"Y^LE°¥JMIlWI&SinrY° - ILIlMBJmr - Gift of Mrs. Edward T. McLaughlin THE WORKS WASHINGTON IRVOGL NEW EDITION, REVISED. VOL. I. KNICKERBOCKER'S NEW-YORK. ft EW- YORK: GEORGE P. PUTNAM. 1851. HISTORY OF NEW-YORK, BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THE END OP' THE DUTCH DYNASTY; CONTAINING, AMONG MANY SURPRISING AND CURIOUS MATTERS, TH) UNUTTERABLE PONDERINGS OF WALTER THE DOUBTER, THE DIS^TROUS PROJF DS OF WILLIAM THE TESTY, AND THE CHIVALRIO ACHIEVEMENTS OF PETER T E HEADSTRONG THE THREE DUTCH GOVERNORS OF NEW AMSTERDAM : B NG THE ONLY AUTHENTIC HISTORY OF THE TIMES THAT EVER HATH BEEN IR EVER WILL BE PUBLISHED. BY JDxcbrxcl) Knukfvbocker, ps^. -5 ¦•• o Vt roaatl)cit> bit in buidtir tag, Die fautt met fiaarljeib aan btn baa. THE AUTHOR'S REVISED EDITION. COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME. NEW- YORK: GEORGE P. PUTNAM, 155 BROADWAY, And 142 Strand, London. 1851. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1848, by Washington Irving, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New- York. John P. Trow, printer and itereatyper 49 Ann-street, N. Y. CONTENTS. The author's apology, pa^'j xi Original advertisements, . . xv Account of the author, ......... 13 Address to the public, ......... S3 BOOK I. CONTAINING DIVEKS INGENIOUS THEORIES AND PHILOSOPHIC SPECULATIONS. CONCERNING THE CREATION AND POPULATION OP THE WORLD, AS CON NECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. Chap. I. — Description of the World 2. over these fairy scenes, endeared to thee by the recollections of thy youth, and the charms of a thousand legendary tales, which beguiled the simple ear of thy childhood ; recollect that thou art trifling with those fleeting moments which should be devoted to loftier themes. — Is not Time — relentless Time ! shaking, with palsied hand, his almost exhausted hour-glass before thee? — hasten then to pureue thy weary task, lest the last sands be run ere thou nast finished thy history of the Manhattoes. Let us, then, commit the dauntless Peter, his brave galley, and his loyal crew, to the protection of the blessed St. Nicholas ; who, I have no doubt, will prosper him in his voyage, while we await Ids return at the great city of New- Amsterdam. 15 CHAPTER V. DESCRIBING THE POWERFUL ARMY THAT ASSEMBLED dT THE CITY OF NEW-AMSTERDAM TOGETHER WITH THE INTER VIEW BETWEEN PETER THE HEADSTRONG AND GENERAL VON POFFENBURGH, AND PETER'S SENTIMENTS TOUCHINO UNFORTUNATE GREAT MEN While thus the enterprising Peter was coasting, with flowing sail, up the shores of the lordly Hudson, and arousing all the phlegmatic Uttle Dutch settlements upon its borders, a great and puissant concourse of warriors was assembUng at the city of New- Amsterdam. And here that invaluable fragment of antiquity, the Stuyvesant manuscript, is more than commonly particular; by which means I am enabled to record the iUustrious host that en camped itself in the public square in front of the fort, at present denominated the Bowling Green. In the centre, then, was pitched the tent of the men of battle of the Manhattoes, who being the inmates of the metropolis, com posed the lifeguards of the governor. These were commanded by the valiant Stoffel Brinkerhoof, who whilom had acquired such immortal fame at Oyster Bay — they displayed as a standard a beaver rampant on a field of orange ; being the arms of the HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 339 province, and denoting the persevering industry and the amphibi ous origin of the Nederlanders.* On their right hand might be seen the vassals of that renowned Mynheer, Michael Paw,f who lorded it over the fair regions of ancient Pavonia, and the lands away south, even unto the Nave- sink mountains,! and was moreover patroon of Gibbet Island. His standard was borne by his trusty squire, Cornelius Van Vorst ; consisting of a huge oyster recumbent upon a sea-green field ; being the armorial bearings of his favorite metropolis, Communipaw. He brought to the camp a stout force of warriors, heavily armed, being each clad in ten pair of linsey-woolsey breeches, and overshadowed by broad-brimmed beavers, with short pipes twisted in their hatbands. These were the men who vegetated in the mud along the shores of Pavonia ; being of the race of genuine copperheads, and were fabled to have sprung from oysters. At a Uttle distance was encamped the tribe of warriors who came from the neighborhood of Hell-gate. These were com- * This was likewise the great seal of the New-Netherlands, as may still be seen in ancient records. t Besides what is related in the Stuyvesant MS. I have found mention made of this illustrious patroon in another manuscript, which says : " De Heer (or the squire) Michael Paw, a Dutch subject, about 10th Aug. 1630, by deed purchased Staten-Island. N. B. The same Michael Paw had what the Dutch call a colonie at Pavonia, on the Jersey shore, opposite New- York, and his overseer in 1636 was named Corns. Van Vorst— a person of the same name in 17G9, owned Pawles Hook, and a large farm at Pavonia, and is a lineal de scendant from Van Vorst." t So called from the Navesink tribe of Indians that inhabited these parts — at present they are erroneously denominated the Neversink, or Neversank mountains. 340 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. manded by the Suy Dams, and the Van Dams, incontinent hard swearers, as their names betoken — they were terrible looking fellows, clad in broad-skirted gaberdines, of that curious colored cloth called thunder and lightning — and bore as a standard three Devil's darning-needles, volant, in a flame-colored field. Hard by was the tent of the men of battle from the marshy borders of the Waale-Boght* and the country thereabouts — these were of a sour aspect, by reason that they lived on crabs, wliich abound in these parts. They were the first institutors of that honorable order of knighthood, called Fly-market shirks, and if tradition speak true, did Ukewise introduce the far-famed step in dancing, called " double trouble." They were commanded by the fearless Jacobus Varra Vanger, and had, moreover, a jolly band of Breuckelenf ferry-men, who performed a brave concerto on conch sheUs. But I refrain from pursuing this minute description, which goes on to describe the warriors of Bloemen-dael, and Wee-hawk, and Hoboken, and sundry other places, weU known in history and song — for now do the notes of martial music alarm the people of New- Amsterdam, sounding afar from beyond the walls of the city. But this alarm was in a Uttle whUe reUeved, for lo, from the midst of a vast cloud of dust, they recognized the brimstone-col ored breeches and splendid silver leg of Peter Stuyvesant, glaring in the sunbeams ; and beheld him approaching at the head of a formidable army, which he had mustered along the banks of the Hudson. And here the exceUent but anonymous writer of the Stuyvesant manuscript breaks out into a brave and glorious de- * Since corrupted into the Wallabout ; the bay where the Navy-Yard is situated. t Now spelt Brooklyn. HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 341 scription of the forces, as they defiled through the principal gate of the city, that stood by the head of Wall-street. First of all came the Van Bummels, who inhabit the pleasant borders of the Bronx : these were short fat men, wearing exceed ing large trunk-breeches, and were renowned for feats of the trencher — they were the first inventors of suppawn or mush and milk. — Close in their rear marched the Van Vlotens, of Kaats kill, horrible quaffers of new cider, and arrant braggarts in their liquor. — After them came the Van Pelts of Groodt Eso- pus, dextrous horsemen, mounted upon goodly switch-taUed steeds of the Esopus breed — these were mighty hunters of minks and muskrats, whence came the word Peltry. — Th#n the Van Nests of Kinderhoeck, valiant robbers of birds' nests, as their name denotes ; to these, if report may be believed, are we indebted for the invention of slap-jacks, or buckwheat cakes. — Then the Van Higginbottoms, of Wapping's creek ; these came armed with ferules and birchen rods, being a race of schoolmasters, who first discovered the marvelous sympathy between the seat of honor and the seat of intellect — and that the shortest way to get know ledge into the head was to hammer it into the bottom. — Then the Van GroUs, of Anthony's Nose, who carried their liquor in fair round Uttle pottles, by reason they could not bouse it out of their canteens, having such rare long noses. — Then the Gardeniers, of Hudson and thereabouts, distinguished by many triumphant feats, such as robbing watermelon patches, smoking rabbits out of their holes, and the Uke, and by being great lovers of roasted pigs' tails ; these were the ancestors of the renowned congressman of that rame. — Then the Van Hoesens, of Sing-Sing, great choris ters and players upon the jewsharp ; these marched two and two, singing the great song of St. Nicholas. — Then the Couenho- 342 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. vens, of Sleepy Hollow ; these gave birth to a jolly race of pub- licans, who first discovered the magic artifice of conjuring a quart of wine into a pint bottle. — Then the Van Kortlandts, who lived on the wild banks of the Croton, and were great killers of wild ducks, being much spoken of for their skill in shooting with the long bow. — Then the Van Bunschotens, of Nyack and Kakiat, who were the first that did ever kick with the left foot; they were gallant bush-whackers and hunters of racoons by moonlight. — Then the Van Winkles, of Haerlem, potent suckers of eggs, and noted for running of horses, and running up of scores at taverns ; they were the first that ever winked with both eyes at once. — Lasthy came the Knickerbockers, of the great town of Scaghtikoke, where the folk lay stones upon the houses in windy weather, lest they should be blown away. These derive their name, as some say, from Knicker, to shake, and Beker, a goblet, indicating thereby that they were sturdy toss-pots of yore ; but in truth, it was derived from Knicker, to nod, and Boeken, books ; plainly meaning that they were great nodders or dozers over books — from them did descend the writer of this history. Such was the legion of sturdy bush-beaters that poured in at the grand gate of New-Amsterdam ; the Stuyvesant manuscript indeed speaks of many more, whose names I omit to mention, seeing that it behooves me to hasten to matters of greater moment. Nothing could surpass the joy and martial pride of the lion-hearted Peter as he reviewed this mighty host of warriors, and he deter mined no longer to defer the gratification of his much-wished-for revenge, upon the scoundrel Swedes at Fort Casimir. But before I hasten to record those unmatchable events, which will be found in the sequel of this faithful history, let me pause to notice the fate of Jacobus Van Poffenburgh, the discomfited HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 343 commander-in-chief of the armies of the New-Netherlands. Such is the inherent uncharitablencss of human nature, that scarcely did the news become public of his deplorable discomfiture at Fort Casimir, than a thousand scurvy rumors were set afloat in New- Amsterdam, wherein it was insinuated, that he had in reality a treacherous understanding with the Swedish commander ; that he had long been in the practice of privately communicating with the Swedes ; together with divers hints about " secret service money." — To all wliich deadly charges I do not give a jot more credit than I think they deserve. Certain it is, that the general vindicated his character by the most vehement oaths and protestations, and put every man cyut of the ranks of honor who dared to doubt his integrity. Moreo ver, on returning to New-Amsterdam, he paraded up and down the streets with a crew of hard swearers at his heels— sturdy bottle companions, whom he gorged and fattened, and who were ready to bolster him through all the courts of justice — heroes of his own kidney, fierce-whiskered, broad-shouldered, colbrand-look- ing swaggerers — not one of whom but looked as though he could eat up an ox, and pick his teeth with the horns. These lifeguard men quarreled all his quarrels, were ready to fight all his battles, and scowled at every man that turned up his nose at the general, as though they would devour him alive. Their conversation was interspersed with oaths like minute-guns, and every bombastic rhodomontade was rounded off by a thundering execration, like a patriotic toast honored with a discharge of artillery. All these valorous vaporings had a considerable effect in con vincing certain profound sages, who began to think the general a hero, of unmatchable loftiness and magnanimity of soul ; par ticularly as he was continually protesting on the honor of a soldier 344 HISTORY OF NEW^ORK. — a marvelously high-sounding asseveration. Nay, one of the members of the council went so far as to propose they should immortalize him by an imperishable statue of plaster of Paris. But the vigilant Peter the Headstrong was not thus to be de ceived. Sending privately for the commander-in-chief of all the armies, and having heard all his story, garnished with the customa ry pious oaths, protestations, and ejaculations — " Harkee, com rade," cried he, " though by your own account you are the most brave, upright, and honorable man in the whole province, yet do you lie under the misfortune of being damnably traduced^and im measurably despised. Now, though it is certainly hard to punish a man for his misfortunes, and though it is very possible you are totally innocent of the crimes laid to your charge ; yet as heaven, doubtless for some wise purpose, sees fit at present to withhold all proofs of your innocence, far be it from me to counteract its sovereign will. Beside, I cannot consent to venture my armies with a commander whom they despise, nor to trust the welfare of my people to a champion whom they distrust. Retire therefore, my friend, from the irksome toils and cares of pubUc life, with this comforting reflection — that if guUty, you are but enjoying your just reward — and if innocent, you are not the. first great and good man who has most wrongfully been slandered and mal treated in this wicked world — doubtless to be better treated in a better world, where there shaU be neither error, calumny, nor persecution. In the meantime let me never see your face again, for I have tl horrible antipathy to the countenances of unfortunate great, men like yourself." CHAPTER VI. in which the author discourses very ingenuously ce himself after which is to be found much inter esting history about peter the headstrong and his followers. As my readers and myself are about entering on as many perils as ever a confederacy of meddlesome knights-errant willfully ran their heads into, it is meet that, like those hardy adventurers, we should join hands, bury all differences, and swear to stand by one another, in weal or woe, to the end of the enterprise. My read ers must doubtless perceive how completely I have altered my tone and deportment since we first set out together. I warrant they then thought me a crabbed, cynical, impertinent little son of a Dutchman ; for I scarcely ever gave them a civil word, nor so much as touched my beaver, when I had occasion to address them. But as we jogged along together on the high road of my history, I gradually began to relax, to grow more courteous, and occasionally to enter into familiar discourse, until at length I came to conceive a most social, companionable kind of regard for them. This is just my way — I am always a little cold and reserved at first, particularly to people whom I neither know nor care for, and am only to be completely won by long intimacy. 15* 346 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. Besides, why should I have been sociable to the crowd of how-d'ye-do acquaintances that flocked around me at my first appearance ? Many were merely attracted by a new face ; and having stared me fuU in the title-page, walked off without saying a word ; while others lingered yawningly through the preface, and, having gratified their short-lived curiosity, soon dropped off one by one. But, more especially to try their mettle, I had recourse to an expedient, similar to one which we are told was used by that peerless flower of chivalry, King Arthur; who, before he admitted any knight to his intimacy, first required that he should show himself superior to danger or hardships, by encountering unheard-of mishaps, slaying some dozen giants, vanquishing wicked enchanters, not to say a word of dwarfs, hippogriffs, and fiery dragons. On a simUar principle did I cun ningly lead my readers, at the first saUj-, into two or three knotty, chapters, where they were most wofuUy belabored and buffeted, by a host of pagan philosophers and infidel writers. Though naturally a very grave man, yet could I scarce refrain from smiling outright at seeing the utter confusion and dismay of my valiant cavaliers. Some dropped down dead (asleep) on the field ; others threw down my book in the middle of the first chapter, took to their heels, and never ceased scampering until they had fairly run it out of sight ; when they stopped to fake breath, to tell their friends what troubles they had undergone, and to warn all others from venturing on so thankless an expedition. Every page thinned my ranks more and more ; and of the vast multitude that first set out, but a comparatively few made shift to survive, in exceedingly battered condition, through the five intro ductory chapters. What, then! would you have had me take such sunshine, HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 347 faint-hearted recreants to my bosom at our first acquaintance? No — no ; I reserved my friendship for those who deserved it, for those who undauntedly bore me company, in despite of difficulties, dangers and fatigues. And now, as to those who adhere to me at present, I take them affectionately by the hand. — Worthy and thrice-beloved readers ! brave and well-tried comrades ! who have faithfully foUowed my footsteps through all my wanderings — I salute you from my heart — I pledge myself to stand by you to the last ; and to conduct you (so Heaven speed this trusty weapon which I now hold between my fingers) triumphantly to the end of this our stupendous undertaking. But, hark ! while we are thus talking, the city of New- Amsterdam is in a bustle. The host of warriors encamped in the Bowling Green are striking their tents ; the brazen trumpet of Antony Van Corlear makes the welkin to resound with por tentous clangor — the drums beat — the standards of the Manhat toes, of Hell-gate, and of Michael Paw, wave proudly in the air. And now behold where the mariners are busily employed, hoisting the sails of yon topsail schooner, and those clump-built sloops, which are to waft the army of the Nederlanders to gather immor tal honors on the Delaware ! The entire population of the city, man, woman, and child, turned out to behold the chivalry of New- Amsterdam, as it paraded the streets previous to embarkation. Many a handkerchief was waved out of the windows ; many a fair nose was blown in melodious sorrow on the mournful occasion. The grief of the fair dames and beauteous damsels of Granada could not have been more vociferous on the banishment of the gallant tribe of Abencerrages, than was that of the kind-hearted fair ones of New-Amsterdam on the departure of their intrepid warriors. 348 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. Every love-sick maiden fondly crammed the pockets of her hero with gingerbread and doughnuts — many a copper ring was exchanged, and crooked sixpence broken, in pledge of eternal constancy — and there remain extant to this day some love-verses written on that occasion, sufficiently crabbed and incomprehensible to confound the whole universe. But it was a. moving sight to see the buxom lasses, how they hung about the doughty Antony Van Corlear — for he was a jolly, rosy-faced, lusty bachelor, fond of his joke, and withal a desperate rogue among the women. Fain would they have kept him to comfort them while the army was away ; for besides what I have said of him, it is no more than justice to add, that he was a kind-hearted soul, noted for his benevolent attentions in com forting disconsolate wives during the absence of their husbands — and this made him to be very much regarded by the honest burghers of the city. But nothing could keep the vaUant Antony from following the heels of the old governor, whom he loved as he did his very soul — so embracing all the young vrouws, and giving every one of them that had good teeth and rosy lips a dozen hearty smacks, he departed loaded with their kind wishes. Nor was the departure of the gallant Peter among the least causes of public distress. Though the old governor was by no means indulgent to the foUies and waywardness of his subjects, yet somehow or other he had become strangely popular among the people. There is something so captivating in personal bravery, that, with the common mass of mankind, it takes the lead of most other merits. The simple folk of New- Amsterdam looked upon Peter Stuyvesant as a prodigy of valor. His wooden leg, that trophy of his martial encounters, was regarded with reverence and admiration. Every old burgher had a budget of HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 349 miraculous stories to tell about the exploits of Hardkoppig Piet, wherewith he regaled his children of a long winter night ; and on which he dwelt with as much delight and exaggeration, as do our honest country yeomen on the hardy adventures of old General Putnam (or, as he is familiarly termed, Old Put) during our glorious revolution. Not an individual but verily beUeved the old governor was a match for Beelzebub himself; and there was even a story told, with great mystery, and under the rose, of his having shot the devil with a silver bullet one dark stormy night, as he was sailing in a canoe through Hell-gate — but this I do not record as being an absolute fact. Perish the man who would let fall a drop to discolor the pure stream of history ! Certain it is, not an old woman in New- Amsterdam but con sidered Peter Stuyvesant as a tower of strength, and rested satisfied that the public welfare was secure, so long as he was in the city. It is not surprising, then, that they looked upon his departure as a sore affliction. With heavy hearts they draggled at the heels of his troop, as they marched down to the river side to embark. The governor from the stern of his schooner gave a short but truly patriarchal address to his citizens, wherein he recommended them to comport like loyal and peaceable subjects — to go to church regularly on Sundays, and to mirrd their business all the week besides. That the women should be dutiful and affec tionate to their husbands — looking after nobody's concerns but their own ; eschewing all gossipings, and morning gaddings — and carrying short tongues and long petticoats. That the men should abstain from intermeddling in public concerns, intrusting the cayes of government to the officers appointed to support them — staying at home, like good citizens, making money for themselves, and getting children for the benefit of their country. That the 350 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. burgomasters should look well to the public interest — not op pressing the poor nor indulging the rich — not tasking their inge nuity to devise new laws, but faithfully enforcing those which were already made — rather bending their attention to prevent evil than to punish it ; ever recollecting that civil magistrates should con sider themselves more as guardians of public morals than rat catchers employed to entrap public delinquents. FinaUy, he exhorted them, one and all, high and low, rich and poor, to conduct themselves as well as they could, assuring them that if they faithfully and conscientiously complied with this golden rule, there was no danger but that they would all conduct themselves well enough. This done, he gave them a paternal benediction ; the sturdy Antony sounded a most loving fareweU with his trum pet, the jolly crews put up a shout of triumph, and the invincible armada swept off proudly down the bay. The good people of New- Amsterdam crowded down to the Battery — that blest resort, from whence so many a tender prayer has been wafted, so many a fair hand waved, so many a tearful look been cast by love-sick damsel, after the lessening bark, bear ing her adventurous swain to distant climes ! — Here the populace watched with straining eyes the gaUant squadron, as it slowly floated down the