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In the meantime the inhabitants often disagreeing and disputing about their plantations, houses, and about the watch, the Director General, and Council ordained as follows:

The Director General and Council notify the inhabitants of the Town of New Utrecht to keep good watch, and for the purpose of keeping better order they have appointed and set, as in other cases, the person Jan Tomassen to the office of Serjeant: they therefore order the inhabit nts of the Town to obey and acknowledge as Serjeant, the above named Jan Tomassen.

Done at Fort Amsterdam, the 2d of October AD. 1659. Hereupon did the Fiscal N. DeSille send a Halberd. Shortly thereafter the inhabitants of the Town complained, that they were badly provided with powder and lead, and also that some of them had no guns, they desired that the Fiscal would provide them at their own cost with the same, they having recourse to him inasmuch as they had heard the Director General and Council had appointed him Scout (Sheriff) over the Town of Utrecht.

The Lord General on the 6th of October 1659, with many soldiers who were volunteers, a company of Citizens with the Orange banner, and a company of English well wishers, went to Esopus to fight the Indians. Thereupon having charge of the Town on behalf of the company, I sent out of my own armoury as follows: 10 light muskets, 25 lb balls, 10 cartridge boxes,

25 lb powder,

2 bunches gun matches.

The Town therefore is charged at the following rate:-1 lb powder, one guilder in bevers, or 30 stuyvers in wampum, or 25 stuyvers in wheat; 1 lb lead, 6 stuyvers; 1 musket and cartridge box, 8 guilders in wampum and a match in proportion; also with one hour glass and a writing book.

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Thereafter it happened that the inhabitants disputed, quarreled, and disagreed among one and another, in consequence of which Albert Albertese, Harmen Courten, Jan Sely, Jan Van Cleef, Teunis Ydessen, Cornelis Beeckman, Claes Claessen Smit, Jacob Hellekerse Swart, Huibert Jansen Hook, Willem Willemse, Pieter Hesselse, and Jacob Van Curlaer, on the 11th of October 1659 united in a petition to the Director General and Council for relief, which they handed to the Fiscaal for safe keeping, not being able to send it in consequence of the season and the Indians.

The Fiskal then gave orders to fortify and surround his house, which alone had a tile roof, with palisades for the safety of the inhabitants and as a place of refuge, which immediately was done and finished.

In consequence of many persons neglecting properly fencing their lots, keeping them in proper order, or keeping watch either personally or by deputy, dissatisfaction arose, so that Jan Tomasse, Huybert Janson Hoock, Cornelis Beeckman, Willem Williamse, and J Van Curlaer, again on the 26th of January 1660, wrote to the Fiscal complaining of the damage daily done by the hogs, in consequence of the insufficiency of the fences, so that they also had a mind to be neglectful if nothing was done to abate the evil.

The above and similar difficulties and disturbances caused the Fiscal much running about and made him weary, so that he did not know what immediately to do, and doubted whether or not to accept the office of Sheriff of the Town of Utrecht; he did as much as he could do to make peace, so that the building and ploughing might go on, there being at that time but few houses; these were numbered on the 6th February 1660, as follows:

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On the 21st of January 1660 the Fiscal demanded of the Surveyor Jaques Cortleyou his certificate of the survey of his house

plot farm and meadows, which is as follows: A lot on the plain lying South East of the shore or strand way, and North-West of the land of Ruth Joosten, in width 12 rods, and in length 25 rods: e lan known as lot No. 9 being in width 26 rods, and lying Northeast against the land of Jacobus Backer, South-west by the illage of New-Utrecht, stretching South-east and containing 2 Morgens (50 acres); also a piece in the meadows numbered 13, containing 3 morgens.

Now I shall insert in full the Fiscal's Patent, so that all persons may understand when they become liable to pay the tenth of the produce of their lands to the government, to which provision all are liable from the date of the first patent whether they take them up or not.

Patent.

