1630.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 11 



With the view of promoting colonization, a phm not one step 

 in advance of the prejiidices of the times, was resolved upon. 

 The privileged West India Company adopted certain articles 

 termed " Freedoms and Exemptions to all such as shall plant 

 colonics in New Nethei-land.'^^ Under this scheme the feudal 

 tenure of lands was to be introduced into America south of 

 Canada, where settlements on an analagous plan had already 

 commenced. 



The wealthy immigrant who could in four years plant a colony 

 of fifty souls, would be a "Patroon;" becoming the absolute 

 owner of a vast tract of land, which if situated only on one side 

 of a river, might have a front of 16 miles, but if on both sides, 

 one half that front, and extending "so far into the country as 

 the situation of the occupiers will permit." The Patroon could 

 hold courts of justice, and when the amount in litigation did not 

 exceed ^20, there was no appeal from his judgment. 



The company also agreed to use their endeavors for a time, 

 " to supply the colonists with as many blacks as they convenient- 

 ly can, on conditions hereafter to be made."^ 



Previous to the ratification of this document by the States 

 General, or even by the West India Company, two of its Amster- 

 dam directors, Samuel Godyn and Samuel Blomaert, by their 

 agents in this country, had purchased a large tract of land at 

 the mouth of the Delaware bay. This grant was confirmed to the 

 purchasers by Peter Minuit, the Director, and his council on the 

 "Island Manahatas" the 16th of July, 1630 — the savage grantors 

 being then and there present. The 'land embraced in the grant, 

 thus confirmed, was " situate on the south side of the aforesaid 

 bay of the South river, extending in length from C. Hinlopen 

 off into the mouth of the aforesaid South river, about eight 

 leagues and half a league in breadth into the interior, extending 

 to a certain marsh or valley through which these limits can be 

 clearly enough distinguished."^ Samuel Godyn had previously 

 given notice of his intention to make the above purchase, and to 

 occupy the bay of the South river as Patroon, on the conditions 

 set forth in the "Freedoms and Exemptions." Meeting with 

 David Pieterszen DoYries of Hoorn, "a bold and skilful seaman," 

 who had been " a master of artillery in the service of the United 

 Provinces," he made him acquainted with the design of himself 

 and associates, of forming a colony. The bay of the South 



' Hist. New Netherland, i. 112, or N. Y. Hist. Col. N. S. i. 369, for the entire 

 document. 



» Slaves were introduced into New Netherland as early as 1628. In a letter recently 

 discovered dated at the Island of Manhattan, on the lltli of August of that year, from 

 the Rev. Jonas Michaelius, the writer says, "the Angola slaves are thievish, lazy and 

 nseless trash." For a translation of this letter by Mr. Henry C. Murphy, see N. Y. 

 Col. Doc. ii. Appendix, 768. 



» N. Y. Col. Doc. i. 43. 