bay, and when the intervening land at the Narrows shut it from their sight, gradually dispersed with silent tongues and downcast countenances. A heavy gloom hung over the late bustling city — the honest burghers smoked their pipes in profound thoughtfulness, casting many a wistful look to the weather-cock on the church of St. Nicholas ; and all the old women, having no longer the presence of Peter Stuyvesant to hearten them, gathered their childrenjiome, and barricaded the doors and windows every evening at sundown. HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 351 In the meanwhile the armada of the sturdy Peter proceeded prosperously on its voyage, and after encountering about as many storms, and water-spouts, and whales, and other horrors and phenomena, as generally befall adventurous landsmen in perilous voyages of the kind ; and after undergoing a severe scouring from that deplorable and unpitied malady called sea-sickness, the whole squadron arrived safely in the Delaware. Without so much as dropping anchor and giving his wearied ships time to breathe, after laboring so long on the ocean, the intrepid Peter pursued his course up the Delaware, and made a sudden appearance before Fort Casimir. Having summoned the astonished garrison by a terrific blast from the trumpet of the long-winded Van Corlear, he demanded, in a tone of thunder, an instant surrender of the fort. To this demand, Suen Skytte, the wind-dried commandant, replied in a shrill whiffling voice, which, by reason of his extreme spareness, sounded like the wind whis tling through a broken bellows — "that he had no very strong reason for refusing, except that the demand was particularly disagreeable, as he had been ordered to maintain his post to the last extremity." He requested time, therefore, to consult with Governor Risingh, and proposed a truce for that purpose. The choleric Peter, indignant at having his rightful fort so treacherously taken from him, and thus pertinaciously withheld, refused the proposed armistice, and swore by the pipe of St. Nicholas, which, like the sacred fire, was never extinguished, that unless the fort were surrendered in ten minutes, he would incontinently storm the works, make all the garrison run the gauntlet, and split their scoundrel of a commander like a pickled shad. To give this menace the greater effect, he drew forth his trusty sword, and shook it at them with such a fierce and vigor- 352 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. ous motion, that doubtless, if it had not been exceeding rusty, it would have lightened terror into the eyes and hearts of the ene my. He then ordered his men to bring a broadside to bear upon the fort, consisting of two swivels, three muskets, a long duck fowling-piece, and two brace of horse-pistols. In the meantime the sturdy Van Corlear marshaled all his forces, and commenced his warlike operations. Distending his cheeks like a very Boreas, he kept up a most horrific twanging of his trumpet — the lusty choristers of Sing-Sing broke forth into a hideous song of battle — the warriors of Breuckelen and the Wallabout blew a potent and astounding blast on theii conch shells, altogether forming as outrageous a concerto as though five thousand French fiddlers were displaying their skill in a modern overture. Whether the formidable front of war thus suddenly presented smote the garrison with sore dismay — or whether the concluding terms of the summons, which mentioned that he should surrender " at discretion," were mistaken by Suen Skytte, who, though a Swede was a very considerate, easy-tempered man- — as a compli ment to his discretion, I will not take upon me to say ; certain it is he found it impossible to resist so courteous a demand. Ac cordingly, in the very nick of time, just as the cabin-boy had gone after a coal of fire, to discharge the swivel, a chamade was beat on the rampart by the only drum in the garrison, to the no small satisfaction of both parties ; who, notwithstanding their great stomach for fighting, had full as good an inclination to eat a quiet dinner as to exchange black eyes and bloody noses. Thus did this impregnable fortress once more return to the domination of their High Mightinesses ; Skytte and his garrison of twenty men were allowed to march out with the honors of HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 353 war, and the victorious Peter, who was as generous as brave, permitted them to keep possession of all their arms and ammuni tion — the same on inspection being found totally unfit for service, having long rusted in the magazine of the fortress, even before it was wrested by the Swedes from the windy Van Poffenburgh. But I must not omit to mention, that the governor was so weU pleased with the service of his faithful squire Van Corlear, in the reduction of this great fortress, that he made him on the spot lord of a goodly domain in the vicinity of New- Amsterdam — which goes by the name of Corlear's Hook unto this very day. The unexampled UberaUty of Peter Stuyvesant towards the Swedes, occasioned great surprise in the city of New- Amsterdam — nay, certain factious individuals, who had been enlightened by poUtical meetings in the days of William the Testy, but who had not dared to indulge their meddlesome habits under the eye of their present ruler, now, emboldened by his absence, gave vent to their censures in the street. Murmurs were heard in the very council-chamber of New- Amsterdam ; and there is no knowing whether they might not have broken out into downright speeches and invectives, had not Peter Stuyvesant privately sent home his walking-staff, to be laid as a mace on the table of the council-chamber, in the midst of his counsellors ; who, like wise men, took the hint, and for ever after held their peace. CHAPTER VH. SHOWING THE GREAT ADVANTAGE THAT THE AUTHOR HAS OVER HIS READER IN TIME OF BATTLE TOGETHER WITH DIVERS PORTENTOUS MOVEMENTS ; WHICH BETOKEN THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. Like as a mighty alderman, when at a corporation feast the first spoonful of turtle-soup salutes his palate, feels his appetite hut tenfold quickened, and redoubles his vigorous attacks upon the tureen ; while his projecting eyes roll greedily round, devouring every thing at table — so did the mettlesome Peter Stuyvesant feel that hunger for martial glory, which raged within his bowels, inflamed by the capture of Fort Casimir, and nothing could allay it but the conquest of all New-Sweden. No sooner, therefore, had he secured his conquest, than he stumped resolutely on. flushed with success, to gather fresh laurels at Fort Christina.* This was the grand Swedish post, estabUshed on a small rivei (or, as it is improperly termed, creek) of the same name; and here that crafty governor Jan Risingh lay grimly drawn up, like a gray-bearded spider in the citadel of his web. But before we hurry into the direful scenes which must attend * At present 11 flourishing town, called Christiana, or Christeen, about thirty- seven miles from Philadelphia, on the post-road to Baltimore. U15TUKV UF iNEW-YORK. 355 the meeting of two such potent chieftains, it is advisable to pause for a moment, and hold a kind of warlike council. Battles should not be rushed into precipitately by the historian and his readers, any more than by the general and his soldiers. The great com manders of antiquity never engaged the enemy without previously preparing the minds of their followers by animating harangues ; spiriting them up to heroic deeds, assuring them of the protection of the gods, and inspiring them with a confidence in the prowess of their leaders. So the historian should awaken the attention and enlist the passions of his readers ; and having set them all on fire with the importance of his subject, he should put himself at their head, flourish his pen, and lead them on to the thickest of the fight. An nlustrious example of this rule may be seen in that mirror of historians the immortal Thucydides. Having arrived at the breaking out of the Peloponnesian war, one of his commentators observes that " he sounds the charge in all the disposition and spirit of Homer. He catalogues the allies on both sides. He awakens our expectations, and fast engages our attention. All mankind are concerned in the important point now going to be decided, Endeavors are made to disclose futurity. Heaven itself is interested in the dispute. The earth totters, and nature seems to labor with the great event. This is his solemn, sublime manner of setting out. Thus he magnifies a war between two, as Rapin styles them, petty states ; and thus artfully he supports a little subject by treating it in a great and noble method." In like manner, having conducted my readers into the very teeth of peril — having followed the adventurous Peter and his band into foreign regions — surrounded by foes, and stunned by the horrid din of arms — at this important moment, while dark- 356 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. ness and doubt hang o'er each coming chapter, I hold it meet to harangue them, and prepare them for the events that are to follow. And here I would premise one great advantage which, as his torian, I possess over my reader ; and this it is, that though I cannot save the life of my favorite hero, nor absolutely contradict the event of a battle (both which Uberties, though often taken by the French writers of the present reign, I hold to be utterly un worthy of a scrupulous historian), yet I can now and then make him bestow on his enemy a sturdy back stroke sufficient to fell a giant ; though, in honest truth, he may never have done any thing of the kind — or I can drive his antagonist clear round and round the field, as did Homer make that fine fellow Hector scamper like a poltroon round the walls of Troy ; for which, if ever they have encountered one another in the Elysian fields, I'll warrant the prince of poets has had to make the most humble apology. I am aware that many conscientious readers will be ready to cry out " foul play !" whenever I render a little assistance to my hero — but I consider it one of those privileges exercised by his torians of all ages — and one which has never been disputed. An historian is, in fact, as it were, bound in honor to stand by his hero — the fame of the latter is intrusted to his hands, and it is his duty to do the best by it he can. Never was there a general, an admiral, or any other commander, who, in giving an account of any battle he had fought, did not sorely belabor the enemy ; and I have no doubt that, had my heroes written the history of their own achievements, they would have dealt much harder blows than any that I shall recount. Standing forth, therefore, as the guardian of their fame, it behooves me to do them the same justice they would have done themselves ; and if I happen HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 357 to be a Uttle hard upon the Swedes, I give free leave to any of their descendants, who may write a history of the State of Dela ware, to take fair retaUation, and belabor Peter* Stuyvesant as hard as they please. Therefore stand by for broken heads and bloody noses ! — My pen hath long itched for a battle — siege after siege have I carried on without blows or bloodshed ; but now I have at length got a chance, and I vow to Heaven and St. Nicholas, that, let the chroni cles of the times say what they please, neither Sallust, Livy, Tacitus, Polybius, nor any other historian, did ever record a fiercer fight than that in which my valiant chieftains are now about to engage. And you, oh most exceUent readers, whom, for your faithful adherence, I could cherish in the warmest corner of my heart — be not uneasy — trust the fate of our favorite Stuyvesant with me — for by the rood, come what may, I'll stick by Hardkoppig Piet to the last. I'U make him drive about these losels vile, as did the renowned Launcelot of the Lake a herd of recreant Cor nish knights — and if he does fall, let me never draw my pen to fight another battle in behalf of a brave man, if I don't make these lubberly Swedes pay for it. No sooner had Peter Stuyvesant arrived before Fort Christina than he proceeded without delay to intrench himself, and immedi ately on running his first parallel, dispatched Antony Van Coriear to summon the fortress to surrender. Van Corlear was received with all due formality, hoodwinked at the portal, and conducted through a pestiferous smeU of salt fish and onions to the citadel, a substantial hut built of pine logs. His eyes were here uncov ered, and he found himself in the august presence of Governor Risingh. This chieftain, as I have before noted, was a very 358 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. giantly man ; and was clad in a coarse blue coat, strapped round the waist with a leathern belt, which caused the enormous skirts and pockets to set off with a very warlike sweep. His ponderous legs were cased in a pair of foxy-colored jack-boots, and he was straddling in the attitude of the Colossus of Rhodes, before a bit of broken looking-glass, shaving himself with a viUanously dull razor. This afflicting operation caused him to make a series of horrible grimaces, which heightened exceedingly the grisly terrors of his visage. On Antony Van Corlear's being announced, the grim commander paused for a moment, in the midst of one of his most hard-favored contortions, and after eyeing him askance over the shoulder, with a kind of snarling grin on his countenance, resumed his labors at the glass. This iron harvest being reaped, he turned once more to the trumpeter, and demanded the purport of his errand. Antony Van Corlear delivered in a few words, being a kind of short hand speaker, a long message from his exceUency, recounting the whole history of the province, with a recapitulation of griev ances, and enumeration of claims, and concluding with a per emptory demand of instant surrender ; which done, he turned aside, took his nose between his thumb and finger, and blew a tremendous blast, not unlike the flourish of a trumpet of defiance — which it had doubtless learned from a long and intimate neigh borhood with that melodious instrument. Governor Risingh heard him through, trumpet and all, but with infinite impatience ; leaning at times, as was his usual cus tom, on the pommel of his sword, and at times twirling a huge steel watch-chain, or snapping his fingers. Van Corlear having finished, he bluntly replied, that Peter Stuyvesant and his sum mons might go to the d 1, whither he hoped to send him and HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 359 his crew of ragamuffins before supper-time. Then unsheathing his brass-hilted sword, and throwing away the scabbard — " 'Fore gad," quod he, " but I will not sheathe thee again until I make a scabbard of the smoke-dried leathern hide of this runagate Dutchman." Then having flung a fierce defiance in the teeth of his adversary, by the lips of his messenger, the latter was recon ducted to the portal, with all the ceremonious civility due to the trumpeter, squire, and ambassador of so great a commander; and being again unbUnded, was courteously dismissed with a tweak of the nose, to assist him in recollecting his message. No sooner did the gaUant Peter receive this insolent reply than he let fly a tremendous volley of red-hot execrations, which would infallibly have battered down the fortifications, and blown up the powder magazine about the ears of the fiery Swede, had not the ramparts been remarkably strong, and the magazine bomb-proof. Perceiving that the works withstood this terrific blast, and that it was utterly impossible (as it really was in those unphilosophic days) to carry on a war with words, he ordered his merry men all to prepare for an immediate assault. But here a strange murmur broke out among his troops, beginning with the tribe of the Van Bummels, those vaUant trenchermen of the Bronx, and spreading from man to man, accompanied with certain mutinous looks and discontented murmurs. For once in his life, and only for once, did the great Peter turn pale, for he verily thought his warriors were going to falter in this hour of perilous trial, and thus to tarnish for ever the fame of the province of New-Netherlands. But soon did he discover, to his great joy, that in this suspi cion he deeply wronged this most undaunted army ; for the cause of this agitation and uneasiness simply was, that the hour of 300 HISTORY OP NEW-YORK. dinner was afnand, and it would have almost broken the heart of these regular Dutch warriors to have broken in upon th invariable routine of their habits. Besides, it was an establishei rule among our ancestors always to fight upon a full stomach and to this may be doubtless attributed the circumstance that the- came to be so renowned in arms. And now are the hearty men of the Manhattoes, and their n< less hearty comrades, all lustily engaged under the trees, buffetini stoutly with the contents of their waUets, and taking such affec tionate embraces of their canteens and pottles, as though the' verily believed they were to be the last. And as I foresee wi shall have hot work in a page or two, I advise my readers to di the same, for which purpose I will bring this chapter to a close giving them my word of honor, that no advantage shaU be takei of this armistice to surprise, or in any wise molest, the hones Nederlanders, while at their vigorous repast. CHAPTER VQI. CONTAINING THE MOST HORRIBLE BATTLE EVER RECORDED IN POETRY OR PROSE ; WITH THE ADMIRABLE EXPLOITS OF PETER THE HEADSTRONG. "Now had the Dutchmen snatched a huge repast," and finding themselves wonderfully encouraged and animated thereby, pre pared to take the field. Expectation, says the writer of the Stuyvesant manuscript — Expectation now stood on stilts. The world forgot to turn round, or rather stood still, that it might witness the affray ; like a round-bellied alderman, watching the combat of two chivalrous flies upon his jerkin. The eyes of all mankind, as usual in such cases, were turned upon Fort Christina. The sun, like a little man in a crowd at a puppet-show, scampered about the heavens, popping his head here and there, and endeav oring to get a peep between the unmannerly clouds that obtruded themselves in his way. The historians filled their inkhorns — the poets went without their dinners, either that they might buy paper and goose-quills, or because they could not get any thing to eat — Antiquity scowled sulkily out of its grave, to see itself outdone — while even Posterity stood mute, gazing in gaping ecstasy of retrospection on the eventful field. The immortal deities, who whilom had seen service at the 16 362 HISTORY OF NEW- Y UK*.. "affair" of Troy — now mounted their feather-bed clouds, and sailed over the plain, or mingled among the combatants in differ ent disguises, all itching to have a finger in the pie. Jupiter sent off his thunderbolt to a noted coppersmith, to have it furbished up for the direful occasion. Venus vowed by her chastity to patronize the Swedes, and in semblance of a blear-eyed trull paraded the battlements of Fort Christina, accompanied by Diana, as a sergeant's widow, of cracked reputation. The noted bully, Mars, stuck two horse-pistols into his belt, shouldered a rusty firelock, and gaUantly swaggered at their elbow, as a drunken corporal — while Apollo trudged in their rear, as a bandy-legged fifer, playing most villanously out of tune. On the other side, the ox-eyed Juno, who had gained a pair of black eyes over night, in one of her curtain lectures with old Jupiter, displayed her haughty beauties on a baggage-wagon — Minerva, as a brawny gin-suttler, tucked up her skirts, brandished her fists, and swore most heroicaUy, in exceeding bad Dutch, (having but lately studied the language,) by way of keeping up the spirits of the soldiers ; while Vulcan halted as a club-footed blacksmith, lately promoted to be a captain of militia. All was silent awe, or bustling preparation : war reared his horrid front, gnashed loud his iron fangs, and shook his direful crest of bris tling bayonets. • And now the mighty chieftains marshaled out their hosts. Here stood stout Risingh, firm as a thousand rocks — incrusted with stockades, and intrenched to the chin in mud batteries. His valiant soldiery lined the breast-work in grim array, each having his mustachios fiercely greased, and his hair pomatumed back, and queued so stiffly, that he grinned above the ramparts like a grisly death's head. nioiuity ok 1MSVV-YURK. 3D*3 There came on the intrepid Peter — his brows knit, his teeth set, his fists clenched, almost breathing forth volumes of smoke, so fierce was the fire that raged witliin his bosom. His faithful squire Van Corlear trudged valiantly at his heels, with his trum pet gorgeously bedecked with red and yellow ribands, the remem brances of his fair mistresses at the Manhattoes. Then came waddling on the sturdy chivalry of the Hudson. There were the Van Wycks, and the Van Dycks, and the Ten Eycks — the Van Nesses, the Van Tassels, the Van Grolls ; the Van Hccsens, the Van Giesons, and the Van Blarcoms — the Van Warts, the Van Winkles, the Van Dams ; the Van Pelts, the Van Rippers, and the Van Brunts. There were the Van Homes, the Van Hooks, the Van Bunschotens ; the Van Gelders, the Van Arsdales, and the Van Bummels ; the Vander Belts, the Vander Hoofs, the Vander Voorts, the Vander Lyns, the Vander Pools, and the Vander Spiegles — there came the Hoffmans, the Plooghlands, the Hoppers, the Cloppers, the Ryckmans, the Dyckmans, the Hoge- booms, the Rosebooms, the Oothouts, the Quackenbosses, the Roerbacks, the Garrebrantzes, the Bensons, the Brouwers, the Waldrons, the Onderdonks, the Varra Vangers, the Schermer- horns, the Stoutenburghs, the Brinkerhoffs, the Bontecous, the Knickerbockers, the Hockstrassers, the Ten Breecheses and the Tough Breecheses, with a host more of worthies, whose names are too crabbed to be written, or if they could be written, it would be impossible for man to utter — all fortified with a mighty dinner, and to use the words of a great Dutch poet, " Brimful of wrath and cabbage." For an instant the mighty Peter paused in the midst of his career, and mounting on a stump, addressed his troops in eloquent 364 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. Low Dutch, exhorting them to fight like duyvels, and assuring them that if they conquered, they should get plenty of booty — if they fell, they should be allowed the satisfaction, while dying, of reflecting that it was in the service of their country — and after they were dead, of seeing their names inscribed in the temple of renown, and handed down, in company with aU the other great men of the year, for the admiration of posterity.