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 OF THE 
 
 OF XEW-YORIi, 
 
 PI BUSHED PUKSUANT TO AN O/UJEK OF THB COMMON COUNCIv 
 
 NEW-YORK: 
 
 PUBLISHED BY GOULD, BANKS & CO. 
 Corner of Nassau and Spruce-sts. 
 
 1832 
 

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 BOOKSTACKS OFFICE 
 
 THE 
 
 CHARTER 
 
 OP THE 
 
 CITY OF YEW-YOKK, 
 
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 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2019 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates 
 
 https://archive.org/details/charterofcityofn00newy_3 
 
THE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CITY OF YEW-YORK* 
 
 GEORGE the Second, by the grace of God, of 
 
 Great Britain, France, and Ireland, king, defender J. Montgome- 
 
 y\g governor, 
 
 of the faith, &c To all whom these present letters ’ 1730. 
 shall come, greeting: 
 
 Whereas , on the twenty-second day of April, Recital of the 
 in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred Gov.^Songan^ 
 eighty and six, Thomas Dongan, then lieutenant i 680 . Apnl 
 governor and vice admiral of New-York and its de¬ 
 pendencies, under our predecessor, James (the se¬ 
 cond) then king of England, &c. did make and 
 execute a certain grant, or instrument in writing 
 under the seal of the province of JNew-York, in these 
 words following : In here verb 
 
 Thomas Dongan, lieutenant-governor and vice- 
 admiral of New-York, and its dependencies, un¬ 
 der his majesty James (the second) by the grace 
 of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, 
 king, defender of the faith, supieme lord and pro¬ 
 prietor of the colony and province of New York, 
 and its dependencies in America, &c. To all to 
 
 whom this shall come, sendetk greeting: Where- New-York is 
 
 an ancient city 
 
 as, the citv of New-York, is an ancient city within. 
 
 1 
 
 ♦ 
 
2 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OP NEW-YORK. 
 
 ancientlya^bo 5 ^ ie p* ovinc e , and the citizens of the said city 
 dy politic and have anciently been a body politic and corporate ; 
 
 And enjoy and the citizens of the said city have held, used, 
 franchise^ &c. and enjoyed, as well within the same, as elsewhere, 
 grants, pre- m Bie sa,t * province, divers and sundry rights, h- 
 smptions, &c. k er tj es? privileges, franchises, free-customs, pre¬ 
 eminences, advantages, jurisdictions, emoluments, 
 and immunities, as well by prescription as by char¬ 
 ter, letters patent, grants, and confirmations, not 
 only of divers governors and commanders in chief, 
 in the said province, but also of several governors, 
 directors, generals, and commanders in chief, of the 
 Nether Dutch nation, whilst the same was, or has 
 Recital of been under their power and subjection. And 
 
 grants of sun¬ 
 dry 1 uid? and whereas divers lands, tenements, and hereditaments, 
 
 tenements to ..... .... . . . . ... 
 
 the corpora- jurisdictions, liberties, immunities, and privileges, 
 
 have heretofore been given and granted, or men¬ 
 tioned to be given and granted, to the citizens and 
 By sundry inhabitants of the said city, sometimes by the name 
 names if titles, of Schout, Burgomasters, and Schephens of the 
 city of New Amsterdam ; and sometimes by the 
 name of The Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty 
 of the city of New York ; sometimes by the name of 
 The Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriff, of the city of 
 New-York ; sometimes by the name of, The Mayor 
 and Aldermen of the city of New-York ; and by 
 divers other names, as by their several letters pa¬ 
 tents, charters, grants, writings, records, and minu- 
 ments, amongst other things, may more fully ap- 
 Sundry pub- pear. And whereas the citizens and inhabitants 
 andconvem- of the said city have erected, built and appropri* 
 
 by C the city P us ate( ^» at ovvn P ro P er costs and charges, seve- 
 
 the City-Hall, ra i p U bii c buildings, accommodations, and conveni- 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 eneies for the said city, That is to say , the City- 
 Hall, or Stat- House, with the ground thereunto 
 belonging, two Market*Houses, the bridge into the 
 dock, the wharves or docks, with their appurte¬ 
 nances ; and the new burial place without the gate 
 of the city; and have established and settled one 
 ferry from the said city of New-York to Long Island, 
 for the accommodation and conveniency of passen¬ 
 gers, the said citizens, and travellers. 
 
 And whrreas several the inhabitants of the said 
 city, and of Manhattan’s Island, do hold from and 
 under his most sacred majesty respectively, as well 
 by several and respective letters patents, grants, 
 charters, and conveyances, made and granted by 
 the late lieutenants, governors, or commanders 
 in chief, of the said province, as otherwise, several 
 and respective messuages, lands, tenements, and 
 hereditaments, upon Manhattan’s Island, and in the 
 ci f y of !\ew-York, aforesaid, and as well as the said 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the said 
 city, and their successors, as also, the inhabitants 
 of the said Manhattan’s Island, and the city of 
 New-York, aforesaid, and their heirs, and assigns 
 respectively, may hold, exercise, and enjoy, not 
 only such and the same liberties, privileges, and 
 franchises, rights, royalties, free custom, jurisdic¬ 
 tions, and immunities, as they have anciently had, 
 used, held, and enjoyed; but also such public 
 buildings, accommodations, conveniences, mes¬ 
 suages, tenements, lands, and hereditaments, in 
 the said city of New-York, and upon Manhattan’s 
 Island aforesaid, which, as aforesaid, have been by 
 
 two Market- 
 houses, bridge 
 docks, and 
 wharves. 
 
 Ferry estab¬ 
 lished. 
 
 Grants of 
 several mes¬ 
 suages, lands, 
 and tenements, 
 to the inhabi¬ 
 tants b? former 
 governors. 
 
4 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OP NEW-YORK. 
 
 Grant to the 
 corporation of 
 all their former 
 rights and 
 privileges. 
 
 Provided they 
 be not repug¬ 
 nant to the laws 
 of England, or 
 any acts of 
 assembly. 
 
 Grant of the 
 City-Hall, two 
 Market houses 
 bridge, dock, 
 new burial 
 place & ferry. 
 
 the citizens and inhabitants erected and built, or 
 which have, as aforesaid, been held, enjoyed, grant¬ 
 ed, and conveyed unto them, or any of them, res¬ 
 pectively. 
 
 Know ye, therefore , That I, the said Thomas 
 Dongan, by virtue of the commission and autho¬ 
 rity unto me given, and power in me residing, at 
 the humble petition of the now Mayor, Aldermen 
 and Commonalty of the said city of New-York, and 
 for divers other good causes and considerations, 
 me thereunto moving, have given, granted, ratified ) 
 and confirmed, and by these presents, for and on 
 the behalf of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, 
 his heirs, successors, and assigns, do give, grant } 
 ratify, and confirm unto the said Mayor, Aldermen 
 and Commonalty of the said city, all and every 
 such and the same liberties, privileges, franchises, 
 rights, royalties, free customs, jurisdictions, and im¬ 
 munities, which they by the name of, The Mayor, 
 and Commonalty, or otherwise, have anciently had, 
 held, used, or enjoyed, Provided Always , That none 
 of the said liberties, privileges, franchises, rights, 
 free customs, jurisdictions, or immunities be incon¬ 
 sistent with, or repugnant to, the laws of his majes¬ 
 ty’s kingdom of England, or any other the laws of 
 the general Assembly of this province; and the 
 aforesaid public buildings, accommodations, and 
 conveniences in the said city, That is to say 9 The 
 aforesaid City-Hall, or Stat-House, with the ground 
 thereunto belonging, two Market-houses, the bridge 
 into the dock, the wharves or dock, the said new 
 burial place, and the aforementioned ferry, with 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 5 
 
 their and every of their rights, members and appur¬ 
 tenances, together with all the profits, benefits and 
 , . , . „ . With all 
 
 advantages which shall or may accrue and arise at profits arising 
 
 all times hereafter, for dockage or wharfage, with¬ 
 in the said dock, with all and singular the rents, is¬ 
 sues, profits, gains, and advantages which shall or 
 may arise, grow, or accrue by the said City-Hall, or 
 Stat-House, and ground thereunto belonging, mar- 
 kt t-houses, bridge, dock, burying place, ferry and 
 other the above mentioned premises, or any of them ; 
 and also, all and every the streets, lanes, highways And all street?, 
 and alleys within the said city of New York, and an'd bighways. 
 Manhattan’s Island aforesaid, for the public use and 
 service of the said Mayor, Aldermen and Common¬ 
 alty of the said city, and of the inhabitants of Man¬ 
 hattan’s Island aforesaid, and travellers there ; to¬ 
 gether with full power, license and authority to the Power to the 
 .it . corporation to 
 
 said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, and their lay out aud 
 
 p i i ■ * • i , amend streets.- 
 
 successors tor ever, to establish, appoint, order and 
 direct the establishing, making, laying out, ordering, 
 amending and repairing of all streets, lanes, alleys, 
 highways, water courses, ferry and bridges in and 
 throughout the said city of New-York and Manhat¬ 
 tan’s Island, aforesaid necessary, needful and con¬ 
 venient for the inhabitants of the said citv, and Man- 
 hattan’s Island aforesaid, and for all travellers and 
 passengers there: Provided always , That this said 
 licence so as above granted, for the establishing, streets not to- 
 
 making, laying out of streets, lanes, alleys, high- taking away 
 
 , , . , any person’s 
 
 ways, lerries and bridges, be not extended or be con- right. 
 
 strued to extend, to the taking away of any person 
 
 or person’s right or property, without his, her, or 
 
CHARTER OF THE CITT OF NEW^TORK. 
 
 their consent, or by some known law of the said Pro- 
 inhabitant of 6 v * nce * An(J for the considerations aforesaid, I do 
 hcnise^lands ^^ ew * se g* ve > grant, ratify and confirm unto all and 
 and tenements, every the respective inhabitants of the said city of 
 
 New-York and of Manhattan’s Island aforesaid, and 
 their several and respective heirs, and assigns, all 
 and every the several and respective messuages, te- 
 ments, lands, and hereditaments, situate, lying and 
 being in the said city, and Manhattan’s Island, afore¬ 
 said, to them severally and respectively granted, con¬ 
 veyed and confirmed, by any the late Governors, 
 Lieutenants, or Commanders in Chief, of the said 
 Province, or by any of the former Mayors or deputy 
 Mayors and Aldermen of the said city of New-York, 
 by deed, grant, conveyance, or otherwise howsoever; 
 To hold to their several and respective heirs and as» 
 signs forever. 
 
 Grants to the And I do by these presents, give and grant unto 
 
 corporation of J F ’ b 6 
 
 all waste and the said Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the 
 
 vacated lands ... ^ _ T T7 . . ... 
 
 on Manhat- said city oi New York, all the waste, vacant, unpa- 
 taB s i85aild ‘ tented and unappropriated lands, lying, and being 
 
 within the said citv of New York, and on Manhat- 
 
 *> ’ 
 
 LowWater *° tan?s Isknd aforesaid, extending and reaching to the 
 Mark. Low-Water-Mark. in by and through all parts of 
 
 the said city of New-York, and Manhattan’s Island 
 aforesaid, together with all rivers, rivulets, coves, 
 creeks, ponds, waters and water courses in the said 
 city and island, or either of them, not heretofore 
 given or granted, by any of the former Governors, 
 Lieutenants, or Commanders in Chief, under their or 
 some of their hands and seals, or seal of the Pro¬ 
 vince, or by any of the former Mayors ot deputy 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 Mayors and Aldermen of the said city of New-York, 
 to some respective - person or persons, late inhabi¬ 
 tants of the said city of New-York, or Manhat¬ 
 tan’s Island, or of other parts of the said province. 
 
 And l do by these presents, give, grant and con- Royalties of 
 firm unto the said Mayor, Aldermen and Common- fng^Mtlng. 
 alty of the said city of New-York, and their succes- ,mn€P > &< ‘* 
 sors forever, the royalties of fishing, fowling, hunt¬ 
 ing, hawking, minerals and other royalties and pri. 
 vileges, belonging or appertaining to the city of 
 
 New-York, and Manhattan’s Island aforesaid (gold Except gold 
 and silver mines only excepted) to have, hold and en- nlj neg s . 1,ver 
 
 T*o I. 1 i r 
 
 joy all and singular the premises, to the said Mayor, tlie ° a id'° cor . ° 
 Aldermen and Commonalty of the said city of New- p° r . atlon and 
 
 - J their succes- 
 
 York, and their successors forever, rendering and ®? rs , for , ever ; 
 * . . Under the 
 
 paying therefore unto his most sacred majesty, his yearly quit- 
 
 • A I rr ' rent of one 
 
 heirs, successors or assigns, or to such officer or Beaver skin, 
 officers, as shall be appointed to receive the same, 
 yearly forever hereafter, the annual quit-rent or ac- 
 knowiedgment of one Beaver skin, or the value 
 thereof in current money of this province, in the said 
 city of New-York, on the five and twentieth day of 
 March, yearly forever. 
 
 And, moreover, I will, and by these presents do 
 
 grant, appoint, and declare, that the said city of 
 
 New-York, and the compass, precincts and limits 
 
 thereof, and the jurisdiction of the same, shall from ...... 
 
 henceforth extend and reach itself, and may and tiie city to ex- 
 
 J tend to Low- 
 
 shall be able to reach forth and extend itself, as well Water-lVark 
 . . . ... 1 . ... i i all round the 
 
 m length and in breadth as in circuit, to the farthest island Man 
 
 extent of, and in, and throughout all the said Island ll,uMn 
 
 Manhattan’s, and in and upon all the rivers, rivulets, 
 
quarter of the city of new-Vork* 
 
 The Corpo¬ 
 ration quietly 
 to enjoy all 
 their liberties. 
 
 I 
 
 A Mayor, 
 Recorder, 
 Town-Clerk, 
 six Aldermen 
 and six Assist¬ 
 ants. 
 
 Chamberlain, 
 Coroner, Clerk 
 
 coves, creeks, waters and water courses, belonging 
 to the same Island, as far as low-water mark. And 
 I do also, for and on the behalf of his most sacred 
 majesty aforesaid, his heirs and successors, firmly 
 enjoin and command, that the aforesaid Mayor, 
 Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city aforesaid, 
 and their successors, shall and may freely and 
 quietly have, hold, use. and enjoy, the aforesaid 
 liberties, authorities, jurisdictions, franchises, rights, 
 royalties, privileges, exemptions, lands, tenements, 
 hereditaments, and premises aforesaid, in manner 
 and form aforesaid, according to the tenor and effect 
 of the aforesaid grants, patents, customs, and let¬ 
 ters patents of grant and confirmation, without the 
 let, hinderance or impediment of me, or any of my 
 successors, governors, lieutenants, or other officers 
 whatsoever. 
 
 And also, I do, for and on the behalf of his 
 most sacred majesty aforesaid, his heirs and succes¬ 
 sors, grant to the Mayor, Aldermen and Common¬ 
 alty of the said City of New-York, and their succes¬ 
 sors, by these presents, that for the better govern¬ 
 ment of the said ciiy, liberties and precincts thereof, 
 there shall he forever hereafter within the said city, 
 a Mayor and Recorder, Town-Clerk, and six Al¬ 
 dermen, and six Assistants, to be appointed, nomi¬ 
 nated, elected, chosen and sworn, as hereinafter is 
 particularly and respectively mentioned, wh • shall 
 he forever hereafter called, The Mayor, Alda men 
 and Commonalty of the city of New-York ; and that 
 there shall he forever, one Chamberlain, or Trea¬ 
 surer, one Sheriff, one Coroner, one Clerk of the 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 9 
 
 0 
 
 market, one high constable, seven sub-constables, °fthe Market, 
 , , , , . * Sheriff, High- 
 
 and one marshal or serjeant at mace, to be appointed, Constable, se- 
 
 chosen, and sworn in manner hereinafter mentioned. w ™WcTone 
 And Ido, by these presents, for and on the be- 
 half of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his heirs, r° inted - 
 successors and a-signs, declare, constitute, grant, 
 and appoint, that the Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen, 
 and Assistants of the said City of New-York, for 
 the time being, and they which hereafter shall be 
 the Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, and Assistants 
 of the said City of New York, for the time being, 
 and their successors, for ever hereafter, be, and 
 shall be, by force of these presents, one body cor¬ 
 porate and politic, in deed, fact, and name, by the 
 name of The Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of Mayor, Recor- 
 the City of New-York ; and them by the name of, ^Slants 
 The Mayor. Aldermen , and Commonalty of the City mHke \ 
 of New York, one body corporate and politic, inP°l itic - 
 deed, fact, and name; 1 do really and fully create, 
 ordain, make, constitute, and confirm by these pre¬ 
 
 sents; and that, by the name of, The Mayor, Al- And to have 
 7 J perpetual suc- 
 
 dermen and Commonalty of the City of New-York, cession, by the 
 , , . iii Name of The 
 
 they may have perpetual succession ; and that they, Mayor, Aider- 
 
 and their successors, forever, by the name of, The S<yA^Tc™pa- 
 
 Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the City and demise 
 
 New-York, be, and shall be, forever hereafter, per- {^b^that*** 
 
 sons able, and in law capable, to have, get, receive, name. 
 
 and possess lands, tenements, rents, liberties, ju¬ 
 
 risdictions, franchises, and hereditaments to them 
 and their successors, in fee-simple, or for term of 
 
 life, lives, or years, or otherwise; and also goods 
 and chattels; and also, other things, of what na- 
 
 9 
 
 
10 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 ture, kind, or quality soever; and also to give, grant, 
 let, set, and assign, the same lands, tenements, here¬ 
 ditaments goods and chattels ; and to do and ex¬ 
 ecute all other things about the same by the name 
 To sue, plead, aforesaid. And, also, that they be, and forever shall 
 pleaded. be herqafter, persons able in law, capable to plead, 
 and be impleaded, answer, and be answered unto, 
 defend, and be defended, in all or any the courts of 
 his said majesty, and other places whatsoever, and 
 before any judges, justices, and other person or per- 
 ln all actions, sons whatsoever, in all and all manner of actions, 
 suits, complaints, demands, pleas, causes, and mat¬ 
 ters, whatsoever, of what nature, kind, or quality 
 soever, in the same, and in the like manner and 
 form as other people of the said province, being per¬ 
 sons able and in law capable, may plead, and be 
 
 impleaded, answer, and be answered unto, defend, 
 
 \ 
 
 and be defended, by any lawful ways and means 
 Corporation to whatsoever ; and that the said Mayor, Aldermen, 
 {rum seaUor* and Commonalty of the said city of New-York, 
 all their affairs. an( j ti le i r successors, shall and may forever here¬ 
 after, have one common seal to serve for the sealing 
 of all and singular their affairs and businesses touch¬ 
 ing or concerning the said corporation. And it shall 
 and may be lawful to and for the said Mayor, Al¬ 
 dermen and Commonalty of the said City of New- 
 York, and their successors, as they shall see cause 
 
 With power to to break, change, alter, and new make their said 
 break falter it. common seal, when, and as often as to them it 
 
 shall seem convenient. 
 
 And further , know ye, That I have assigned, 
 named, ordained, and constituted, and, by these 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 il 
 
 Recorder 
 named. 
 
 presents, do assign, name, ordain, and constitute, Mayor named 
 Nicholas Bayard, now Mayor, of the said City of 
 New York, to be present Mayor of the said city; 
 and that the said Nicholas Bayard, shall remain 
 and continue in the office of Mayor there, until ano¬ 
 ther fit person shall be appointed and sworn in the 
 said officp, according to the usage and custom of 
 the said city; and as in and by these presents 
 is hereafter mentioned and directed. And I have 
 assigned, named, ordained, and constituted, and ? 
 by these presents, do assign, name, ordain, and 
 constitute, create and declare James Graham, Esq. 
 to be the present Recorder of the said city; to do 
 and execute all things, which unto the said office of 
 Recorder of the said city doth, or may in any wise 
 appertain or belong. And I have assigned, named, 
 ordained, and constituted, and by these presents do 
 assign, name, ordain, constitute, create, and de¬ 
 clare John West, Esq ; Town C lerk, of the said city ; 
 to do and execute all things which unto the office of 
 Town Clerk may any wise appertain or belong. 
 
 And I have named, assigned, constituted, and made, 
 and by these presents, do assign, name, constitute, 
 and make, Andrew Bown, John Robinson, William 
 Beekman, John Delaval, Abraham De Peyster, and 
 Johannes Kip, citizens and inhabitants of the said 
 city of New-York, to be the present aldermen of the 
 said city And also, I have made, assigned, named ? 
 and constituted, and by these presents, do assign, 
 name, constitute, and make, Nicholas De Myer, Jo¬ 
 hannes Van .Brugh, John De Brown, Teunis De 
 Key, Abraham Corbit, and Wolfert Webber, citi- 
 
 Town Clerk 
 named. 
 
 Aldermen 
 named. 
 
 Assistants. 
 
 / 
 
12 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 Sheriff. 
 
 Marshal. 
 
 zens and inhabitants of the said city, to be the 
 present assistants of the said city. And, also, I 
 have assigned, chosen, named, and constituted, and 
 by these presents do assign, choose, name, and con¬ 
 stitute Peter De Lanoy, citizen and inhabitant of the 
 Chamberlain, said city, to be the present Chamberlain or Treasu¬ 
 rer of the city aforesaid. And I have assigned, 
 named, constituted, and appointed, and by these 
 presents, do assign, name constitute, and appoint 
 John Knight, Esq one other of the said citizens 
 there, to be present Sheriff of the said city, and have 
 assigned, named, constituted and appointed, and 
 by these presents do assign, name, constitute, and 
 appoint Jarvis Marshal, one other of the said citi¬ 
 zens there, to be the present Marshal of the said 
 city. And I do by these presents grant to the said 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the said city 
 Mayor,Recor- of New-York and their successors, That the Mayor, 
 more^ldermen K ecor der, Aldermen, and Assistants of the said city 
 ^ Assistants to p or t j ie time being or the Mayor, Recorder, and 
 
 Council. a ny three or more of the Aldermen, and any three 
 or more of the Assistants, for the time being, be 
 and shall be called, The Common Council of the 
 said city, and that they or the greater part of them, 
 shall or may have full power aud authority, by vir¬ 
 tue of these presents, from time to time, to call and 
 hold common council, within the common council 
 house, or City-hall of the said city: and there, as 
 makeLawsand occasion shall be, to make laws, orders, ordinances, 
 them. and constitutions, in writing; and to add, alter, di¬ 
 
 minish or reform them, from time to time, as 
 to them shall seem necessary and convenient, 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE J ESQ. GOVERNOR. IS 
 
 (not repugnant to the prerogative of his most sacred ]a 
 majesty aforesaid, his he»rs and successors, or to p u S n ' ant to llie 
 
 J - 7 7 king s preroga- 
 
 any of the laws of the Kingdom of England, or five, the l ^ aws 
 
 * 6 of England, or 
 
 other the laws of the general Assembly of the Pro- Acts of Assem¬ 
 bly ofN. Vork. 
 
 vince of New-York) for the good rule, oversight, 
 correction, and government of the said city and li¬ 
 berties of the same and of all the officers thereof, 
 and for the several tradesmen, victuallers, artificers? 
 and of all other the people and inhabitants of the 
 said city, liberties, and precincts, aforesaid, and for 
 the bettor preservation of government, and disposal 
 of all the lands tenements and hereditaments goods, 
 and chattels of the said corporation ; which laws, 
 orders ordinances and constitutions, shall be bind¬ 
 ing to all the inhabitants of the said city, liberties, 
 
 and precincts aforesaid ; and which laws, orders. Which Laws 
 , . , , . to be iu force 
 
 ordinances and constitutions, so by them made, as only for three 
 
 aforesaid, shall be and remain in force for the space confirmed 111 by 
 of three months and no longer, unless they shall be ^ Council 001 ' 
 allowed of. and confirmed by. the governor, and 
 council for the time being. And I do further on the 
 behalf of bis sacred majesty aforesaid, his heirs and 
 successors, appoint and grant, that the said common 
 council of the said city, for the time being, as often 
 as they make, ordain, and establish such laws, or¬ 
 ders, ordinances, and constitutions, as aforesaid, fi ^! s 3cr 0 Pt ( ^ n i^5 
 
 shall or may make, ordain, limit, provide, set, im- for the non-ob- 
 •' , servance ot 
 
 pose, and tax, reasonable fines and amerciaments such Laws, 
 against and upon all persons offending against such 
 laws, orders, ordinances, and constitutions, as afore¬ 
 said, or any of them to be made ordained, and es¬ 
 tablished as aforesaid, and the same fines, and amer- 
 
14 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY Ob 1 NEW-YORK. 
 
 ciaments shall and may require, demand, levy, take, 
 and receive by warrants under the common seal, to 
 and for the use and behoof of the Mayor, Aider- 
 men and Commonalty of the said city, and their 
 
 To be levied successors, either by distress and sale of the poods 
 by distress and 
 
 sale. and chattels of the offender therein, if such goods 
 
 and chattels may be found within the said city, 
 liberties, and precincts, thereof, rendering to such 
 offender and offenders, the overplus, or by any 
 other lawful ways or means whatsoever. 
 
 And 1 do, by these presents, appoint and ordain 
 
 the assigning, naming, and appointment of the 
 
 Mayor Sf She- Mayor and Sheriff of the said city that it shall be 
 riff to be ap¬ 
 pointed yearly as followeth, (viz.) upon the feast day of Saint 
 
 S?.Mich e a a e?by Michael the Arch-angel, yearly, the Lieutenant 
 and CounciL° r Governor or Commander in Chief, for the time 
 being, by and with the advice of his council, shall 
 nominate and appoint such person as he shall think 
 lit to be Mayor of the said city, for the year next 
 ensuing; and one other person of sufficient ability 
 and estate, and of good capacity in understanding, 
 to be Sheriff of the said City of New-York, for the 
 year next ensuing ; and that such person as shall 
 be named, assigned, and appointed Mayor, and 
 such person as shall be named, assigned, and ap¬ 
 pointed Sheriff of the said city, as aforesaid, shall 
 on the fourteenth day of October then next follow- 
 And to take ing take their several and respective corporal oaths, 
 foiTtheGover- before the governor and council, for the time be- 
 aor & Council. j n g^ f or the due execution of their respective of¬ 
 fices, as aforesaid; and that the said Mayor and 
 Sheriff, so to be nominated, assigned, and appoint- 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESft, GOVERNOR. 
 
 15 
 
 ed, as aforesaid, shall remain and continue in their 
 said respective offices, until another fit person 
 shall be nominated, appointed, and sworn, in the 
 place of Mayor; and one other person shall be no¬ 
 minated and appointed in the place of Sheriff of 
 the said city, in manner aforesaid. And further , 
 
 That according to the now usage and custom of 
 the said city, the Recorder, Town Clerk, and Clerk Recorder,town 
 of the Market of the said city, shall be persons of mSc? 
 good capacity and understanding, and such per- ty b hi s a viafesty 
 
 sons as his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his and in defect 
 
 thereof by the 
 
 heirs and successors, shall in the said respective Governor or 
 offices of Recorder, Town Clerk, and Clerk of the cS. andCr in 
 Market, appoint and cominissionate; and for de¬ 
 fect of such appointments, and commissionating, 
 by his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his heirs 
 and successors, to be such persons as the lieute¬ 
 nant governor and commander in chief of the said 
 Province for the time being, shall appoint and com- 
 missionate; which persons so commissionated to 
 the said offices of Recorder, Town Clerk, and 
 Clerk of the Market, shall have, hold, and enjoy, 
 the said offices, according to the tenor and effect 
 of their said commissions, and not otherwise. And Recorder,town 
 further, That the Recorder, Town Clerk, Clerk of tKa^ket al! 
 the xMarket, Aldermen, Assistants, Chamberlain. de f raen * as p l * 
 
 ' * > ants, chamher- 
 
 High Constable, Petty Constables, and all other lain » ll5 g }l co n- 
 
 -v. . . stable, &c. to 
 
 officers of the said city, before they, or any of them, l,R sw r orn be- 
 
 shall be admitted to enter upon and execute their or any three or 
 
 respective offices, shall be sworn faithfully to ex- men? ulder ’ 
 
 ecute the same, before the Mayor, or any three 
 
 or more of the Aldermen for the time being. And 
 
 i 
 
16 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 Who are im- 
 powered to ad¬ 
 minister the 
 same oaths. 
 
 Mayor & Re¬ 
 corder with 
 three or more 
 Aldermen as¬ 
 signed Justices 
 of the Peace, 
 to hear and 
 determine all 
 causes within 
 the city. 
 
 I do , by these presents, for and on the behalf of 
 his most sacred majesty, his heirs and successors, 
 grant and give power and authority to the Mayor and 
 Recorder of the said city, for the time being, to Ad¬ 
 minister the same respective oaths to them accord¬ 
 ingly. And further , I do by these presents, grant, 
 for and on the behalf of his most sacred majesty 
 aforesaid, his heirs and successors, that the Mayor 
 and Recorder of the said city, for the time being? 
 and three or more of the Aldermen of the said city, 
 not exceeding live, shall be justices and keepers of 
 the peace of his most sacred majesty, his heirs and 
 successors, and justices to hear and determine mat¬ 
 ters and causes within the said city and liberties, and 
 
 precincts thereof; and that they or any three or more 
 of them, whereof the Mayor and Recorder, or one 
 of them, for the time being, to be there, shall and 
 may forever hereafter, have power and authority, 
 by virtue of these presents, to hear and determine 
 
 As Larcenies, all and all manner of petty larcenies, riots, routs, 
 
 Riots, Routs, . •!! , r 
 
 Ac. oppressions, extortions, and other trespasses and of¬ 
 
 fences whatsoever, within the said cry of New-York, 
 and the liberties and precincts aforesaid, from time 
 to time, arising and happening, and which arise or 
 ' happen and any ways belonging to the offices of jus¬ 
 
 tices of the peace, and the correction and punish¬ 
 ment of the offences aforesaid, and every of them; 
 according to the laws of England, and the laws of 
 the said Province; and to do and execute all other 
 things in the said city, liberties, and precincts afore¬ 
 said, so fully and in ample manner, as to the com¬ 
 missioners assigned, and to be assigned for the 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ, GOVERNOR. 
 
 n 
 
 keeping of the peace in the said county of New- 
 
 York, doth or may belong. 
 
 And, moreover, I do by these presents, for and 
 
 on the behalf of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, 
 
 his heirs and successors, appoint, that the Aider- 
 
 men, Assistants, High Constable, and Petty Con- Aldei-mea, as- 
 
 stables, within the said city, be v early chosen on constable h a nd 
 
 tire feast day of St. Michael the Arch angel, forever, [J^ y t Q 0n ^ a ' 
 
 (viz j one Alderman, one Assistant, and one Con cho ^ n yearly 
 y ' 7 on tlie feast of 
 
 stable, for each respective ward, and one Constable St. MichaeL 
 
 for each division in the out-ward, in such public 
 
 place in the said respective wards, as the Aldermen 
 
 for the time being, for each ward, shall direct and 
 
 appoint; and that the Aldermen, Assistants, and Aldermen as 
 
 Petty Constables, be chosen by majority of voices petty 
 
 J J J J constables to be 
 
 of the inhabitants of each ward ; and that the High chosen by ma¬ 
 jority of voices. 
 
