Document: Contract of sale from Burger Jorissen to Cornelis Melyn of a house and lot on Manhattan island

Before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of New Netherland, appeared Burger Jorisz, of the first part, and Mr. Cornelis Melyn, of the second part, who in the presence and before the undersigned witnesses acknowledged and declared that they had voluntarily and deliberately entered into and made together the following contract, in manner and on the terms hereinafter written. Burgert Jorisz acknowledges that he has sold to Cornelis Melyn, who also acknowledges that he has bought of Borger Jorisz, his house and lot situated on the island of Manhatans, on the East river, between said Melyn and the great tavern, and that of such dimensions, be the same more or less, as the above mentioned lot is described in the patent granted on the 28th of April anno 1643, by the honorable director general and council of New Netherland to Borgert Jorisz; with all that is fastened by earth and nail and the appurtenances and dependencies thereof. For which house and lot he, Cornelis Melyn, promises to pay the vendor, Borger Jorisz, the sum of nine hundred and fifty guilders, to wit: one hundred and fifty guilders immediately in part payment of the said nine hundred and fifty guilders; six months after the delivery, which shall take place after the expiration of Augustyn H[ ee ]rmans’s lease, the purchaser shall pay to the vendor four hundred guilders, and the balance[ ].[1] For all of which the parties bind their persons and properties, movable and immovable, present and future, without any exception, the vendor for the delivery of a clear title and the purchaser for the payment of the said purchase money, submitting to that end to the provincial Court of Holland and to all other courts, tribunals and judges. In testimony whereof two copies of the same tenor have been made hereof and this is signed in the record by the parties in the presence of Willem de Key and Gysbert Opdyc, witnesses hereto invited. Done the 15th of December anno 1644, in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland.

Burger Jorisz
Cornelis Melyn
Cornelis van Tienhoven