USA > New York > New York City > History of New Netherland; or, New York under the Dutch, Vol. I > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53
" VII. There shall likewise be granted to all Patroons who shall desire the same, venia testandi, or liberty to dispose of their aforesaid heritage, by testament.
"VIII. The Patroons may, if they think proper, make use of all lands, rivers, and woods, lying contiguous to them, for and during so long a time as this company shall grant them to other patroons or particulars.
"IX. Those who shall send persons over to settle colonies shall furnish them with proper instructions, in order that they may be ruled and governed conformably to the rule of govern- ment made, or to be made, by the Assembly of the Nineteen, as well in the political as in the judicial government; which they shall be obliged first to lay before the directors of the respective colleges.
" X. The Patroons and Colonists shall be privileged to send their people and effects thither, in ships belonging to the com- pany, provided they take the oath, and pay to the company for bringing over the people as mentioned in the first article ; and for freight of the goods five per cent. ready money, to be reck- oned on the prime cost of the goods here ; in which is, how-
115
NEW NETHERLAND.
ever, not to be included such creatures and other implements CHAP. as are necessary for the cultivation and improvement of the ~~ lands, which the company are to carry over without any reward, 1629 if there is room in their ships. But the Patroons shall, at their own expense, provide and make places for theni, together with every thing necessary for the support of the creatures.
"XI. In case it should not suit the company to send any ships, or in those going there should be no room ; then the said Patroons, after having communicated their intentions, and after having obtained consent from the company in writing, may send their own ships or vessels thither : provided, that in going or coming they go not out of their ordinary course ; giving security to the company for the same, and taking on board an assistant, to be victualled by the Patroons, and paid his monthly wages by the company ; on pain, for doing the contrary, of forfeiting all the right and property they have obtained to the colonie.
"XII. Inasmuch as it is intended to people the island of the Manhattes first, all fruits and wares that are produced on the lands situate on the North River, and lying thercabout, shall, for the present, be brought there before they may be sent else- where : excepting such as are from their nature unnecessary there, or such as cannot, without great loss to the owner thereof, be brought there; in which case the owners thereof shall be obliged to give timely notice in writing of the difficulty attending the same to the company here, or the commander and council there, that the same may be remedied as the necessity thereof shall be found to require
" XIII. All the Patroons of colonies in New Netherland, and of colonies on the island of Manhattes, shall be at liberty to sail and traffic all along the coast from Florida to Terra Neuf, provided that they do again return with all such goods as they shall get in trade to the island of Manhattes, and pay five per cent. for recognition to the company, in order, if possible, that after the necessary inventory of the goods shipped be taken, the same may be sent hither. And if it should so happen that they could not return, by contrary streams or otherwise, they shall, in such case, not be permitted to bring such goods to any other place but to these dominions, in order that under the
116
HISTORY OF
inspection of the directors of the place where they may arrive
1629.
BOOK II. they may be unladen, an inventory thereof made, and the afore- said recognition of five per cent. paid to the company here, on pain, if they do the contrary, of the forfeiture of their goods so trafficked for, or the real value thereof.
"XIV. In case the ships of the Patroons, in going to, or coming from, or sailing on the coast from Florida to Terra Neuf, and no further, without our grant, should overpower any of the prizes of the enemy, they shall be obliged to bring, or cause to be brought, such prize to the college of the place from whence they sailed out, in order to be rewarded by them ; the company shall keep the one third part thereof, and the re- maining two thirds shall belong to them, in consideration of the cost and risk they have been at, all according to the orders of the company,
" XV. It shall be also free for the aforesaid Patroons to traffic and trade all along the coast of New Netherland and places circumjacent, with such goods as are consumed there, and receive in return for them, all sorts of merchan- dise that may be had there, except beavers, otters, minks, and all sorts of peltry, which trade the company reserve to themselves. But the same shall be permitted at such places where the company have no factories, conditioned that such traders shall be obliged to bring all the peltry they can procure to the island of Manhattes, in case it may be, at any rate, practicable, and there deliver to the Director, to be by him shipped hither with the ships and goods ; or, if they should come here, without going there, then to give notice thereof to the company, that a proper account thereof may be taken, in order that they may pay to the company one guilder for each merchantable beaver and otter skin ; the pro- perty, risk, and all other charges, remaining on account of the Patroons, or owners.
