 kelen promenading the pleasure grounds of the city, 
 fishing by day and night, rambling to the commons|| for nuts 
 and strawberries; walking and riding in parties of pleasure to 
 the Ladies' Valley, IT Bestevaars kreupdbosch,]} theKoick,JJ 
 the Bouwery, Corlear's Hook, Sapokanikan,§§ Bloemend' 
 Dal, Nieuw Harlaem, Spyt den Duyvel Kill, or Vreeden- 
 dal.** But these and similar peculiarities of the ancient 
 city, may hereafter become topics for the amusement of a 
 leisure hour. I may then also open to view, more fully 
 than i design to do by the following notes, the police eco- 
 nomy and condition of the city, and describe the novel 
 transactions that took place from the time the council of 
 war of the conquerors transferred its sessions from the fleet 
 to the fort, and until its re-deiivery to the English. Assuming 
 the authority of a supreme military tribunal, the former hrst 
 remodelled the government over their conquest, in con- 
 formity to the ancient customs of the city and the exigency 
 of the epoch. Accordingly they re-established the order of 
 
 * Store-house, 
 t Weigh-master. 
 
 t Governors Island. § New-Jersey. 
 (J Now the park of the city. 
 
 1[ See page 36. tt Grand-father's Underwood. tt See page 37. 
 
 Greenwich. 
 ** In West-Chester, north of Harlaem, 
 
 2 
 
10 
 
 schout, burgomasters and schepens ; but retained the office 
 of mayor, adding to it that of auditor of the military council, 
 and appointed Jacobus Van de W ater. They commissioned 
 AnthonioColve, who had been a captain in the service of the 
 Republic, as Governor under the provisional sanction of 
 the States-general and the Prince of Orange. They appoin- 
 ed Cornelis Steenwyck as his counsellor of state, and Nicho- 
 las Bayard as secretary of New Netherlands,* and as geheim 
 schryver, or recorder of secrets ; as vendu meester, or auc- 
 tioneer for the city, and as book-keeper and receiver-gene- 
 ral of the revenues. Relieved from the burthen of civil 
 affairs, except on important occasions of a joint conference 
 with the governor and council, or the burgomasters and 
 schepens, the military tribunal was left at leisure to consult 
 measures for the oermanent security of the city. Then a 
 code of sanguinary military law was deemed necessary ; 
 the strictest discipline enforced not only in garrison but 
 among the city militia ; the mayor, at the head of the lat- 
 ter, held his daily parades before the City Hall ; each eve- 
 ning he received from the principal guard, (hoofd wagt) of 
 the fort, the keys, and, accompanied by a Serjeant and six 
 armed soldiers, locked the city gates, stationed for duty the 
 Burger-wagt'i and night watches, opened the gates at day- 
 light^andin either case returned the keys to the commanding 
 officer at the fort. In this interval no person could go upon 
 the " ramparts, bullwarks, rondeels or batteries of the city,'' 
 on pain of corporal punishment, but if any person " with- 
 out any distinction,'' dared to enter or leave the city except 
 through the city gate, death was the penalty. At the fort 
 the soldiers were daily paraded and exercised, the guard 
 
 *Now state of New York. 
 tCitizen on guard. 
 
11 
 
 mounted the ramparts upon duty, the sentinels were station- 
 ed at the gates, the reveille was played each morning at day- 
 break, the tap-toe beaten each evening at nine o'clock, in 
 unison with the city bell, and the daily discharges of musket- 
 ry and occasional roar of artillery, were heard in echoes at 
 Flatten Barrack, Golden and Potbakers' Hills, or in rever- 
 beration along the surrounding shores and forests. 
 
 Every day a corporal's guard was on duty from each com- 
 pany in garrison,* when the muskets were examined by the 
 Serjeants and corporals. The guard was on duty in the 
 afternoon at one o'clock, and on Sunday at twelve, during 
 which time the gates were shut. A lieutenant or ensign 
 alternately remained on guard in the fort, and reported to 
 the governor the transactions of the day. The gates were 
 opened at day-light, and locked in the evening before 
 it was dark. When the tap-toe was beaten, at nine o'clock, 
 all the soldiers and sailors were allowed to go to sleep — 
 " without making any noise.'' The corporals changed their 
 sentinels at night each half hour. The chief-round (hoofd- 
 rond) went before midnight and received the parole, but 
 at least one adelborstt previously made the round; and 
 after the chief-round, the adelborsten, from time to time, went 
 the rounds. In like manner on Sundays, during the sermon, 
 he went the rounds in the forenoon and afternoon, and 
 visited the walls. Their duty was to see that the soldiers 
 kept their barracks and dwelliugs clean, and never to allow 
 any dirt or water to be thrown in the fort. The corporals 
 changed their sentinels in the day time as circumstances 
 required — their duty was to see that the muskets were 
 cleaned and well charged, to pay attention to all sorts of 
 ammunition, to examine the bandeliers, (cartridge-boxes,) 
 to be continually on the alert to take care that their men 
 
 * The major of the garrison, was ensign Jan Sol. 
 + A grade only above a common soldier. 
 
12 
 
 remained in or near the guard-house, to permit not more 
 than three or four to go at once to dine, to prevent the 
 introduction into the guard-house of any strong liquor, to 
 instruct and continually exercise the soldiers, inculcate 
 strict discipline, and finally, principally to pay attention 
 " that neither Dutch nor Englishmen should enter the gates 
 of the fort without permission, the magistrates of the city 
 only excepted, much less that any person whatsoever 
 should walk on the batteries." 
 
 In consequence of the great disorders which had arisen 
 in the fort among the soldiers, a code of military law con- 
 taining nineteen articles was promulgated by the governor, 
 and the corporals were bound to read aloud these " orders" 
 every time they were on guard, " that no one might in future 
 presume to pretend his ignorance." By this code they 
 were liable to be punished for the first crime of blasphemy, 
 with confinement on bread and water three days ; for a 
 second otieuce, the offender's tongue u should be perfo- 
 rated with a hot iron," and he banished the province. 
 Death was decreed for mutiny, or for leaving his corps de 
 garde without permission from his corporal, or remaining 
 at night out the fort without permission of his captain, for 
 challenging to fight, for disobedience to the commands of 
 his superior, or to u the command communicated with the 
 beating of the drum ;" or if a soldier should " oppose him- 
 self to his officer or commander," or in general neglect his 
 duty when on guard or service, or if he should leave his 
 post, or the sentinel be found sleeping when on duty, " he 
 should lose his life without any mercy ;" for wounding 
 another so that blood followed he shoujd lose his hand, or 
 if in any fight or strife he cried to his comrade to assist him, 
 he u should be hung and strangled." This punishment 
 should also be inflicted for going out or coming into the 
 fort except through the ordinary gate. Whoever became 
 
13 
 
 intoxicated during guard was cashiered and banished the 
 company. He who did not appear on parade, should 
 have his guard located to another, be placed on the wooden 
 horse, and still be compelled to go on guard. 
 
 The commissary distributed to each man per week 3£ 
 lbs. beef, and 2 lbs. pork ; or if beef only was distributed, the 
 ration (rantsoen) was 7 lbs. beef or 4 pork ; 7 lbs. bread ; 
 i lb. butter or the value of 2 st. Holland value. For 7 
 men per week £ vat of small beer. For each man per 
 month li pints peas; and for every man \ schepel salt 
 every three months. The serjeant and gunners (constopels) 
 received the ration for \\ man, the corporals for l£ man. 
 
 Before the date of the governor's commission, one of 
 the first acts of the military tribunal was to invite the citi- 
 zens to assemble and appoint a committee of six to confer 
 at the City Hall with the commanders and military council. 
 Accordingly, on the 15th August, these six deputies held 
 the conference, and received a request to call a meeting of 
 the citizens to nominate a list of six persons for burgomas- 
 ters, and fifteen for schepens, "of the best and most respect- 
 able citizens, of the reformed christian religion only." 
 
