It was first attempted by the Director-General in person at the general meeting of the four Engli-ih Colonies at Boston ; and since on the advice of three of the Colonies,^ by our Commissioners, viz: Mr. Cornells van Ruyven, Secretary Oloff" Stevens Cortlandt, Burgomaster of this city, and John Laurens (Lawrence), burgher and merchant, made to the General Court, or Legislature, at Hartford.

" On reading over both journals, your Honors will not only percei,ve the impossibility of effecting anything here, unless all be given up to them, hardly excepting alone what the Dutch Nation justly possessed and settled on Manhatans Island and oa the North River.

"By virtue of a patent signed in the year 1626, Boston [Massnchnseffs^ claims whatever is north of 42J degrees. East and West, from one sea to the other. This line includes the whole of the Colonic of Rensselaers-Wyck, the village of Bever-wyck, and all the Mohawk and Seneca country. Again, the General Court at Hartford lay claim to, and demand, in virtue of the newly obtained patent [^that for Connecticut of 1662], all the country lying South of the aforesaid line of 42^ degrees, and westerly until it touches another Royal Patent, and therein include all of New

III. Col. Hist., 478.

2 Maseachusetts declined to take part iu the Becond coaference.

Netherland, south to the seacoast, and west to a Royal patent; and furthermore declare positively; --

'' First. Contrary to the advice of the other three colonies, that the treaty concluded at Hartford, An". 1650, is null and void.