— Finally, he swore to them, on the word of a governor (and they knew him too well to doubt it for a moment), that if he caught any mother's son of them looking pale, or playing craven, he would curry his hide till he made him run out of it like a snake in spring time. — Then lugging out his trusty sabre, he brandished it three times over his head, ordered Van Corlear to sound a charge, and shout ing the words " St. Nicholas and the Manhattoes !" courageously dashed forwards. His warlike followers, who had employed the interval in lighting their pipes, instantly stuck them into their mouths, gave a furious puff, and charged gallantly, under cover of the smoke. The Swedish garrison, ordered by the cunning Risingh not to fire until they could distinguish the whites of their assailants' eyes, stood in horrid silence on the covert-way, until the eager Dutchmen had ascended the glacis. Then did they pour into them such a tremendous volley, that the very lulls quaked around, and were terrified even unto an incontinence of water, insomuch that certain springs burst forth from their sides, which continue to run unto the present day. Not a Dutchman but would have bitten the dust beneath that dreadful fire, had not the protecting Minerva kindly taken care that the Swedes should, one and all, observe their usual custom of shutting their eyes and turning away theil heads at the moment of discharge. HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 365 The Swedes followed up their fire by leaping the counter scarp, and falling tooth and nail upon the foe with furious outcries. And now might be seen prodigies of valor, unmatched in history or song. Here was the sturdy Stoffel Brinkerhoff brandishing his quarter-staff, like the giant Blanderon his oak tree (for he scorned to carry any other weapon), and drumming a horrific tune upon the hard heads of the Swedish soldiery. There were the Van Kortlandts, posted at a distance, Uke the Locrian archers of yore, and plying it most potently with the long-bow, for which they were so justly renowned. On a rising knoU were gathered the vaUant men of Sing-Sing, assisting marvelously in the fight, by chanting the great song of St. Nicholas ; but as to the Garde- niers of Hudson, they were absent on a marauding party, laying waste the neighboring watermelon patches. In a different part of the field were the Van Grolls of Anthony's Nose, struggling to get to the thickest of the fight, but horribly perplexed in a defile between two hills, by reason of the length of their noses. So also the Van Bunschotens of Nyack and Kakiat, so renowned for kicking with the left foot, were brought to a stand for want of wind, in consequence of the hearty dinner they had eaten, and would have been put to utter rout but for the arrival of a gaUant corps of voltigeurs, composed of the Hoppers, who advanced nimbly to their assistance on one foot. Nor must I omit to mention the valiant achievements of Antony Van Corlear, who, for a good quarter of an hour, waged stubborn fight with a little pursy Swedish drummer; whose hide he drummed most magnificently, and whom he would infaUiby have annihilated on the spot, but that he had come into the battle with no other weapon but his trumpet. But now the combat thickened. — On came the mighty Jacobus 366 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. Varra Vanger and the fighting men of the Wallabout ; after them thundered the Van Pelts of Esopus, together with the Van Rip. pers and the Van Brunts, bearing down all before them — then the Suy Dams, and the Van Dams, pressing forward with many a blustering oath, at the head of the warriors of Hell-gate, clad in their thunder and Ughtning gaberdines ; and lastly, the standard- bearers and body-guards of Peter Stuyvesant, bearing the great beaver of the Manhattoes. And now commenced the horrid din, the desperate struggle, the maddening ferocity, the frantic desperation, the confusion and self-abandonment of war. Dutchman and Swede commingled, tugged, panted, and blowed. The heavens were darkened with a tempest of missives. Bang ! went the guns- — whack ! went the broad-swords — thump ! went the cudgels— crash ! went the musket-stocks — blows — kicks — cuffs — scratches — black eyes and bloody noses swelling the horrors of the scene ! Thick thwack, cut and hack, helter-skelter, higgledy-piggledy, hurly-burly, head over heels, rough and tumble ! — Dunder and blixum ! swore the Dutchmen — splitter and splutter ! cried the Swedes — Storm the works ! shouted Hardkoppig Peter — Fire the mine ! roared stout Risingh — Tanta-ra-ra-ra ! twanged the trumpet of Antony Van Corlear — until all voice and sound became unintelligible — grunts of pain, yells of fury, and shouts of triumph mingling in one hideous clamor. The earth shook as if struck with a paralytic stroke — trees shrunk aghast, and withered at the sight — rocks burrowed in the ground like rabbits — and even Christina creek turned from its course, and ran up a hill in breathless terror ! Long hung the contest doubtful, for though a heavy shower of rain, sent by the " cloud-compelling Jove," in some measure cooled their ardor, as doth a bucket of water thrown on a group HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 3137 of fighting mastiffs, yet did they but pause for a moment, to re turn with tenfold fury to the charge. Just at this juncture a vast and dense column of smoke was seen slowly rolling toward the scene of battle. The combatants paused for a moment, gazing in mute astonishment until the wind, dispelling the murky cloud, revealed the flaunting banner of Michael Paw the Patroon of Communipaw. That valiant chieftain came fearlessly on at the head of a phalanx of oyster-fed Pavonians and a corps de reserve of the Van Arsdales and Van Bummels, who had re mained behind to digest the enormous dinner they had eaten. These now trudged manfully forward, smoking their pipes with outrageous vigor, so as to raise the awful cloud that has been mentioned; but marching exceedingly slow, being short of leg. and of great rotundity in the belt. And now the deities who watched over the fortunes of the Nederlanders having unthinkingly left the field and stepped into a neighboring tavern to refresh themselves with a pot of beer, a direful catastrophe had well nigh ensued. Scarce had the myrmidons of Michael Paw attained the front of battle, when the Swedes, instructed by the cunning Risingh, leveled a shower of blows full at their tobacco-pipes. Astounded at this assault, and dismayed at the havoc of their pipes, these ponderous warriors gave way, and like a drove of frightened elephants broke through the ranks of their own army. The Uttle Hoppers were borne down in the surge : the sacred banner emblazoned with the gigantic oyster of Communipaw was trampled in the dirt: on blundered and thundered the heavy -sterned fugitives, the Swedes pressing on their rear and applying their feet a parte poste of the Van Arsdales and the Van Bummels with a vigor 368 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. that prodigiously accelerated their movements — nor did the re nowned Michael Paw himself fail to receive divers grievous t,nd dishonorable visitations of shoe leather. But what, oh Muse ! was the rage of Peter Stuyvesant, when from afar he saw his army giving way ! In the transports of his wrath he sent forth a roar, enough to shake the very hills. The men of the Manhattoes plucked up new courage at the sound ; or rather, they rallied at the voice of their leader, of whom they stood more in awe than of aU the Swedes in Chris tendom. Without waiting for their aid, the daring Peter daihed sword in hand into the-thickest of the foe. Then might be seen achievements worthy of the days of the giants. Wherever he went, the enemy shrank before him ; the Swedes fled to right and left, or were driven, Uke dogs, into their own ditch ; but, as he pushed forward singly with headlong courage, the foe closed behind and hung upon his rear. One aim°d a blow fuU at his heart ; but the protecting power which watches over the great and good turned aside the hostile blade and directed it to a side- pocket, where reposed an enormous iron tobacco-box, endowed, Uke the shield of AchiUes, with supernatural powers, doubtless from bearing the portrait of the blessed St Nicholas. Peter Stuyvesant turned like an angry bear upon the foe, and seizing him as he fled, by an immeasurable queue, " Ah whoreson cater pillar," roared he, "here's what shall make worms' meat of thee !" So saying, he whirled his sword and dealt a blow that would have decapitated the varlet, but that the pitying steel struck short and shaved the queue forever from his crown. At this moment an ar- quebusier leveled his piece from a neighboring mound, with deadly aim ; but the watchful Minerva, who had just stopped to tie up H1STUKY Uf JNKW-YORK, 369 her garter, seeing the peril of her favorite hero, sent old Boreas with his beUows, who, as the match descended to the pan, gave a blast that blew the priming from the touch-hole. Thus waged the fight, when the stout Risingh, surveying the field from the top of a little ravelin, perceived his troops banged, beaten, and kicked by the invincible Peter. Drawing his falchion and uttering a thousand anathemas, he strode down to the scene of combat with some such thundering strides as Jupiter is said by Hesiod to have taken, when he strode down the spheres to bur' his thunderbolts at the Titans. When the rival heroes came face to face, each made a prodi gious start in the style of a veteran stage champion. Then did they regard each other for a moment with the bitter aspect of two furious ram-cats on the point of a clapper-clawing. Then did they throw themselves into one attitude, then into another, striking their swords on the ground first on the right side, then on the left — at last at it they went, with incredible ferocity. Words cannot teU the prodigies of strength and valor displayed in this direful encounter — an encounter compared to which the far-famed battles of Ajax with Hector, of -ZEneas with Turnus, Orlando with Rodomont, Guy of Warwick with Colbrand the Dane, or of that renowned Welsh knight, Sir Owen of the Moun tains, with the giant Guylon, were all gentle sports and holyday recreations. At length the vaUant Peter, watching his opportu nity, aimed a blow, enough to cleave his adversary to the very chine ; but Risingh, nimbly raising his sword, warded it off so narrowly, that glancing on one side, it shaved away a huge can teen in which he carried his liquor ; thence pursuing its trenchant course, it severed off a deep coat pocket, stored with bread and cheese — which provant rolUng among the armies, occasioned a 16* 370 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. fearful scrambling between the Swedes and Dutchmen, and mado the general battle to wax ten times more furious than ever. Enraged to see his military stores laid waste, the stout Risingh, collecting all his forces, aimed a mighty blow full at the hero's crest. In vain did his fierce little cocked hat oppose its course. The biting steel clove through the stubborn ram beaver, and would have cracked the crown of any one not endowed with supernatural hardness of head ; but the brittle weapon shivered in pieces on the skull of Hardkoppig Piet, shedding a thousand sparks, Uke beams of glory round his grizzly visage. The good Peter reeled with the blow, and turning up his eyes beheld a thousand suns, beside moons and stars, dancing about the firmament — at length, missing his footing, by reason of his wooden leg, down he came on his seat of honor with a crash which shook the surrounding hiUs, and might have wrecked his frame, had he not been received into a cushion softer than velvet, which Providence or Minerva, or St. Nicholas, or some kindly cow had benevolently prepared for his reception. The furious Risingh, in despite of the maxim, cherished by all true knights, that " fair play is a jewel," hastened to take advantage of the hero's fall ; but, as he stooped to give a fatal blow, Peter Stuyvesant dealt him a thwack over the sconce with his wooden leg, which set a chime of beUs ringing triple bob jnajors in his cerebellum. The bewildered Swede staggered with the blow, and the wary Peter seizing a pocket-pistol, wliich lay hard by, discharged it full at the head of the reeling Risingh. Let not my reader mistake ; it was not a murderous weapon loaded with powder and ball ; but a little sturdy stone pottle charged to the muzzle with a double dram of true Dutch courage, wliich the knowing Antony Van Corlear carried about him by way of re- HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 371 plenishing his valor; and which had dropped from his wallet during his furious encounter with the drummer. The hideous weapon sang through the air, and true to its course as was the fragment of a rock discharged at Hector by bully Ajax, encoun tered the head of the gigantic Swede with matchless violence. This heaven-directed blow decided the battle. The ponderous pericranium of General Jan Risingh sank upon his breast ; his knees tottered under him ; a death-like torpor seized upon his frame, and he tumbled to the earth with such violence, that old Pluto started with affright, lest he should have broken through the roof of his infernal palace. His fall was the signal of defeat and victory — the Swedes gave way — the Dutch pressed forward ; the former took to their heels, the latter hotly pursued. — Some entered with them, peU- mell, through the sally-port — others stormed the bastion, and others scrambled over the curtain. Thus in a little while the for tress of Fort Christina, which, Uke another Troy, had stood a siege of full ten hours, was carried by assault, without the loss of a single man on either side. Victory, in the Ukeness of a gigan tic ox-fly, sat perched upon the cocked hat of the gallant Stuy vesant, and it was declared, by all the writers whom he hired to write the history of his expedition, that on this memorable day he gained a sufficient quantity of glory to immortalize a dozen of the greatest heroes in Christendom ! CHAPTER IX, IN WHICH THE AUTHOR AND THE READER, WHILE REPOSING AFTER THE BATTLE, FALL INTO A VERY GRAVE DISCOURSE- AFTER WHICH IS RECORDED THE CONDUCT OF PETER STUY VESANT AFTER HIS VICTORY. Thanks to St. Nicholas, we have safely finished this tremendous battle : let us sit down, my worthy reader, and cool ourselves, for I am in a prodigious sweat and agitation — truly this fighting of battles is hot work ! and if your great commanders did but know what trouble they give their historians, they would not have the conscience to achieve so many hon-ible victories. But metliinks I hear my reader complain, that throughout this boasted battle there is not the least slaughter, nor a single individual maimed, if we except the unhappy Swede, who was shorn of his queue by the trenchant blade of Peter Stuyvesant ; all which, he observes, is a great outrage on probability, and highly injurious to the inter est of the narration. This is certainly an objection of no little moment, but it arises entirely from the obscurity enveloping the remote periods of time about which I have undertaken to write. Thus, though doubt less, from the importance of the object, and the prowess of the parties concerned, there must have been terrible carnage, and HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 373 prodigies of valor displayed before the walls of Christina, yet, notwithstanding that I have consulted every history, manuscript, and tradition, touching this memorable though long-forgotten bat tle, I cannot find mention made of a single man killed or wounded in the whole affair. This is, without doubt, owing to the extreme modesty of our forefathers, who, unlike their descendants, were never prone to vaunt of their achievements ; but it is a virtue wliich places their historian in a most embarrassing predicament ; for, having pro mised my readers a hideous and unparalleled battle, and having worked them up into a warUke and bloodthirsty state of mind ; to put them off without any havoc and slaughter would have been as bitter a disappointment as to summon a multitude of good peo ple to attend an execution, and then cruelly balk them by a reprieve. Had the fates only allowed me some half a score of dead men, I had been content ; for I would have made them such heroes as abounded in the .olden time, but whose race is now unfortunately extinct; any one of whom, if we may believe those authentic writers, the poets, could drive great armies like sheep before him, and conquer and desolate whole cities by his single arm. But seeing that I had not a single life at my disposal, all that was left me was to make the most I could of my battle, by means of kicks, and cuffs, and bruises, and such like ignoble wounds. And here I cannot but compare my dilemma, in some sort, to that of the divine Milton, who, having arrayed with sublime preparation his immortal hosts against each other, is sadly put to it how to manage them, and how he shaU make the end of his battle answer to the beginning ; inasmuch as, being mere spirits, he cannot deal a mortal blow, nor even give a flesh wound to any 374 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. of his combatants. For my part, the greatest difiiculty I found was, when I had once put my warriors in a passion, and let them loose into the midst of the enemy, to keep them from doing mischief. Many a time had I to restrain the sturdy Peter from cleaving a gigantic Swede to the very waistband, or spitting half a dozen Uttle fellows on his sword, like so many sparrows. And when I had set some hundred of missives flying in the air, I did not dare to suffer one of them to reach the ground, lest it should have put an end to some unlucky Dutchman. The reader cannot conceive how mortifying it is to a writer thus in a manner to have his hands tied, and how many tempting opportunities I had to wink at, where I might have made as fine a death-blow as any recorded in history or song. From my own experience I begin to doubt most potently of the authenticity of many of Homer's stories. I verily believe, that when he had once launched one of his favorite heroes among a crowd of the enemy, he cut down many an honest fellow, without any authority for so doing, excepting that he presented a fair mark — and that often a poor fellow was sent to grim Pluto's domains, merely because he had a name that would give a sound ing turn to a period. But I disclaim aU such unprincipled Uber- ties — let me but have truth and the law on my side, and no man would fight harder than myself — but since the various records I consulted did not warrant it, I had too much conscience to kill a single soldier. — By St. Nicholas, but it would have been a pretty piece of business ! My enemies, the critics, who I foresee will be ready enough to lay any crime they can discover at my door, might have charged me with murder outright — and I should have esteemed myself lucky to escape with no harsher verdict than manslaughter ! HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 375 And now, gentle reader, that we are tranquilly sitting down here, smoking our pipes, permit me to indulge in a melancholy reflection which at this moment passes across my mind. — How vain, how fleeting, how uncertain are all those gaudy bubbles after which we are panting and toiling in this world of fair delusions ! The wealth which the miser has amassed with so many weary days, so many sleepless nights, a spendthrift heir may squander away in joyless prodigaUty; — the noblest monuments which pride has ever reared to perpetuate a name, the hand of time will shortly tumble into ruins — and even the brightest laurels, gained by feats of arms, may wither, and be for ever blighted by the chilling neglect of mankind. — " How many illustrious heroes," says the good Boetius, " who were once the pride and glory of the age, hath the silence of historians buried in eternal oblivion !" And this it was that induced the Spartans, when they went to battle, solemnly to sacrifice to the Muses, supplicating that their achievements might be worthily recorded. Had not Homer tuned Ms lofty lyre, observes the elegant Cicero, the valor of Achilles had remained unsung. And such too, after all the toils and perils he had braved, after all the gallant actions he had achieved, such too had nearly been the fate of the chivalric Peter Stuyvesant, but that I fortunately stepped in and engraved his name on the indelible tablet of history, just as the caitiff Time was silently brushing it away forever ! The more I reflect, the more I am astonished at the important character of the historian. He is the sovereign censor, to decide upon the renown or infamy of his fellow-men. He is the patron of kings and conquerors, on whom it depends whether they shall live in after-ages, or be forgotten as were their ancestors before them. The tyrant may oppress while the object of his tyranny 376 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK exists ; but the historian possesses superior might, for his powei extends even beyond the grave. The shades of departed and long-forgotten heroes anxiously bend down from above, wMle he writes, watching each movement of his pen, whether it shall pass by their names with neglect, or inscribe them on the death less pages of renown. Even the drop of ink which hangs trem bling on his pen, which he may either dash upon the floor, or waste in idle scrawlings — that very drop, which to him is not worth the twentieth part of a farthing, may be of incalculable value to some departed worthy — may elevate half a score, in one moment, to immortality, who would have given worlds, had they possessed them, to ensure the glorious meed. Let not my readers imagine, however, that I am indulging in vainglorious boastings, or am anxious to blazon forth the impor tance of my tribe. On the contrary, I shrink when I reflect on the awful responsibility we historians assume — I shudder to think what direful commotions and calamities we occasion in the world - — I swear to thee, honest reader, as I am a man, I weep at the very idea ! Why, let me ask, are so many illustrious men daily tearing themselves away from the embraces of their families — slighting the smiles of beauty — despising the aUurements of for tune, and exposing themselves to the miseries of war ? — Why are kings desolating empires, and depopulating whole countries ? In short, what induces all great men, of all ages and countries, to commit so many victories and misdeeds, and inflict so many mise ries upon mankind and upon themselves, but the mere hope that some historian will kindly take them into notice, and admit them into a corner of his volume ? For, in short, the mighty object of all their toils, their hardships, and privations, is nothing but immortal fame — and what is immortal fame ? why, half a HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 377 page of dirty paper ! alas ! alas ! how humiUating the idea — that the renown of so great a man as Peter Stuyvesant should depend upon the pen of so Uttle a man as Diedrich Knicker bocker ! And now, having refreshed ourselves after the fatigues and perils of the field, it behooves us to return once more to the scene of conflict, and inquire what were the results of this renowned conquest. The fortress of Christina being the fair metropolis, and in a manner the key to New- Sweden, its capture was speedily followed by the entire subjugation of the province. This was not a little promoted by the gallant and courteous deportment of the chivalric Peter. Though a man terrible in battle, yet in the hour of victory was he endued with a spirit generous, merciful, and humane. He vaunted not over his enemies, nor did he make defeat more galling by unmanly insults ; for like that mirror of knightly virtue, the renowned Paladin Orlando, he was more anxious to do great actions than to taUc of them after they were done. He put no man to death ; ordered no houses to be burnt down ; permitted no ravages to be perpetrated on the property of the vanquished ; and even gave one of his bravest officers a severe admonishment with his walking-staff, for having been detected in the act of sacking a hen-roost. He moreover issued a proclamation, inviting the inhabitants to submit to the authority of their High Mightinesses; but declaring, with unexampled clemency, that whoever refused should be lodged at the public expense, in a goodly castle provided for the purpose, and have an armed retinue to wait on them in the bargain. In consequence of these beneficent terms, about thirty Swedes stepped manfuUy forward and took the oath of allegiance ; in reward for wliich they were graciously permitted to remain on 37S HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. the banks of the Delaware, where their descendants reside at this very day. I am told, however, by divers observant travelers, that they have never been able to get over the chap-fallen looks of their ancestors ; but that they still do strangely transmit from father to son manifest marks of the sound drubbing g.ven them by the sturdy Amsterdammers. The whole country of New-Sweden, having thus yielded to the arms of the triumphant Peter, was reduced to a colony called South River, and placed under the superintendence of a lieutenant-governor ; subject to the control of the supreme gov ernment of New-Amsterdam. This great dignitary was called Mynheer William Beekman, or rather Beck-man, who derived his surname, as did Ovidius Naso of yore, from the lordly dimen sions of his nose, which projected from the centre of his counte nance, like the beak of a parrot. He was the great progenitor of the tribe of the Beekmans, one of the most ancient and honora ble families of the province ; the members of wliich do gratefully commemorate the origin of their dignity ; not as your noble fami lies in England would do, by having a glowing proboscis embla zoned in their escutcheon ; but by one and all wearing a right goodly nose, stuck in the very middle of their faces. Thus was this perilous enterprise gloriously terminated, with the loss of only two men, — Wolfert Van Home, a tall spare man, who was knocked overboard by the boom of a sloop in a flaw of wind ; and fat Brom Van Bummel, who was suddenly carried off by an indigestion ; both, however, were immortaUzed, as having bravely fallen in the service of their country. True it is, Peter Stuyvesant had one of his Umbs terribly fractured in the act of storming the fortress ; but as it was fortunately his wooden leg, the wound was promptly and effectually healed. HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 370 And now nothing remains to this branch of my history but to mention that this immaculate hero, and his victorious army, returned joyously to the Manhattoes ; where they made a solemn and triumphant entry, bearing with them the conquered Risingh, and the remnant of his battered crew, who had refused allegiance ; for it appears that the gigantic Swede had only fallen into a swoon, at the end of the battle, from which he was speedily restored by a wholesome tweak of the nose. These captive heroes were lodged, according to the promise of the governor, at the public expense, in a fair and spacious castle ; being the prison of state, of which Stoffel Brinkerhoff, the immortal conqueror of Oyster Bay, was appointed governor ; and which has ever since remained in the possession of his descendants.