70 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1656. 



to be sent to New Amsterdam ; and no Swede living in the 

 country was to remain in the fort all night. The seat of govern- 

 ment was established at Fort Casimir — provision having been 

 made for extending the town, which took the name of Neio 

 Amstel. 



" In granting lands, care was to be taken that a community 

 of 16 or 20 persons reside together. The rent to be 12 stivers 

 per morgen, per annum ; but permission to plant was only to be 

 granted, on taking an oath to assist the fort, or to be trassported 

 in case they refuse the oath."^ 



'' The free persons of the Swedish nation residing on the second 

 corner above Fort Cassimer," solicit counsel "that they may re- 

 main on their lands, as they have no inclination to change their 

 abode, neither to build in the new village," claiming the promise 

 made to them by Stuyvesant. Their petition was granted until 

 the expiration of the year and six weeks, mentioned in the 

 capitulation. 



As evidence that the Swedish government had been kept in 

 ignorance of the intended conquest of New Sweden by the Dutch, 

 was the arrival on the 24th of March, 1656, of the Swedish ship 

 3Iercury^ with 130 souls on board, intended as a reinforcement 

 to the colony. They were forbidden to pass the fort, but a party 

 of Indians joined the crew and conducted the ship up the river, 

 the Dutch not venturing to fire a gun against them.^ 



The Mercury was allowed to pass the fort owing to the num- 

 ber of Indians on board, the Dutch feeling no disposition to pro- 

 voke their animosity,^ The passengers of the Mercury were 

 landed contrary to the direct orders, sent at considerable trouble, 

 from New Amsterdam, but the captain and crew of the vessel 

 were exonerated from all censure ; the responsibility resting with 

 the Indians and resident Swedes. Among the passengers was 

 Mr. Papegoya the son-in-law of Governor Printz, Avho wrote to 

 Governor Stuyvesant immediately upon his arrival. There were 

 also two clergymen on board, one of whom, named Matthias, who 

 continued to reside in the country during two years. Andres 

 Bengston was also a passenger who was still living in this country 

 in itOS." 



Much negotiation was occasioned in consequence of the arrival 

 of the Mercury,^ and though the Dutch government never yielded 

 its assent to the landing of the immigrant passengers, they all 

 did land and probably most of them remained in the country. 

 The vessel was allowed to proceed to New Amsterdam and dis- 



1 Haz. Ann. 205-6. 2 Acrelius as taken from N. Y. Reo. 



3 N. Y. Col. Doc. iii. UZ. 



* Clay's Ann. 29. — Aercliu? represents Mr Bengrston ns a clergyman, 419. 

 5 Most of the papers connected with this transaction, copied from the Albany 

 Records, will be found in Haz. Ann. 211-219. 



