USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The history of the city of Albany, New York : from the discovery of the great river in 1524, by Verrazzano, to the present time > Part 12
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The Mohegans, or Mahikanders as they were called by the Dutch, seemingly followed the instructions of the English, for they became quite hostile. The magistrates of Beverswyck and Rensselaerswyck in their answer of the fourteenth of July to the letter of Director Stuyve- sant, adverted to the massacre of the Mohawk chiefs, remarking :
"It has also followed that the Mahikanders who appear to have some knowledge of the affair, have fled from the Mohawks, and the next consequence was that, on last Monday, the seventh [of July, 1664,], the Indians of the colony, at one onslaught, killed nine head of cattle * * on Director Rensselaer's farm, at Green- bush ; afterward, on another, in the manor, three head of cattle exclusive of those that are missing and some which are wounded.
"There are also reliable reports that the Indians burnt, on last Friday, the dwelling house on Mr. Abraham Staet's farm, also the farmer. His wife and one negro have not yet been found. The people of Mr. Abraham's wife have sent a canoe there to-day. Our cowherd has also been threatened by the Indians. * * In fine, we are in great trouble, peril, and perplexity.
"Now in reply to your honor's letter of the eighth of July, handed us this day by Gerrit Virbeeck, respecting what you have been pleased to communicate to us con- cerning the frigates, we have scarcely any doubt of the probability of their coming to attack us as appears from
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the reports of the Indians and the declarations made here to the court, according to the papers accompanying this communication.
" Wherefore we request your honors to aid us with
your wise counsel. * Respecting the supply of powder and lead which your honors have been pleased to request, the director and council will be so good as to consider that in this emergency we have the greatest need of what is very scarce here." 1
When this communication was received by the direc- tor-general and council their apprehensions respecting the warlike intentions of the English had been allayed by later dispatches from the directors of the Amsterdam chamber of the West India Company. They were told that soon there would be an amicable adjustment of the differences so long existing between the English and the Dutch concerning the boundary lines of the province, and that the king of Great Britain "being disposed to bring all of his dominions under one form of government, both in church and in state," was about to send commis- sioners to New England "to establish the episcopal gov- ernment as in Old England." This change, they said, would so effect the English settlers in New Netherland, that "they will not give us hereafter so much trouble but prefer rather to live free under us, at peace with their consciences, than to trouble themselves to get rid of our authority and then to fall again under a government from which they had formerly fled."
Persuaded that there were no legitimate grounds for the alarming reports that had been circulated among the people of New Netherland, the director-general, on the last day of July, went on board of a vessel and sailed for
1 MSS. of Rensselaerswyck. Albany records. vol. vi. fol. 431. Hol. doc. vol. xi. fol. 238.
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Fort Orange.1 Several weeks afterward the citizens of New Amsterdam in great amazement heard that a part of the English fleet had arrived at Boston, and that their city would soon be in the possession of the duke of York and Albany. All business was at once suspended. The excited people loudly censured the director-general for leaving the city. A messenger was immediately sent to Fort Orange to inform him of the direful condition of affairs in New Amsterdam. On Friday, the twenty-ninth of August, four days after his return to the seat of gov- ernment, Director Stuyvesant wrote to the authorities of Fort Orange and of Rensselaerswyck : "My leaving you was painful on account of my indisposition ; more pain- ful and troublesome were my return and arrival here on last Monday, on account of the report respecting the four English frigates, one of which showed herself, the next day, Tuesday, in the bay, near Sandy Hook.
"Yesterday, being Thursday, three more arrived and sailed up into Najack [Nyack] bay, where they are still at anchor. * * Evidently it is to be inferred that they will endeavor to reduce not only this capital but also the whole province to obedience to England.
"The naval and military force from Old England is estimated at seventeen hundred ; some say two thousand men, in addition to the crowd daily expected from New England.
" You can easily imagine in what a state of embar- rassment and anxiety we find ourselves without the hope of any relief. Therefore this serves chiefly to warn your honors and all friends particularly and mainly not to send down any beavers nor peltries for fear of their falling into the hands of the English.
1 Albany records. vol. xx. fol. 377 ; vol. xxii. fol. 271-273, 276. Hol. doc. vol. xi. fol. 219, 221, 236-239 ; vol. xii. fol. 92-96, 117-119.
