508 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



The inhabitants of the town of Fordham arc hereby authorized to nominate, 

 by plurality of the votes of their town, six of the best qualified persons, ex- 

 clusively of the Reformed Christian religion, as magistrates of said town, and to 

 present said nomination by the first opportunity to the Governor-General, from 

 which his Honor will then make the selection ; it is also recommended them to 

 pay attention when nominating, that the half, at least of those nominated, be of 

 the Dutch nation. 



Dated New Harlem, 4th of October, 1673. " 



" At a Council held in Fort William Hend- 

 rick, 15th June, 1674. 



Present: Governor-General Anthony Colve, 

 Councillor Cornelius Steenwyck, 

 Fiscal William Knyff, and 

 Secretary Nicolaes Bayard, as assumed Councillors." 



John Archer requesting by petition, that Johannis Vervelen be ordered 

 to hand over to him (the petitioner) the books concerning the town of 

 Fordham. Ordered : — 



" Sehout Vervelen is hereby directed to hand over to the Petitioner 

 the books and protocols properly belonging to him." 6 



Upon the i8th of September, 1669, John Archer mortgaged the 

 Manor of Fordham to Cornelius Steenwyck, merchant of New York, for 

 the sum of 2,200 guilders; a second mortgage from John Archer to 

 Steenwyck occurrs on the 14th of November, 167 1, for 7,000 guilders 

 seawant or the the value payable in twelve years on November 14th, 

 1683, with yearly interest. The mortgage was in fee, with proviso that 

 on payment of money mortgage was to be void, and Archer, his heirs 

 and assigns to re-enter. It was expressed in the mortgage that Archer was 

 to deliver the deeds unto Steenwyck, which the latter promised to return 

 on payment of the money. c The above mentioned sums were increased 

 by the additional mortgage of 24,000 guilders in 1676, payable seven 

 years thereafter as appears from the following document: — 



This indenture, made the twenty-fourth day of November, in the 2d year of the 

 reign of our sovereign lord, Charles the Second, by the grace of God, of England, 

 Scotland, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the faith, and Anno Domini 

 1670, between John Archer, owner and proprietor of the manor of Fordham, up- 

 on the main, near Spiting Devil, on the one part, and Cornelius Steenwick, of 



o N. Y. Col. MSS. vol. ii. p. 625. 



b N. Y. Col. MSS. vol. ii., p. 721. 



c It does not appear that thf deeds were ever returned to Archer or hie heirs. Indeed from 



that . i.i> to the present, the Archer family have always disclaimed the possession of any 



deeds whatever. The Dutch Keformed Church of New York to whom Margaretta 



Bteenwjck itne widow <>f Cornelias and wife of Henricus Selyns) conveyed the Manor in lcu-t, 



refuse auy examination of their papers. 



