Document: Lease from Abraham Rycken to William Hutchinson of his Long Island farm near Remmert Jansen

Before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of New Netherland, appeared Abraham Ryken, of the first part, and Willem Hutskensoon,[1] of the second part, who declared that they had agreed in manner and terms hereinafter written, to wit:

Abraham Ryken rents his land to the above mentioned Willem Hutskensoon, who acknowledges that he has hired the same, situated on Long Island near Remmert Jansen’s land, which lease shall commence next Amsterdam fair,[2] and terminate on Amsterdam fair anno 1646, it being three consecutive years. The lessee shall pay the lessor this year for the grain that is sowed on the aforesaid land fifteen schepels of grain and the remaining years nothing, on condition that at the expiration of the lease Willem Hutskensoon shall leave on the aforesaid land, to secure the same, good posts and rails in such numbers that arbitrators conversant with such matters shall judge them, standing in the ground, to be worth one hundred and eighty guilders; which posts and rails being properly set shall at the expiration of the three years be the property of the owner, and the lessee shall have no right to claim anything for them; only, if he clears more land than will be enclosed within the aforesaid fence, it shall belong to Abraham Rycken also. He shall likewise build the backhouse at his own expense and not claim anything for it at the end of the years. Done the 2nd of July anno 1643, in Fort Amsterdam, New Netherland.

Willem Hutkensoon
Abraham Rycken
Adriaen van Tienh.
Oloff Stevensen
Cornelis van Tienh.