Stokes, I. N. Phelps The iconography of Manhattan Island 1498-1909 (v. 4)

(New York :  Robert H. Dodd,  1915-1928.)

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CHRONOLOGY : THE DUTCH PERIOD : 1626-1664
 

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considered very dangerous, since Christians were hindered In
trading, and freedom granted to them made it Impossible to refuse
it also to Lutherans and Papists; little obtained from the com¬
monalty for expenses against the English in the late war, or against
the Swedes on the Delaware, or for surrounding New Amsterdam
with planks; Indians burned 28 bouweries and 10,000 schepds ot
corn; changes made in the ground-briefs to be sent to the directors;
revenues from land, beer, and wine; revenues of New Amsterdam
countermanded by the company; income, in 1653, was 22 to 23
thousand guilders, but now greatly reduced and expenses heavy;
pertinent financial report now Impossible, yet to be sent by the
ship "Waeg" for each year, if Card van Bmgge, the,bookkeeper,
does not prove derelict; full report of the exploit at the South
(Delaware) River sent in enclosure No. 15; principal land con¬
veyances and copies of particular acts to be sent over; Indian
deeds and conveyances; Indians sdl as often as they secure buyers;
Dutch rights against Swedes over the South River to be sustained,
and Dutch argument based upon prior possession, since they had
there three fortresses, in the north. In the middle, and above on the
river, in 1615 and 1626, together with a trading-house surrounded
by palisades, etc., although afterwards deserted, and later, in
162^, bought and fortified at the mouth of the river, about the
HorekUl on the land ot Swancndacl; and, again, in 1633, Fort
Nassau was laid out in the middle of the river, being five or sii
years before ever the Swedes came on this river; copies of lands
bought from Bronck (Jonas Bronck) and Graewlts Bay (Gravesend,
L. I.) given in enclosure no, 7; sending authentic copy ot provision¬
al boundary made with the English, at Hartford, in 1650; carpenters
and work at New Amsterdam; faults In bookkeeping system to be
overcome by improvements; villages of Breuckelen, Midwout, etc,
cannot support a minister at own charges; life of Polhemius, former
preacher at Tamarica, in Brazil, known to all, and he was minded
to go to Holland in the "Waeg," so that these villages might learn
who was to be their teacher; change in ships' recognizances trom
16 to 10 per cent, not condudve to trade; conditions on the Dela¬
ware; letter trom Stockholm reveds that a Swedish ship lay ready
to come over to succor Swedes on the Ddaware; 60 souls Idt to
defend the Delaware; magistrates ot New Amsterdam require
esdse collected in New Netherland and loans of Le Bleuw which
were sent from Holland; many passengers held back when ship
"Nieu Amsterdam" sailed, and some protested; complaint
against "schotten" (traders) who seU to Indians, to the damage
of regular merchants; no firelocks ("snaphaenen") to be used
unless 3J feet long; surgeon-barbers needed for Curafao, Dela¬
ware River, and other places; sending remonstrance on account of
depressed state of the company; sending Cornelis Jacobsen Steen¬
wyck, former ensign ot the Burgher Guard, with commission
authorizing him to remonstrate everything by word ot mouth,
= The Treaty ot Westminster is signed by England and France,
Nv. 3    England is left in possession of Acadia.—Winsor, IV:  145; V: 476,

Cromwell declares war on Spain; the war continued until 1659.

Notwithstanding the repeated pubhcarion ot ordinances pro¬
hibiting the mnning at large ot goats, some of the inhabitants
still allow their goats to come within the city limits. The "loud
complaints" ot the burghers to Stuyvesant and the council, that
these animals are destroying gardens, cornfields, fmit-trees and
other trees in their rampage, induce them to renew the former
prohibition, and to demand that aU goats be "kept and herded
beyond or across the Fresh Water," and at night be shut up in a
barn or stable, on pain of forfeiture if found south of the Fresh
Water, for the benefit ot the poor.—Laws & Ord. N. Neth., 201-2,

Stuyvesant addresses a particular letter to the dhectors at
Amsterdam, the text of which has not been known hitherto, altho'
there is a contemporary eltract inN.Neth. Papers, No, 1223(3),
in theN. Y. Pub. Library. The most important items are digested
here, viz: Complaint against the secrecy ot the directors at Amster¬
dam; Indians in New Netherland are stirred up by the Dutch
themselves, and restoration of captives in hands of Indians is
hindered; CounciUor La Montagne Is a bad instrument—a snake
harboured in the bosom ot the colony; La Montagne's "mil up"
with the Swedes atter the capitulation; La Montagne went to
church, and, on the way, in the presence ot Fiscal Tienhoven,
Capt. Cregier, Lieut. Newton, and Secretary Van Ruyven, up¬
roariously attacked the bringing over of the Swedes; Stuyvesant
recommends keeping a wakeful eye on the Swedes, etc.; handarms
wanted to equip the burghers (vrycluyden), also 200 soldiers capable
 

,f
 

of guarding aU;   Swedish commander, Rysing, gone to Sweden,   Nov.
via England;   he requested passage money and  was given 300     7
pounds, Flemish, to be returned in six months, etc;  transport of
weU soldiers to Sweden.

