RegisterofPSVol2

Register of the Provincial Secretary, 1642 – 1647 ׀ 92
aforesaid, it being the first payment. Done the 30th of May 1643, in Fort Amsterdam, New
Netherland.
Louris Cornelis
[Lease from Johannes la Montagne to Bout Francen
of the farm Vredendael]
[59b] This day, date underwritten, before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of New
Netherland, appeared Mr. La Montangne, councilor of New Netherland, of the first part, and Bout
Francen from Naerden, of the second part, who acknowledge that they have amicably agreed and
contracted together about the hire of the farm called Vredendael, 128 situated on the island of
Manhattan, on the conditions and terms hereinafter written:
Mr. La Montangne leases the above mentioned farm to Bout Fransen above named, who also
acknowledges that he has rented the said farm, for the term of three consecutive years
commencing on the date hereof and ending the 14th of June anno 1646, with which farm Mr. La
Montangne delivers all that is specified in the inventory hereto annexed. In regard to the cattle
mentioned in the [invent]ory, the lessee shall restore them to the lessor at the expiration of the
lease in such number and condition as now received, and then the increase which shall be bred
by God’s blessing from said cattle is to be divided half and half, it being well understood that
the lessor shall first withdraw his number. The lessee shall during the aforesaid lease keep in
proper repair the house, barrack and barn, together with everything that is delivered with the
farm, and surrender it again to the proprietor at the end of the term in the same condition as now
received. The lessee shall also be bound during the lease to cultivate the land diligently and at the
expiration of the term to deliver it back properly fenced, when thirteen morgens of it must be
sowed as he now receives it, to wit, with rye, barley and peas. Bout Fransen shall likewise be
bound to pay strict attention to the orchard, so that the trees belonging to the proprietor may not
be destroyed by cattle or otherwise. Parties shall during the lease share in common the risk of the
death of the cattle, and if any die, the loss must be made good from the increase, so that the
capital stock may remain complete. The lessee shall annually pay for said farm and cattle as rent
fifty schepels of rye, sixteen schepels of barley, and ten schepels of peas; for the cows shall be
128 Literally: “Peace dale.” The farm was situated at the north end of the present Central Park, New York City.
New Netherland Research Center New Netherland Institute