J. VANDE WATER, Clarke.”
These proceedings were recorded by order of the Court of Sessions,
on the 9th day of May, 1699.
The following proceeding is curious, setting forth the ancient practice
of tradesmen cutting down timber in the public woods, and the
regulations made respecting the same. It appears that directly after the
Trustees were chosen by the above meeting they together with the
Justices, held the following meeting. “Att a meeting held this 29th day
off Aprill, (1699) in Breucklyn, Present, Benjamin Vande Water, Jooris
Hanssen, Jan Geritse Dorlant, being choisen townsmen in the presence and
with the advice off the Justices off this towne.
Considering the greate inconvenience, lose and intrest that the
inhabitants off this towne have by reason that the tradesmen here living
in this towne doe ffall and cutt the best trees and sully the best of
our woods and sell the worke thereoff made the most part to others
living withoute the towne, and that the shoemakers and others doe cutt
and fall all the best treese ffor the barke, and the wood lyes and rott,
and that some persons doe cutt and ffall trees for timber and ffensing
stuff, and leave the trees in the woods soe cutt until they are spoilt,
and that people off other towns come and cutt and fall trees ffor
timber, ffensing stuff, and ffire woods, and transport the same away out
off our townes bounds and limitts, and that without leave or consent off
the towne, soe that in the time off ffew yeares there shall bee no woods
leaved ffor the inhabitants ffor timber or ffensing stuff to the ruine
off the said towne. It is thereffore ordered, That ffrom the date
hereoff no tradesman shall make any worke ffor to sell to others
without thee towne, ffrom wood soe cutt as afforesaid as only ffrom old
wood.
That no shoemaker or others shall cutt or ffall any trees ffor to barke
in the common woods uppon the penaltie off ffive pound ffor every tree
soe cutt.
That no men shall leave any timber, ffensing stuffe, or other wood in
the woods longer as six weeks affter itt is cutt, uppon the penaltie,
that itt shall be ffree ffor others to take and carry the same away as
theire owne wood. And that iff any one off other townes shall be
ffounden within our townes limitts to cutt or carry away any sorts off
woods ffor timber, ffensing stuff or ffire wood, that itt shall bee
ffree ffor any one off this towne to take it away and to take out writ
to arrest, or to apprehend such offender or offenders presently, and
that the Justices off this towne shall answer the action as iff itt were
done by theire owneselves,[12] These proceedings were also recorded by
order of the Court of Sessions.
“Towne meeting held this 5th day off May, 1701, by order off Justices
Cornelis Sebringh and Machiell Hanssen. We the major part off the
ffreeholders off Breucklyn doe hereby nominate, constitute and appoint
Capt. Jooris Hanssen, Jacob Hanssen and Cornelis Van Duyn, to bee
trustees of our Common and undivided lands, and to deffend and maintaine
the rights and privileges off our General pattent, as well within as
without.”
“Towne meeting held this 2d day off February, 1701-2, by order off
Justice Cornelis Sebringh. Purposed iff the order off Bedford, made the
12th day off April, 1697, shall bee conffirmed concerning the lying out
of the common or undivided lands or that the said land shall bee lyed
out according to the last tax, concerning the deffending off our
limitts.
Resolved by the ffreeholders aforesaid, that the chosen townsmen shall
ley out the commens according as by the said order off Bedford was
concluded, with the ffirst opportunitie, and that all the lotts joyning
to the common woods shall be surveyed according to their grants.”
The following Resolution was passed for defending those inhabitants to
whom portions of the Common lands were allotted, in their enjoyment of
the same. “Att a Towne meeting held att Brookland, in Kings County, this
14th day of March, 1701-2. Present, Machiel Hanssen, Cornelis Sebringh,
and Hendrick Vechten, Esquires, Justices.--Resolved, by the major part
of the freeholders of the said towne of Brookland, that every man that
has now a right, lott, or lotts laid out in the quondam Common and
undivided lands of Brookland aforesaid, shall forever free liberty have
for egress and regress to his said lotts for fetching off wood or
otherwise, over all or any of the said lott or lotts of the said
freeholders in the lands aforesaid. And further, that if any of the said
freeholders shall at any time or times hereafter, come by any loss or
trouble, cost or charges by lawe or otherwise, of, for or concerning the
title of any of their said lott or lotts, by any person or persons,
either within the township of Brookland afforesaid, or without, that it
shall be defended and made goode, (if lost) att all the proper costs and
charges of all the freeholders of said towne equally.”
It appears that all the Common lands of this town had been divided among
the freeholders, and a portion annexed to each house in the town.--A
deed dated the 17th of April, 1705, after conveying a house and lot of
land in this town, conveys “alsoe all the rights and priviledges in the
common woodlands of the towne of Broockland aforesaid, to said house,
belonging as per record of said towne may appear.[13]
These lands, in the month of February, 1701-2, were surveyed by Pieter
Corteljeu and S. Clowes, two surveyors, and divided by them into three
divisions. The first or west division consisted of 62 lots, containing
about 5 acres each, about 310 acres. The second or middle division of 62
lots, containing about 10 acres each, about 620 acres; and the third or
east division also of 62 lots, containing about 10 acres each, about 620
acres.--Total number of acres about 1550.