At a council held at Harlem on October 4, 1673, the Governor-General and Cornells Steenwyck (his secretary) being present, the inhabitants of Fordham appeared and complained of the ill government of their landlord, John Archer, and asked that they might be allowed to nominate their own magistrates. Archer was present and voluntarily declared that he would desist from the government and patroonshij) of the town, but reserved to himself the property and ownership of the lands and houses there. The Council accordingly gave authority to the people of Fordham to nominate, by plurality of votes, six of the best qualified persons in the town (exclusively of the Reformed Christian religion) as magistrates. From those nominated the Governor was to make selection, and he recommended that half, at least, of those nominated should be of Dutch nationality. Archer's troubles did not end here. At the suit of Thomas Gibbs and John Curtis execution was allowed to issue against his personal property. On the 15th of June, in the same year, Archer and his ancient enemy, John Verveelen, the constable and ferryman at Spuyten Duyvil, had some trouble about the town-books of Fordham, and Verveelen (who had, in the meantime, been promoted from the more lowly position of constable to that of schout -- sheriff") was directed by the Governor to hand over to Archer the books and ])rotocols properly belonging to him.''

We now leave Fordham and go back to the eastern or Sound side. On December 24, 1673, Roger Tounsen (Townsend) complained to the Governor-General and Council that the people of Westchester were doing great damage to his lands and cattle. The matter was referred to Schout William Lawrence and Mr. Richard Cornwel (Cornell), who, at Townsend's expense, were ordered to inspect the premises, to hear the arguments of parties and, if possible, " to reconcile parties." Should they fail, a report was ordered to be made to the Governor.