Narrative of New Netherland

f public worship.

posed to maintain

tic) Church. In 16

n private houses; b

though they uphe

ack to Holl

The M

n Ernst G

d no other commission than a letter from the Lutheran Consistory at Amsterdam to the Lutheran congregation here. He was then informed by the Hon. authorities here, that he must abstain from all church services, and from the holding of any meetings, and not even deliver the letter which he brought from the Lutherans at Amsterdam without further orders; but that he must regulate himself by the edicts of this

ad received a munic

al in the Netherla

beral,

in order to put a stop to this work, which they evidently intended to prosecute with a hard Lutheran head, in spite of and against the will of our magistrates; for we suspect that

he Manhatans. They built last year a handsome parsonage. On the South River, matters relating to religion and the church have hitherto progressed very unsatisfactorily; first because we had there only one little fort, and in it a single commissary, with ten to twenty men, all in the Company's s

t Rensselaersw

River was abandoned by them. However in the year 1655 our people recovered Fort Casemier, and now it is held by a sufficiently strong garrison, including several freemen, who also have dw

k of Ho

er Hjort, pastor

d Christina. This was also taken by our people, at the same time,

nd Matthia

etain one Lutheran preacher,(1) to teach these people in their language. This was granted then the more easily, first, because new troubles had broken out at Manhattan with the Indians, and it was desira

ck or Lokenius, prea

to

ch and he wants to fight whomsoever he meets. The commandant at Fort Casimir, Jean Paulus Jacqet, brother-in-law of Domine Casparus Carpentier,(1) told us that during last spring this preacher was tippling with a smith, and while yet over their brandy they came to f

a Reformed minister

Casimir. Jacquet w

River, 1

this inc

eople, who formerly used to come here(2) to communion and other services to their great inconvenience. Some had to travel for three hours to reach

, Flatlands

New Ams

he other reads something to them. At Vlissingen, they formerly had a Presbyterian minister(2) who was in agreement with our own church. But at present, many of them have become imbued with divers opinions and it is with them quot homines tot sententiae.(3) They began to absent themselves from the sermon and would not pay the preacher the salary promised to him. He was therefore obliged to leave the place and go to the

Newtown, Flushi

end Franc

ny opinio

en. The schout of t

allowing him to p

says he was licensed in New England to preach, but not authorized to administer the sacraments. He has thus continued for some years. Some of the inhabitants of this village are Presbyter

merly minister at H

r,

esbyterian preacher, Richard Denton,(1) a pious, godly and learned man, who is in agreement with our church in everything. The Independents of the place

Denton (1586-1662),

n America, was a Cam

in 1630, and was se

ield and Stamford.

clergy of New Eng

ince 1644 he had

h village, called Oostdorp, which was begun two years ago. The inhabitants of this place are also Puritans or Independents. N

t Village") is the

day, December 31,

house where they as

of worship, as they

found a gathering o

women. Mr. Baly ma

ne Robert Basset r

ed and published by

he reading Mr. Baly

alm and separated.

Oostdorp, Doc. Hist

2

And although some parents try to give their children some instruction, the success if far from satisfactory, and we can expect nothing else than young men of foolish and undisciplined minds. We see at present no way of improving this state of affai

boken at New Amster

, and since April

Casimir. Two yea

exander Carolus Curt

be master of a L

ter

sh it, until they are subdued by the numbers and power of our people, and reduced to some sort of c

religion, and he answers publicly in church, and can repeat the Commandments. We have given him a Bible, hoping he might do some good among the Indians, bu

gracious protection of the Almighty, whom

officio et

h officially

POLENSIS. SA

Netherland, the 5t

sius to the Classis of Ams

en in

to send out an enemy than afterward to thrust him out. We have the promise that the magistrates here will compel him to leave with the ship De Wage. It is said that there has been collected for him at Fort Orange a hundred beaver skins, which are valued here at eight hundred guilders, and which is the surest pay in this country. What has been colle

two women, the one about twenty, and the other about twenty-eight.(3) These were quite outrageous. After being examined and placed in prison, they were sent away. Subsequently a young man at Hempstead, an English town under the government, aged about twenty-three or twenty-four years,(4) was arrested, and brought thence, seven leagues. He had pursued a similar course and brought several under his influence. The magistrate, in order to repress the evil in the beginning, after he had kept him in confinement for several days, adjudged that he should either pay one hun

ickenden, of

Si

afterward whipped

her

who had come on th

mporary Quaker wri

ercession of Stuyv

ution of Quakers an

continued by Stuy

se of John Bowne, of

interesting accou

merican Historic

ovince and transport

ore the directors

ed Stuyvesant by a

63): "The conscien

shackled,... This

guide of the magis

has been that peop

asylum. Tread thus

t you will

s also a copy signed by several of the Lutheran denomination. We observe that it is signed by the least respectable of that body, and that the most influential among them were unwilling to trouble t