 The citizens (16th August) nominated by a majority of 
 votes : For burgomasters, Cornelis Steenwyck, Cornelis 
 Van Ruyven, Johannis Van Brugh,t Marten Cregier, Jo- 
 hannis de Peyster,t and Nicholas Bayard. For schepent, 
 Jeronimus Ebbingh,*]: Willam Beeckman^ Egidius Luyck, 
 Jacob Kip,J Gelyn Verplanck,{ Lourans Van de Spiegel,! 
 Balthazaer Bayard, Francois Rombouts, Stephen Van 
 Cortlant, Adolph Pietersen, Reynier Willemsen, Peter 
 
 * Whose wife, then here, was Johanna de Laet, daughter of the deceased 
 Johannis de Laet, one of the first directors of the West India company, and 
 author of the History of that company, viz : " Historie, &,c. West-Indische 
 Companie: Tot Leyden, 1644;" and the History of the West Indies, 
 ("Nieuw Wereld, &c") Amsterdam, 1625, 
 
14 
 
 Jacobsen, Jan Vigne, Pieter Stoutenburg, and Coenract 
 Ten Eyck. 
 
 Those marked t were appointed burgomasters, and Egi- 
 dius Luyck the third burgomaster. Those marked J were 
 elected schepens, and Anthony De Mill, sheriff, and took 
 an oath of allegiance " to the high and mighty lords the 
 States-general of the United Netherlands and his high- 
 ness the lord prince of Orange," to obey their magistrates, 
 who were or might be appointed, administer equal justice to 
 parties, promote the welfare of the city, " defend and pro- 
 tect in every part the sincere and true Christian reli- 
 gion, in conformity to the Synod of Dordrecht, as instructed 
 in the churches of Netherlands' 
 
 A proclamation was then issued, (August 18,) restoring 
 the form of the government of the city to its ancient char- 
 acter of sheriff, burgomasters, and schepens, as practised 
 Cl in all the cities of our Fatherland and the officers now 
 commissioned and proclaimed were directed in addition to 
 the duties indicated by their oath, to govern the inhabitants, 
 citizens and strangers, " in conformity to the laws and 
 statutes of our Fatherland." 
 
 The same day a sequestration was ordered, by the mili- 
 tary council, of the property belonging to England, France, 
 or their subjects. 
 
 The commission for Governor bore dale the 17th Sep- 
 tember. After he and his council were left in the full 
 exercise of supreme legislative, executive and judicial 
 authority, they issued the following instructions. 
 
 Instructions for Jacobus Vande Water, as Mayor and Auditor 
 of the city of New-Orange. 
 1st. The mayor shall take good care that, in the morn- 
 ing, the gates are opened with sun-rise, and locked again 
 in the evening at sun-set — for which purpose he shall go to 
 
15 
 
 the principal guard, (the hoofd wagt,) and there address 
 himself to the commanding officer, and demand, to conduct 
 him thither, at least a serjeant with six soldiers (schutters,) 
 all armed with guns — with these he shall proceed to the 
 fort to fetch the keys, and return these again there, as soon 
 as the gates are opened or shut. There he shall receive the 
 watch-word (parol) from the governor, or from the officer 
 commanding in his absence ; when he shall again return to 
 the City Hall, and deliver the received orders to the serjeant 
 of the guard, to be further notified where it ought to be. 
 
 2. The mayor shall be present at all military tribunals, 
 and have his vote in his turn, next the youngest ensign. 
 
 3. The mayor may every night make the round, give 
 the watch-word to the corporal, visit the guards, and if 
 there are some absent, make the next day his report to the 
 governor. 
 
 3. As auditor, he shall act in the military council as 
 secretary, and take care that a correct register is kept of 
 all the transactions. This book Notules shall remain 
 under the care of the auditor — and deliver no copy of it, 
 except upon special orders. 
 
 Done at " Fort WILLEM HENDRICK." 
 
 12 Jan. 1674. 
 
 Provisional instructions for the Sheriff, Burgomasters and 
 Schepens, of the city of New-Orange* 
 
 1. The sheriff and magistrates shall, each in their qua- 
 lity, take proper care, that the reformed Christian religion, 
 in conformity to the synod of Dordrecht, is maintained — 
 without permitting that any thing contrary to it shall be 
 attempted by any other sect. 
 
 2. The sheriff shall be present at all meetings, and then 
 preside, except that his honour the governor, or any other 
 person commissioned by him, was present, who in such 
 
16 
 
 case shall preside, when the sheriff shall follow in order the 
 youngest burgomaster. But whenever the sheriff is acting 
 in behalf of justice, or in any other manner as plaintiff, 
 then in such case he shall, after having made his conclu- 
 sion, rise from his seat, and absent himself from the bench 
 during the decision. 
 
 3. All cases relative to the police, security, and peace 
 of the inhabitants — so too of justice between man and man, 
 shall be determined by definitive sentences by the schout, 
 burgomasters and schepens, to the amount of fifty beavers 
 and below it — but in all cases exceeding that sum, all per- 
 sons are free to appeal to the governor-general and council 
 here. 
 
 4. All criminal delicts, committed here within this city 
 and its jurisdiction, shall be judged by the aforesaid sheriff, 
 burgomasters and schepens, who shall have power to sen- 
 tence and judge even punishment of death — provided that 
 all judgments and corporal punishments shall not be exe- 
 cuted before these are approved by the governor-general 
 and his council, this approbation being demanded and 
 obtained. 
 
 5. The meetings shall be convocated by the president 
 burgomaster, which he shall communicate the day before to 
 captain Willem Knyff — who by this is provisionally au- 
 thorized and qualified to be present at the meetings, and 
 preside in them in the name and in the behalf of the go- 
 vernor, and so to the sheriff, burgomasters and schepens. 
 
 6. All proposals shall be made by the first burgomaster, 
 which proposal being made, then shall upon it, the first 
 advice be given by him who presides in the name of the 
 governor — and so of course by the remaining magistrates 
 each in his rank ; and after the collection of votes, it shall 
 by the majority be concluded. But if it happen that 
 the votes are equal, then the president may conclude with 
 
17 
 
 his vote, in which case those of the contrary opinion, or the 
 minority, may have their opinion placed on the protocol ; 
 but may not divulge it in public, under the penalty of 
 an arbitrary correction. 
 
 7. The burgomasters shall change their rank each half 
 year, when the oldest shall be first president, and he who 
 follows him the next — but for this year the change shall be 
 every fourth month, because this year three burgomasters 
 have been appointed. 
 
 8. The sheriff, burgomasters and schepens shall hold 
 their sessions as often as it may be required, provided they 
 determine on fixed days. 
 
 9. The sheriff, burgomasters and schepens are autho- 
 rized to resolve for the benefit, tranquillity, and peace of the 
 inhabitants of their district, and publish and fix, with the 
 approbation of the governor, any statutes, ordinances and 
 placards : provided that they are not contrary, but, as far 
 as it may be possible, agreeing with the laws and statute* 
 of our Fatherland. 
 
 10. The said sheriff, burgomasters and schepens, shall 
 be obliged to a rigid observance of all the placards and 
 ordinances which are commanded and published \y su- 
 preme authority, and see that these are executed, and not 
 to permit that any act to the contrary is performed, but 
 that the contraveners are prosecuted in conformity to its 
 contents ; and that, further, all such orders shall be 
 promptly executed, which shall be conveyed to them by 
 the governor-general from time to time. 
 
 11. The sheriff, burgomasters and schepens, shall be 
 further obliged to acknowledge their high and mighty lords 
 the States-general of the United Netherlands, and his 
 serene highness the lord prince of Orange, as their supreme 
 sovereign, and to maintain their high jurisdiction, rights 
 and domains in this country. 
 
 3 
 
18 
 
 12. The election of all inferior officers and ministers 
 for the service of the aforesaid sheriff, burgomasters and 
 schepens— the secretary's office only excepted, shall be 
 elected and confirmed by themselves. 
 
 13. The sheriff shall carry into execution all the sen- 
 tences of burgomasters and schepens without releasing 
 any individual except with advice of the Court — and take 
 particularly good care that the resort subjected to him, 
 be thoroughly cleansed from all villainies, brothels and 
 similar impurities. 
 
 14. The sheriff shall enjoy all the fines during the time 
 of his service, provided that these shall not exceed the 
 gum of twelve hundred gilders sewants value, annually — 
 which sum having received, he shall of all the other fines 
 receive the just half, provided that he shall neither direct- 
 ly nor indirectly enter into a compromise with any delin- 
 quent, but leave this to the judicature of the magistrates. 
 