 Constable be appointed by the Mayor of the said Mayor to ap- 
 city for the time being; and that the Chamberlain stable. lglcon 
 shall be yearly chosen, on the said feast day, in the to be chosen by 
 said City-Hall of the said city, by the Mayor and dermen y< & as" 
 Aldermen and Assistants, or by the Mayor, or three sisUnls * 
 or more of the Aldermen, and three or more of the 
 Assistants of the said city, for the time being. And 
 I do , by these presents, constitute and appoint the 
 said John West, to be the present Town Clerk, Town Clerk 
 Clerk of the Peace, and Clerk of the Court of Pleas, pj,^ ^ 
 to be holden befoie the Mayor, Recorder, and Al- uamed 
 dermen, within the said city, and the liberties and 
 precincts thereof. And further , I do by these pre¬ 
 sents, for and on the behalf of his most sacred ma¬ 
 jesty aforesaid, his heirs and successors, require and 
 strictly charge and command, that the Sheriff, Town Sheriff; town 
 
 3 
 
18 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 clerk, high con¬ 
 stable, petty 
 constables, and 
 all other subor¬ 
 dinate officers 
 to attend on 
 the mayor, re- 
 coider and al¬ 
 dermen, to ex¬ 
 ecute their 
 commands. 
 
 Clerk, Clerk of the Peace, High Constable, Petty 
 Constables, and all other subordinate officers in the 
 said city, for the time being, and every of the.n re¬ 
 spectively, jointly and severally, as cause shall re¬ 
 quire, shall attend upon the said Mayor, Recorder, 
 and Aldermen, of the said city, for the time being, 
 and every or any of them, according to the duty of 
 their respective places, in and about the executing 
 
 of such the commands, precepts, warrants, and pro¬ 
 cesses, of them and every of them, as belongeth and 
 appertained] to be done or executed ; and that the 
 
 aforesaid Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, and 
 
 every of them, as justices of the peace lor the time 
 
 being, by their or any of their warrants, all and 
 every person and persons for high treason or petty 
 treason, or for suspicion thereof, or for other felonies 
 
 whatsoever, and all malefactors and disturbers of 
 
 Mavor,record the peace, and other offenders for other misdemean- 
 men imty com- ors > w h° shall be apprehended within the said city, 
 fous for’mi-de- or liberties thereof, shall and may send and com* 
 meanor?. mit, or cause to he sent and committed, to the com¬ 
 
 mon gaol of the said city, there to remain and be 
 kept in safe custody, by the keeper of the said gaol, 
 or his deputy, for the time being, until such offender 
 and offenders shall he lawfully delivered thence. 
 And 1 do, by these presents, for and on the behalf 
 of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his heirs and 
 successors, charge and inquire the keeper and keep¬ 
 ers of the said gaol for the time being, and his and 
 Coaler to take their deputy and deputies, to receive, take, and in 
 tTcuslod 0 / 8 safe cuslod y to keep, all and singu'ar such person 
 and persons so apprehended, or to be apprehended. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ GOVERNOR. 
 
 T9 
 
 sent, and committed, to the said gaol, by warrant 
 of the said justices, or any of them as aforesaid, un¬ 
 til he and thev so sent and committed to the said Ami there keep 
 
 them until de¬ 
 gaol, shall from thence be delivered by due course livered t>y 
 
 - , course of Law. 
 
 oi law. 
 
 And further , I do grant and confirm for and on 
 the behalf of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his 
 heirs and successors, that the said Mayor of the 
 said city, for the time being, and no other, (accord¬ 
 ing to the usage and custom practised in the said 
 city of New-York, in the times of my predecessors, 
 the several Lieutenants, Governors, and Command¬ 
 ers in Chief, of this province) shall have power and 
 authority to give and grant licenses annually, under vern ^ ee P ers * 
 the public seal of the said city, to all tavern keep¬ 
 ers, innkeepers, ordinary keepers, victuallers and 
 all public sellers of wine, strong waters, cyder, beer, 
 or any other soit of liquors, hy retail within the city 
 aforesaid, Manhattan’s Island, or their liberties and 
 precincts thereof; and that it shall and may be law¬ 
 ful to and for the said Mayor of the said city, for 
 the time being, to ask, demand, and receive, for 
 such license, by him to be given and granted, as 
 aforesaid, such sum or sums of money, as he and 
 the person to whom such license shall be given or 
 granted, shall agree for, not exceeding the sum of 
 thirty shillings for each license. All which money, 
 as by the said Mayor shall be so received, shall be 
 used and applied to the public use of the said May¬ 
 or, Aldei men, and Commonalty, of the said city of 
 New York, and their successors, without any ac¬ 
 count thereof to be rendered, made or done, to any 
 
20 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OP NEYV-YORK. 
 
 of the Lieutenants or Governors of this province, for 
 the time being, or any of their deputies. 
 
 And know ye, That for the better government of 
 the said city, and for the welfare of the said citizens, 
 tradesmen, and inhabitants thereof, I do by these 
 presents, for and on the behalf of his most sacred 
 majesty, his heirs and successors, give and grant to 
 the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the 
 Mayor.record- said city, and their successors that the Mayor, Ke- 
 or^the mayor corder, and Aldermen, or the Mayor and any three 
 moreafdermen or more °f the Aldermen for the time being, shall, 
 mciT ^ free * fr om time to time, and at all times hereafter, have 
 full power and authority, under the common seal, to 
 make free citizens, of the said city, and liberties 
 thereof; and no person or persons whatsoever, other 
 
 And no person than suc j 1 f ree citizens, shall hereafter use any art, 
 
 being: not a free 7 J 7 
 
 man toexercise trade, mystery, or manual occupation, within the 
 
 any trade, un- . , . 
 
 less in time ot said city, liberties, and precincts thereof, saving in 
 their ^cootimf the times of fairs there to be kept, and during the 
 AlS^unfreemen continuance of such fairs only. And in case any 
 
 or"ei*inggood^ P erson or Persons whatsoever, not being fiee citi- 
 (unless a fan be zens 0 f the said c jty as aforesaid, shall at any time 
 
 persist after no- hereafter use or exercise any art, trade, mystery, or 
 manual occupation, or shall, by himself, themselves, 
 or others, sell, or expose to sale, any manner of mer¬ 
 chandize or wares whatsoever, by retail, in any 
 
 house, shop, or place, or standing within the said 
 city, or the liberties or precincts thereof: no fair 
 being then kept, in the said city, and shall persist 
 therein after warning to him or them given, or left 
 by the appointment of the Mayor ol the said city, 
 for the time being, at the place or places where such 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 2 l 
 
 person or persons shall so use or exercise any art, 
 
 trade, mystery, or manual occupation ; or shall sell 
 
 or expose to sale, any wares or merchandizes, as 
 
 aforesaid by retail; then it shall be lawful for the 
 
 Mayor of the said city for the time being, to cause 
 
 such shop windows to be shut up, and also to im-shall forfeit a 
 
 pose such reasonab'e fine for such offence, not ex- ceedin£°| t 5 tor 
 
 I «nr» 
 
 ceeding five pounds for every respective offence; eac 1 otlenc ' 
 
 and the same fine and fines so imposed, to levy and to he levied by 
 
 distress & s<ilc 
 
 take bv warrant under the common seal of the said 0 f offenders 
 city, for the time being, by distress and sale of the of the Corpora^ 
 goods and chattels of the person or persons so of- tlon ' 
 fending in the premises found within the liberties 
 or precincts of the said city, rendering to the party 
 or parties the overplus ; or by any other lawful ways 
 or means whatsoever to the only use of the said 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the said 
 city of New-York, and their successors, without any 
 account to be rendered, made, or done, to the Lieu¬ 
 tenants Governors, or Commanders in Chief, of this 
 province for the same: Provided, That no person or 
 persons shall be made free as aforesaid, but such as 
 are his majesty’s natural born subjects, or such as None to be 
 shall first be naturalized by act of General Assem- ^ch^sare ua- 
 bly; or shall have obtained letters of denization, jects^naturali" 
 
 under the hand of the Lieutenant Governor or Com- or made 
 
 Denizens. 
 
 mander in Chief for the time being, and seal of the 
 province: and that all persons to be made free as 
 aforesaid, shall and do pay for the public use of the 
 said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the 
 said city, such sum and sums of money as hereto- 
 fore hath been used and accustomed to be paid and 
 
 I 
 
CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 O ’J) 
 -c £ 
 
 received on their being admitted freemen as afore- 
 
 tiwd? free'not saic * : P rov ^ c ^ ls not exceeding the sum of five 
 exceed L5. pounds. 
 
 And further, I do, by these presents, for and on 
 
 the behalf of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his 
 
 heirs and successors, grant to the Mayor, Aider- 
 
 men, and Commonalty, of the said city, that they 
 
 Power to pur- and their successors be forever, persons able and 
 chase and ho’d ,, , , 15 , . , 
 
 lands and tone capable, and shall have power to purchase, have, 
 
 simple,.”c.soas ^^e, a °d possess in fee simple, lands, tenements, 
 
 the^early vaT rents ’ an d other possessions within or without the 
 
 ue of lOOOi per same city ; to them and their successors forever, so 
 
 annum. J 
 
 as the same exceed not the yearly value of one 
 thousand pounds per annum, the statute of Mort¬ 
 main, or any other law to the contrary notwithstand* 
 
 And to sell ing; and the same lands, tenements hereditaments, 
 
 lease Sf dispose 
 
 of the same, and premises or any part thereof to demise, grant, 
 lease, set over, assign, and dispose, at their own 
 will and pleasure, and to make, seal, and accom¬ 
 plish, any deed or deeds, lease or leases, evidences, 
 or writings for or concerning the same, or any part 
 thereof, which shall happen to be made and grant¬ 
 ed by the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, 
 of the said city for the time being. 
 
 And further , I do, by these presents, for and on 
 the behalf of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, 
 heirs, and successors, grant to the said Mayor, Al¬ 
 dermen, and Commonalty, that they and their suc¬ 
 cessors shall and may forever hereafter, hold and 
 
 Power to keep keep within the said city, in every week of the year, 
 three Murktt* 
 
 three market days, the one upon Tuesday, the other 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ,. GOVERNOR. 23 
 
 upon Thursday, and the other upon Saturday, ^ys weekly 
 weekly forever. 
 
 And also , I do by these presents, for and on the 
 
 behalf of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his 
 
 heirs and successors, grant to the Mayor, Aldermen, 
 
 and Commonalty, of the said city, that they and 
 
 their successors and assigns, shall and may at any 
 
 time or times hereafter, when it to them shall seem 
 
 fit and convenient, take in, fill, and make up, and Power to the 
 
 * Corporation to 
 
 lay out, all and singular the lands and ground in and lay out th-ir 
 about the said city and Island Manhattan’s, and build,&c. 
 the same to build upon, or make use of, in any other 
 manner or way, as to them shall seem fit, as far 
 into the rivers thereof, and that encompass the 
 same, at low-water mark aforesaid. 
 
 And I do, by these presents, for and on the be¬ 
 half of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his heirs, 
 and successors, give and grant unto the aforesaid 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the said 
 city of New York, and their successors, that they 
 and their successors, shall and may have, hold, 
 and keep, within the said city, and liberties and 
 precincts thereof, in every week in every year for¬ 
 ever, upon Tuesday, one court of common pleas, 
 for all actions of debt, trespass, trespass upon the 
 case, detinue, ejectment, and other personal ac- p <0 j w 
 
 tions; and the same to be held before the Mayor, a court of com- 
 
 mon pleas, on 
 
 Recorder, and Aldermen, or any three of them, every Tuesday, 
 whereof the Mayor or Recorder to be one, who 
 shall have power to hear and determine the same 
 pleas and actions, according to the rules of the 
 
24 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 common law, and acts of general assembly of the 
 said province. 
 
 And I do , by these presents, for and on behalf of 
 his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his heirs, and 
 successors, grant to the said Mayor, Aldermen, and 
 Commonalty, of the said city of New-York, and their 
 successors, that the said Mayor, Aldermen, and 
 Commonalty, of the said city, and their successors, 
 
 Grant to thp shall have and enjoy all the privileges, franchises, 
 Corporation of , , , , . . _ 
 
 all their former and powers, that they have and u«e, or that any of 
 
 their predecessors at any time within the space of 
 twenty years last past, had took, or enjoyed, or 
 ought to have had, by reason, or under any pre¬ 
 tence of any former charter, grant, prescription, or 
 any other right, custom, or usage, although the same 
 have been forfeited, lost, or have been ill used, or 
 not used, or abused, or discontinued, albeit they be 
 not particularly mentioned ; and that no officer shall 
 disturb them therein under any pretence whatsoever, 
 not only for their future, but their present enjoyment 
 thereof; provided always, that the said privileges, 
 So they be not franchises, and powers, be not inconsistent with, or 
 
 repugnant to 
 
 the laws of repugnant to the laws of his majesty's kingdom of 
 England, or 
 
 acts of assem England, or other the laws of the general assembly 
 fony, 1 saving the of this province as aforesaid. And saving to his 
 }ort * most sacred majesty aforesaid, his heirs, successors, 
 
 and assigns, and the Lieutenants, Governors, and 
 Commanders in chief, and other officers under him 
 and them, in Fort-James, in or by the city of INew- 
 York, and in all the liberties, boundaries, extents, 
 privileges thereof, for the maintenance of the said 
 fort and garrison there, all the right, use, title, and 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR, 
 
 9,C) 
 
 authority, which they or any of them, have had, 
 used or exercised there; and also, one messuage 
 or tenement next the City-Hall; and one mes¬ 
 suage by the fort now in the possession of Thomas 
 Coker gent The piece of ground by the gate, And a house 
 
 called the Governor’s garden, and the land with- ^ 
 
 out the gate, called the King’s farm; with the an^the Go^er* 
 swamp next to the same land by the fresh water; nor’s garden, 
 
 1 Kjiiii’s farm, & 
 
 and saving the several rents and quit rents, re >wamp. 
 
 And all rents 
 
 served due- and payable, from several persons in- and quit rents 
 
 reserved od 
 
 habiting within the said city, and Island Man hat- former grants, 
 tan’s, by virtue of former grants to them made and 
 given, and saving to all other persons, bodits poli¬ 
 tic and corporate, their heirs, successors, and as¬ 
 signs all such right, title, and claim, possessions, 
 rents, services, commons, emoluments, interest in 
 and to any thing which is their’s (save only the fran¬ 
 chises aforesaid) in as ample manner as if this chap¬ 
 ter had not been made. 
 
 And further, I do appoint and declare, that the 
 
 incorporation to be founded by this charter, shall 
 
 not at any time hereafter do or suffer to be done, 
 
 any thing by means whereof the lands tenements or incorpora¬ 
 tion 'iot be con- 
 
 hereditaments, stock goods, or chattels thereof, strued to take 
 or in the hands, custody, possession of, any of the ci hnds, ume- 
 tizens of the said city, such as have been sett, lett, oTdutt^s dls- 
 given, granted, or collected, to, and for pious and to S charitable re 
 charitable uses, shall be wasted or misemployed, u?es * 
 contrary to the trust or intent of the founder or giver 
 thereof, and that such and no other construction 
 shall be made thereof, than that which may tend 
 most to advantage religion, justice, and the public 
 
26 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 good; and to suppress all acts and contrivances te 
 be invented, or put in use, contrary thereunto. In 
 Witness whereof, I have caused these presents to be 
 entered in the Secretary’s office, and the seal of the 
 said Province to be hereunto affixed, this seven and 
 twentieth day of April, in the second year of the 
 reign of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, and in 
 End of the the year of our Lord God, One Thousand Six Hun- 
 Gov, Dongan, dred and Lightysix. 
 
 THOMAS DOXGAN. 
 
 By virtue , or under pretext whereof, the said citi- 
 Recital that zens ar, d inhabitants from the date thereof, hitherto 
 Srtue^oMlnt ^ ave or clanmed to hold, and still do hold, or 
 
 hHd rt & r stilTdo c ^ a * m to a,1( ^ enjoy? an( ^ singular the rights, 
 
 hold sundry privileges, franchises, pre-eminences, advantages, 
 
 franchises, r 
 
 lands and tene- jurisdictions, courts, powers, profits, immunities, 
 merits, thereby , . , . 
 
 granted to lands, tenements, hereditaments, and other ihe pre- 
 
 Mtem. ln j se s therein particularly mentioned and thereby in¬ 
 
 tended to be granted And whereas the citizens and 
 inhabitants of the said city of i\ew York, besides 
 the several public buildings, accommodations, con- 
 veniencies, and other things in the before recited 
 grant or writing mentioned to have been by them 
 erected, built, and appropriated, have, since the 
 making thereof, built, and appropriated, at their own 
 proper costs and charges, several public buildings, 
 accommodations, and conviencies, for the said 
 city, that is to say , the present city hall and gaols, 
 rooms and places for the sitting of courts of justice, 
 Recital of se- and chambers adjoining, with the ground and ap. 
 building made purtenances thereunto belonging, five market-houses, 
 by the City. t j ie p resen t crane and bridge, with the common 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 27 
 
 sewer leading through the great dock, and a maga¬ 
 zine or powder house near the fresh water, and se¬ 
 veral other public buildings, and conveniencies in the 
 
 said city ; and have built the new ferrv houses on the 
 * ' 
 
 island of Nassau, for the reception of travellers, 
 
 with a barn, stables, and penn, or pound for cattle. 
 
 And whereas our late roval predecessor, Queen Recital of the 
 
 f . , , Patent of 
 
 Anne, by her letters patent, under the broad seal Q uee n Anne, 
 of the Province of New York made, bearing date 
 the nineteenth day of April, in the seventh year of 
 her reign, did grant, ratify, and confirm, unto the 
 then Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city 
 of New-York, and to their successors and assigns, 
 in these words following, to w t, Anne, by the grace 
 of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ire¬ 
 land, queen, defender of the faith, &c. To ail In ^ :c ver ^ a ‘ 
 whom these presents may in any wise concern, send- 
 eth greeting: Whereas the Mayor, Aldermen, and 
 Commonalty of the city of New-York, by their pe¬ 
 tition to our right trusty and well beloved cousin Ed¬ 
 ward Viscount Cornburry, our Captain General and Recital of pc- 
 
 ^ . rM • • j • /.titioo from the 
 
 Governor in Chief, m and over our province of corpora lion to 
 New-York, and territories depending thereon in l° v ^ ornburr y> 
 America, and Vice Admiral of the same, &c. pre¬ 
 ferred in Council; therein setting forth, That they 
 having a right and interest, under divers ancient 
 Charters and Grants, by divers former Governors Setting forth 
 
 7 J their right to 
 
 and Commanders in Chief of our said Province of the Feiry on 
 
 tvt v i j ii . . Nassau Island j 
 
 New-York, under our noble progenitors, in a certain 
 
 ferry from the said city of New York, over the East 
 
 River to Nassau Island, (alias Long-Island) and 
 
 from the said Island to the said city again, and have 
 
I 
 
 28 charter op the city op nfw-york. 
 
 possessed the same, and received all the profits, be¬ 
 nefits, and advantages thereof for the space of fifty 
 years and upwards; and perceiving the profits, ad¬ 
 vantages, and benefits usually issuing out of the 
 same to diminish, decrease, and fall short of what 
 might be reasonably made of the same, for the want 
 of the bounds and limits, to be extended and en¬ 
 larged on the said island side, whereby to prevent 
 divers persons transporting themselves and goods to 
 and from the said Island Nassau (alias Long Island) 
 over the said river, without coming or landing at the 
 
 And pravmg usua | nnf j accustomed places, where the ferry boats 
 jjranl & conu 1 7 
 
 mation thereof; are usually kept and appointed, to the great loss 
 and damage of the said city of New' York; have 
 humbly prayed our grant and confirmation, under 
 the great seal of our said Province of New York, of 
 the said feiry, called the Old Ferry, on both sides 
 of the said Fast River, for the transporting of pas¬ 
 sengers, goods, horses and cattle, to and from the 
 said city, as the same is now held and enjoyed hy 
 the said Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the 
 said city of N’ew-York, or their under-tenant, or 
 under-tenants; and also, of all that the vacant and 
 unappropriated land, from high water-mark, to low 
 bind^Vom^Bh water ma, k» 011 the said Nassau Island, (alias I ong- 
 wate' nwk'oo ^ ar,c 0 tying contiguous and fronting the said city 
 Nassau island, of New York, from a certain place called, The 
 Wall About, unto the Red-Hook, over against Nut- 
 ten-island, for the better improvement and accom- 
 with power to modation of the said ferry ; with full power, leave, 
 ferries!* 1 m ° U anc ^ bcence to set up, establish, maintain, and keep 
 one or more ferry or ferries, for the ease and accom- 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ GOVERNOR. TJ 
 
 modation of al! passengers and travellers, for the 
 transportation of themselves, goods, horses, and 
 cattle, over the said river, within the bounds afore¬ 
 said, as they shall see meet and convenient, and oc¬ 
 casion require ; and to establish, ordain, and make hyeT^foM^ 
 bye laws, orders, and ordinances, for the due and S uldlu,g 
 orderly regulation of the same: The which Petition 
 we being minded to grant, Know ye, That of our 
 especial grace, certain knowledge, and meer motion, 
 we have given, granted, ratified, and confirmed, 
 and in and by these presents, for us, our heirs, and 
 successors, we do give, grant, ratify, and confirm, 
 unto the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty 
 of the city of New-York, and to their successors 
 and assigns, All that the said ferry, called the Old Grant tothe 
 Ferry, on both sides of the said Fast River, for the [^ e °‘ 
 
 transportation of passengers, goods, horses, and cat¬ 
 tle, over the said river, to and from the said city and 
 island, as the same is now used, held, and enjoyed, 
 by the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commanalty of 
 the city of New-York, or their under tenant or un¬ 
 der tenants, with all and singular the usual and ac¬ 
 customed ferriage, fees, perquisites, rents, issues, 
 
 profits, and other benefits and advantages whatso- with all fees 
 J ’ _ & and profits. 
 
 ever, to the said Old Ferry belonging or therewith 
 used, or thereout arising; and also, all that the 
 aforesaid vacant and unappropriated ground, lying Grant of all 
 and being on the said Nassau Island, (alias Long- y md, 
 
 Island) from high water maik to low water-mark and'imr water- 
 aforesaid, contiguous and fronting the said city vv^'i^Ahou/to 
 of New York, from the aforesaid place called the Red-Hook, 
 Wall-About, to Red-Hook aforesaid; That is to 
 
30 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK'. 
 
 say , from the east side of the 'Wall-About, opposite 
 the now dwelling house of James Bobine, to the 
 west side of the Red*Hook, commonly called the 
 Fishing Place, with all and singular the appurte¬ 
 nance and hereditaments to the same, or any part or 
 parcel thereof belonging, or in any wise of right 
 appertaining; together with all and singular the 
 rents, issues, profits, ways, waters, easements, and 
 fii/ n belonging ot her benefits, profits, advantages, and appwrte- 
 
 I'nertto. nances, which heretofore have, now are, and which 
 hereafter shall belong to the said ferry, vacant land, 
 and premises, hereinbefore granted and confirmed, 
 or to any or either of them in any wise appertain¬ 
 ing, or which heretofore have been, now are, and 
 which hereafter shall belong, he used, held, received, 
 and enjoyed ; and all our estate, right, title, and in 
 terest, benefit and advantage, claim and demand of 
 in, or to, the said ferry, vacant land, and piemisesj 
 or any part or parcel thereof, and the reversion and 
 reversions, remainder and remainders; together 
 with the yearly and other rents, revenues, and pro¬ 
 fits, of the premises, and of every part and parcel 
 thereof; except and always reserved out of this our 
 present grant and confirmation, free liberty, leave, 
 Reserving lib- and license, to and for all and every person or per- 
 hdbitani s !v- sons ’ inhabiting or having plantations near the said 
 
 ing plautatious r | ver by the water side, within the limits and bounds 
 near the water 7 J 
 
 side to trans- above mentioned, to transport themselves, goods* 
 wives & goods horses, and cattle over the said river, to and from 
 ferrkge the said ciiy of New-York, and Nassau-l>land, (alias 
 themselves a^d Long-Island) to and from their respective dwellings 
 »ood»°and in or plantations, without any ferriage or other account 
 
31 
 
 JO IIN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR 
 
 to the said ferry, hereby granted and confirmed to ^JJ ir ® wn boats 
 
 be paid or given ; so always as the said person or 
 
 persons do transport themselves only, and their own 
 
 goods, and in their own boats only, and not any 
 
 stranger or their goods, horses, or cattle, or in any 
 
 other boat: To have and to hold , All and singular To bold the 
 
 the said ferry, vacant land, and premises, herein va^ant 'land'to 
 
 before granted and confirmed, or meant, mentioned, *! ie c <yp°ra- 
 
 or intended to be hereby granted and confirmed censors and as- 
 
 4 signs forever, 
 
 (except as is hereinbefore excepted) and all and sin¬ 
 gular the rents, issues, profits, rights, members, and 
 appurtenances, to the same belonging, or in any 
 wise of right appertaining unto the said Mayor, Al¬ 
 dermen, and Commonalty, of the city ofNew-York, 
 and their successors and assigns forever ; to the on¬ 
 ly proper use and behoof of the said Mayor, Aider- 
 men, and Commonalty, of the city of New-York, 
 an4 their successors and assigns forever; to he 
 holden of us, our heirs and successors, in free and 
 common soccage, as of our manor of East Green¬ 
 wich, in the county of Kent, within our kingdom 
 of England ; yielding, rendering and paying unto Undor the 
 
 . . , - , * , yearly rent of 
 
 us. our heirs and successors for the same, yearly, at 5 S . per annum. 
 
 our custom house of New-York, to our collector and 
 receiver general there for the time being, at or upon 
 the feast of the nativity of St John the Baptist, the 
 yearly rent or sum of five shillings, current money 
 of New-York. 
 
 And wr do further , of our especial grace, certain 
 knowledge, and meer motion, for us, our heirs and 
 successors, give and grant unto the said Mayor, 
 
 Aldermen, and Commonalty, and their successors, 
 
CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NKW YORK. 
 
 *9 
 
 1/ -ml 
 
 Power to estab¬ 
 lish as many 
 Ferries as ib^y 
 shall think fit. 
 
 And rpceive 
 such ferriage 
 fees as n m are 
 taken, or shall 
 be established. 
 
 With tile CO'I- 
 
 sen’ of the g<* 
 vernor & coun¬ 
 cil. 
 
 Power to make 
 bye laws for 
 regulating the 
 ferry. 
 
 full and free leave and licence to set up, establish, 
 keep, and maintain one or more ferry or ferries, as 
 they shall from time to time think fit and convenient? 
 within the limits and bounds aforesaid, for the ease 
 and accommodation of transporting of passengers, 
 goods, horses, and cattle, between the said city of 
 ISew-York, and the said island (except as is herein 
 before excepted) under such reasonable rates and 
 payments as have been usually paid and received 
 for the same; or which at any time hereafter, shall 
 be by them established by and with the consent and 
 approbation of our Governor and i ouncil of our said 
 Province, for the time being. And we do further , 
 of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and meer 
 motion, give and grant unto the said Mayor, Aider- 
 men and Commonalty, of the city of i\ew York, 
 and their successors, full and absolute power and 
 authority, to make, ordain, establish, constitute, 
 and confirm, all manner of bye laws, orders, rules 
 ordinances, and directions, for the more orderly 
 keeping, and regularly maintaining the aforesaid 
 fer*\y that now is kept, or any feiry or ferries which 
 shall at any time or times hereafter, be set up, es¬ 
 tablished. or kept within the bounds afoiesaid, by 
 virtue hereof, or of, for, touching, or concerning, 
 the same (so always as the same be not contrary to 
 our laws of England, and of our Province of I\ew- 
 York) and the same at all times hereafter to put in 
 execution, or abrogate, revoke or change, as they 
 in their good discretion shall think fit, and most con- 
 venient, for the due and orderly keeping, regulat- 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 ing, and governing the said ferry or ferries herein¬ 
 before mentioned. 
 
 And lastly , our will and pleasure is, and we do ^his^grant oi 
 hereby declare and grant, that these our letters thereof to he 
 patent, or the record thereof, in the secretary’s 
 office of our said province of New-York, shall be 
 good and effectual in the law, to all intents and 
 purposes whatsoever, notwithstanding the not true 
 and well reciting or mentioning of the premises, 
 or any part thereof, or the limits and bounds there¬ 
 of, or of any former or other letters patents, or 
 grants whatso;ver, made or granted; or of any 
 part thereof, by us or any of our progenitors, unto 
 any person or persons whatsoever, bodies politic, 
 or corporate, or any law or other restraint, incer¬ 
 tainty, or imperfection whatsoever, to the contrary 
 
 in any wise notwithstanding, and alth ugh express NotwithstamS 
 /* » , . . _ ing any imper 
 
 mention of the true yearly value, or certainty, of fections what 
 
 the premises, or of any of them, or of any other soe '' or * 
 gifts or grants by us or by any of our progenitors, 
 heretofore made to the said Mayor, Aldermen, and 
 Commonalty, of the city of New-York, in these pre¬ 
 sents, is not made, or any other matter, cause, or 
 thing, whatsoever, to the contrary thereof in any 
 wise notwithstanding. In testimony whereof, we 
 have caused these our letters to be made patent, 
 and the seal of our said province of New York, to 
 our said letters patent to be affixed, and the same 
 to be recorded, in the secretary’s office of our said 
 province Witness our right trusty and well be¬ 
 loved cousin, Edward Viscount Cornburry, Cap¬ 
 tain General, and Governor in Chief, in and over 
 
34 
 
 charter of the city of new-york; 
 
 our province of New York aforesaid, and territo¬ 
 ries thereon depending in America, and Vice Ad¬ 
 miral of the same, &c. in Council, at our fort in 
 New-York, the ninteenth day of April, in the se- 
 venth year of our reign. Annoq; Domini , One 
 Thousand Seven Hundred and Eight. 
 