. He first went to Virginia to seek a situation, complaining of lack of salary, and that he was getting in debt, but he has returned thence. He is now fully resolved to go to old England, because his wife, who is sickly, will not go without him, and there is need of their going there, on account of a legacy of four hundred pounds sterling, lately left by a deceased friend, and which they cannot obtain except by their personal presence. At Gravesend there never has been a minister. Other settlements, yet in their infancy, as Aernem,(1) have no minister. It is therefore to be feared that errorists and fanatics may find opportunity to gain strength. We therefore request you, Rev. Brethren, to solicit the Hon. Directors of the West India Company, to sen

llage begun on Smit

ee

s and fello

APOLENSIS. S

ns, Oct.

Bre

is bedding and books were two days ago removed, and that he has left our jurisdiction. Still it is our opinion that he remains concealed here, in order to write home, and make h

SIUS. Oct.

he Deputies ad res Indicas

the Classis of Amsterd

et Fratres i

d by our Indians Adyranthaka. Among the prisoners whom our Indians had taken from the French, was this Jesuit,(3) whom they according to their custom had handled severely. When he was brought to us, his left thumb and several fingers on both hands had been cut off, either wholly or in part, and the nails of the remaining fingers had been chewed off. As this Jesuit had been held in captivity by them for some time, they consented that he should go among the Dutch, but

athers and Bro

Records, State of N

gues; see ear

ogues was bo

of converting them to popery, but the Mohawks with their hatchets put him to a violent death. They then brought and presented to me his missal and breviary together with his underclothing, shirts and coat. When I

ily fed at my table. This Jesuit, a native of Rouen,(2) was ransomed by us from the Indians, and we sent him by ship to France. He also returned again from France to Canada. He wrote me a letter, as the previously mentioned one had done, thanking me for the benefits I had conferred on him. He state

useppe Bressa

Rome, i

rom Fort Orange. But they did not permanently locate themselves there. All returned to Canada except one, named Simon Le Moyne. He has several times accompanied the Indians out of their own country, and visited F

ld me that during his residence among our Indians he had discovered a salt spring, situated fully one hundred leagues from the sea; and the water was so salt that he had himself boiled excellent salt from it.(1) 2. There was also another spring which furnished oil. Oleaginous matter floated on its surface

e made this discov

Onondaga

ople who understood French), that they need not go to Rome; that he had as full power from the Pope to forgive their sins, as if they were to go to Rome. He then returned and resided in the country of the Mohawks the whole winter. In the spring, however, troubles began to arise again between our Indians and the Canadians. He then packed up his baggage, and returned to Canada. On his journey, when at Fort Orange, he did not forget me, but sent me three documents: the first, on the success

Fratres, Vester

POLENSIS 165

its of Father Le M

the Dutch obtained

o carry on trade, e

St. L

brethren; yo

o the Classis of Amste

ise and Pio

alth. Arrived in New Netherland, we were first heard at the Manhattans; but the peace-negotiations at the Esopus,(1) where we also went, and the general business of the government necessarily delayed our installation until now. We have preached here at the Esopus, also at Fort Orange; during This time of waiting we were well provided with food and lodging. Esopus needs more people, but Breuckelen more money; wherefore I serve on Sundays, in the evenings only,

Esopus had broken o

The next summer St

of the tribe, and m

ngregation had late

ne Harmanus Blom

wery, or farm, acqu

region of Third Ave

e of St. Mark's Chur

negro slaves, some

bitants of the

New Net

New Ams

er of induction,

ds, I

ng service there. It will be most suitable to administer the Lord's Supper on Christmas, Easter, Whitsuntide and in September. On the day following these festivals-days a thanksgiving sermon will be preached. I might have taken up my residence at the Manhattans, because of its convenience; but my people, all of them evincing their love and affection for me, have provided me a dwelling of which I cannot complain. I preach at Breuckelen in the morning; but at the Bouwery at the end of the catechetical sermon. The Bouwery is a place of relaxation and pleasure, whither people go from the Manhattans, for the evening service. There are there forty negroes, from the r

s hu

nister of the Holy

on the Manhatta

about an

to the Classis of Ams

ous and Learned B

the liberty of reporting to the Very Rev. Classis the condition and welfare of the Church of Jesus Christ

raments. This we have done to the best of our ability; and according to the size of the place with a considerable increase

evening, as we have told you before. An exception to this arrangement is made in regard to the administration of the Lord's Supper. As it is not customary with your Reverences to administer it in the evening, we thought, after conference with ou

n virtues. Nevertheless when it was seemly to do so, we have, to the best of our ability, taken much trouble in private and public catechizing. This has borne but little fruit among the elder people who have no faculty of comprehension; but there is some hope for the youth who have improved reasonably well. Not to administer baptism among them for the reasons given, is al

