Anno 1614, our traders O" v<^°p^e ant took possession of not only trafficked at the Fresh river, but had also ascended it before any English LoughuSerawi °'"" people had ever dreamed of coming there; the latter arrived there for the first time in the year 1636, after our Fort Good Hope had been a long time in existence, and almost all the land on both sides of the river had been bought by our people from the Indians, which purchase took place principally in the year 1632 and ;

Kievits hook^ was purchased at that time also by one Hans Eencluys, an officer of the Company. The States' arms were also affixed at this Hook (16) to a tree in token of possession, but the English, who still occupy the Fresh river, lown^liei^ wgh threw them down, and engraved a fool's face in their stead. Whether this was M'd''"eDgr"ve'd™a done by authority or not, we can not say such is probable, and no other than an plad ;

affirmative opinion can be entertained ; this much has come to pass -- they have been informed of it in various letters, which never produced any result ; but they have in addition, contra jus gentium 'perfiis et ncfas, invaded the whole, because, as they say, the land lay unoccupied and waste, which was none of their business, and, besides, was not true ; for on the river a fort had been already erected, which

' The following extract from the Colonial Records of Connecticut illustrates the text -- "Hartford June :