 15. The sheriff, burgomasters and schepens aforesaid, 
 shall on the 11th day of the month of August, being eight 
 days before the day of election of the new magistrates, call 
 a meeting, and in the presence of a committee chosen for 
 that purpose by the governor-general, nominate a double 
 number of the best qualified, honest and respectable inhabi- 
 tants, and only such as are of the reformed christian reli- 
 gion, or who are at least favourable to it, and well affec- 
 tionate, for sheriff, burgomasters and schepens aforesaid, 
 which nomination that same day shall be sealed and deliver- 
 ed, from which then the election shall be made on the 17th 
 of the month of August, with the continuation of some of 
 the old magistrates, if it was judged proper or necessary. 
 
 Done in Fort Willem Hendrick, 15 Jan. 1674, 
 By order of the governor general of Netherland. 
 
 (Was signed.) N. Bayard, Secretary, 
 
19 
 
 In August, 1674, the re-election of city officers took 
 place, " agreeably to custom, and the specific instructions 
 of the governor." The old sheriff, burgomasters and 
 schepens, accordingly met at the City Hall, the place of their 
 sessions, and nominated a double list of " the most respec- 
 table and wealthiest inhabitants," viz : 
 
 For Burgomasters — * Willem Beeckman, OlolF Steven- 
 sen Cortland. 
 
 For Schefexs — * Stephanus Van Cortland, * Ffrancois 
 Rombouts, Jan Vigne, Peter Jacobsen Marius, * Christo- 
 pher Hoogland, Gerret Van Tricht. 
 
 At the close of the preceding year, the expenses incur- 
 red in repairing the fortifications and providing for the pub- 
 lic defence, amounted to 1 1,G00 gilders. 
 
 In the begining of the next year, (or in Feb. 1G74,) the 
 Burgomasters and Schepens of the city, notified the gover- 
 nor by a petition, that having become greatly indebted by 
 these " excessive expenses," and being daily vexed by some 
 of their creditors to make payment, they solicited that 
 some expedient might be invented from which these incur- 
 red expenses, with others yet to be made to finish the fortifi- 
 cations — might be liquidated. — Having taking it in serious 
 consideration, the governor deemed that, for the present 
 time, no remedy more prompt, more efficacious and equita- 
 ble could be applied or discovered, than that this money 
 should be obtained by a taxation of the wealthiest inhabi 
 tants, " so as often in similar occurrences had been put iu 
 practice in our Fatherland," wherefore he deemed it ne- 
 cessary to command " that by a calculation, a tax be levied 
 on the property of this state without exception — from all 
 the inhabitants of this city New-Orange — those only except- 
 ed whose estates are calculated not to exceed the sum of one 
 
 These marked * were elected, and the others were J. Van Brug, old Bur. 
 gomaster, Jacob Kip, presiding Schepen— and Gelyn Verplanck, Schepn. 
 
20 
 
 thousand gilders, " seewants value and that the aforesaid 
 tax might be levied in the most reasonable and less oppres- 
 sive manner, it was resolved that it should be levied and 
 collected by six impartial men, viz : two in behalf of the 
 government, two from the magistrates, and two from the 
 community in this city ; and for this end the governor ap- 
 pointed and qualified in behalf of the supreme sovereign, 
 the member of council, Cornelis Steenwyck, with the 
 fecretary, N. Bayard : from the community, Cornelis Van 
 Ruyven and Oloff Stevensen Van Cortlant, who, with the 
 committee of the magistrates to be appointed by them, were 
 authorized to execute the aforesaid taxation, and render to 
 him a written report. 
 
 The commissioners immediately entered upon the dis- 
 charge of their duty, assessed the estates and made their 
 report, from which, and from the corrections made after- 
 wards in their estimate, the following list will exhibit names 
 of the " most wealthy inhabitants," and consequently the 
 value of this city one hundred and fifty -two years ago. 
 
 Adolph Peterson, (1) estate valu- 
 ed at (gilders Holland value J 
 
 1000 
 
 Andrias Jochems, 300 
 Albert Bosch, 500 
 Abram Carmar, 300 
 Allard Anthony, (2) 1000 
 Abraham Jansen, Carpenter, 600 
 Anthony Jansen Van Sale, 1000 
 Adrian Vincent, 1000 
 Abel Hardenbroeck, 1000 
 Abraham Verplanck, 300 
 Asser Leevy, 2600 
 Abram Lubbersen, 300 
 Anthony De, 1000 
 
 Anna Van Borssum* 2000 
 Barent Coersen, 3500 
 Balthasar Bayard, (3; 1500 
 Boele Roelofsen, 600 
 Barnadus Hasfalt, 300 
 Bay Croe Svelt, 1000 
 Balthasar de Haerts House, 2000 
 Claes Lock, 600 
 Carsten Leursen, 5000 
 Cornelis Steenwych, (4) 50,000 
 Cornelis Van Ruyven (5) 18000 
 Cornelis Janse van Hooren, 500 
 Claes Bordingth, 1500 
 Coenraet Ten Eyck, (6) 5000 
 Christopher Hoogland, (7) 5000 
 
 (1) See pages 13, 14. (2) Notary Public. (3) See pages 13, 14. 
 (4) Captain of infantry, counsellor of state, &c. &c. see pages 13, 14. 
 (5) page 13, 14. 
 
 (6) He resided at Coenties slip, and he and his wife Jane gave name 
 to this slip, which originally was " Coen & Antyes" slip. His tannery 
 was on mire lane, see page. (7) Schepenj page 19- 
 
21 
 
 Cornelis Chopper, 5000 
 Corel Van Brugges's houses, 1000 
 
 Cornelis Van Borssum, 8000 
 
 David Wessels, 800 
 Cornell Direksen, from 
 
 westveen, 1200 
 Cornelis Barentse Vander 
 
 Cuvll, 400 
 Dirck Smet, 2000 
 David Jochems, 1000 
 Daniel Hendricks, 500 
 Dirck Van Cleef, 1500 
 Dirck Wiggerse, 800 
 Dir ,k Sieken, 2000 
 Dirck Claesse, Potter, 700 
 Aegidius Luyk, (8) 5000 
 Egbert Wouterse, 400 
 Evert Pieterse, 2000 
 Evert Wesselse Kuyper, 300 
 Evert Duyckingh, " 1600 
 Ephraim Harmans, (9) 1000 
 Elisabeth Driseus, 2000 
 Elisabeth Bedloo, 1000 
 Ffrancois Rornbouts? (10) 5000 
 Ffredrick Philipse, 80000 
 Ffredrick Arentse, turner, 400 
 Ffredrick Gisberts, 400 
 Guiliane Verplanck, (11) 5000 
 Guiliam de Honioud, 400 
 Gapriel Minville, (11) 10000 
 Gerret Gullevever, 500 
 Mary Loockermans, 2000 
 Harmanus Burger, & Co. 400 
 Hendrick Kip, sen. 300 
 Hendrick Bosch, 400 
 Hendrick Wessels Smit 1200 
 Hendrick Gillesse, Shoem- 
 aker. 300 
 
 Hendrick Willemse Backer 2000 
 Herrnanus Van Borsum. 600 
 Hans Kierstede, 2000 
 Hendrick Van Dvke, 300 
 Hartman Wessels, 300 
 Harmen Srnecmar, 300 
 Henry Bresier, 300 
 Johnannes Van Brugh, (12) 
 
 1400 
 
 Johnnis de Peyster, (13) 15C00 
 Jeronimus Ebbingh, 14) 30000 
 Jacob Kip, (15) 4000 
 Tsaacq Van Vlecq, 1500 
 Jan Mleynder se Karman, 200 
 Isack de Foreest, 1500 
 Junan Blanck, 1300 
 Jacob de Naers, 5000 
 Jan Hendrick Van Bommel, 
 
 1500, 
 
 Jacob Leumen, 300 
 Jeremias Jansen Hagenaer, 400 
 Jacobus Van de Water, (16) 
 
 2500 
 
 Jan Dirckse Meyer, 600 
 Isacq Van Tricht, in his bro- 
 thers house, 2000 
 Jacob Abrahamse, Shoema- 
 ker, 2500 
 Jan Van Bree Steede, 500 
 Jonas Bartels, 3000 
 Jan Herberdingh, 2000 
 Jacob Teuniss Key, 8000 
 Jan Spiegelaer, 500 
 Jan Jansen, Carpenter, 300 
 John Lawrence, (17) 4000O 
 James Matheus, 1 000 
 
 Jan Pieay, Pipe-maker, 30(1 
 Jan Coely Smet, 1200 
 Jan Schakerley, 1400 
 
 (8) See pages 13, 14. He was rector of the latin school. 
 
