Document: Petition of Abraham Martense Clock for the grant of a piece of land in front of his house

To the highly esteemed lord Petrus Stuyvesant, director general, and the lords councilors of New Netherland.

Abraham Martensen Clock shows with due reverence how he, petitioner, is busy, according to your honors’ orders, with constructing sheathing before his house and lot within this city which shall come to cost him a considerable sum; and whereas there remains some open space in front of his lot across the public highway, which in time could be built on by others, to the petitioner’s great detriment; in order to prevent this as much as possible, therefore, he humbly requests (in compensation for the heavy expenses already incurred and still to be incurred by him for the aforesaid sheathing) and out of consideration that the petitioner is a man who has to earn his living with his hands, and consequently cannot endure great expenses from which he or his family would have no advantage, but would suffer loss in the future, that your honors be pleased favorably to allow and grant him, petitioner, the little hook of land that remains in front of his lot between the public highway [Heeren weg] and the sheathing made by him; and that such may be indicated on his patent. Whereupon awaiting your esteemed honors’ favorable decision, I shall remain as always,

(below stood)

Your esteemed honors faithful servant and (was signed)

Abram Clock

Done Amsterdam in New Netherland, 22 November anno 1656.