" XVI. All coarse wares that the colonists of the Patroons there shall consume, such as pitch, tar, weed-ashes, wood, grain, fish, salt, hearthstone, and such like things, shall be brought over in the company's ships, at the rate of eighteen guilders ($7.20) per last; four thousand weight to be ac- counted a last, and the company's ship's crew shall be obliged
117
NEW NETHERLAND.
to wheel and bring the salt on board, whereof ten lasts make CHAP. a hundred. And in case of the want of ships, or room in the~
I1. ships, they may order it over at their own cost, in ships of 1629 their own, and enjoy in these dominions such liberties and benefits as the company have granted; but in either case they shall be obliged to pay, over and above the recognition of five per cent., eighteen guilders for each hundred of salt that is carried over in the company's ships.
" XVII. For all wares which are not mentioned in the fore- going article, and which are not carried by the last, there shall be paid one dollar for each hundred pounds weight; and for wines, brandies, verjuice, and vinegar, there shall be paid eighteen guilders per cask
"XVIII. The company promises the colonists of the Pa- troons, that they shall be free from customs, taxes, excise, imposts, or any other contributions, for the space of ten years ; and after the expiration of the said ten years at the highest, such customs as the goods are taxable with here for the present.
" XIX. They will not take from the service of the Patroons any of their colonists, either man or woman, son or daughter, man-servant or maid-servant ; and though any of them should desire the same, they will not receive them, much less permit them to leave their Patroons, and enter into the service of another, unless on consent obtained from their Patroons in writing ; and this for and during so many years as they are bound to their Patroons ; after the expiration whereof, it shall be in the power of the Patroons to send hither all such colo- nists as will not continue in their service, and until then shall not enjoy their liberty. And all such colonists as shall leave the service of his Patroon, and enter into the service of an- other, or shall, contrary to his contract, leave his service ; we promise to do every thing in our power to apprehend and deliver the same into the hands of his Patroon, or attorney, that he may be proceeded against, according to the customs of this country, as occasion may require.
"XX. From all judgments given by the courts of the Pa- troons for upwards of fifty guilders, ($20,) there may be an appeal to the company's commander and council in New Netherland.
118
HISTORY OF
BOOK II. " XXI. In regard to such private persons as on their own account, or others in the service of their masters here, (not 1629. enjoying the same privileges as the Patroons,) shall be in- clined to go thither and settle ; they shall, with the approba- tion of the Director and council there, be at liberty to take up as much land, and take possession thereof, as they shall be able properly to improve, and shall enjoy the same in full property either for themselves or masters.
"XXII. They shall have free liberty of hunting and fowling, as well by water as by land, generally, and in public and pri- vate woods and rivers, about their colonies, according to the orders of the Director and council.
" XXIII. Whosoever, whether colonists of Patroons for their patroons, or free persons for themselves, or other particulars for their masters, shall discover any shores, bays, or other fit places for erecting fisheries, or the making of salt ponds, they may take possession thereof, and begin to work on them in their own absolute property, to the exclusion of all others. And it is consented to that the Patroons of colonists may send ships along the coast of New Netherland, on the cod fishery, and with the fish they catch to trade to Italy, or other neutral countries, paying in such cases to the company for recogni- tion six guilders ($2.40) per last ; and if they should come with their lading hither, they shall be at liberty to proceed to Italy, though they shall not, under pretext of this consent, or from the company, carry any goods there, on pain of arbi- trary punishment ; and it remaining in the breast of the com- pany to put a supercargo on board each ship, as in the eleventh article.
"XXIV. In case any of the colonists should, by his industry and diligence, discover any minerals, precious stones, crystals, marbles, or such like, or any pearl fishery, the same shall be and remain the property of the Patroon or Patroons of such colony ; giving and ordering the discoverer such premium as the Patroon shall beforehand have stipulated with such colo- nist by contract. And the Patroons shall be exempt from all recognition to the company for the term of eight years, and pay only for freight, to bring them over, two per cent., and after the expiration of the aforesaid eight years, for recognition
119
NEW NETHERLAND.
and freight, the one eighth part of what the same may be CHAP worth.
1629.
" XXV. The company will take all the colonists, as well free as those that are in service, under their protection, and the same against all outlandish and inlandish wars and powers, with the forces they have there, as much as lies in their power, defend.
"XXVI. Whosoever shall settle any colonie out of the limits of the Manhattes Island, shall be obliged to satisfy the Indians for the land they shall settle upon, and they may extend or en- large the limits of their colonies if they settle a proportionate number of colonists thereon.
