USA > New York > New York City > History of New Netherland; or, New York under the Dutch, Vol. I > Part 27
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1 Winthrop's Journal 303, 304, 305 ; Winthrop's N. Eng. u., 129, 130, 157; Hubbard's N. Eng. 433, 434, 435. Trumbull's Conn. i., 126, 134, 135.
36
IV. 1643.
282
HISTORY OF
BOOK
III.
ated Earl-palatine, and for its settlement a company was
1643.
formed, consisting of forty-four lords, barons, baronets, knights, gentlemen, and adventurers, under the style of " the Albion Knights for the conversion of the twenty-three kings" of Charles River, as they called the Delaware. It was not, however, by lords and baronets that colonies were to be planted in America. It was, rather, by the poor, the patient, and the daring. Either the means of this goodly company were too slender, or their plans too crude, or, what is more probable, their patent was utterly valueless, and this colony had no other but a pseudo-parchment existence. The company, the colony, and the Earl-palatine, have disappeared from the face of the earth, leaving scarcely a trace to mark either their whereabouts or their existence. Sir Edmund Ployden retired to Virginia shortly after his appearance at New Amsterdam, " for he would not quarrel with the Dutch," who now became, again, a prey to all the horrors of an Indian war.1
The peace, which had been concluded in the spring, was considered by the River Indians in every respect unsatisfac- tory. The presents they had received were looked upon as by no means commensurate to the enormous losses which they had experienced at the hands of the white men ; and Kieft, when their complaints came to his ears, took, unfor- July tunately, no pains to remove their dissatisfaction by opportune 20. presents, but rather aggravated the existing ill-feeling by abusing the Indians, and inducing, by a bribe of two hundred fathoms of wampum, their chief, who came to warn him of his danger, " to kill those boobies who desired to war with the Swannekins."2
In the mean while, Pacham, the crafty leader of the Tanki- tekes of Haverstraw, visited all the Indian villages, and stim- ulated the savages to rise and massacre the Dutch. The spirit of evil found minds too well-disposed to receive his counsel and to take up the tomahawk. The Wappinecks, or Wappingers, residing on the North River, about half way be-
1 Hazard's State Papers i., 160, 161 ; Van der Donck's Vertoogh van N. N .; Barker's Sketches in Hazard's Reg. i., 180 ; Plantagenet's New Albion ; Bancroft's United States ii., 296 ; Alb. Rec. iii., 224; xviii., 349.
2 De Vries.
283
NEW NETHERLAND.
·
tween the Manhattans and Fort Orange, with whom the Dutch CHAP. never had any dispute, were the first to commence hostilities. IV. They attacked an open boat coming from the latter post, laden Aug. 7 with four hundred beaver skins, and murdered Willem Cor- nelissen Coster, one of the crew.1 The booty acquired on this occasion tempted others to make similar attacks on two other boats, which were also overpowered. But in an attempt to surprise a fourth, the savages were repulsed with a loss of six men. Nine Christians lost their lives in these rencontres, and one woman and two children were led away captives. Another party of Indians murdered an old couple, whom they visited under pretence of selling some beavers, and inflicted, at the same time, five wounds on an unfortunate settler, who succeeded, however, in making his escape to Fort Amsterdam in a boat ; bearing along with him, in his arms, a little child, who had already lost both father and mother in the first at- tack, and now was deprived of its grandfather and grand- mother, having been thus twice miraculously snatched, by the interposition of Providence, from the clutches of the savages ere it was yet two years of age. Numbers of others were also murdered about this time by the Indians, who came under the guise of friendship to warn the Christians of approaching danger.2
The hour of peril brought with it again the necessity of consulting the people ; and Kieft, who never respected either popular rights or popular representatives, found himself, after a lapse of six or seven months, compelled to call the com- monalty together anew to take into consideration such pro- positions as he should submit for the general good. The people met accordingly in the fort. They were called on "to elect five or six persons from among themselves," to consider maturely the articles which the Director-general and council were prepared to propose. But they preferred leaving the responsibility of choosing the " select men" to the executive, reserving to themselves, however, the right to reject such per- son or persons as might not be pleasing to them, and against
Alb. Rec. iii., 143.
