He rarely received a money rent, but got his land back in his possession, cleared and prepared for agricultural purposes. Sometimes the landlord would furnish horses and cattle to the tenants. Many of the tenants were persons whom the landlords had assisted to emigrate by advancing their passage money, and they would pay that back whenever they had the ready means, either in cash or in crops. Tobacco and wheat were the principal crops. ^

In 1(554--55 some New Englanders settled at or near Westchester without Stuyvesant's permission. On the 19th of April, Van Tienhoven, the Fiscal, issued a writ commanding Thomas Pel, or whomsoever else it might concern, to cease from trespassing and to leave the premises, and intrusted the writ to Claes Van Elslaut, the court messenger, and promptly on the 22d Claes arrived at the new village which was building at Vreedelandt. Four armed men came to meet him at the creek and demanded what he was after. Elslaut asked, " Where can I land near the houses?" The reply was, "You shall not land." The messenger said, "I am cold, let me land," and he sprang ashore. Albert, the trumpeter, was with him, and both were placed under guard by the settlers and told not to advance a foot. The commander of the party advanced with a pistol in his hand and with eight or ten men following. The faithful messenger did his duty; he read the protest or warrant and handed it to the leader, who said, " I cannot understand Dutch ; why did not the Fiscal send it in