Apparently, nothing whatever was done by O'Xeale and his wife in the way of continuing the improvements begun by Van der Donck; and, for all that we know to the contrary, the estate remained in a wholly wild and neglected condition for some ten years, lint in 1666 the O'Xeales, desiring to more perfectly establish their legal title, with a view to realizing from the lands, obtained from the Indians who had originally sold the tract to Van der Donck formal acknowledgment of such sale, and also of their having received from him full satisfaction; and thereupon a new and confirmatory patent for Nepperhaem was issued by Governor Nicolls. This is dated "at Fori James, New York, on the Island of Manhattan," October 8, 1666. It describes the property in the following words: UA certain tract of land within this government, upon the main, bounded to the north wards by a rivulet called by the Indians Mackassin, so running southward to Nepperhaem, from thence to the kill Sliorakkapork [Spuyten Duvvil], and then to Faperinemen [the locality of Kingsbridge], which is the southernmost bounds; then to go across the country to the eastward by thai which is commonly known by the name of Bronck's, his river and land, which said tract hath heretofore been purchased of the Indian proprietors by Adriaen Van der Donck, deceased." The English patent was bestowed upon O'Xeale and his wife jointly. They at once proceeded to sell the lands in fee to different private persons. Notice of the resulting sales must be deferred to the proper chronological period in our narrative. It may be noted here, however, that the principal purchasers of Van der Donck's lands were John Archer and Frederick Thilipse, who later became the lords, respectively, of the Manors of Fordham and Philipseburgh, the former lying wholly, and the latter partly, within the borders of the old patroonship.