" XXVII. The Patroons and colonists shall in particular, and in the speediest manner, endeavor to find out ways and means whereby they may support a minister and schoolmaster, that thus the service of God and zcal for religion may not grow cool, and be neglected among them ; and that they do, for the first, procure a comforter of the sick there.
"XXVIII. The colonies that shall happen to lie on the re- spective rivers or islands (that is to say, each river or island for itself) shall be at liberty to appoint a deputy, who shall give information to the commander and council of that West- ern quarter, of all things relating to his colonie, and who are to further matters relating thereto, of which deputies there shall be one altered, or changed, in every two years ; and all colonics shall be obliged, at least once in every twelve months, to make exact report of their colonie and lands thereabout, to the commander and council there, in order to be transmitted hither.
"XXIX. The colonists shall not be permitted to make any woollen, linen, or cotton cloth, nor weave any other stuffs there, on pain of being banished, and as perjurers to be arbitrarily punished.
"XXX. The company will use their endeavors to supply the colonists with as many blacks as they conveniently can, on the conditions hereafter to be made; in such manner, however, that they shall not be bound to do it for a longer time than they shall think proper.
"XXXI. The company promises to finish the fort on the
120
HISTORY OF
BOOK island of the Manhattes, and to put it in a posture of defence II. without delay.1
1629.
The preceding charter, which transplanted to the free soil of America the feudal tenure and feudal burdens of continen- tal Europe, is remarkable principally as a characteristic of the era in which it was produced. It bears all the marks of the social system which prevailed at the time, not only among the Dutch, but among the other nations which had adopted the civil law. The "colonies" were but transcripts of the "lordships" and "seigneuries" so common at this period, and which the French were establishing, contemporaneously, in their possessions north of New Netherland,2 where most of the feudal appendages of high and low jurisdiction, mutation fines, pre-emption rights, exclusive monopolies of mines, min- erals, water-courses, hunting, fishing, fowling, and grinding, which we find enumerated in the charter to patroons, form part of the civil law of the country at the present day. But how- ever favorable the feudal tenure may be to a young country, and to agriculturists of small capital, whose interest it might be to husband their scanty means, in order the quicker and more effectually to enable them to reclaim their wild land, it cannot be denied that the charter before us had many faults and many imperfections. "While it secured the right of the Indian to the soil," says Moulton, " and enjoined schools and churches, It scattered the seeds of servitude, slavery, and aristocracy. While it gave to freemen as much land as they could cultivate, and exempted colonists from taxation for ten years, it fettered agriculture by restricting commerce and prohibiting manufac- tures."3
1 Moulton, 388 ; Dunlap's N. Y., ii., Append. H .; N. Y. Hist. Soc. Coll. (2d Ser.) i., 369.
" The following are the dates of some of the earliest patents for seigneuries in Canada. St. Joseph, 1626; Notre dame des Anges, 1626 ; Rivière du Loup, 1633 ; Lauzon, 1636; Beauport, 1635. These and numbers of others may be found (some as late as 1788) in Bouchette's Topog. of Can., App. ii. et seq. Forty years after the establishment of the privileged order of patroons in New Netherland, the proprietors of Carolina attempted to introduce a privileged order of feudal lords in that province, under the title of " Langraves" and " Caciques," the former to be endowed with 16,000, and the latter with 4,000 acres of land each. But this memorable monument of Locke's folly perished soon after birth.
' Hist. of N. Y., 387, 388.
121
NEW NETHERLAND.
CHAPTER III.
Several directors of the West India Company acquire patroonships, or " colo- nies," in New Netherland-Associations formed to settle Zwanendal and Rens- selaerswyck-Patroons' colonies confirmed and " sealed with the seal of New Netherland"-Quarrels between Directors of the Company and Pa- troons-Privileges granted to Patroons called into doubt-Director Minuit recalled-English Companies grant patents for Massachusetts and Connecti- cut-Evince considerable jealonsy of the Dutch-The vessel in which Minuit and other servants of the Company are returning to Holland, is seized at Plymouth by order of the British government, for having traded to, and obtained her cargo in, countries subject to the king of England-Audi- ence of the Dutch ambassadors with Charles I. in consequence-They de- mand the release of the Company's ship-The king declines-The West India Company call the attention of the States General to the matter-Lay before their High Mightinesses a deduction of their title to New Netherland -The States General resolve to maintain the Company's right to that coun- try-Lengthy reply of Charles I. and the Lords Commissioners of England to the Dutch remonstrance-Refuse to permit the Dutch to encroach on and usurp one of his Majesty's colonies unless they consent to submit to his Ma- jesty's government-The Company's ship released, "saving his Majesty's rights"-Continued misunderstanding between Directors of the West India Company and the Patroons-Commissaries sent to the several " colonies" belonging to Patroons, to prevent the latter interfering in the fur trade- Colonie of Zwanendal destroyed hy the savages-De Vries visits South River and makes peace with the Indians-Profitable state of trade with New Netherland.
