The Patroons, by virtue of their power, shnll and may be permitted, at such places as they shall settle their colonies, to extend their limits four miles along the shore, that is, on one side of a navigable river, or two miles ' on each side of a river, and so far into the country as the situation of the occupiers will permit; provided and conditioned that the company keep to themselves the lands lying and remaining between the limits of the cf)lonies, to dispose thereof, when, and at such time, as they shall think proper, in such manner that no person shwll be allowed to come within seven or eight miles* of them without their consent, unless the situation of the land thereabout

3 These are Pntch miles, one of which i« equal to four English ones. < Twenty-eight or thirty-two English miles.j

THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE MANORS.

were such, that the Commander and Council for good reasons, should order otherwise; always observing that the first occupiers are not to be prejudiced in the right they have obtained, other than, unless the service of the Company should require it, for the building of fortifications, or something of that sort ; remaining, moreover the command of each bay, liver, or island, of the first settled colonic, under the supreme jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses the States-General, and the company ; but that on the next colonies being settled on the same river or island, they may, in conjunction with the first, appoint one or more council, in order to consider what may be ne cessary for the prosperity of the colonies on t'.ie said river and island.