 By virtue of By Virtue , or under pretext whereof, the said 
 the citizens do inhabitants and citizens of the city of New-York, 
 &°vacant*hnd have held and enjoyed, or have claimed to hold 
 thereby grant- an( j enjoy, and still do hold, or claim to hold, 
 
 the ferry, vacant land, perquisites, profits, privi¬ 
 leges, powers, and other the premises, in the be¬ 
 fore recited letters patent mentioned and intended 
 to be thereby granted And whereas , besides all 
 the aforesaid particulars in the said grant or instru¬ 
 ment made, in the aforesaid year of our Lord One 
 Thousand Six Hundred Eighty and Six, and in 
 the before recited letters patent of Queen Anne, 
 Recital of sun mentioned or intended to be thereby granted, the 
 
 dry other frau- . . . , . c . . , . c XT 
 
 chises, lands, citizens and inhabitants of the said city of New- 
 
 hefd 1 by^The t # York have anciently held, or claimed to hold, use, 
 corporation; anc | en j 0 y^ divers and sundry other rights, privi¬ 
 leges, franchises, preeminences, advantages, ju¬ 
 risdictions, emoluments, powers, profits, immuni¬ 
 ties, lands, tenements, and other hereditaments, 
 as well by prescription, as by divers grants, and 
 confirmations of and from divers Governors, Lieu¬ 
 tenant Governors, and Commanders in Chief, of 
 the said province, by the name of The Mayor , Al- 
 A* well by pie* dtrmen tend Commonalty of the City of New-York, 
 senptioD a- by anc | | divers other names, stiles, and titles, and 
 
 grant and » ' 
 
 otherwise. otherwise. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 And vdiprens, divers questions, doubts, opinions, Sundry disputes 
 7 » J 7 r concerning the 
 
 ambiguities, controversies, and debates have aiisen invalidity of 
 
 . he forme? 
 
 and been made as well upon and concerning the Charters; 
 validity and force of the said recited grant or 
 writing, dated in the year of our Lord, one thousand 
 six hundred and eighty-six, and the before recited 
 letters patent of Queen Anne, as upon all and every 
 the other grants and confirmations of divers gover¬ 
 nors, lieutenant governors, and commanders in chief, 
 made to our city of New-York, as aforesaid, b y 
 reason of t' e variety of names, stiles, tides and 
 incorporations aforesaid, and by reason that the 
 before recited grant or instrument, dated in the year 
 of our Lord one thousand six hundred and eighty- 
 six, and the other grants and confirmations of divers 
 governors, lieutenant governors and commanders 
 in chief, were made in the governors’ own names 
 respectively, when they should have been made in 
 the respective names, stiles and titles of former 
 kings and queens, our royal predecessors, under 
 whom they were governors, lieutenant-governors or 
 commanders in chief, respectively, and by reason, as 
 some suggest and say, that the said city, or inhabi¬ 
 tants or citizens thereof never wrre well, regularly, ^nd that the 
 or legally incorporated, and for want thereof, none ^pip° rat v 10n 
 
 of all the said grants, confirmations, instruments, or wellor regular¬ 
 ly mcorporat- 
 
 letters patent, herein before mentioned, could take pd ; # the in- 
 
 validity of their 
 
 effect or operate; and for divers other defects in prescription, 
 all, some or one of the aforesaid grants, confirma¬ 
 tions and writings; and also upon the validity and 
 force of the prescription aforesaid. And whereas 
 
^ CHARTER OF THE CITY OP NEW-YORK. 
 
 our well beloved subjects, the Mayor, Aldermen., 
 
 and Commonalty of our said city of New York, by 
 
 their humble petition, presented to our trusty and 
 
 well beloved John Montgomerie, esq. our captain- 
 
 general, and governor in chief of our provinces of 
 
 New-York and New-Jersey. and territories depend- 
 
 Petition of the ing thereon in America, and vice admiral of the 
 corporation for „ .... . , . 
 
 a new charter same, &c in council, renting among other things, 
 
 .ecitcd, that the city of New York is an ancient city, and 
 the citizens thereof have anciently held and used, 
 and still do hold and use divers and sundry rights, 
 liberties, privileges, franchises, free customs, pre¬ 
 eminences, advantages, jurisdictions, emoluments, 
 immunities, lands tenements, public buildings, and 
 hereditaments, as well by the name of the Mayor, 
 Aldermen and Commonalty of the ( ity of Ntw- 
 York, as otherwise, to the advancement of the said 
 city in its number of buildings and inhabitants, 
 whereby the said city is become a considerable sea* 
 port, and exceedingly necessary and useful to our 
 kingdom of Great Britain, in supplying our 
 governments in the West Tndies with bread, flour, 
 and other provisions ; wherefore they prayed, among 
 other things, for our confirmation and grant to the 
 said city, and corporation, by the name, stile, and 
 To orant and title, of The Mayor , Aldermen and Commonalty of 
 "former ^ City of New York, of all their lands, tene- 
 franebises, ments, public buildings, and hereditaments, wharves, 
 meats. docks, bridges, slips, ferries, cranes, grants, char¬ 
 
 ters, rights, liberties, privileges, franchises, free 
 customs, pre-eminences, advantages, jurisdictions, 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 37 
 
 emoluments, and immunities, now and heretofore 
 by them held and enjoyed ; and that they might 
 have the soil four hundred foot beyond low water \nd to have 
 mark, on Hudsorrs Kiver, irom a certain creek or h e j ow Gll 
 kill called Bestaver’s Killitie, southard to the fort, VT n ' 
 and from thence, the same number of feet beyond 
 low water-mark round the fort, and along the East 
 River, as far as to the north side of a certain hill 
 called Corlaer’s Hook; and also for a grant of 
 such other powers liberties, franchises, rights, free 
 customs, jurisdictions, privileges, immunities, and 
 things, as may be needful for the good rule and 
 government of the said city. And we. considering Motive indnc- 
 that the strength and inciease of our good sub- to^ui/a new 
 jects, in that our frontier province, of New-York, Chiirter * 
 does, in a great measure, depend upon the welfare 
 and prosperity of our said city, wherein the trade 
 and navigation thereof are chiefly and principally 
 carried on, promoted, and encouraged; and we 
 affecting the good and happy estate of our said 
 city, and the steady loyalty and integrity of the 
 inhabitants and citizens thereof, are very desirous 
 and willing to give encouragement to the said 
 city, inhabitants, and citizens, and to remove, utter¬ 
 ly abolish, and wholly take away all and all man¬ 
 ner of causes, occasions, and matters, whereupon 
 such questions, doubts, opinions, ambiguities, con¬ 
 troversies, or debates, as aforesaid or any other 
 questions or doubts may or can aiise; and in order 
 thereunto, we have thought fit, them, the said in¬ 
 habitants and citizens of the said city of New- 
 York, (by whatsoever name or names they have 
 
35 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OP NEW-YORlf. 
 
 The Crown been or were incorporated, or whether thev have 
 
 willing that a 1 * 7 
 
 corporation he been or were heretofoie incorporated or not) into 
 
 founded by the ' 
 
 name of The one body politic and corporate, by the name of 
 
 men^andVom The Mayor , Aldermen , and Commonalty of the City 
 
 city 3 !)? °New^ °f New-York, by our letters, to make, constitute, 
 
 confirm, renew, and of new to create. And we 
 
 being also further willing and fully intending and 
 
 desiring, that the said inhabitants and citizens of 
 
 our said city, by the name aforesaid should have 
 
 perpetual succession, and should hold possess, and 
 
 enjoy, all and singular, the rights, privileges, li- 
 
 And that they berties, franchises, pre-eminences, advantages, ju- 
 shonld enjoy 
 
 all their former risdictions, courts, powers, offices, authoiities, fer- 
 privileges^ 
 
 franchises and ries, fees, fines, perquisites, profits, immunities, 
 
 hereditaments . , , . , , . 
 
 rents, possessions, lands, tenements, and other here¬ 
 ditaments, not only which in the before recited 
 grants, confirmations, writings, and letters patent, 
 are mentioned, or intended to be thereby granted, 
 but also, which they have held, or claimed to hold* 
 by prescription or otherwise, with the alterations 
 and enlaigements thereof and additions thereto, in 
 such manner and form as hereinafter is mentioned 
 and contained, notwithstanding the before mention¬ 
 ed, or any other questions, doubts, opinions, ambi¬ 
 guities, debates faults, or imperfections. 
 
 Wherefore know ye , That we. of our especial 
 grace, certain knowledge, and meer motion, have 
 willed, ordained, constituted, confirmed, given, and 
 granted, and by these presents, for us, our heirs, 
 and successors do will, ordain, constitute, confirm, 
 give and grant, that our said City of JNew-York, be* 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ,. GOVERNOR, 
 
 39 
 
 and from henceforth forever hereafter shall be and N ^y 0 ^ k ty 0! 
 
 remain a free city of itself; and that the Mayor, A1-made a free 
 
 dermen, and Commonalty of the said city, and their 
 
 successors, from henceforth and forever hereafter, 
 
 shall be and remain one body corporate and politic, 
 
 in re facto , and nomine , by the name of, 7 he Mayor , Corporation 
 
 ^ created by the 
 
 Aldermen , and Commonalty of the city of New-\ ork, name of, The 
 and them and their successors by the name of, The me ^and Com. 
 Mayor , Aldermen , and Commonalty of the city of n c 
 Mew-York, one body corporate and politic, in re York> 
 facto , and nomine really and fully, we do for us, 
 our heirs and successors, erect, make, ordain, con¬ 
 stitute, cot.firm, declare, and create, by these pre¬ 
 sents, and that, by that name, they shall and may 
 
 have perpetual succession; and also, that they and And by that 
 . • , , . . mi n,i name to have 
 
 their successors, by the said name of, 1 be Mayor, perpetual suc- 
 
 Alderrnen , and Commonalty of the city of New- Cess,0 °* 
 
 York, be, and foiever hereafter shall be, persons 
 able in law, and capable to sue and be sued, im- And to sue 
 plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered ^ CO urts. e m 
 unto, defend and be defended, in all courts and 
 places before us. our heirs and successors, and before 
 all and any the judges, justices, officers, and mi¬ 
 nisters of us, our heirs and successors, and else¬ 
 where in all and all manner of actions, suits, com¬ 
 plaints, pleas, causes, matters, and demands, what¬ 
 soever, and of what kind or nature soever, in as full 
 and ample manner and form, as any of our other 
 liege subjects of our said Province, being persons 
 able and capable in law, can or may sue and be 
 sued, implead and be impleaded, answer and be an- 
 
40 
 
 CHARTER UK THE CITY OP NEW-YQRK. 
 
 swered unto, defend and be defended, by any law¬ 
 ful ways and means whatsoever. And also , That 
 they and their successors, by the same name of, 
 p"oS ab1 Hnd ^ he Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the rily 
 
 em^ti Ud gS New ‘ York > be and shall be, forever hereafter, 
 aud cudtteis. persons capable and able in law, to purchase, take, 
 
 hold, receive, enjoy, and have, any messuages^ 
 houses, buildings, lands, tenements, rents, posses¬ 
 sions and other hereditaments, and real estate, 
 within or without our said Province, in fee and for¬ 
 ever, er, for term of life, or lives or years, or in 
 any other manner; and also goods, chattels, and 
 all other things, of what kind or quality soever. 
 
 And to set!, And also, That they and their successors, bv the 
 
 Set, ^nd dispose J 
 
 thereof. same name of, The Mayor, Aldermen, and Common - 
 alty of the city of New-York, shall and may give, 
 grant, demise, assign, and sell, or otherwise dis¬ 
 pose of all or any the messuages, houses, buildings, 
 lands, tenements, rents, possessions, and other 
 hereditaments, and real estate, and all their goods, 
 chattels, and other things aforesaid, as to them 
 shall seem meet, at their own will and pleasure. 
 
 And also. That the said Mayor, Aldermen, and 
 Commonalty of the city of Nno-Yorlc, for the time 
 being, and their successors, shall and may forever 
 hereafter, have and use a common seal for sealing 
 all and singular deeds, grants, conveyances, con¬ 
 tracts, bonds, articles of agreements, assignments, 
 powers, authorities, and all and singular their 
 affairs and things, touching or concerning the said 
 corporation: And, by virtue of these our letters, 
 
 Corporation to 
 have a common 
 seal. 
 
41 
 
 JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Mayor, 
 
 .Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city of New - 
 Yor/c , and their successors, as they shall see cause, 
 to break, change, and new-make the same, or any And ma F a! tei 
 
 0 7 ^ or new make 
 
 other common seal, when, and as often as to them the same. 
 
 it shall seem convenient. 
 
 And we do further , of our especial grace, certain 
 knowledge, and meer motion, for us, our heirs and 
 successors, give, grant, order, and appoint, that the 
 said city of Neio York , and the compass, precincts, 
 circuit, bounds, liberties, and jurisdictions, of the 
 same, do reach, extend, and stretch forth, and shall 
 and may reach, extend, and stretch forth, as well in 
 length as in breadth and circuit, in and through the 
 limits and boundaries following, to wit: To begin Extent of the 
 at the river, creek, or run of water, called Spyt den Clty ' 
 Duyvely over which King’s Bridge is built, where 
 the said river or creek empties itself into the North 
 River, on Westchester side thereof, at low water¬ 
 mark, and so to run along the said river, creek, or 
 run, on Westchester side, at low water mark, unto 
 the t ast River, or Sound, and from thence to cioss 
 over to Nassau-Island, to low water mark there, 
 including Great-Barn Island, Little-Barn Island, and 
 Manning’s-Island, and from thence all along Nas¬ 
 sau-Island shore at low water mark, unto the south 
 side of the Red-Hook ; and from thence to run a 
 line across the North River, so as to include Nuttem 
 Island, Bt dlow’s Island, Bucking Island, and the 
 Oyster-Island, to low water-mark on the west side 
 of the North River, or so far as the limits of our said 
 
 6 
 
 
 > 
 
42 tHARTER OP THE CITY OF KEW-YORK. 
 
 province extended there, and so to run up along the 
 west side of the said river, at low water-mark, or 
 along the limits of our said province, until it comes 
 directly opposite to the first mentioned river or 
 creek, and thence to the place where the said boun- 
 Citytohedi-daries fiist began. And also, that the said citv, 
 
 'arided into se- , .... 
 
 ven Wards. within the limits and jurisdictions thereof as afore¬ 
 said, be, and forever hereafter shall be, and remain 
 Their names, divided into seven wards,* to wit: the West Ward,, 
 the South Ward, the Dock Ward, the East Ward, 
 the North Ward Montgomerie Ward, and the Out 
 Ward; each and every of which wards, shall con¬ 
 tain and comprehend, and reach and extend through 
 the several limits and bounds following, to wit: 
 
 Bounds of the The West Ward to begin at the middle of the 
 
 3rd 
 
 east end of the street that goes from the Parade to 
 the North River between the lot of ground now in 
 fence, belonging to Charles Sleigh, and the house 
 and ground late of Thomas Elde ; and from thence 
 to run a direct line over to the middle of the west end 
 of Beaver street, and so along to the middle of 
 Beaver street, till it comes directly opposite to the 
 middle of the south end of New-street, and then to 
 run all along the middle of New-Street, to the north 
 end thereof; and from thence to run to the re^r of 
 the dwelling-house, now in the possession of Do- 
 mine Du Bois, and from thence to run all along 
 the rear of the houses that front the Broad-Way, up 
 
 The Dumber of Wards bas been since increased to fifteen, 
 and the boundaries altered by an Act of the Legislature. See 
 the Appendix. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR, 
 
 4$ 
 
 (o the north part of the rear of Spring-Garden-house; 
 and from thence, to run up a line, as the Broad- 
 Way runs, to the end thereof, including the said 
 Broad-Way; and John Harris, his house, and to in¬ 
 clude all other houses, hereafter to be built fronting 
 the said Broad-Way, and from the north end of the 
 Broad-Way to continue and run a line, as the said 
 street runs, until it comes directly opposite to Besta- 
 ver ? s Killitie, or rivulet, and from thence to run to 
 tile said Bestaver’s Killitie, and so to continue thesaid 
 fine, four hundred foot, beyond low water-mark, into 
 the North River, and so down the said North-River 
 always keeping four hundred foot beyond low water¬ 
 mark, until it comes directly opposite to the middle 
 of the west end of the first mentioned street; and so 
 to run to and through the middle of the said street# 
 to the place where the said west ward first began. 
 
 The South Ward, to begin at the middle of VI all- Rounds of the 
 street, where the line of the west ward runs across ^ oul ^ ^ 
 the same, and from thence down the middle of Wall- 
 street, until it comes directly opposite to the middle 
 of the north end of Broad-street; and from thence 
 down the middle of Broad-street to the long bridge; 
 and from thence to the eastward of, and to include 
 the said long bridge, and the market house at the 
 south end of the said street ; and from thence to con¬ 
 tinue and run a south-east line, across the East- 
 Hiver to low water-mark, on Nassau-Island shore; 
 and from thence to run along the said shore at low 
 water-mark, to the south side of Red-Hook, and 
 
44 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 from thence to run a line across the North River, so 
 as to include Nutten Island, Bedlow’s Island. Buck¬ 
 ing-Island, and the Oyster Island to low water¬ 
 mark, on the west side of the \orth River; and so 
 to run up along the west side of the said river, at 
 low water-mark, until it comes directly opposite to 
 Bestaver’s Killitie, or rivulet; and from thence to 
 run to the north westerly corner of the West Ward, 
 at four hundred foot beyond low water mark; and 
 from thence along the bounds of the said West Ward, 
 till it comes to the south-westerly end thereof; and 
 from thence, still along the bounds of the West 
 Ward, through the street by the parade, and 
 through Beaver-street, and New-street to the place 
 where the said South Ward began. 
 
 Bounds of the The Dock Ward, to begin at the middle of Wall- 
 
 Dock Ward. . * 
 
 Street, directly opposite to the middle of the north 
 
 end of Broad street, and from thence down through 
 the middle of Wall-street until it comes to the mid¬ 
 dle of Smith-street; thence down through the middle 
 of Smith-street to a place called Marten Clock’s Cor¬ 
 ner, including the small street between the house 
 late of the said Marten Clock and the Slip, and so 
 to continue and run a line as the said small street 
 runs, into the East River, four hundred foot below 
 low water-mark, thence running westerly, keeping 
 four hundred foot below low water-mark, till it 
 comes to the bounds of the South Ward, and from 
 thence along the bounds of the South Ward, up the 
 middle of Broad-street, to the place where the said 
 Dock Ward began. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ GOVERNOR. 
 
 45 
 
 ‘The East Ward to begin at the north easterly £ oun ^ ° r f 
 corner of the Dock Ward, in the middle of Smith- 
 street, and so run from thence up through the mid¬ 
 dle of the said street, till it comes directly opposite 
 to the middle of the north easterly end of Golden- 
 Hill street; and from thence to run down through 
 the middle of the said street to the mi Idle of the 
 southeasterly end thereof; and from thence to run 
 through the middle of Rodman’s Slip to the East 
 River; and from thence to continue and run a line 
 as the said slip runs, into the East River, four hun¬ 
 dred foot below low water-mark; thence running 
 westerly, keeping four hundred foot be'ow low water¬ 
 mark, till it comes to the south easterly end of the 
 Dock Ward; and so along the bounds of the Dock 
 Ward, up through the middle of Smith-street, to 
 the place where the East Ward began. 
 
 The Noith Ward, to begin where the East Ward Bounds of the 
 begins, in the middle of Smith street, and so to run 
 from thence through the middle of the said street so 
 far as it runs, and so to continue a line, from the 
 end of the said stieet, as the street runs to the 
 south side of the creek that runs from fresh water 
 into the East River; and from thence running a 
 north course till it comes to the bounds of the West 
 Ward; and from thence running along the bounds 
 of the said West Ward towards Spring garden, and 
 all along the rear of the houses fronting the Broad- 
 Way, and so still along the bounds of the said West 
 Waid, to the middle of Wall-street, where the 
 
46 CHARTER OP THE CITY OP NEW-YORK# 
 
 West Ward runs across the same; and from thence 
 down the middle of Wall street, along the bounds 
 of the South Ward, and the Dock Ward, to the 
 place where the said North Ward began, including 
 in the same ward, the Powder-House, the City- 
 Hall, and the Presbyterian Meeting-House. 
 
 Bounds of Montgomerie Ward to begin at the south eas- 
 
 Montgomerie 
 
 Ward. terly corner of the East Ward, opposite to Rod* 
 
 man’s-Slip, four hundred foot below low water-mark, 
 in the East River, and from thence to run along the 
 bounds of the East Ward, to and through the middle 
 of Rodman’s Slip, and all through the middle of 
 Golden-Hill street, till it meets with the boundaries 
 of the North Ward, and the middle of Smith-street, 
 and so along the bounds of the North VVaid, through 
 the middle of Smith street to the rivulet that runs 
 from fresh water into the East River; from thence 
 along the said rivulet so far as it goes, till it empties 
 itself in the said East River; and from thence to run 
 a south-east line, four hundred foot beyond low- 
 water-mark, into the said East Rivet, and from 
 thence running westerly, keeping four hundred 
 foot beyond low water mark, to the place where the 
 said Montgomerie Ward began. 
 
 Bounds of the The ^ ut ^ ar< ^ t0 begin at the north-westerly cor* 
 
 Out Ward, ner of the South Ward, at low-water-mark, on the 
 west side of the North River, over against Besta* 
 ver’s Killitie or rivulet, and from thence to run up 
 along the west side of the said river, at low water¬ 
 mark, until it comes directly opposite to the river 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 47 
 
 creek, or run of water, called Spyt den Dvyvel , 
 over which King’s-Bridge is built; and from thence 
 to run to the said creek, or river, to the Westches¬ 
 ter side thereof, at low water-mark, and so to run 
 along the said river, creek, or run on Westchester 
 side, at low water mark, into the East River, or 
 Sound, and from thence to cross over to Nassau- 
 Island, to low water-mark there, including Great- 
 Barn-Island, Little Barn-Island, and Manning’s- 
 Island, and from thence along Nassau-Island shore, 
 at low water mark, to the hounds of the South Ward; 
 and from thence along the bounds of the South Ward, 
 the Dock Ward, the East Ward, and Montgomerie 
 Ward, to the place where the said Montgomerie Ward 
 and the NorthWard meet, at tlie rivulet that runs 
 from fresh water, and so to run a North course as the 
 said North Ward runs, till it comes to the bounds of 
 the West Waid ; and from thence along the bounds of 
 the West Ward to the north-westerly corner thereof, 
 at four hundred foot beyond low-water mark, near 
 Bestaver’s KiMitie, or Rivulet; and from thence 
 alone: the hounds of the South Ward to the place 
 where the said Out Ward began. 
 
 snd we (In Jurl far, of our special grace, certain Grant that 
 
 there be for- 
 
 knowledge, and meer motion, for us, our heirs, and ever, one May- 
 successors, will, ordain, give, and grant, that there er,’sevenTlder- 
 be. and forever hereafter shall and may be one SSants^on *** 
 Mayor, one Recorder,* seven Aldermen, seven As- shenfr s onP co 
 
 * There are now fi r teen Aldermen, fifteen Assistants, thirty As¬ 
 sessors fifteen Collectors, aod thirty Constables, inconsequence of 
 the increase in the number of the Wards, 
 
48 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK. 
 
 ronpr.nnp com- sistants, one Sheriff, one Coroner, one Common 
 
 mon r erk, one _ 
 
 ch n erUii), lerk, one Chamberlain, one High Constable, six- 
 
 oru iiitrh con- 
 
 Ptnh'e, sixteen teen Assessors, seven Collectors, sixteen ( onsta- 
 cnirri Vs, six bles, and one Marshal, appointed, nominated, elect- 
 b » « * mi*one chosen, and sworn, in and for the said city of 
 
 marshal. jy ( w York, anc j f | ie precincts, and limits thereof; out 
 of the fiee holders or freemen, inhabitants of the said 
 city, in manner and form as hereinafter is particu¬ 
 larly mentioned : And for the better execution of 
 our will, gift, and grant in this behalf, we have as¬ 
 signed, named, constituted, and made, and by 
 these presents, for us our heirs, and successors, do 
 assign, name, constitute, and make, our well be- 
 Mayornamed, loved Robert Lu>thing, esq to be the present Mayor, 
 of the same city, to do and execute all things, which 
 unto the office of Mayor of the said city, doth or may 
 belong, or in any wise appertain. And wc do more - 
 
 Power to make over, for us, our heirs, and successors, give, grant, 
 one of the Al¬ 
 dermen his de ratify, and confirm, unto the saitj Mayor of our said 
 
 Govemo'"shall city of iSew York, and to his successors, and to the 
 
 appiove of. j\] a yor of the said city, for the time being, and to 
 
 each of them, forever, full power and authority to 
 
 depute and appoint one of the Aldermen of the said 
 
 city, for the time being, to be approved of by the 
 
 Governor, or Commander in Chief of the said pro- 
 
 Who shall act vince, for the time being in the (dace of the Mayor 
 asmayorinthe . , . , , . \ 
 
 sickness or ah- of the said city, for the time being; and as his de- 
 
 Mayor . 1 tle puty, in all matters and respects, to act and do all 
 things, which to the office of the Mayor of the said 
 city, within the limits, liberties, and precincts there¬ 
 of, do, or ought to belong during the sickness, or in 
 the absence, of the said Mayor, for the time being. 
 
JOHN montgomerte, esq. governor. 
 
 49 
 
 And we do hereby Will and Grant , That every Power to the 
 
 ... de P u *y mayor, 
 
 such deputy or person so to be appointed and ap- after taking 
 
 , ~ r , , , , , oath, to act & 
 
 proved of, alter having taken such oath. as herein do all things 
 
 after is directed, for every such deputy to take, of 
 
 shall have as full power and authority to act and n ? a y° r ( in the 
 
 1 J sickness or ab- 
 
 do, in the sickness or absence of the Mayor of 8eDCe ofthe 
 
 , • . " Mayor.) 
 
 the said city, for the time being, all and singular, 
 
 those things which to the office of Mayor of the 
 
 said city belongs, or shall belong, or appertain, 
 
 to all intents and purposes, as the Mayor of the 
 
 said city, for the time being, by virtue of these 
 
 presents, or otherwise, hath, shall, or ought to 
 
 have. And we do further , for us, our heirs, and If any Mayor 
 • ■, . • , . , . . .die before an* 
 
 successors, will, ordain, and grant, that, m case it other be ap- 
 
 should happen that the present Mayor of the said pomted * 
 city, or any of his successors, or any of the May¬ 
 ors of the said city, for the time being, should 
 happen to die before any other fit person shall be 
 appointed and sworn Mayor of the said city, in 
 their respective rooms and places, then, and in 
 every such case, upon the deatli of such Mayor, t h Pn thedepu- 
 such Aldermen for the time being (who shall have ty ma ^ or t( ? be 
 
 ° v mayor until 
 
 been so appointed and approved of as aforesaid, au ? ther be ap¬ 
 pointed and 
 
 to act in the place of, or as deputy to, such May-sworn, 
 or) shall be, and he is hereby appointed and de¬ 
 clared Mayor of the said city, and to continue 
 and be continued in, and to execute the same of¬ 
 fice of Mayor of the said city, from the death of 
 such Mayor so dying, until another fit person shall 
 be appointed and sworn Mayor ol the said city 5 
 in such manner as in and by these presents is here* 
 
50 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 Recorder 
 
 named. 
 
 after directed for the respective Mayors of the said 
 city, to be appointed and sworn, and so as often as 
 such case shall happen. 
 
 And further ice have assigned, ordained, named, 
 and constituted, and by these presents do, for us, 
 our heirs, and successors, assign, ordain, name, 
 and constitute, our trusty and well beloved Fran¬ 
 cis Harrison , esq. (one of our Council of our said 
 province of ISew York) to be the present Recorder 
 of our said city, to do and execute all things, which 
 unto the office of Recorder of the said city doth or 
 may belong, or in any manner appertain, and to 
 continue, and be continued in, and to execute the 
 said office, until another fit person shall be appoint- 
 Govcrnor to ed and sworn in the office. AISD We do hereby 
 corder at plea- appoint, I hat the Governor or Commander in Chief 
 for the said province, for the time being, at any 
 time or times, when, and as often as they or each 
 of them think fit, may displace and remove the pre¬ 
 sent Recorder, or any other Recorder, hereafter to 
 be appointed. 
 
 And we do, for us, our heirs, and successors, 
 assign, name, constitute, and appoint, John Cruger, 
 Harmanus Van Gelder, Frederick Phillipse, Ge¬ 
 rardus Stuyvansant, Anthony Rutgers, John Rose- 
 velt, and Johannes Hardenbrook, esqrs. citizens 
 and inhabitants of the said city of New-York , to 
 be the present Aldermen of the said city; and 
 Egbert Van Borssom, Samuel Kip, John Cham¬ 
 bers, John Moore, Isaac De Peyster, Petrus Rut¬ 
 gers, and Gerardus Beekman, gents, to be the 
 present assistants of the said city, to wit; The 
 
 Aldermen 
 
 named. 
 
 Assistants 
 
 named. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 51 
 
 said John Cruger, to be Alderman, and John 
 
 Moore, to he Assistant, for the Dock Ward of And for what 
 
 wards. 
 
 the said city; Harmanus Van Gelder, to be Alder¬ 
 man, and John. Chambers, to be Assistant, for the 
 W est Ward of the said city; Col. Frederick Phil- 
 lipse, to be Alderman, and Isaac De Peyster, to be 
 Assistant, for the South Ward of the said city; Ge¬ 
 rardus Siuyvesant, to be Alderman, and Samuel 
 Kip, to be Assistant, for the Out Ward of the said 
 city; Anthony Ru f gers, esq. to be Alderman, and 
 Egbert Van Borssom, to be Assistant, for the North 
 Ward of the said city ; John Rosevelt, to be Aider- 
 man, and Petrus Rutgers, to be Assistant, for the 
 East Ward of the said city; Johannes Harden- 
 
 brook, to be Alderman, and Gerardus Beekman, to . . . 
 
 1 7 Chamberlain 
 
 be Assistant, for Montgomery Ward of the said named, 
 city. 
 
 And we do , also, hereby nominate and appoint Sheriff, cor- 
 Cornelius De Peyster, to be the present ( hamber- stable and mar" 
 lain and Treasurer of the city aforesaid; Colonel shal * 
 
 Henry Beekman to be the present Sheriff of the 
 said city ; Ri :hard Nichols, gent to be the present 
 Coroner of the said city ; Edmund Peers, to be the 
 present High Constable, and Robert Crannel, to be 
 present Marshal of the said City. 
 
 And , also. We do hereby nominate and appoint Assessors 
 John Le Montes, David Abeel. Assessors, Nicho- and 
 
 las Van Taerling, Collector, and John Scott, Con- named, and for 
 stable, for the South Ward of the said city; John 
 Thurman, and John Bogart, Assessors, and John 
 Pearse, Collector for the West Ward of the said city; 
 
 Gerardus Duyckinck, and Simeon Soumain, As- 
 
 t 
 
32 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 sessors, George Brinckerhoof, Collector, and Chris¬ 
 topher Nicholson, Constable, of the Dock Ward of 
 the said citv; John Brown and Nathaniel Marston, 
 Assessors, Peter Noxen, Collector, and Timothy 
 Bontecou, Constable, of the North Ward of the said 
 city; John Pintard and Peter Van Dyck, Assessors, 
 Ebenezer Grant, Collector, and John Abrahamson, 
 Constable, of the East Ward of the said city ; Jaco¬ 
 bus Kip, Assessor, and Cornelius Cousine, Collec¬ 
 tor, for the Bowery Division of the Out Ward ; and 
 Barent Waldren, Assessor, Derick Bensing, Col¬ 
 lector, and A rent Bussing, Constable, for the Har¬ 
 lem Division of the said Out Ward. 
 
 Within forty j\ n ,i WP d 0 , hereby appoint, order, and direct, that 
 
 days other col- _ ‘ 
 
 lectors, asses within forty days after the date hereof, the freemen 
 stabies, to be of the said city being inhabitants in, and the freehold- 
 chosen. ers of each respective ward in the said (city, may 
 
 and shall assemble themselves and meet together, 
 at such time and place, in each of the said wards, 
 as each respective Alderman, for each respective 
 ward, shall appoint, and then and there, by plurality 
 of their voices or votes, to elect and choose out of 
 the inhabitants of each respective ward, being free¬ 
 holders there, or freemen of the said city, the seve¬ 
 ral officers following, to wit, one other Constable 
 And for what f°** the South Ward; one other Constable for the 
 West Ward; one other Constable for the Dock 
 Ward: one other Constable for the East Waid- 
 
 7 j 
 
 two Assessors, one Collector, and two Constables 
 for Montgomerie Ward ; and two other Assessors, 
 $nd three other Constables, for the Out Ward, to wit; 
 
 Wards. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERTE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 r,3 
 
 one other Assessor, and two Constables, for the Bow- 
 ry Division, and one other Assessor, and one other 
 Constable, for the Harlem Division of the said Out 
 Ward. And we do , hereby will and ordain, that Officers to 
 each and every of the before named Mayor, Alder- ta ^ ean 0dth ’ 
 men, Assistants, Chamberlain, Coroner, High Con¬ 
 stable, and Marshal, and all and every the before 
 named Assessors, Constables, and every other As¬ 
 sessor and Constable, hereafter to be chosen for any 
 ward, or division of a ward in the said city, before 
 next Michaelmas day on their being respectively 
 sworn into their respective offices, as hereafter is 
 directed, shall continue in their said respective offi¬ 
 ces, until the fourteenth day of October, next, en- And to con- 
 . i -ii tinue until 14th 
 
 suing the date hereof, and from thence until other Oct. in their 
 
 fit persons be respectively chosen and sworn in their c,hLes ' 
 respective rooms and places in manner and form, as 
 is hereinafter directed. And we do also further or¬ 
 dain, order, and declare, for us, our heirs, and suc¬ 
 cessors, that as well, the before named Sheriff, as Sheriff to enter 
 
 into bond in 
 
 every other person and persons hereafter to be ap- 10001. penalty 
 pointed for or to the office of Sheriff of the said city, ecut.on onihT 
 before lie or they be permitted to exercise the said 
 office, shall each of them give and enter into bond, 
 to us, our heirs, and successors, with two or more suf¬ 
 ficient sureties, in a penalty not less than one thou¬ 
 sand pounds, conditioned for the faithful and due 
 execution of his said office, in such manner as the 
 Governor or Commander in Chief of the said pro¬ 
 vince of New-York, for the time being, shall think 
 fit and appoint: And the before named Sheriff on 
 
54 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OP NEW-YORK. 
 
 his giving such security, and having taken such an 
 oath as hereafter is directed, shall continue in his 
 said office, until the fourteenth day of October, next 
 ensuing, and from thence until another fit person is 
 appointed and sworn into the said office, and has 
 given such security as aforesaid. 
 
