The aforesaid Company had erected these forts both Southward and Northward, not only for the purpose of closing and appropriating the aforesaid rivers, but likewise the lands around them and within their borders, (being then about sixty leagues along the coast,) and on the other side of the rivers so far as title by occupation tends to possession, to declare as their own and to preserve them against all foreign or domestic nations who would endeavor to usurp the same contrary to the Company's will and pleasure. And for greater quiet and security and in order lawfully to confirm their possession, the Company caused their servants to purchase from the Natives there, many and divers lands situated on various places, the deeds and conveyances whereof remain with the Directors in

HOLLAND DOCUMENTS: VIL 565

New Netherland ;Boundary posts were erected thereupon and to these were affixed the arms of their High Mightinesses in order to notify other nations coming there, that the country is owned and possessed. The subsequent circumstances of the country alone prevented the occupation by forts of the rivers of Pequatoos focket and Marinkansick,' otherwise called Sloops Bay, these being situate this side of Cape Cod. Which circumstances being perceived by the English of New Plymouth in New England, they began to build some leagues above the Company's fort, the Hope, a trading house ^ of which one Master Prinsen was the first commander. Wouter van Twiller, the Company's Director duly protested against this in the year 1635, and admonished the said Prinsen to remove without the Company's possessed jurisdiction, who, refusing, placed himself on the defensive. This Prinsen remained in possession, though unlawfully, because the Company's servants were not authorized to show any hostility to the English. The latter becoming bold from time to time in their country, increasing in numbers in consequence of the troubles in England, encroached towards the west below Cape Cod on the Dutch limits, absorbing Rhode Island, Biocx Island, Martin's Vineyard, Sloops Bay, howbeit, possession had been taken of it, in the year 1636, for the Company by one Abraham Pieterssen of Haerlem on the Island Quetenis situate in front of said bay, and Pequatoos river which they pretend to have conquered by force of arms from the natives, inasmuch as they have wholly subjugated that Nation.