That his Ex & Councill were pleased to referr the Examicon thereof unto three of the members of this board to take ye same in the p'sence of sundry other Gent".

That the said Gent" have long since finished the said Exinacon but by reason of the other emergent affairs of this Province no report has as yet been made thereof.

Yor Pet's therefore humbly pray that for the prventing of farther disputes & and settling the peace of the County where those Churches are the said members of the Councill may be ordered with all speed to make their report on that affair to this honble board.

Upon Read ye Petition of Joseph Hegeman Peter Navius & Jeronimus Remsen in the behalf of ye Elders & Deacons of ye Dutch Reformed Protestant Churches of ye Towns of fflat Bush fflatlands and Brookland Praying ye Comittee appointed for examining into the disputes concerning Mr Antonides and Mr Freeman on the Churches aforesaid may make their report thereof to this Board. It is ordered yt they proceed thereon according to ye said Petition.

PETITION OF THE ELDERS OF DOME FREEMAN'S CONGREGATION.

To the Honble Richard Ingoldsbey Esqr Lievt Govern & Comand in chiefe of the provinces of New York New Jersey &c.

The most humble petition of Dorus polhemus John Hansen Christian Snedecore & Jno Snedecore Elders of the Dutch Congregation in Queens County.

SHEWETH

Whereas Mr Freeman by orders from our late Governor the Lord Cornbury was to be Minister of this Congregation-and none els: which also was confirmed by the Lord Lovelace according to which we your Honrs petitioners were chosen & Constituted Elders of ye Church & now continue to be so.

Nevertheless Mr Antonides being very well apprized hereof but minding to make a Division & Disturbance in the Church here (as we are told he has done in Kings County) has lately (as we are informed) Taken upon himself in concert with some few others to make choise of other Elders of the said Congregation & does design to publish them as such at the Church or meeting hous at

Jamaica to morrow & also then to preach to the said Congregation, for the doing of which (as we humbly conceive) he has no manner of power or authority from your hon. Wee therefore humbly pray for ye preventing of the ill consequences which such practices by him will inevitably produce that yo Hon will be pleased as has been usual to order that no Dutch Minister shall preach or Exercise his Ministerial ffunction in this County besides Mr ffreeman till further orders from yo Hon & yor Hon's petitioners shall ever pray &c.

THEODORUS POLHEMUS
JNO HB HANSEN
JAN SNEDEKER

PETITION AGAINST DOME ANTONIDES.

To the Honble Collonel Richard Ingoldesby Governor and Commander in Chief of Her Majesties Provinces of N York and New Jersey & of all ye Territories and Tracts of Land depending thereon in America Vice Admirall of ye same &ca.

The humble petition of Cornelius Sebring & Cornelius Van Brunt in behalf of themselves and others of ye Dutch Congregation in Kings County on ye Island of Nassau,

SHEWETH,

That notwithstanding your Honors order (dated on the 14th day of this instant September) directed to Mr Vincentus Antonides not to confirm Elders and Deacons chosen by him in any of ye townes of flatt Bush New Vtrecht Bruykland, & Buswick, but soe it is may it please your Hon" That contrary to yr Order and in contempt thereof he ye said Mr Antonides hath already confirmed two Elders and one Deacon in ye Towne of Bruykland on Sunday last being ye 18th Instant, and your Petrs are informed that he Designes to-morrow to confirm them att flatt Bush, to ye great disturbance of Her Majesties Leigh Subjects of ye said county.

Yr Hon's Petitioners Therefore Humbly Pray you will be pleased to Grant some speedy Order directed to ye Justices of ye Peace to Prevent ye mischiefs that may attend such irregular Proceedings, or otherwise as in your great wisdome shall seem meet. And yr Pet's shall Pray &c.

N York Sept 24th 1709.

Both the above Petitions Read in Councill 6th Oct 1709.

CORNELIS SEBRING,
CORNELIS VAn Brunt.

AFFIDAVIT OF PETER HERING.

Peter Hering of full age being duely sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God deposeth and saith That on Sunday the 18th day of September One Thousand Seven hundred and nine he being then at the Dutch Church in Bruyklandt upon Long Island with one Abraham Kettletas & several others, where he this deponent did see and hear Mr Antonides a Dutch minister confirm

two Elders & one Deacon or one Elder and two Deacons of the Dutch Congregation of the sa Bruycklandt, and further this deponent saith not.

New-York Sept 24th 1709.

PIETRE HERING.

Sworn before me,

EBENEZER WILLSON Mayor.

MAJORITY REPORT OF COUNCIL.

To the Honoble Richard Ingoldesby Esqr Livt Govr and Commander in Chief of the Provinces of New-York New Jersey &c and Councill

In obedience to a Referrence of his late Exly John Lord Lovelace &c. in Councill now confirmed by your Honour in Councill we have inquired into Examined and heard the Elders and Deacons of ye Dutch Reformed Protestant Churches of the Towns of Brookland flatbush & flatlands in Kings County on their Petition to his sd Ex1y in Councill as also Cornelius Sebringh Anglebert Lott and Cornelius Van Brunt for and on the behalf of themselves and the major part of the ffreeholders of the Dutch Congregations In Kings County on the Island Nassau on their petition to his said Exly in Councill and find by the Books papers Evidences and Examinations before us laid & taken that Mr Antonides is duely and Regularly called minister of the said Towns of Brookland fflatbush & fflatlands according to the Discipline practice and Constitution of the Dutch Churches of the Towns aforesd and that Mr ffreeman is Duely called Minister of New Utrecht on the said Island, and we believe is likewise Minister of Bushwick tho it has not been proved before us.

