But to this hour it has never appeai'ed in any of the volumes of the Laws of New York. It was passed and signed by Governor Dongan on the 1st of November 1683, and is entitled "An Act to divide this Province into Shires and Countyes." It was the third act of the first session of the first Legislature which ever sat within the limits of this State.'' Eight years later the first Assembly under William and Mary was called by Governor Sloughter.

The first Act of the second session of this first Legislature under the " Instructions " of those Sovereigns, held at the "Fort Hall" in September 1691, was a confirmation of the foregoing law, in the form of "An Act to divide this Province and Dependencies into Shires and Counties," •' with a preamble that it was enacted to prevent mistakes in the boundaries. The first clause provides " That the said Province be divided into twelve Counties, as followeth ; " and the third clause is, "The County of Westchester , io contain East and Westchester, Brnnkes Land, Fordham, Mannor of Pel ham, Miniford Island* (now City Island) and Richbill's Neck, (now De Lancey's Neck) and all the land on the Main to the Eastward of Manhattans Island, as far as the Government at present extends, and the Yonckers hand. And Northwards along Hudsons River as far as the High Lands." The member chosen from Westchester County to this As-

- It is here cited from a MS. copy of the original Manuscript of Ihe Dongan Liars, at Albany, in which it is found on page 12.