THE charter of 1629 had not yet received the sanction of CHAP. the Assembly of the XIX., nor the ratification of the States III. I629. General, when several of the directors of the Amsterdam chamber of the West India Company, to which department, as we have already observed, the management of the affairs of New Netherland was committed, had already taken meas- ures to secure for themselves a share of those privileges and advantages which it held out to enterprising capitalists. Seven June I. days before the passing of that charter, the agents of Samuel Godyn and Samuel Bloemmaert purchased, from the native proprietors of the soil, the tract of country lying on the south- west side of the South River bay, extending inland from Cape Hindlopen thirty-two miles, and two miles in breadth;
16
122
HISTORY OF
BOOK which purchase was duly ratified on the 15th July of the II. next year, by the Director-general and council, at Fort Am- sterdam.1
1630. Other wealthy and influential directors of the company April hastened now to become patroons also, and early in the fol-
18. lowing spring, Bastiaen Jansen Krol, commissary, and Dierck Cornelissen Duyster, under-commissary at Fort Orange, hav- ing learned that a tract of land called Sannahagog, lying on the west side of the North River, extending from Beeren Island, by the Indians called Passapenock, up to Smackx Island, and in breadth two days' journey, was for sale, pur- chased the same from Paep Sikenekomptas, Nancouttanshal, and Sickoussen, the native proprietors, for Kiliaen van Rens- selaer, a pearl-merchant in Amsterdam, and one of the di- rectors of the West India Company.2 Three months after-
1 Hol. Doc. i., 176-180. In the English translations of this Dutch patent (Liber GG.) in the secretary of state's office, the name of Blommaert is omit- ted as a party to the Cape Hindlopen purchase, and Moulton, following that translation, represents Godyn accordingly as sole purchaser of this tract. I follow the Dutch patent in the Holland documents, which contains Blommaert's name, as well as the signatures of the Director-general and the members of his council, and of Sheriff Lampo.
2 KILIAEN VAN RENSSELAER, merchant of Amsterdam, director of the West India Company, and one of the first patroons of New Netherland, was the thirteenth descendant in a direct line from Henry Wolters van Rensselaer. He married, firstly, Hellegonda van Bylet, by whom he had one son, Johannes, who afterwards married his cousin, Elizabeth van Twiller. Kiliaeu van Rens- selaer married, secondly, in 1627, Anna van Wely, daughter of Joannes van Wely, merchant of Amsterdam, by whom he had four daughters and four sons, namely : 1, Maria ; 2, Jeremias, (who married Maria, daughter of Oloff Steven- sen van Cortland ;) 3, Hellegonda ; 4, Jan Baptiste, (who married Susan van Wely ;) 5, Eleonora ; 6, Susan, (who married Jan de la Court ;) 7, Nicolaus, (who married Alida Schuyler ;) 8, Rickert, (who married Anna van Beaumont ;) Kiliaen van Rensselaer's sister (Maria) married Rykert van Twiller, and thus, it is presumed, the relationship originated between Wonter van Twiller, second director-general of New Netherland, and the first patroon of Rensselaers- wyck. Of the above children, Maria and Hellegonda died unmarried. Jo- hannes succeeded his father as Patroon, and Jeremias, Jan Baptiste, and Ryckert were, in succession, directors of " the colonie." Nicolaus was a clergyman of the Dutch Reformed Church. On being introduced to Charles 'II., then in exile at Brussels, he prophesied the restoration of that monarch to the throne of England, which circumstance obtained for him afterwards a cor- dial reception at the Court of St. James, when he visited London as chaplain to
123
NEW NETHERLAND.
