Goats. The Goats which run at large without keepers, in consequence of their injuring fruit and other trees, may be seised by the officer and taken possession of according to the edict of the 16th of March, 1648. Public instruments or papers. No man may draft public documents or papers, unless authorized by the Director General and Council; offenders shall be brought to trial before the high court of judicature according to the edict of May 1649. Receiving articles in pawn for liquor forbidden. No man may take anything in pawn for liquors, or penalty of restoring the goods, and paying in addition 25 guilders for the first offence, 50 guilders for the second and double (100 guilders) for the third offence, and also to have his license taken away and trade stopped, according to the edict of the 3rd of Dec. 1657.' GOV. COLVES CHARTER TO THE SEVERAL TOWNS ON LONG ISLAND. ANNO. 1673 PROVISIONAL INSTRUCTION FOR THE SHERIFF AND MAGISTRATES OF THE VILLAGES OF MIDWOUT, (FLATBUSH) AMERSFOORT (FLATLANDS) BREUKELEN, NEW UTRECHT, GRAVESEND AND BOSWYCK, SITUATE ON LONG ISLAND. [Flatbush Rec.; also Alb. Rec.] Art. 1. The Sheriff and Magistrates shall, each in his quality, take care that the Reformed Christian Religion be maintained in conformity to the Synod of Dordrecht without permitting any other sects attempting any thing contrary thereto. 2. The Sheriff shall be present, as often as possible, at all the meetings and preside over the same; but should he act for himself as party, or in behalf of the rights of the Lords Patroons or of Justice, he shall, in such case, rise from his seat and leave the Bench & in that event he shall not have any advisory much less a 1 For the Translation of the above paper, the public is indebted to Teunis G. Bergen, Esq., of Kings Co. concluding vote, but the oldest Schepen shall, then, preside in his place. 3. All cases relating to the Police, Security and Peace of the Inhabitants; also to Justice between man and man, shall be finally determined by the magistrates of each of the aforesaid Villages, to the amount of sixty florins, Beaver, and thereunder without appeal: In case the sum be larger the aggrieved party may appeal to the meeting of the Sheriff and Councillors delegated from the Villages subject to his jurisdiction, for which purpose one person shall be annually appointed from each Village who shall assemble in the most convenient place to be selected by them, and who shall have power to pronounce final judgment to the amount of fl. 240 Beavers and thereunder. But in all cases exceeding that sum each one shall be entitled to an appeal to the Governour General and Council here. 4. In case of inequality of votes, the minority shall submit to the majority; but those who are of a contrary opinion may have it recorded in the minutes but not divulge it without the meeting on pain of arbitrary correction. 5. Whenever any cases occur in the meeting in which any of the Magistrates are interested, such Magistrate shall, in that instance, rise and absent himself, as is hereinbefore stated, in the 2nd article, of the sheriff. 6. All Inhabitants of the abovenamed Villages shall be citable before said Sheriff and Schepens or their delegated Councillors who shall hold their meetings and courts as often as they shall consider requisite. 7. All criminal offences shall be referred to the Governour General and Council, on condition that the Sheriff be obliged to apprehend the offenders, to seize and detain them & to convey them as prisoners under proper safeguard to Chief Magistrate with good and correct informations for or against the offenders. 8. Smaller offences, such as quarrels, abusive words, threats, fisticuffs and such like, are left to the jurisdiction of the Magistrates of each particular Village. 9. The Sheriff and Schepens shall have power to conclude on some ordinances for the welfare and peace of the Inhabitants of their district such as laying highways, setting off lands and gar dens and in like manner what appertains to agriculture, observance of the Sabbath, erecting churches, school houses or similar public works. Item, against fighting & wrestling and such petty offences-provided such ordinances are not contrary but as far as is possible, conformable to the Laws of our Fatherland and the Statutes of this Province; and therefore, all orders of any importance shall, before publication, be presented to the Chief Magistrate and his approval thereof requested. 