276 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



We have already seen that the principal intruder was Thomas Pell,* 

 This individual on the 14th of November, 1654, purchased a tract of 

 land called " Westchester" of the sachem Ann-hock, alias Wampage, and 

 other Indians. 



m the twenty-second of April, 1655, we find the following ac- 

 count of an interview between the Dutch officer Claes van Elslandt and 

 the English intruders : — ■ 



" Clacs Van Elslandt went to protest against those of Yreedlant. Four armed 

 men came to meet them on the creek, asking what he willed ? lie answered, 

 he wished to land near the house. They told him he should not land. lie 

 rejoined, allow me to go ashore, I am cold ; whereupon he sprang ashore, where 

 he and Albert the trumpeter were warned not to come a font higher. The com- 

 mander came up to us with a pistol in hand with eight or ten armed men, to 

 whom he read the protest and handed it to him. He answered, I cannot under- 

 stand Dutch : why did not the fiscal or sheriff send English? when he sends 

 English, then I will answer. We expect the determination on the boundaries, 

 the next vessel. Time will tell whether we shall be under Dutch government 

 or the Parliament ; until then we remain here under the state of England. Van 

 Elslandt saw their houses and settlements, also the English arms hanging from a 

 tree; they were carved on a board (plank.) Van Elslandt was left in a house 

 on the shore, Avell guarded with men." c 



The continued encroachments of the English upon " Oostdorp" {East 

 town) "which they called Westchester " d dX last awakened the most vig- 

 orous opposition on the part of the Dutch authorities ; for soon after 

 Pell's purchase occurs the following resolution : — 



"The Director General and Council are informed by creditable witnesses that 

 the English in the village which they call Westcliester, situated in Vreedlant, 

 about two miles from this city, not only encourage and shelter the fugitives from 

 this province, out as plainly appears by a copj r from a certain letter, that the 

 high BherifE Lieutenant Weyler kept — in and about the time of our late dismal en- 

 gagements, with the savages — a constant correspondence with these barbarians.* 

 Wherefore to promote the welfare of the country, and defend the rights of the 

 Lords Patroons. against such usurpations, it was unanimously resolved by the 

 Director General and Council to arrest as secretly and easily as it can be per- 

 formed, said Englishmen or at least their leaders, to compel the remaining to 

 remove from there with their property, and the execution of this expedition to 



a See trial between Thomas Pell and Charles Bridges, page 2',l. 



b Bee Pelbam, page 88. This grant embraced the present townships of New Rochelle, 

 Pelh.. :erand Westchester, 



e Alb. Rec. Hoi. <loc. ix. 2C1, 2C3, 4. See Document, relating to the Col. Hist. Holland, Doc. 



. li. p. 163, 4. 



Mch appears from the letters of the Burgomeesters, dated 23d Nov. 1C54, icth April and 

 M of May, 1666. 



e Tli«- - ! vnnekek and Oratang were very troublesome to the Westchester settle- 



ments in 1055.— Editor . 