 And we do hereby further , for us, our heirs, and 
 Governor to successors, appoint, and ordain, that the Governor’ 
 Mayor, thc or Commander in Chief of the said province of 
 New-York, for the time being, by and with the ad¬ 
 vice of the council ol us, our heirs, and successors, 
 for the said province, for the time being, from time 
 to time, shall have full power and authority, on 
 the feast day of St. Michael , the Arch Angel, in 
 every year, forever hereafter, to name and appoint, 
 and can, shall and may name and appoint, a dis¬ 
 creet and fit person of the freeholders, freemen, or 
 inhabitants of the said city, to be Mayor* of the said 
 city; and one other fit and able person, one of the 
 freeholders or freemen, being an inhabitant of the 
 said city, to be Sheriff of the said city; and one 
 oner 1 , ff year]y > . r other such person, to be Coroner of the said city, 
 
 , all for the ensuing year f And also, that on the said 
 Freemen, and 
 
 freeholders to feast day of St. Michael , the Arch-Angel, in every 
 
 men, assistants, year, forever hereafter, the freemen of the said city, 
 
 constables, aDd being inhabitants, and the freeholders of each res- 
 
 feas^ofTt ^ P ect * ve ward in the said city, shall and may assem- 
 MichaeL 
 
 * The Mayor is now appointed by the Common Council, and the 
 Sheriff elected by the people. 
 
 f Our Charter Elections are now held on the Second Tuesday in 
 April, and the elective franchise is extended. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR, 
 
 55 
 
 ble themselves and meet together, at such time of 
 the day, and such public place in each of the said 
 wards, as each respective Alderman, for each re¬ 
 spective ward, for the time being, shall appoint; and 
 then and there, by plurality of their voices or votes, 
 to elect and choose out of the inhabitants of each re¬ 
 spective ward, being freeholders thereof, or freemen 
 of the said city (except the Out Ward) for the en¬ 
 suing year, one Alderman, and one Assistant, two 
 Assessors, one Collector, and two Constables; and 
 for the said Out Ward, four Assessors, two Collec¬ 
 tors, and four Constables, to wit: two Assessors, 
 one Collector, and two Constables, for each division 
 of the said ward. And also , That the Mayor of the The mayor & 
 said city, for the time being, and four or more Al- aldermen "and 
 dermen, and four or more of the Assistants of the 
 said city, for the time being, on the least dav of St. bprlain y^ T }y* 
 
 Michael the Arch Angel, in every year forever here St. Michael,in 
 
 common conn- 
 
 after, shall and may in common council, name and cil, 
 appoint one fit person, being a freeholder, or freeman, 
 and an inhabitant of the said city, to be treasurer * 1 
 or chamberlain of the said city, for the year ensuing; 
 and also that on the same day in every year, for 
 ever hereafter, the Mayor of the said city, for the 
 time being, shall name and appoint one other of the 
 said inhabitants, being a freeholder or freeman of 
 
 the said city, to be High Constable of the said city, 
 
 » 
 
 for the year ensuing; every of which persons, so to 
 
 * The Treasurer is appointed by the Common Conned, 
 
j6 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OP NEW-YORK. 
 
 And the mayor 
 then to appoint 
 the high con¬ 
 stable. 
 
 Officers to 
 take an oath on 
 the 14th of Oct 
 after being ap¬ 
 pointed and 
 chosen. 
 
 And continue 
 till others be 
 chosen in their 
 rooms. 
 
 Sheriff at the 
 same time to 
 give Bond, and 
 be sworn. 
 
 be named for Mayor, Coroner, High Constable, or 
 Chamberlain, or so to be elected for Alderman, As¬ 
 sistant, Assessor, or Constable, on the feast day 
 of St. Michael , shall on the fourteenth* day of Oc¬ 
 tober then next ensuing their nomination, or election 
 respectively, take the respective oaths hereinafter 
 appointed for them respectively to take, in such man¬ 
 ner and form as hereinafter is directed, and shall 
 continue in their said respective offices, from their 
 being so respectively sworn, until other fit persons 
 be respectively named or elected, and sworn in their 
 respective rooms and places. And aim , That every 
 person so to be named for Sheriff, on the said feast 
 day of S*. Michael , shall on the fourteenth day of 
 October, then next ensuing his nomination, take 
 such oath as is hereafter appointed for each Sheriff 
 to take, and shall give such security as is hereinbe¬ 
 fore appointed for each Sheriff to give, and shall re¬ 
 main in the said office, from the time of his being so 
 
 sworn and giving such security, until another fit per¬ 
 son shall he appointed and sworn into the said office, 
 and shall have given such securi y as aforesaid. And 
 
 ri^orCoroner , Wf> ( ^° j urt ^ i ‘ r t f°r us * our heirs and successors, 
 dyi> g, before . appoint and ordain, that if it should happen that 
 
 others named * * ri 
 
 and put in their either the Mayor,-Sheriff, or Coroner, of the said 
 
 rooms, the (jo- * 
 
 vernor to ap city, for the time being, at any time (before other 
 point others. „ , , 
 
 fit persons be so as afoiesaid respectively named and 
 
 sworn, in their respective 100ms) should happen to 
 
 * Charter Officers are now sworn on the second Tuesday in May 
 except the Mayor, Retoider, sheriff, or Coroner, who may be sworn 
 into office at any time. 
 
JOHN MONTOOMFRIF, ESQ. GOVBBNOR. 
 
 die, then, and so often as it shall so happen, it shall 
 and may be lawful for the Governor and Comman¬ 
 der in Chief of the said province, for the time Leing, 
 by and with the advice of the said council for the 
 said province, for the time being, m some conveni¬ 
 ent time thereafter, to name and appoint some fit 
 and discreet person, being an inhabitant, freeholder, 
 or freeman of the said city, to he Mayor of the said 
 city in the room of such Mayor so dying; and one 
 other fit and able person, as aforesaid, to he She¬ 
 riff of the said city, in the loom of such Sheriff so 
 dying; and one other fit person as aforesaid, to he 
 Coroner of the sa’d city, in the room of such Coroner 
 so dying; and that every such person, so to be whoshalltake 
 named Mayor, after having taken such oath, as is ^hen^to give 
 hereby appointed for each Mayor to take, shall re- SPC ^'| y t ’ 0 xe . 
 
 main in, and execute the said office of Mayor of the cute their res- 
 
 pective offices^ 
 
 said city, until the 14th day of October then next en¬ 
 suing, and until another fit person be named and 
 sworn into the said office of Mayor of the said city ; 
 and every such person so to be named Sheriff, after 
 having sworn and given such security, as is hereby 
 appointed for each Sheriff to do, shall have, exercise, 
 and remain in the said office of Sheriff of the said 
 city, until the 14th day of October, then next, and 
 until another fit person be named and sworn in the 
 said office of Sheriff, and shall have given such se¬ 
 curity as herein before is appointed for each Sheriff 
 to give, and every person, so to be named Coro¬ 
 ner, after having taken sucli oath as appointed 
 
 8 
 
CHARIER OF I'HE CUT OF NEW-YORR. 
 
 58 
 
 hereby for each Coroner to take, shall exercise and 
 remain in the said office of Coroner of the said city, 
 until the 14th day of October, then next, and until 
 another fit person be named and sworn into the 
 office of Coroner of the said city. 
 
 And we do moreover , for us, our heirs, and succes¬ 
 sors, will, and by these presents grant to the said 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city of 
 New-York, and to their successors forever, that if it 
 should happen any of the present named Aldermen, 
 or Assistants, Assessors, Collectors, or Constables, 
 If any Alder* or anyone of the Aldermen, Assistants, Assessors, 
 
 orother inferi- Collectors, or Constables, hereafter to be elected 
 
 or Officers die , . , . . 
 
 before others and sworn, or to be sworn into their respective of- 
 
 w e elected. fi ceg as shall happen to die, or remove 
 
 out of the said city, within the time they are, or 
 shall be respectively named or elected for, or before 
 other fit persons be respectively named or elected, 
 and sworn in their respective rooms, it shall and 
 may be lawful for the freemen, being inhabitants in, 
 and the freeholders of each respective ward, for 
 which such Alderman, Assistant, Assessor, Collec¬ 
 tor, or Constable, so dying or removing, had been 
 named or chosen for, to assemble and meet together, 
 at such time and place, in the said respective ward, 
 as shall be appointed by the Mayor of the said city, 
 for the time being, or his deputy, and then and there, 
 by plurality of voices or votes of the freemen, being 
 inhabitants in, and the freeholders of such ward, to 
 elect one of the inhabitants of, and being a freehold- 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 
 er in such ward, or freeman of the said city, to 
 
 serve as Alderman, Assistant, Assessor, Collector, others in their 
 
 rooms. 
 
 or Constable, for the said ward, in the room of such 
 Alderman, Assistant, Assessor, Collector, or Con¬ 
 stable, so dying or removing; and so, as often as 
 
 such cases shall happen. And in case the present chamber¬ 
 
 lain die helore 
 
 named, or any future Chamberlain, or any High another be ap- 
 
 y-, ii/,, . , . , _ , pointed in his 
 
 Constable of the said city, hereafter to be appointed, room, or re- 
 
 , . . moveontof the 
 
 so sworn, or to be sworn in their respective offices c jt y . the com- 
 
 aforesaid, should happen to die, or remove out of the fp^inT^an-* 0 
 said city, within the time they were or shall be re- ottier * 
 spectively appointed for, it shall be lawful for the 
 Mayor of the said city, for the time being, or his de¬ 
 puty, and four or more Aldermen, and four or more 
 Assistants, for the said city, for the time being, in 
 Common Council, to appoint another fit person to be 
 Chamberlain in the room of such Chambeilain so 
 dying or removing ; and for the Mayor cf the said And the May- 
 city, for the time being, to appoint another fit person another 3 ' H°i§h 
 to be High Constable in the room of such High Con- case* 1 ©? death 
 stable so dying or removing, and so as often as such or removal - 
 cases shall happen And all and ev.gry such person All which per- 
 and persons so to be newly chosen or appointed Al- tyTo be°elect«£ 
 derman, Assistant, Assessor, Collector, Constable, t° d ta ^p p ° t hi e(1 
 Chamberlain, or High Constable, shall serve in their oaths except 
 
 . ’ the collector.) 
 
 respective offices, until other fit persons be respec¬ 
 tively chosen, or appointed, and sworn, in their re¬ 
 spective rooms, each of them (except the Collector) 
 first taking such oaths as hereafter is appointed for 
 
 r 
 
 each of them respectively to take. 
 
60 
 
 CHARTER or TETK CI""Y OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 If any free- An f I we do furthrr.fi or us, cur heirs, and succes- 
 holdpr or fi>e- - 
 
 man shaii he sors. :rd& i. grant, and confirm, unto the said May- 
 
 cho«vn ^lder- , . 
 
 man, assistant, or Aldermen, and Oommon.-uty of the city of New- 
 
 assessor, eol » T * . » • ^ ,i • ** 
 
 hcfor or con- ‘ mn'c, and their successors, forever, that if any one 
 pointed 'hM? p ( •' the inhabitants of the said city cf New-York, 
 constable ud h e ^:r a freeholder rf free roan, as aforesaid, shall 
 thereof, shad hereafter he elated or chosen to the office of Al- 
 
 reiuse to do or 
 
 ser/e for -ch.it derm in, Assistant, Assessor. Collector, or Consta- 
 he is chosen. , , , . . , , ,, , 
 
 bK <i-r tffry ward in me said city, or shall be ap¬ 
 pointed to he High Constable of the said city, and 
 have r*3fe<3D of his said electio «, shall refuse, deny, 
 delay, fjt neglect, to take upon him or them to exe- 
 • cute such office, to which he or they shall he so 
 The common rboseu or elected for, that then and so often as it 
 council to nn« g | r<1 p happen, H shall ot:d may be lawful for the 
 exceeding; fit- Mayor, or hi§ Deputy, or Recorder, and any four or 
 
 teen pounds to J * J 
 
 be levied and more c f the Afidermen, a/:d any four or more of the 
 
 F0C(iiv ed. 
 
 A*-siithnt« of the said city, for the time being, in 
 Common Co»j&7 ‘l, to tax, assess and impose, upon 
 every S:w person or persons, so refusing, denying, 
 delav ing, or neglecting, such reasonable and mode¬ 
 rate fine and fines, sum and sums of money, as they 
 the said Mayor, or his Deputy, or Recorder, and 
 any four or more Aldermen, and any four or more 
 Assistants, in Common Council, shall think fit, so 
 as such fine, for eaeh refusal, denial, delay, or ne¬ 
 glect, shall not exceed the sum of fifteen pounds 
 current money «f New-York; all which said fines 
 shall and may be levied, by distress and sale of the 
 goods and chattels of such delinquent and delin¬ 
 quents, by warrant under the seal of the said city, 
 signed by the Mayor thereof, for the time being, 
 
 ! 
 
I 
 
 JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 6 1 
 
 • / 
 
 rendering the surplusage to the owner or owners 
 thereof, (if any be) the necessary charges of making 
 and selling such distress being first deducted, or, 
 by action of debt, in any court of record, to be pro¬ 
 secuted or anv other lawful method to be oh- 
 tained ; and shall he recovered and received by, and To the use of 
 to the use of the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Com- tio n , C01)0ra ' 
 monalty of the city of New York, and their succes¬ 
 sors forever, without any account thereof to be given 
 to us, our heirs, or successors, or to any of the offi¬ 
 cers, or mini ters of us, our heirs, or successors: 
 
 And upon every such refusal, or neglect, other fit And others to 
 persons to be elected and chosen, in the room and theh^rooms! 
 rooms of such persons so neglecting, or refusing, in 
 such manner, as is before directed, or appointed, 
 for electing and choosing of Aldermen, Assistants, 
 
 Assessors, Coliectois, and Constables, and for ap¬ 
 pointing a High Conatable, upon the death or re¬ 
 moval of any of them respectively; and so as often 
 as such cases shall happm. 
 
 And we do hereby , for us, our heirs, and successors, If the day of 
 grant, appoint, and ordain, that if it shall happen, m?.?kte"iug dd ' 
 that the day or days appointed for the naming, ap- suiidav 'the a 
 pointing, electing, or choosing, or for administering s n *™ d P e l ° n 
 any oath or oaths to any of the officers, or minis- da ? lowing, 
 ters, of the said corporation, shall happen to fall on 
 a Sunday, then, and in such case, such naming, ap¬ 
 pointing, electing, or choosing, so to be made* shall 
 be made, and such oath, or oaths, so to be adminis¬ 
 tered, shall be administered on the next day. and so 
 as often as such case shall happen, 
 
62 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEVY-YORK. 
 
 And further we do , of our especial grace, certain 
 knowledge, and meer motion, for us, our heirs, 
 and successors, give, grant, ratify, and confirm, un¬ 
 to the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of 
 the city of New-York, and their successors, forever, 
 The Mayor or that the Mayor or Recorder, with foui* or more 
 
 Recorder, and 
 
 four or more Aldermen, and four or more Assistants of the said 
 Aldermen, with . c . . 
 
 four or more city, for the time being, be, and shall be forever 
 be ? common hereafter, called the Common Council of the city 
 council. of JVew-York: And that the said Common Coun¬ 
 
 cil of the said city, for the time being, or the major 
 part of them, have and may, and shall have full 
 power, authority, and licence, to frame, constitute, 
 ordain, make, and establish, from time to time, all 
 And have pow- such laws, statutes, rights, oidinances, and consti- 
 laws. tutions, which to them, or the greater part of them, 
 
 shall seem to be good, useful, or necessary, for the 
 good rule and government of the body corporate 
 aforesaid ; and of a!) officers, ministers, artificers, 
 citizens, inhabitants, and residents, of the said city, 
 within the limits thereof, and for declaring how and 
 after what manner and order, the Mayor, Recorder, 
 Aldermen, and Assistants of the said city, for the 
 time being, and all and eveiy of their officers and 
 ministers, and all artificers, inhabitants, and resi¬ 
 dents of the same city, and their factors, servants, 
 and apprentices, in their offices, functions, and busi¬ 
 ness, within the said . city and the liberties thereof, 
 for the time being, and from time to time, shall use, 
 carry, and behave themselves; and for the farther 
 
 * There are now a Board of Aldermen, and a Board of Assistant 
 Aldermen. Eight members form a quorum of either Board. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 63 
 
 public good, common profit, trade, and better go¬ 
 vernment and rule of the said city, and for the bet¬ 
 ter preserving, governing, disposing, letting, and set¬ 
 ting, of the lands, tenements, possessions, and here¬ 
 ditaments, goods, and chattels, to the aforesaid 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the said city 
 of New-York belonging, or to them and their suc¬ 
 cessors hereafter to belong, and all other things 
 and causes whatsoever touching or concerning the 
 said city, or the state, right, and interest, of the 
 same, (provided that such laws be not contradictory 
 or repugnant to the laws or statutes of that part 
 of our kingdom of Great Britain called England, Provided such 
 
 • • • 6yG*lciws be 
 
 or of our said province) which laws, statutes, or- no t repugnant 
 dinances, and constitutions, so to be made as afore- Enghu^^or 0 ' 
 said, may be and remain in force for twelve months t l lls , pr . ovince :. 
 from the day of the date thereof, and no longer, Que in force 
 unless they shall be allowed of, and confirmed by from the date, 
 the Governor and Council of the said province, for uJilsT^pprov- 
 the time being: and that the said common coun- by d goTernor 
 cil of the said city, for the time being, or the great- an<1 councl1 * 
 er part of them, as often as they shall make, or¬ 
 dain, and establish, such laws, statutes, rights, or¬ 
 ders, and constitutions, in form aforesaid, may 
 make, ordain, limit, and provide, such and the like Power to in- 
 pains, punishments, and penalties, either by fines on Sho^wbo 
 and amerciaments, or bv disfranchising and amov- sha ^ L lsoh i ey 
 
 7 * ° such bye Jaws 
 
 ing from the liberties, privileges, immunities, and either by dis~ 
 
 . i . franchising oi 
 
 freedom of the said city, or by either of them, to- fining. 
 
 wards and against all and every person that shall 
 
 offend against such laws, statutes, rights, orders, 
 
 and constitutions, or any or either or them, as by 
 
64 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 the said Common Council, or the major part of 
 them, shall be thought necessary and requisite to 
 make, ordain, limit, and provide, for the observa¬ 
 tion and preservation of the same laws, rights, sta- 
 Whioh fines tutes, ordinances, and constitutions ; and the same 
 derVhe h-na ^ ncs an( l amerciaments shall and may, from time to 
 Mayor or* He -! time, levy, receive, have, and recover, either by 
 
 corner or any distress and sale of the goods and chattels of such 
 one of tne Al- ° 
 
 de'men shall delinquent and delinquents, by warrant under the 
 use o* the cor- hand and seal of the Mayor or Recorder, or any one 
 p otion. 0 f t r je Aldermen, for the time being, rendering the 
 suiplusage to the owner or owners thereof (if any 
 be) the necessary charges of making and selling 
 such distress, being first deducted ; or by action of 
 debt, in any court of record to be prosecuted, or in 
 any other lawful method to be obtained, and to the 
 use of the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty 
 of the city of New-York, and their successors for¬ 
 ever, without any account thereof to be given to 
 us, our heirs, and successors, or to any of the offi¬ 
 cers or ministers of us. or our heirs, or successors: 
 all and singular, which laws, statutes, rights, ordi¬ 
 nances, and constitutions, so as aforesaid to be 
 made, we do, for ns, our heirs, and successors, will 
 to be observed, under the pains, penalties, and for¬ 
 feitures, in the same contained. And we do further , 
 of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and meer 
 motion, for us, our heirs, and successors, give, 
 grant, ratify, and confirm, unto the said Mayor, 
 Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the city of !^ew- 
 York, and their successors forever, that the Com¬ 
 mon Council of the said city, for the time being, or 
 
 I 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR: 
 
 65 
 
 the major part of them, shall have the sole power 
 of determining and deciding all elections of all and 
 every their officers and ministers, hereafter to be 
 chosen and elected in, or for the said corporation, 
 or any part thereof. 
 
 Jlnd we do hereby , for us, our heirs, and succes¬ 
 sors, ordain, declare, give, and grant, unto the said 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, and their suc¬ 
 cessors, that the Common Council of the said city 
 shall be summoned, called, and held, from time to 
 time, so often, and at such times and places, as the 
 Mayor, or in case of his sickness or absence, the 
 Recorder of the said city, for the time being, shall 
 think fit to appoint or direct; and that it shall and 
 may be lawful to and for the said Common Council 
 of the said city, or the major part of them, to assess 
 and lay such reasonable fines and amerciaments in 
 and upon every officer and member of the body cor¬ 
 porate aforesaid, for the time being, who after hav¬ 
 ing had due notice, or being duly summoned to ap¬ 
 pear or attend at any such Common Council, to be 
 held for the said city, shall neglect so to do, or make 
 default therein, or shall not appear or attend accord¬ 
 ing to such notice or summons, in that behalf, or 
 shew a reasonable cause, by the said Common Coun¬ 
 cil, or the major part of them, at their discretion to 
 be allowed, and so as often as such case shall hap¬ 
 pen, so that no such fine or amerciament for any 
 one default of appearance or attendance of any such 
 officer or member of the body corporate aforesaid, 
 shall exceed the sum of twenty shillings, in the man¬ 
 ner and form aforesaid, to be levied, and by, to, and 
 
 9 
 
 Common 
 Council to be 
 called by the 
 Mayor> or in 
 case of his 
 sickness or ab¬ 
 sence, by the 
 Recorder. 
 
 Common 
 Council to fine 
 every member 
 who shall not 
 attend on no¬ 
 tice given. 
 
 Unless he 
 shew a reason¬ 
 able cause to 
 the contrary. 
 
 So as such fine 
 for every non- 
 attendance ex¬ 
 ceed not 20s. 
 
65 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 To be levied 
 to the use of 
 the corpora¬ 
 tion. 
 
 Power to the 
 corporation to 
 establish as 
 many ferries as 
 they shall think 
 fit. 
 
 And to lett, 
 demise and dis¬ 
 pose thereof, 
 and receive all 
 fees and profits 
 arising there¬ 
 from. 
 
 for the use of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common- 
 ally, of the said city, and their successors, to be 
 recovered and received, without any account there¬ 
 of to be given to us, our heirs, or successors, or any 
 of our or their officers or ministers. And ice do far¬ 
 ther, for us, our heirs, and successors, give, grant, 
 and confirm, unto the Mayor, Aldermen, and Com¬ 
 monalty, of the said city of New-York, and their 
 successors forever, that the Common Council of the 
 said city, for the time being, or the major part of 
 them (but no other person or persons whomsoever 
 without the consent, grant, or licence, of the said 
 Common Council of the said city, for the time being, 
 or the major part of them,) from time to time, and 
 at all times hereafter, shall and may have the sole, 
 full, and whole, power and authority of settling, ap¬ 
 pointing, establishing, ordering, and directing, and 
 shall and may settle, appoint, establish, order, and 
 direct, such and so many ferries, round Manhattan’s- 
 Island, alias New-York-Island, for the carrying 
 and transporting people, horses, cattle, goods, and 
 chattels, from the said Island of Manhattan’s to 
 Nassau-Island, and from thence back to Manhat¬ 
 tan’s ; and, also, from the said Island Manhattan’s 
 to any of the opposite shores all round the same 
 Island, in such and so many places as the said Com¬ 
 mon Council, or the major part of them, shall think 
 fit, who have hereby, likewise, full power to lett, 
 sett, or otherwise dispose of, all or any of such fer¬ 
 ries, to any person or persons whomsoever ; and the 
 rents, issues, profits, ferriages, fees, and other ad¬ 
 vantages arising and accruing from all and every 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ,. GOVERNOR. 
 
 67 
 
 such ferries; we do hereby fully and freely for us, 
 our heirs, and successors, give and grant unto the 
 Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty, of the city of 
 New-York aforesaid, and to their successors forever, 
 to have, take, hold, and enjoy the same, to their 
 own use, without being accountable to us, our 
 heirs, or successors, for the same or any part 
 thereof. 
 
 And we do further , for us, our heirs, and succes¬ 
 sors, give, grant, ratify, and confirm, unto the said 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the city of 
 New-York, and their successors forever, that the 
 Common Council of the said city, for the time being, 
 or the major part of them, have, and from time to 
 time, and at all times hereafter forever, shall have 
 full power, licence, and authority, not only to estab- Power to com- 
 
 lish, appoint, order, and direct, the making and council to 
 711 7 7 D build, repair, 
 
 laying out of all other streets, lanes, alleys, high- and lay out 
 
 ways, water-courses, and bridges, not already made hMnvays lanes> 
 
 or laid out, but also the altering, amending, and re- streets > and al¬ 
 leys. 
 
 pairing all such streets, lanes, alleys, highways, 
 water-courses, and bridges, heretofore made or laid 
 out, or hereafter to be made or laid out, in and 
 throughout the said city of New-York, and the 
 Island of Manhattan’s, in such manner as the said 
 Common Council, for the time being, or the major 
 part of them, shall think or judge to be necessary 
 and convenient for all inhabitants and travellers 
 there. 
 
 And further , we do hereby, of our especial grace, 
 certain knowledge, and meer motion, for us, our 
 heirs, and successors, give, grant, ratify, and con- 
 
68 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 firm unto the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Common¬ 
 alty, of the city of New-York, and their successors, 
 that they and their successors, shall and may have, 
 Power to hold hold, and keep, markets, at five several places (in 
 
 every 1 'liay^ex- ^ sa ^ city °f New-York, on every day in the week 
 cept Sunday, throughout the year, except Sunday,) as follow, to 
 wit: One market a Coenties-Dock : one other mar- 
 ket at the Old-Slip, at Burgher’s-Path ; one other 
 market at Countesses-Slip ; one other market at the 
 lower end of TV all-street: and one other market by 
 the Long-Bridge. And, also, we do for us, our 
 heirs, and successors, grant unto the said Mayor, Al¬ 
 dermen, and Commonalty, of the city of New-York, 
 and their successors forever, that they and their 
 successors shall and may have, hold, and keep such 
 And as many aa d so many other markets, at such and so many 
 other times and places in the said city of New-York, 
 as shall from time to time be ordered, established, 
 erected, and appointed, by the Common Council of 
 the city aforesaid, for the time being, or the greater 
 number of them. 
 
 Grant to the And ive do further , for us,our heirs, and successors, 
 
 the assfze°of °* gi ve anc ^ S ran ^ unto said Mayor, Aldermen, and 
 
 bread, wine, Commonalty, of the city of New-York, and their suc- 
 beer, ale and 
 
 other assize- cessors, that they and their successors, may and 
 
 able merchan- s h a u h ave the assize and essay of bread, wine, beer, 
 dizes and 
 
 things. ale, and all other victuals and things whatsoever, set 
 
 to sale in the said city and the liberties and limits 
 thereof; and the amending and correcting of the 
 same assize ; and all amerciaments, fines and for¬ 
 feitures to be laid and forfeited, concerning the same, 
 or any part thereof, without any account thereof to 
 
 more as me 
 Corporation, 
 think fit to 
 establish. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ,. GOVERNOR. 
 
 69 
 
 be given to us, our heirs, or successors ; and to per¬ 
 form, do, and act, by themselves or their deputies all 
 and every thing*, needful or necessary in, about, or 
 concerning the same. 
 
 And we do hereby further, for us, our heirs and 
 
 successors, grant and give unto the said Mayor, „p rant !?** tke 
 7 ® J officer of gau- 
 
 Aldermen,andCommonalty,of the city ofNew-York, ger. 
 and their successors for ever, the office of gauger of 
 and in the said city, to gauge all and singular the 
 wine, rum, brandy, mollasses, beer, ale, cider, and 
 other merchandises and vessels guageable or to be 
 gauged within the said city ; except such liquors as 
 are to pay duty by virtue of any Act of Assembly, 
 until after they have been gauged by the public offi¬ 
 cer appointed for that purpose : And the office of 
 measurer of and in the said city, to measure salt, And the office 
 wheat, oats, and other grain, and all other merchan- 01 raeasurer ‘ 
 dises measureable or to be measured in the said 
 city ; and also the offices of surveyor and packer of 
 bread, flour, beef, pork, and other provisions, and Surveyor and 
 all other merchandises, and commodities to be packer * 
 surveyed, or packed in the said city ; and also 
 the office of cartage, carriage, and portage, of all 
 goods, wares, merchandises, and other things to be Cartage and 
 carted or carried in or through the said city or any P orta S e - 
 part thereof: And also the office of garbling of all 
 manner of species, and other merchandises and 
 things to be garbled in the city aforesaid : To ^ u a 0 f g ar b. 
 have and to hold the several offices aforesaid ^ n o* 
 and every of them, and the disposition, ordinances 
 and corrections of the same, and to exercise the 
 
70 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 With all fees same by themselves or their deputies ; and to take 
 arising thereby. arid receive to themselves all fees, profits and 
 perquisites, to the said offices and every of them, 
 due or to be due, and all the fines, amerciaments 
 and forfeitures to be laid and forfeited concern¬ 
 ing the same, or any part thereof, to them the 
 said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, and their 
 successors, to their own proper use forever, without 
 any account, or any other thing, to us, or our heirs, 
 or successors, to be given or made. 
 
 Power for 
 the Mayor and 
 four or more 
 Aldermen, to 
 make free citi¬ 
 zens under the 
 common seal. 
 
 The fees to 
 be paid on ma¬ 
 king a freeman, 
 not to exceed 
 51. to the use 
 of the corpora¬ 
 tion. 
 
 4 Rnd further , That the Mayor of the said city, 
 for the time being, or his deputy, for the time be¬ 
 ing, and any four or more of the Aldermen, for 
 the time being, shall from time to time, and at all 
 times forever hereafter, have full power and authority, 
 under the common seal of the said city, to make 
 free citizens of the said city and liberties thereof; 
 and that every person so to be made a free citi¬ 
 zens shall pay, on his being made free, for the use 
 of the said Mayor, Alderman, and commonalty, of 
 the city aforesaid, and their successors forever, a 
 sum not exceeding five pounds, New-Tork money; 
 and we do, for us, our heirs, and successors, give 
 and grant unto the said Mayor, Aldermen, and 
 Commonalty, and their successors forever, full 
 power to ask, take, demand, and receive the same, 
 to their own use and behoof, without any account 
 
 thereof to be given to us, our heirs, or succes¬ 
 sors, or any other person or persons whatso¬ 
 
 ever. 
 