2 Journael van N. N. ; Winthrop's N. Eng. ii., 130.
1643.
284
HISTORY OF
BOOK whom they might have any thing to object.1 A board of III. EIGHT MEN was subsequently chosen, a certificate of whose election was recorded in the following terms :
1643.
Sept. "WE, the undersigned, declare that we have elected 13. Joachim Pietersen, Jan Damen, Barent Dircksen, Abraham Pietersen, Isaack Allerton, Thomas Hal, Gerrit Wolfertsen, and Cornelis Melyn, maturely to consider the propositions submitted to us here by the Director and Council of New Netherland, approving hereby what the aforesaid persons shall herein treat of and determine. (Signed,)
" Philip Grave, Cornelis x Swilwan, Jan x Haer, Albert
Hol. Doc. iii., 141. The following is a translation of this interesting re- cord : " We, the undersigned, having appeared in the fort at the request of the Noble Director and Council, to express our opinions on their Honors' proposal, as they have required of us to elect five or six persons from among ourselves to weigh maturely the articles laid before ns, so have we considered it wise to leave to the Director and Council the doing that ; namely, the selection of those persons ; provided that we may reject the person or persons against whom there might be any thing to object, and are not pleasing to us
(Signed.)
" J. P. Kuyter,
Wolfert X Gerrits,
Barent X Dircksen,
Abraham Planck,
Cornelis Wittensen,
Louis X Crain,
Cornelis Jacobs. X Hille,
Pieter Colet,
Abm. Pietersen,
Heindrick Heindricksen Kype,
Govert Lookmans,
Claes X Montelaar,
Gerrit X Wolpherts,
Claes Jansen Ruter,
Barent Janssen,
George X Homs,
Hans X Hansen,
Ambrosius X Losman,
Jan X Picces,
Richard
Richard X Colfex,
Cornelis Twits,
Cornelis X Souleman,
John Pathaway,
Pieter Linde,
Cornelis Melyn,
Jan Snediker,
Sibert Claessen,
Isaak X de Forest,
Cornelis Lambertsen X Cool,
Abraham × Jacobse,
Jan Jansen Damen,
Cornelis Volckers,
Isaak Allerton,
Claes X Caerlessen,
Jacob Couwenhoven,
Willem Adriaensen,
Jan Verbruge,
Thomas Hall,
Cornelis Dircksen Hoochlant,
Thomas X Sandersen,
Wilheim Goulder,
Benj'n. Pawley,
Pieter Adriaensen,
Heyndrick X Heyndricksen,
Laurens X Pietersen,
P. R. Gichhous."
Such as have a X affixed to their names made their mark.
285
NEW NETHERLAND.
Jansen, Teunis x Cray, Jacob x Stoffelsen, Cornelis Wil- CHAP. lemsen, Claes x Corstersen, Richert x Gebbers, Reyner x IV. Jansen, Joris x Bastelaar, Egbert Woutersen, Pieter Linde, Wolphert x Gerrits, Isaak x de Forest, Ab. x Jacobse, Pieter Colet, Govert Loockmans, Jacob Couwenhoven, Wil- lem Adriaensen, Jan Verbrugge, Thoman x Sandersen, Am- brosius x Losman, Wilheim Goulder, Jan x Picces, Benj'n. Pawley, Laurens x Pietersen, John Pathaway."