* It was a pleasant and goodly sight to witness the joy of the people of New-Amsterdam, at beholding their warriors once more return from this war in the wilderness. The old women thronged round Antony Van Corlear, who gave the whole history of the campaign with matchless accuracy ; saving that he took the credit of fighting the whfte battle himself, and especially of vanquishing the stout Risingh ; which he considered himself as clearly entitled to, seeing that it was effected by his own stone pottle. The schoolmasters throughout the town gave holiday to their little urchins, — who followed in droves after the drums, with paper caps on their heads, and sticks in their breeches, thus taking the first lesson in the art of war. As to the sturdy * This castle, though very much altered and modernized, is still in being, «nd stands at the corner of Pearl-street, facing Coentie's slip. 380 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. rabble, they thronged at the heels of Peter Stuyvesant wher ever he went, waving their greasy hats in the air, and shouting " Hardkoppig Piet for ever !" It was indeed a day of roaring rout and jubilee. A huo-e dinner was prepared at, the Stadthouse in honor of the con querors, where were assembled in one glorious constellation the great and little luminaries of New-Amsterdam. There were the lordly Schout and his obsequious deputy — the burgomasters with their officious schepens at their elbows— the subaltern officers at the elbows of the schepens, and so on down to the lowest hanger-on of police ; every tag having his rag at his side, to finish his pipe, drink off his heel-taps, and laugh at his flights of immortal dullness. In short — for a city feast is a city feast all the world over, and has been a city feast ever since the creation — the dinner went off much the same as do our great corporation junketings and fourth of July banquets. Loads of fish, flesh, and fowl were devoured, oceans of Uquor drunk, thousands of pipes smoked, and many a dull joke honored with much obstreperous fat-sided laughter. I must not omit t» mention, that to this far-famed victory Peter Stuyvesant was indebted for another of his many titles — for so hugely delighted were the honest burghers with his achievements, that they unanimously honored him with the name of Pieter de Groodt, that is to say Peter the Great ; or, as it was translated into English by the people of New-Amsterdam, for the benefit of their New England visitors, Piet de pig — an appellation which he maintained even unto the day of his death. BOOK VII. CONTAINING THE THIRD PART OF THE REIGN OF PETER TIIE HEADSTRONG— HIS TROUBLES WITH THE BRITISH NATION, AND THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE DUTCH DYNASTY, CHAPTER I. HOW PETER STUYVESANT RELIEVED THE SOVEREIGN PEOPLE FROM THE BURTHEN OF TAKING CARE OF THE NATION ; WITH SUNDRY PARTICULARS OF HIS CONDUCT IN TIME OF PEACE, AND OF THE RISE OF A GREAT DUTCH ARIS TOCRACY. The history of the reign of Peter Stuyvesant furnishes an edifying picture of the cares and vexations inseparable from sovereignty, and a solemn warning to all who are ambitious of attaining the seat of honor. Though returning in triumph and crowned with victory, his exultation was checked on observing the abuses which had sprung up in New- Amsterdam during his short absence. His walking-staff, which he had sent home to act as his vicegerent, had, it is true, kept his council-chamber in order ; the counsellors eyeing it with awe, as it lay in grim 382 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. repose upon the table, and smoking their pipes in sUence ; but its control extended not out of doors. The populace unfortunately had had too much their own way under the slack though fitful reign of William the Testy ; and though upon the accession of Peter Stuyvesant they had felt, with the instinctive perception which mobs as well as cattle possess, that the reins of government had passed into strongei hands, yet could they not help fretting and chafing and champing upon the bit, in restive silence. Scarcely, therefore, had he departed on his expedition against the Swedes, than the old factions of William Kieft's reign had again thrust their heads above water. Pot-house meetings were again held to " discuss the state of the nation," where cobblers, tinkers, and tailors, the self-dubbed " friends of the people," once more felt themselves inspired with the gift of legislation, and un dertook to lecture on every movement of government. Now, as Peter Stuyvesant had a singular inclination to govern the province by his individual will,liis first move, on his return, was to put a stop to this gratuitous legislation. Accordingly, one eve ning, when an inspired cobbler was holding forth to an assemblage of the kind, the intrepid Peter suddenly made his appearance, with his ominous walking-staff in his hand, and a countenance sufficient to petrify a mill-stone. The whole meeting was thrown into confusion — the orator stood aghast, with open mouth and trembling knees, while " horror ! tyranny ! Uberty ! rights ! taxes ! death ! destruction !" and a host of other patriotic phrases were bolted forth before be had time to close his lips. Peter took no notice of the skulking throng, but strode up to the brawling bully- ruffian, and pulling out a huge silver watch, which might have served in limes of yore as a town-clock, and which is still retained , HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 383 by his descendants as a family curiosity, requested the orator to mend it, and set it going. The orator humbly confessed it was utterly out of his power, as he was unacquainted with the nature of its construction. " Nay, but," said Peter, " try your ingenuity, man : you see all the springs and wheels, and how easily the clumsiest hand may stop it, and pull it to pieces ; and why should it not be equally easy to regulate as to stop it ?" The orator de clared that his trade was wholly different — that he was a poor cobbler, and had never meddled with a watch in his Ufe — that there were men skiUed in the art, whose business it was to attend to those matters ; but for his part, he should only mar the work manship and put the whole in confusion " Why, harkee, mas ter of mine," cried Peter, turning suddenly upon him, with a countenance that almost petrified the patcher of shoes into a per fect lapstone — " dost thou pretend to meddle with the movements of government — to regulate, and correct, and patch, and cobble a complicated machine, the principles of which are above thy com prehension, and its simplest operations too subtle for thy under standing,, when thou canst not correct a trifling error in a common piece of mechanism, the whole mystery of which is open to thy inspection ? — Hence with thee to the leather and stone, which are emblems of thy head ; cobble thy shoes, and confine thyself to the vocation for which Heaven has fitted thee — but," elevating his voice until it made the welkin ring, '¦ if ever I catch thee, or any of thy tribe, meddling again with affairs of government, by St. Nicholas, but I'll have every mother's bastard of ye flay'd alive, and your hides stretched for drum-heads, that ye may thenceforth Blake a noise to some purpose !" This threat, and the tremendous voice in which it was uttered, caused the whole multitude to quake with fear. The hair of the 384 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. orator rose on his head like his own swine's bristles, and not a knight of the thimble present but his heart died within him, and he felt as though he could have verily escaped through the eye of a needle. The assembly dispersed in silent consternation ; the pseudo statesmen who had hitherto undertaken to regulate public affairs, were now fain to stay at home, hold their tongues, and take care of their families ; and party feuds died away to such a degree, that many thriving keepers of taverns and dram-shops were utterly ruined for want of business. But though this mea sure produced the desired effect in putting an extinguisher on the new lights just brightening up : yet did it tend to injure the popu larity of the Great Peter with the thinking part of the community: that is to say, that part which think for others instead of for them selves ; or, in other words, who attend to> every body's business but their own. These accused the old governor of being highly aris- tocratical, and in truth there seems to have been some ground for such an accusation ; for he carried himself with a lofty soldier like air, and was somewhat particular in his dress, appearing, when not in uniform, in rich apparel of the antique flaundrish cut, and was especially noted for having his sound leg (which was a very comely one) always arrayed in a red stocking and high- heeled shoe. Justice he often dispensed in the primitive patriarchal way, seated on the " stoep " before his door, under the shade of a great button-wood tree ; but all visits of form and state were received with something of court ceremony in the best parlor; where Antony the Trumpeter officiated as high chamberlain. On public occasions he appeared with great pomp of equipage, and always rode to church in a yellow wagon with flaming red wheels. These symptoms of state and ceremony, as we have hinted, HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. were much cavUed at by the thinking (and talking) part of the community. They had been accustomed to find easy access to their former governors, and in particular had Uved on terms of extreme intimacy with WUliam the Testy, and they accused Peter Stuyvesant of assuming too much dignity and reserve, and of wrapping himself in mystery. Others, however, have pretended to discover in all this a shrewd policy on the part of the old gov ernor. It is certainly of the first importance, say they, that a country should be governed by wise men : but then it is almost equaUy important that the people should think them wise ; for this beUef alone can produce willing subordination. To keep up, however, this desirable confidence in rulers, the people should be allowed to see as Uttle of them as possible. It is the mystery which envelopes great men, that gives them half their greatness. There is a kind of superstitious reverence for office which leads us to exaggerate the merits of the occupant ; and to suppose that he must be wiser than common men. He, however, who gains access to cabinets, soon finds out by what foolishness the world is governed. He finds that there is quackery in legislation as in every thing else ; that rulers have their whims and errors as well as other men, and are not so wonderfully superior as he had ima gined, since even he may occasionally confute them in argument. Thus awe subsides into confidence, confidence inspires fami liarity, and familiarity produces contempt. Such was the case, say they, with WilUam the Testy. By making himself too easy of access he enabled every scrub-politician to measure wits with him, and to find out the true dimensions not only of his person but of his mind : and thus it was that, by being familiarly scan ned, he was discovered to be a very little man. Peter Stuyve sant, on the contrary, say they, by conducting himself with dignity 17 386 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. and loftiness, was looked up to with great reverence. As he never gave his reasons for any thing he did, the pubUc gave him credit for very profound ones ; every movement, however intrinsicaUy unimportant, was a matter of speculation; and his very red stockings excited some respect, as being different from the stock ings of other men. Another charge against Peter Stuyvesant was that he had a great leaning in favor of the patricians : and indeed in his time rose many of those mighty Dutch families which have taken such vigorous root, and branched out so luxuriantly in our State. Some, to be sure, were of earUer date, such as the Van Kortlandts, the Van Zandts, the Ten Broecks, the Harden Broecks, and others of Pavonian renown, who gloried in the title of " Discoverers," from having been engaged in the nautical expedition from Communi paw, in which they so heroically braved the terrors of Hell-gate and Buttermilk-channel, and discovered a site for New- Amsterdam. Others claimed to themselves the appellation of Conquerors, from their gallant achievements in New-Sweden »nd their victory over the Yankees at Oyster Bay. Such was that list of warlike worthies heretofore enumerated, beginning with the Van Wycks, the Van Dycks, and the Ten Eycks, and extending to the Rut gers, the Bensons, the Brinkerhoffs, and the Schermerhorns ; a roll equal to the Doomsday Book of William the Conqueror, and estabUshing the heroic origin of many an ancient aristocratical Dutch family. These, after all, are the only legitimate nobihty and lords of the soil ; these are the real " beavers of the Man hattoes ;" and much does it grieve me in modern days to see them elbowed aside by foreign invaders, and more especiaUy by those ingenious people, " the Sons of the Pilgrims ;" who out-bargain them in the market, out-speculate them on the exchange, out-top HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 387 them in fortune, and run up mushroom palaces so high, that the tallest Dutch family mansion has not wind enough left for its weather-cock. In the proud days of Peter Stuyvesant, however, the good old Dutch aristocracy loomed out in all its grandeur. The burly burgher, in round-crowned flaundrish hat with brim of vast cir cumference ; in portly gabardine and bulbous multiplicity of breeches, sat on his " stoep " and smoked his pipe in lordly silence, nor did it ever enter his brain that the active, restless Yankee, whom he saw through his half-shut eyes worrying about in dog-day heat, ever intent on the main chance, was one day to usurp control over these goodly Dutch domains. Already, how ever, the races regarded each other with disparaging eye. The Yankees sneeringly spoke of the round-crowned burghers of the Manhattoes as the " Copper-heads ;" while the latter, glorying in their own nether rotundity, and observing the slack galligaskins of their rivals, flapping Uke an empty Sail against the mast, retorted upon them with the opprobrious appellation of " Platter- breeches.' CHAPTER H. HOW PETER STUYVESANT LABORED TO CIVILIZE THE COMMU NITY HOW HE WAS A GREAT PROMOTER OF HOLYDAYS— HOW HE INSTITUTED KISSING ON NEW-YEAR'S DAY HOW HE DISTRIBUTED FIDDLES THROUGHOUT THE NEW-NETH ERLANDS HOW HE VENTURED TO REFORM THE LADIES' PETTICOATS, AND HOW HE CAUGHT A TARTAR. From what I have recounted in the foregoing chapter I would not have it imagined that the great Peter was a tyrannical potentate, ruling with a rod of iron. On the contrary, where the dignity of office permitted he abounded in generosity and condescension. If he refused the brawhng multitude the right of misrule, he at least endeavored to rule them in righteousness. To spread abundance in the land, he obUged the bakers to give thirteen loaves to the dozen — a golden rule which remains a monument of his beneficence. So far from indulging in unrea sonable austerity, he deUghted to see the poor and the laboring man rejoice ; and for this purpose he was a great promoter of holydays. Under his reign there was a great cracking of eggs at Paas or Easter ; Whitsuntide or Pinxter also flourished in all its bloom ; and never were stockings better fiUed on the eve of the blessed St. Nicholas. HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. New-year's day, however, was his favorite festival, and was ushered in by the ringing of bells and firing of guns. On that genial day the fountains of hospitality were broken up, and the whole community was deluged with cherry -brandy, true Hollands, and mulled cider ; every house was a temple to the jolly god ; and many a provident vagabond got drunk out of pure economy, taking in Uquor enough gratis to serve him half a year after wards. The great assemblage, however, was at the governor's house, whither repaired aU the burghers of New- Amsterdam with their wives and daughters, pranked out in their best attire. On this occasion the good Peter was devoutly observant of the pious Dutch rite of kissing the women-kind for a happy new-year ; and it is traditional that Antony the Trumpeter, who acted as gentle man usher, took toU of all who were young and handsome, as they passed through the antechamber. This venerable custom, thus happily introduced, was followed with such zeal by high and low, that on new-year's day, during the reign of Peter Stuyve sant, New- Amsterdam was the most thoroughly be-kissed com munity in all Christendom. Another great measure of Peter Stuyvesant for pubUc im provement was the distribution of fiddles throughout the land. These were placed in the hands of veteran negroes, who were dispatched as missionaries to every part of the province. This measure, it is said, was first suggested by Antony the Trumpeter ; and the effect was marvelous. Instead of those "indignation meetings " set on foot in the time of WUliam the Testy, where men mot together to raU at public abuses, groan over the evils of the times, and make each other miserable, there were joyous gatherings of the two sexes to dance and make merry. Now 390 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. were instituted " quilting bees," and " husking bees," and other rural assemblages, where, under the inspiring influence of the fiddle, toil was enlivened by gayety and followed up by the dance. " Raising bees " also were frequent, where houses sprang up at the wagging of the fiddle-stick, as the waUs of Thebes sprang up of yore to the sound of the lyre of Amphion. JoUy autumn, which pours its treasures over hill and dale, was in those days a season for the lifting of the heel as weU as the heart; labor came dancing in the train of abundance, and frohc prevailed throughout the land. Happy days! when the yeomanry of the Nieuw-Nederlands were merry rather than wise ; and when the notes of the fiddle, those harbingers of good humor and good wiU, resounded at the close of the day from every hamlet along the Hudson ! Nor was it in rural communities alone that Peter Stuyvesant introduced his favorite engine of civilization. Under his rule the fiddle acquired that potent sway in New- Amsterdam which it has ever since retained. Weekly assemblages were held, not in heated ball-rooms at midnight hours, but on Saturday afternoons, by the golden light of the sun, on the green lawn of the battery ; with Antony the Trumpeter for master of ceremonies. Here would the good Peter take his seat under the spreading trees, among the old burghers and their wives, and watch the mazes of the dance. Here would he smoke his pipe, crack his joke, and forget the rugged toils of war, in the sweet oblivious festivities of peace, giving a nod of approbation to those of the young men who shuffled and kicked most vigorously ; and, now and then a hearty smack, in all honesty of soul, to the buxom lass who held out longest, and tired down every competitor infaUible proof of her being the best dancer. HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 391 Once it is true the harmony of these meetings was in danger of interruption. A young belle just returned from a visit to HoUand, who of course led the fashions, made her appearance in not more than half a dozen petticoats, and these of alarming shortness. A whisper and a flutter ran through the assembly. The young men of course were lost in admiration, but the old ladies were shocked in the extreme, especially those who had marriageable daughters ; .. the young ladies blushed and felt excessively for the " poor thing," and even the governor himself appeared to be in some kind of perturbation. To complete the confusion of the good folks she undertook, in the course of a jig, to describe some figures in algebra taught her by a dancing-master at Rotterdam. Unfortunately, at the highest flourish of her feet some vagabond zephyr obtruded his services, and a display of the graces took place, at which all the ladies present were thrown into great consternation ; several gra*ve country members were not a little moved, and the good Peter Stuyvesant himself was grievously scandalized. The shortness of the female dresses, which had continued in fashion ever since the days of William Kieft, had long offended his eye ; and though extremely averse to meddling with the pet ticoats of the ladies, yet he immediately recommended that every one should be furnished with a flounce to the bottom. He like wise ordered that the ladies, and indeed the gentlemen, should use no other step in dancing than " shuffle and turn," and " double trouble ;'' and forbade, under pain of his high displeasure, any young lady thenceforth to attempt what was termed " exhibiting the graces." These were the only restrictions he ever imposed upon the sex, and these were considered by them as tyrannical oppressions, 392 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. * and resisted with that becoming spirit manifested by the gentle sex whenever their privileges are invaded. In fact, Antony Van Corlear, who, as has been shown, was a sagacious man, experi enced in the ways of women, took a private occasion to intimate to the governor that a conspiracy was forming among the young vrouws of New- Amsterdam ; and that, if the matter were pushed any further, there was danger of their leaving off petticoats alto gether ; whereupon the good Peter shrugged his shoulders, drop ped the subject, and ever after suffered the women to wear then- petticoats and cut their capers as high as they pleased ; a privi lege which they have jealously maintained in the Manhattoes unto the present day. CHAPTER HI. HOW TROUBLES THICKEN ON THE PROVINCE — HOW IT 19 THREATENED BY THE HELDERBERGERS, THE MERRYLAND- ERS, AND THE GIANTS OF THE SUSQUEHANNA. In the last two chapters I have regaled the reader with a delecta ble picture of the good Peter and his metropolis during an inter val of peace. It was, however, but a bit of blue sky in a stormy day; the clouds are again gathering up from all points of the compass, and, if I am not mistaken in my forebodings, we shall have rattUng weather in the ensuing chapters. It is with some communities as it is with certain meddlesome individuals ; they have a wonderful facUity at getting into scrapes, and I have always remarked that those are most prone to get in who have the least talent at getting out again. This is doubtless owing to the excessive valor of those states ; for I have likewise noticed that this rampant quality is always most frothy and fussy where most confined ; which accounts for its vaporing so ama zingly in Uttle states, little men and ugly little women more espe cially. Such is the case with this Uttle province of the Nieuw-Ned erlands ; which, by its exceeding valor, has already drawn upon itself a host of enemies ; has had fighting enough to satisfy a pro- 17* 394 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. vince twice its size ; and is in a fair way of becoming an exceed ingly forlorn, well-belabored, and woe-begone little province. All which was providentially ordered to give interest and sublimity to this pathetic history. The first interruption to the halcyon quiet of Peter Stuyve sant was caused by hostile intelligence from the old belligerent nest of RenseUaerstein. KiUian, the lordly patroon of Rensel laerwick, was again in the field, at the head of his myrmidons of the Helderberg ; seeking to annex the whole of the Kaats-kUl mountains to his domains. The Indian tribes of these mountains had likewise taken up the hatchet and menaced the venerable Dutch settlement of Esopus. Fain would I entertain the reader with the. triumphant cam paign of Peter Stuyvesant in the haunted regions of those moun tains; but that I hold all Indian conflicts to be mere barbaric brawls, unworthy of the pen which has recorded the classic war of Fort Christina ; and as to these Helderberg commotions, they are among the flatulencies which from time to time afflict the bowels of this ancient province, as with a wind-coUc, and which I deem it seemly and decent to pass over in silence. The next storm of trouble was from the south. Scarcely had ¦he worthy Mynheer Beekman got warm in the seat of authority on the South River, than enemies began to spring up all around him. Hard by was a formidable race of savages inhabiting the gentle region watered by the Susquehanna, of whom the follow ing mention is made by Master Hariot in his exceUent history : " The Susquesahanocks are a giantly people, strange in pro portion, behavior and attire — their voice sounding from them as out of a cave. Their tobacco-pipes were three quarters of a yard long ; carved at the great end with a bird, beare, or other device, HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 395 sufficient to beat out the brains of a horse. The calfe of one of their legges measured three quarters of a yard about ; the rest of the Umbs proportionable."