 And we do hereby , for us, our heirs, and succes- 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 71 
 
 sors, constitute, appoint, and ordain, that no per- No unfreeman 
 
 i • ^ . to use any 
 
 son whatsoever, not being a free citizen of the said trade or sell any 
 
 city as aforesaid, shall, at any time hereafter, use o°^ s b y j™ ,n ~ 
 any art, trade, mystery, or occupation, within the by retail, 
 said city, liberties, and precincts thereof, or shall by 
 himself, themselves, or others,sell, or expose to sale, 
 any manner of goods, wares, merchandises, or com¬ 
 modities, by retail, in any house, shop, place, or 
 standing, within the said city, or the liberties or pre¬ 
 cincts thereof; (save in the times of public fairs,) Except in the 
 
 and that every such person, so using any art, trade, <im ‘ 8 °f public 
 
 fairs. 
 
 mystery, occupation, or so retailing, contrary to 
 the intent and meaning of these our present letters, 
 and shall persist therein, after warning to him or 
 them thereof given, or left by the appointment of 
 the Mayor of the said city for the time being, or his 
 deputy at the place or places where such person or 
 persons shall so use any art, mystery or occupa¬ 
 tion, or expose to sale, by retail as aforesaid, any 
 goods, wares, merchandises, or commodities, as 
 aforesaid, shall forfeit the sum of five pounds, aTrade^or^ell- 
 
 New-York money, to and for the use of the said g° ods n°t 
 
 being free. 
 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the city 
 of New-York, and their successors, for every time 
 that he or she shall so use any trade, mystery, or 
 occupation, or expose to sale, by retail, as aforesaid, 
 any goods, wares, merchandises, or commodities, 
 after such warning given or left as aforesaid : all and 
 every of which same forfeitures shall and may be le¬ 
 vied by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of 
 such delinquent and delinquentSj by warrant under the 
 
72 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 seal of the said city, signed by the Mayor thereof, 
 for the time being or his deputy, rendering the sur¬ 
 plusage to die owner or owners thereof (if any be) 
 the necessary charges of making and selling, such 
 distress being first deducted ; or by any other law¬ 
 ful method to be obtained ; and shall be recovered 
 To the use of and received by and to the only use of the Mayor, 
 tion. C ° r ^° ra Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city of New- 
 York, and their successors for ever, without any 
 account thereof to be given to us, our heirs, or suc¬ 
 cessors, or to any of the officers or ministers of us, 
 our heirs, or successors : Provided always , and we 
 do hereby, for us our heirs and successors, direct, 
 appoint and order, that no person or persons shall 
 
 No aliens to be be made free as aforesaid, but such as are oi shall 
 
 Qiddc free# • 
 
 be natural born subjects of us, our heirs, or suc¬ 
 cessors, or shall be naturalized or made denizens. 
 And we do further , for us our heirs and successors, 
 ordain and appoint, direct,will, and grant, that all and 
 every person and persons, now living, who at 
 any time heretofore, have been admitted free citi¬ 
 zens, or into the freedom of the said city of New- 
 
 All former York, shall be and remain free thereof, and free 
 
 freemen to le- ... , . r . . 
 
 main so. citizens, and have and enjoy the said freedom, and 
 
 all the rights and privileges of freemen and free 
 
 citizens of the said city of New-York to all intents 
 
 and purposes whatsoever. 
 
 And, for the better preservation of good rule 
 and order in the said city, we do, for us our heirs 
 and successors, will, ordain, and grant, unto the 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the said 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ES(*. GOVERNOR* 
 
 73 
 
 city, and their successors, that the Common Coun- Common coun- 
 J oil under the 
 
 cil of the said city, for the time being, or the major common seal to 
 
 part of them, shall have full power and authority o survey " 
 r > i J ors, measurers, 
 
 to license or appoint by warrant, under the com- guager, garb- 
 . _ . . , . , lers, beadles, 
 
 mon seal of the said city, or otherwise, one or more 
 
 surveyors of flour, bread, beef, pork, and other 
 
 provisions, measurers of grain, salt, and all other 
 
 comodities, gaugers of wine, beer, ale, cider,. 
 
 rum, brandy, and all other saleable or exciseable 
 
 liquors, garbles, beadles, bell-men, watch-men, 
 
 bridewell keepers, or keepers of a house or houses 
 
 of correction, and of alms houses, cryers, and bell 
 
 ringers, and to displace all or any of them and And to displace 
 
 put others in their room, and to add or diminish them at Wlil * 
 
 the number of them, or any of them as often as 
 
 the said Common Council of the said city, or the 
 
 major part of them, shall think fit. 
 
 And further, we do for us, our heirs, and sue- ^—*. “ J ° 
 
 corporation to 
 
 cessors, grant unto the said Mayor, Aldermen, erect auybride- 
 and Commonalty, and their successors forever, full ^ e11 ° r work ” 
 power and authority to erect and build, or appro¬ 
 priate any other buildings already built, for one 
 or more bridewell or bridewells, house or houses of 
 correction, and work-house or work-houses, toge¬ 
 ther with full power and authority to the said 
 Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, or any one of 
 them, to take up and arrest, or order to be taken 
 up and arrested, all and any rogues, vagabonds, a d t th 
 stragglers, and idle and suspicious persons ; and as Mayor, Record- 
 they the said Mayor, Recorder, or Aldermen, or ^ei^oranv*" 
 any one of them, shall see cause, to order all or any 
 
 10 
 
74 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORTC. 
 
 of them, to com such rogues, vagabonds, stragglers, and idle and 
 bonds there!° a suspicious persons, either to the said work-house, 
 there to remain, and work such work, and so long, 
 not exceeding forty days, or else to bridewell or 
 the house of correction, there to receive such pun¬ 
 ishment, not extending to the loss of life or limb, 
 as the said Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, or any 
 one of them, shall think fit. And also , that they 
 
 Power to the 
 
 corporation to the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, and 
 erect or appro- th e j r successors forever, may, and shall have pow- 
 their buildings er to build, erect, or appropriate, any of their build- 
 house/ ^ mgs a h*eady built for an alms-house, for relief of 
 the poor ; together also with as full and ample pow¬ 
 er to them, and their successors, to order, direct, 
 and act in and about the said houses of correction, 
 work-houses, and alms houses, and the persons to 
 be put in and ordered there, as to any city or cor¬ 
 poration, in any place of that part of our realm of 
 Great Britain, called England,, and the officers or 
 ministers thereof, doth or may belong. And also , 
 
 And to have ^ at ^ e y sa '^ Mayor, Aldermen, and Commo¬ 
 nalty, and their successors forever hereafter, may 
 have one or more gaol or gaols, in such fit place 
 or places, within the said city and limits and juris¬ 
 diction thereof, as by the Common Council of the 
 said city, for the time being, or the major part of 
 them, shall be appointed, to imprison, and safe keep, 
 all and every person and persons for any treasons, 
 murders, felonies, trespasses, evil doings, and all 
 other matters and causes whatsoever to be arrested 
 or attached, or to be committed to the gaol or gaols 
 aforesaid, in safe custody, there to remain, until 
 
 one or more 
 gaols as they 
 shall think fit. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ.. GOVERNOR; 
 
 75 
 
 they be delivered by due course of law. And that Common coun- 
 
 . cil to appoint 
 
 the Common Council of the city aforesaid, for the one or more 
 
 time bein^, or the major part of them, shall, and £ ao , pe P e,s 
 
 J 1 with power to - 
 
 may have power, from time to time, to choose, con- remove them at 
 stitute, and place, one or more fit person, or per- P led5Uie * 
 sons, in the office or offices of keeper or keepers of 
 the goal or gaols aforesaid, to hold the same during 
 the good pleasure of the Common Council of the 
 said city, for the time being, or the major part of 
 them, as aforesaid requiring, and, hereby, for us, 
 our heirs, and successors, impowering and com¬ 
 manding the keeper and keepers of the gaol or 
 gaols aforesaid, for the time being, that all and 
 singular, traitors, murderers, felons, malefactors, 
 disturbers of the peace, and other delinquents, and 
 all others, for any crime or offence, or other reason¬ 
 able cause or matters, to the gaol or gaols afore¬ 
 said, ordered or committed, or to be committed or 
 
 ordered, from time to time, shall receive, take, Who shall re- 
 
 . ceive all male- 
 
 keep, and cause to be kept in the same gaol or f ac t ors i uto his 
 
 gaols, until they shall be thence delivered by due cuslotl y* 
 
 course of law, 
 
 And we do farther , for us, our heirs, and sue- Mayorap - 
 J 1 7 ’ pointed clerk 
 
 cessors, will, ordain, and grant, that the Mayor of of the market, 
 the said city, for the time being, shall forever here¬ 
 after, be clerk of the market, of us, our heirs, and 
 successors, within the city aforesaid, and the limits, 
 liberties, and precincts, thereof; and that the Mayor 
 of the said city, for the time being, by himself or 
 his deputy, may and shall have full power and au¬ 
 thority to do and execute, and shall and may do 
 
76 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK* 
 
 And water 
 bailiff. 
 
 And to re¬ 
 ceive the fees 
 of clerk of the 
 market and 
 water-bailiff 
 to his own use. 
 
 Mayor to 
 licence one or 
 more marshals, 
 porters, carri¬ 
 ers, cartmen, 
 carmen, pack¬ 
 ers, cullers, 
 cryers, scaven- 
 
 and execute forever, within the limits, liberties, and 
 precincts, of the said city, all and whatsoever to the 
 oflice of clerk of the market there doth, shall, or 
 may belong, without any hindrance or impediment 
 of us, our heirs, or successors, or any the officers 
 of us, our heirs, or successors ; and that no other 
 clerk of the market shall intermeddle there. Jind 
 also, that the Mayor of the said city, for the 
 time being, and his successors, during the time of 
 his and their mayoralties, and no other, be and 
 shall be, the bailiff and conservator of the water of 
 the north and east rivers, and shall and may do, 
 exercise, and execute, the said office of bailiff and 
 conservator of the water of the north and east rivers, 
 or water-bailiff, by him or themselves, or by his or 
 their sufficient deputy or deputies, in, upon, or about, 
 the same water of the north and east rivers (that is 
 to say) in and through all the limits, bounds, and 
 jurisdiction of the said city of New-York, upon all 
 and every the banks, shores, and wharfs, of the 
 same water of the north and east rivers, within the 
 imits and bounds aforesaid : and to have, receive, 
 collect, and enjoy, all and singular, wages, rewards, 
 fees, and profits, to the same offices of clerk of the 
 market, and water-bailiff, or any of them, due or 
 to be due, or belonging to his or their own use, with¬ 
 out any account thereof, to us, our heirs, or succes¬ 
 sors, to be made, Jind also, that the Mayor of the 
 said city, for the time being, shall have full power 
 and authority to license or appoint, by warrant, un¬ 
 der his hand and seal, or otherwise, one or more 
 marshal or marshals of the said city, porters, car- 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ.. GOVERNOR. 
 
 77 
 
 riers, cartmen, carmen, packers, cullers, common gers, and to 
 
 .. ~ displace them 
 
 cryers, scavengers, and to to displace all or any ot at pi easure . 
 them, and to put others in their rooms ; and to add 
 to, or diminish the number of them, or any of them, 
 when, and as often as the Mayor of the said city, for 
 the time being, shall think fit. , 
 
 And we do further, for us our heirs and succes- . And grant 
 
 licences to 
 
 sors, grant, ratify, and confirm, unto the said Mayor, keep tavern. 
 Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the city of New- 
 York, and their successors forever, that the Mayor 
 of the said city for the time being, and no other 
 whatsoever, shall have power to give and grant li¬ 
 censes annually, under the public seal of the said 
 city, to all such persons as he shall think fit to li¬ 
 cense them, and every of them, to keep a tavern, 
 inn, ordinary, or victualling-house, and to sell wine, 
 brandy, rum, strong waters, cider, beer, ale, or 
 any other sort of exciseable or strong liquors, within 
 the city of New-York, or the liberties and precincts 
 thereof, by retail or the small measure ; and that Fees for 
 it shall be lawful to and for the said Mayor of the J^epTavern to 
 
 said city, for the time being, to ask, demand, and the use of the 
 
 ... corporation. 
 
 receive for every such licence by him to be given and 
 .granted as aforesaid, such sum or sums of money, 
 as he and the person to whom such licence shall be 
 given and granted, shall agree for, not exceeding 
 the sum of thirty shillings for each licence ; all 
 which monies, as by the said Mayor, shall be so re¬ 
 ceived, shall be used and applied to the public use 
 of the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of 
 the said city of New-York, and their successors 
 forever, without any account thereof to be rendered, 
 
78 
 
 CHARTER OF TIIE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 Licence to 
 continue in 
 force one year 
 and no logger. 
 
 No person 
 without licence 
 to keep a ta¬ 
 vern, or retail. 
 
 On penalty of 
 five pounds. 
 
 To be levied. 
 
 To the use of 
 the corpora¬ 
 tion. 
 
 made, or done, to us, our heirs, or successors, or any 
 other person whatsoever ; Every and each of which ’ 
 licences shall continue and be in force for any time, 
 not exceeding one year from the granting thereof, 
 but no longer. And we do hereby, for us, our heirs, 
 and successors, constitute, direct, order, and ap¬ 
 point, that no person or persons whatsoever, with¬ 
 out such licence being in force, shall at any time 
 hereafter keep any tavern, inn, public ordinaries, 
 or victualling houses, or sell wine, brandy, rum, 
 strong waters, cider, beer, ale, or any other sorts 
 of exciseable or strong liquors, within the city of 
 New-York, or the liberties or precincts thereof, by 
 retail or small measure, under the penalty of five 
 pounds, current money of JNTew-York, for every 
 time that any person shall act contrary hereto in any 
 respect, to be forfeited and paid by every person, 
 for every time he or she shall offend or act con¬ 
 trary hereto in any respect, to and for the use of 
 the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of 
 the city of JNew-York, for the time being ; all and 
 every of which penalties shall and may be levied, 
 by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of 
 such delinquent and delinquents, by warrant under 
 the seal of the said city, signed by the Mayor 
 thereof for the time being, or his deputy, render¬ 
 ing the surplusage to the owner or owners thereof, 
 if any be, (the necessary charges of making and 
 selling, such distress being first deducted,) or by 
 any other lawful method to be obtained ; and shall 
 be recovered and received by and to the only use 
 of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ,. GOVERNOR. 
 
 79 
 
 city of New-York, and their successors forever, 
 without any account thereof to be given to us, our 
 heirs, or successors, or to any of the ministers or 
 officers of us, our heirs or successors. 
 
 Jhid further ive , of our especial grace, certain Mayor, deputy 
 knowledge, and meer motion, have given, grant- ^^nl^Alder" 
 
 ed, ratified, and confirmed, and by these presents men, assigned 
 
 . ~ 1-1 • x justices of the 
 
 do, tor us, our heirs, and sucessors, give, grant, p eace . 
 ratify, and confirm unto the said Mayor, Aider- 
 men, and Commonalty, of the city of New- York, 
 
 and to their successor forever, that the Mayor, 
 
 deputy Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, of the 
 
 said city, for the time being, be, and shall be at 
 
 all times forever hereafter, and hereby are assigned 
 
 to be justices, and each of them a justice of us, our 
 
 heirs, and successors, the peace of us, our heirs, 
 
 and successors, within the city aforeseid and the 
 
 limits, jurisdiction, and extent thereof, and within 
 
 the county of New-York, to keep : and that they the y 
 
 the said Mayor, deputy Mayor, Recorder, and Al- or any four or 
 
 dermen, of the said city, for the time being, or any mayor^de- 
 
 four or more of them (whereof we will the Mayor, P ut y mayor, or 
 
 recorder to be 
 
 or deputy Mayor, or Recorder, of the said city, for 0 ne) may hold 
 the time being:, to be one) shall and may forever cou,ts °* ses " 
 hereafter hold and keep four courts of general Tuesday in No- 
 sessions of the peace, in and for the said city and aryi May ^ and 
 county of New-York, to begin at certain times in Au S ust yearly, 
 the year; to luit : one of them to begin on the 
 first Tuesday in November; another on the first 
 Tuesday in February ; another on the first Tuesday 
 in May; and the other on the first Tuesday in 
 
80 
 
 CHARTER of the city of new-york. 
 
 To last any August, in every year ; each ot which sessions of 
 time not ex¬ 
 ceeding four the peace, shall and may last, continue, and be held 
 
 ^ a ^ s * any time, not exceeding four days. And also , 
 
 that they the said Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Recor¬ 
 der, and Aldermen of the said city, for the time 
 being, or any four or more of them (whereof we 
 will the Mayor, or deputy Mayor, or Recorder, of 
 the said city, for the time being, to be one) shall 
 And to inquire, and may forever hereafter, have full power and au- 
 
 hear and deter- thority to enquire of and hear and determine, 
 mine all lelon- J n - 
 
 ies and offences within the city and county aforesaid, all and all 
 whatsoever be- , 
 
 longing to the manner ot lelomes, imprisonments, riots, routs, op- 
 ofth of ^ ustices pressions, extortions, forestallings, regratings, tres¬ 
 passes, offences, and all and singular other evil 
 deeds and offences whatsoever, within the city and 
 county aforesaid, from time to time perpetrated, 
 done arising, or happening, which to the office of 
 justices of the peace, are incumbent, or do in any 
 manner belong, or which thereafter shall happen to 
 belong, or be incumbent on them, or which in 
 any manner before justices of the peace ought or 
 may be inquired into, heard and determined, to¬ 
 gether with the correction and punishment thereof, 
 and to do and execute all other things, within the 
 city and county aforesaid, and the liberties and 
 precincts thereof, as fully, freely, and entirely, and 
 in as ample manner and form as justices of the 
 peace of us, our heirs, and successors, any where 
 within that part of our kingdom of Great Britain, 
 called England, by the laws, statutes, or customs, 
 of England, or by any other legal method whatso¬ 
 ever, heretofore had or exercised, or hereafter to 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ,. GOVERNOR. 
 
 SI 
 
 he had or exercised, could, might, or can do, and 
 in as ample manner and form, as if the same had 
 been in these our letters particularly, and by spe¬ 
 cial words expressed, contained, and mentioned. 
 
 And that the said justices of the peace, of us, our 
 
 heirs, and successors, in the city and county afore- 
 
 . . . , . ........ AndasJusti- 
 
 said, may have and exercise jurisdiction in all ces t Q have ju- 
 
 causes, matters, and things, whatsoever, which to ristl,ction in all 
 
 _ causes, which 
 
 justices of the peace of our said city and county, to the office of 
 
 in any manner do, or ought to belong. And fur- be^on^ ^ 
 
 ther , that the Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, of 
 
 the said city* for the time being, and every of them Al~ 
 
 from time to time, and at all times forever hereaf- dermen, made 
 
 ter, shall be justices assigned of Oyer and Termi - eranTrerminer', 
 
 ner , and of the gaol delivery of all and every the ant | £ a °l 
 
 delivery, and 
 
 gaols now being, and herefter to be in the said be so named in 
 city and county, and either of them, and shall be comm * s " 
 
 named in every commission, thereof to be made. 
 
 And we do hereby , for us, our heirs, and successors, Sheriff and 
 
 grant, order, and appoint, that the sheriff and other other officers to 
 
 execute the 
 
 ministers and officers of the said city, for the time warrants and 
 being, shall and may, and they are, and each of th™ Mayor °Re 
 them is hereby commanded, authorised, and fully corder, and Al- 
 empowered to execute and return all and every ciermen * 
 the precepts and commands of the Mayor, Recor¬ 
 der, and Aldermen, of the said city, for the time 
 being, and either, mr any of them, from time to 
 time, at all times, as fully and effectually as any 
 sheriff, minister, or officer, of any county or city, 
 any where in that part of our kingdom of Great- 
 Britain, called England, the mandates or commands 
 
 of any justice of the peace, justice of Oyer and 
 
 11 
 
82 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 Terminer , of gaol delivery of, or in any county 
 there, hath used to make return or execute, in any 
 manner whatsoever. 
 
 Power to the we r UT (j ier 0 f our special grace, cer- 
 
 corporation to J 1 107 
 
 hold one court tain knowledge, and meer motion, will and by 
 every^Tuesday ^ ese presents, for us our heirs, and successors, 
 
 in the week give, grant, ratify, and confirm, unto the said 
 yearly before 
 
 the Mayor or Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the city of 
 
 his deputy, or New- York, and their successorr forever, that they, 
 the recorder, & . 
 
 any three or and their successors forever hereafter, shall, can, 
 m-n 6 oVany and ma y have and hold, in the name of us, our 
 four or more of heirs, and successors, one court of record, within 
 
 the Mayor or the city of New-York, and the liberties and pre- 
 bis deputy, or c i nc ts thereof, upon every Tuesday in every year, 
 
 the rGctirilcrj 
 
 to be one. before the Mayor of the said city, for the time be¬ 
 ing or his deputy, or the Recorder of the said city, 
 
 for the time being, and any three or more of the 
 Aldermen, for the time being, or any four or more 
 
 of them (whereof we will the Mayor of the said city, 
 fre the time being, or his deputy, or he Recorder, 
 of the said city, for the time being, to be one.) And, 
 that the Mayor of the said city, for the time being, 
 or his deputy, or the Recorder of the said city, for 
 the time being, and three or more of the Aldermen, 
 and any four or more of them, (whereof we will 
 the said Mayor, or his deputy, or the Recorder, 
 And to hold, to be one,) shall and may hold, plea, and have 
 
 plea, take co»- cognizance of all and all manner of plaints, ac- 
 
 nizance of and 
 
 determine all tions, and pleas, of any lands and tenements, 
 
 well realaTper- w ^hin the said city of New-York and the limits 
 
 tonal, or mixt, and precincts thereof; and also of all actions of 
 
 thecity and m trespass with force and arms, and without replevin, 
 
 county. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 83 
 
 ejectment, trover, and conversion, trespass upon the 
 case, debt, detinue, covenant, deceits, contracts, con¬ 
 tempts, penalties, forfeitures, and all other actions, 
 and pleas, as well real as personal, and mixt, arising 
 and accruing within the said city and limits there¬ 
 of; together with full power and authority to hear 
 and determine all and every the same, and such • 
 actions and pleas aforesaid, and judgments there¬ 
 on, to render, and executions thereof to award and 
 make, and to act and do every thing therein in According 
 such manner and form, and by such, and the like England or this 
 
 methods, process, and proceedings, as fully and colon y* 
 amply as in our other courts of record, in such, or 
 the like cases is used, or can or may be acted and 
 done, according to the laws of that part of our 
 kingdom of Great-Britain, called England, and of 
 our said province ofNew-York. 
 
 And we do hereby , for us, our heirs, and succes- Sheriffs 
 
 sors, grant, order, and appoint, that the sheriff, officio exe^ 
 
 and the coroner, and other ministers, and officers, cute and return 
 
 their precepts 
 
 of the said city, for the time being, shall and may, 
 and they are, and each of them is hereby command¬ 
 ed, authorised, and fully empowered, to execute and 
 return all and every the precepts and process of 
 the said court, to them respectively directed, or to 
 be directed, from time to time, and at all times, as 
 fully and effectually as any sheriff, coroner, minis¬ 
 ter, or officer, of or in any city or place within that 
 part of our kingdom of Great- Britain, called En¬ 
 gland, the precepts and processes of any court of 
 record there, hath used, or can or may execute 
 
84 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 and return, in any manner howsoever ; Provided 
 
 always , That the Mayor of the said city for the 
 
 time being, or his deputy, or the recorder of 
 
 adjoum° W the t0 ^ sai d city for the time being, and any three or 
 
 Mayor’s court more of the Aldermen of the said city, j or any four 
 for any time, ' 1 
 
 not exceeding or more of them (whereof the Mayor or his deputy, 
 
 23 days. or the Recorder, we will to be one) may and by 
 
 there presents have and shall have full power to 
 
 adjourn the said court for any time not exceeding 
 
 twenty-eight days. 
 
 *And we do further will, and by these presents, for 
 ns, our heirs, and successors, give, grant, ratify, 
 Corporation and confirm, unto the said Mayor, Aldermen, and 
 mo^cleidc C ° m_ Commonalty, of the city of New-York, and their sue-* 
 cessors, that they and their successors, from hence¬ 
 forth forever hereafter, shall and may have within 
 the city aforesaid, a fit and discreet man to be, and 
 who shall be, and be called, the Common clerk of 
 the city aforesaid, to act and do all those things 
 within the city aforesaid, and the limits and jurisdic^ 
 tion thereof, which to any Common clerk of or in 
 any city, borough, or town incorporated, any 
 where in that part of our kingdom of Great-Britain 
 called England, by virtue of his office, can or ought 
 to do. And also, that forever hereafter, the com- 
 
 Who shall 111011 c ^ ei 'b of the city aforesaid, for the time being, 
 
 be clerk of the shall also be clerk of the court of record, to be held 
 court of record, n , . . , . , 
 
 clerk of the before the Mayor, or his deputy, or the recorder, op 
 
 peace, «te oi ses- an y three or more of the Aldermen of the said city, 
 juons of the J 
 
 peace. as aforesaid ; and also clerk of our peace, and of the 
 
 peace of our heirs and successors, and of the ses¬ 
 sions of the peace, for and in the city and county of 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ.. GOVERNOR; 
 
 85 
 
 New-York, from time to time to be held, and all 
 and singular those things which to the office and of¬ 
 fices of such clerk of the peace, and of the sessions 
 of the peace, do and shall appertain, to do, act 
 and execute ; and also, shall and may require, de¬ 
 mand, take, accept, hold, keep, and enjoy, all fees, 
 perquisites, and profits, which may to any such com¬ 
 mon clerk, clerk of the peace, and of the sessions 
 of the peace, do or ought to belong. And ive do 
 hereby , give, grant, ratify, and confirm, for us, 
 our heirs, and successors, unto our beloved William 
 Sharpas, Gen. (one of the inhabitants of the city 
 aforesaid) to be the present common clerk of the city 
 of New-York aforesaid ; and also clerk of the peace, 
 and of the sessions of the peace, for, and in the city 
 and county of New-York, to continue in the offices 
 aforesaid, during his life, and to act and execute the 
 same offices and places by himself or his deputy. 
 Jlnd we do further , for us, our heirs and successors? 
 appoint, will, and direct, that the Governor or 
 Commander in chief of the said province of New<- 
 York, for the time being, from time to time, and at 
 all times, after the death of the said William Sharpas, 
 when and so often as the office and place of Com¬ 
 mon Clerk of the said city shall happen to be va¬ 
 cant, shall and may appoint an honest and discreet 
 man, being one of the inhabitants, and a freeman 
 or freeholder of the said city, to be Common Clerk 
 of the said city, during his good behaviour ; and so 
 as often as such case shall happen. And we do fur¬ 
 ther, for us, our heirs, and successors, will and grant, 
 
 4 , 
 
 that so often as the said office shall be vacant, the 
 
 And take all 
 fees belonging 
 to those offices. 
 
 Mr. William 
 Sharpas ap¬ 
 pointed com¬ 
 mon clerk, and 
 elerk of the 
 peace and ses¬ 
 sions of the 
 peace. 
 
 Upon his 
 death, the Go¬ 
 vernor to ap¬ 
 point another, 
 whe shall ex-r 
 ecute those of 
 fices, during 
 his good be¬ 
 haviour. 
 
86 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 As often as Common Council of the said city, for the time being, 
 
 the office of 
 
 clerk be vacant shall and may appoint one other honest and dis- 
 
 the common creet citizen, being an inhabitant and freeman, or 
 
 council to ap* ° 7 
 
 point one, who freeholder of the said city, to be Common Clerk 
 
 therein°tdu nUC 0 ** the said city, and Clerk of the said Court of Re- 
 
 another be ap- CO rd, in and for the said city; and Clerk of the 
 
 pointed by the 
 
 Governor, and Peace, and of the Sessions of the Peace, in and for 
 the said city and county of New-York, to act and 
 execute the said offices, and who shall and may 
 execute, do, and receive, all and whatsoever to the 
 
 Eight attornies 
 appointed for 
 the Mayor’s 
 court, during 
 their good be¬ 
 haviour. 
 
 I 
 
 said offices, and every of them, belongs, or shall 
 belong or appertain, till in his room, another ho¬ 
 nest and discreet person, being an inhabitant and 
 freeman, or freeholder of the said city, shall be 
 appointed into and for the said offices, by the Go¬ 
 vernor or Commander in Chief of the said province 
 for the time being; and shall have taken such an 
 oath as is hereby directed for every such person 
 so to be appointed, to give and take ; and so from 
 time to time, and so often as the case may or shall 
 so happen. 
 
 And jurther , we do hereby constitute, name, 
 and appoint, James Alexander, Joseph Murray, 
 John Chambers, William Smith, George Lurting, 
 William Jamison, Richard Nicolls, and Abraham 
 Lodge, gentlemen, to be the present attornies, and 
 each of them to be an attorney of and in the said 
 court of record, for and during the good behaviour 
 of each of them respectively: And we do here¬ 
 by, for us, our heirs, and successors, grant and 
 ordain, that no other attorney or attornies, per- 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ,. GOVERNOR. 
 
 87 
 
 son or persons whomsoever, (besides the afore- Atm no other 
 named attornie3, during the time that they shall p^itice*there 
 all remain attornies of the said court) shall be 
 permitted or suffered to practice as an attorney of 
 or in the said court; but all and every other at¬ 
 torney and attornies, person and persons (besides 
 the before named attornies, during the time afore¬ 
 said) from being an attorney or attornies of or in 
 the said court, and from all practice as such, shall 
 be, and are and each of them is excluded and de- The Mayor, 
 barred. And we do hereby , for us our heirs, and (3e P ut y Mayor, 
 successors, give and grant unto the said Mayor, any three or 
 Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city of New- men%rany 
 
 York, and their successors for ever, that the May- four or more of 
 ’ ... them (the May. 
 
 or of the said city, for the time being, or his de- ororhisdepu- 
 puty, or the Recorder, and any three or more of be^ne^ma^. 
 
 the Aldermen of the said city for the time being, with consent of 
 
 the Governor 
 
 or any four or more of them, (whereof we will the or commander 
 
 Mayor, or his deputy, or the Recorder of the said ? n chie *> for the 
 , . ill behaviour of 
 
 city, for the time being, to be one) shall and may the attornies, 
 
 (by and with the consent and approbation of our anJ ? n ,awful 
 
 Governor and Commander in Chief for the time move them. 
 
 being) have full power and authority, all or any of am0 val or 
 
 the before named attornies of the said court, and death of two, 
 
 upon the amo- 
 
 all or any other of the persons, hereafter to be ap- val or death of 
 pointed or admitted attornies of or in the said court, them t^reeom- 
 
 for their or his evil behaviour, in their or his said mend others to 
 
 . . the Governor 
 
 duty or othce of attornies, or an attorney of or in C r commander 
 
 the same, or his or their being thereof legally con- In cn,e f in their 
 
 victed from being attornies, or an attorney of or in when approved 
 
 j. , , r of shall be ad- 
 
 the said court to amove, displace, and forever ex- mittec j j n t h e 
 
 elude ; and after the amoval or death of any two Mayor’s court. 
 
88 
 
 Charter op the city of new-york. 
 
 And no per¬ 
 son not recom¬ 
 mended Sc ap¬ 
 proved shall be 
 permitted to 
 practise after 
 the death or 
 amoval of any 
 of the before 
 named attor- 
 nies. 
 
 Number ofat- 
 tornies forever 
 to remain six. 
 