wards, Gillis Hoossett purchased, in the presence of Jan Jan- CHAP. sen Meyndertsen, Wolfert Gerritsen, and Jan Tyssen, trum -~ III. peter, for the same gentleman, from Cottomack, Nawanemit, 1630. Abantzene, Sagisguwa, and Kanamoack, the lands lying south July 27 and north of Fort Orange, and extending to within a short or28. distance of Moenimines Castle, then situate on what is now called Haver Island, at the mouth of the Mohawk; and from Nawanemit, one of the last-named chiefs, his grounds, called Semesseeck, stretching on the east side of the river, from opposite Castle Island to a point facing Fort Orange, and thence from Potanoek, the Mill Creek, north to Nega- gonse. These conveyances were subsequently ratified by the Aug. 8. respective parties, in the presence of the Director-general and council of New Netherland, who signed an instrument to that Ang. effect, " sealed with the seal of New Netherland in red wax," 13.
the Dutch embassy. In acknowledgment of the truth of the prediction, the king presented him with a snuff-box, on the lid of which was set his Majesty's miniature. This royal relic is still in the possession of the Van Rensselaer family at Albany.
Mde. Anna van Rensselaer died in Amsterdam on the 12th June, 1670, after a sickness of seven weeks, having survived her husband twenty-four years. Intelligence of her death, communicated by the following letter, was received in this country by her sons, Jeremias and Ryckert, on the 18th Sept., 1670:
" AMSTERDAM, 12th June, 1670.
" Dear Brothers-On the 9th inst. I communicated to you, among other things, por ship Duke of York, Johannes Lnyck, skipper, the low condition of our beloved mother, who accompanied me home, sick, from Cralo to Amster- dam, on the 1st of April. After lying so long, without any strong fever, or any great pain, troubled only with asthma, accompanied by considerable congh and phlegm, and the sprue, she took her departure with great piety from the Church Militant here, to the Church Triumphant above, on the 12th inst., be- ing this day, about one hour after noon, in the presence of all our sisters and brothers who are in this country, and that with a full understanding and trust in the mercy of God, the merits of her and our Saviour Jesus Christ, which, through the grace of the Holy Ghost and the belief in the Triune God, so strengthened her, that all her wishes were to be set free and to be with Christ, who hath taken her so mercifully to himself, that we all, thongh afflicted children, cannot be sufficiently thankful to God for so gentle and holy a death. Her body will be committed to the earth in a Christian manner, as in duty bound, on Tuesday next, being the 17th inst. There is no doubt of a stately funeral. May the good God grant her, and us with her, a joyous resurrection at the last day. Amen."
124
HISTORY OF
BOOK on the same day that the charter of 1629 was proclaimed at II. Fort Amsterdam. Nearly seven years afterwards-namely, 1630. on the 13th April, 1637-an intervening district called Pap- sickenekas, or Papsskenea, as the name is now pronounced, lying also on the east bank of the river, and extending from opposite Castle Island south to the point opposite Smackx Island, and including the adjacent islands and all the lands back into the interior, belonging to the Indian owners, was pur- chased " for certain quantities of duffels, axes, knives, and wampum," also for Mr. Van Rensselaer, who thus became proprietor of a tract of country twenty-four miles long, and forty-eight miles broad, containing, as is estimated, over seven hundred thousand acres of land, which now compose the counties of Albany, Rensselaer, and part of the county of Columbia.1
1 The names of Director Minuit, Bastiaen Jansen Krol, Dirck Cornelisz Duyster, Peter Bylvelt, Jan Lampo, (schout,) Reynert Harmenssen, Jan Jans- sen Myndertz, are signed to the first of these deeds, which is certified by Len- aert Cole, assistant-secretary, " in the absence of Jan van Remund, secretary." The other instrument is signed by Pieter Minuit, director ; Pieter Bylvelt, Jacob Elbertzen Weissing, Jan Jansen Brouwer, Symen Dircksen Pos, Rayn- ner Harmenz, Lenaert Cole, assistant-secretary, in the absence of the secre- tary, " with the seal of New Netherland in red wax." Copies of all these deeds are in the Book of Patents, secretary of state's office, GG, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24, 25, 26, and also among the Rensselaerswyck MSS. Sce also Hol. Doc. i., 181-184. The deed of the purchase of 1637 is likewise among the Rens- selaerswyck MSS. It is endorsed, " Opdracht brief van 't landt aende Oostwal en de eylanden van Papsickaen, 1637." This purchase was effected by Jacob Albertzsen Planck, officier, or sheriff, of the patroon, in the presence of Gerrit de Reus and Brandt Peelen, both schepens, or magistrates of the colonie, and of Dirck Corssen and Jan Tiebkins, the one commissioner, the other skipper of the yacht " the Rensselaerswyck." The papers were signed in the director's chamber [bestelder kamer] of the colonie.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.