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"It is desired, and, indeed, it is most necessary that your honors should assist us with some aid in men and powder, in case any hope or means remain of transport- ing and bringing them here in season and safety."
Vice-director La Montagne and Jeremias van Rens- selaer in reply, wrote as follows, on the twenty-ninth of August :
" Right honorable general :
" We are pleased to learn from your honor's letter of the twenty-ninth of August, of your arrival, but the un- expected hostile appearance of the English and the threatening concourse of evil-disposed neighbors belong- ing to their nation in this country are strange occur- rences to us.
" We have done our duty comformably to your hon- or's letters, the particulars of which we dare not commit to writing before and until we have further and more re- liable information concerning what has happened. To our surprise we do not find the inclosure of which your honor wrote.
"Meanwhile, at the request of some travelers, whose homes are at the Manhattans, we have consented to their departure in a sloop from this place thither. And here- with hoping for every thing we shall conclude, and after hearty greeting commend your honor to God's mercy."
On the thirtieth of August, Colonel Richard Nicolls, commanding the English fleet, at anchor in Nyack Bay, demanded the surrender of New Amsterdam. After a futile attempt to convince the British officer in a written protest that England had no right to the possession of New Netherland, Director Stuyvesant finally but reluct- antly signed, on the eighth of September, the articles of surrender, drawn up and signed by the Dutch and Eng- lish commissioners, on Saturday, the sixth of September.
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As soon as the articles1 received the signatures of Col- onel Nicolls and the director-general and council of New Netherland, Johannes de Decker took passage in a vessel sailing to Fort Orange, where, on his arrival, he under-
1 " I. We consent that the States General, or the West India company, shall freely injoy all farms and houses (except such as are in the forts), and that within six months, they shall have free liberty to transport all such arms and ammunition as now does belong to them, or else they shall be paid for them.
"II. All publique houses shall continue for the uses which they are for.
"III. All people shall still continue free denizens, and shall injoy their lands, goods, wheresoever they are within this country, and dispose of them as they please.
"IV. If any inhabitant have a mind to remove himself, he shall have a year and six weeks from this day to remove himself, wife, children, ser- vants, goods, and to dispose of his lands here.
"V. If any officer of state, or publique minister of state, have a mind to go for England, they shall be transported fraught free, in his Majesty's frigotts, when these frigotts shall return thither.
"VI. It is consented to, that any people may freely come from the Netherlands and plant in this colony, and that Dutch vessels may freely come hither, and any of the Dutch may freely return home, or send any sort of merchandise home, in vessels of their own country.
"VII. All ships from the Netherlands, or any other place and goods therein, shall be received here, and sent hence, after the manner which for- merly they were before our coming hither, for six months next ensuing.
"VIII. The Dutch here shall injoy the liberty of their consciences in divine worship and church discipline.
"IX. No Dutchman here, or Dutch ship here, shall upon any occasion, be pressed to serve in war against any nation whatsoever.
"X. That the townsmen of the Manhattans shall not have any soldiers quartered upon them, without being satisfied and paid for them by their officers, and that at this present, if the fort be not capable of lodging all the soldiers, then the Burgomasters, by their officers, shall appoint some houses capable to receive them.
"XI. The Dutch here shall injoy their own customs concerning their in- heritances.
"XII. All publique writings and records, which concern the inheritances of any people, or the reglement of the church or poor, or orphans, shall be carefully kept by those in whose hands now they are, and such writings as particularly concern the States General, may at any time be sent to them.
"XIII. No judgment that has passed any judicature here, shall be called in question, but if any conceive that he hath not had justice done him, if he apply himself to the States General, the other party shall be bound to answer for the supposed injury.
"XIV. If any Dutch living here shall at any time desire to travaile or traffique into England, or any place, or plantation, in obedience to his
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took to incite the garrison and the people of Beverswyck and Rensselaerswyck to resist the English when they came to demand the surrender of the fort. After taking possession of the city of New Amsterdam and Fort Am- sterdam, on Monday the eighth of September, and respect- ively calling them New York and Fort James, Governor Nicolls sent, on the following Wednesday, Colonel Majesty of England, or with the Indians, he shall have (upon his request to the govenor) a certificate that he is a free denizen of this place, and liberty to do so.
