Upon Complaint made by ye overseers of ye highways; The Court haue and doe hereby Condemne John Champion to pay a fyne of twenty and fyve Gilders, for his not workeing upon ye highway when due warning was Given him;

Upon ye Request of william warner & william orian; ordered that ye severall people that hold Lands; of that weh ye peticons bought of ye Indians Lying in ye Schuylkill Every one to repay to ye peticon proportionable to ye: quantity of Land they hold there - the whole purchaze wch ye peticon" paid being 335 gilders; and ye following p'sons holding Lands wthin that Limit, viz andries Inckoren 200 acres andries homman 200 acres Pelle Laersen (als) Put pelle 100 acres, Peter Erikson 200 acres will: warner 100 acres will: orian 100 acres John Booles & John Schoeten 400 acres Swen Lom 300 acres of Land. Each of ye : aboves p'sons to pay proportionable to ye quantity of Land they hold as aboves!

Upon ye request of Peter Jocum ordered that Peter rambo Cause his marsh Land according to pattent to bee surveyed to ye End so Peter Jocum may know what is Left to him;

Benck Salung sworne in Cot sayeth that hendrik Colman tould him that hee heard moens Staecket say that all the Court were Rogues;

The Cot ordered that Execution should bee Granted to ye Sherrife; upon ye Corts amerciaments due according to ye List drawne out, & alreddy in ye sa Sherrifs hands for ye Collecting of ye sa amerciaments according to Lawe.

Upon ye severall peticons of the afternamed persons, The Cort Granted unto Each of them ye quantitys of Land hereunder Exprest, to take up they ye Peticon" seating and Improoveing ye same according to Lawe and regulacons;

Granted unto Reynier Petersen to take up 200 acres

Upon an Information of will: Coyles ye Constable att ye faals agt Gilbert wheeler att ye sd faals, for selling of strong Licquors by retayle to ye Indians Contrary to ye Lawe & ye forwarning of ye sd Constable, wch s Information was Lykewyse by Justice Geo: Browne auerred to

bee truth; The Co haue and doe hereby Condemne ye s Gilbert wheeler to pay as a fyne ye sume of fower pound; for his s trespasse, according to ye Expresse Lawe of ye Governm! togeather ye Costs (als) Execution.

The Chaue this day authorized and appointed William Boyles to bee surv! & overseer of ye highwayes from the faales to Poetquessink Creek; hee to take care that ye sd highwayes bee made good & passable, wth bridges over all myry & dirty places; betweene this & ye next Cort and all ye Inhabitants Living whin ye Compasse aboves to bee reddy to doe & compleat ye s way upon due warning given by ye s overseer; the unwilling to bee fyned according to former order & practize;

The Co adjorned till ye 2a Teusday of ye month of Septemb! next.

[Edward Armstrong, editor], The Record of the Court at Upland, in Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Historical Society, Memoirs, VII, Philadelphia, 1860), 189–194.

76. Records of a City Government (1700)

BY THE MAYOR, RECORDER, ALDERMEN, AND COMMON COUNCIL OF ALBANY

Very few borough or city governments existed in the colonies; this extract sets forth the activity of one of them. - Bibliography: A. J. Weise, History of the City of Albany, ch. x.

A

TT a Common Councill held in ye Citty of Albany ye 14th of May, 1700.

It is concluded and thought requisite that ye streets within this Citty be cleared, each Inhabitant before his door, and to remove yo fyre wood thereof, and whoever shall be founde driveing a wagon or cart through ye streets, and ye drivers not walking afoot, shall forfeit for each such offence ye sum of 3s, as likewise for such as are neglecting to clean the street, and remove the wood before their doors.

It is further considered and ordered that ye Constables shall take their turns on ye sabbath day to prevent drawing of strong drink in tipling houses, and breaking the sabbath day, and whosoever shall be founde drawing of any strong liquor in said houses to any person, shall forfeit y summe of twenty shillings for each offence.

Hendrik Oothout appointed surveyor for yo Citty and sworne.

Jacob Turke is appointed to sue the Kinderhook Justices to ye next inferior Court, fo ye arrears due to ye Citty.

May 16, 1700. Whereas Pr. Jedon and John Pettitt and family, both French, from Sopus, appear desyring liberty to passe to Canada, and that a man or two may be allowed to carry them thither, which is permitted, and thought convenient yt ye Persones y carry them thither shall enter into bonde that they shall transport noe horses or mares to Canida as ye late proclamation requires, whereupon David Ketelheyn and Elbert Harmense, who are their guides, have given bond for £100.

Itt is concluded yt ye three Constables, each in his warde, shall goe rounde by each Inhabitant y' have rid Stockadoes for ye Citty, and order him to show ye same, and whoever as have not ride their quota shall pay for each Stockade 18d. which is to be done in the space of twice four and twenty hours.

It is further concluded that after the Citty walls are closed, yt ye Constables shall take care to see that no Stockadoes be broak downe and wherever they fynde or can hear of any person yt breaks downe said Stockadoes shall forfeit for Stockadoe so broak downe ye summe of 6s. according to former custom, and then said Constable shall order Stockadoes to be sett up againe upon ye Citties costs.