To The Honourable Colol Richard Ingoldsby Lieutenant Gov & Comander in chief in & over her majesties Provinces of New York & New Jersey & Vice Admirall of the same in Councill.

In obedience to an order of this board formerly made whereby wee the Subscribers & others were appointed to Examine & Inquire into and heare the Petion of the Elders & Deacons of the Dutch Reformed Churches of Breuk Land Flatbush & New Utreght in behalfe of Mr antonides on the subject matter of the said Petition as also Mr Freeman and others Concerned in the said affaire & to make report thereof to this board wee the Subscribers conceiving it our duty, do most humbly certify & Report this our opinion Vizt: that the said Mr Freeman is Justly & Legally Called & Entitled

to the ministry of the said Churches of Breuk Land Flatbush New Utreght and Boswyck and that the said Mr Antonides is not Legally called thereto for the Reasons Following

FIRST that the Persons whoe pretend to haue Called Mr Antonides were not at that time the Elders & Deacons of the said Churches according to ye Rules & Methods p'scribed by the Sinod of Dort for the Governmt: of the Dutch Reformed Churches, they having Continued as Such Some three years, Some four years, whereas by the Constitution of the said Sinod they could haue continued but two years

SECONDLY, that the call on which Mr Antonides came over is Expressed to bee made by a Generall towne meeting (which apears to haue been the usuall way in Such Casses) and that apears utterly false by the Examinations, for that the pretended authority for making that call apears not to be given in a publiq meeting, but to be obtained Privatly & Clandestinely by Procuring Subscriptions in Going from house to house & there using false Insinuations concerning Mr Freeman.

THIRDLY that the said pretended call mentions the having obtained the Govrs License, & aprobation for making the said call, whereas it appears by the oath of the Lord Cornbury then Govr & thire own confession that the Lord Cornbury, did not give any License, to make that call, FOURTHLY that on the contrary it apears that Mr Freeman was called by a generall Towne Meeting Publiqly assembled (as has alwaies been Customary) for which the Express License & aprobation of the Lord Cornbury then Governour had bein first obtained.

FIFTLY that the having a License from the Govr was Esteemed necessary even by Mr Antonides himselfe & those that side with him, Since both he & they frequently aplyed to obtain Such a License; as appears by Seaverall letters to the Late Lady Cornbury, & Mrs Peartree, under the hand of the said Antonides & of the Said pretended Elders for the truth of which wee the Subscribers refer our Selves to the Examinations & the Respective papers produced at the taking thereof-But notwithstanding the right wee Conceive the said Mr Freeman has to the said Churches, Yet as Mr Freeman and those of his side haue out of a Christian Principle for pease Sake & to avoid all further Differences in the Said Churches offered to Devide Equally the pains & profit of the Said Churches, Wee humbly Conceive those Measures most reasonably & Conducieve to the Entire Reconciliation of both ministers and Partyes, this wee offered before, to the other Gentlemen of the Comitee as being agreable to the Opinion of the Classis of Amsterdam Signifyed by thire Letters to that Purpose.

All which matters aboue mentioned are nevertheless with Humility Submitted to Your Honours' Prudent Consideration & Decision by

Sr Your Honours most obedient

Read in Council 6th Oct. 1709.

Most humble Saryts

D: PROVOOST

A. D. PEYSTER
Jo D: PEYSTER

DISPOSITION OF THE MAJORITY AND MINORITY REPORTS.

[Counc. Min. X.]

Att a Councill held in New Yorke this 20th day of Octobr 1709

Present the Honble Richard Ingoldesby Esqr Livt Governour

Mr Beekman

Mr Van Dam

Mr Mompessom

Mr Phillips having desired to be heard & it being Granted he said—

Mr Barberie

Mr Phillipse

Coll Peartree

In the dispute between the Dutch Ministers on Long Island there has been a Reference and thereon two Reports have been made to this Board; One by Mr Van Dam and three others, the other afterwards by Capt Provost and two others to all whom it was referred and then he Proposed the Question whether two Reports on one & the same Referrence ought to be made or ever has been made.

Mr Beekman Mr Mompessom Mr Barberie & Collo Peartree are of opinion yt the Report of the Majority has been always made and not two reports on one and the same referrence.

Then Mr Phillipse moved that the Report of Mr Van Dam and others being that of the majority may continue on the file and the other taken of.

Mr Beekman Mr Mompessom Mr Barberie & Collo Peartree being for the motion

It is ordered that the Report of ye sd Mr Van Dam & others remain on ye file & and the other of Capt Provost and others be taken of the fiel.

PETITION OF THE ELDERS AND DEACONS OF REVD MR ANTONIDES.

To the Honble Richard Ingoldesby Esqr Lievt Govr & Comandr in Cheif of the Provinces of New York & New Jersey &c. and the honble Council of the Province of New York. The Humble Petiçon of the Elders & Deacons of the Dutch reformed Protestant Churches of the Towns of Brookland flatbush & flatlands in Kings County

SHEWETH

That whereas on some differences in the said Towns relating to & concerning who was the Minister of sd Towns application has heretofore been made to this board and sundry Gent of this board & others have been directed to examine that matter & make report thereof which they have accordingly done whereby it appears that Mr Vincentius Antonides is duely called Minister of the said Towns to the said Congregaçons as by the said report remaining on the file relaçon being thereto had may more fully and at large appear.

Your Petrs therefore humbly Pray that the said report may be approved in Councill & that yor honors will be pleased to declare that the sd Mr Antonides ought accordingly to exercise his function as Dutch Minister to the said Congregaçons, and yor Petrs shall ever Pray

In their names & by their order,

N. York 22d Octob 1709.

JERONIMUS REMSEN.