Document: Lease of a plantation from Aeltje Jans to Marten Menlooff and Thomas Vaster (Foster)

Before [ me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of ] New Netherland, appeared Aeltje Jans, widow of [ the late Jochem ] [1] Cornelisen from Rotterdam, [ with Aert ]Teunessen, her chosen guardian, [ of the first part, and ] Marten Menlooff and Tomas Vaster[2] of the [ second ] part, who acknowledged [ that they had ] agreed [ in ] the following manner:

Marten Menloff and Tomas Vaster acknowledge that they have hired the plantation of the aforesaid Aeltje Jans, who also acknowledges that she has leased the same, for the term of one year, beginning on the date hereof and ending on the 16th of March anno 1644, on which plantation 18 schepels of grain are already sown, of which the lessees must return twelve schepels, being her ⅔ share. The widow shall furnish the summer grain and again receive ⅔ as before, provided the lessees pay as rent ⅓ part of the crop which God shall grant to the field. The widow likewise delivers two milch cows, two oxen, and two heifers now one year old. The lessees shall pay for the milch cows 40 lbs. of butter during the year and shall receive half of the increase. The widow also delivers two sows, half the increase of which the lessees shall likewise receive. The lessees shall provide feed during the winter for the above named cattle and shall run half the risk of the two cows during the year. Done this 16th of March anno 1643, in New Netherland.

The boy Jan shall be at the service of the lessees on condition that they provide him with clothes and board; should the widow have need of him, she may employ the boy provided she board him.

Aert Tonisen
Aeltje Jans
Tomas Vaster
Marten Manlooff
Cornelis van Tienhoven