reader, that Peter Stuyvesant was a tough, sturdy, valiant, weather-beaten, mettlesome, obstinate, leathern-sided, lionhearted, generous-spirited old governor, either I have written to but little purpose, or thou art dull at drawing conclusions.Knickerbocker's History of New York.

Conquest of New Netherlands by the English. Brodhead.

1. ENGLISH jealousy had grown with the increasing commerce of Holland, and a rupture with the Dutch appeared to be near at hand. ... The farmers of the revenue had complained that traders to Virginia, New England, Maryland, and Long Island were constantly conveying great quantities of tobacco to the neighboring Dutch plantations, the customs on which "would amount to ten thousand pounds per annum or upward;" and the plantation Board had taken measures to put the British Acts of Navigation and Trade "carefully in execution." The brother of Governor Berkeley, too, coveted New Jersey.

2. To accomplish all objects at one blow, England now determined boldly to rob Holland of her American province. The king accordingly sealed a patent granting to the Duke of York and Albany a large territory in America, comprehending Long Island and the islands in its neighborhood-his title to which Lord Stirling had released-and all the lands and rivers from the west side of the Connecticut River to the east side of Delaware Bay. This sweeping grant included the whole of New Netherlands and a part of the territory of Connecticut, which, two years before, Charles had confirmed to Winthrop and his associates.

3. The Duke of York lost no time in giving effect to his patent. As Lord High Admiral, he directed the fleet. Four ships, the Guinea, of thirty-six guns; the Elias, of thirty; the Martin, of sixteen; and the William and Nicholas, of ten, were detached for service against New Netherlands, and about four hundred and fifty regular soldiers, with their officers, were embarked. The command of the expedition was entrusted to Colonel Richard Nicolls, a faithful Royalist, who had served

under Turenne with James, and had been made one of the gentlemen of his bed-chamber.

4. Nicolls was also appointed to be the Duke's deputy-governor, after the Dutch possessions should have been reduced. With Nicolls were associated Sir Robert Carr, Colonel George Cartwright, and Samuel Maverick, as royal commissioners, to visit the several colonies in New England. These commissioners were furnished with detailed instructions; and the New England governments were required by royal letters to "join and assist them vigorously" in reducing the Dutch to subjection. A month after the departure of the squadron, the Duke of York conveyed to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret all the territory between the Hudson and Delaware Rivers, from Cape May north to forty-one degrees and forty minutes of latitude, hereafter to be called by the name or names of Nova Cæsarea (sez-ah-re'ah), or New Jersey.

5. Intelligence from Boston that an English expedition against New Netherlands had sailed from Portsmouth was soon communicated to Stuyvesant by Captain Thomas Willett; and the burgomasters' and schepens" of New Amsterdam were summoned to assist the council with their advice.

6. When the truth of Willett's intelligence became confirmed, the council sent an express to recall Stuyvesant from Fort Orange. Hurrying back to the capital, the anxious director endeavored to redeem the time which had been lost. The municipal authorities ordered one-third of the inhabitants, without exception, to labor every third day at the fortifications; organized a permanent guard; forbade the brewers to malt any grain; and called on the provincial government for artillery and ammunition. Six pieces, beside the fourteen previously allotted, and a thousand pounds of powder, were accordingly granted to the city. The colonists around Fort Orange, pleading their own danger from the savages, could afford no help; but the soldiers at Esopus [now Kingston] were ordered to come down, after leaving a small garrison' at the Ronduit.*

7. In the meantime, the English squadron had anchored just

* The Ronduit, a small fort; hence the name Rondout.

below the Narrows, in Nyack Bay, between New Utrecht and Coney Island. The mouth of the river was shut up; communication between Long Island and Manhattan, Bergen and Achter Cul, interrupted; several yachts, on their way to the South River, captured; and the block-house on the opposite shore of Staten Island seized. Stuyvesant now dispatched Councilor De Decker, Burgomaster Van der Grist, and two Domines Megapolen'sis, with a letter to the English commanders, inquiring why they had come, and why they continued at Nyack without giving notice.

8. The next morning, which was Saturday, Nicolls sent Colonel Cartwright, Captain Needham, Captain Groves, and Mr. Thomas Delavall, up to Fort Amsterdam, with a summons for the surrender of "the town situate on the island, and commonly known by the name of Manhattoes, with all the forts thereunto belonging." This summons was accompanied by a proclamation declaring that all who would submit to his majesty's government should be protected "in his majesty's laws and justice," and peaceably enjoy their property. Stuyvesant immediately called together the council and burgomasters, but would not allow the terms offered by Nicolls to be communicated to the people, lest they might insist on capitulating.

