This instrument is recorded in Book G, G, of Patents page 30, in the Secretary of State's Office in Albany.^ By it was vested in the West India Company the right of soil and possession of the Indians in the tract described. It will be noticed that it bears no marks of the Indians as signatories, but is only signed by the witnesses and the Secretary of the Province, differing in this respect from the Indian Deeds of much later dates, and especially from those executed under the English rule. This was strictly in accordance with the Dutch Provincial " Ordinance," or law, enacted by the Director and Council of New Netherland the year before the date of this deed, which, as it is not generally known, is in full as follows ; -- -

"The Free people" [those not Patroon s, nor boera or farm laborers) " having by petition requested Patents of the Lands which they are at present cultivating, the prayer of the Petitioners is granted, on condition that at the expiration of Ten years after entering upon their Plantation, they shall pay yearly to the Company the Tenth of all crops which God the Lord shall grant to the field; also from this time forth, one couple of capons for a house and lot." This ordinance of the Director and Council was passed on the 24th June, 1638.*

On the 19th of the following August another ordinance was passed by the same high authority, in which occurs this clause providing that all legal documents, shall be drawn up by the Secretary of the Province ; -- Likewise, that, from now henceforward, no instruments, whether contracts, obligations, leases, or Bills of Sale, or such like writings of what nature soever they be, and concerning which any dispute