" XV. If it do appear, that there is a publique engagement of debt, by the town of Manhatoes, and a way agreed on for the satisfying of that en- gagement, it is agreed, that the same way proposed shall go on, and that the engagement shall be satisfied.
" XVI. All inferior civil officers and magistrates shall continue as now they are (if they please), till the customary time of new elections, and then new ones to be chosen by themselves, provided that such new chosen magis- trates shall take the oath of allegiance to his Majesty of England before they enter upon their office.
" XVII. All differences of contracts and bargains made before this day, by any in this country, shall be determined according to the manner of the Dutch.
"XVIII. If it do appeare that the West India company of Amsterdam do really owe any sums of money to any persons here, it is agreed that re- cognition and other duties payable by ships going for the Netherlands, be continued for six months longer.
"XIX. The officers military and soldiers shall march out with their arms, drums beating, and colours flying, and lighted matches ; and if any of them will plant, they shall have fifty acres of land set out for them ; if any of them will serve as servants, they shall continue with all safety, and be- come free denizens afterwards.
"XX. If, at any time hereafter, the King of Great Britain and the States of the Netherland do agree that this place and country be re-delivered into the hands of the said States, whensoever his Majestie will send his com- mands to re-deliver it, it shall immediately be done.
"XXI. That the town of Manhattans shall choose deputyes, and those deputyes shall have free voyces in all publique affairs, as much as any other deputyes.
" XXII. Those who have any property in any houses in the fort of Aurania, shall (if they please ) slight the fortifications there, and then injoy all their houses as all people do where there is no fort.
"XXIII. If there be any soldiers that will go into Holland, and if the company of West India in Amsterdam, or any private persons here will transport them into Holland, then they shall have a safe passport from Colonel Richard Nicolls, deputy governor under his Royal Highness, and the other commissioners, to defend the ships that shall transport such soldiers,
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George Cartwright, Captains John Manning and Daniel Brodhead, with a small body of soldiers to Fort Orange. Colonel Cartwright carried with him the following letter addressed "To the present Deputy-Governor, or the mag- istrates and inhabitants of ffort Aurania :"1
"These are to will and require you and every of you to bee ayding and assisting to Col. George Cartwright in the prosecution of his Majesty's interest against all such of what nation soever as shall oppose the peaceable sur- render and quiet possession of the ffort Aurania, and to obey him the said Col. George Cartwright according to such instructions as I have given him in case the Mo- hawks or other Indyans shall attempt any thing against the lives, goods or chattells of those who are now under the protection and obedience of his Majesty of Great Brit- taine ; wherefore you nor any of you are to fayle as you will answer the contrary at your utmost perills.
"Given under my hand and seale att ffort James in New Yorke on Manhattans Island, this tenth day of Sep- tember, 1664. "R. NICOLLS."
1 Aurantia, (Latin,) orange.
and all the goods in them, from any surprizal or acts of hostility, to be done by any of his Majesty's ships or subjects. That the copies of the King's grant to his Royal Highness, and the copy of his Royal Highness's commis- sion to Colonel Richard Nicolls, testified by two commissioners more, and Mr. Winthrop, to be true copies, shall be delivered to the Honourable Mr. Stuyvesant, the present governor, on Monday next, by eight of the clock in the morning, at the Old Miln, and these articles consented to, and signed by Colonel Richard Nicolls, deputy governor to his Royal Highness, and that within two hours after the fort and town called New Amsterdam, upon the isle of Manhotoes, shall be delivered into the hands of the said Colonel Richard Nicolls, by the service of such as shall be by him thereunto deputed, by his hand and seal.
JOHN DE DECKER, NICH. VARLETH,
SAM. MEGAPOLENSIS, CORNELIS STEENWYCK, JACQUES COUSSEAU, OLOFFE. S. VAN KORTLANDT,
Colonial hist. N. Y. vol. ii. pp. 250, 253.
ROBERT CARR, GEO. CARTWRIGHT, JOHN WINTHROP, SAM. WILLYS,
JOHN PINCHON,
THOMAS CLARKE."