The first meeting of the above representatives was held Sept. two days after their election, pursuant to a summons from the 15. Director-general, " to consider the critical circumstances of the country." One of their earliest acts was to mark their disapprobation of those who had demanded permission to at- tack the Indians. With this view, they required the exclu- sion of Jan Jansen Dam from the board, as they refused to sit with him, he being one of the signers of the letter of the twenty-fourth of February last. Dam protested in strong terms against this proceeding, and especially against Kieft, by whose misrepresentations, he averred, he had been deceived into signing the letter. But these excuses availed him naught. He was excluded, and Jan Evertsen Bout selected by the other seven to fill the vacancy. It was then resolved to re- new the war " either by force or stratagem," against the river Indians, but to preserve peace with the Long Island tribes, " if they commit no hostilities ;" to encourage the latter, " if they could be persuaded," to bring in " some heads of the murderers ;" and to engage and arm as large a body of men as the freemen could afford to pay. At this meeting, several good and wholesome regulations were passed forbidding tip- pling and taverns, in lieu of which a course of religious exer- cises, accompanied by preaching, was ordered for the space of a week. This order, we regret, however, to have to add, was entirely neglected by the minister charged with its execu- tion. The Eight Men then adjourned, having previously agreed to meet on every Saturday evening to watch the pro- gress of affairs.1
1 Hol. Doc. iii., 144, 145 ; v. 323 ; Alb. Rec. ii., 231. " Desen acht man- nen hebben wel eenige goede en behoorlycke articulen beraemt, voorbiedende
1643.
286
HISTORY OF
BOOK 111. 1643.
The Director-general immediately proceeded to arm the settlers and company's servants, and to engage the English inhabitants, (who were now threatening to quit the country,) the commonalty having agreed to defray the third part of their expenses. This corps, consisting of between fifty and eighty men, shortly after swore " fidelity to the High and Mighty Lords the States General, the Prince of Orange, the West India Company, and the Director and Council of New Netherland ;" to " sacrifice their lives in their and the coun- try's service, and to obey the Director, as dutiful officers and soldiers are bound to do."]
The enemy did not allow Kieft, or his troops, much time for preparation. A small force, consisting of " five soldiers, five boys, and one man," detailed for the defence of the colo- nie " behind the Cul," (or Newark Bay, as it is now called,) belonging to the Lord of Nederhorst, was attacked by a strong Sept. party of savages in the course of the night of the 17th Septem- 17. ber, and after a desperate resistance, were finally obliged to retreat ; the house having been fired over their heads. They escaped with considerable difficulty in a canoe, saving nothing but their arms. Another small force, which had been dis- patched to the same quarter for the protection of the farm Oct. 1. of Jacob Stoffelsen, was visited some ten or fifteen days after- wards, by a party of nine Indians, under a pretence of friend- ship, who finding the soldiers unarmed, murdered all in the house, except the farmer's step-son, whom they carried off to Tappaen, after having burned all the farm-houses and produce,
all tafernien en alle andere onhebbelyckheden. Stelden weder in plaetse een weeck predicatie, als by de ordre gesien can worden, toch 't is by den Officier tot executie niet gebracht." Letter of the Eight Men, 28th October, 1644. Hol. Doc. iii., 215.
1 Soo wert 'er goetgevonden dat men soo veel Engelsche sonden aennemen alsser in 't lant te becomen waren, die nn togh van meeningh waren te ver- trecken ; waervan de Gemeente een derde part sonde betalen ; dese beloften geschiet by de Gemeente, maer de betalinge volght niet. Journael van N. N. The number to be paid by the commonalty was, according to another authority, fifty men. Report and advice, Appendix E. Trumbull [Hist. Conn. i., 139] represents these " fifty Englishmen" to have been a bodyguard to Kieft's person, as " he could not trust himself " among the people. But this is an error.
