Their offer was accepted. They requested the privilege of choosing their own officers and of making and administering their own laws. They were granted the same privileges as the freemen of the villages of Middleborough, Brenkelen, Midwout and Amersfoort. They were allowed to nominate double the number of persons, from whom the executive would make selections. These officers were called "Schepens."^ * The civil designation originally given to Throckmorton's settlement Oostdorp or Easitown, was continued.

" In the municipal government of these settlements two systems, essentially different ill principle obtained. In the 'Colonies ' the superintending power was lodged in one individuiil, who, though the immediate vassal of the sovereign authority from which he| derived his lauds, was himself lord paramount in his manor, where he not only represented the sovereign, but exercised feudal jurisdiction over his colonists, who stood towards him in the same relation ho occupied towards tlie supreme head of the State. ... In return for this obedience the patroon was bound to protect the colonists, who had the ailditioual right to address themselves by appeal to the supreme authority at Amsterdam, in case they were either aggrieved or oppressed. . . .

"Towns or communes sometimes acquired independence of these feudal lords, and held their privileges directly from the crown. They were incorporated and held land in fee, and possessed the rights of patroons. They named persons from whom the executive selected officers called ' schepens. ' These constituted a board of conmiunication with their sovereign head, were a local court of justice, and had a sellout or sheriff, a secretary and a marshal. Their official term was one year. One hundred years before the Dutch settlement there were in Holland