Nicolaes Jansen Bakker petitions the burgomasters and schepens 8
tor permission " to tap and to keep tavern and lodgings," pleading
misfortune, he having been driven away trom his place by Indian
troubles,and his property having been burnt and lost. Granted,
—Rec N. Am., 1: 393, This seems to refer to Nicolaes Jansen,
baker, who, on May 18, 1656 {q.v.), received a ground-briet for a
lol on Pearl St,, between Whitehall and Broad St,—See CasteUo
Plan, H:  268;  and Dutch Grants, H:  386,

On account ot "divers petitions" presented to the burgo- 10
masters and schepens "by refugees and others" who are inclined
to settle in New Amsterdam, and who have requested "small lota"
in the city, on which each, "according to his abifiiy," may erect a
house, the board has presented the matter orally to Stuyvesant, who
answered that "a proper survey must be first made." They now
apply to the council, requesting cooperation and the commissioning
ot suitable persons to make the survey, Stuyvesant and the
council reply the same day; adjudge "the survey particularly
necessary," and appoint Johannes La Montagne, councillor, and
AUard Anthony, burgomaster, together with the regular fence
viewers or city surveyors, "to advance the desired survey," as they
judge fit, "without any regard to persons, gardens or places," in
order that settlers may be served "at a reasonable price," It it is
found that the survey happens "to mn through any persons'
gardens," the surveyors are "spedally authorized to value, in the
readiest and most reasonable manner, the lots coming, according
to the aforesaid survey, on the ground aheady disposed ot, only
leaving the approval thereof to the knowledge and advice of the
Director General and Council,"—See, N. Am., I: 393-94; Cal,
Hist. MSS., Dutch, 155, This resulted in the making of a survey
ot the city, which "survey and plot map ot New Amsterdam,"
according to which the streets were staked out, was confirmed
and approved by the coundl on Feb, 25, 1656 (q.v.).—Cal.Hist.
MSS., Dutch, 161; RecN. Am.,U: 43. This Is the earhest plan
ot the city ot which we have any knowledge. It may have been
made by Fredrick deKoningh.—See Lost Maps, II;  165,

Stuyvesant recommends "that no Indian, coming to any place, "
village or hut, shall be aUowed to remain there over night, except in
a spedal place, to be fixed upon for that purpose according to the
localities ot the village," and "that no Indian with any kind of
arms shaU be allowed to come into any place or hamlet on the
penalty of being seized and forfeiting the arms, which he has with
him." He also decrees that the sale to any Indian of strong drink
shall be punishable by corporal punishment on the seUer and
imprisonment ot the drunken Indian "until he shall have told,
from whom he has recdved the Uquor,"—N. Y. Col. Docs., XIII:
SJ-S4-

An important recommendation is made by Stuyvesant to his "
councU with respect to having fixed places for trading with the
Indians, He says: "We ought to endeavour with all possible
smoothness to balk the Indians in the use of their guns and
ammunition; to accomplish which, it is, I believe, necessary, to
prohibit generally, that anybody should trade and negotiate with
the Indians except upon a certain place, to be determined upon,
and further to forbid, that any gun or locksmith shall repah any
lock or make a new one, except upon the showing of a note with our
seal, In which the name, for whom, is stated and that then the gun
shaU be marked or branded and a record kept ot them,"—iV^, Y.
Col. Docs., XIII:  54.   See Nov, 27, 1655, tor De SiUe's opinion.

Stuyvesant suggests to his council "that from hencdorward "
no separate bouweries or plantations shaU be made, but that the
out-lying farmers shaU be compeUed to draw together thdr
deserted houses, and henceforth no one be allowed to settle In the
open country, except in clusters of at least lo, 12 or 16 famlUes
living close together, according to the plan to be resolved upon"
by him and the council, or their deputies, and "that henceforward
nobody is allowed to hve on the separate places, which have been
either burned or deserted" during the late Indian depredations.
He also suggests " that on the occasion ot forming new viUages and
hamlets a blockhouse shall be made ot logs for a refuge and the
safety of the inhabitants."—W. Y. Col. Docs., XIH:  53,

As there is some sentiment tor beginning another Indian war,    "
Stuyvesant tdls the council why he thinks the time not propitious.
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