 (9) Secretary to the sessions of the Schout Burgomaster and Schepens 
 
 (10) Seepages 13, 14. Schepen page 19. 
 
 (11) Schepen, see pages 19, 13, 14. He and Gabriel Minveille 
 and Oloft Stevensen Van Cortlandt, were commissioners to liquidate 
 the demands against the estate of theci devant Governor Loveloce. 
 
 (12) pages 13 14, 19. Burgomaster. (13) do. (14) Schepen see pages 
 13, 14. 
 
 (15) Presiding Schepen, pages 13, 14, 19. 
 
 (16) Mayor and " Auditeur," (17) xMerchant. 
 
22 
 
 Jan Joosten, Barquier, 2500 
 Jacob Leyslaer, (18) 15000 
 Jan Viffne, (19) 1000 
 Ja^ob Varrevanger, 8000 
 Laurens Jan sen Smet, 300 
 Luycas Aridiies, Barquier, 1500 
 Laurens Van de Spiegel, 6000 
 Lamraert Huybertse Moll, 300 
 Laurens Hoist, 300 
 Luvckes Tienboven, 600 
 Marten Kregier, sen. (20) 2000 
 Marten Jan sen Meyer, 500 
 Mp-theys de Haert, ' 12000 
 Nicholas de Meyer, 50000 
 Nicholas Bayard, (21 j 1000 
 Nicholas du Fuy, 600 
 Nicolas Jansen Backer, 700 
 Olof Stevensen Van Cortland, 
 
 (22 ) 45000 
 Peter Jacobs Marius, 5000 
 
 Peter Nys, 500 
 Paulus Richard, 5000 
 Peter de Riemer, 800 
 Paulus Tureq, 300 
 Pieter Van de Water, 400 
 Pieter Jansen Mesier, 300 
 Philip Johns, 600 
 Reynier Willemse, (23) 
 
 Backer, . 5000 
 
 Stephanus Van Cortland, 
 
 (24; 5000 
 Simon Jantz Romeyn, 1200 
 Sibout Claess, 500 
 S'ouwert Olp heresse, 600 
 Thomas Leurs, 6000 
 Thomas Louwerss, Backer, 
 
 1000 
 
 Wilhelm Beeckmau, (25; 3000 
 Wander Wessels, 600 
 Willem Van der Schueven, 300 
 
 This taxation was made by the committee to their best 
 knowledge of the capital which the inhabitants possessed. 
 
 From this list it appears that 134 estates were taxed, that the 
 aggregate amount was about £95,000, a sum much less than that 
 which many of the descendants of those u wealthy inhabitants" 
 would at the present day be willing to acknowledge as the fair va- 
 luation of their individual property. 
 
 Previously to an explanation of the references denoted by 
 letters and figures in the View, I will notice the currency and 
 measures which are referred to in these notes, viz: seawant, 
 beavers, gilders and stivers; a last and a schepel. Cash 
 was so scarce in the ancient city, that even the ministers 
 of the Gospel, and the West India company's officers and ser- 
 vants, were paid in seawant or beavers. In 16G0, ministers 
 
 (18) After the revolution in England in 1688, he seized the fort, as- 
 sumed the government, over the province of New-York, was tried 
 and condemed for pretended treason, and executed near the present 
 gaol of the city. (19) Pages 13, 14, 19. (20) Pages 13, 14, 19. 
 
 (21) Held a monoply of officers, sec page. (22) Burgomester, page 19.. 
 
 (23) See page 22b. (24) Schepen, page 31* 
 
 (25) Burgomaster, page 19 see page 13, 14. 
 
23 
 
 were to be paid in beavers, at £1 3 4 a piece, and as these 
 Holland at £l 10. In 1663, the officers and servants were 
 paid in beavers at j£l 0. Seawant, or seawan, was the name 
 of Indian money. It was called also wampum (wampum peague 
 or peague.) It consisted of beads formed of the shells of the 
 quahaug, a shell fish formerly abounding on our coasts, but 
 ately of less general occurrence. It was of two colours, the 
 black being held of twice the value of the white. Indeed, this 
 last was formed of another shell fish, called metau hock or peri- 
 winkle, and was more strictly the wampum, while the black was 
 called svckau hock. Their current value, was six beads of the 
 white, or three of the black, for an English penny. Seawant 
 was also taken from the common oyster shell, then bored and 
 strung. 
 
 The first accounts of the English dealing in this currency, are 
 in 1627. In 1641, an ordinance in council in this city, passed 
 by governor Kieft, recited that a vast deal of bad seawant, 
 " nasty rough things imported from other places," was in 
 circulation, while the " good splendid seawant, usually called 
 Manhattan's seawant, was out of sight, or exported, which must 
 cause the ruin of the country !" Therefore all coarse seawant, 
 well stringed, should pass at six for one stuyver only, but the 
 well polished at four for a stuyver, and whoever offered or 
 received the same at a different price, should forfeit the same 
 and ten gilders to the poor. 
 
 In 1657, this currency was reduced foom six to eight for a 
 stuyver. A stuyver was two pence, and a gilder 3s. 4d. 
 
 Among the measures, were a last, which contained 108 sche- 
 pels, or 81£ bushels, and a schepel, f of a bushel. 
 
 VIEW. — A. The vessels lying on the North river side of the 
 Capsey, (Jig. 1 ) were Fort Orangiensche oft Albanishe Jachtcn : 
 Fort Orange or Albany sloops. In the East river, the " Surrinam," 
 44 gun ship, is designed to be represented, besides some smaller 
 Tessels, as the ft Snaeuw, and the City Leghter." The Surrinam, 
 under immediate command of Governor Colve, and the "Zee 
 Hond" (Sea-dog,) commanded by Commodore Evertsen, were 
 
24 
 
 allowed by the "noble commanders of the military tribunal" to 
 remain during the year, and until further provision should be 
 made for the protection of the city. They were here the next 
 year, for in March, 1674, it was adjudged that as the vessels in 
 the harbor {fig. 3) near the weigh-scales (see H) might, on the 
 arrival of an enemy, lay too much in the way, and hinder the 
 defence, they should be secured ; and therefore all the " skip- 
 pers, barquiers and boatsmen in the city," were commanded 
 to lay their vessels at anchor in deep water before the city, and 
 on the arrival of more than one ship to secure them in the rear 
 of the ship Surrinam, near the Rondeel, (see R. 1.) before the 
 residence of the widow Loockermairs, under the penalty that all 
 those vessels laying in the harbor at such a time, should be burnt 
 without discrimination. 
 
 Some of the public and private vessels that entered and de- 
 parted this port during the Dutch dynasty, were — in the time of 
 Van Twiller, the yacht, the Hoop, conquered by him in 1632, 
 the ship Soutberg, or Salt Mountain, in which he returned from 
 Holland in 1633, the yachten, or sloops Prince William, Am- 
 sterdam, Wesel, and Peace. The most conspicuous vessels in 
 the period of KeifVs government, were the ship Harring, in 
 which he arrived, March 28, 1638, and the " Angel Gabriel," 
 which he freighted. 
 
 During the protracted government of Stuyvesant, who began 
 his administration on his arrival with three ships, May 11, 1647, 
 and ended it on the surrender, September 6, 1 664, the public ships, 
 and private commercial vessels, became comparatively nume- 
 rous. The harbor was now visited by " the arms of Amsterdam," 
 the u Arms of Renselaerwyck," the a Arms of Stuyvesant," the 
 "King David," the "Gideon," the "Gilded Eagle," "Queen 
 Esther," the "Rose Tree," "St. Jacob," "King Solomon," the 
 " Fox," the " Pear Tree/' " De Trow," " Oak Tree," the " Great 
 Christopher," the "Gilded Otter," "Crowned Sea Bears," and 
 the " Spotted Cow." 
 
 Fig. 1. The Capsey or dividing point between the North and 
 
 * See View. 
 
