by authority derived from your royal Highness under the Honorable Colonel Nicolls as deputy governor, do most humbly and thankfully acknowledge to your royal Highness the great honor and satisfaction we receive in our dependence upon your royal Highness according to the tenor of his sacred Majesty's patent, granted the 12th day of March, 1664; wherein we acknowledge ourselves, our heirs and successors for ever, to be comprised to all intents and purposes, as therein is more at large expressed. And we do publicly and unanimously declare our cheerful submission to all such laws, statutes, and ordinances, which are or shall be made by virtue of authority from your royal Highness, your heirs and successors for ever: As also, that we will maintain, uphold, and defend, to the utmost of our power, and peril of us, our heirs and successors for ever, all the rights, title, and interest, granted by his sacred Majesty to your royal Highness, against all pretensions or invasions, foreign and domestic; we being already well assured, that in so doing we perform our duty of allegiance to his Majesty, as freeborn subjects of the kingdom of England inhabiting in these his Majesty's dominions. We do farther beseech your royal Highness to accept of this address, as the first fruits in this general meeting, for a memorial and record against us, our heirs and successors, when we, or any of them, shall fail in our duties. Lastly, we beseech your royal Highness to take our poverties and necessities, in this wilderness country, into speedy consideration; that, by constant supplies of trade, and your royal Highness's more particular countenance of grace to us, and protection of us, we may daily more and more be encouraged to bestow our labors to the improvement of these his Majesty's western dominions, under your royal Highness; for whose health, long life, and eternal happiness, we shall ever pray, as in duty bound.

For New-Utrecht, Jaques Cortelleau,

Younger Hope.

John Bowne.
Roeloffe Martense.

Hendrick Gucksen.

Gisbert Tunis.

Hendrick Lubbertsen, John Evertsen.

"Southampton, Thomas Topping, "Easthampton, Thomas Baker,

Westchester, Edward Jessup,

John Coe.

Richard Cornhill.
Thomas Benedict.
Robert Jackson.
Matthias Harvey.
John Ketcham.
Roger Barton.
John Youngs.

John Howell.

John Stratton.

John Quinby.

At this meeting was also promulgated a body of laws and ordinances for the future government of the province, commonly called, by way of distinction, the "Duke's Laws," a copy of which was furnished to the deputies, and filed in the clerks' offices of the different counties, where some of them remain to this time. Of this code we have prepared an analysis, which, it is presumed, embraces the principal features thereof in a condensed form.

All actions of debt, account, slander, and actions on the case concerning debts and accounts to be tried within the jurisdiction where the cause of action arose. Debts and trespasses under five pounds to be arbitrated, and if either party refuse, the justice to choose arbitrators, whose award to be final. All actions or cases from five to twenty pounds to be tried at the sessions, from whence there should be no appeal. Any person falsely pretending greater damages or debts than are due, to vex his adversary, to pay treble damages. If the action be entered, and the parties compromise it, yet the agreement to be entered by the clerk. of the court. Upon the death of any person, the constable and two overseers to repair to the house of deceased to inquire after the manner of the death, and whether he left any last will or testament. But no administration to be granted, except to the widow or child until the third session after the party's death. The surplus of the personal estate to be divided as follows: one third to the widow, and the other two thirds among the children, except that the eldest son shall have a double portion. All amercements and fines, not expressly regulated by law, to

be imposed at the discretion of the court. No justice of the peace, who hath set upon or voted in any cause, to have any voice in the court to which appeal is made. Parties appealing, to give security; and in criminal cases they shall also give security for good behavior until the matter is decided. No arrest to be made on the Sabbath, or day of humiliation for the death of Charles the First, of blessed memory, or the anniversary of the restoration of Charles the Second. And all arrests, writs, warrants, and proclamations to be in the name of his Majesty. All assessments to be made by the constable and eight overseers of the parish, and justices of the peace to be exempt from assessments during their continuance in office.

