THE TOWN OF CORTLANDT. 97 



post fine, upon any fine, or fines, to be levied of any land tenements, or heredita- 

 ments within the said lordship and manor of Cortlandt, together with the advow- 

 son, and right of patronage, and all, and every, the church and churches erected 

 or established, or hereafter to be erected, or established in the said manor of 

 Cortlandt ; and we do by these presents constitute, and appoint, our said loving 

 subject Stephanus Yan Cortlandt, and his heirs and assigns, to be our sole and 

 only ranger of the said lordship and manor of Cortlandt, and to have, hold, and 

 enjoy, all the benefits, perquisites, fees, rights, privileges, profits and appurten- 

 ances, that of right doth belong unto a ranger according to the statute, and cus- 

 toms of our realm of England, in as full and ample manner, as if the same were 

 particularly expressed, in these presents, anything to the contrary hereof in any 

 ways notwithstanding ; and we likewise do further give, and grant, unto the said 

 Stephanus Van Cortlandt, and to his heirs and assigns, that all and every the 

 tenants of him the said Stephanus Van Cortlandt, within the said lordship and 

 manor of Cortlandt, shall and may at all times hereafter, meet together, and 

 choose assessors within the manor aforesaid, according to such rules, ways, and 

 methods, as are prescribed for cities, towns and counties within our said province 

 by the acts of General Assembly, for the defraying the public charge of each re- 

 spective city, town, and county aforesaid, and all such sum or sums of money so 

 assessed and levied to collect, and pay, and dispose of for such uses as the acts of 

 General Assembly shall establish and appoint ; and further, of our said special 

 grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, we do, by these presents, for us, our 

 heirs and successors, give and grant unto our said loving subject, Stephanus Van 

 Cortlandt, and to his heirs and assignees forever, that the said Stephanus Van 

 Cortlandt, his heirs and assignees, shall and may, from time to time, from and 

 after the expiration of twenty years next ensuing the date of these presents, re- 

 turn and send a discreet inhabitant in and of the said manor, to be a representa- 

 tive of the said manor in every Assembly after the expiration of the twenty 

 years, to be summoned and holden within this our said Province, which repre- 

 sentative so returned and sent shall be received into the House of Representa- 

 tives of Assembly as a member of the said house, to have and enjoy such privi- 

 leges as the other representatives returned and sent from the other counties and 

 manors of this our said Province, have had and enjoyed in any former Assemblies 

 holden within this our said Province, to have and to hold, possess and enjoy all 

 and singular the said lordship and manor of Cortlandt and premises, with all 

 their and every of their royalties and appurtenances unto the said Stephanus Van 

 Cortlandt, his heirs and assignees, to the sole and only proper use, benefit and 

 behoof of him the said Stephanus Van Cortlandt, his heirs and assignees forever, 

 to be holden of us, our heirs and successors in free and common soccage, as of 

 our manor of East Greenwich, in our County of Kent, within our realm of Eng- 

 land, yielding, rendering and paying therefore yearly and every year forever 

 unto us, our heirs and successors, at our city of New York, on the feast day of 

 the Annunciation of our blessed Virgin Mary, the yearly rent of forty shillings 

 current money of our said Province, in lieu and stead of all other rents and serv- 

 ices, dues, duties and demands whatsoever for the afore recited tracts and par- 

 cels of land and meadow, lordship and manor of Cortlandt and premises. In tes- 

 timony whereof, we have caused the great seal of our said Province to be here- 

 unto affixed : witness our said trusty and well-beloved Colonel Benjamin Fletch- 