* These gigantic savages and smokers caused no Uttle disquiet in the mind of Mynheer Beekman, threatening to cause a famine of tobacco in the land ; but his most formidable enemy was the roaring, roystering English colony of Maryland, or as it was anciently written Merryland ; so called because the inhabitants, not having the fear of the Lord before their eyes, were prone to make merry and get fuddled with mint-julep and apple-toddy. They were, moreover, great horse-racers and cock-fighters; mighty wrestlers and jumpers, and enormous consumers of hoe- cake and bacon. They lay claim to be the first inventors of those recondite beverages, cock-tail, stone-fence, and sherry cobbler, and to have discovered the gastronomical merits of terrapins, soft crabs, and canvas-back ducks. This rantipole colony, founded by Lord Baltimore, a British nobleman, was managed by his agent, a swaggering Englishman, commonly called Fendall ; that is to say, " offend all," a name given him for his bullying propensities. These were seen in a message to Mynheer Beekman, threatening him, unless he imme diately swore allegiance to Lord Baltimore as the rightful lord of the soil, to come at the head of the roaring boys of Merryland and the giants of the Susquehanna, and sweep him and his Neder- landers out of the country. The trusty sword of Peter Stuyvesant almost leaped from its scabbard, when he received missives from Mynheer Beekman, informing him of the swaggering menaces of the bully Fendall ; * Hariot's Journal, Purch. Pilgrims. 396 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. and as to the giantly warriors of the Susquehanna, nothing would have more delighted him than a bout, hand to hand, with half a score of them ; having never encountered a giant in the whole course of his campaigns, unless we may consider the stout Risingh as such — and he was but a little one. Nothing prevented his marching instantly to the South River and enacting scenes still more glorious than those of Fort Chris tina, but the necessity of first putting a stop to the increasing aggressions and inroads of the Yankees, so as not to leave an enemy in his rear ; but he wrote to Mynheer Beekman to keep up a bold front and stout heart, promising, as soon as he had set tled affairs in the east, that he would hasten to the south with his burly warriors of the Hudson, to lower the crests of the giants, and mar the merriment of the Merrylanders. CHAPTER TV HOW PETER STUYVESANT ADVENTURED INTO THE EAST COTJN- TRY AND HOW HE FARED THERE. To explain the apparently sudden movement of Peter Stuyvesant against the crafty men of the East Country, I would observe that, during his campaigns on the South River, and in the enchanted regions of the CatskUl Mountains, the twelve tribes of the East had been more than usually active in prosecuting their subtle scheme for the subjugation of the Nieuw-Nederlands. Independent of the incessant maraudings among hen-roosts and squattings along the border, invading armies would penetrate, from time to time, into the very heart of the country. As their prototypes of yore went forth into the land of Canaan, with their wives and their children, their men-servants and their maid-ser vants, their flocks and herds, to settle themselves down in the land and possess it ; so these chosen people of modern days would pro gress through the country in patriarchal style ; conducting carts and wagons laden with household furniture, with women and chil dren piled on top, and pots' and kettles dangling beneath. At the tail of these vehicles would stalk a crew of long-limbed, lank- sided varlets, with axes on their shoulders and packs on their backs, resolutely bent upon " locating" themselves, as they termed 398 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. it, and improving the country. These were the most dangerous kind of invaders. It is true they were guilty of no overt acts of hostility ; but it was notorious that, wherever they got a footing, the honest Dutchmen gradually disappeared, retiring slowly as do the Indians before the white men ; being in some way or other talked and chaffered, and bargained and swapped, and, in plain English, elbowed out of all those rich bottoms and fertile nooks in which our Dutch yeomanry are prone to nestle themselves. Peter Stuyvesant was at length roused to this kind of war in disguise, by which the Yankees were craftily aiming to subjugate his dominions. He was a man easily taken in, it is true, as all great-hearted men are apt to be ; but if he once found it out, his wrath was terrible. He now threw diplomacy to the dogs ; de termined to appear no more by ambassadors, but to repair in person to the great council of the Amphyctions, bearing the sword in one hand and the olive branch in the other ;' and giving them their choice of sincere and honest peace, or open and iron war. His privy councillors were astonished and dismayed when he announced his determination. For once they ventured to remon strate, setting forth the rashness of venturing his sacred person in the midst of a strange and barbarous people. They might as well have tried to turn a rusty weather-cock with a broken-winded bellows. In the fiery heart of the iron-headed Peter sat en throned the five kinds of courage described by Aristotle, and had the philosopher enumerated five hundred more, I verily believe he would have possessed them aU. As to that better part of valor called discretion, it was too cold-blooded a virtue for his , tropical temperament. Summoning, therefore, to his presence his trusty follower, Antony Van Corlear, he commanded him to hold himself in readi- ,. HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 39!) ness to accompany him the following morning on this his hazard ous enterprise. Now Antony the Trumpeter was by this time a little stricken in years, yet by dint of keeping up a good heart, and having never known care or sorrow (having never been mar ried), he was stiU a hearty, jocund, rubicund, gamesome wag, and of great capacity in the doublet. This last was ascribed to his living a jolly life on those domains at the Hook, which Peter Stuyvesant had granted to him for his gaUantry at Fort Casimir. Be this as it may, there was nothing that more delighted An tony than this command of the great Peter, for he could have followed the stout-hearted old governor to the world's end, with love and loyalty — and he moreover ¦ still remembered the frolick ing, and dancing, and bundling, and other disports of the east country, and entertained dainty recollection of numerous kind and buxom lasses, whom he longed exceedingly again to en counter. Thus then did this mirror of hardihood set forth, with no other attendant but his trumpeter, upon one of the most perilous enterprises ever recorded in the annals of knight-errantry. — For a single warrior to venture openly among a whole nation of foes —but, above all, for a plain downright Dutchman to think of ne gotiating with the whole council of New-England ! — never was there known a more desperate undertaking ! — Ever since I have entered upon the chronicles of this peerless but hitherto uncele brated chieftain, has he kept me in a state of incessant action and anxiety with the toils and dangers he is constantly encountering — Oh! for a chapter of the tranquil reign of Wouter Van Twiller, that I might repose on it as on a feather bed ! Is it not enough, Peter Stuyvesant, that I have once already rescued thee from the machinations of these terrible Amphicty- 400 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. «ms, by bringing the powers of witchcraft to thine aid ? — Is it not enough, that I have followed thee undaunted, Uke a guardian spirit, into the midst of the horrid battle of Fort Christina ? — That I have been put incessantly to my trumps to keep thee safe and sound — now warding off with my single pen the shower of dastard blows that feU upon thy rear — now narrowly shielding thee from a deadly thrust, by a mere tobacco-box — now casing thy dauntless skull with adamant, when even thy stubborn ram beaver failed to resist the sword of the stout Risingh — and now, not merely bringing thee off aUve, but triumphant, from the clutches of the gigantic Swede, by the desperate means of a pal try stone pottle ? — Is not aU this enough, but must thou stUl be plunging into new difficulties, and hazarding in headlong enter prises thyself, thy trumpeter, and thy historian ? And now the ruddy-faced Aurora, Uke a buxom chamber maid, draws aside the sable curtains of the night, and out bounces from his bed the jolly red-haired Phoebus, startled at being caught so late in the embraces of Dame Thetis. With many a stable- boy oath he harnesses his brazen-footed steeds, and whips, and lashes, and splashes up the firmament, Uke a loitering coachman, half an hour behind his time. And now behold that imp of fame and prowess, the headstrong Peter, bestriding a raw-boned, switch-tailed charger, gaUantly arrayed in fuU regimentals, and bracing on his thigh that trusty brass-hUted sword, which had wrought such fearful deeds on the banks of the Delaware. Behold hard after him his doughty trumpeter, Van Corlear, mounted on a broken-winded, waU-eyed, calico mare; his stone pottle, wliich had laid low the mighty Risingh, slung under his arm ; and his trumpet displayed vauntingly in his right hand, ; decorated with a gorgeous banner, on which is emblazoned the HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 401 great beaver of the Manhattoes. See them proudly issuing out of the city gate, Uke an iron-clad hero of yore, with his faithful squire at his heels ; the populace following with their eyes, and shouting many a parting wish and hearty cheering — Farewell, Hardkoppig Piet ! Farewell, honest Antony ! — Pleasant be your wayfaring — prosperous your return ! The stoutest hero that ever drew a sword, and the worthiest trumpeter that ever trod shoe-leather ! Legends are lamentably silent about the events that befeU our adventurers in this their adventurous travel, excepting the Stuyvesant manuscript, which gives the substance of a pleasant Uttle heroic poem, written on the occasion by Dominie ^Egidius Luyck,* who appears to have been the poet-laureat of New- Amsterdam. This inestimable manuscript assures us, that it was a rare spectacle to behold the great Peter and his loyal follower hailing the morning sun, and rejoicing in the clear countenance of nature, as they pranced it through the pastoral scenes of Bloe- men Dael ; which, in those days, was a sweet and rural valley, beautified with many a bright wUd-flower, refreshed by many a pure streamlet, and enlivened here and there by a delectable little Dutch cottage, sheltered under some sloping hUl, and almost buried in embowering trees. Now did they enter upon the confines 'of Connecticut, where they encountered many grievous difficulties and perils. At one place they were assailed by a troop of country squires and miUtia colonels, who, mounted on goodly steeds, hung upon their rear for several mUes, harassing them exceedingly with guesses and * This Luyck was moreover rector of the Latin School in Nieuw-Neder lands, 1663. There are two pieces addressed to iEgidius Luyck in D. Selyn's MSS. of poesies, upon his marriage with Judith Isendoorn. Old MS. 402 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. questions, more especially the worthy Peter, whose silver-chased leg excited not a little marvel. At another place, hard by the renowned town of Stamford, they were set upon by a great and mighty legion of church deacons, who imperiously demanded of them five shillings, for traveling on Sunday, and threatened to carry them captive to a neighboring church, whose steeple peered above the trees ; but these the valiant Peter put to rout with little difficulty, insomuch that they bestrode their canes and gal loped off in horrible confusion, leaving their cocked hats behind in the hurry of their flight. But not so easily did he escape from the hands of a crafty man of Pyquag; who, with undaunted perseverance, and repeated onsets, fairly bargained him out of his goodly switch-tailed charger, leaving in place thereof a vU- lanous, foundered Narraganset pacer. But, maugre all these hardships, they pursued their journey cheerily along the course of the soft flowing Connecticut, whose gentle waves, says the song, roll through many a fertile vale and sunny plain ; now reflecting the lofty spires of the bustling city, and now the rural beauties of the humble hamlet ; now echoing with the busy hum of commerce, and now with the cheerful song of the peasant. At every town would Peter Stuyvesant, who was noted for warlike punctilio, order the sturdy Antony to sound a courteous salutation ; though the manuscript observes, that the inhabitants were thrown into great dismay when they heard of his approach. For the fame of his incomparable achievements on the Delaware had spread throughout the east country, and they dreaded lest he had come to take vengeance on their manifold transgressions. But the good Peter rode through these towns with a smiling aspect ; waving his hand with inexpressible majesty and con- HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 403 descension ; for he verily beUeved that the old clothes which these ingenious people had thrust into their broken windows, and the festoons of dried apples and peaches which ornamented the fronts of their houses, were so many decorations in honor of his approach ; as it was the custom in the days of chivalry to com pliment renowned heroes by sumptuous displays of tapestry and gorgeous furniture. The women crowded to the floors to gaze upon him as he passed, so much does prowess in arms delight the gentle sex. The little children, too, ran after him in troops, staring with wonder at his regimentals, his brimstone breeches, and the silver garniture of his wooden leg. Nor must I omit to mention the joy which many strapping wenches betrayed at beholding the jovial Van Corlear, who had whilom delighted them so much with his trumpet, when he bore the great Peter's challenge to the Amphictyons. The kind-hearted Antony alighted from his calico mare, and kissed them all with infinite loving-kindness — and was right pleased to see a crew of little trumpeters crowding round him for his blessing ; each of whom he patted on the head, bade him be a good bov and gave him a penny to buy molasses candy. CHAPTER V. HOW THE YANKEES SECRETLY SOUGHT THE AID OF THE BRITISH CABINET IN THEIR HOSTILE SCHEMES AGAINST THE MAN HATTOES. Now so it happened that while the great and good Peter Stuy vesant, followed by his trusty squire, was making his chivalric progress through the east country, a dark and direful scheme of war against his beloved province, was forming in that nursery of monstrous projects, the British Cabinet. This, we are confidently informed, was the result of the secret instigations of the great councU of the league ; who, finding them selves totally incompetent to vie in arms with the heavy-sterned warriors of the Manhattoes and their iron-headed commander, sent emissaries to the British government, setting forth in eloquent language the wonders and deUghts of this delicious Uttle Dutch Canaan, and imploring that a force might be sent out to invade it by sea, while they should co-operate by land. These emissaries arrived at a critical juncture, just as the British Lion was beginning to bristle up his mane and wag his tail ; for we are assured by the anonymous writer of the Stuy vesant manuscript, that the astounding victory of Peter Stuy- HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 405 vesant at Fort Christina, had resounded throughout Europe ; and his annexation of the territory of "New-Sweden had awakened the jealousy of the British cabinet for their wUd lands at the south. This jealousy was brought to a head by the representa tions of Lord Baltimore, who declared that the territory thus annexed, lay within the lands granted to him by the British crown, and he claimed to be protected in his rights. Lord Sterling, another British subject, claimed the whole of Nassau or Long Island, once the Ophir of William the Testy, but now the kitchen- garden of the Manhattoes, which he declared to be British terri tory by the right of discovery, but unjustly usurped by the Neder- Ianders. The result of all these rumors and representations was a sud den zeal on the part of his majesty Charles the Second, for the safety and well-being of his transatlantic possessions, and espe cially for the recovery of the New-Netherlands, which Yankee logic had, somehow or other, proved to be a continuity of the territory taken possession of for the British crown by the Pil grims, when they landed on Plymouth rock, fugitives from British oppression. AU this goodly land, thus wrongfully held by the Dutchmen, he presented, in a fit of affection, to his brother the Duke of York : a donation truly royal, since none but great sov ereigns have a right to give away what does not belong to them. That this munificent gift might not be merely nominal, his majesty ordered that an armament should be straightway dispatched to invade the city of New- Amsterdam by land and water, and put his brother in complete possession of the premises. Thus critically situated are the affairs of the New-Nederland- tts. While the honest burghers are smoking their pipes in sober security, and the privy councillors are snoring in the council 408 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. chamber ; while Peter the Headstrong is undauntedly making his way through the east country in the confident hope by honest words and manly deeds to bring the grand councU to terms, a hos tile fleet is sweeping like a thunder cloud across the Atlantic, soon to rattle a storm of war about the ears of the dozing Nederland- ers, and to put the mettle of their governor to the trial But come what may, I here pledge my veracity, that in all warlike conflicts and doubtful perplexities, he wiU ever acquit himself Uke a gallant, noble-minded, obstinate old cavaUer. — For ward then to the charge ! Shine out, propitious stars, on the renowned city of the Manhattoes ; and the blessing of St. Nicho las go with thee — honest Peter Stuyvesant. CHAPTER VI. OF PETER STUYVESANT'S EXPEDITION INTO THE EAST COUN TRY, SHOWING THAT, THOUGH AN OLD BIRD, HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND TRAP. Gkeat nations resemble great men in this particular, that their greatness is seldom known until they get in trouble ; adversity, therefore, has been wisely denominated the ordeal of true great ness, which, like gold, can never receive its real estimation until it has passed through the furnace. In proportion, therefore, as a nation, a community, or an individual (possessing the inherent quality of greatness) is involved in perils and misfortunes, in pro portion does it rise in grandeur — and even when sinking under calamity, makes, like a house on fire, a more glorious display than ever it did in the fairest period of its prosperity. The vast empire of China, though teeming with population and imbibing and concentrating the wealth of nations, has vege tated through a succession of drowsy ages ; and were it not for its internal revolution, and the subversion of its ancient govern ment by the Tartars, might have presented nothing but a duU detail of monotonous prosperity. Pompeii and Herculaneum night have passed into oblivion, with a herd of their contempo raries, had they not been fortunately overwhelmed by a volcano. 408 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. The renowned city of Troy acquired celebrity only from its ten years' distress, and final conflagration — Paris rose in importance by the plots and massacres which ended in the exaltation of Na poleon — and even the mighty London has skulked through the records of time, celebrated for nothing of moment excepting the plague, the great fire, and Guy Faux's gunpowder plot ! Thus cities and empires creep along, enlarging in silent obscurity, until they burst forth in some tremendous calamity — and snatch, as it were, immortality from the explosion ! The above principle being admitted, my reader will plainly perceive that the city of New-Amsterdam and its dependent province are on the high road to greatness. Dangers and hostili ties threaten from every side, and it is really a matter of aston ishment, how so small a state has been able, in so short a time, to entangle itself in so many difficulties. Ever since the province was first taken by the nose, at the Fort of Good Hope, in the tranquil days of Wouter Van TwUler, has it been gradually increasing in historic importance ; and never could it have had a more appropriate chieftain to conduct it to the pinnacle of gran deur than Peter Stuyvesant. This truly headstrong hero having successfully effected his daring progress through the east country, girded up his loins as he approached Boston, and prepared for the grand onslaught with the Amphictyons, which was to be the crowning achievement of the campaign. Throwing Antony Van Corlear, who, with his calico mare, formed his escort and army, a Uttle in the advance, and bidding him be of stout heart and great wind ; he placed himself firmly in his saddle, cocked his hat more fiercely over his left eye, summoned aU the heroism of his soul into his coun tenance, and, with one arm akimbo, the hand resting on the pom- HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 40S mel of his sword, rode into the great metropolis of the league, Antony sounding his trumpet before him in a manner to electrify the whole community. Never was there such a stir in Boston as on this occasion ; never such a hurrying hither and thither about the streets ; such popping of heads out of windows ; such gathering of knots in market-places. Peter Stuyvesant was a straightforward man, and prone to do every thing above board. He would have ridden at once to the great council-house of the league and sounded a parley ; but the grand council knew the mettlesome hero they had to deal with, and were not for doing things in a hurry. On the contrary they sent forth deputations to meet him on the way ; to receive him in a style befitting the great potentate of the Man hattoes, and to multiply all kinds of honors, and ceremonies, and formalities, and other courteous impediments in his path. Solemn banquets were accordingly given him, equal to thanksgiving feasts. Complimentary speeches were made him, wherein he was entertained with the surpassing virtues, long sufferings, and achievements of the Pilgrim Fathers ; and it is even said he was heated to a sight of Plymouth Rock, that great corner-stone of Yankee empire. I will not detain my readers by recounting the endless devices by which time was wasted, and obstacles and delays multiplied to the infinite annoyance of the impatient Peter. Neither will I fatigue them by dwelling on his negotiations with the grand coun cil, when he at length brought them to business. Suffice it to Bay, it was like most other diplomatic negotiations ; a great deal was said and very Uttle done ; one conversation led to another ; one conference begot misunderstandings which it took a dozen conferences to explain, at the end of which both parties found 410 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. themselves just where they had begun, but ten times less likely to come to an agreement. In the midst of these perplexities which bewildered the brain and incensed