Whereas, after the dispatching of this, the housewife of Anthony Jansen, aforesaid, complained that those of the village of Gravesande (in spite of the repeated citations of the director general and councilors prohibiting further encroachment and usurpation of the land and meadows in dispute) today altogether came to mow in the aforesaid hay meadows, the court messenger Claes van Elslant was ordered and commanded to impound the mowed hay in said meadow and to summon the parties, cited above, before the director general and councilors this coming Monday, when an extraordinary court session shall be held just for that purpose at the expense of the losing parties. Done in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Dated as above.
Monday. Extraordinary session in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Present: the honorable lord director general Petrus Stuyvesant and the lords councilors Nicasius de Sille and La Montagne.
The magistrates of Gravesande, plaintiff, against Anthony Jans van Salee, defendant. The aforesaid magistrates complain that Anthony Jansen had broken or opened their posts and rails and forcibly drove his livestock onto land fenced in by them, and that he did all of this without showing orders, although they were demanded of him.
Anthony Jansen answers that he did not open the posts and rails placed by the people of Gravesande, much less drive his livestock through them, but that his livestock had walked around the posts and rails on the strand by low water; and when it was high water, and his livestock couldn’t come in around the posts, that his children may have removed a rail or two in order to drive the animals into the fenced-in land; and complained in counter claim that those of the village of Gravesande have illegally placed their posts and rails on his, defendant’s, land.
Second that those of the aforesaid village forcibly fenced in against his will and desire the meadows which he bought from the wilde with the foreknowledge of the director general and councilors and peacefully possessed for about 17 years, about which he often complained to the director general and councilors.
Third, that those of the village Gravesande, first and foremost (against the orders, at least without the knowledge and consent of the director general and councilors) drove their calves and other animals onto the land in use by him [several lines lost]
Fourth, that [ ] his livestock from [ his ] own [ ] form of force with [ ] fetched from certain [ ] between both kils and brought into their [ ].
Fifth, that last Saturday those of the aforesaid village altogether came to the aforesaid meadows, used by him for 17 years, to mow; consequently, if they take the hay away, then he shall be left destitute and have to winter his livestock outside. He thus requests compensation for damages suffered and the use of the mowed hay.