26 
 
 East rivers. This point terminated at a very short distance south 
 of State street, which was formerly called Capsey street, and was 
 the ancient boundary of the shore. The front row of buildings 
 from fig. I to S, were upon this street, and extended to White 
 Hall street. The next row near the fort, formed Pearl street, 
 which then extended only to White Hall street. Between Pearl 
 street and the fort, stood the large wooden-horse ten or twelve 
 feet high, with an edged back, on which the culprit was seated- 
 and his legs fastened with a chain to an iron stirrup, and sometimes 
 a weight was fastened to the foot. The horse is invisible on the 
 present prospect, as well as the tavern distinguished as " the sign 
 of the Wooden Horse." 
 
 B. Vlagg-Spil daer de vlag wordt opgehaelt ah er comen 
 Scheepen in dese Haven, the flag-staff whereon the flng was hoist- 
 ed upon the arrival of vessels into the harbor. 
 
 C. Fort Amsterdam, genaamt James-Fort by de Engelsche. 
 Fort Amsterdam, otherwise called James-Fort by the English. 
 The name officially given to the fort in 1 673, was "fort Willem 
 Hendrick." It was first erected and finished in 1635, by Gov. 
 Van T wilier, neglected by Governor Kieft, repaired and sur- 
 rounded by a stone wall by Governor Stuyvesant, and demolish- 
 ed, and the ground levelled in 1790 and '91. It was situated di- 
 rectly south of the Bowling green, on high ground, was in shape 
 of a regular square, with four bastions, had two gates, and 
 mounted forty-two cannon. 
 
 D. Gevangen Huys. The prison-house or gaol. It was of 
 stone and built by Governor Kieft. 
 
 E. Gereformeerde Kerck. The reformed Dutch Church 
 was erected within the fort, by Governor Kieft, in 1642. It 
 was of stone, and covered with oak shingles, which exposed to 
 the weather, soon resembled slate. The motives that induced 
 Governor Kieft to become the founder of the first church in this 
 city, may be best related in the words of captain David Pietersz 
 de Vriez a artillery meester van ? t noorder Quartier," who per- 
 formed three voyages to New Netherlands, associated with Kil- 
 liaen Van Rensalaer and others, in 1630 to colonize this region 
 attempted a colony at the Hore-Kill on the Delaware, in the time.. 
 
 4 
 
26 
 
 of Van Twiller, and another on " Staaten Eylandt," which he 
 sustained till the troubles with the Indians in the latter time of 
 Kieft, drove him to abandon the country. De Vriez observes : 
 "As I was every day with Commander Kieft, dining generally 
 at his house when I happened to be at the fort, he told me one 
 day that he had now made a fine tavern* built with stone, for the 
 English, by whom, as they passed continually with their vessels 
 from New England to Virginia, he had suffered much, and who 
 now might take lodgings there. I told him this was very good 
 for travellers, but that we wanted very badly for our people a 
 church. It was a shame that when the English passed, they 
 should see nothing but a mean barn, in which we performed our 
 worship ; on the contrary, the first thing that they in New 
 England did, when they had built fine dwellings, was to erect a 
 fine church :t we ought to do the same, it being supposed that 
 the West India Company were very zealous in protecting the 
 reformed church (Calvinist) against the Spanish tyranny, 
 that we had good materials for it, fine oak wood, fine building 
 stone, good lime made of o} r ster shells, being better than our 
 lime in Holland. Kieft asked me then who would like to attend 
 to this building? I replied the lovers of the reformed religion, 
 as certainly some of them could be found. He told me that he 
 supposed I myself was one of them, as I made the proposition, 
 and he supposed I would contribute a hundred guilders ! I re- 
 plied that I agreed to do so, and that as he was Governor, he 
 should be the first. We then elected Jochem Pietersz Kuyter, 
 who having a set of good hands, would soon procure good tim- 
 ber, he being also a devout Calvinist. We elected also Jan 
 Claesz Damen, because he lived near the fort, and thus we four 
 
 * This was the «* Sladt-herberg" or City Tavern, afterwards the 
 * Stadt buys," or City Hall, of which see K on the view, and page 31-3. 
 
 f De Vriez related the truth, for according to" New England's First 
 Fruits," printed in London, 1643, (page 21,) there were in New 
 England in 1 642, .50 towns and villages, 30 or 40 churches, and a college 
 for. • led y Mr. Harvard, " a Godly gentleman, and a lover of learning, 
 then living." 
 
27 
 
 " Kerk meesters" formed the first consistory to superintend the 
 building of the church. The Governor should furnish a few 
 thousand guilders of the company's money, and would try to 
 raise the remainder by subscription. The church should be 
 built in the fort, where it would be free from the depredations of 
 the Indians. The building was soon started of stone, and was 
 covered by English carpenters with slate, split of oakwood," 
 (that is, with oak shingles which, by rain and wind soon became 
 blue, and resembled slate.) 
 
 The contract for ttie erection of this church is upon record. 
 It was made in May, 1642, before the secretary of the New- 
 Netherlands, between 11 William Kieft, church-warden, at the 
 request of his brethren, the church-wardens of the church in 
 New-Netherland, and John Ogden of Stanford, and Richard 
 Ogden, who contracted to build the church of rock-stone, 72 
 feet long, 52 broad, and 16 feet high above the soil, for 2500 
 gilders (£416 13 4) " in beaver, cash or merchandize, to wit, 
 if the church-wardens are satisfied with the work, so that, in 
 their judgment, the 2500 gilders shall have been earned — then 
 said church-wardens will reward them with one hundred gilders 
 (£ 16 13 4) more," in the mean time assist them whenever it is 
 in their power, and allow them the use, for a month or six 
 weeks, of the Company's boat, to facilitate the carrying of the 
 stone thither. 
 
 The church was not completely finished until the first year of 
 governor Stuyvcsant's administration. In July, 1647, he and 
 two others were appointed kerk-meesters, (church-wardens,) 
 to superintend the work, and complete it the ensuing winter. 
 
 The town bell was removed to this church. Besides 
 the office of calling the devout to meeting, and announc- 
 ing the hour of retirement at night, the bell was appro- 
 priated for various siugular uses. In October, 1638, a female^ 
 for slandering the Rev. E. Bogardus, was condemned to appear at 
 fort Amsterdam, and before the governor and council, M to de- 
 clare in public, at the sounding of the bell, that she knew the 
 minister was an honest and pious man, and that she lied falsely." 
 
28 
 
 In 1639, all mechanics and labourers in the service of the 
 Com pan v commenced and left work at the ringing of the belt, 
 and for every neglect forfeited double the amount of their 
 wages, to the use of the attorney-general. 
 
 In 1647, all tavern keepers were prohibited, by the placards 
 of governor Stuyvesant and council, from accommodating any 
 clubs, or selling any ardent liquor, after the ringing of the bell, 
 at nine o'clock in the evening. 
 
 In 1648, two runaways were summoned into court by the 
 ringing of the bell, to defend themselves. And in 1677, an 
 ordinance was passed by the common council of New-York, 
 imposing a tine of six shillings on any members of the corpora- 
 tion and jurymen, who should neglect to appear in court at the 
 third ringing of the bell. The bell-ringer was anciently the 
 court messenger. In 1661, amid his multifarious official duties,* 
 he was to " assist in burying the dead and attend to toll the bell." 
 
 Between the church and gaol, was the corps de garde. 
 
 F. Governeur's Huys: Governor's house. The 41 big house" 
 was built by Y 7 an T wilier, partly of logs and brick, but a much 
 superior one of stone erected by Kieft, 100 feet long, .30 wide, 
 and 24 high, with two outside walks the length of the house, the 
 one nine, and the other ten feet broad; entry >0 feet long, and 
 20 broad, with a partition and double chimney, with cellars, 
 windows, doors, &lc. 
 
 The secretary's office was at the north gate, at the north-east 
 bastion of the fort. It was built in behalf of Cornelis Tienhoven, 
 who was secretary of New-Netherlands under Van Twiller and 
 Kieft. From this office the first post-rider started, in the com- 
 mencement of this year, (If -73) to go once a month " to Boston 
 ami Hartford, Connecticut, and other places along the road." 
 
 The proclamation of governor Lovelace, issued December 
 10, 1672, is a document too curious to be omitted. It was in 
 the following words : — 
 
 *« Whereas it is thought convenient and necessary, in obedi- 
 
 * See p. 8. 
 