the ire of honest Peter, he received private intelU gence of the dark conspiracy matured in the British cabinet, with the astounding fact that a British squadron was already on the way to invade New- Amsterdam by sea ; and that the grand council of Amphictyons, while thus beguiling him with subtleties, were actually prepared to co-operate by land ! Oh ! how did the sturdy old warrior rage and roar, when he found himself thus entrapped, like a lion in the hunter's toil ! Now did he draw his trusty sword, and determine to bresk in upon the council of the Amphictyons and put every mother's son of them to death. Now did he resolve to fight his way through out all the regions of the east, and to lay waste Connecticut river ! GaUant, but unfortunate Peter ! Did I not enter with sad forebodings on this ill-starred expedition ? Did I not tremble when I saw thee, with no other counselor than thine own head; no other armor but an honest tongue, a spotless conscience, and a rusty sword ; no other protector but St. Nicholas, and no other attendant but a trumpeter — did I not tremble when I beheld thee thus sally forth to contend with all the knowing powers of New England ? It was a long time before the kind-hearted exposmlations of Antony Van Corlear, aided by the soothing melody of his trum pet, could lower the spirits of Peter Stuyvesant from their war like and vindictive tone, and prevent his making widows and orphans of half the population of Boston. With great difficulty, he was prevailed upon to bottle up his wrath for the present ; tc conceal from the couneil his knowledge of their machinations, and HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 411 by effecting his escape, to be able to arrive in time for the salva tion of the Manhattoes. The latter suggestion awakened a new ray of hope in his bosom ; he forthwith dispatched a secret message to his council ors at New-Amsterdam, apprising them of their danger, and commanding them to put the city in a posture of defence ; prom ising to come as soon as possible to their assistance. This done, he felt marvelously relieved, rose slowly, shook himself like a rhinoceros, and issued forth from his den, in much the same man ner as Giant Despair is described to have issued from" Doubting Castle, in the chivalric history of the Pilgrim's Progress. And now much does it grieve me that I must leave the gaflant Peter in this imminent jeopardy ; but it behooves us to hurry back and see what is going on at New- Amsterdam, for greatly do I fear that city is already in a turmoil. Such was ever the fate of Peter Stuyvesant ; while doing one thing with heart and soul, he was too apt to leave every thing else at sixes and sevens. While, like a potentate of yore, he was absent attending to those things in person which in modern days are trusted to generals and ambassadors, his little territory at home was sure to get in an uproar; — all which was owing to that uncommon strength of intellect, wliich induced him to trust to nobody but himself, and which had acquired him the renowned appellation of Peter the Headstrong. CHAPTER VII. HOW THE PEOPLE OF NEW-AMSTERDAM WERE THROWN INTO A GREAT PANIC, BY THE NEWS OF THE THREATENED IN- ft VASION, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY FORTIFIED THEMSELVES. There is no sight more truly interesting to a phUosopher than a community, where every individual has a voice in pubUc affairs; where every individual considers himself the Atlas of the nation ; and where every individual thinks it his duty to bestir himself for the good of his country — I say, there is nothing more inter esting to a philosopher than such a community in a sudden bustle of war. Such clamor of tongues — such patriotic bawling — such running hither and thither — every body in a hurry — every body in trouble — every body in the way, and every body interrupting his neighbor — who is busily employed in doing nothing! It is like witnessing a great jfire, where the whole community are agog — some dragging about empty engines — others scampering with full buckets, and spilling the contents into their neighbor's boots — and others ringing the church bells all night, by way of putting out the fire. Little firemen — like sturdy little knight.' storming a breach, clambering up and down scaling-ladders, and bawling through tin trumpets, by way of directing the attack. — Here a fellow, in his great zeal to save the property of the unfor- HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 413 tunate, catches up an anonymous chamber utensil, and gallants it off with an air of as much self-importance as if he had rescued a pot of money — there another throws looking-glasses and china out of the window, to save them from the flames — whilst those who can do nothing else run up and down the streets, keeping up an incessant cry of Fire ! Fire ! Fire ! "When the news arrived at Sinope," says Lucian — though I own the story is rather trite — " that Philip was about to attack them, the inhabitants were thrown into a violent alarm. Some ran to furbish up their arms ; others rolled stones to build up the walls — every body, in short, was employed, and every body in the way of his neighbor. Diogenes alone could find nothing to do — whereupon, not to be idle when the welfare of his country was at stake, he tucked up his robe, and fell to roUing his tub with might and main up and down the Gymnasium.'' In like manner did every mother's son in the patriotic community of New-Amsterdam, on receiving the missives of Peter Stuyvesant, busy himself most mightily in putting things in confusion, and assisting the general uproar. "Every man" — saith the Stuyve sant manuscript — " flew to arms !" — by which is meant, that not one of our honest Dutch citizens would venture to church or to market without an old-fashioned spit of a sword dangUng at his side, and a long Dutch fowling-piece on his shoulder — nor would he go out of a night without a lantern ; nor turn a corner without first peeping cautiously round, lest he should come unawares upon a British army ; — and we are informed that Stoffel Brinkerhoff, who was considered by the old women almost as brave a man as the governor himself, actually had two one-pound swivels mount ed in his entry, one pointing out at the front door, and the othei at the back. 414 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. But the most strenuous measure resorted to on this awful occasion, and one which has since been found of wonderful efficacy, was to assemble popular meetings. These brawling convocations, I have already shown, were extremely offensive to Peter Stuyvesant ; but as this was a moment of unusual agi tation, and as the old governor was not present to repress them, they broke out with intolerable violence. Hither, therefore, the orators and politicians repaired; striving who should bawl loudest, and exceed the others in hyperbolical bursts of patriot ism, and in resolutions to uphold and defend the government. In these sage meetings it was resolved that they were the most enlightened, the most dignified, the most formidable, and the most ancient community upon the face of the earth. This resolution being carried unanimously, another was immediately proposed — whether it were not possible and politic to extermi nate Great Britain ? upon which sixty-nine members spoke in the affirmative, and only one arose to suggest some doubts — who, as a punishment for his treasonable presumption, was immediately seized by the mob, and tarred and feathered — which punishment being equivalent to the Tarpeian Rock, he was afterwards considered as an outcast from society, and his opinion went for nothing. The question, therefore, being unani mously carried in the affirmative, it was recommended to the grand council to pass it into a law ; which was accordingly done. By this measure the hearts of the people at large were wonder fully encouraged, and they waxed exceeding choleric and va lorous. Indeed, the first paroxysm of alarm having in some measure subsided — the old women having buried all the money they could lay their hands on, and their husbands daily getting fuddled with what was left — the community began even to stand HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 4J5 on the offensive. Songs were manufactured in Low Dutoh and sung about the streets, wherein the English were most wofully beaten, and shown no quarter ; and popular addresses were made, wherein it was proved to a certainty that the fate of Old England depended upon the will cf the New-Amsterdammers. Finally, to strike a violent blow at the very vitals of Great Britain, a multitude of the wiser inhabitants assembled, and having purchased aU the British manufactures they could find, they made thereof a huge bonfire ; and, in the patriotic glow of the moment, every man present, who had a hat or breeches of English workmanship, puUed it off, and threw it into the flames — to the irreparable detriment, loss, and ruin, of the English manufacturers. In commemoration of this great exploit, they erected a pole on the spot, with a device on the top intended to represent the province of Nieuw-Nederlands destroying Great Britain, under the similitude of an Eagle picking the little Island of Old England out of the globe ; but either through the unskillfulness of the sculptor, or his ill-timed waggery, it bore a striking resemblance to a goose, vainly striving to get hold of a dumpling. CHAPTER VIII. HOW THE GRAND COUNCIL OF THE NEW-NETHERLANl>S WERE MIRACULOUSLY GIFTED WITH LONG TONGUES IN THE MOMENT OF EMERGENCY SHOWING THE VALUE OF WORDS IN WARFARE. It will need but little penetration in any one conversant with the ways of that wise but windy potentate, the sovereign people, to discover that notwithstanding all the warUke bluster and bustle of the last chapter, the city of New- Amsterdam was not a whit more prepared for war than before. The privy councilors of Peter Stuyvesant were aware of this ; and, having received his private orders to put the city in an immediate posture of defence, they caUed a meeting of the oldest and richest burghers to assist them with their wisdom. These were that order of citizens com monly termed " men of the greatest weight in the community ;" their weight being estimated by the heaviness of their heads and of their purses. Their wisdom in fact is apt to be of a ponder ous kind, and to hang like a millstone round the neck of the com munity. Two things were unanimously determined in this assembly of venerables : First, that the city required to be put in a state of defence ; and Second, that, as the danger was imminent, there should be no time lost : which points being settled, they feU to HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 411 making long speeches and belaboring one another in endless and intemperate disputes. For about this time was this unhappy city first visited by that talking endemic, so prevalent in this country, and which so invariably evinces itself, wherever a number of wise men assemble together ; breaking out in long, windy speeches ; caused, as physicians suppose, by the foul air which is ever gene rated in a crowd. Now it was, moreover, that they first intro duced the ingenious method of measuring the merits of an harangue by the hour-glass ; he being considered the ablest orator who spoke longest on a question. For which excellent invention, it is recorded, we are indebted to the same profound Dutch critic who judged of books by their size. This sudden passion for endless harangues, so little consonant with the customary gravity and taciturnity of our sage forefathers, was supposed by certain philosophers to havebeen imbibed, together with divers others barbarous propensities, from their savage neigh bors ; who were peculiarly noted for long talks and council fires, and never undertook any affair of the least importance, without previous debates and harangues among their chiefs and old men. But the real cause was, that the people, in electing their repre sentatives to the grand council, were particular in choosing them for their talents at talking, without inquiring whether they pos sessed the more rare, difficult, and ofttimes important talent of holding their tongues. The consequence was, that this delibera tive body was composed of the most loquacious men in the com munity. As they considered themselves placed there to talk, every man concluded that his duty to his constituents, and, what is more, his popularity with them, required that he should harangue on every subject, whether he understood it or not. There was an ancient mode of burying a chieftain, by every sol- 18* 418 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. dier throwing his shield full of earth on the corpse, Until a mighty mound was formed ; so whenever a question was brought forward in this assembly, every member pressing forward to throw on his quantum of wisdom, the subject was quickly buried under a moun tain of words. We are told, that disciples on entering the school of Pythago ras, were for two years enjoined silence, and forbidden either to ask questions, or make remarks. After they had thus acquired the inestimable art of holding their tongues, they were graduaUy permitted to make inquiries, and finally to communicate their own opinions. With what a beneficial effect could this wise regulation of Pythagoras be introduced in modern legislative bodies — and how wonderfully would it have tended to expedite business in the grand council of the Manhattoes ! At this perilous juncture the fatal word economy, the stum bling-block of William the Testy, had been once more set afloat, according to which the cheapest plan of defence was insisted upon as the best ; it being deemed a great stroke of policy in furnish ing powder to economize in ball. Thus did dame Wisdom (whom the wags of antiquity have humorously personified as a woman) seem to take a mischievous pleasure in jilting the venerable councilors of New-Amsterdam. To add to the confusion, the old factions of Short Pipes and Lon» Pipes, which had been almost strangled by the herculean grasp of Peter Stuyvesant, now sprang up with tenfold vigor. What ever was proposed by a Short Pipe was opposed by the whole tribe of Long Pipes, who, like true partisans, deemed it their first duty to effect the downfaU of their rivals ; their second to elevate themselves, and their third, to consult the public good HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 419 though many left the third consideration out of question alto gether. In this great collision of hard heads it is astonishing the num ber of projects that were struck out ; projects which threw the wind-mUl system of WiUiam the Testy completely in the back ground. These were almost uniformly opposed by the " men of the greatest weight in the community !" your weighty men, though slow to devise, being always great at " negativing." Among these were a set of fat, self-important old burghers, who smoked their pipes, and said nothing except to negative every plan of defence proposed. These were that class of " conservatives," who, having amassed a fortune, button up their pockets, shut their mouths, sink, as it were, into themselves, and pass the rest of their lives in the indweUing beatitude of conscious wealth ; as some phlegmatic oyster, having swallowed a pearl, closes its shell, sinks in the mud, and devotes the rest of its life to the conservation of its treasure. Every plan of defence seemed to these worthy old gentlemen pregnant with ruin. An armed force was a legion of locusts, preying upon the public property — to fit out a naval arma ment was to throw their money into the sea — to build fortifica tions was to bury it in the dirt. In short, they settled it as a sovereign maxim, so long as their pockets were fuU, no matter how much they were drubbed. — A kick left no scar — a broken head cured itself — but an empty purse was of all maladies the slowest to heal, and one in which nature did nothing for the patient. Thus did this venerable assembly of sages lavish away that time which the urgency of affairs rendered invaluable, in empty brawls and long-winded speeches, without ever agreeing, except on the point with which they started, namely, that there was no 420 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. time to be lost, and delay was ruinous. At length, St. Nicholas taking compassion on their distracted situation, and anxious to preserve them from anarchy, so ordered, that in the midst of one of their most noisy debates on the subject of fortification and de fence, when they had nearly fallen to loggerheads in consequence of not being able to convince each other, the question was happily settled by the sudden entrance of a messenger, who informed them that a hostile fleet had arrived, and was actuaUy advancing up the bay i CHAPTER IX. IN WHICH THE TROUBLES OF NEW-AMSTERDAM APPEAR TO THICKEN SHOWING THE BRAVERY, IN TIME OF PERIL, OF A PEOPLE WHO DEFEND THEMSELVES BY RESOLUTIONS. Like as an assemblage of belUgerent cats, gibbering and cater wauling ; eyeing one another with hideous grimaces and contor tions ; spitting in each other's faces, and on the point of a general clapper-clawing, are suddenly put to scampering rout and confu sion by the appearance of a house-dog ; so was the no less vo ciferous councU of New- Amsterdam amazed, astounded, and totally dispersed, by the sudden arrival of the enemy. Every member waddled home as fast as his short legs could carry him, wheezing as he went with corpulency and terror. .Arrived at his castle, he bar- ricadoed the street-door, and buried himself in the cider-cellar, without venturing to peep out, lest he should have his head car ried off by a cannon ball. The sovereign people crowded into the market-place, herding together with the instinct of sheep, who seek safety in each other's company, when the shepherd and his dog are absent, and the wolf is prowling round the fold. Far from finding relief, how ever, they only increased each other's terrors. Each man looked ruefully in his neighbor's face, in search of encouragement, but 422 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. only found in its wobegone lineaments a confirmation of his own dismay. Not a word now was to be heard of conquering Great Britain, not a whisper about the sovereign virtues of economy — while the old women heightened the general gloom by clamor ously bewailing their fate, and caUing for protection on St. Nicholas and Peter Stuyvesant. Oh, how did they bewail the absence of the Uon-hearted Peter ! — and how did they long for the comforting presence of Antony Van Corlear! Indeed a gloomy uncertainty hung over the fate of these adventurous heroes. Day after day had elapsed since the alarming message from the governor, without bringing any further tidings of his safety. Many a fearful con jecture was hazarded as to what had befaUen him and his loyal squire. -Had they not been devoured alive by the cannibals of Marblehead and Cape Cod ? — Had they not been put to the ques tion by the great council of Amphictyons ? — Had they not been smothered in onions by the terrible men of Pyquag? — In the midst of this consternation and perplexity, when horror, Uke a mighty nightmare, sat brooding upon the Utttle, fat, plethoric city of New-Amsterdam, the ears of the multitude were suddenly startled by the distant sound of a trumpet — it approached — it grew louder and louder — and now it resounded at the city gate. The pubUc could not be mistaken in the weU-known sound — a shout of joy burst from their lips, as the gallant Peter, covered with dust, and followed by his faithful trumpeter, came galloping into the market-place. The first transports of the populace having subsided, they gathered round the honest Antony, as he dismounted, over whelming him with greetings and congratulations. In breathless accents he related to them the marvelous adventures through HISTORY -OF NEW-YORK. 423 which the old governor and himself had gonejPn making their escape from the clutches of the terrible Amphictyons. But though the Stuyvesant manuscript, with its customary minute ness where any thing touching the great Peter is concerned, is very particular as to the incidents of this masterly retreat, the state of the pubUc affairs will not allow me to indulge in a Ml recital thereof. Let it suffice to say, that, while Peter Stuyvesant was anxiously revolving in his mind how he could make good his escape with honor and dignity, certain of the ships sent out for the conquest of the Manhattoes touched at the eastern ports to obtain suppUes, and to call on the grand council of the league for its promised co-operation. Upon hear ing of this, the vigilant Peter, perceiving that a moment's delay were fatal, made a secret and precipitate decampment ; though much did it grieve his lofty soul to be obliged to turn his back even upon a nation of foes. Many hair-breadth 'scapes and divers perilous mishaps did they sustain, as they scoured, without sound of trumpet, through the fair regions of the east. Already was the country in an uproar with hostile preparation, and they were obliged to take a large circuit in their flight, lurking along through the woody mountains of the Devil's backbone ; whence the vahant Peter salUed forth one day like a lion, and put to rout a whole legion of squatters, consisting of three generations of a prolific family, who were already on their way to take possession of some corner of the New-Netherlands. Nay, the faithful Antony had great difficulty, at sundry times, to prevent him, in the excess of his wrath, from descending down from the mountains, and falling, sword in hand, upon certain of the border-towns, who were marshaling forth their draggle-tailed militia. 