Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. III
The number of Germans who came hitlier to searcli for bread for themselves, their Wifes and Children were more then the land allready granted them by the Indians Cou'd supply with settlements, and some of the people of Albany endeavouring to purchase the land round 'em from the Indians on purpose to Close them up, and deprive them of any rang for their Cattle, they were oblig'd to sollicit all the Indian Kings there adjoyning for more land, which tliey willingly granted 'em & sold 'em the rest of the land at Schwie, being woods, Rocks and pastaridg for 300 pieces of Eight.
MANOR OF LIVINGSTON. 711
No sooner had Governour Hunter notice of their settlement and Agreement with the Indians, but he order'd one Adam Vromen to endeavor to persuade the Indians to break the Agreement made.
Upon the first settlement of this land the miserys those poor and allmost famish'd Creatures underwent were incredible, and had it not been for the Charity of the Indians who shew'd them where to gather some eatable roots and herbs, must inevitably have perish'd every soul of them, but what God said in anger to Adam was in mercy fulfilled, viz. thou shall eat the herbs of the fields, when they Continu'd about one year on this land, build smaU houses and huts and made other Improvements thereon with their blody sweat and labour and under the most grievous hardships and dayly Jiazard of their lives from the french and Indian Ennemys, as well as from those more dreadfull ones hunger and Cold, severall Gentlemen Came to them from Albany, declaring they had bought that land of Governour Hunter, and if they intentioned to live thereon they must agree with them, to which demand these poor people answered, that the land was the King's and that the were the Kings Subjects and had no power to agree to any thing about his Majesty's lands without his special order, upon which these Gentlemen said, Wee are King's of this land, but the German's reply'd that their King was in England, and that the land shou'd not be taken from them without his Majesty's particular order.