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-

2Riker's "History of Harlem," page 387.

WESTCHESTER.

stitution of town brauders for cattle was established. Tlie same practice prevailed in Westchester, on the east side of" the township, as much space in the early records is given to the recording of the various brands for cattle, sheep and hogs which each fanner recorded.

The manor being established, shortly afterwards (April 2-'), 1073) Governor Lovelace authorized the establishment of a court, to be held there quarterly, and, on the nomination of Archer, appointed John Ryder, steward of the manor, as president of the court, with the constable of the place and one or two of the " discreetest " of the inhabitants as assistants. The court had jurisdiction in all matters of debt and trespass between the landlord and his tenants, and between one tenant and another. It was held at Archer's house. About this time Verveleen, Archer's enemy, must have been displaced as constable, as we find Richard Cage to have succeeded him.

In the mean time, under the English rule, the territory east of the Bronx was in the jurisdiction of the West Riding of Yorkshire, or Long Island, and the people attended the courts there, while the Fordham people had their court at Fordham and Harlem. On December 28, 16G-5, Governor Nicolls informed the inhabitants of Westchester that he would defer the laying out of the town in metes and bounds until they informed him as to every man's estate there, so that the whole could be equally divided into lots in proportion to each man's assessed valuation.