29 
 
 i 
 
 ence to his Sacred Majesty's Commands, who enjoynes all his 
 subjects, in their distinct colon) es, to enter into a strict Allyance 
 and Correspondency with each other, as likewise for the 
 advancement of Negotiation, Trade and Civill Commerce, and 
 for a more speedy Intelligence and Dispatch of affayres, that a 
 messenger or Post bee authorised to sett forth from this City of 
 New-Yorke, monthly, and thence to travaile to Boston, from 
 whence within that month hee shall returne agame to this City: 
 These are therefore to give notice to all persons concerned, 
 That on the first day of January next (167 >) the messenger 
 appointed shall proceed on his Journey to Boston: If any there- 
 fore have any letters or small portable goods to bee conveyed 
 to Hartford, Connecticott, Boston, or any other parts in the 
 Road, they shall bee carefully delivered according to the Direc- 
 tions by a sworne Messenger and Post, who is purposely 
 imployed in that ArFayre; In the Interim those that bee dispos'd 
 to send Letters, lett them bring them to the Secretary's office, 
 where in a lockt Box they shall bee preserv'd till the Messenger 
 calls for them. All persons paying the Post before the Bagg bee 
 seald up. Dated at New Yorke this 10th day of December 
 1672." 
 
 The buildings within the fort were burned during the famous 
 negro plot, in 1741. 
 
 S. Stuy vesant Huys. Governor Stuy vesanfs house or dwell- 
 ing was built about four years before he surrendered his govern- 
 ment to the English. It fronted the public wharf (2,) and 
 stood on the west side of the present White-hall-street, nearly 
 opposite the commencement of the present Water-street. 
 
 Fig. 2. S. The public wharf (2) and harbour or dock, 
 (3) were built by the burgomasters of the city about the 
 year 1658 Here vessels loaded and unloaded, and a wharfage 
 duty was exacted at first of eight stivers per last. The harbour 
 (3) was constructed to accommodate vessels and yachts, in 
 which, during winter, the barques stationed there might be 
 secured against the floating ice; for which large vessels paid 
 annually " one beaver, and smaller in proportion, to the city, 
 
30 
 
 to keep it in order/' This wharf and harbour are now a part 
 of Whitehall-street, Whitehall-slip having since been formed 
 into the river. 
 
 H. De Waegh. The weigh, or balance. This was erected 
 in 1653, by governor Stuyvesant, and the standard weight and 
 measure kept in the balance-house, was according to those of the 
 city of Amsterdam. To this standard merchants were obliged 
 to conform, and to pay the eyck-meester for marking their weights 
 and measures. Goods were here also brought in bulk and 
 weighed, before they were stored in the public store-houses (G.) 
 
 G. 'T Ma'gazyn. The Magazines or public store-houses, or 
 Pack-huyscn of the Dutch West-India Company, the " lords 
 patroons" of this city, were situated in Winch cl-str act, (Store- 
 street) now Stone-street, which then extended from the now 
 AVhitehall-street to Broad-street. 
 
 Between Winckel-straet, and the dock(3) and the wall along 
 the harbour, and in the direction across the bridge(6) at the 
 foot of Heeren-gracht (See I.) was the Brug-straet (now 
 Bridge-street,) and between this and the dock or wall was that 
 portion of the present continuation of Pearl-street, which was 
 after this view called Dock-street, on the border of which, be- 
 tween de waegh and bridge a small market-house(5) was erected 
 in 1656, and a market established every Saturday on the shore, 
 because farmers as the order in councel recited, u now and then" 
 had brought various articles, " as beef, pork, butter, cheese, tur- 
 nips, carrots, cabbages and other products of the country ; and 
 on coming to the shore often waited a great while to their loss, 
 because the commonalty, or at least the majority, who resided 
 at some distance from the shore remained ignorant that such 
 articles were offered for sale." 
 
 In rear of Winckle-street, and between that and Beever-grachi 
 now Beaver-street was an open space called markt-vclt, where 
 a market had been held, and an annual fair or cattle-show 
 exhibited, before the market-house on the shore was erected. 
 It embraced the plain before the fort, and a lane reaching from 
 Market-field(4) to Broad-street, and called Marktvelt-steegje, 
 
31 
 
 Market-field-lane, is now Market-field-street, or Petticoat-lane 
 as it was more generally called within the last half century. 
 
 The most westerly buildings in this view bordered on the 
 east side of Breede-weg or the Broadway, which on the west 
 side was carefully left open for the range of the cannon of the 
 fort. Along the west side from the fort, as far as the present 
 Trinity Church, was the West-India Company's garden, and 
 thence beyond the city walls was the Company's farm, after- 
 wards called the Kings' farm, and extending to the present 
 Duane-street. 
 
 I. Heeren-gracht. Gentlemen's-canal, now (Broad-street.) 
 It was called the Moat in the time of Governor Kieft, and the 
 Great Dyke at the close of the English Governor Lovelace's 
 administration, (1672) when it was ordered to be cleaned, and 
 when also the streets of the city were paved. The Dutch called 
 it Breede-gracht as well as Heeren-gracht. Three years after 
 this view, (viz. 1676) the gracht (canal) was ordered to be filled 
 up, and the street levelled and paved. Beever-gracht entered 
 the Heeren-gracht from the west, and Prince's- gracht or Prince" 
 straet, (now a continued part of Beaver-street) extended eastward, 
 and terminated in a Sloot or ditch, whence has been derived the 
 name of Sloat-lane. 
 
 In the vicinity of the Heeren-gracht, was the Schapen-wey or 
 the sheep pasture, sometimes called the sheep valley. 
 
 From the Heeren-gracht to the Stadt-huys(K) inclusive, was 
 Hoog-straet, High-street, that is from a point a little north-west 
 of the corner of the present Pearl and Broad streets to the south 
 corner of the lane leading from Counties-slip into the present 
 Stone-street. 
 
 K. Stadt-huys, State House or City-Hall denominated also 
 Stadt-hcrbcrg, or City Tavern, was situated opposite the first half 
 moon (R. 1 ) at the corner of Hoog-straet, (which afterwards was 
 called little Dock-street , and now Pearl-street,) and the lane 
 running from Counties-slip westward into the street which is now 
 a continuation of Stone-street. 
 
 The stadt-herberg was built by governor Kieft, and finished in 
 
32 
 
 1642, for the purpose, in part, of relieving himself from the bur- 
 den of hospitality which he had been taxed with, while his 
 New-England neighbours tarried at the " Manhadoes" on their 
 voyages to Virginia.* It was built at the expense of the 
 West India company, and called the company's tavern. It 
 was afterwards, upon application of the burgomasters, grant- 
 ed to the city for the purposes of a stadt-huys or city house, 
 as well as the " great" or " public tavern." This ce- 
 lebrated building, in which the most memorable affairs of 
 the colony were discussed, and sometimes transacted ; in 
 which the schout burgomasters and schepens held their ses- 
 sions and courts; in which the transfer from one power to 
 another of the sovereignty over the city and colony was three 
 times agitated and acceded to; in which the first public school 
 ever patronised, was held, in 1652, and probably afterwards, as 
 no school house was erected at the date of this view; in which 
 tho live commissioners of the first court of admiralty, organized 
 in 1665 by Gov. Nicholls, convened and held their sessions; in 
 which, during the civil war between the houses of Bayard and 
 Leisler, our colonial York and Lancaster, one party held pos- 
 session, and returned the fire of the other from the fort; in 
 which the gaol of the city was kept for a long time, but in all 
 probability, after the destruction of that in the fort during the 
 memorable negro-plot : — this famous edifice is supposed by 
 some to be yet standing on the spot of the original location, op- 
 posite Coenties-slip, and though divided into two departments 
 or buildings, is the same that was owned or occupied about 
 fifty-five years aj»o by Brinkerhoof and Van Wyck; in 1806 by 
 Abraham Brinckerhoof, and now (1825) by his heirs. 
 
 The original building, however, was of stone, and the present 
 of brick. The stone building was standing fifty-two years after 
 its erection; but when the present buildings were substituted, I 
 have not any authority for determining. It is not improbable, 
 that the latter were used as the court house or city hall, long 
 before the one at the head of Broad-street was afterwards 
 
 * See p. 26. 
 
33 
 
 erected. This also has shared the fate of the former — and the 
 splendid city hall of ihe modern city now rears its dome where the 
 chesnut spread its branches at the period of the present view.* 
 The first stadt-huys was a three story house, surrounded with 
 a schroeinge ] 
 
 In front of the City-Hall, Jacobus Van de Water, the mayor, 
 with the guard of the citizens, is represented as upon the evening 
 parade. In 1673 at the beat of the drum, half an hour before 
 sun-set the militia (scuttery) of the city then on guard held 
 their parade before the City-Hall. The mayor then proceeded 
 to the city-gate(O) and locked it at sun-set, and at sun-rise he 
 opened it. 
 