9. In a short time, several of the burghers' and city officers assembled at the Stadt-Huys [State-House]. It was determined to prevent the enemy from surprising the town; but, as opinion was generally against protracted resistance, a copy of the English communication was asked from the director. On the following Monday, the burgomasters explained to a meeting of the citizens the terms offered by Nicolls. But this would not suffice; a copy of the paper itself must be exhibited. Stuyvesant then went in person to the meeting. "Such a course," said he, "would discourage the people." All his efforts, however, were vain; and the director, protesting that he should not be held. answerable for "the calamitous consequences," was obliged to yield to the popular will.

10. Nicolls now addressed a letter to Winthrop, who, with other commissioners from New England, had joined the squad

ron, authorizing him to assure Stuyvesant that, if Manhattan should be delivered up to the king, "any people from the Netherlands may freely come and plant there, or thereabouts; and such vessels of their own country may freely come thither, and any of them may as freely return home in vessels of their own country." Visiting the city under a flag of truce, Winthrop delivered this to Stuyvesant outside the fort, and urged him to surrender. The director declined; and, returning to the fort, he opened Nicolls' letter before the council and burgomasters, who desired that it should be communicated, as "all which regarded the public welfare ought to be made public."

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11. Against this Stuyvesant earnestly remonstrated; and, finding that the burgomasters continued firm, in a fit of passion he tore the letter in pieces." The citizens, suddenly ceasing their work at the palisades, hurried to the Stadt-Huys, and sent three of their number to the fort to demand the letter. In vain the director hastened to pacify the burghers, and urge them to go on with the fortifications. "Complaints and curses" were uttered on all sides against the company's misgovernment; resistance was declared to be idle; "the letter! the letter!" was the general cry. To avoid a mutiny, Stuyvesant yielded, and a copy, made out from the collected fragments, was handed to the burgomasters.

12. In answer, however, to Nicolls' summons, he submitted a long justification of the Dutch title; yet, while protesting against any breach of the peace between the king and the States General, "for the hinderance and prevention of all differences, and the spilling of innocent blood, not only in these parts, but also in Europe," he offered to treat. Long Island is gone and lost;" the capital "cannot hold out long," was the last dispatch to the "Lords Majors" of New Netherlands, which its director sent off that night "in silence through Hell-gate.'

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13. Observing Stuyvesant's reluctance to surrender, Nicolls directed Captain Hyde, who commanded the squadron, to reduce the fort. Two of the ships accordingly landed their troops just below Breuckelen [Brooklyn], where volunteers from New

England and the Long Island villages had already encamped. The other two, coming up with full sail, passed in front of Fort Amsterdam, and anchored between it and Nutten Island [Governor's Island]. Standing on one of the angles of the fortress-an artilleryman with a lighted match at his side-the director watched their approach. At this moment, the two Domines Megapolensis, imploring him not to begin hostilities, led Stuyvesant from the rampart, who then, with a hundred of the garrison, went into the city to resist the landing of the English.

14. Hoping on against hope, the director now sent Councilor De Decker, Secretary Van Ruyven, Burgomaster Steenwyck, and Schepen Cousseau, with a letter to Nicolls, stating that, though he felt bound "to stand the storm," he desired, if possible, to arrange an accommodation. But the English commander merely declared, "To-morrow I will speak with you at Manhattan." "Friends," was the answer, "will be welcome, if they come in a friendly manner." "I shall come with ships. and soldiers," replied Nicolls; "raise the white flag of peace at the fort, and then something may be considered."

15. When this imperious message became known, men, women, and children flocked to the director, beseeching him to submit. His only answer was, "I would much rather be carried out dead." The next day, the city authorities, clergymen, and the officers of the burgher-guard, assembling at the StadtHuys at the suggestion of Domine Megapolensis, adopted a remonstrance to the director, exhibiting the hopeless situation of New Amsterdam, on all sides "encompassed and hemmed in by enemies," and protesting against any further opposition to the will of God. Besides the schout, burgomasters, and schepens, the remonstrance was signed by Wilmerdonck and eightyfive of the principal inhabitants, among whom was Stuyvesant's own son, Balthazar.

16. At last the director was obliged to yield. Although there were now fifteen hundred souls in New Amsterdam, there were not more than two hundred and fifty men able to bear arms, besides the one hundred and fifty regular soldiers. The people

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