Archer did not live long in harmony with the population of his manor, and in 1669-70 they forwarded to the Mayor's Court in New York a complaint that he had undertaken to govern them by " rigour and force;" that "he had been at several times the occasion of great troubles betwixt the inhabitants of said town ;" and they " humbly desired relief and the protection of said court." Both parties were heard by the court, which ordered Archer "to behave himself for the future, civilly and quietly, as he will answer the same at his peril." But as the Fordham community was evidently difiicult to govern, it wasfurther ordered that minor causes between them should be decided at Harlem, by the Fordham magistrates, with the assistance of two of the magistratesof Harlem, unless the Fordham people would pay the Harlem magistrates for coming to their town, and holding court there. On September 8, 1()71, no less^ than four cases were brought against Archer. David Demarest sued him for mowing grass on his meadow at Fordham; Martin Hadewin, of Fordham, sued him for breaking down his fences ; Marcus de Souchay (now Dissoway), for throwing his furniture out of doors; and Verveelen had a suit against him on general jirinciples, as it would appear.

The cattle were allowed to run at large, each man having his own brand and all herding together, John Tippets, residing near Spuyten Duyvil, had killed some hogs which were not branded, and the constables and overseers of the joint courts of Harlem and Fordham met to determine who owned the hogs. John Archer, as usual, was interested ; he claimed the hogs on behalf of the Duke of York. The Governor, it^ seems, had once reproved Tippets for having an unlawful mark for his cattle, which was, to cut their ears so short that " any other marks may be cut off by it." Elizabeth Heddy, Benjamin Palmer and Jan Hendricks proved that Tippets owned a litter of pigs, " the which were gray, red, spotted and white." The result of this important trial is not known, but thereafter the Fordham people were compelled to keep their cattle on the main, and the in-