424 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. The first mwement of the governor, on reaching his dwell ing, was to mount the roof, whence he contemplated with rueful aspect the hostile squadron. This had already come to anchor in the bay, and consisted of two stout frigates, having on board, as John -Jossidyn, gent., informs us, "three hundred valiant red coats." Having taken this survey, he sat himself down and wrote an epistle to the commander, demanding the reason of his anchoring in the harbor without obtaining previous permission so to do. This letter was couched in the most dignified and courteous terms, though I have it from undoubted authority that his teeth were clinched, and he had a bitter sardonic grin upon his visage aU the while he wrote. Having dispatched his letter, the grim Peter stumped to and fro about the town with a most war-betokening countenance, his hands thrust into his breeches pockets, and whistling a Low Dutch psalm-tune, which bore no small resemblance to the music of a northeast wind, when a storm is brewing. The very dogs as they eyed him skulked away in dismay ; while all the old and ugly women of New- Amsterdam ran howUng at his heels, imploring him to save them from murder, robbery, and pitiless ravishment ! The reply of Colonel Nichols, who commanded the invaders, was couched in terms of equal courtesy with the letter of the governor ; declaring the right and title of his British Majesty to the province ; where he affirmed the Dutch to be mere inter lopers ; and demanding that the town, forts, etc., should be forth with rendered into his majesty's obedience and protection ; prom ising, at the same time, Ufe, Uberty, estate, and free trade, to every Dutch denizen who should readily submit to his majesty's government. Peter Stuyvesant read over this friendly epistle with some HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 425 such harmony of aspect as we may suppose a crusty farmer reads the lo-ving letter of John Stiles, warning him of an action of ejectment. He was not, however, to be taken by surprise ; but, thrusting the summons into his breeches pocket, stalked three times across the room, took a pinch of snuff with great vehe mence, and then, loftily waving his hand, promised to send an answer the next morning. He now summoned a general meeting of his privy councilors and burgomasters, not to ask their advice, for, confident in his own strong head, he needed no man's counsel, but apparently to give them a piece of his mind on their late craven conduct. His orders being duly promulgated, it was a piteous sight to behold the late vaUant burgomasters, who had demoUshed the whole British empire in their harangues, peeping ruefully out of their hiding places ; crawling cautiously forth ; dodging through narrow lanes and alleys ; starting at every little dog that barked ; mistaking lamp-posts for British grenadiers ; and, in the excess of their panic, metamorphosing pumps into formidable soldiers, levehng blunderbusses at their bosoms ! Having, however, in despite of numerous perils and difficulties of the kind, arrived safe, without the loss of a single man, at the haU of assembly, they took their seats, and awaited in fearful silence the arrival of the governor. In a few moments the wooden leg of the intrepid Peter was heard in regular and stout-hearted thumps upon the staircase. He entered the chamber, arrayed in full suit of regi mentals, and carrying his trusty toledo, not girded on his thigh, but tucked under his arm. As the governor never equipped himself in this portentous manner unless something of martial nature were working within his pericranium, his council regarded him ruefully, as if they saw fire and sword in his iron comv 42b HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. tenance, and forgot to light their pipes in breathless sus pense. His first words were, to rate his council soundly for having wasted in idle debate and party feud the time which should have been devoted to putting the city in a state of defence. He was particularly indignant at those brawlers who had disgraced the councils of the province by empty bickerings and scurrilous invectives against an absent enemy. He now called upon them to make good their words by deeds, as the enemy they had defied and derided was at the gate. FinaUy, he informed them of the summons he had received to surrender, but concluded by sweat ing to defend the province as long as Heaven was on his side and he had a wooden leg to stand upon ; which warUke sentence he emphasized by a thwack with the flat of his sword upon the table, that quite electrified his auditors. The privy councUors, who had long since been brought into as perfect discipline as were ever the soldiers of the great Frede rick, knew there was no use in saying a word— so Ughted their pipes, and smoked away in silence, Uke fat and discreet councUors. But the burgomasters, being inflated with considerable importance and self-sufficiency, acquired at popular meetings, were not so easily satisfied. Mustering up fresh spirit, when they found there was some chance of escaping from their present jeopardy without the disagreeable alternative of fighting, they requested a copy of the summons to surrender, that they might show it to a general meeting of the people. So insolent and mutinous a request would have been enough to have roused the gorge of the tranquil Van Twiller himself — what then must have been its effect upon the great Stuyvesant, who was not only a Dutchman, a governor, and a valiant wooden- HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 427 legged soldier to boot, but withal a man of the most stomachful and gunpowder disposition ? He burst forth into a blaze of indig nation, — swore not a mother's son of them should see a syllable of it — that as to their advice or concurrence, he did not care a whiff of tobacco for either — that they might go home, and go to bed like old women ; for he was determined to defend the colony himself, without the assistance of them or their adherents ! So saying, he tucked his sword under his arm, cocked his hat upon his head> and girding up his loins, stumped indignantly out of the council-chamber — every body making room for him as he pasted. No sooner was he gone than the busy burgomasters called a public meeting in front of the Stadt-house, where they appointed as chairman one Dofue Roerback, formerly a meddlesome mem ber of the cabinet during the reign of William the Testy, but kicked out of office by Peter Stuyvesant on taking the reins of government. He was, withal, a mighty gingerbread baker in the land, and reverenced by the populace as a man of dark know ledge, seeing that he was the first to imprint New- Year cakes with the mysterious hieroglyphics of the Cock and Breeches, and such like magical devices. This burgomaster, who still chewed the cud of ill-will against Peter Stuyvesant, addressed the multitude in what is called a patriotic speech, informing them of the courteous summons which the governor had received, to surrender ; of his refusal to comply therewith, and of his denying the public even a sight of the sum mons, which doubtless contained conditions highly to the honoi and advantage of the province. He then proceeded to speak of his ExceUency in high-sound ing terms of vituperation, suited to the dignity of his station ; com paring him to Nero, CaUgula, and other flagrant great men of 428 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. yore ; assuring the people that the history of the world did not contain a despotic outrage equal to the present. That it would be recorded in letters of fire, on the blood-stained tablet of his tory ! That ages would roll back with sudden horror when they came to view it ! That the womb of time (by the way, your orators and writers take strange liberties with the womb of time, though some would fain have us beUeve that time is an old gen tleman) — that the womb of time, pregnant as it was with direful horrors, would never produce a paraUel enormity ! — with a variety of other heart-rending, soul-stirring tropes and figures, which I cannot enumerate ; neither, indeed, need I, for they were of the kind which even to the present day form the style of popular harangues and patriotic orations, and may be classed in rhetoric under the general title of Rigmarole. The result of this speech of the inspired burgomaster, was a memorial addressed to the governor, remonstrating in good round terms on his conduct. It was proposed that Dofue Roerback himself should be the bearer of this memorial, but this he warily decUned, having no inclination of coming again witlnh kicking distance of his Excellency. Who did deUver it has never been named in history, in which neglect he has suffered grievous wrong ; seeing that he was equally worthy of blazon with him perpetuated in Scottish song and story by the. surname of BeU- the-cat. All we know of the fate of this memorial is, that it was used by the grim Peter to light his pipe ; which, from the vehe mence with which he smoked it, was evidently any thing but a pipe of peace. CHAPTER X. CONTAINING A DOLEFUL DISASTER OF ANTONY THE TRUM PETER — AND HOW PETER STUYVESANT, LIKE A SECOND CROMWELL, SUDDENLY DISSOLVED A RUMP PARLIAMENT. Now did the high-minded Pieter de Groodt shower down a pannier load of maledictions upon his burgomasters for a set of self-wiUed, obstinate, factious varlets, who would neither be convinced nor persuaded. Nor did he omit to bestow some left-handed compli ments upon the sovereign people, as a herd of poltroons, who had no relish for the glorious hardships and illustrious misadventures of battle — but would rather stay at home, and eat and sleep in igno ble ease, than fight in a ditch for immortality and a broken head. Resolutely bent, however, upon defending his beloved city, in despite even of itself, he called unto him his trusty Van Cor lear, who was his right-hand man in all times of emergency. Him did he adjure to take his war-denouncing trumpet, and mounting his horse, to beat up the country night and day — sounding the alarm along the pastoral borders of the Bronx- startling the wild solitudes of Croton— arousing the rugged yeo manry of Weehawk and Hoboken — the mighty men of battle of Tappan Bay— and the brave boys of Tarry-Town, Petticoat- 430 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. Lane, and Sleepy-Hollow — charging them one and all to sUng their powder-horns, shoulder their fowling-pieces, and march merrily down to the Manhattoes. Now there was nothing in aU the world, the divine sex ex cepted, that Antony Van Corlear loved better than errands of this kind. So just stopping to take a lusty dinner, and bracing to his side his junk bottle, weU charged with heart-inspiring Hollands, he issued jolUly from the city gate, which looked out upon, what is at present called Broadway ; sounding a farewell strain, that rung in sprightly echoes through the winding streets of New- Amsterdam — Alas ! never more were they to be glad dened by the melody of their favorite trumpeter ! It was a dark and stormy night when the good Antony ar rived at the creek (sagely denominated Haerlem river) which separates the island of Manna-hata from the mainland. The wind was high, the elements were in an uproar, and no Charon could be found to ferry the adventurous sounder of brass across the water. For a short time he vapored like an impatient ghost upon the brink, and then bethinking himself of the urgency of his errand took a hearty embrace of his stone bottle, swore most valorously that he would swim across in spite of the devU! (Spyt den Duyvel,) and daringly plunged into the stream. Luck less Antony ! scarce had he buffeted half-way over, when he was observed to struggle violently, as if battling with the spirit of the waters — instinctively he put his trumpet to his mouth, and giving a vehement blast — sank forever to the bottom ! The clangor of his trumpet, Uke that of the ivory horn of the renowned Paladin Orlando, when expiring in the glorious field of Roncesvalles, rang far and wide through the country, alarming the neighbors round, who hurried in amazement to the spot HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 431 Here an old Dutch burgher, famed for his veracity, and who had been a witness of the fact, related to them the melancholy affair ; with the fearful addition (to which I am slow of giving belief) that he saw the duyvel, in the shape of a huge moss-bonker, seize the sturdy Antony by the leg, and drag him beneath the waves Certain it is, the place, with the adjoining promontory, which projects into the Hudson, has been called Spyt den Duyvel ever since — the ghost of the unfortunate Antony still haunts the sur rounding soUtudes, and his trumpet has often been heard by the neighbors, of a stormy night, mingling with the howling of the blast. Nobody ever attempts to swim across the creek after dark ; on the contrary, a bridge has been built to guard against such melancholy accidents in future — and as to moss-bonkers, they are held in such abhorrence, that no true Dutchman will admit them to his table, who loves good fish and hates the devil. Such was the end of Antony Van Corlear — a man deserving of a better fate. He lived roundly and soundly, like a true and jolly bachelor, until the day of his death ; but though he was never married, yet did he leave behind some two or three dozen children, in different parts of the country — fine, chubby, brawling, flatulent little urchins ; from whom, if legends speak true, (and they are not apt to lie,) did descend the innumerable race of edit ors, who people and defend this country, and who are bountifully paid by the people for keeping up a constant alarm — and making Ihem miserable. It is hinted, too, that in his various expeditions into the East he did much towards promoting the population of the country ; in proof of which is adduced the notorious propen- sity of the people of those parts .to sound their own trumpet. As some way-worn pilgrim, when the tempest whistles through his locks and night is gathering round, beholds his faithful dog, 432 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. the companion and solace of his journeying, stretched lifeless at his feet, so did the generous-hearted hero of the Manhattoes contemplate the untimely end of Antony Van Corlear. He had been the faithful attendant of his footsteps ; he had charmed him in many a weary hour by his honest gayety and the martial melody of his trumpet, and had foUowed him with unflinching loyalty and affection through many a scene of direful peril and mishap. He was gone forever ! and that, too, at a moment when every mongrel cur was skulking from his side. This — Peter Stuyvesant — was the moment to try thy fortitude ; and this was the moment when thou didst indeed shine forth — Peter the Headstrong ! The glare of day had long dispelled the horrors of the stormy night ; stUl all was duU and gloomy. The late jovial Apollo hid his face behind lugubrious clouds, peeping out now and then for an instant, as if anxious, yet fearful, to see what was going on in his favorite city. This was the eventful morning when the great Peter was to give his reply to the summons of the invaders. Already was he closeted with his privy council, sitting in grim state, brooding over the fate of his favorite trumpeter, and anon boiling with indignation as the insolence of his recreant burgo masters flashed upon his mind. WliUe in this state of irritation, a courier arrived in all haste from Winthrop, the subtle governor of Connecticut, counseling him, in the most affectionate and dis interested manner, to surrender the province, and magnifying the dangers and calamities to which a refusal would subject him. — What a moment was this to intrude officious advice upon a man who never took advice in his whole Ufe ! — The fiery old governor strode up and down the chamber with a vehemence that made the bosoms of his councilors to quake with awe — railing at his HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 433 unlucky fate, that thus made him the constant butt of factious subjects, and Jesuitical advisers. Just at this ill-chosen juncture, the officious burgomasters, who had heard of the arrival of mysterious dispatches, came marching in a body into the room, with a legion of schepens and toad-eaters at their heels, and abruptly demanded a perusal of the letter. This was too much for the spleen of Peter Stuyvesant. He tore the letter in a thousand pieces— threw it in the face of the nearest burgomaster — broke his pipe over the head of the next — hurled his spitting-box at an unlucky schepen, who was just retreating out at the door, and finally prorogued the whole meeting sine die. by kicking them down stairs with his wooden leg. As soon as the burgomasters could recover from their confu sion and had time to breathe, they called a public meeting, where they related at full length, and with appropriate coloring and exaggeration, the despotic and vindictive deportment of the gov ernor ; declaring that, for their own parts, they did not value a straw the being kicked, cuffed, and mauled by the timber toe of his excellency, but that they felt for the dignity of the sovereign people, thus rudely insulted by the outrage committed on the seat of honor of their representatives. The latter part of the harangue came home at once to that deUcacy of feeUng, and jealous pride of character, vested in aU true mobs ; who, though they may beai injuries without a murmur, yet are marvelously jealous of their sovereign dignity — and there is no knowing to what act of resent ment they might have been provoked, had they not been some what more afraid of their sturdy old governor than they were 01 St. Nicholas, the English— or the d 1 himself. IQ CHAPTER XI. HOW PETER STUYVESANT DEFENDED THE CITY OF NEW-AM* STERDAM FOR SEVERAL DAYS, BY DINT OF THE STRENGTH OF HIS HEAD. There is something exceedingly subUme and melancholy in the spectacle which the present crisis of our history presents. An iUustrious and venerable Uttle city — the metropohs of a vast extent of uninhabited country — garrisoned by a doughty host of orators, chairmen, committee-men, burgomasters, schepens, and old women — governed by a determined and strong-headed war rior, and fortified by mud batteries, paUsadoes, and resolutions — blockaded by sea, beleaguered by land, and threatened with dire ful desolation from without ; whUe its very vitals are torn with internal faction and commotion ! Never did historic pen record a page of more compUcated distress, unless it be the strife that 'distracted the Israelites during the siege of Jerusalem — where discordant parties were cutting each other's throats, at the mo ment when the victorious legions of Titus had toppled down their bulwarks, and were carrying fire and sword into the very sanc tum sanctorum of the temple. Governor Stuyvesant having triumphantly put his grand council to the rout, and deUvered himself from a multitude of nioiuK.1 UK NEW- YORK. 435 impertinent advisers, dispatched a categorical reply to the com manders of the invading squadron ; wherein he asserted the right and title of their High Mightinesses the Lords States General to the province of New-Netherlands, and trusting in the righteous ness of his cause, set the whole British nation at defiance ! My anxiety to extricate my readers and myself from these disastrous scenes prevents me from giving the whole of this gaUant letter, wliich concluded in these manly and affectionate terms : " As touching the threats in your conclusion, we have nothing to answer, only that we fear nothing but what God (who is as just as merciful) shall lay upon us ; all things being in his gracious disposal, and we may as well be preserved by him with small forces as by a great army ; which makes us to wish you all hap piness and prosperity, and recommend you to his protection. — My lords, your thrice humble and affectionate servant and friend, "P. Stuyvesant." Thus having thrown his gauntlet, the brave Peter stuck a pair of horse-pistols in his belt, girded an immense powder-horn on his side — thrust his sound leg into a Hessian boot, and clap ping his fierce Uttle war-hat on the top of his head — paraded up and down in front of his house, determined to defend his beloved city to the last. While aU these struggles and dissensions were prevailing in the unhappy city of New- Amsterdam, and while its worthy but iU-starred governor was framing the above-quoted letter, the English commanders did not remain idle. They had agents se- cretly employed to foment the fears and clamors of the populace ; and moreover circulated far and wide, through the adjacent coun- 436 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. try, a proclamation, repeating the terms they had already held out in their summons to surrender, at the same time beguiling the simple Nederlanders with the most crafty and conciliating profes sions. They promised that every man who voluntarily submitted to the authority of his British Majesty should retain peaceful possession of his house, his vrouw, and his cabbage-garden. That he should be suffered to smoke his pipe, speak Dutch, wear as many breeches as he pleased, and import bricks, tiles, and stone jugs from Holland, instead of manufacturing them on the spot That he should on no account be compelled to learn the English language, nor eat codfish on Saturdays, nor keep accounts in any other way than by casting them up on his fingers, and chalking them down upon the crown of his hat ; as is observed among the Dutch yeomanry at the present day. That every man should be allowed quietly to inherit his father's hat, coat, shoe-buckles, pipe, and every other personal appendage ; and that no man should be obliged to conform to any improvements, inventions, or any other modern innovations ; but, on the contrary, should be permitted to build his house, follow his trade, manage his farm, rear his hogs, and educate his children, precisely as his ancestors had done be fore him from time immemorial. FinaUy, that he should have all the benefits of free trade, and should not be reqjiired to acknowledge any other saint in the calendar than St. Nicholas, who should thenceforward, as before, be considered the tutelar saint of the city. These terms, as may be supposed, appeared very satisfactory to the people, who had a great disposition to enjoy their property unmolested, and a most singular aversion to engage in a contest, where they could gain little more than honor and broken heads — the first of which they held in phUosophic indifference, the latter HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 437 in utter detestation. By these insidious means, therefore, did the English succeed in alienating the confidence and affections of the populace from their gallant old governor, whom they considered as obstinately bent upon running them into hideous misadven tures ; and did not hesitate to speak their minds freely, and abuse him most heartily — hehind his back. Like as a mighty grampus, when assailed and buffeted by roaring waves and brawling surges, still keeps on an undeviating course, rising above the boisterous biUows, spouting and blowing as he emerges — so did the inflexible Peter pursue, unwavering, his determined career, and rise, contemptuous, above the clamors of the rabble. But when the British warriors found that he set their power at defiance, they dispatched recruiting officers to Jamaica and Jericho, and Nineveh, and Quag, and Patchog, and all those towns on Long Island wliich had been subdued of yore by Stoffel Brink erhoff; stirring up the progeny of Preserved Fish, and Deter mined Cock, and those other New-England squatters, to assail the city of New- Amsterdam by land ; while the hostile ships pre pared for an assault by water. The streets of New- Amsterdam now presented a scene of wild dismay and consternation. In vain did Peter Stuyvesant order the citizens to arm and assemble on the battery, Blank terror reigned over the community. The whole party of Short Pipes in the course of a single night had changed into arrant old women— a metamorphosis only to be paralleled by the prodigies recorded by Livy as having happened at Rome at the approach of Hannibal, when statues sweated in pure affright, goats were converted into sheep, and cocks, turning into hens, ran cackling about the street. 