 Provided no¬ 
 thing be con¬ 
 strued to hin¬ 
 der his majesty 
 from prosecut¬ 
 ing, or defend¬ 
 ing, by his at¬ 
 torney general, 
 nor to hinder 
 the attorney 
 from practising 
 as council in 
 any civil cause. 
 
 or more of the before named attornies, upon the 
 amoval or death of any other of the attornies be¬ 
 fore named, or hereafter to be admitted, to re¬ 
 commend one other person to the Governor or 
 Commander in Chief of the said province of New- 
 York for the time being, for his approbation, in 
 the room of such attorney so dying, or being re¬ 
 moved ; each of which persons, so to be recom¬ 
 mended, and approved of, as aforesaid, shall and 
 may be admitted and sworn an attorney of, and in 
 the said court; and so often as the case shall hap¬ 
 pen. And we do further , for us, our heirs, and 
 successors, grant and appoint, that no other attor¬ 
 ney or person whatsoever, shall, after the death or 
 amoval of any of the before named attornies, be 
 admitted or suffered to practise as an attorney of 
 or in the said court, but what shall be recommend¬ 
 ed and approved of as aforesaid. And further , we 
 do, for us, our heirs, and successors, grant, will, 
 and ordain, that the number of attornies of the 
 said court, shall not at any one time after the 
 death or removal of any two or more of the before 
 named attornies, forever hereafter exceed the 
 number of six: Provided, that nothing herein 
 shall be construed to extend to hinder us, our heirs, 
 or successors, from prosecuting or defending, all 
 or any suits, causes, actions, or prosecutions, in 
 the said Mayor’s court, by our attorney or solicitor 
 general for our said province, or the attorney or 
 solicitor general of us, our heirs, or successors, for 
 the said province, for the time being ; nor to hinder 
 the attorney or solicitor general of us, our heirs, 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 89 
 
 or successors, for the said province, for the time 
 being, to practice in the said court as council in 
 any civil cause. 
 
 And we do further of our especial grace, certain 
 knowledge, and meer motion, for us, our heirs, and 
 successors, grant, appoint, and direct, that the May¬ 
 or, Recorder, and Aldermen, of the said city, for 
 the time being, and each of them, from time to time, 
 and at all times, forever hereafter, shall have, by 
 these presents, full power and authority to have 
 and take cognizance of, and to hear, try, and final¬ 
 ly determine, with or without a jury, all pleas, suits, 
 controversies, and trespasses, wherein the value 
 does not exceed the sum of forty shillings, in such 
 manner as they or either of them shall think or 
 judge to be agreeable and according to equity and 
 good conscience ; and for the more due proceeding 
 herein, it shall and may be lawful for them or either 
 of them, to administer an oath to the plaintiff or 
 defendant, and also to such witnesses, as shall be 
 produced by each party, if they the said Mayor, 
 Recorder, and Aldermen, or either of them think 
 fit; and in case either of the parties, plaintiff or 
 defendant, shall not perform such order, judgment, 
 or decree, as the said Mayor, Recorder, or Aider- 
 men, for the time being, or any one of them, shall 
 make or set down, then it shall and may be lawful 
 for them, or any one of them, to commit such party 
 or parties to any prison of or in the said city, there 
 to remain until he, she, or they, perform such or¬ 
 der and every marshal of the said city for the time 
 
 being, is hereby commanded and authorised to ex- 
 
 12 
 
 Power to the 
 Mayor, record¬ 
 er and Aider- 
 men, and each 
 of them, to de¬ 
 termine all 
 causes with or 
 without a jury, 
 where the thing 
 in demand 
 shall not ex-J 
 ceed 40s. 
 
 And to admin¬ 
 ister an oath 
 to plaintiff and 
 defendant and j 
 their witnesses. 
 
 And if either 
 party refuse to 
 comply with 
 the decree of 
 them, or any 
 of them, that 
 they or any 
 one of them 
 may commit 
 such party to 
 prison till per 
 formance. 
 
90 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 Every mar¬ 
 shal to execute 
 their or either 
 of their pre¬ 
 cepts. 
 
 And every 
 gaol keeper to 
 receive and in 
 custody, &c. 
 such party or 
 parties who 
 shall not com¬ 
 ply with such 
 decree and be 
 committed* 
 
 ecute all and any the summonses, precepts, an<l 
 commands, of them the said Mayor, Recorder, and 
 Aldermen, or any one of them, made, issued, or 
 given in about, or concerning, such suits, pleas, 
 controversies, and trespasses, or any of them, as 
 shall be to him directed 5 and every keeper of the 
 gaol for the city of New-York, for the time beings 
 is hereby commanded and authorised to receive, 
 and safe keep, in his gaol or custody, all such par¬ 
 ties so committed or to be committed to the pri¬ 
 son he shall be then keeper of, until he, she, or they* 
 shall perform such order accordingly. 
 
 Jind we do, for ourselves, our heirs,, and sucees- 
 
 Sheriff, clerk sors, by these our present letters, require, and 
 
 diiaate 1 officers strictly charge and command, and fully empower, 
 
 to be obedient the sheriff, common clerk, chamberlain, marshal, 
 to and to attend . . . . 
 
 upon the May- gaol keepers, high constable, petty constables, and 
 
 or recorder a q 0 q ler subordinate officers, of and in the said 
 Aldermen, and 
 
 to execute their city, now chosen, elected, constituted, or appoint- 
 
 command. 
 
 ed, or that hereafter may be chosen, elected, con 
 
 stituted, or appointed, and every of them respec¬ 
 
 tively, jointly, and severally, as cause shall require, 
 to be obeisant and obedient to, and attend upon 
 the said Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, of the 
 said city, and every or any of them, at all times 
 hereafter, according to the duty or obligation of 
 
 their respective offices and places ; and to execute 
 all and every the commands, precepts, warrants, 
 and processes, to them respectively directed and 
 issued, and given out, and to be issued and given 
 out, by them the said Mayor, Recorder, and Aider- 
 
 men, or any one of them. 
 
JOHN 1 MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 91 
 
 Jlnd we do further , hereby will, declare, and or- Mayor, his 
 daiii, that before the Mayor, deputy Mayor, Re- other officers to 
 corder, Aldermen, Assistants, Assessors, Sheriff, be sworn - 
 Coroner, Common Clerk, Chamberlain, High Con¬ 
 stable, and Petty Constables, of the said city, such 
 of them as are hereby appointed and named, and 
 all and every such as hereafter are to be appointed, 
 elected, or chosen, shall, before they be respective¬ 
 ly permitted to execute their respective offices or 
 places aforesaid, respectively be sworn as follow, 
 
 to wil: The hereby named Mayor of the said be ^ ore they ex 
 
 ecute their of- 
 
 city, and every other person, hereafter to be ap- ticcs. 
 pointed to or for that office, to take the proper 
 oath as such, and well and truly to execute the of¬ 
 fice of Mayor, and all other offices and places, 
 hereby appointed for each Mayor to execute and 
 act in, and the usual oath of a justice of peace, be- sworn, 
 fore the Governor or Commander in Chief of the 
 
 said province of New r -York, for the time being, in before the Go¬ 
 vernor, or in 
 
 presence of three or more of the Aldermen of the his absence, 
 
 said city of New-York, for the time being ; or, l) ''/ ore theolc! * 
 
 in case of the absence of the Governor or Com- in the presence 
 
 of three or 
 
 mander in Chief, for the time being, then before more Alder- 
 the oldest counsellor of the said province, for the men ‘ 
 time being, in the presence of three or more of 
 the Aldermen of the said city for the time being. 
 
 Jlnd we do hereby , for us, our heirs and succes¬ 
 sors, give and grant full power and authority to Power to ad* 
 the Governor or Commander in Chief of the said oa "]^ Warded 
 
 province, for the time being;, in the presence of lo th e Gover- 
 r , ’ . nor, 4-in his ab- 
 
 tnree or more ot the Aldermen ot the city aiore- sence to the old- 
 
 said, for the time being, or in case of the absence est couabellor * 
 
92 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEYV-YORK. 
 
 Recorder to 
 be sworn, 
 
 before the 
 Mayor or his 
 deputy. 
 
 Deputy May¬ 
 or to be aworn. 
 
 His oath. 
 
 of the said Governor or Commander in Chief, thei 
 to the oldest counsellor of the said province fo 
 the time being, in the presence of any three oi 
 more of the Aldermen of the said city, for the timt 
 being, to administer such oaths accordingly, with¬ 
 out any other warrant, commission, or power from 
 us, our heirs, or successors; and so from time to 
 time, as often as the case shall or may require or 
 happen. And the above named Recorder of the 
 said city of New-York, and every other person 
 hereafter to be appointed to or for that office, tc 
 take the proper oath, as such officer ought to take, 
 and an oath, well and truly to execute the office of 
 Recorder, and the proper oath of a justice of peace, 
 before the Mayor of the said city, for the time being, 
 or his deputy; to which same Mayor, for the time 
 being, or his deputy, we do, for us, our heirs, 
 and successors, give full power and authority by 
 these presents, to administer such oaths according¬ 
 ly, in manner aforesaid, without any other war¬ 
 rant, commission, or power from us, our heirs, and 
 successors ; and every deputy Mayor or every Al¬ 
 derman hereafter to be appointed to act as deputy 
 Mayor, for the time being, to take the proper 
 oath as such, and an oath, well and truly to exe¬ 
 cute the office of a deputy Mayor, during the 
 time for which he shall be appointed deputy, if the 
 same Mayor, his constituent, shall so long live: 
 And if the said Mayor shall happen to die with¬ 
 in such time, that thereupon, and from thence¬ 
 forth, such deputy Mayor shall well and truly 
 execute the office of Mayor of the said city. 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 93 
 
 until another fit person be appointed and sworn 
 
 Mayor of the said city, in the manner in these 
 
 present letters mentioned ; and shall also take the 
 
 proper oath of a justice of peace, before the Mayor 
 
 or Recorder, and any three or more of the Aider- 
 
 men of the said city for the time being. And we co ^Jer Tiid^any 
 
 do hereby , for us, our heirs, and successors, give three or more 
 ^11 , , i _ n Aldermen to 
 
 full power and authority to the Mayor, or Re. administer 
 
 corder of the said city and to any three or more such oath 
 of the Aldermen of the said city, for the time be¬ 
 ing, to administer such oaths, as aforesaid, with¬ 
 out any other warrant, commission, or power from 
 us, our heirs, or successors. And also , every Al- Aldermen as- 
 derman hereby appointed, and every person here- g^^sheriff ** 
 after to be elected to or for the office or place of coroner, clerk, 
 Alderman of or in the said city, to take an oath, Constable 
 well and truly to execute the office or place of 
 Alderman, and the proper oath of a justice of 
 peace, before the Mayor of the said city, for the 
 time being, or his deputy, or the Recorder of the 
 said city, for the time being: And also every As¬ 
 sistant, Assessor, Sheriff, Coroner, Common Clerk, 
 
 Chamberlain, High Constable, and Petty Constable, and tt con . 
 hereby named, and every person hereafter to be stables, 
 elected or appointed to or for the office or place of 
 an Assistant, Assessor, Coroner, Common Clerk, or 
 Chamberlain, or shall be appointed or elected to 
 or for the office or place of High Constable or Petty 
 Constable of or in the said city, each of them res¬ 
 pectively to take the proper oath for his respective to be sworn be- 
 
 office or place, and well and truly to execute the lor f Mayor, 
 * 7 J or his deputy 
 
 respective offices or places he is or shall have been or reeorder ; 
 
94 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 who are im- 
 powered to ad 
 minister the 
 same. 
 
 None of the 
 corporation 
 nor any free 
 citizen of the 
 city to be com 
 pel led against 
 their wills to 
 serye on any 
 inquest or pa¬ 
 ries or to exe¬ 
 cute any 
 
 office out of the 
 jurisdiction of 
 the city, while 
 they remain 
 inhabitants. 
 
 respectively elected or named for, before the said 
 Mayor of the said city for the time being, or his 
 deputy, or the Recorder of the said city for the 
 time being. And we do hereby give full power and 
 authority to the Mayor of the said city, for the 
 time being, or his deputy, or the Recorder of the 
 said city for the time being, to administer such 
 respective oaths to each of the respective persons 
 ' aforesaid, accordingly, without any other warrant? 
 power, or authority, from us, our heirs, or suc¬ 
 cessors. 
 
 And further , of our especial grace, certain 
 knowledge, and meer motion, we have granted 
 and by these presents do, for ourselves, our heirs, 
 and successors, grant and confirm unto the afore¬ 
 said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the 
 city of JNew-York aforesaid, and to their succes¬ 
 sors, that neither they, nor any one of them, nor 
 any free citizen of the said city, during the time of 
 their being inhabitants there, shall against their 
 or any of their wills, out of the city aforesaid, be 
 put or impanelled upon or in any assizes, juries, 
 or inquisitions whatsoever (although it toucheth 
 or doth or shall touch us, our heirs or successors, 
 and although we, or our successors, be, or, should, 
 or shall be parties) out of the said city, neither 
 shall they or any ano of them be made, elected, or 
 chosen Assessor, Taxer, or Collector of any taxes, 
 duties, imposts, or subsides, whatsoever, or of any 
 part or parcel of them, or of any of them, out 
 of the said city ; nor shall be ordained, elected, 
 assigned or appointed constable, bailiff, or any 
 
I 
 
 JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ,. GOVERNOR. 95 
 
 other officer or minister,' without or beyond the 
 city aforesaid, and the liberties and precincts there¬ 
 of; nor shall be called upon, compelled, or forced, 
 against their or any of their wills, to do, receive, 
 occupy, or discharge, any of the duties or functions 
 above mentioned, or any other office, duty, or func¬ 
 tion, whatsoever, without the city, liberties, and 
 precincts aforesaid. And although the aforesaid 
 
 Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, Freemen, or 
 _ .. ’ ’ Nor shall „ 
 
 free citizens, of the city aforesaid, or any of them incur any fines 
 
 shall, while they are or remain inhabitants of the 
 said city against their, or any of their wills, be 
 put impanelled, or returned upon any assizes, 
 juries, or inquisitions whatsoever, out of the said 
 city and limits thereof; or shall to any of the offi¬ 
 ces above-mentioned, or any other office or func¬ 
 tion whatsoever, out of the said city, be elected 
 or chosen; and though they, or any of them, 
 being summoned, impanelled, or returned, elected, 
 or chosen, as aloresaid, shall refuse or neglect to for refusing to 
 come and appear before our justices, or other jus- ■ n q Uestg) ^ ur j eg? 
 
 tices, commissioners, or officers, of us, our heirs, or to execute 
 
 any office out 
 
 or succsssors, (before whom such assizes, juries or of the jurisdic- 
 
 inquests shall happen to be summoned or returned) ll0n tliecil y- 
 
 or in or upon the same assizes, juries, or inquests, 
 
 shall refuse or neglect to be sworn or tried, or 
 
 any of the offices, duties, or functions, aforesaid, 
 
 shall refuse to do, receive, occupy, or discharge, 
 
 yet the person or persons so refusing any contempts, 
 
 fines, amerciaments, penalties, forfeitures or loss 
 
 whatsoever, by reason of such refusal or neglect, 
 
 to or towards us, our heirs, or successors, shall 
 
96 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 Grant & con¬ 
 firmation to all 
 the inhabitants, 
 of their houses, 
 lands, tene¬ 
 ments and 
 hereditaments, 
 
 saving; the quit- 
 rents reserved 
 by their grants. 
 
 not, nor either of them, shall in any wise incur, but 
 therefrom and thereof, as well as before us, our heirs, 
 and successors, as all other the justices, commis¬ 
 sioners, and other officers whatsoever of us, our 
 heirs, or successors, shall remain quiet, and forever 
 discharged. 
 
 And further, we do for us, our heirs, and suc¬ 
 cessors, by these present letters give, grant* ratify, 
 and confirm, unto all and every the respective inha¬ 
 bitants and freeholders of the said city of New- 
 York, and their several and respective heirs and 
 assigns forever, all and every the several and res¬ 
 pective messuages, tenements, lands, and heredi¬ 
 taments, situate, lying and being in the said city, 
 and Manhattan’s-Island aforesaid, to them several¬ 
 ly and respectively granted, conveyed or confirm¬ 
 ed, or mentioned or intended to be granted, con¬ 
 veyed, or confirmed, by any of the late Governors, 
 Lieutenant-Governors, or Commanders in Chief, of 
 the said province, or by any of the former Mayors, 
 or deputy Mayors, and Aldermen and Common¬ 
 alty of the said city of New-York, by that or any 
 other name, stile, or title, or by others claiming 
 under any such grant or conveyance, to have and 
 to hold to them respectively, and to their respec¬ 
 tive heirs and assigns forever; saving and reserv¬ 
 ing the several rents and quit-rents, reserved and 
 due, and to be due and payable from each of the 
 several persons, to whom by virtue of any former 
 grants to them (or those from or under whom they 
 respectively hold) the same messuages, tenements, 
 lands, or hereditaments were made or given. 
 
.John Montgomerie, esq. governor. 
 
 97 
 
 Jlnd further , of our especial grace, certain, know- Power to the 
 , . . corporation to 
 
 ledge, and meer motion, we do, tor us, our heirs, purchase and 
 and successors, give, grant, ratify, and confirm hol<1 * u ^ e , e 
 to the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of tenements, or 
 our said city of JVew-York, and to their successors 'the'elear 
 
 forever, full, special and free liberty, license, pow- yearly value 
 
 ii- i -i i,ii exceed not 
 
 er, and authority, to take, receive, have, hold, and 30001 sterl. 
 
 enjoy, to them and their successors forever, in fee f er Annum, 
 simple, any manors, messuages, lands tenements, 
 hereditaments, rents, and other possessions and 
 real estate, within or without the same city, as well 
 of and from us, our heirs, and successors, as of 
 and from all and every other person and persons 
 whomsoever; so as the manors, messuages, lands, 
 tenements, hereditaments, 1 rents and other posses¬ 
 sions and real estate, which the Mayor, Aldermen, 
 and Commonalty of the city of New-York, shall and 
 may have in their possession and seizen, at any one 
 time, exceed not in the whole, the clear yearly 
 rent or value of three thousand pounds per annum, 
 money of our realm of Great Britain, beyond and 
 above all charges and reprises, without any hin¬ 
 drance of us, our heirs, or successors, or the justices, 
 escheators, sheriffs, coroners, bailiffs, or other the 
 ministers of us, our heirs, or successors; and this 
 without any other letters patent, liberty, license, or 
 power, from us, our heirs, or successors, the sta¬ 
 tute of Mortmain , or any other act, law or statute, 
 or any other cause, thing, or matter, whatsoever, to 
 the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding; 
 and the same manors, messuages, lands, tenements, 
 
 13 
 
98 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 And the same hereditaments, rents, and other possessions, or any 
 to dispose of at - . 
 
 their pleasure, part thereof, to demise grant, lease, and set over, 
 
 assign and dispose, at their own will and pleasure, 
 
 auu to make, seal, and accomplish, any deed, or 
 
 deeds, lease, or leases, evidences, or writings, for 
 
 or concerning the same or any part thereof. 
 
 G»-ant and con* Jlnd we do, by these presents, of our especial 
 
 In matinn to the e, certain knowledge, and meer motion, give, 
 
 men, and com- grant, ratify, and confirm, unto the said Mayor, 
 monalty of the , „ lA ^ ^ P ^-r 
 
 City-hatL and Aldermen, and Commonalty, ol the city of JNew- 
 
 s:aoh, the five York, and their successors forever, all those the 
 market houses, 
 
 the great dock, now City-Hall and gaols, rooms or places, for the 
 
 ancJ 16 common cour ts of justice and chambers adjoining, with the 
 
 sewer the pow ground and appurtenances thereto belonging, the 
 der house, and 
 
 the ferry and five market houses, the great dock, the now crane 
 
 all othei leiries anc j w f lar f w ith the common sewer leading through 
 hereafter to be ’ & o 
 
 settled, to- the great dock and bridge, and also the Magazine, 
 gather with the , , , _ . , 
 
 ferry house*, ° 1 ’ owder-house, near the tresh water, all in the 
 
 barns, stables, c [ t y 0 f New-York, and the ferry and ferries on both 
 
 pens, pounds, 
 
 and ground, sides of the East River, and all other ferries now 
 
 thereto belong- aric j hereafter to be erected and established all round 
 in^, and tne 
 
 ground be- the Island Manhattan’s ; and the management and 
 
 andTow " 1 water- ru ^ e °f> an d ^ ees ’ ferriages, and perquisites to 
 mark, from the the same, or any part thereof belonging, or to be- 
 
 Wall About long; and also the ferry houses on Nassau-Islandy 
 
 of iim reS hook ^ ie barns, stables, penn, or pounds, and lot 
 and all waste, of ground thereto belonging; and also all the 
 
 patented n ' land ground, soil or land, between high-water and low- 
 
 on IVlanhat- water mark, on the said Island of Nassau, from the 
 tan’s Island, ex¬ 
 tending to low east side of the place called Wallabout to the west 
 
 ■with' the 11 bene- s ' ( ^ e Red-Hook ; and also to make laws and rules, 
 
 fit of all docks, for the governing and well ordering of all the ferries 
 and wharfs, &e & 
 
joiin: Montgomerie, esq. governor. 
 
 99 
 
 now erected or established, or hereafter to be erect¬ 
 ed or established round the said Island Manhat- 
 tan’s ; and all the waste, vacant, unpatented, and 
 unappropriated land, lying and being within the 
 said city of JNew-York, and on Manhaltan’s-Island 
 aforesaid, extending to low-water mark ; together 
 with the right, benefit, and advantage, of all docks, 
 wharfs, cranes, and slips, or small docks within 
 this city, with the wharfage, crange, and dockage, 
 
 and all issues, rents, profits, and advantages aris- -And all P t0 ” 
 
 ^ fits arising 
 
 ing, or to arise or accrue by or from all or any of therefrom, and 
 
 them : and rdl rivers, rivulets, creeks, coves, ponds, a11 ,u, ' rs ’ 
 
 7 7 7 7 7 1 7 creeks, coves, 
 
 waters, water-courses, fishing, fowling, hunting, and o 1 her privi- 
 
 • i • i i a ' Je » es ’ advanta- 
 
 and hawking, mines, and minerals, and other roy- ^ heredita- 
 
 alties and privileges within the city of New-York, and a11 
 
 1 & other their 
 
 and Manhattan’s-Island ; and also all and singular rights and pri- 
 other the rights, privileges, liberties, franchises? 
 pre-eminences, advantages, jurisdictions, courts, 
 powers, offices, authorities, markets, ferries, fer¬ 
 riages, fees, fines, amerciaments, perquisites, pro¬ 
 fits, immunities, lands, tenements, rents, posses¬ 
 sions, and hereditaments, and other real estate, not 
 
 only which in the before recited grant or writing Grant by for- 
 
 . -ii i • N p mer charters, 
 
 made or mentioned to be made, m the year ot our 
 
 lord one thousand six hundred and eighty-six, and 
 
 in the before recited letters patent of Queen Anne, 
 
 mentioned or intended to be thereby, or by either 
 
 of them granted or conveyed, but also, which the 
 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the city of 
 
 New-York, or their predecessors, inhabitants, or 
 
 citizens of the said city of New-York, or any part 
 
100 . 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 thereof, by whatsoever other name, stile, or title, 
 they or any of them, have been known or called, 
 or which they have, held, or claimed to hold by perscription or 
 held "or claim- otherwise, (silver and gold mines excepted) and 
 ed, except gold also, except our Fort George, in our city of New- 
 
 cind. silver 
 
 rmnes, the fort, York, and the ground, full boundaries, and extent 
 
 governor’s gar- thereof, or thereto belonging, and also that piece 
 
 farm, & swamp, of ground near the English Church, called the Go- 
 
 reserved^-yfor- ve r n or’s garden, and the land called the King’s 
 
 mer grants, <fc JTarm, with the swamp next to the same : and sav- 
 saving other 
 
 persons’ right ing the several rents, reserved by virtue of former 
 to the premises, g rantg anc [ sav i n g to all other persons, bodies po- 
 
 those having litic and corporate, their respective titles, to any of 
 plantations by . . 
 
 the water side, the said lands or tenements ; and saving to the m- 
 
 hetween Wall- habitants, or those that have plantations by the 
 about, and red- 
 
 hook, a right water-side, between Wallabout and Red-Hook, the 
 of transporting r j„ht of transporting themselves, and their own 
 
 goods. goods only, in their own boats, from and to their 
 
 respective dwellings or plantations, without paying 
 ferriage, to have and to hold all and singular the 
 premises aforesaid, and every part and parcel there¬ 
 of (except and saving, as is herein excepted and 
 saved) unto the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Com¬ 
 monalty of the city of New-York, and their suc¬ 
 cessors forever, to their only proper use and behoof 
 forever. 
 
 And also, we do further, of our especial grace, 
 certain knowledge, and meer motion, give, grant, 
 ratify and confirm unto the said Mayor, Aldermen, 
 and Commonalty, of the city of New-York, and to 
 their successors forever, all that space of ground 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 101 
 
 and soil of Hudson’s River now lying and being To hold to the 
 
 . corporation in 
 
 under the water ol the same river, to begin at a f ee , grant of 
 certain place, near high-water mark, at the south tlie so . 1 . 1 un4er 
 
 1 ° 7 water irom 
 
 end of a piece of upland, which lies between the Restaver’s Kil- 
 
 • , • , . ~ i i litie to the fort 
 
 said river, and a piece ot meadow ground or marsh, on lhe j^ orth . 
 
 being the first piece of meadow ground or marsh river, 
 near Hudson’s River, to the southward of Green¬ 
 wich, and from whence the above named run of 
 water called Bestaver’s Killitie, or rivulet, runs 
 into Hudson’s River, from which place of beginning 
 to extend and run to the south side of the street 
 which runs from the parade before our fort in New- 
 York to Hudson’s River, south, eighteen degrees, 
 thirty minutes west, on a straight line, the distance 
 being one hundred and twenty-five chains, from 
 which line to run a perpendicular breadth of, and 
 to comprehend four hundred feet from low-water comprehend- 
 
 mark, into Hudson’s River, the same containing 400 ieet 
 
 below lowwa- 
 
 eighty- two acres, and one half acre, or thereabout, ter mark, and 
 
 And also, all that space of ground and soil of the acres'aud^ 
 
 East River, from the north side of Corlaer’s-Hook half. 
 
 And also, of 
 
 to Whitehall, beginning at two large stones, set on the soil ot the 
 the south side of a small creek in a marsh on the p ast r ‘y el 1 
 
 from Corlears- 
 
 north side of Corlear’s-Hook; from whence, to Hook 
 the eastermost point of Corlear’s-Hook, the distance 
 on a straight line, running south, fifteen degrees 
 thirty minutes east, is forty chains and two rod ; from 
 thence to Whitehall, on a straight line, running 
 south, seventy-eight degrees thirty minutes West, 
 the distance is one hundred and^fty-two chains, from 
 which two lines, to run a perpendicular breadth of, 
 and to comprehend four hundred feet from low-water- 
 
 hall, 
 
102 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF JNEW-YORK. 
 
 comprehend- mark into the East River, the same containing one 
 ing 400 It. from 
 
 low water- hundred and twenty-seven acres, or thereabouts ; 
 mark, & being together with aii and singular the benefits, liber- 
 all profits aris- ties privileges, ways, water-courses, easements, 
 therefrom U1Se w ^ ar fs, keys, profits, hereditaments, and appurte¬ 
 nances to the same, or any part thereof belonging 
 or appertaining, or to belong or to appertain, or 
 that can in any wise be had, made, used, or enjoy¬ 
 ed thereon, or therewith used, with full power and 
 authority at any time or times hereafter to fill, 
 make up, wharf, and lay out, all and every part 
 
 to wbiarf^o^r th ere °f; and the same to build upon and make 
 
 the same, and use of in such manner, as they, the said Mayor, Ab¬ 
 use it as they 
 
 think fit. dermen, and Commonalty, and their successors, 
 
 shall think fit ; and also all our estate, right, title, 
 interest, benefit, claim and demand whatsoever, 
 of, in, or to the same, and the reversion and rever¬ 
 sions, remainder and remainders, and the yearly, 
 and other rents, issues and profits, thereof; To 
 
 have and to hold , all and singular the premises 
 J o hold to ° 1 
 
 them in fee* aforesaid, unto them the said Mayor, Aldermen, 
 
 and Commonalty, and their successors, to their 
 
 own proper use and behoof for ever, and to no 
 
 other use, intent, or purpose, whatsoever. Provided 
 
 Corporation a ^ va y s i that nothing in these presents, shall be 
 
 not to wharf construed to empower or entitle the said Mayor, 
 out, before 
 
 those who have Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the city of New- 
 
 prior grants of y 01 j or their successors, to wharf out before any 
 keys or wharfs ’ ’ J 
 
 below low wa- persons who have prior grants, from us, or some 
 ter mark, with- . c . 
 
 out their con- or one °i our predecessors, ot keys or wharfs be- 
 
 eent/ yond low-water-mark, without the actual agree¬ 
 
 ment or consent of such persons, their heirs, or as- 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ,. GOVERNOR. 
 
 103 
 
 signs, owners of such keys or wharfs. And also , 
 that of the wharfs to be built, or run out, there 
 shall be left towards the said East and IVorth Ri¬ 
 vers, forty feet broad, as well for the greater con- 
 veniency of trade, as at any time or times hereaf¬ 
 ter, for us, our heirs, and successors, to plant bat¬ 
 teries thereon, in case of any necessities ; to do 
 which, we do, for us, our heirs, and successors, 
 hereby reserve power ; any thing herein contained 
 to the contrary, in anywise notwithstanding; they 
 the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, and 
 their successors, rendering, yielding, and paying, 
 for all and every the rights, privileges, franchises, 
 pre-eminences, advantages, jurisdictions, courts, 
 powers, offices, authorities, tines, amerciaments, 
 perquisites, fees, ferriages, profits, immnnilies, 
 lands, tenements, rents, possessions, heredita¬ 
 ments, and other real estate, and all other the 
 premises, in and by these letters, before and here¬ 
 after granted, or meant, mentioned, or intended to 
 bo hereby granted unto us, our heirs, and successors, 
 or, unto our, or their, receiver-general for the said 
 province of New-York, for the time being, at the 
 custom-house, in the said city of New-York, year- 
 jy and every year, on the feast day of St. Michael, 
 the Arch-Angel, the annual rent of thirty shillings, 
 proclamation money, besides and over and above 
 the yearly quit-rent of one Beaver-skin, or the va¬ 
 lue thereof, in current money of our said province, 
 in and by the aforesaid recited grant, made in the 
 year one thousand six hundred and eighty-six, 
 reserved to be paid on the twenty-fifth day of March, 
 
 And also, 
 shall have 40 
 foot broad to¬ 
 wards the East 
 and North 
 rivers, ior trad¬ 
 ing; and plant, 
 ing Batteries. 
 
 To hold to the 
 corporation, 
 under the year¬ 
 ly Quit rent of 
 30s. Proclama¬ 
 tion money, 
 over anil above 
 all former Quit- 
 rents. 
 
104 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 Corporation 
 quietly enjoy, 
 all their rights 
 and privileges. 
 
 Without th e 
 hindrance of 
 any person 
 whatsoever. 
 
 yearly forever; and also the yearly quit-rent of 
 five shillings, current money of New-York, in and 
 by the before recited letters patent of Queen Anne, 
 reserved to be paid at or upon the feast-day of St. 
 John the Baptist, yearly forever. 
 
