Document: Lease of Domine's hook from Rev. Everardus Bogardus to Robert Bello and Marck Menloff

Before [ me, Cornelis van Tienhoven ], secretary [ in New Netherland ] appointed by the [ General Chartered ] West India Company, appeared Everardus [ Bogardus ] [ ,minister ] here, [ of the first part ], and Robbert Bello and Mer[ ck Menloff ], of the second part, who [ in the presence ] of the undersigned witnesses [ acknowledge ] that they have amicably agreed [ and ] contracted in the manner hereinafter written, to wit:

The aforesaid Robbert and Merck Menloff shall dwell and plant tobacco and corn on the hook called Domine’s hook, where they shall build a small house twenty feet long and fifteen feet wide, enclosed on all sides by clapboards and covered with thatch, for which Everardus Bogardus shall pay said Robbert and Marck Menloff when the work shall be properly finished and completed, in addition to the fifteen hundred nails, the sum of eighty Carolus guilders once, the guilder reckoned at 20 stivers, and payable when next harvest they shall go to live in it, the lease to commence at that time and ending in the harvest anno 1646, which makes four consecutive years. It is also most expressly stipulated that they shall work with all diligence and industry on the aforesaid land as all good laborers are bound to do. Furthermore, said Everardus Bogardus shall furnish said Robbert [ and ][ Marck ] Menloff with 6 goats and [ two sows ] and one boar, of which animals they shall have the use for the aforesaid four years, provided that half the increase which God may grant shall belong to E. Bogardus and the other half to the lessees, and if it happen, which God forbid, that one or more of the aforesaid goats or hogs come to die, Domine Bogardus shall have the choice from the increase to his full number and then as before stated the further increase is to be divided equally. They, the appearers, shall annually divide the increase, provided that the capital stock must always remain full as it will be delivered by Bogardus, and whenever they shall have divided, Everardus Bogardus shall be obliged to remove after the division the goats or the hogs within a month or two, provided that they shall then be at the risk of Everardus Bogardus. The lessees promise to erect a sufficient fence of palisades which at the expiration of the four years shall be valued by arbitrators and be paid for at such price to the lessees as the arbitrators shall consider the fence to be worth. It is also expressly covenanted that the valey [1] shall be reserved to the domine, who shall mow thereon where he pleases, and the hay which the lessor does not need shall belong to the lessees.[2]