Report of Committee on Historical Tablet 37 



from the Narrows/" there being no more convenient place for a 

 village nearer the water. Both these places were provided with 

 commodious block houses as a defense against the attacks of sav- 

 ages last summer ; the blockhouses are built by putting beam upon 

 beam and for their better defence are each provided with two or 

 three light pieces of ordnance, of which one or two are pedereroes ; 

 the hamlet on Staten Island, being the weakest and too far to be 

 reheved in time, is garrisoned with ten soldiers for its greater 

 safety." (Col. Doc. 14: 546.) 



1664. Court established. — Ordinance of the Director General 

 and Council of New Netherland erecting a Court of Justice on 

 Staten Island, Passed 28th January 1664. 



" The Director General and Council of New Netherland, 



To all those who shall see these Presents or hear them read, 

 Greeting make known. 



That they, for the public good, for the greater advancement and 

 increase of the recently begun Village on Staten Island, and for 

 the more convenient administration of Justice have considered it 

 necessary to establish in the aforesaid Village an Inferior Court 

 of Justice, which shall provisionally consist of the three under- 

 named Commissaries, to wit : David d'Amarex, Piere Billion, and 

 Walraven Lutten. 



Before whom, in the first instance, shall be brought all Ques- 

 tions, Actions and Differences arising in said Village between 

 Lord and Vassal, Master and Servant man. Mistress and Maid, 

 Neighbor and Neighbor, Buyer and Seller, Lessor and Lessee, 

 Master and Workman, and other such like ; Item, all Criminal 

 Actions, consisting of Deeds, Threats, Fighting or Wounding, 

 fvhether moved and instituted by party or by the Senior Commis- 

 sary who, until further order, shall represent the Sheriff in that 

 place. 



And said Commissaries shall do justice to the best of their 

 knowledge between parties appearing before them, and may de- 

 cree provision of Deposit, Dismissal or Definitive condemnation, 

 as the circumstances of the case shall authorize. 



1° Translation made about 1820 by Dr. Francis Adriaen van der Kemp 

 from Albany Records (18: 235-6) reads as follows: 



" A new concentration was two years ago commenced on Staten Island, 

 yet without a name, of about 12 @ 14 families, consisting in Dutch and 

 French from the Palatinat nearly one mile and a half from the entrance 

 [the Narrows]. Stuj^vesant to the Directors, April 26, 1664." 