To rebuke an officer with foul words, so that he depart through fear without doing his duty, shall be taken for an assault, and punished accordingly. No Christian shall keep a slave, except persons adjudged thereto by authority, or such as have willingly sold or shall sell themselves. Every town to set out its bounds within twelve months after they are granted, and once in three years the ancientest town shall give notice to the neighboring towns to go the bounds betwixt their towns, and to renew their marks; the time for preambulation to be between the 20th and last of February, under the penalty of five pounds for neglect thereof; and owners of adjoining lands to go the bounds betwixt their lands once a year, under penalty of ten shillings. No person to follow the business of brewing beer for sale but those skilled in the art. The name and sirname of every inhabitant in the several parishes to be registered; and the minister or town clerk shall record all marriages, births, and burials in a book to be provided by the church-wardens. No body to be buried, except in public places, and in the presence of three or four of the neighbors, one of whom shall be an overseer of the parish. Persons punishable with death, are those who shall in any wise deny the true God or his attributes; those who commit any wilful or premeditated murder; he who slays another with a sword or dagger, that hath not any weapon to defend himself; those who lay in wait; poisoning, or any such wicked conspiracy; lying with any brute beast, (and the beast to be burned); man-stealing;

taking away life by false and malicious testimony; denying his Majesty's right and title to his crown or dominion, or resisting his authority by arms; conspiracy against the public; children above the age of sixteen, and of sufficient understanding, smiting their natural father or mother, unless in self-defence from maiming or death.

Cattle and hogs to be marked with the public mark of the town and the private mark of the owner; and horned cattle to be marked upon the horn. Every cause of five pounds or under to pay a tax of two shillings and sixpence; if ten pounds, five shillings; from ten to twenty pounds, ten shillings; and for every ten pounds more, two and sixpence.

Whereas the public worship of God is much discredited for want of painful and able ministers to instruct the people in the true religion, it is ordered that a church shall be built in each parish capable of holding two hundred persons; that ministers of every church shall preach every Sunday, and pray for the King, Queen, Duke of York, and the Royal Family; and to marry persons after legal publication or license.

Sundays not to be profaned by travelling by laborers or vicious persons; church-wardens to report twice a-year all misdemeanors,--such as swearing, profaneness, sabbath-breaking, drunkenness, fornication, adultery, and all such abominable sins. That no person employed about the bed of any man, woman, or child, as surgeon, midwife, physician, or other person, presume to exercise or put in practice any act contrary to the known approved rules of the art in each mystery or occupation. Courts of Sessions to begin in the east-riding first Tuesday of June; the second Tuesday in the north-riding; and the third Tuesday in the west-riding. The constable to whip or punish any one when no other officer is appointed to do it. All sales and alienations of property to be by deed, and under hand and seal. No condemned person to be executed within four days after sentence, and the person executed to be buried near the place of execution. If any woman shall causelessly absent herself from her husband, and upon complaint made to a magistrate shall refuse to return, she shall forfeit her dower, unless the husband afterwards affirm the same. Every minister within his

parish is enjoined to pray and preach on the anniversary of the deliverance from the "Gun-powder Treason," the fifth of November, 1605; on the 30th day of January, to manifest detestation of the barbarous murder of Charles I. in 1649; and on the 29th of May, being the birth-day of Charles II. of blessed memory.

If any person commit fornication with any single woman, they shall both be punished, either by enjoining marriage or corporal punishment at the discretion of the court. Persons guilty of perjury to stand in the pillory three several court days, and render double damages to any party injured thereby. Apprentices and servants absenting themselves from their masters without leave, to serve double the time of such absence. Every town to have a marking or flesh-brand for horses. No ox, cow, or such like cattle, to be killed for sale or for private use without giving notice thereof to the town registrar. No person to be a common victualler, or keeper of a cook-shop or house of entertainment, without a certificate of his good behavior from the constable and two overseers of the parish; nor suffer any one to drink excessively in their houses after nine o'clock at night under the penalty of two shillings and sixpence. No purchase of land from the Indians shall be valid without a license from the governor, and the purchaser shall bring the Sachem or right owner before him, to confess satisfaction. No one to sell, give, or barter, directly or indirectly, any gun, powder, bullet, shot, or any vessel of burden, or row-boat (canoes excepted,) with any Indian, without permision of the governor, under his hand and seal; nor sell, truck, barter, give or deliver any strong liquor to an Indian, under penalty of forty shillings for one pint, and in proportion for any greater or lesser quantity; except in case of sudden extremity, and then, not exceeding two drams.

To be father, brother, uncle, nephew, or cousin-german to any party in a trial, shall exempt a juror from serving, if objection be made before he is sworn, but not afterwards. No person to reveal the dissenting vote of a juror on arbitration, under the penalty of ten shillings. Every town, at its own expense, shall provide a pair of stocks for offenders, and a pound