Know ye that by virtue of the commission and authority unto me given by his royal highness, I iiave ratified, confirmed, and granted unto the said Samuel Edsall, his heirs and assignees, all the aforesaid parcel of land and premises, with all the soil, woods, pastures, meadow ground, marshes, commonage, creeks, waters, lakes, fishing, hawking, hunting and fowling, within the limits before set forth, described, and all other profits, commodities and emoluments to the said parcel or part of land belonging or in anywise appertaining, to have and to hold the said parcel or part of land and premises unto the said Samuel Edsall, his heirs and assignees, unto the proper use and behoof of the said Samuel Edsall, his heirs and assignees, forever, rendering and paying such duties and acknowledgments as now are or hereafter shall be constituted and established by the laws of this government, under the obedience of his royal highness, i>is heirs and successors. Given under my liand and seal at Fort James in New York, on the island of Manhattoes, the day of in the 20th year of his majestie's reign. Anno Domini 166 .

Richard Nicolls.

The next possessor of BroncWs land was Captain Richard Blorris, who must have purchased of Edsall, cir. 1670. Mr. Sparks says : " That there was a contract, dated the 10th of August, 1670, in which Richard is styled a merchant in Mew York, and Lewis, his brother, a merchant in Barbadoes."* " it follows," (remarks Dunlapj) "that Richard was in Barbadoes in 1670, and contracted to come on to New York to purchase this grant of Morrisania for himself and brother, Lewis, who was to follow and settle on it ; but tliat he did not come until the peace of 1674, when he found the son of his brother an orphan, took him imder his protection, and built at Morrisania."'^