10. The said Sheriff and Schepens shall be bound strictly to observe and cause to be observed the Placards and Ordinances which shall be enacted and published by the supreme authority, and not suffer any thing to b done against them, but cause the Transgressors therein to be proceeded against according to the tenor thereof; and further, promptly execute such orders as the Governour General shall send them from time to time. 11. The Sheriff and Schepens shall be also obliged to acknowledge as their Sovereign Rulers their High Mightinesses the Lords States General of the United Netherlands and his Serene Highness the Lord Prince of Orange and to maintain their sovereign jurisdiction, right and domain over this country. 12. The selection of all inferior officers and servants in the employ of said Sheriff and Schepens, the Secretary alone excepted, shall be made and confirmed by themselves. 13. The Sheriff shall, by himself or deputies execute all the Magistrates' judgments nor discharge any one except by advice of the Court; he shall also take good care that the places under his charge shall be cleansed of all mobs, gamblers, whorehouses and such like impurities. 14. The Sheriff shall receive the half of all civil fines accruing during his term of office together with one third part of what belongs to the respective Villages from criminal cases; but he shall neither directly nor indirectly receive any presents forbidden by law. 15. Towards the time of election, the Sheriff and Schepens shall nominate as Schepens a double number of the best qualified, honest, intelligent and wealthiest inhabitants, exclusively of the Reformed Christian Religion or at least well affected thereunto, to be presented to the Governour, who shall then make his election therefrom with continuation of some of the old ones in case his Honour may deem it necessary. deem it necessary. Done in Fort Willem Hendrick 1st October 1673. NOTE. Similar Instruction was sent to Flushing, Hemsted, Middleburgh, Jamaica, Oysterbay, Southampton, Southold, Seatalcot, Huntington and East Hampton, on L. I., to Swanenburg, Hurley & Marbletown in the Esopus; to Elizabethtown, Woodbridge, Shrewsbury, Newarke, Bergen, Piscattaway and Middletown, behind Achter Cul; and to Staten Island & Westchester. NAMES OF INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD John 1673. [Vanderkemp's Transl. of Dutch Rec. XXII.] John Smith Blew Richard Geldersly, Sen Vrolphert Jacobs John Hobbs John Langd Jonathan Semmes Robbard Marisseu Mos Hemmery John Beets carpenter Matthew Beedel Comes Thomas Ellison Philip Davis Hopkins Adam View Thomas Champion Thomas Southward Jan Roelossen Peter Jansen Solomon Semmar Teunis Smith Richard Valentin jun. Joseph Wood Herman Flouwer William Dose Persell Joseph Truax Joseph Hoyt & Nine others whose names are lost THE ROLL OFF THOSE WHO HAUE TAKEN THE OATH OFF ALLEGIANCE IN THE KING COUNTY I THE PROVINCE OFF NEW YORKE THE 26: 27: 28: 29 AND 30th DAY OFF SEPTEMBER IN THE THIRD YEARE OFF HIS MAYtah RAIGNE ANNOQue DOMINE 1687. off flackbush [MSS. in Sec's. Office.] Abram hegeman native Willem Jacobs Van boerum was in this Jan Cornelissen Vander Veer native country 38 Jeare Christoffel Probasco 33 Jeare hendrick Rijcken 24 Jeare Pieter Strycker native off this Province off N: Yorke Cornelis Pieterse native Cornelis Peters Luijster native Jacob Willem Van bueren 38 Jeare Pieter Lott 35 Jeare Cornelis barense Van Wyck 27 yeare Jan harmenssen Van amesfoort 29 Jeares Joseph hegeman 37 yeare Willem guil Janse 47 yeare Jan Wouterse Van bosch 28 yeare Jan Dircks Van Vliet 23 yeare Auke Janse Van Nuys 36 Jeare Theodorus Van Wijck native gerrit Janse Strijker 35 Jeare hendrick thyssen 21 Jeare Mauritius Couverts native Willem huijcken 24 Jeare theunis gysbertse bogaert 35 Jeare hendrick Lamberse native Jan Couverts native Claes thomas Van Dyck native Achias Janse Vandijck 36 yeare Jacob Joorissen native Jacobus d'beauvois 28 Jeare harmen Joorissen native Jacob Willemse bennit native Jacob brouwer native bourgon broulaet 12 Jeare Jan Damen 37 Jeare Cornelis Subrink native Pieter Staats native |