*
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Vice-director La Montagne, when the order of Gover- nor Nicolls was presented to him, quietly surrendered Fort Orange to Colonel Cartwright on the twenty-fourth of September. In honor of the lord-proprietor of the pro- vince, the name of the village of Beverswyck and that of the fort were changed to Albany.1 Captain Manning was given command of the English soldiers garrisoning Fort Albany. Dirk van Schelluyne, a notary public of Beverswyck was appointed clerk of the court of Albany.2 The inhabitants of Albany and of Rensselaerswyck were allowed by Governor Nicholls the same privileges as were granted in the articles of capitulation to the people of the city of New Amsterdam. Jeremias van Rensselaer, the director of Rensselaerswyck, having taken the oath of allegiance to King Charles II. and the duke of York, was granted "such priviledges and authority within the limits of Renzluerswicke as he did injoy and execute be- fore the surrender of New York into his majesties obedi- ence," provided "that within the space of one yeare," after the eighteenth of October, 1664, he obtained "a dif- ferent pattent for the colony from his royal highnesse, and in the meane time that all the inhabitants " of the manor took "the oath to his majesty and the present govern-
1 " Albany or Albainn, an ancient name for the Highlands of Scotland, and retained in some degree of use down to our day. * * * It may, in- deed, be pretty safely assumed that Albion or Albany was the original name of Britain among its Celtic population ; and that it only became restricted to the northwest provinces of Scotland, when the Celts had for the most part
become confined to the same region. * * * The modern use of the name of Albany may be said to have taken its rise in an act of a Scottish council held at Scone in June 1398, when the title of Duke of Albany was conferred on the brother of King Robert III., then acting as regent of the kingdom. The title being forfeited in the son of the first holder, was afterwards con- ferred on Alexander, second son of King James II., in the person of whose son, John, it become extinct in 1536. Subsequently it was onferred in suc- cession on Henry Lord Darnley, on Charles I., in infancy, on James II., in infancy."- Chambers' Encyclopaedia.
2 This office he held until the middle of August, 1668.
10
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ment." 1 While Colonel Cartwright was at Fort Albany a number of Mohawk and Seneca chiefs formally entered into the treaty of peace with the officers of the new gov- ernment. The Indians were told that they were not to be deprived of any of the privileges and gifts which had been given them by the Dutch.
Few changes were made at Albany by the English. The courts continued to exercise the same jurisdiction as they had previously done according to the Dutch forms of procedure, and the officers retained their old designa- tions. Captain Manning commanding Fort Albany was commissioned schout or sheriff. In the latter part of August, 1665, Governor Nicolls visited Albany. He re- lieved Captain Manning, and made Captain John Baker chief officer of the post. He instructed the latter "to keep a constant guard in ye fort," and as there was "no evident danger of force or suprisall," the soldiers were to be permitted "the liberty to advance themselves by worke or trade." In his written instructions to the com- mander of Fort Albany he further said :
"You are to keepe good order and discipline with ye souldiers not lending to easy an eare to their complaints against their land lords [the persons with whom the soldiers boarded]. But where you find the complaints reasonable you are to make it known to ye comissaryes yr who are empowered to give redresse therein against their land lords or any other inhabitants who shall offer violence or injury to the souldiers."
"If any of ye inhabitants make a just complaint against a souldier the punishment of ye souldier belongs only to your selfe."
1 Albany records. vol. xx. fol. 307, 385 ; vol. xviii. fol. 312-315, 324, 326. Hol. doc. vol. x. fol. 129.
Book of general entries. vol. i. pp. 22, 26, 32, 34, 35, 55, 141, 36-50.
The history of the province of New York. By William Smith. London, 1757. pp. 11-22.
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"In matters capitall or treatyes with ye Indians you are to sit in ye fort with ye shout and comissaryes as ye upper court whereof you are to bee president and upon equall division of voices to have the castinge & decisive voice. But in the ordinary courts for civill affaires you have nothing to doe."
"You are to keepe a faire correspondence with ye commissaryes and towarde all the inhabitants & en- deavor to live as brothers together, avoiding all occa- sion of publick controversy or falling out. But if you have any greevance make it knowne calmly without heate or passion to ye court. And if they do not give redresse you are to remitt ye matter to mee as it was delivered to ye court."
"Lett not your eares bee abused with private storyes of ye Dutch being disaffected to ye English, for gen- erally wee can not expect they love us. But when you have any sufficient testimony against any Dutchman of words or actions tending to ye breach of peace or scandalous defamcon deliver over the testimonyes to the comisaryes from whom I expect justice shall bee done."