287
NEW NETHERLAND.
while Aert Theunissen, a planter at Hoboken, was surprised, CHAP. IV. 1643.
as he was trading at the Beargat, outside Sandyhook, and murdered by the savages, who afterwards destroyed both his cattle and plantation.1
The greatest terror prevailed everywhere. Pavonia, Ach- ter Col, the greater part of Manhattan, and most of Long Isl- and were in the hands of the enemy, now consisting of seven different tribes, amounting, it was estimated, to fifteen hun- dred warriors. While the work of destruction was going on in the above quarters, other parties of savages crossed over to the main, and cleared all before them as far east as Stamford. Thither the celebrated Mrs. Anne Hutchinson had retired from her persecutors in Massachusetts, but the Indians had discovered her retreat. They appeared at first friendly, as was their wont when making their visits. But on discovering the defenceless condition of the inmates, they killed her and her son-in-law, Mr. Collins, with her own son, Francis, and all the other members of her family, besides a number of other persons in the neighborhood, belonging to the families of Mr. Throgmorton and Mr. Cornhill. Eighteen persons, in all, fell victims here to these barbarians, who, putting the cattle into barns, burnt the whole, Passing, thence, over to Long Island, they attacked the plantation of the Lady Moody at Gravesend several times, who would have, doubtless, shared the fate of the unfortunate Mrs. Hutchinson, had not her ladyship had a guard of forty men to protect her. Indeed so bold now had the Indians become, that they hesitated not to attack isolated bodies of the Dutch in their visits to the outposts around Fort Amsterdam, on one of which occasions Ensign van Dyck had Oct. 6. a narrow escape of being killed, having received a ball in his right arm, which passed across his body, grazing his chest.2
1 Alb. Rec. iii., 153 ; De Vries ; Van der Donck's Vertoogh van N. N. ; Hol. Doc. iv., 247. Beeregat, the first inlet without the cape on the New Jersey shore. Benson's Mem. 21. See also Van der Donck's Beschryving van N. N. 2 Winthrop's Journal, 308; Winthrop's N. Eng. ii., 135, 136; Hubbard, 345, 346; Alb. Rec. ii., 238 ; Gorton's Simplicity Defended, in Rhode Isl. His. Soc. Rec. ii., 59. Wilde's Rise, Reign, and Ruin of the Antinomians contains this pious exultation at the destruction of Mrs. Hutchinson :- " The Indians set upon them and slew her and all her children ; save one that escaped, (her own hus-
258
HISTORY OF
1643.
BOOK 111. To oppose these wild hordes the Dutch force amounted to no more than two hundred and fifty or three hundred settlers, and between fifty and sixty soldiers, badly provided, however, with ammunition ; while Fort Amsterdam, "open to the enemy day and night," was nothing better than a ruin, around whose crumbling walls helpless women and children lay huddled to- gether in huts of straw !
Such was the condition of things in New Netherland at the close of September, and beginning of October, when Director Kieft again convoked the Eight Men, to deliberate on what was best to be done. Two vessels-the Seven Stars and Neptune-were at anchor in the harbor, laden with provisions destined for Curaçoa. It was at once proposed to unload these ships-turn their cargoes into the fort-retain the greater num- ber of the crew and marines to aid against the savages; and Oct. 6. next to apply to New Haven for an auxiliary force of one hun- dred and fifty men. To meet expenses, the Director-gen- eral was recommended to draw a bill of exchange on the company for twenty-five thousand guilders, ($10,000,) and to give the English a mortgage on New Netherland as collateral security for the payment of this debt.1
The greater portion of this plan was, however, rejected by Director Kieft. With a self-will for which he was character- istic, he sent away the ships ; refused to retain the men be- longing to these vessels, at the moment he was under the ne-
band being dead before)-a dreadful blow ! Some write that Indians did burn her to death with fire, her house and all the rest that belonged unto her, but I am not able to affirm by what kind of death they slew her. . . . . God's hand · is more apparently seen herein to pick out this woful woman, to make her, and those belonging to her, an unheard of heavy example of their cruelty to others."