Africans having at

their heathenism,

make it unlawful to

owners in the seven

em from permitting t

y not forget a reso

d had a little befor

t Windsor or Whiteha

should all be bap

hat impiety of their

en opinion that the

persists in his res

ty the Bishop [Ken

ary, II. 4

, on account of their old age, we would love to see again our parents, and therefore we desire to return home. On revolving the matter in my mind, and not to be lacking in filial

he cl

leased us. We trust that we shall receive also from your Reverences a favorable reply, relying upon your usual kindness. Yet it is far from us to seem to pass by your Reverences, and give the least

o give a verbal account of my ministry here, and the state of the church, th

passage over. It is very necessary to supply his place, partly on account of the children who have not been baptized since the death of Domin

l Megapolensis, bo

ard College and thr

62 he was called

istry in New Netherl

ving meanwhile st

to New Netherland,

at time to 1669,

1700 as pastor eme

at Do

ere called

dus Welius, ministe

in the latter yea

urch of six

pulpit for a schoolmaster's place. This undoubtedly has done great damage among the sheep, who have so long wandered about without a shepherd except the forementione

ran away from him,

fore obtaining his

probably Abelius Se

conducted divine

Casi

s been observed as a day of fasting and prayer, in order to ask God for his fatherly compassion and pity. The good God, praise be to him, has brought about everything for the best, by the arrival of the last ships. The English are quiet, the savages peaceful; our lamentations have been turned into songs of praise, and the monthly day of fasting into

humble servant

CUS S

New Netherlan

between New England

dispute. The Englis

roached upon the Du

n that region which

ulation were of dou

n Scott, coming to

formed a combinat

, Newtown, Jamaica

, and then proceeded

en, to reduce the

unt of the affair,

ch public, may be

the end of

of the version of them which came before the Dutch public soon after. It is derived from the Hollantze Mercurius of 1664 (Haerlem, 1665), being part 15 of t

pon that subject. This was carried out in November last. The Dutch commissioners went to Boston, where they were received by four companies of citizens and a hundred cavalrymen. There they were told that the commissioners on the English side could not arrive to treat of the matter for eight days.(1) Meanwhile the English incited three or four villages to revolt against their government. But all those that were of divided population, like those of Heemstede and Gravesande, refused to accept the Engl

here confounds St

, 1663, to meet the

New England, with t

tlandt and Lawrence

ith the General Asse

er is wrong for bo

nglish villages on

r; their internal

sant was obliged

e English towns und

his attempt to win

ook place in Januar

n unable to make ef

e with Scott fo

rs of peace at Esop

lities in June, 16

one settlers and the

ee successive ex

Kregier, in July, S

ts of the Indians

leased most of the

of these expedit

ocumentary Hist

o the Classis of Amst

ace of

and Beloved Brethr

ed, that Domine Selyns had longer continued with us, both on account of his diligence and success in preaching and catechizing, and of his humble and edifying life. By this he has attracted a great many people, and even some of the negroes, s

erie, nothing has been decided yet; but I think that the son of Domine Megapolensis, who has recently

, to preach and administer the Lord's Supper. This I have now done for about a year. In the winter this is very difficult, for it is a long stretch of water, and it is sometimes windy, with a heavy sea. We have, according to the decision of the Classis, admitted the Mennonist, who is quite unknown to us, to the communion, without rebaptism;(1) but last week he and his wife removed to Curacao in the West Indies,

s' dutiful fri

L DRI

am, August

October 4, 1660, Dr

uestion whether a we

terdam, formerly on

, might be admitted

The classis, by let

ccording to the pr

nonite baptism wa

fic

and his wife came f

a call in New Neth

isius aga

o the Classis of Amsterda

and Pious Brethren of the

our great men-of-war, or frigates, well manned with sailors and soldiers. They were provided with a patent or commission from the King of Great Britain to demand and take possession of this province, in the name of His Majesty. I

er translation of

., XIII.

to His Majesty of England, and the Lords States General of the Netherlands; but every effort was fruitless. They landed their soldiers about two leagues from here, at Gravezandt, and marched them over Long Island to the Ferry opposite this place. The frigates c

es, the store of powder in the fort, as well as in the city, was small. No relief or assistance could be expected, while daily great numbers on foot and on horseback, from New England, joined the English, hotly bent upon plundering the place. Savages and privateers also offered their services against us. Six hundred Northern Indians with one hundred and

rance which the inh

N.Y. Col. Do

itulation, ibid., 2

New York,

ters, that the affair had been arranged by negotiations; else nothing but pillage, bloodshed ad general ruin would have followed. This was confirmed by several so

shall remain and continue unchanged. Therefore we could not separate ourselves from our congregation and hea

hope and wish they would pay. Closing herewith, I recommend

lling c

L DRI

September