 In front of the City-Hall were also the stocks and whipping* 
 post. The ducking-stool, or rather cucking-stool, was not yet 
 erected, notwithstanding the Lutheran minister in 1673 pleaded 
 in bar to a public prosecution against him for striking a female 
 that she " provoked him to it by scolding." The Dutch had the 
 credit of introducing the wooden-horse, but the cucking-stool 
 was reserved for the superior ingenuity of the English, who de- 
 riving a sanction for their want of gallantry from the immemorial 
 authority of their Common Law, ordered in February, 1692, 
 "at a meeting of a grand Committee of the Common Council, a 
 pillory, cage and ducking-stool to be forthwith built." 
 
 R. 1. Rondeel, redoubt or half moonf was also in front of the 
 City-Hall, and is now a part of Counties-slip. 
 
 In the rear of the City-Hall was Slyk-Steeg, Mire-lane, and a 
 tannery extended from the north corner of the lane, passing from 
 Coenties-slip to Mire-lane, on which a bark mill stood. Hence 
 the present Mill-street. In rear of this was elevated ground, and 
 near it was de Warmoes-straet, (Street of Vegetables,) probably 
 
 * Governor Lovelace, in 1672, issued a proclamation prohibiting tanners 
 from barking the trees on the commons ; and the boys from felling them 
 as they had done " for their idle fFancyes or the nutts sake." 
 
 t Moat, ditch, or canal, lined with planks to prevent the earth from 
 tumbling. 
 
 t Literally a "round bulwark." 
 
 5 
 
34 
 
 the present Garden-street, near which were the Citizens' Guard- 
 House and the Lutheran Church,(L) or Luthersclie Kerch. The 
 Lutherans, Jews, and Quakers found very little toleration from 
 the Dutch.* The English governors were more indulgent. In 
 1671 ? Governor Lovelace authorized the Luthern Congregation 
 to erect a church and to u seek benevolences from their bre- 
 theren here and on the Delaware." The next year, Edmundson, 
 a friend from England, was allowed to preach to the society of 
 his order. He held at an inn the first friends' meeting in the 
 city, and the magistrates attended.! From the City-Hall. following 
 the curveture of the shore to Smet-straef, (Fig. 7.) that is from 
 Coenties-slip to Hanover-square, was the Cingcl, Encircling, or 
 Exterior-street, Thence from Rondeel or Half-Moon, (R. 2.) 
 
 * One of the ancestors of theBownes of this city, a member of the Society 
 of Friends, w as banished on account of his religion. Governor Stuyvesaut 
 was censured by the West-India Company, and apologized to Bowne after 
 his return from Holland. But this early period was remarkable for gloomy 
 superstition and bigoted intolerance. The frenzy prevailing in New-Eng« 
 land extended its influence to this city. Here, within eight years before the 
 date of this view, a man and his wife were tried as witches, and a special 
 verdict of guilty brought in by the jury against one of them. Here, one 
 year before this view, the inhabitants of Westchester complained to the go- 
 vernor and council against a witch who had come among them ; she hav- 
 ing previously been condemned as a witch and imprisoned at Hartford. 
 Dunng the year of this view a similar complaint was made, but Gov. Colve 
 treated it as idle and groundless. A fanatic, however, who this year came 
 into the city without cousent, and pretending to be divinely inspired, made 
 "a terrible hue and cry in the streets," crying on the bridge and before the 
 houses of the Hon. Styuwyck, and John Lawrence, '* Woe, woe to the 
 crowne of pride and the drunkaerts of Ephreiui: Twoo woes past and 
 the third comming, except you repent — Repent, repent — as the kingdom of 
 God is at hand — " who, as stated in the record of his subsequent conviction, 
 also entered the church, made a great noise, abused with levity the woi~d of 
 God, and afterwards went through the Dutch villages on Long Island, to 
 New England, and returned to his residence at Oysterbay, having every 
 where cried the same words; was protested against before the notary pub- 
 lic in th:s city, prosecuted by the attorney general, and condemned to be 
 severely flogged and banished forever. 
 
 t The same year George Fox also visited the friends on Long-Island, but 
 it docs not appear that he came to the city. 
 
35 
 
 which is now a part of Old-slip, towards the Water-poort (M) 
 
 was the Burgers' (or Citizens') path, between the row of build- 
 ing (Fig. 9.) and the wall along the shore. 
 
 These buildings were situated on the ground, now the western 
 side of Pearl-street along Hanover-square towards Wall-street. 
 At the southern end of the row near the Cingel commenced 
 Smeer-stract (Greese-street) or Smet-straet* afterwards called 
 Smith-street, and now the lower end of William-street. Smith- 
 street lane, (Fig. 8.) so called also by the English in l67T> was 
 probably the present Sloat-lane. 
 
 (R. 3.) This Roadetl or half-moon, is now a part of Coffee- 
 House-slip, and perhaps the spot on which the CofTee-House has 
 been reared. 
 
 These three fortified Ronduyten (R) were built of stone, and 
 partly constituted the defence of the East-river side of the city. 
 
 (T) The East-river running between the Island Manhattan 
 and Yorkshire, or Long Island. (Oost-Ricier lopende tusschen 
 ">t Eylandt Manhattans en Jorkshire ofte H Longe Eylandt.} 
 
 The Block-house at the Water-gate (M) was at the north-east 
 corner of the present Pearl-street and Wall-street, where Messrs. 
 Hones' auction store is now situated. 
 
 The wall connecting the Ronduyten was of stone, and was de- 
 signed to keep out the inundation of the tide and sea. The City 
 Wall was of earth, thrown up from a moat dug in 1653 from the 
 East to the North river, at first four or five feet deep and ten or 
 eleven broad, somewhat sloping at the bottom. On the top of 
 this wall was a closely connected line of palisadoes extending 
 a like distance from the Water-gate along the north side of the 
 present Wall-street (Fig. 10.) to the North-river. Hence was 
 derived the name of the present Wall-street, which coursed along 
 the southern base of the moat, wall, and line of pallisadoes. 
 
 (M) ^Yater-poort. The Water-port or Gate, sometimes call- 
 ed the East-river Gate, was connected with the Block-house at 
 the east end of the wall. 
 
 (0)Land-poort. The Land-port or City-gate, was in the Broad- 
 
 * Smtt, a taint, blot or stain. Smidt, a Smith. 
 
36 
 
 way, thence the wall and palisadoes extended to a fortification 
 in the rear of the present Trinity Church, which was not built 
 till eighteen years after the date of this view. This breast- 
 work or battery may have been the same stone wall, four or 
 five feet thick, which in 1751 was discovered back of the 
 English Church nearly eight feet under ground. 
 
 The fortifications of the city at the time of the present view 
 were denominated the fort, walls, bulwarks, Rondeels, curtains 
 (gerdynen) and batteries. 
 
 (Fig. 11.) The Lady's Valley, a fashionable resort in the 
 days of Governor Kieft, was probably the same place which was 
 denominated in the period of his successor, Maagde-paetje, (the 
 Virgins'-path,) now (1825) Maiden-lane. It was called the 
 Green-lane 1692, when the Common Council ordered the land 
 on the water side, in front of Smith's Vly, (N) from the Block- 
 house to the hill of Mr. Beekman (Beekman-street) to be sold, 
 and that portion from the Block-house to'Green-lane, at 20s. per 
 foot. The Virgins' path proceeded from this Vly in the direc- 
 tion of Maiden-lane to the elevated ground. 
 
 N. Smidt's Valcy, abbreviated to Smet or Smee's Vly 9 
 was a marsh extending from the rising ground, a little north 
 of the city walls, along the East river, or shore of the pre- 
 sent Pearl-street, to the rising ground near Fulton-street. — 
 This valley, or salt marsh, was bounded westward by the hio;h 
 ground along the rear of the lots on the north western side of 
 Pearl-street. The Vly was spoken of as early as the time of 
 Van Twiller. The English, adopting the sound without the 
 sense of the word, called it Fly. Four years after the date of 
 this view, viz. in 1676, the common council ordered the tan vats 
 and slaughter houses to be removed out of the city, and a public 
 slaughter house to be erected a over the water without the gate 
 at the Smith's Fly, near the half moon." Asher Levy, in part- 
 nership with Garret Johnson Rose, built this house, and received 
 a "rant of its exclusive use. This was the foundation of Rose's. 
 or Flv-mnrket. 
 