1 De vreese meer over 't lant comende, de Aght Mannen vergaderen for- meren een propositie hy geschrift, waerinne sy versoecken dat men na de Noordt souden senden by onse gebeuren d' Engelsche om hondert vyftigh man- nen tot hulp te versoeken ; tot betalinge van deselve soude men een wissel- brief verleenen van vyffentwintigh duyzent gulden, ende tot versekeringe dat deselve voldaen worden, soude men N. Nederlant soo lange aen de Engelsche verpanden . . . . gelyck oock weynich dagen van te vooren hadde beslooten, dat men de victualie gedestineert naer Curaçoa, nyt de schepen soude lossen, ende 't meeste volck vandeselve hehouden, ende de Schepen alsoo ledigh weg- senden. Det wert den Directeur nogh niet aengenomen nogh goetgevonden. Journ. van N. N.
289
NEW NETHERLAND.
cessity of applying to New England for an auxiliary force, and CHAP. exported provisions while the people around him were but scantily supplied ; for peas sold at this period for three florins or $1.20 per schepel, (three pecks ;) rye bread for eight cents, wheaten bread 14 cents per loaf; hard bread, 6 cents, pork, ten cents, dried fish, five cents, beef, nine cents, and tallow, for five cents per pound ; Spanish wine for thirty-two cents, and blubber oil for twenty cents per pot.1
1643.
Agreeably to the preceding arrangement, Captain John Un- derhill, who now was engaged to lead the Dutch forces, pro- ceeded to New Haven, with Mr. Isaac Allerton, in the hope of engaging the government of that colony to raise the auxili- ary force which was required. But this application had no effect. New Haven was prohibited by the articles of confed- eration from joining separately in war, and Governor Eaton and the general court not being satisfied of the justice of the quarrel between the Dutch and the Indians, rejected the pro- posal which Kieft had made.2 In this abandoned condition, the Eight Men were under the necessity of writing to Hol- land. They addressed letters both to the Assembly of the XIX. and to the States General ; which memorials, the first ever sent to Europe from a popular body in this state, interesting for their truth, and affecting for their simplici- ty and pathos, were couched in the following touching terms :
" Honorable Lords-Rightly hath one of the ancients said, that there is no misery on earth, however great, that does not manifest itself in time of war. We, poor inhabitants of New Netherland, have now to complain, that having enjoyed for a long time an indifferent peace with the heathen, Almighty God hath finally, through his righteous judgment, kindled the fire of war around us during the current year with the Indians, in which not only numbers of innocent people, men, women, and children, have been murdered in their houses, and at their work, and swept captives away, (whereby this place with all its inhabitants is come to the greatest ruin ;) but all the bow- eries and plantations at Pavonia, with twenty-five lasts [2700
Oct. 24.
1 Alb. Rec. iii., 159.
2 3 Mass. Hist. Coll. vii., 244.
37
290
HISTORY OF
BOOK bushels] of corn and other produce have been burnt, and the III. cattle destroyed.
1643.
" Long Island is destitute also of inhabitants and stock, ex- cept a few insignificant places over against the main, which are about to be abandoned. The English who have settled among us have not escaped. They too, except one place, are all murdered and burnt.
" Staten Island, where Cornelis Melyn established himself, is unattacked as yet, but stands expecting an assault every hour.
"On the island of Manachatas, [Manhattans,] from the north unto the Fresh Water,1 there are no more, at this date, than five or six places inhabited; these are threatened by the Indians, every night, with fire, and by day, with the slaughter of both people and cattle.
" Achter Cul, where the Honorable Van der Horst founded a colonie, is altogether in ruins. Thus no other place remains for us, where we can lodge ourselves with women and chil- dren, than around and adjoining Fort Amsterdam, on the Manachatas.
" No resistance is offered the enemy for want of men, arms, and ammunition, with which this place is very slenderly sup- plied. The fort is defenceless and entirely out of order, and resembles (with submission) rather a molehill than a fort against the enemy. On the other hand, the enemy is strong and mighty. They have formed an alliance, one with another, with more than seven different tribes, well supplied with mus- kets, powder, and ball, which they have procured and daily receive from private traders, in exchange for beaver, and with which they murder our people. The woods and the thickets are now also useful to them, for they have removed all their women, children, and old men into the interior. The rest of the warriors daily menace our lives with fire and sword, and threaten to attack the fort with all their strength, now consist- ing of fifteen hundred men. We have to guard this post at
1 There was formerly a " fresh water" pond where a part of Centre-street and its vicinity, in New York, are now situate. It is to this pond that allusion is made above.
