The following year, 1093, the 5th of King William the third and Queen Mary, the ferry, Island and meadow were confirmed to Frederick Philipse, Lord of the manor of Philipsburgh, by royal charter and power given him to erect thereon a bridge and to receive a certain toll therein specified, and furthermore the said bridge to be henceforth called Kings hridgeA

Madam Knight on her journey from New York to New Haven in the year 1704, speaks thus of this place : " about 5 o'clock came

« Dutch Trans. Rec. G.G. p 360. b Minutes of Common Council N. Y. Vol. ii. "= Minutes of Common Council, Vol. ii. 1'iS. d Charter of Philipsburgh.

>• J^m- HISTORY OF THE :vi

to Spiting Devil, else Kings Bridge, where they pay three pence for passing over with a horse, which the man that keeps the gate set up at the end of the bridge receives.''^

During the war of the revohition. Kings Bridge constituted the ^^ barrier" of the British hne, when they occupied New York Island, while as far north as the Croton extended, the " Neutral Ground." Like the pass of ancient Thermopylae, Kings bridge can boast of her faithful bands of Spartans, whofought for " liberty or death." As early as May 25, 1775, Congress ordered,

" That a post be immediately taken and fortified, at or near Kings bridge, and that the ground be chosen with a particular view to prevent the communication between the city of New York and the country from being interrupted by land.*'