 And we do further , of our especial grace, cer¬ 
 tain knowledge, and meer motion, for us, our heirs, 
 and successors, by these presents, give and grant, 
 unto the aforesaid Mayor, Aldermen, and Com¬ 
 monalty, of the said city of New-York, and their 
 successors for ever, that they and their successors, 
 all and singular the rights, privileges, franchises, 
 pre-eminences, advantages, authorities, jurisdic¬ 
 tions, liberties, officers, courts, powers, immuni¬ 
 ties, ferries, ferriages, profits, and perquisites, 
 hereinbefore mentioned, or intended to be hereby 
 granted or confirmed, shall, and may forever here¬ 
 after, have, hold, enjoy, and use, without the hin¬ 
 drance or impediment of us, our heirs, or succes¬ 
 sors, or of any of the justices, sheriffs escheators, 
 coroners, bailiffs, or other officers, or ministers, 
 whatsoever, of us, our heirs, or successors, albeit 
 the same or some, or any one of them, have uot 
 been used, or may have been abused, misused, or 
 discontinued, forfeited, or lost, being unwilling, 
 and hereby forbidding, that the said Mayor, Al¬ 
 dermen, and Commonalty, or their successors, or 
 any of them, by reason of the premises aforsaid, 
 or any part thereof, by us, our heirs, or by the 
 justices, sheriffs, escheators, bailiffs, or other offi¬ 
 cers or ministers of us, our heirs, or successors, 
 be hindered, molested, vexed, or aggrieved, or in 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ.. GOVERNOR. 
 
 105 
 
 any wise disturbed ; being willing, and by these 
 presents, for ourselves, our heirs, and successors, 
 commanding as well all the judges and justices of 
 us, our heirs, and successors, as the attorney and 
 solicitor-general of us, our heirs, and successors, 
 for the said province, for the time being ; and 
 also, all other officers and ministers whatsoever of 
 us, our heirs, and successors, for the time being, 
 that neither they, nor any of them, do prosecute 
 or continue, or cause to be prosecuted or continued, 
 any information, or any writ, or summons of 
 Quo Warranto , or any other writ or writs, pro- By any inferma- 
 secution, suit, or processes, whatsoever, against the ^anto^ov other 
 aforesaid Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of su h- 
 the city of New-York, or their successors for the 
 time being, or against any of them, for any causes, 
 things, offences, claims, usurpations, or omissions, 
 or any of them, by them, the said Mayor, Ader- For any matter 
 men, and Commonalty, or any of them, or by the w ^ at “ 
 
 predecessors, or any of them, or by any other May¬ 
 or, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the city of New- 
 York, or any of them, done, attempted, claimed^ 
 used, had, usurped, or committed, or omitted at any p e ]^ e °j 6 in° m * 
 
 time before the making of these letters. And we swer before any 
 
 . • mi- 11 i -i n/T *i justice?, officers 
 
 being willing also that the saiu now Mayor, Al- or ministers, for 
 
 derinen, and Commonalty of the city of New- , an ^ claims a - 
 
 buses or other 
 
 York, and their successors, shall not, nor shall any, matters had or 
 or either of them, be molested, or impeached, by date hereof ^ 
 or before any judge or judges, justice or justices, 
 sheriffs, officers, or other ministers aforesaid, in 
 or for any use, claim, abuse, usurpation, of any the 
 
 aforesaid, or of any other liberties, franchises, or 
 
 14 
 
106 
 
 CHARTER of the city of NEW-YORK. 
 
 jurisdictions, within the city aforesaid, and the 
 liberties and precincts thereof, before the day of the 
 making of these letters, had used, claimed, abus¬ 
 ed, or usurped, nor to or for them, or any of them, 
 or for any other thing whatsoever, shall be com¬ 
 pelled to answer; and also of our more abun¬ 
 dant especial grace, certain knowledge, and meer 
 motion, we have given, pardoned, remitted, re¬ 
 leased, and quit-claimed, and by these presents 
 do, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, give, 
 pardon, remit, release, and quit claim to the afore¬ 
 said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the 
 city of New-York aforesaid, and to their succes¬ 
 sors forever, by whatsoever name the same Mayor, 
 Aldermen, and Commonalty, may be called, named, 
 G , rant ’^ eleas ®. or styled, or lately heretofore were called, styled, 
 all suits and in- named, or titled, all and all manner and actions 
 prosecutions. 11 ^ whatsoever informations and suits of Quo Warranto 
 and other informations, suits, and prosecutions; 
 and also, all and singular usages, non-usages, 
 abuses, forfeitures, usurpations, intrusions, omis¬ 
 sions and also, all unjust claims of any rights, 
 privileges, liberties, franchises, jurisdictions, courts, 
 powers, offices, fees, fines, americaments, ferries 
 ferriages, perquisites, rents, possessions, lanes, 
 tenements, or hereditaments, whatsoever, by the 
 aforesaid Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, 
 of the city aforesaid, or by any of their prede¬ 
 cessors, or by any other Mayor, Aldermen, and 
 Commonalty of the city of New-York, by whatso¬ 
 ever name, or names, or incorporation, or by 
 pretext of any incorporation, before the day of 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ.. GOVERNOR. 
 
 107 
 
 the making of these presents, perpetrated, made, or 
 claimed ; and, also, all and all manner of fines, ameiv fi nes forfeit* 
 ciaments, penalties, sums of money, and other for- rues, 
 feitures whatsoever, by reason of such usurpation, 
 intrusion, usage, non-usage, omission, abuse, or 
 unjust claim, and that they the said Mayor, Aider- 
 men, and Commonalty, of the city of New-York, 
 and their successors, and every of them be, and 
 shall be, and hereby are, thereof fully acquitted 
 and discharged towards us, our heirs, and succes¬ 
 sors, forever; being unwilling that they, or any of 
 them, should, by reason of the premises aforesaid, 
 or any part thereof, by us, our heirs, or succes¬ 
 sors, or by any of our justices, sheriffs, ministers, 
 or officers, whatsoever, be troubled, molested, or in 
 any wise vexed. 
 
 And further, we do of our especial grace, certain Covenant, that 
 
 knowledge, and meer motion, will, declare, and shall quietly ° n 
 
 signify, and by these presents, for us, our heirs, and *; n .i°y a11 their 
 
 successors, do grant unto, and covenant with, the by granted 
 
 said Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of the i^nd^te^ne 5 -’ 
 
 city of New-York, and their successors, not only ments an(J he- 
 
 J reditaments. 
 
 that they and their successors forever hereafter 
 may, and shall, have, hold, use, possess, and enjoy, 
 all the rights, privileges, liberties, franchises, juris¬ 
 dictions, courts, powers, offices, authorities, mar¬ 
 kets, ferries, fees, fines, amerciaments, perquisites, 
 profits, immunities ; and also all the rents, posses¬ 
 sions, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, and 
 all other the premises in these presents mentioned, 
 and intended to be hereby granted and confirmed ; 
 
108 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 This grant 
 of the inroll- 
 ment thereof 
 to be of force, 
 
 and be ex¬ 
 pounded most 
 benignly, and 
 in favour of the 
 corporation in 
 all courts and 
 places whatso¬ 
 ever, Notwith¬ 
 standing any 
 imperfection, 
 omission, mat¬ 
 ter. cause or 
 th ng whatso¬ 
 ever. 
 
 but also, that these our letters, being entered upon 
 record, as is hereinafter appointed, and the re¬ 
 cord or inrollment thereof, and either of them, 
 and all and every thing therein contained, from 
 time to time, and at all times hereafter, be, and 
 shall be, firm, valid, good, sufficient, and effectual 
 in law towards and against us, our heirs, and suc¬ 
 cessors, according to the true intention thereof; 
 and in and through all things shall be constru¬ 
 ed, taken, and expounded most benignly, and in 
 favour, and for the most and greatest advantage, 
 profit, and benefit of the said Mayor, Aldermen, 
 
 t 
 
 and Commonalty, of the city of New-York, and 
 their successors, as well in all courts as elsewhere, 
 without any confirmation, licences, tolerations, 
 procured or to be procured, of us, our heirs, or 
 successors, notwithstanding that any writ or writs 
 of ad quod damnum , hath or have not issued, or is 
 or are not returned, before the making of these 
 presents, and notwithstanding the not reciting, mis- 
 reciting, or not rightly or certainly reciting, or ill 
 or wrong reciting the said rights, privileges, liber¬ 
 ties, franchises, jurisdictions, courts, powers, of¬ 
 fices, authorities, markets, ferries, fees, amercia¬ 
 ments, perquisites, profits, immunities, rents, pos¬ 
 sessions, lands, tenements, hereditaments, and 
 any other the premises, in or by these presents 
 granted, or mentioned, or intended, to be hereby 
 granted, or any part or parcel thereof, and not¬ 
 withstanding the not finding, or ill or not right or 
 certain finding of any office or offices, inquisition 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 109 
 
 or inquisitions of the premises, hereby granted or 
 mentioned, or intended, to be hereby granted, or 
 any part or parcel thereof, by which our title in 
 and to the said premises, or any part thereof, might, 
 could, should, or ought to have been found, be¬ 
 fore the making of these presents ; and notwith¬ 
 standing any defect in not reciting or ill-reciting 
 of any lease, grant, or grants, of the premises, or 
 any part thereof, being upon record, or not upon 
 record, or otherwise, howsoever; and notwith¬ 
 standing the ill-naming, misnaming, or not right 
 or certain naming any place or precinct, wherein 
 the premises, or any part thereof, are or is; and 
 notwithstanding, any defect in not mentioning, or 
 not fully, rightly, or certainly, mentioning the name 
 or names of all or any the rights, privileges, liber¬ 
 ties, franchises, jurisdictions, courts, powers, of¬ 
 fices, authorities, markets, ferries, fees, amerci¬ 
 aments, perquisites, profits, immunities, rents, 
 possessions, lands, tenements, hereditaments, or 
 other the premises, hereby granted, or intended 
 to be granted, or any part or parcel thereof; or of 
 the yearly, or other rent of, or reserved in, and 
 upon the premises, or any part thereof; and not¬ 
 withstanding any defect, for the want of a compu¬ 
 tation or declaration, or for the omission of the 
 true value of the premises, in these presents men¬ 
 tioned or intended to be hereby granted, or any 
 part thereof, and notwithstanding any defect in 
 not mentioning our true right, estate, or title of or 
 to the same premises, or any part or parcel of 
 them; and notwithstanding, the not mentioning, 
 or not fully, rightly, or certainly, mentioning the 
 
110 
 
 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 natures, kinds, species, or quantities, of the pre¬ 
 mises, or any of them, or any part or parcel of 
 them and notwithstanding any act, statute, or 
 
 ordinance of parliament, or any act of assembly; 
 and notwithstanding any other defects, defaults or 
 
 If any fault 
 or imperfection 
 should hereaf¬ 
 ter be found in 
 these presents, 
 that, the crown 
 will make any 
 other grant to 
 the corporation 
 as they shall see 
 or think fit. 
 
 imperfections, or any other cause or thing what¬ 
 soever, And further, that if any fault, mistake^ 
 or imperfection, in time to come, shall be found 
 in these presents, or any doubt, scruple or question, 
 be, or shall be made, or shall happen to arise, con¬ 
 cerning the premises, or any part thereof, that we, 
 our heirs, and successors, shall and will vouchsafe 
 to make any other grant or assurance, under the 
 
 great seal of us, our heirs, or successors, of the 
 
 said province of New-York, to the Mayor, Aider- 
 
 men, and Commonalty, of the city of New-York, 
 for the time being, and their successors, at their 
 
 own proper charges, for the better giving, grant- 
 At their costs ing, and confirming, and for their safe and better 
 and charges. enjoying the premises aforesaid, and every part 
 thereof, when it shall be desired by the same 
 Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city 
 
 This grant 
 to be made, 
 and sealed 
 without pay¬ 
 ing any fee 
 for the same 
 
 of New-York, or their successors. Also, we will ? 
 and by these presents grant unto the said Mayor, 
 Aldermen, and Commonalty, that they shall 
 and may have these presents, made and sealed 
 under the great seal of our said province of 
 
 New-York, without rendering, paying or mak« 
 
 Notwith¬ 
 standing any 
 omission or 
 imperfection 
 whatsoever. 
 
 ing any fine or fee, great or little to us, or to our 
 use, for the same, although no express mention is 
 made of the true yearly or other value, or of the 
 certainty of the premises, or any part thereof, or 
 of the gifts or grants, heretofore by us, or our an- 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ,. GOVERNOR. 
 
 Ill 
 
 cestors, or by any Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, 
 or Commander in Chief, of the said province of 
 New-York, to the Mayor, Aldermen and Com¬ 
 monalty, of the said city of New-York, or to the 
 citizens or inhabitants of New-York, aforesaid, 
 by that or any other name, stile, or title, or any 
 other statute, act, ordinance, proclamation, provi¬ 
 sion or restriction, made, published, ordained, or 
 provided to the contrary, or any other cause or 
 matter whatsoever, in any wise notwithstanding. 
 
 In Testimony whereof, we have caused these 
 our letters to be made patent, and the great seal of 
 our said province to be hereunto affixed, and the 
 same to be entered of record in our secretary’s 
 office of our said province in one of the book of 
 patents there remaining. Witness our trusty and 
 well-beloved John Montgomery , esq. our Captain- 
 General and Governor in Chief of our said pro¬ 
 vince of New-York, and the province of New- 
 Jersey, and teritories depending thereon in Ameri¬ 
 ca, and Vice-Admiral of the same, &c. at our Fort- 
 George in New-York, the fifteenth day of January, 
 in the fourth year of our reign. 
 
 Date 
 
 Charter. 
 
 of the 
 
 May it please your Excellency , 
 
 I HAVE perused this Charter, and find nothing 
 therein prejudicial to the interest of his Majesty. 
 
 To his Excellency ft. BRADLEY, 
 
 The Governor of the province of 
 New-York, &c. 
 
 15th January , 1730. 
 
 Attorney - General , 
 
112 
 
 CHARTER OP THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 I DO certify, that the aforegoing is a true copy 
 of the original charter remaining in the clerk’s of¬ 
 fice of the city of New-York, carefully examined 
 and compared by 
 
 T. WORTMAN, 
 Clerk, JVew-York . 
 
 6th - 
 
 GEORGE II. 
 A. t). 1732. 
 
 The Mayor, 
 Aldermen, and 
 Commonalty of 
 the city of New 
 York, to be a 
 corporation, <5cc 
 
 All letters pa¬ 
 tent, Sic. here¬ 
 tofore made to 
 the said Mayor, 
 &c. declared 
 good and yalid. 
 
 An ACT for confirming unto the city of New-York, 
 its rights and privileges. 
 
 Passed the 14th of October, 1732. 
 
 I. BE it declared and enacted by the Governor, 
 the Council , and the General Assembly of the colony , 
 of New-York, and it is hereby enacted by the 
 authority of the same, That the Mayor, Alder¬ 
 men, and Commonalty, of the city of New-York, 
 shall, and may, forever hereafter remain, continue, 
 and be a body corporate and politic, in re facto et 
 nomine by the name of the Mayor, Aldermen, and 
 Commonalty of the city of New-York; and by 
 that name to sue, plead, and be impleaded, and to 
 answer, and to be answered, without any seizure 
 or forejudger, for, or upon any, pretence of any for¬ 
 feiture or misdemeanor at any time heretofore done, 
 committed, or suffered. 
 
 II. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, 
 That all and singular letters patent, grants, char¬ 
 ters, and gifts, sealed under the great seal of the 
 colony of New-York, heretofore made and grant¬ 
 ed unto the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, 
 of the city of New-York, be, and are hereby de¬ 
 clared to be, and shall be good, valid, perfect, au¬ 
 thentic, and effectual in the law, and shall stand, 
 
JOHN MONTGOMERIE, ESQ. GOVERNOR. 
 
 113 
 
 be taken, reputed, deemed, and adjudged good, 
 perfect, sure, available authentic, and effectual 
 in the law, against the King’s Majesty, his heirs, 
 and successors, and all and every* person and per¬ 
 sons, whomsoever, according to the tenor and effect 
 of the said letters patent, grants, charters, and 
 gifts. 
 
 III. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid , 
 That all and singular letters patent, grants, char¬ 
 ters, and gifts, sealed under the great seal of the 
 colony of New-York, heretofore made and grant¬ 
 ed unto the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of 
 the city of New-York, be, and are, to all intents 
 and purposes, hereby ratified and confirmed. 
 
 IY. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid , 
 That the Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty, of 
 the city of New-York, and their successors, shall, 
 and may forever hereafter, peaceably have, hold, 
 use, and enjoy, all and every the rights, gifts, char¬ 
 ters, grants, powers, liberties, privileges, franchises, 
 customs, usages, constitutions, immunities, markets, 
 duties, tolls, lands, tenements, estates and here¬ 
 ditaments, which have heretofore been given, or 
 granted, unto the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common¬ 
 alty of the city of New-York, by any letters patent, 
 grant, charter, or gift, sealed under the seal of the 
 colony of New-York. 
 
 Y. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid , 
 That this present act shall be accepted, taken, and 
 reputed, to be a general and public act of Assem¬ 
 bly ; of which all and every the judges, and justices 
 
 15 
 
 And are hereby 
 confirmed. 
 
 And also all 
 their rights, pri 
 vileges, fran¬ 
 chises, 6;c. 
 
 This act to be 
 taken as a gen¬ 
 eral and public 
 Act. 
 
114 CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 of this colony, in all courts, and all other persons, 
 shall take notice on all occasions whatsoever, as if 
 it were a public act of assembly, relating to the 
 whole colony; any thing herein contained to the 
 contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Page 
 
 ACRES, the soil under water from Bestaver’s Killitie to 
 the fort on the North River, comprehending 82 1-2 ; and al¬ 
 so from Corlaer’s-Hook to the Whitehall, comprehending 
 127, ceded to the corporation, 101 
 
 Aldermen, the number of to be six, by the charter of 1686, 8 
 
 — — --the number encreased to seven, in 1732, 47 
 
 • - jormeily chosen annually, one for each ward 
 
 by the freemen being inhabitants of such ward, and the 
 freeholders on the feast of St. Michael, 55 
 
 - formerly sworn into office on the 14th October 
 
 annually, 56 
 
 —-, any one of the, may commit to the common 
 
 gaol persons guilty or suspected of crimes & misdemeanors, 18 
 
 -any one of the, may commit to the bridewell 
 
 or work house, rogues, vagabonds, and suspicious persons. 
 
 —See Bridewell and Workhouse, 74 
 
 ■ — -assigned justice of the peace, 16 & 79 
 
 -and justices of Oyer and Terminer, and of the 
 
 Gaol delivery, 81 
 
 -each of the, authorised to hear and determine, 
 
 either with or without a jury, all causes under 405. 89 
 
 -may commit to prison the party who refuses to 
 
 comply with his decision, ib. 
 
 • -should any of the, refuse to serve, die, or re¬ 
 
 move out of the city, during the term for which he was elec¬ 
 ted, another shall be chosen in his room, 58 
 
 -if any freeholder and freemen shall be appoint¬ 
 ed as Alderman and decline to serve, he is liable to a fine 
 of fifteen pounds and another shall be appointed in his 
 room, 60 & 61 
 
 -, the Mayor may appoint one of the, to be ap- 
 
11 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 proved of by the Governor, as his deputy.—See Deputy 
 Mayor, 48 
 
 Jile, the assize of, granted to the corporation, 68 
 
 -gaugers of, may be appointed by the corporation, 73 
 
 -public sellers of, by retail, shall obtain an annual 
 
 licence from the Mayor, 77 
 
 -persons selling without licence forfeit five pounds, 78 
 
 Miens, shall not be admitted freemen of the city, 21 & 72 
 Alleys, the power of laying out, altering, and amending, 
 vested in the corporation, 5 & 67 
 
 Alms-House, corporation authorised to build, or to appro¬ 
 priate any of their buildings for an, 74 
 
 -, keepers of the, to be appointed by the cor¬ 
 poration, 75 
 
 Amerciaments, reasonable, may be imposed by the com¬ 
 mon council, on those who offend against their laws, 13 
 
 Assessors, the number to be sixteen, 48 
 
 - two by “ charter” chosen annually for each of 
 
 the first six wards and four for the out ward, by the freemen 
 being inhabitants and the freeholders, on the feast of St. 
 Michael, 55 
 
 - should any one die or remove out of the city 
 
 during the time for which he was elected, another shall be 
 chosen in his room, 58 
 
 -when any freeholder or freeman shall be chosen 
 
 assessor and declines to serve, he is liable to a fine of fif¬ 
 teen pounds, 60 
 
 Assistants to the Aldermen, the number of, at first, 6, 8 
 
 -- - encreased to seven in the year 1732, 47 
 
 -, one for each ward formerly chosen by the ma¬ 
 jority of voices of the freemen being inhabitants and the 
 freeholders, on the feast of St. Michael, 55 
 
 -, should any one die or remove from the city, 
 
 during the time for which he was elected, another shall be 
 chosen in his stead, 58 
 
 -when any freeholder or freeman shall be chosen 
 
 as assessor and declines to serve, he is liable to a fine of 
 fifteen pounds, 60 
 
INDEX. iii 
 
 / 
 
 Assize of bread, wine, beer, ale, &c. granted to the cor¬ 
 poration, 68 
 
 Attorneys, by charter, eight only were appointed for the 
 mayor’s court, to continue in office during good behaviour, 86 
 
 -— besides these and the attorney and solicitor 
 
 general, no other allowed to practise, 88 
 
 -after (he death or removal of any two or more, 
 
 the number to be limited to six, 87 
 
 -how removable from office for bad behaviour, ib. 
 
 -none shall be admitted unless recommended 
 
 by the mayor, deputy mayor, or recorder, and at least 
 three aldermen, and approved of by the governor, 68 
 
 Authorities those anciently enjoyed by the city, confirmed 
 by the charter, 8 
 
 B. 
 
 BATTERIES, the corporation in wharving out, upon 
 the North and East Rivers, shall leave 40 feet for the pur¬ 
 pose of trade and planting batteries, 103 
 
 Bayard, Nicholas, constituted first mayor, by the char¬ 
 ter of 1686, 11 
 
 Beadles formerly appointed by the corporation, 73 
 
 Beaver Skin, a, to be paid annually by the corporation 
 as a quit rent for the immunities granted to them in 1686, 7 
 
 Bedlow Island within the jurisdiction of the city of Nevv- 
 York, 41 
 
 Beef, the common council authorised to appoint survey¬ 
 ors of, 78 
 
 Beer, public sellers of, by retail, shall annually be li¬ 
 censed by the Mayor, 19 & 77 
 
 -penalty for thus selling without licence, 78 
 
 --the assize of, granted to the corporation, 68 
 
 -, gaugers of, may be appointed by the corporation, 78 
 
 Bellmen, formerly appointed by the corporation, 73 
 
 Boundries of the city, 7 & 41 
 
 Brandy, public sellers of, by retail, shall annually be li¬ 
 censed by the mayor, 77 
 
 -penalty for selling without licence, 78 
 
IV 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Brandy , gaugers of, may be appointed by the corporation, 73 
 Bread , the assize of, granted to the corporation, 68 
 
 -the corporation authorised to appoint surveyors of, 73 
 
 Bridewell , corporation authorised to erect or appropriate 
 one or more of their buildings for a bridewell or bride¬ 
 wells, ib. 
 
 — -keepers of, to be appointed by the corporation, ib, 
 
 — -rogues, vagabonds, stragglers, and suspicious 
 
 persons may be committed to, by the mayor, recorder, or 
 any alderman, 74 
 
 Bucking Island, within the jurisdiction of the city, 41 
 
 Burying Ground , new, the profits arising from the grant¬ 
 ed to the corporation, 5 
 
 C. 
 
 Chamberlain, formerly appointed on the feast of St. Mi¬ 
 chael, by the common council, 55 
 
 -now appointed on the day of the election of 
 
 charter officers, ib. 
 
 -should he die or remove ont of the city du¬ 
 ring the time for which he was elected, the common council 
 shall appoint another in his room, 59 
 
 -shall attend upon the mayor, aldermen, and 
 
 recorder, and execute their commands, 90 
 
 Charitable Uses , lands, tenements, goods, or chattels, 
 previously given for, shall not be employed to any purpose 
 different from the intention of the donor, 25 
 
 Charter , to be expounded most benignly, and in favor 
 
 of the corporation, notwithstanding any imperfection, omis¬ 
 sion, &c. 108 
 
 Charier Officers, formerly elected annually on the feast of 
 
 St. Michael, by the freeholders and freemen in each respec¬ 
 tive ward, 55 
 
 -- - formerly sworn into office on the 14th Oc¬ 
 tober annually, 56 
 
 -should any of the, die, or remove out of 
 
 the city, during the time for which he w’as elected, another 
 shall be chosen in his room, 58 
 
 — --when any freeholder or freeman shall be 
 
INDEX. 
 
 v 
 
 appointed as a charter officer, and shall decline to serve, he 
 is liable to a fine of 15 pounds, and another shall be ap¬ 
 pointed in his room, 60 & 61 
 
 Clerk Town or common, shall also be clerk of the 
 court of record, of the peace [and of the sessions of the 
 peace, 84 
 
 -- upon his death, the governor may appoint 
 
 another, 85 
 
 ---when the office of, becomes vacant, the com¬ 
 mon council may appoint one to act, till another shall be 
 appointed by the governor and sworn, 86 
 
 -shall attend upon the mayor, recorder, and 
 
 aldermen, to execute their commands, 90 
 
 Collectors, the number of the, formerly eight, 52 
 
 -of these one was to be chosen for each of the 
 
 first six wards and two for the out ward, by the freemen and 
 freeholders, annually on St. Michael’s day, 55 
 
 -should any one die, or remove out of the city, 
 
 during the time for which he was elected, another shall be 
 chosen in his stead, 58 
 
 -when any freeholder or freeman, who shall be 
 
 elected as collector, shall decline to serve, he is liable to a 
 fine of fifteen pounds, and another shall be chosen in his 
 stead, 60 & 61 
 
 Common Council in 1686, to consist of the mayor and at 
 least 3 aldermen and 3 assistants, 12 
 
 -in 1732, the number encreased to the 
 
 mayor or recorder, and at least 4 aldermen and 4 assist¬ 
 ants, 62 
 
 -the market houses, bridge, dock, wharves, 
 
 new buriel ground and ferry, with all profits arising there¬ 
 from, granted to the, 4 
 
 -all waste and unappropriated lands on 
 
 Manhattan Island, extending as far as low-water-mark, to¬ 
 gether with all livers, &c. granted to the, 6 
 
 --also all streets, lanes, alleys, and high¬ 
 ways, with the power of laying out and amending the same, 
 provided the property of individuals be not impressed, 5 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Common Council as also the royalties of fishing, fowling, 
 hunting, &c. and all mines, except those of gold and silver, 
 
 -empowered by the charter of 1686, to 
 
 make, alter, and repeal laws, provided they be not repug¬ 
 nant to the king’s prerogative, the laws of England, and 
 the acts of the assembly, and that they do not remain in 
 force longer than three months, unless sanctioned by the 
 governor and council, 
 
 -- may impose discretionary fines for the 
 
 non-observance of such laws, 
 
 -may purchase and hold lands, tenements, 
 
 &c. in fee simple, not exceeding 1,0001. per annum, and 
 dispose of the same at pleasure, 
 
 -may take in, fill up, and lay out the ground 
 
 in and about the city and island, and build upon the same as 
 far into the rivers thereof and that encompass the same as 
 low water-mark, 
 
 --shall enjoy all the profits accruing from 
 
 the ferry between New-York and Long-Island, and also 
 from the vacant and unappropriated land between high and 
 low-water-mark, from the Wallabout to Red-Hook, except 
 that persons having plantations on the river side, may trans¬ 
 port themselves and goods in their own boats free of ex¬ 
 pence, 
 
 -shall pay for the said ferry an annual quit 
 
 rent of five shillings, 
 
 -may establish and regulate as many ferries 
 
 as they may see fit, 32 Sc 
 
 -may purchase and hold lands and tene« 
 
 ments, goods, and chattels, within or without the province, 
 and dispose of the same at pleasure, 
 
 -may exact a fine, not exceeding 15 pounds, 
 
 on any freeholder or freeman, who, after being elected as 
 a charter officer, shall decline to serve, 
 
 -may by the charter of 1732, make by¬ 
 laws not repugnant to the laws of England or of the pro¬ 
 vince, which shall not continue in force longer than twelve 
 months, unless confirmed by the governor and council, 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Vll 
 
 Common Council may either disfranchise or fine those 
 who transgress the by-laws, 
 
 -may hold as many markets as they shall 
 
 judge proper, on every day except Sundays, 
 
 -have sole power of determining the elec¬ 
 tions of all their officers and ministers, elected in and for 
 the corporation, 
 
 --may fine any of their members or officers, 
 
 in the sum of 20s. who, after due notice, shall neglect to at¬ 
 tend a meeting of the corporation, unless a reasonable ex¬ 
 cuse shall be produced to the contrary, 
 
 -may appoint surveyors, measurers, gua- 
 
 63 
 
 6S 
 
 65 
 
 ib. 
 
 gers, watchmen, 
 
 bridewell keepers, &c. and displace them 
 
 
 at pleasure, 
 
 - may have one or more gaols, bridewells, 
 
 73 
 
 &c. 
 
 - may appoint and remove the keepers at 
 
 74 
 
 their pleasure, 
 
 - may build an alms-house and appoint the 
 
 75 
 
 officers thereof, 
 
 73 & 75 
 
 -vested with the soil under water from Bes- 
 
 taver’s Killitie to the fort on the North River, and also from 
 Corlear’s Hook to Whitehall on the East River, compre¬ 
 hending 400 feet below low-water mark, 101 
 
 -may wharf out the same and use it, as 
 
 they may see fit, provided they do not wharf out before 
 those who have prior grants without their consent, 102 
 
 -they shall also leave 40 ft. broad, towards 
 
 the East & North Rivers, for trading & planting batteries, 103 
 
 -shall pay a certain quit rent, ib, 
 
 _shall enjoy, without any let or hindrance, 
 
 all their former rights and privileges, 104 
 
 Common Picas , court of, may be held, on every Tuesday 
 by the Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, or any three of 
 them, whereof the Mayor or Recorder shall be one, 23 
 
 High Constable , how appointed, 9 & 17 
 
 Constables , seven were to be elected, according to the 
 charter of 1686, 9 
 
 16 
 
Vlll 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Constables and chosen annually, on the feast of St. Mi¬ 
 chael, viz. one for each of the first five wards respectively, 
 and two for the out ward, by the majority of voices, / 17 
 
 - number of the increased to 16, 48 
 
 - two of whom were to be elected annually, on 
 
 the feast of St. Michael, for each of the first six wards 
 respectively, and four for the out-ward, by the freeholders 
 
 and freemen viva voce , 54 
 
 -should any one die or remove, during the time 
 
 for which he was appointed, another shall be elected in his 
 stead, 58 
 
 - should any freeholder or freeman, who has been 
 
 elected as constable, refuse to serve, he is liable to a fine 
 of 15/. and another shall be elected in his room, 60 61 
 
 - shall attend upon the Mayor, Recorder, and 
 
 on any of the Aldermen to execute their commands, 18 & 90 
 Coroner formerly appointed by the governor, now by the 
 council of appointment, 54 
 
 - should he die during the time for which he was 
 
 appointed, another shall be appointed in his stead, 56 
 
 - shall take an oath of office, 58 
 
 Corporation of the city of Nevv-York, members of the 
 formerly known by various names, 2 
 
 -- known, by charter, under the name of the 
 
 “ Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonalty of the city of New- 
 York,” 9 $ 39 
 
 - no on e of the, shall be compelled to serve 
 
 upon any jury, nor execute any office whatever out of the 
 jurisdiction of the city, so long as they remain inhabitants 
 thereof, 94 
 
 See Common Council, and Mayor, Alderman, and Com - 
 monalty. 
 