291
NEW NETHERLAND.
all hours, for all the outside places are mostly in their hands. CHAP. Thus it is through their good-will that any cattle remain alive in the whole country.
" How wretched it fares with us afflicted people through- out the land, your Honors can easily conceive, for the coun- try's welfare and prosperity are composed principally of peo- ple, cattle, and houses, in which we jointly and severally have expended all the means that we have been able to realize.
" Our population consists, for the most part, of women and children. The freemen (not counting the English) are about two hundred in number, who must protect, by force of arms, their families, which now lie concealed in straw huts, around outside the fort.
"The cattle are partly burnt and killed ; the remainder conveyed to the fort on the Manhattes, where, for want of forage, they must starve through the coming winter, if not immediately slaughtered.
" The houses have been, for the most part, fired and de- stroyed. Those yet standing are in danger of being also burnt. It is much to be apprehended that this is but the beginning of our troubles, especially as these Indians kill off our people, one after the other, which they will continue to do, while we are burdened with our muskets, our wives and little ones.
" While the people are ruined, the corn and all other pro- duce burnt, and little or nothing saved, not a plough can be put this fall into the ground, so that not a hundred schepels will be sown hereabouts, and much less in the spring. If any provisions should be obtained at the east from the English, we know not wherewith we poor men will pay for them ; while private traders have, for the last three or four years, drained us by their extortions, and made this country wretchedly poor ; for this must follow so long as the industry of the land is at a stand-still.
" The cattle being destroyed, the dwellings burnt, the mouths of the women and children must remain shut. We speak not now of other necessaries, such as clothes, shirts, shoes, and stockings. Matters, in fine, are in such a fix, chat it will be with us according to the words of the prophet :- Who draws the sword, shall die of hunger and cold.
IV. 1643.
292
HISTORY OF
1643.
BOOK 111. "We turn, then, to you, Honorable Lords General; we pray and beseech your Honors, with humble hearts, to be pleased to assist us in this sorrowful plight, and to extend, by the earliest opportunity, a helping hand, with such means as your Honors may, in your wisdom, consider best. We have sent herewith a remonstrance also to the High and Mighty Lords, wherein we have besought of them, that this place, and we all, with wives and children, may not be delivered over a prey to these cruel heathens. Relying on which, we remain your Lordships' faithful subjects, lawfully elected and author- ized by the Honorable the Director and council, and the whole commonalty of New Netherland. (Signed,) Cornelis Melyn, Abm. Pietersen, Gerrit Wolphertsen, Isaack Allerton, Tho- mas Hall, Jan Evertse Bout, Barent Dircksen, Joachim Pie- tersen. Done at Fort Amsterdam, this 24th Oct., in New Netherland, anno 1643."]
The remonstrance to which the Eight Men refer at the close of the above letter, was to this effect :
Nov. 4. " To the Noble, High and Mighty Lords, the Noble Lords the States General of the United Netherland Provinces :-
" Noble, High and Mighty Lords ! As no sacrifice is more acceptable to our God than an humble spirit and a contrite heart, so nothing should, in like manner, be more pleasing to all Christian princes and magistrates, than to lend an ear to their complaining, and to extend their hand to their distressed subjects.
" So is it, then, that we, poor inhabitants of New Nether- land, were pursued in the spring by these wild heathens and barbarous savages, with fire and sword. Daily have they cru- elly murdered men and women in our houses and fields ; and with hatchets and tomahawks struck little children dead in their parents' arms, or before their doors ; or taken them far away into captivity. Cattle of all descriptions are destroyed
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