438 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. Thus baffled in aU attempts to put the city in a state of de fence ; blockaded from without ; tormented from within, and menaced with a Yankee invasion, even the stiff-necked wiU of Peter Stuyvesant for once gave way, and in spite of h«s mighty heart, which swelled in his throat untU it nearly choked him, he consented to a treaty of surrender. Words cannot express the transports of the populace, on re ceiving this intelligence ; had they obtained a conquest over their enemies, they could not have indulged greater delight. The streets resounded with their congratulations — they extoUed their governor as the father and deUverer of his country — they crowded to his house to testify their gratitude, and were ten times more noisy in their plaudits than when he returned, with victory perched upon his beaver, from the glorious capture of Fort Chris tina. — But the indignant Peter shut his doors and windows, and took refuge in the innermost recesses of his mansion, that he might not hear the ignoble rejoicings of the rabble. Commissioners were now appointed on both sides and a capitulation was speedily arranged ; all that was wanting to ratify it was that it should be signed by the governor. When the commissioners waited upon him for this purpose they were received with grim and bitter courtesy. His warlike accoutre ments were laid aside — an old Indian night-gown was wrapped about his rugged limbs, a red night-cap overshadowed his frown ing brow, an iron-gray beard of three days' growth gave addi tional grimness to his visage. Thrice did he seize a wurn-out stump of a pen, and essay to sign the loathome paper — thrice did be clinch his teeth, mid make a horrible countenance, as though a close of rhubarb, senna, and ipecacuanha, had been offered to his lips ; at length, dashing it from him, he seized his brass-hUted HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 439 sword, and jerking it from the scabbard, swore by St. Nicholas, to sooner die than yield to any power under heaven. For two whole days did he persist in this magnanimous reso lution, during which his house was besieged by the rabble, and menaces and clamorous revUings exhausted to no purpose. And now another course was adopted to soothe, if possible, his mighty ire. A procession was formed by the burgomasters and schepens, followed by the populace, to bear the capitulation in state to the governor's dweUing. They found the castle strongly barricadoed, and the old hero in full regimentals, with his cocked hat on his head, posted with a blunderbuss at the garret window. There was something in this formidable position that struck even the ignoble vulgar with awe and admiration. The brawling multitude could not but reflect with self-abasement upon their own pusiUanimous conduct, when they beheld their hardy but deserted old governor, thus faithful to his post, like a forlorn hope, and fully prepared to defend his ungrateful city to the last. These compunctions, however, were soon overwhelmed by the recurring tide of public apprehension. The populace arranged themselves before the house, taking off their hats with most respectful humility — Burgomaster Roerback, who was of that popular class of orators described by SaUust, as being " talkative rather than eloquent," stepped forth and addressed the governor in a speech of three hours' length, detailing, in the most pathetic terms, the calamitous situation of the province, and urging him in a constant repetition of the same arguments and words to sign the capitula tion. The mighty Peter eyed him from his garret window in grim sUence— now and then his eye would glance over the surrounding rabble, and an indignant grin, like that of an angry mastiff, would 440 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. mark his iron visage. But though a man of most undaunted mettle — though he had a heart as big as an ox, and a head that would have set adamant to scorn — yet after all he was a mere mortal. Wearied out by these repeated oppositions, and this eternal haranguing, and perceiving that unless he complied, the inhabitants would foUow their own inclination, or rather their fears, without waiting for his consent ; or, what was stiU worse, the Yankees would have time to pour in their forces and claim a share in the conquest, he testily ordered them to hand up the paper. It was accordingly hoisted to him on the end of a pole, and having scrawled his name at the bottom of it, he anathema tized them all for a set of cowardly, mutinous, degenerate pol troons — threw the capitulation at their heads, slammed down the window, and was heard stumping down stairs with vehement indignation. The rabble incontinently took to their heels ; even the burgomasters were not slow in evacuating the premises, fear ing lest the sturdy Peter might issue from his den, and greet them with some unwelcome testimonial of his displeasure. Within three hours after the surrender, a legion of British beef-fed warriors poured into New- Amsterdam, taking possession of the fort and batteries. And now might Joe heard, from all quarters, the sound of hammers made by the old Dutch burghers, in nailing up their doors and windows, to protect their vrouws from these fierce barbarians, whom they contemplated in sUent sullenness from the garret windows as they paraded through the streets. Thus did Colonel Richard Nichols, the commander of the British forces, enter into quiet possession of the conquered realm as locum tenens for the Duke of York. The victory was attended with no other outrage than that of changing the name of the HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 441 province and its metropolis, which thenceforth were denominated New-York, and so have continued to be called unto the present day. The inhabitants, according to treaty, were allowed to main tain quiet possession of their property ; but so Uiveterately did they retain their abhorrence of the British nation, that in a private meeting of the leading citizens, it was unanimously deter mined never to ask any of their conquerors to dinner. NOTE. Modern historians assert that when the New-Netherlands were thus overrun by the British, as Spain in ancient days by the Saracens, a resolute band refused to bend the neck to the invader. Led by one Garret Van Home, a valorous and gigantic Dutchman, they crossed the bay and buried themselves among the marshes and cabbage-gardens of Communipaw ; as did Pelayo and his followers among the mountains of Asturias. Here their descendants have remained ever since, keeping themselves apart, like seed corn, to repeople the city with the genuine breed whenever it shall be effectually recovered from its intruders. It is said the genuine descendants of the Nederlanders who inhabit New- York, still look with longing eyes to the green marshes of ancient Pavonia, as did the conquered Spaniards of yore to the stern mountains of Asturias, considering these the regions whence deliverance is to come. 19* CHAPTER XII. OBTAINING THE DIGNIFIED RETIREMENT, AND MORTAL SUE- RENDER OF PETER THE HEADSTRONG. Thus then have I concluded this great historical enterprise ; but before I lay aside my weary pen, there yet remains to be per formed one pious duty. If among the variety of readers who may peruse this book, there should haply be found any of those souls of true nobiUty, which glow with celestial fire at the history of the generous and the brave, they wiU doubtless be anxious to know the fate of the gallant Peter Stuyvesant. To gratify one such sterling heart of gold I would go more lengths than to instruct the cold-blooded curiosity of a whole fraternity of philo sophers. No sooner had that high-mettled cavaUer signed the articles of capitulation, than, determined not to witness the humiliation of his favorite city, he turned his back on its waUs and made a growling retreat to his bouwery, or country-seat, which was situated about two miles off; where he passed the remainder of his days in patriarchal retirement. There he enjoyed that tran quility of mind, which he had never known amid the distracting cares of government; and tasted the sweets of absolute and HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 443 uncontrolled authority, which his factious- subjects had so often dashed with the bitterness of opposition. No persuasions could ever induce him to revisit the city— on the contrary, he would always have his great arm-chair placed with its back to the windows which looked in that direction; until a thick grove of trees planted by his own hand grew up and formed a screen that effectually excluded it from the prospect He railed continually at the degenerate innovations and improve ments introduced by the conquerors — forbade a word of their detested language to be spoken in his family, a prohibition readily obeyed, since none of the household could speak any thing but Dutch — and even ordered a fine avenue to be cut down in front of his house because it consisted of English cherry-trees. The same incessant vigilance, which blazed forth when he had a vast province under his care, now showed itself with equal vigor, though in narrower limits. He patroUed with unceasing watchfulness the boundaries of his little territory ; repelled every encroachment with intrepid promptness ; punished every vagrant depredation upon his orchard or his farm-yard with inflexible severity ; and conducted every stray hog or cow in triumph to the pound. But to the indigent neighbor, the friendless stranger, or the weary wanderer, his spacious doors were ever open, and his capacious fire-place, that emblem of his own warm and generous heart, had always a corner to receive and cherish them. There was an exception to this, I must confess, in case the ill-starred applicant were an Englishman or a Yankee; to whom, though he might extend the hand of assistance, he could never be brought to yield the rites of hospitality. Nay, if peradventure some straggUng merchant of the east should stop at his door, with his cart-load of tin ware or wooden bowls, the 444 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. fiery Peter would issue forth like a giant from his castle, and make such a furious clattering among his pots and kettles, that the vender of " notions" was fain to betake himself to instant flight. His suit of regimentals, worn threadbare by the brush, were carefully hung up in the state bed-chamber, and regularly aired the first fair day of every month ; and his cocked hat and trusty sword were suspended in grim repose over the parlor mantel piece, forming supporters to a full-length portrait of the renowned admiral Von Tromp. In his domestic empire he maintained strict discipline, and a well-organized despotic government ; but though his own wiU was the supreme law, yet the good of his subjects was his constant object. He watched over, not merely then- immediate comforts, but their morals, and their ultimate welfare ; for he gave them abundance of exceUent admonition, nor could any of them complain, that, when occasion required, he was by any means niggardly in bestowing wholesome correction. The good old Dutch festivals, those periodical demonstrations of an overflowing heart and a thankful spirit, which are falling into sad disuse among my feUow-citizens, were faithfuUy observed in the mansion of Governor Stuyvesant. New-year was truly a day of open-handed liberality, of jocund revelry, and warm hearted congratulation, when the bosom sweUed with genial good-fellowship, and the plenteous table was attended with an unceremonious freedom, and honest broad-mouthed merriment, unknown in these days of degeneracy and refinement. Paas and Pinxter were scrupulously observed throughout his dominions ; nor was the day of St. Nicholas suffered to pass by, without making presents, hanging the stocking in the chimney, and com plying with aU its other ceremonies. Once a-year, on the first day of April, he used to array him- HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 445 self in fuU regimentals, being the anniversary of his triumphal entry into New-Amsterdam, after the conquest of New-Sweden. This was always a kind of saturnalia among the domestics, when they considered themselves at Uberty, in some measure, to say and do what they pleased; for on this day their master was always observed to unbend, and become exceeding pleasant and jocose, sending the old gray-headed negroes on April-fool's er rands for pigeons' milk ; not one of whom but allowed himself to be taken in, and humored his old master's jokes, as became a faithful and well-disciplined dependant. Thus did he reign, hap- pUy and peacefuUy on his own land — injuring no man — envying no man — molested by no outward strifes ; perplexed by no inter nal commotions — and the mighty monarchs of the earth, who were vainly seeking to maintain peace, and promote the welfare of mankind, by war and desolation, would have done weU to have made a voyage to the little island of Manna-hata, and learned a lesson in government from the domestic economy of Peter Stuy vesant. In process of time, however, the old governor, like aU other children of mortality, began to exhibit evident tokens of decay. Like an aged oak, which, though it long has braved the fury of the elements, and stUl retains its gigantic proportions, begins to shake and groan with every blast — so was it with the gallant Peter ; for though he stiU bore the port and semblance of what he was, in the days of his hardihood and chivalry, yet did age and infirmity begin to sap the vigor of his frame— but his heart, that unconquerable citadel, stUl triumphed unsubdued. With matchless avidity would he listen to every article of inteUigence concerning the battles between the English and Dutch— stiU would his pulse beat high, whenever he heard of the victories of 446 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. De Ruyter — and his countenance lower, and his eyebrows knit, when fortune turned in favor of the English. At length, as on a certain day he had just smoked his fifth pipe, and was napping after dinner, in his arm-chair, conquering the whole British nation in his dreams, he was suddenly aroused by a ringing of bells, rattling of drums, and roaring of cannon, that put aU his blood in a ferment. But when he learnt that these rejoicings were in honor of a great victory obtained by the combined English and French fleets over the brave. De Ruyter, and the younger Von Tromp, it went so much to his heart, that he took to his bed, and, in less than three days, was brought to death's door, by a violent cholera morbus ! Even in this extremity he still displayed the unconquerable spirit of Peter the Headstrong ; holding out to the last gasp, with inflexible obstinacy, against a whole army of old women who were bent upon driving the enemy out of his bowels, in the true Dutch mode of defence, by inun dation. While he thus lay, lingering on the verge of dissolution, news was brought him, that the brave de Ruyter had made good his retreat, with little loss, and meant once more to meet the enemy in battle. The closing eye of the old warrior kindled with martial fire at the words — he partly raised himself in bed — clinched his withered hand, as if he felt within his gripe that sword which waved in triumph before the walls of Fort Chris tina, and giving a grim smUe of exultation, sank back upon his pillow, and expired. Thus died Peter Stuyvesant, a vaUant soldier — a loyal sub ject — an upright governor, and an honest Dutchman — who want" ed only a few empires to desolate, to have been immortalized as a hero ! HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 44T His funeral obsequies were celebrated with the utmost gran deur and solemnity. The town was perfectly emptied of its inhabitants, who crowded in throngs to pay the last sad honors to their good old governor. All his sterling qualities rushed in fuU tide upon their recoUection, while the memory of his foibles and his faults had expired with him. The ancient burghers contended who should have the privilege of bearing the pall ; the populace strove who should walk nearest to the bier, and the melancholy procession was closed by a number of gray-headed negroes, who had wintered and summered in the household of their departed master for the greater part of a century. With sad and gloomy countenances, the multitude gathered round the grave. They dwelt with mournful hearts on the sturdy virtues, the signal services, and the gallant exploits of the brave old worthy. They recalled, with secret upbraidings, their own factious oppositions to his government ; and many an ancient burgher, whose phlegmatic features had never been known to relax, nor his eyes to moisten, was now observed to puff a pen sive pipe, and the big drop to steal down his cheek ; while he muttered, with affectionate accent, and melancholy shake of the head—" Well, den !— Hardkoppig Peter ben gone at last !" His remains were deposited in the family vault, under a chapel which he had piously erected on his estate, and dedicated to St. Nicholas— and which stood on the identical spot at present occu pied by St. Mark's church, where his tombstone is still to be seen. His estate, or bouwery, as it was called, has ever continued in the possession of his descendants, who, by the uniform integrity of their conduct, and their strict adherence to the customs and man ners that prevailed in the "good old times," have proved them selves worthy of their illustrious ancestor. Many a time and 448 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. oft has the farm been haunted at night by enterprising money- diggers, in quest of pots of gold, said to have been buried by the old governor — though I cannot learn that any of them have ever been enriched by their researches — and who is there, among my native-born fellow-citizens, that does not remember when, in the mischievous days of his boyhood, he conceived it a great exploit to rob " Stuyvesant's orchard" on a hoUday afternoon? At this strong-hold of the famUy may stUl be seen certain memorials of the immortal Peter. His fuU-length portrait frowns in martial terrors from the parlor waU — his cocked hat and sword still hang up in the best bedroom — his brimstone-colored breeches were for a long while suspended in the hah, untU. some years since they occasioned a dispute between a new-married couple — and his silver-mounted wooden leg is stUl treasured up in the store-room, as an invaluable reUque. CHAPTER Xm. THE AUTHOR'S REFLECTIONS UPON WHAT HAS BEEN SAID. Among the numerous events, which are each in their turn the most direful and melancholy of all possible occurrences, in your interestmg and authentic history, there is none that occasions such deep and heart-rending grief as the decline and fall of your re nowned and mighty empires. Where is the reader who can con template without emotion the disastrous events by which the great dynasties of the world have been extinguished ? While wandering, in imagination, among the gigantic ruins of states and empires, and marking the tremendous convulsions that wrought their overthrow, the bosom of the melancholy inquirer swells with sympathy commensurate to the surrounding desolation. Kingdoms, principalities, and powers, have each had their rise, their progress, and their downfaU — each in its turn lias swayed a potent sceptre — each has returned to its primeval nothingness. And thus did it fare with the empire of their High Mightinesses, at the Manhattoes, under the peaceful reign of Walter the Doubter —the fretful reign of William the Testy, and the chivalric reign of Peter the Headstrong. Its history is fruitful of instruction, and worthy of being pon dered over attentively, for it is by thus raking among the ashes 450 HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. of departed greatness, that the sparks of true knowledge are to be found, and the lamp of wisdom illuminated. Let then the reign of Walter the Doubter warn against yielding to that sleek, contented security, and that overweening fondness for comfort and repose, which are produced by a state of prosperity and peace. These tend to unnerve a nation ; to destroy its pride of character ; to render it patient of insult ; deaf to the calls of honor and of justice ; and cause it to cling to peace, Uke the sluggard to his pillow, at the expense of every valuable duty and consideration. Such supineness insures the very evil from which it shrinks. One right yielded up produces the usurpation of a second ; one encroachment passively suffered makes way for another ; and the nation which thus, through a doting love of peace, has sacrificed honor and interest, will at length have to fight for existence. Let the disastrous reign of William the Testy serve as a salu tary warning against that fitful, feverish mode of legislation, which acts without system ; depends on shifts and projects, and trusts to lucky contingencies. Which hesitates, and wavers, and at length decides with the rashness of ignorance and imbecility. Which stoops for popularity by courting the prejudices and flat tering the arrogance, rather than commanding the respect of the rabble. Which seeks safety in a multitude of counselors, and distracts itself by a variety of contradictory schemes and opinions. Which mistakes procrastination for wariness — hurry for decision — parsimony for economy — bustle for business, and vaporing for valor. Which is violent in council — sanguine in expectation, precipitate in action, and feeble in execution. Which undertakes enterprises without forethought — enters upon them without pre paration — conducts them without energy, and ends them in con fusion and defeat. HISTORY OF NEW- YORK. 451 Let the reign of the good Stuyvesant show the effects of vigor and decision, even when destitute of cool judgment, and sur rounded by perplexities. Let it show how frankness, probity, and high-souled courage will command respect, and secure honor, even where success is unattainable. But at the same time, let it caution against a too ready reliance on the good faith of others, and a too honest confidence in the loving professions of powerful neighbors, who are most friendly when they most mean to betray. Let it teach a judicious attention to the opinions and wishes of the many, who, in times of peril, must be soothed and led, or appre hension will overpower the deference to authority. Let the empty wordiness of his factious subjects ; their intem perate harangues ; their violent " resolutions ;" their hectorings against an absent enemy, and their pusillanimity on his approach, teach us to distrust and despise those clamorous patriots, whose courage dwells but in the tongue. Let them serve as a lesson to repress that insolence of speech, destitute of real force, which too often breaks forth in popular bodies, and bespeaks the vanity rather than the spirit of a nation. Let them caution us against vaunting too much of our own power and prowess, and reviling a noble enemy. True gallantry of soul would always lead us to treat a foe with courtesy and proud punctilio ; a contrary conduct but takes from the merit of victory, and renders defeat doubly disgraceful. But I cease to dwell on the stores of excellent examples to be drawn from the ancient chronicles of the Manhattoes. He who reads attentively will discover the threads of gold which run throughout the web of history, and are invisible to the dull eye of ignorance. But, before I conclude, let me point out a solemn warning, furnished in the subtle chain of events by which the cap- 452 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. ture of Fort Casimir has produced the present convulsions of our globe. Attend then, gentle reader, to this plain deduction, which, if thou art a king, an emperor, or other powerful potentate, I advise thee to treasure up in thy heart — though little expectation have I that my work wiU fall into such hands, for well I know the care of crafty ministers, to keep all grave and edifying books of the kind out of the way of unhappy monarchs — lest peradventure they should read them and learn wisdom. By the treacherous surprisal of Fort Casimir, then, did the crafty Swedes enjoy a transient triumph; but drew upon their heads the vengeance of Peter Stuyvesant, who wrested all New- Sweden from their hands. By the conquest of New-Sweden, Peter Stuyvesant aroused the claims of Lord Baltimore, who appealed to the Cabinet of Great Britain ; who subdued the whole province of New-Netherlands. By this great achievement the whole extent of North America, from Nova Scotia to the Flori- das, was rendered one entire dependency upon the British crown. — But mark the consequence : the hitherto scattered colonies being thus consolidated, and having no rival colonies to check or keep them in awe, waxed great and powerful, and finally becoming too strong for the mother country, were enabled to shake off its bonds, and by a glorious revolution became an independent empire. But the chain of effects stopped not here ; the successful revolu tion in America produced the sanguinary revolution in France ; which produced the puissant Bonaparte ; who produced the French despotism ; which has thrown the whole world in confu sion !— Thus have these great powers been successively punished for their ill-starred conquests — and thus, as I asserted, have aU the present convulsions, revolutions, and disasters that overwhelm HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. 453 mankind, originated in the capture of the little Fort Casimir, as recorded in this eventful history. And now, worthy reader, ere I take a sad farewell— which, alas ! must be for ever — willingly would I part in cordial fellow ship, and bespeak thy kind-hearted remembrance. That I have not written a better history of the days of the patriarchs is not my fault — had any other person written one as good, I should not have attempted it at all. That many will hereafter spring up and surpass me in exceUence, I have very little doubt, and still less care ; well knowing that, when the great Christovallo Colon (who is vulgarly called Columbus) had once stood his egg upon its end, every one at table could stand his up a thousand times more dex- trously.— Should any reader find matter of offence in this history, I should heartily grieve, though I would on no account question his penetration by telling him he was mistaken — his good nature by telUng him he was captious — or his pure conscience by telling him he was startled at a shadow. — Surely when so ingenious in linding offence where none was intended, it were a thousand pities he should not be suffered to enjoy the benefit of his discovery. I have too high an opinion of the understanding of my fellow- citizens, to think of yielding them instruction, and I covet too much their good will, to forfeit it by giving them good advice. I am none of those cynics who despise the world, because it des- spises them — on the contrary, though but low in its regard, I look up to it with the most perfect good nature, and my only sorrow is, that it does not prove itself more worthy of the unbounded love I bear it. If, however, in this my historic production — the scanty fruit of a lono- and laborious life — I have faUed to gratify the dainty palate of the age, I can only lament my misfortune— for it is too 454 HISTORY OF NEW-YORK. late in the season for me even to hope to repair it. Already has withering age showered his sterile snows upon my brow ; in a Uttle while, and this genial warmth which still lingers around my heart, and throbs — worthy reader — throbs kindly towards thyself. wiU be chilled for ever. Haply this fraU compound of dust. which while alive may have given birth to naught but unprofita ble weeds, may form a humble sod of the vaUey, whence may spring many a sweet wild flov/er, to adorn my beloved island of Manna-hata ! THE END.