Document: Contract of sale from Harry Breser to Cornelis de Potter of land and cattle on Long Island on the East river

On this day, the 29th of August A° 1651, before me, Jacob Kip, clerk appointed by the honorable director general and council of New Netherland, appeared Herry Breser of the first part and Mr. Cornelis d'Potter of the second part, who in the presence of the hereinafter named witnesses declared that they had agreed and contracted with each other about the purchase of certain lands and animals on the conditions hereinafter written, to wit:

Herry Breser sells to Mr. Cornelis de Potter, who also acknowledges that he has bought, a certain parcel of land situated on Long Island, on the East river, between the land of Cornelis Dircksen Hoochlant and (that of) Fredrick Lubbersen, and this as large and as small as it appears from the patents granted under dates of September 4, 1645, and June 9, 1646, by the Hon. Director General Willem Kieft, deceased, to the behoof of Herry Breser, together with all that the seller has thereon and is entitled to, and also thirty-five and a half head of goats, being milch goats, bucks and cut goats, which the buyer now takes over at his charge and risk; also two milch cows and a calf in the custody of Jan Marris at Gravesend, which shall be delivered to the buyer at Amsterdam Fair, according to the contract thereof, and this for the sum of eleven hundred and twenty-five guilders, to be paid one half in rixdollars or reals of eight, reckoned at three guilders apiece, and the other half in choice seawan or store goods at market price, at the option of the vendor, cash; the vendor ceding hereby his title and claim of ownership of the aforesaid lands and animals for the behoof of the aforesaid Mr. Cornelis de Potter or those who may obtain his title, from now on and forever, promising that he will free the same from all trouble and claims which any one may make thereto. The parties promise to keep this their agreement, purchase and conveyance firm and binding and to observe and carry out the same, binding themselves thereto under submission to all laws and Judges. In witness whereof these presents are signed by the parties together with the witnesses on the date above written, at Manhatans in New Netherland.

Herry Breser
Cornelis De Potter
Tobias Remm
Hermen Hansen
Jacob Kip
P. Stuyvesant