PETRUS STUYVESANT on the behalf of the Noble High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Netherlands, and Noble Lord and Director of the Priviledged West India Company of the Chamber at Amsterdam, Director General of New Netherland, Curaçoa, Bonayre, Aruba, with their appendages, with the consent of the Noble Lords of the Council witness and declare, that We on the date hereunto underwritten, have given & granted to Nicasius de Sille, a parcel of land lying on Long Island in the Town of New Utrecht, known as number nine, in width 26 rods, bounded on the north-east by land of Jacob Backer, on the South-west by the village, and stretching Southeast to the woods, containing 25 morgens (50 acres); also a piece of meadow land known as number 13 containing 3 morgens; also

building plot on the plain South-east of the shore or strand way, lying North-west of Ruth Joosten, in breadth 12 rods, and in length 25 rods; on the express condition and terms that the said Nicasius de Sille, or those who hereafter may obtain the same, acknowledge for his Lord and Patron, the Noble Lord Director above mentioned under the Sovereignty of the Noble, High and Mighty Lords of the States General, and in all things as a good inhabitant obey the Director General and Council, subject at the expiration of ten years after date, when required by the Lord Patrons, to the payment of the tenth, also to the other charges

and services to which all the inhabitants of the land are liable when occasions arise to require the same; constituting over the same the beforenamed Nicasius De Sille in our place the actual possessor of the aforesaid parcel of land, giving him with the same, complete right, authority, and special charge of the aforesaid parcel of land for cultivation, dwelling, and use, the same as he might have with his other patrimonial lands and effects without our having any further claim thereon: But in behoof aforesaid desisting from all such from henceforth and forever, promising to keep firm, valid, and inviolable this conveyance, and to perform all its engagements justly, and to stand to the same without craft or subtlety, is this by Us subscribed, sealed in red wax, and confirmed; At Amsterdam in New Netherland this 22d day of January 1660. Signed PETRUS STUYVESANT.

(Here follows another Patent to De Sille for No. 8.)

On the 15th of February 1660, Jacob Van Curler, and Jan Tomassen who had the oversight and charge of the Town, sent to the Fiscal N. de Sille a letter of complaint and also one of enquiry, in the first of which they complained about the bad management in the Town of Utrecht to the injury of the well meaning; they also complained of certain ring leaders who they would not name, hoping they would repent and do better in future; they looked for and expected to have sent to them the promised Negroes of the Company to set palisades around the village as thought and spoken of by the Director General and Council: if they are not sent they desired to resign their situations and to have others appointed in their places.

Herewith they send to the Fiscal, draughts of rules which they desire to have put in operation in the Town and which in short are as follows:

1. An order relating to cattle and hogs jumping over and breaking

the fences.

2. An order relating to the saving of powder and lead.

3. An order relating to the building plots of the inhabitants. 4. An order relating to those who own lands but neglect to culti vate and build on the same, and who remain outside the place. When the Fiscal had read the above he drew the following

Petition and joined to the same an Ordinance according to his own judgment, and on the 23 day of February 1660 delivered

the same.

Copy.

To the Noble and Right honorable Lord and Director General and Council of New Netherland.

It is represented to your Honor by the orderly inhabitants of the Town of New Utrecht, that they have among them some absentees and evil doers, who refuse to listen to reason and act in an orderly manner, but always are contrary and troublesome, yea, will not obey the Serjeant Jan Tomasse, of which some time ago notice was given to you the Noble and Right Honorable Lord; several times the Fiscal has been written to in relation to the great trouble and injury caused by horses, cattle and hogs and consequent damages, also that they refuse to listen to and obey the orders of Jacob Curlear and Jan Tomasse in relation to cutting palisades; we therefore humbly seek in the first place that you Noble and Right Honorable Lord, will be pleased to send the promised Negroes for 8 days, and also to approve of the accompanying ordinances drawn for the Town, and to favour us with such others as you Noble and Right Honorable Lord, may think necessary:

This do, &c.

Was subscribed,

To the Noble and Right Honorable Lord in the name of the orderly inhabitants of New Utrecht by your humble servant NICASIUS DE SILLE.

Amsterdam in N. Netherland this 23d Feb. 1660.

On the above written date the Fiscal personally delivered the following to the Council which was ordered to be enforced. 1. Those who have obtained lots and plantations in the Town of New Utrecht are notified properly to fence the same.

2. They shall acknowledge and obey as Serjeant the person Jan Tomasse.

3. Also to acknowledge the same Jan Tomasse and Jacob Van Curlear as overseers over all, and to obey the orders they receive of the Noble and Right Honorable Lord Director General and Council, and to proceed in the first place with all hands

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