"You are to cause the guard house to be repaired, as also other necessarye repaires to bee made, with as little expence as is possible, knowing the narrowness of our present condition."
"If it shall at any time happen that ye Indyans comitt any violence at or neare Albany, you are to joyne in councell with ye comissaryes what is best to bee done till my further directions can bee knowne." 1
In order that the children of the Dutch inhabitants of Albany might be taught to speak, read, and write English correctly, he granted the following license :
1 Book of patents. vol. 1. pp. 20, 155, 157, 158, 161-164.
Orders, warrants, letters. vol. ii. pp. 3-5, 17, 229.
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"Whereas the teaching of the English Tongue is necessary in this Government; I have, therefore, thought fitt to give License to John Shutte to bee the English Schoolmaster at Albany : And upon condition that the said John Shutte shall not demand any more wages from each Schollar than is given by the Dutch to their Dutch Schoolmasters. I have further granted to the said John Shutte that hee shall bee the only English Schoolmaster at Albany." 1 The governor also licensed Jan Jurrianse Becker to teach the children of the inhabi- tants in the Dutch language.
Early in January, 1666, three hundred French soldiers and two hundred armed Canadians, under the command of Daniel de Remy de Courcelles, were marching south- ward toward Lake Champlain, on their way to the Mo- hawk country, to avenge the bloody deeds of the warriors of their savage enemy. Burdened with heavy quantities of food and ammunition, they trudged on cumbersome snow-shoes through the intervening wilderness, hoping to surprise the Mohawks in their castles and reduce their cruel foes to a humiliated and peaceable condition. The courageous French unfortunately were ambuscaded by the wary Mohawks in the vicinity of Schenectady, and failed to accomplish the object of their bold undertaking. When the news of the presence of this large French force near Schenectady was brought, on the nineteenth of February, to Fort Albany, "three of the principle inhab- itants" of Albany were sent the next day to the French commander to inquire why he had brought "a body of armed men into the dominions of his Matie of Great Brittaine." He replied " that he came to seek out and de- stroy his Enemyes, the Mohaukes," and that he had not heard of the reduction of New Netherland by the king
1 Given at Fort James, Oct. 12, 1665.
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of England, and that he had no "intention of visiting their plantations," nor of molesting any of his majesty's subjects. He desired that he and his soldiers "might bee supplied with provisions for their money, and that his wounded men might be sucoured " and cared for in Al- bany. The delegation from Albany "freely consented made a small but acceptable present of wine and pro- visions to him, further offering the best accommodations ye poore village afforded." The French officer heartily thanking his hospitable visitors for their kind services, accepted their humane proffers to take care of his seven wounded men, but declined to quarter "his weary & half- starv'd soldiers within the smell of a chimney-corner," knowing that it would be impossible for him thereafter to retain command of them. He asked many questions respecting the garrison and the strength of Fort Albany. He was told that there were "a Captain and 60 English soldyers with 9 peece of ordinance " in it, and that the commander, "Capt Baker had sent for 20 men from another Garrison" of the king's at Esopus who probably had already arrived at Albany. Having been provided with provisions, and having "made a shew of march- ing" toward the Mohawk villages, he with "great sylence & dilligence return'd towards Cannada." 1
Jeremias van Rensselaer, desiring to obtain from Gov- ernor Nicolls an official recognition that the village of Albany lay within the limits of Rensselaerswyck, in a letter addressed to the English governor, dated October 25, 1666, implied that the place was a part of the manor, and that therefore it was under the jurisdiction of the court of the colony. The governor seemingly displeased with the contents of the letter, frankly advised him not to claim too much territory : "By the date of yr letter
1 Doc. colonial hist. N. Y. vol. iii. pp. 118, 11
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from Renzelaerwicke, in Albany, the 25th, I perceive that you conclude the Towne of Albany to be part of Renzelaerwicke. I give you friendly advice not to grasp at too much authority, and you may probably obtaine the post more to yr profitt. X If you imagine there is pleasure in titles of Government I wish that I could serve your appetite, for I have found onely trouble. You seeme to plead for a succession to yr brother Baptista as of right belonging to you. % * Sett yr heart therefore at rest to be contented with the profitt not the government of a Colony till we heare from His Royall Highness."
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