May 21. - It is concluded y' a warrant be given to ye Constables to strain all Inhabitants as have been neglecting in Riding their quota of Stockadoes for ye Citty walls, and yt 4 men shall be employed to sett up ye Stockadoes already Ride upon ye Cittys costs.

May 24. It is concluded by ye authority aforesaid, that a Tax of one hundred pounds be laid and assessed upon ye Inhabitants of this Citty, and yt a warrant be issued to ye assessors of ye Citty, to make their assessment for ye same, which shall be collected and received, one half at or before ye 15th of July next ensueing, and ye other halfe at or before y 15th of September then following; ye assessors are to make their returns to Mr. Mayor in ye space of eight days ensueing ye 25th of this instant.

June 7. Whereas on ye 24th of May last a warrant was directed to the assessors of this Citty, to make their assessment for £100 upon the Inhabitants therein, and to make their return in ye space of eight days to Mr. Mayor, under hand and seale, which assessment being made and produced to ye meeting, desyring approbation, but being founde not to be sealed according to order, is given over again to ye assessors and referred

P

till Harpert Jacobse, Ben. van Corlaer, assessors, come home from New York, to the sealing thereof.

David Schuyler and Jacobus Turke are appointed to inquire if there is any debts still due to Abraham Poel deceased, by Hend. Hanse and others, and make report thereof next Tuesday. . . .

...

[Sept. 3.] The Churchwardens of Shinnechtady doe make application to ye Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen & Common Councill, desyreing two persones to be allowed & appoynted to goe Rounde by ye Inhabitants of ye Citty, to see if they can obtain any Contribution to make up ye Sellary due to there Minister, Do. Freman, whilst on his voyage from Amsterdam to this place, they complayning not to be capable to make out said Sellary by there own Congregation doe therefore desyre assistance.

The Commonality are unanimously of opinion that since they are censible that s Church wardens have not informed themselves what there Congregations will Comply to said Sellary, that they first goe and Visite there owne Congregation, and if they doe not obtain said Sellary by them, then to make there application to the Commonality at y next Court day. Sept. 21. Whereas y Church wardens of Shennechtady doe again make application that two persons may be appointed to goe Round by ye Inhabitants of this Citty to see if they can obtain any contributions for Do. freemans Sellary as there Desyre on ye 3d of this Instant doth now at large appear. Whereupon ye Commonality have concluded and doe allow and admitt two or more of sa Church wardens of Shinnechtady to goe once Round for Contribution to use as aforesaid from ye Inhabitants of this Citty and no more in ye time of the Sessions, which will be first and second of October next Ensuing.

Albany y 14th of October, A° 1700. — This day being appointed by ye Charter of ye Citty for ye Aldermen in there respective Wards to make return of ye aldermen, assistants, assessors & constables for ye ensueing year, who are as follows . . .

[Nov. 15.-] It is concluded that ye following Proclamation be proclaimed.

That according to ye yearly Custome they doe hereby prohibit and forbid y Retailing of all sorts of Strong Liquor within this Citty and County, unless by Mr Mayors Lycense, on penalty of forfeiting as a fyne upon such person or persones so offending ye summe of five pounds, according to act of assembly, as also that no such Retailers shall receive from any Souldier upon any Pretence whatsoever any of there Provisions,

Cloaths, or other accoutrements, or shall retaile to them in their house after ye ringing of ye Bell for Eight o'clock at night, upon penalty of forfeiting for each Souldier so founde as aforesaid ye summe of six shillings for ye Behooffe of such Person as shall sue for ye same.

Pursuant to an order of Councill dated y° 23d of Sept., and another from his Excellency dated the 16th of October last, Coll. Pr. Schuyler, the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonality have hired the house of William Ketelheyn till pmo May next, for ye summe of six pounds for two Lefts. and there wifes. Also ye Chamber on ye south side of Elisabeth widow of Wouter Utthoft's house, with the use of her bedd and bedding to pmo May next, for four pounds tenn shillings for one Leif', with ye condition that at ye present ye magistrates are to supply her with two Blankets, which at ye Expiration of ye time as afores are to be deducted off ye hire.

Nov. 26.- Evert Wendell sen. appears in Common Councill and makes Request verbally, that in ye time of ye late Gov. Thomas Dongan, orders were issued to demand all Patents or Ground Brieffes belonging to this Citty and County, in which time ye said Petitioner gave up his Grond Brieffe granted to him by ye late governor Petrus Stuyvesant for a certain Lott of grounde situate lying and being on ye south side of yo Citty, on ye east side of ye hill abutting to ye north of ye Land and Orchard belonging to Isaac Casperse; and since said Evert Wendel declares that said Ground Brieffe or any other was never returned to him. Doth therefore humbly request of ye hon. Commonality to grant him a Release for s Grounde, which y Commonality have taken into Consideration, and have graunted ye same, ordering a Release to be writte, which shall be signed.

It is concluded that a warrant be issued to yo fyre masters to vizite y Chimneys and fyre places within this Citty every three weeks, beginning ye 2d of December next and so continuing during the time of three months, which fyre masters are as follows: Bastiaen Harmense, William Hogen, Warner Carstense, Guysbert Marselis, Tierk Harmense, Jonathan Broadhurst.

J[oel] Munsell, The Annals of Albany (Albany, 1853), IV, 112-120 passim.