37 
 
 North of the Vly, and between Beeckman's-hill and the pre- 
 sent Frankfort-street, was a waste wet piece of ground, distin- 
 guished, subsequently to the present view, by the name of 
 Beeckman's-swamp. Jacob street, and parts of Ferry, Gold, 
 and William-streets, now cover it. This district of the city is 
 still known by the name of " the Swamp." 
 
 P. Weg na H versche water. The way to the fresh water. 
 North of the rising ground that bounded Beeckman's-swamp, 
 was another, but a much larger swamp meadow, or pond. It 
 reached the East-river, and was not completely filled up till 
 1794, It occupied the area of parts of the present Cherry and 
 Roosevelt-streets, Batavia-lane, James,OHver, Catherine, Fayette 
 streets, and the Jews'-alley, to Chatham-street. Thence, west- 
 ward, it communicated by a stream, called the fresh water river, 
 with the fresh water pool, or de Kolck. It has been fitted up 
 within a few years since, and Collect street, and others in its 
 vicinity, laid out in this part of the city. Some of our older in- 
 habitants remember when the East-river was connected with the 
 Kolck, or fresh water pond, by a small rivulet, which the rains 
 frequently increased to such a volume, that a log was required 
 to be laid across to walk over, and when the North-river was 
 similarly connected by a ditch. Near the run was a mill, pre- 
 viously to the year l66i. In order to obtain more water for 
 the benefit of the mill, the valleys were granted to the miller, 
 and as the aqueduct, (riool) which he had dug, admitted the salt 
 water into the kolck (pool) of the freshwater, to the prejudice of 
 the community, he was required to hang a waste gate before the 
 aqueduct tQ stop the salt water, and allow the fresh water to be 
 drawn at low water. 
 
 Q. Wint-Molen. This wind-mill was erected in 1662, out- 
 side of the " City land port," (O) on the Company's farm in 
 Broadway, between the present Liberty and Counlandt-streets. 
 Theold wind-mill having decayed, upon application made to 
 the governor and council, they gave to the builders of the for- 
 mer the stones and iron work of the latter, on condition that 
 
38 
 
 they should grind gratis for the company, " 25 schepels* of 
 corn per week, if so much should be wanted." 
 
 Beyond the Fresh water river and Swamp-meadow, on the 
 East-river, was Nechtant, the Indiah name of Corlaer's-hook, 
 which has been also called Crown-point. Jacobus Van Corlaer 
 owned the property, and had a plantation there, in the time of 
 Wouter Van Twiller. De Vriez,in his Second Voyage to New 
 Netherlands, mentions in 1636, *'Corlaer's Plantagnie and Cor- 
 laers Bouwery." He was Van Twiller's trumpeter. t On the 
 8th of August, u the first gunner of the fort (says De Vriez) gave 
 a frolick. On one of the points of the fort a tent was erected, 
 and tables and benches placed for the invited people. When 
 the glee was now at its highest, Corlaer the trumpeter began to 
 blow, which occasioned a quarrel, and the Koopman of the 
 stores, {"Koopman van de Winckel'") and the Koopman of the 
 cargoes, (" Koopman van de Cargasoenen,) gave the trumpeter 
 names. The trumpeter, in revenge, gave them each a drub- 
 bing : when they ran home for their swords, and would take 
 revenge of the trumpeter, and swaggering and boasting much, 
 went to the house of the governor, and would have eaten the 
 trumpeter ; but when the wine was evaporated in the morning, 
 their courage was somewhat lowered, and they did not endea- 
 vour much to find the trumpeter." 
 
 He was living in the time of Governor Stuyvuesant. In 1652 
 lie sold his property to William Beeckman. viz. u a parcel of 
 land at the East-river, called Corlaers-creek, his plantation 
 and creek, situated on the Island Manhattans, and named in the 
 Indian language Nechtant, with the ground rent, for the sum of 
 4500 guilders, (£750,) provided the seller pay the ground rent 
 now due." 
 
 It has been supposed by some, that he was the founder of 
 Schenectadv. But this was Antonio Van Corlaer, who was held 
 in the most exalted estimation by the Indians of this state, of 
 
 * About 19 bushels. 
 
 t See also Irving's History of New- York, by Knickerbocker. 
 
the Iroquois Confederacy. He was drowned in Lacus Irocoisa^ 
 (Lake Champlain,) and in honour of him, ihe Iroquois called the 
 lake after his name, as well as Schenectady, (Corlaer,) and al- 
 ways addressed the governors of this province by the title of 
 " Corlaer," or u Brother Corlaer.*' 
 
 West of Corlaer's-hook and plantation, and north of the fresh 
 water,was the Bou wery or farm (whence the Bowery, Bowery-lane 
 or street of the city) which, in 1651, Governor Stuyvesant pur- 
 chased, with " a dwelling house, barn, reek-lands, six cows, two 
 horses, and two young negroes," for 6400 guilders. (£1066 
 13s. 4d.) 
 
 The city of New Amsterdam was laid out into streets in 1656. 
 It then comprised about 120 houses, and 1000 inhabitants, in- 
 cluding a numerous garrison. In 1660, Governor Stuyvesant 
 transmitted to the directors for the department of Amsterdam, of 
 the West India Company, a platform, or map and survey of the 
 lots. In a letter to the governor, they remarked u We are gra- 
 tified with the sight of the maps of New Amsterdam. In our 
 opinion, rather large spaces are remaining without buildings, and 
 the distances between these are too extensive, viz. between the 
 Smeer-straet,* the Prince-gracht, or Prince-straetj and the 
 Tuyn-str act ;f so too between the Heeren-straet,^ and the Bea- 
 vcrs-gracJit,\\ the houses there being, to appearance, provided 
 with extensive garden lots. It might, perhaps, be the intention 
 to cut off with greater ease new streets, when, on an increased 
 population, of course the buildings would be approximated ; 
 which, however, we leave entirely to your wisdom and discre- 
 tion." 
 
 Many of the spaces here spoken of, and hundreds of lots with, 
 in the city walls remained vacant at the date of this view. But 
 the health and comfort of the citizens were proportionably pro- 
 
 * See p. 3-3. t See p. 31. X (Garden-street) also called de JVarmaes- 
 siraet. See p. 33. $ See p. 31. 
 
 || See p. 31. There were two other streets after the survey of the city, 
 viz. Htrt-stratt (Deer-street) and Minquas-strast, the location of which lam 
 unable at present to describe. 
 
40 
 
 moted by these, and by the numerous orchards, gardens, pleasure 
 grounds, arbours and forest trees, that ornamented and shaded 
 the city. It contained many handsome houses, constructed of 
 plain and glazed brick, and of rock stone, and covered with red 
 and black tiles. Its aspect was diversified by hill and dale. Its 
 eminences were clustered with buildings, and the whole formed 
 a most delightful perspective from the water. These eminences 
 have been levelled, and a much more uniform surface is now exhi- 
 bited. Three streets have been made into the East-river,* and 
 two into the North ;f much of the very soil on which this Hercu- 
 laneum once stood, lies buried several feet beneath the modern 
 city, or is concealed by alluvial accumulation. It contained about 
 300 buildings,^ ano - 2500 inhabitants, including two or three com- 
 panies in garrison, and three companies of citizen soldiers. 
 
 Thus the old city of New Amsterdam, or New Orange, as it 
 was named one hundred and fifty-two years ago, was not much 
 larger than the village of New Amsterdam,§ now situated at the 
 foot of a chain of interior seas, the shores of which were then 
 untrodden by civilized man. Then Schenectady was the frontier 
 of the western settlement, in the latitude of this state ; — now the 
 mighty rush of population has overspread regions more than one 
 thousand miles westward from the river Hudson. 
 
 * Water-street, South and Front-streets, 
 t Greenwich and Washington-streets. 
 
 t Four years after the date of this view, a list of the buildings was taken 
 There were 868 within the city walls. 
 $ The real name of Buffalo, the capital of Erie county. 
 
 * 
 
AVfRY 
 CLASS CS