These Directors, then, having the power in their own hands, could do, and did whatever they chose, according to their good will and pleasure, and whatever was, must be right, because it was agreeable to them. 'Tis well known that those who arrogate to themselves, and exercise power, for the purpose of issuing suchcommands as they please, frequently command and requiremore than they really ought and whether it be proper or not, there are ;

always some persons there to praise it; some through a desire to witness and abet evil; others, from fear; and thus do people still continue to complain, with Jan Vergas, dt dementia ducis, of the clemency of the Duke. But that we may give no one reason to suspect that we blow too hard, 'twill be proper to illustrate the uirKteTs admin"! closB of Dlrcctor Kieft's administration, and the government of Director Stuyvesant a little before our departure by a few examples, but we willingly admit, that it will not be in our power fully to relate all the particulars, as they

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were transacted so secretly, and with so much duplicity and guile. We shall, however, expose some of them according to our ability, and let an opinion be formed of the Lion by his paw. Casting our eye, then, over Director Kieft's administration, we come first to "ci^asS'' pr'lfp"'*" the Church, and we shall speak, after that, of the public property, both But as this man is now dead, and some of his proceedings ecclesiastical and civil. and acts are freely discussed by Jochem Pieterss Cuyter and Cornells Moiyn, we shall dispose of this point as curtly as we possibly can. o o the unnecessary Previous to Director Kieft's bringing J war upon the country, unnei-cisary war t brought upon the his principal aim and object were to take good care of himself, and to leave """"u-y by Kiefi. behind him a great name, but without any expense either to himself or the Company; for he has never yet done anything remarkable for the country by which it was improved.