 Correction, the common 'council authorised to build a 
 house of, and to appoint pind remove the keeper or keepers 
 thereof at pleasure, 73 
 
 Criers, public, may be appointed by the common council, ib. 
 Cidlers , to be licensed by the Mayor, during his pleasure, 76 
 Cider, public sellers of, by retail shall annually obtain a 
 licence from the Mayor, 
 
 19 
 
INDEX. 
 
 IX 
 
 Cider penalty for selling without licence, 78 
 
 - guagers to be appointed by the corporation, 73 
 
 D. 
 
 DEPUTY-MAYOR, the Mayor may appoint one of the 
 Aldermen as his deputy, who, after being approved of by 
 the governor, shall during the sickness or absence of his 
 principal, in all respects officiate in his stead, 48 
 
 -if the Mayor die, the deputy shall ex¬ 
 ecute the duties of the office till a successor shall be ap¬ 
 pointed and sworn into office, 49 & 93 
 
 -assigned justice, 79 
 
 -his oath of office, 92 
 
 Docks , the profits arising from, in the city, granted to the 
 corporation, 5 <$• 99 
 
 Dock fVcird , the old, how bounded, 43 
 
 E. 
 
 EAST WARD, the old, how bounded, 45 
 
 Election, the annual, for charter officers, formerly held on 
 
 the feast of St. Michael, by the freeholders and freemen 
 
 viva voce. 55* 
 
 $ 
 
 Extent of the City by the charter, 7 41 
 
 F. 
 
 FELONIES, persons guilty of, or suspected of, may be 
 committed to gaol by the Mayor, Ilecorder, or any of the 
 Aldermen, 18 
 
 -to be heard and determined before the court 
 
 of sessions, 80 
 
 Ferry, between New-York and Long-Island, granted to 
 the corporation in 1686, 5 
 
 - together with all the vacant and unappropriated 
 
 lands on Long Island, between high and low-water-maik 
 from the Wallabout or Red-Hook, 29 & 98 
 
 - liberty reserved to those having plantations near 
 
 the river ^between the Wallabout to Red-Hook, to trans¬ 
 port themselves and their goods in their own boats without 
 paying ferrage, 31 
 
 - common council empowered to establish as many 
 
 as they see fit, 32 & 66 
 
 -may mkae laws and rules for the government of, 99 
 
 ♦ 
 
X 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Fines , reasonable may be imposed by the common coun¬ 
 cil, on those who violate their laws, 13 
 
 —— persons, not freemen carrying on any trade or mer¬ 
 chandise, except during the time of fairs, subject to a fine 
 of 5/. 20 & 21 
 
 - a freeholder or freeman, elected as a charter officer 
 
 and declining to serve, subject to a fine of 15/. 60 
 
 — - - a member of the common council, neglecting to 
 attend a meeting when duly notified, liable to a fine of 205 . ib. 
 - persons selling liquor, without licence, liable to a 
 
 fine, 69 
 
 - imposed by the common council, may be recover¬ 
 ed for the use of,the corporation either by action of debt, or 
 
 by warrant under the hand and seal of the Mayor, Recorder, 
 or any of the Aldermen, 64 
 
 Flour , the common council authorised to appoint survey¬ 
 ors of, 73 
 
 Forestalling, the mayor or recorder, with at least 3 aider- 
 men, authorised to hear and determine concerning, 80 
 
 Franchises, those anciently enjoyed by the city confirmed 
 by charter to the common council, 8, 99, & 10't 
 
 Freeholder , or Freeman , when elected as an alderman, 
 assistant, collector, or constable, and refusing to serve, lia¬ 
 ble to a fine of 15/. 60 
 
 Freemen , may by charter of 1686, be made by the mayor 
 and any three aldermen, 20 
 
 - by charter of 1732, by the mayor and any four 
 
 aldermen, 70 
 
 - none but freemen shall exercise any trade or 
 
 merchandise, except during fairs, under the penalty of hav¬ 
 ing their shop windows shut up, and being fined, not ex¬ 
 
 ceeding five pounds, 20 & 7l 
 
 - none shall be admitted as, except citizens by 
 
 birth or naturalization, 21 & 72 
 
 persons admitted as, to p‘ay a sum not exceed- 
 
 21 & 70 
 
 and freemen of each respective ward formerly 
 
 ing 5/. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 xi 
 
 annually chose charter officers, by plurality of votes, on the 
 feast of St. Michael, 55 
 
 This is now changed — See Franchise . 
 
 Freemen shall not be compelled to serve on any jury or 
 inquest, nor to execute any office, out of the jurisdiction of 
 the city, so long as they remain inhabitants, 94 
 
 G. 
 
 GARBLES, may be appointed by the common council, 73 
 Guagers of wine, beer, ale, cider, rum, brandy, &c. may 
 be appointed and removed at pleasure, by the common 
 
 council, ib. 
 
 Gaol Delivery —See Oyer and Terminer . 
 
 Gaols, the corporation may have one or more, 74 
 
 -the keepers of, to be appointed by the common 
 
 council, 75 
 
 Gaoler shall take into custody, malefactors committed by 
 the mayor, recorder, or any alderman, and keep them till 
 delivered by law, IS & 75 
 
 -shall receive into custody such persons, as the 
 
 mayor, recorder, or any alderman, may, in certain cases, 
 commit for non-compliance with their decrees, 90 
 
 -shall be obedient to attend upon the mayor, re¬ 
 corder, and aldermen, and each of them to execute their 
 commands, ib. 
 
 Grain, the common council to appoint measurers of, 73 
 
 Great Barn Island, within the jurisdiction of the city, 41 
 
 H. 
 
 HEREDITAMENTS, anciently enjoyed, confirmed 
 by the charter, 8 
 
 -given for charitable or pious uses, 
 
 shall not be applied to any purpose different from the inten¬ 
 tion of the donor, 25 
 
 High Constable, to be annually appointed by the may¬ 
 or 17 & 55 
 
 -dying before the time, for which he was 
 
 appointed, another shall be appointed in his stead, ib 
 
 High water and low water mark, all the vacant and unap¬ 
 propriated land^between, on Long Island, from the Walla- 
 bout to Red-Hook granted to the corporation, 29 
 
INDEX. 
 
 xii 
 
 Highways, the power of laying out, altering, and amend¬ 
 ing, granted to the corporation— See Roads. 67 
 
 I. 
 
 IDLE PERSONS , having no visible way of livlihood, 
 may be committed to bridewell by the mayor, recorder, or 
 any of the aldermen, 73 
 
 --—where they might be formerly punish¬ 
 ed, not exceeding life and limb, at the discretion of a magis¬ 
 trate, ib. 
 
 J. 
 
 JURISDICTION of the city, its extent and limits,. 7 & 41 
 Justices of the peace , the mayor, deputy mayor, recorder, 
 and aldermen, are, by virtue of their offices, 79 
 
 L. 
 
 Lands, formerly belonging to the city confirmed by the 
 charter, 8 
 
 -granted for pious or charitable purposes, shall 
 
 never be appropriated in a manner contrary to the intention 
 of the donor, 25 
 
 -all vacant and unappropriated, on Long-Island, 
 
 from high to low water mark, between the Wallabout and 
 Red Hook, granted to the corporation, 29 
 
 Lanes, the power of laying out, altering, and amending, 
 vested in the common council, 5 & 67 
 
 Laws, agreeably to charter, could not formerly be passed 
 by the common council, that were repugnant to the king’s 
 prerogative, the laws of England or acts of the assembly, 13 
 
 -could at first be in force only for 3 months, unless 
 
 confirmed by the governor and council, ih . 
 
 --in 1732, could remain in force for no longer than 12 
 
 months, unless confirmed as above, 63 
 
 Liberties, those anciently enjoyed by the city, confirmed 
 by the charter, 8 & 107 
 
 Licences, tavern keepers must annually obtain from the 
 mayor, 19 & 77 
 
 - persons selling liquors without licence, liable to 
 
 a penalty, 78 
 
 -marshals, porters, cartmen, packers, cullers &c. 
 
 shall have licence from the mayor, during his pleasure, 
 
 77 
 
INDEX. 
 
 xm 
 
 Limits or boundaries of the city described, 7 41 
 
 Liquors, strong, public sellers of by retail, shall annually 
 take out a licence''from the mayor, 19 
 
 - excisable liquors, guagers of, may be appointed 
 
 by the common council, 73 
 
 Little Barn Island, within the jurisdiction of this city, 41 
 
 -- all along the shore of, from directly 
 
 opposite the mouth of the creek called Spyten Devil to the 
 south side ol Red Hook, granted to the corporation, ib. 
 
 M. 
 
 »MALEFACTORS, or persons suspected as such, may 
 be committed to the common gaol, by the mayor, recorder, 
 or any of the aldermen, 
 
 Manhattan Island, all waste and unappropriated lands on, 
 as far as low water mark, as also the royalties of fishing, 
 fowling, hunting, fyc. granted by charter to the common 
 council, 
 
 * Manning’s Island, within the jurisdiction of the, 
 
 Manual Occupation —See Trade, 
 
 Market, Clerk of the, by the charter of 16S6, to be ap¬ 
 pointed by his majesty, and in defect thereof, by the gover¬ 
 nor, 
 
 -- to be sworn faithfully to perform 
 
 the duties of his office, 
 
 _mayor, by himself, or deputy, shall 
 
 execute the duties and receive the emoluments of that office, 
 
 Markets, the common council authorized, by the charter 
 of 16S6, to hold 3 in each week, viz. on Tuesdays, Thurs¬ 
 days and Saturdays, 
 
 -by charter of 1732, may hold markets in 5 dif¬ 
 ferent places daily, Sundays excepted, and as many more 
 as they shall see fit, 
 
 Marshal, or serjeant at mace, to'be appointed, 
 
 Marshals, to be licensed by the mayor, during his plea¬ 
 sure, 
 
 -shall be obedient to and attend upon the may¬ 
 or, or recorder, or any of the aldermen, to execute their 
 commands, precepts, warrants, <£c. 
 
 18 
 
 7 
 
 41 
 
 ib. 
 
 15 
 
 ib. 
 
 76 
 
 22 
 
 68 
 
 9 
 
 76 
 
 90 
 
xiy INDEX. 
 
 Mayor , Nicholas Bayard, the first nominated to that of¬ 
 fice in the charter of 1686, 11 
 
 - formerly appointed by the governor and council 
 
 on St. Michael’s day, before whom be was on the 14th Oc¬ 
 tober following, to take the oath of office, 14 
 
 - may noiv be sworn into office at any time—See 
 
 note , 55 
 
 - shall annually appoint an high constable, 17 fy 55 
 
 -' may commit to the common gaol, persons guilty 
 
 or suspected of crimes, misdemeanors, <^c. 18 
 
 - may annually grant licences to tavern keepers, 
 
 innkeepers, fyc. 19 77 
 
 -may appoint one of the aldermen as his deputy, 
 
 who, after being approved of by the governor, shall, during 
 the sickness or absence of the mayor, officiate in his stead- 
 See Deputy Mayor , 48 
 
 -should the mayor die, during the time for which he 
 
 was elected, the governor and council shall appoint another 
 in his room, 56 
 
 -may summon the common council to meet at such 
 
 times and places as he may think proper, 65 
 
 -may commit to the Bridewell or work-house, 
 
 rogues, vagabonds, stragglers and suspicious persons, 74 
 
 See Bridewell and Workhouse. 
 
 -shall be the clerk of the market, 75 
 
 -as also water bailiff, 76 
 
 -shall receive the fees appertaining to both officers, ib. 
 
 -shall licence, during his pleasure, marshals, por¬ 
 ters carmen, packers, cullers, <^c. 77 
 
 -may determine all causes with or without a jury, 
 
 where the matter in dispute does not exceed 40s. 89 
 
 - in case of such determination, may commit to 
 
 prison either party refusing to comply therewith, ib. 
 
 Mayor , Jllderman , and Commonalty , invested by charter 
 of 1786, with all ancient rights and privileges formerly con¬ 
 ferred on the city, 4 
 
 - made a body politic and corporate, capable of 
 
 purchasing and demising lands and chattels, 9 
 
INDEX. 
 
 xv 
 
 -— made capable of pleading and being pleaded— 
 
 See Common Council, 39 
 
 Mayor's Court, formerly held before the mayor or his* 
 deputy, or recorder and three or more aldermen, 82 
 
 Mayor Recorder, and Aldermen, made justices of Oyer 
 and Terminer, and general gaol delivery, and shall be so 
 uamed in every commission, 81 
 
 -any of them may perform any office appertaining 
 
 to justices of the peace, 81 
 
 Measurers, the common council authorised to appoint, 73 
 
 Merchandize, none but freemen shall expose any for sale 
 by retail, except during the time of a fair, under the penalty 
 of having their shop windows shut up, and being fined in a 
 sum not exceeding ol. 21 
 
 See Freemen. 
 
 Mines, those of gold and silver excepted, granted to the 
 corporation, 7, 99, & 100 
 
 Misdemeanor, the mayor, or recorder, or any alderman 
 may commit any person to the common goal for, or on 
 suspicion of, 18 
 
 Montgomery Ward, the boundaries of, 46 
 
 Mystery —See Trade . 
 
 N. 
 
 NASS A. TJ-ISLAND —See Long-Island. 
 
 New Amsterdam, the former name of the city of N. York, 2 
 N ew-Yorh, declared to be an ancient city, 1 
 
 -the citizens of, anciently a body politic under 
 
 the Dutch nation, 2 
 
 -confirmed by charter in the lands, tenements, 
 
 and hereditaments, which formerly belonged to them, 6 
 
 -jurisdiction of the city in 1686, to extend to 
 
 low w r ater mark all round Manhattan Island, 7 
 
 -extent and jurisdiction of, as defined in 1732, 
 
 to begin at Spyten Devil Creek, on the Westchester side, 
 at low water mark ; thence along the said creek to the 
 East river ; from thence across to low water mark, on Long- 
 Island, including certain islands, all along said Island, 
 at low water mark to the south side of Red-Hook ; thence 
 
 17 
 
xvi 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 to cross the North Kiver, so as to include certain islands, to 
 low water mark on the West side of the North river, or so 
 far as the province extends, and so run up the West side of 
 said river till it comes directly opposite Spyten Devil Creek, 
 
 and thence to the place of beginning, 42 
 
 -number of the wards afterwards encreased to 7 42 
 
 North Ward , the old how bounded, 45 
 
 Nutten Island, within the jurisdiction of the city, 41 
 
 0 . 
 
 OATHS , for the faithful performance of their duty, for¬ 
 merly administered annually to the respective members of 
 the corporation , on the 14th October, 56 
 
 -mayor, recorder, sheriff or coroner may be sworn 
 
 into office at any time—See Note, ib. 
 
 -when any person shall be elected in the room of 
 
 one who has died or removed from the city, he shall take 
 an oath for the faithful discharge of his duty, previous to 
 his entering on his office, 59 
 
 Ojfences , how to be tried and determined, 16 & 80 
 
 Officers, the common council vested with the power of 
 deciding on all the elections of their officers and ministers, 65 
 
 -shall be obedient to and attend upon the mayor, 
 
 recorder and aldermen, or any of them, to execute their 
 
 commands, 90 
 
 Oppression, cases of, how to be heard and determined, 
 
 16 & 80 
 
 Ordinances, not repugnant to the king’s prerogative, the 
 laws of England, or the acts of assembly, might by charter 
 of 1686, be passed by the corporation, but could only re¬ 
 main in force three months, unless confirmed by the gover¬ 
 nor and council, 13 
 
 •-by charter of 1632, ordinances might be passed 
 
 not repugnant to the laws of England, or of the province, 
 but could continue in force no longer than 12 months, un¬ 
 less confirmed as above, • 63 
 
 Out Ward, the former, how bounded, 46 
 
 Oyer and Terminer, and of Gaol Delivery, the mayor, 
 recorder and aldermen made justices of, and shall be so 
 named in every commission, SX 
 
INDEX. 
 
 XVII 
 
 Oyster Island, within the jurisdiction of the corporation, 41 
 
 P. 
 
 PACKERS, to be licensed by the mayor during his 
 pleasure, 76 
 
 Peace, the mayor, recorder and aldermen appointed jus¬ 
 tices and keepers of the, , 16 & 79 
 
 ■ - disturbers of, or persons suspected of disturbing the, 
 
 may be committed to jail by the mayor, the recorder, or 
 any one of the aldermen, 18 
 
 Plantations, persons having, on the river side, between 
 the Wallabout and Red Hook, may transport themselves 
 and goods in their own boats, without paying ferriage, 100 
 
 Police Clerk, his compensation, 86 
 
 Pork, the common council authorized to appoint survey¬ 
 ors of, 73 
 
 Porters, shall be licensed by the mayor, during his 
 pleasure, 76 
 
 Privileges , those formerly enjoyed by the city, confirmed 
 by the charter, 8 & 109 
 
 Provisions , the common council authorized to appoint 
 surveyors of, 73 
 
 Q. 
 
 Quit rent, the annual, for the privileges granted to the 
 city by charter, 7 & 103 
 
 R. 
 
 Recorder, by charter, was to be appointed by his majesty, 
 and in defect thereof by the governor, 15 
 
 -before whom he shall take the oath of office, ib 
 
 -may be sworn into office at any time—See JVote, 56 
 
 -may commit to the gaol persons guilty or suspect¬ 
 ed of crimes and misdemeanors, 18 
 
 -was removable form office, at the pleasure of the 
 
 governor, 50 
 
 -may summon the common council, in the absence 
 
 or sickness of the mayor, to meet at such time and place as 
 he may think fit. 65 
 
 *-may commit to bridewell or the work-house, 
 
 rogues, vagabonds, stragglers, and suspicious persons, 74 
 
 -- assigned justices of the peace, 79 
 
XV111 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Recorder may either with or without a jury determine all 
 causes under 405. 89 
 
 Red Ilook and JVaJlabout , on Long Island, between all 
 unappropriated lands from high to low water mark, vested 
 in the corporation, 30 
 
 Rights, all those anciently enjoyed by the city,confirmed 
 by the charter, 8 and 107 
 
 Riots, cases of, how to be heard and determined, 16 and 80 
 Rivers and Rivulets, the emoluments arising from all, 
 within the limits of the city, belong to the corporation, 99 
 
 Rum , gaugers of, to be appointed by the common coun¬ 
 cil, 79 
 
 -penalty on persons selling by retail, without li¬ 
 cense, 78 
 
 S. 
 
 SALT, the common council authorised to appoint mea¬ 
 surers of, 73 
 
 Schephens or Sellout of the city of New-Amsterdam, the 
 ancient name of the magistrates of New-York, 2 
 
 Sessio?is of the Peace, four general courts of, were by 
 charter to be held annually on the first Tuesdays of No¬ 
 vember, February, May, and August, by the Mayor, De¬ 
 puty Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen, or any four of them, 
 of whom the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, or recorder, must be 
 
 one, 79 
 
 -might continue any time not exceed¬ 
 ing 4 days, 80 
 
 Sheriff, formerly appointed annually by the governor and 
 council on the feast of St. Michael, and sworn into office on 
 the 14th October following, 14 
 
 -shall be appointed for one year, and continue in 
 
 office till another person is placed in his room, 54 
 
 -shall enter into a bond for the faithful perform¬ 
 ance of his duty, 53 
 
 -may be sworn into office, at any time, 56 
 
 See JYo/e. 
 
 -should he die during the time for which he was 
 
 elected, the governor and council may appoint another, ib . 
 
INDEX 
 
 xix 
 
 Soil, under water, from Bestaver’s Killitie to the fort on 
 the North River, comprehending 400 feet below low-water¬ 
 mark, ceded to the corporation, 101 
 
 -also on the East River, from Corlaer’s Hook to the 
 
 Whitehall comprehending 400 feet, 102 
 
 South Ward how bounded, 42 
 
 Special Justices—Justices Special, 
 
 Spyten Devil Creek, over which Kingsbridge is built, one 
 of the boundaries of the city, 41 
 
 St. Michael , the archangel, the election of charter officers, 
 formerly held on the feast of, 17 and 54 
 
 Stock, given for charitable and pious purposes, shall not 
 be applied to any use different from the intention of the 
 donor, 25 
 
 Stragglers , may be committed to bridewell, or the work- 
 house, by the Mayor, Recorder, or any of the Aldermen, 74 
 Streets, power of laying out, altering, and repairing vest¬ 
 ed in the common council, 5 and 67 
 
 Suspicious persons may be committed to the Bridewell 
 or work-house, by the Mayor, Recorder, or any Alderman, 73 
 
 T. 
 
 TAVERN-KEEPERS , must annually obtain a licence 
 from the Mayor, 19 
 
 --those who do not take out a licence, 
 
 shall forfeit the sum of five pounds for every offence, 78 
 
 --the re-cognizance of, instead of being 
 
 as heretofore, in the name of the people of the state, shall 
 be taken in the name of the Mayor, Aldermen and Common¬ 
 alty, 19 
 
 Tencmenis, given for pious and charitable purposes, shall 
 not be misapplied from the intention of the donor, 25 
 
 Trades, mystery or manual occupations, none but free¬ 
 men shall exercise, except during the time of fairs, under the 
 penalty of having their shop windows shut up by order of the 
 Mayor, and being fined in a sum not exceeding five pounds 
 —See Freemen, 20 
 
 Trade, the corporation, in wharfing out, shall leave on 
 
XX 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 the East and North river 40 feet broad for trade and 
 planting batteries, 113 
 
 Treason, persons guilty or suspected of, may be commit¬ 
 ted to the common gaol by the Mayor, Recorder, or any of 
 the Aldermen, 18 
 
 1 reasurer —See Chamberlain . 
 
 Trespasses, the Mayor, or Recorder, and any three or 
 more Aldermen, appointed to hear and determine, by the 
 charter of 1686, 16 
 
 -by the charter of 1732, the Mayor or Deputy 
 
 Mayor, or Recorder and three Adermen, may hear and 
 determine, 80 
 
 Trover , actions of, to be heard and determined before the 
 Mayor, Deputy Mayor, or Recorder, and at least three Al¬ 
 dermen, 82 
 
 Y. 
 
 VAGABONDS may be committed to the \\*ork-house or 
 Bridewell, by the Mayor, Recorder, or by any of the Aider- 
 
 men, 74 
 
 Victualing-House, no person shall keep a, without a li¬ 
 cence from the Mayor, 78 
 
 W. 
 
 Victuals, the assize of granted to the corporation, 68 
 
 Wallabout, all vacant and unappropriated lands, between 
 the, and Red-Hook, and between high and low-water-mark 
 ceded to the corporation—See Ferries, 29 and 9S 
 
 Wards, the city divided into seven, viz. the West Ward, 
 the South Ward, the Dock Ward, the East Ward, the North 
 Ward, Montgomery Ward, and the Out Ward, 42 
 
 Dock Ward, how bounded, 42 
 
 East W ard, how bounded, 45 
 
 Montgomery W r ard, how bounded, 46 
 
 North Ward, how bounded, 45 
 
 Out Ward, how bounded, 46 
 
 South Ward, how bounded, 43 
 
 West W r ard, how bounded, 42 
 
 Watchmen, the power of appointing and displacing vested 
 in the corporation, 73 
 
INDEX. 
 
 xxi 
 
 Water Bailiff', the Mayor, by himself, or deputy, shall 
 execute the duties of, 76 
 
 Water courses, the power of laying out, altering and 
 amending, granted to the corporation, 5 and 67 
 
 Westchester, within low-water-mark, on the West side of 
 Spylen Devil Creek included in the limits of the city, 41 
 
 -also clerk of the peace, and clerk of the com¬ 
 mon pleas, 17 
 
 Wharves, the profits arising from, granted to the corpo¬ 
 ration, 5 and 99 
 
 •-the corporation empowered to make wharves 
 
 to the distance of 400 feet below low-water-mark, from Bes- 
 taver’s Killitie to the fort on the North River, and from 
 Corlaer’sHook to the Whitehall on the East, 101 
 
 -provided they do not wharf out before those 
 
 who have prior grants, without their consent, 102 
 
 -and that 40 feet broad be left towards the East 
 
 and North rivers for trading and planting batteries, 103 
 
 Wine, public sellers of, by retail, to obtain an annual li¬ 
 cence from the Mayor, 19 
 
 --the assize of, granted to the corporation, 68 
 
 -gaugers of, may be appointed by the corporation, 73 
 
 -persons selling by small measure, without licence, 
 
 subject to a penalty of 51. 78 
 
 Work-house, or Work-houses, the corporation authorised 
 to build, 73 
 
 -the Mayor, the Recorder, or any of the Al¬ 
 dermen may, by charter of 1732, may confine there at work, 
 not exceeding forty days, all rogues, vagabonds, and suspi¬ 
 cious persons, 74 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 t \ ' 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 
 
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 ’ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT 
 
 TO AMEND THE 
 
 CHARTER 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CITY OF NEW-YORK. 
 
 Passed April 7, 1830. 
 
 The people of the State of New-YorJc , represented in 
 
 Senate and Assembly : Do enact as follows — 
 
 1 . The legislative power of the Corporation of 
 the City of INew-York, shall be vested in a board of 
 Aldermen, and a board of Assistants, who together 
 shall form the Common Council of the City. 
 
 2 . Each Ward of the City shall be entitled to 
 elect one person to be denominated the Alderman 
 of the Ward, and the persons so chosen, together 
 shall form the board of Aldermen ; and each Ward 
 shall also be entitled to elect one person to be deno¬ 
 minated an Assistant Alderman ; and the persons so 
 chosen, together shall form the board of Assistants. 
 
 3. The Aldermen and Assistant Aldermen shall be 
 chosen for one year; and no person shall be eligi¬ 
 ble to either office, who shall not at the time of his 
 election, be a resident of the ward for which he is 
 chosen. 
 
 4. The annual electiou for Charter Officers shall 
 commence on the second Tuesday in April, and the 
 Officers elected shall be sworn into office on the se¬ 
 cond Tuesday in May thereafter ; and all the provi¬ 
 sions of law now in force in regard to the notifica¬ 
 tion, duration, and conduct of elections for Members 
 of A ssembly, and in regard to the appointment, pow¬ 
 ers and duties of the inspectors, holding the same, 
 shall apply to the animal election of Charter Offi¬ 
 cers. 
 
 5. The first election for Charter Officers, after 
 the passage ot this law, shall take place on the se¬ 
 cond Tuesday in April, one thousand eight hundred 
 
 Legislative 
 
 power, 
 
 Each Ward en¬ 
 titled to Alder* 
 men and Assis¬ 
 tant. 
 
 Who are eligi¬ 
 ble 
 
 Election of «fcc. 
 
 First election 
 on the second 
 Tuesday of 
 April, 1831. 
 
Power to di- 
 rert special e- 
 lectidn. 
 
 Meeting of 
 the board and 
 their duties. 
 
 Power to ex 
 pel, kc . 
 
 and thirty-one ; and all those persons who shall 
 have been elected under the former laws regulating 
 the election of Charter Officers, and shall be in of¬ 
 fice at the time of the passage of this law, shall con¬ 
 tinue in office until the officers elected under this 
 law shall be entitled to be sworn into office. 
 
 6 . The board of Aldermen shall have power to 
 direct a special election to be held, to supply the 
 place of any Alderman whose seat shall become va¬ 
 cant by death, removal from the city, resignation, or 
 otherwise ; and the board of Assistants shall also 
 have power to direct a special election to supply 
 any vacancy that may occur in the board of Assist¬ 
 ants ; and in both cases, the person elected to sup¬ 
 ply the vacancy, shall hold his seat only for the resi¬ 
 due of the term of office of his immediate predeces¬ 
 sor. 
 
 7. The boards shall meet in separate chambers, 
 and a majority of each shall be a quorum to do busi¬ 
 ness. Each board shall appoint a President from 
 its own body, and shall also choose its Clerk and 
 other officers, determine the rules of its own pro¬ 
 ceedings, and be the judge ot the qualifications of 
 its own members. Each board shall keep a journal 
 of its proceedings, and the doors of each shall be 
 kept open, except when the public welfare shall re¬ 
 quire secrecy; and all resolutions and reports of 
 Committees which shall recommend any specific 
 improvement involving the appropriation of public 
 monies, or taxing or assessing the citizens of said 
 city, shall be published immediately after the ad¬ 
 journment of the board, under the authority of the 
 Common Council, in all the newspapers employed 
 by the Corporation : and whenever a vote is taken 
 in relation thereto, the ayes and noes shall be called 
 and published in the same manner. 
 
 8 . Each board shall have the authority to compel 
 the attendance of absent members ; to punish its 
 members for disorderly behaviour, and to expel a 
 member, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the 
 members elected to the board ; and the members of 
 expelled, shall, by such expulsion, forfeit all his 
 right and powers as an Alderman or Assistant Al¬ 
 derman, 
 
9 
 
 9. The stated and occasional meetings of each 
 board of the Common Council, shall be regulated 
 by its own ordinances ; and both boards may meet 
 on the same or on different days as they may seve- 
 ally judge expedient. 
 
 10. Any law, ordinance, or resolution of the Com¬ 
 mon Council may originate in either board, and when 
 it shall have passed one board, may be rejected or 
 amended by the other. 
 
 11. No member of either board shall, during the 
 .period for which he was elected, be appointed to, or 
 be competent to hold any office, of which the emol¬ 
 uments are paid from the city treasury, or by fees, 
 directed to be paid by any ordinance or act of the 
 Common Council, or be directly or indirectly inter¬ 
 ested in any contract, the expenses or consideration 
 whereof are to be paid under any ordinance of the 
 Common Council; but this section shall not be con¬ 
 strued to deprive any Alderman or Assistant of any 
 emoluments or fees which he is entitled to by virtue 
 of his office. 
 
 12. Every act, ordinance, or resoluiion, which 
 shall have passed the two boards of the Common 
 Council, before it shall take effect, shall be present¬ 
 ed, duly certified, to the Mayor of the City, for his 
 approbation. Il he approve, he shall sign it ; if not, 
 he shall return it with his objections to the board in 
 which it originated, within ten days thereafter ; or 
 if such board be not then in session, at its next sta¬ 
 ted meeting. The board to which it shall be return¬ 
 ed, shall enter the objections at large on their jour¬ 
 nal, and cause the same to be published in one or 
 more of the public newspapers of the city. 
 
 13. The board to which such act ordinance, or 
 resolution, have been so returned, shall after the ex¬ 
 piration of not less than ten days thereafter, proceed 
 to re-consider the same. If after such re-consider¬ 
 ation, a majority of the members elected to the 
 board shall agree to pass the same, it shall be sent, 
 together with the objections, to the other board, by 
 which it shall be likewise re-considered ; and if ap¬ 
 proved by a majority of all the members elected to 
 such board, it shall take effect as an act or law of 
 
 Occasional 
 
 meeting 
 
 laws ordinances 
 and resolutions 
 may originate 
 in either board. 
 
 prohibition of, 
 members to 
 hoid office. 
 
 Mayor’s veto 
 Method of pro¬ 
 ceeding, Ac. 
 
4 
 
 the Corporation. In all such cases the votes of 
 both boards shall be determined by yeas and nays, 
 and the names ol the persons voting for and against 
 the passage ot the measure re-considered, shall be. 
 entered on the journal of each board respectively. 
 
 14. If the Mayor shall not return any act, ordi¬ 
 nance, or resolution so presented to him, within the 
 time above limited ior that purpose, it shall take ef¬ 
 fect in the same manner as if he had signed it. 
 
 15. IS 1 either the Mayor nor Recorder of the city 
 of JVew-York, shall be a member of the Common 
 Council thereof, after the second Tuesdey of May, 
 one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one. 
 
 wut'ii -He Whenever there shall be a vacancy in the of- 
 
 PresYdenYof the fice ^ a ) /or 5 anc * whenever the Mayor shall be ab- 
 bo.ird shall act sen * l' roni the city, or be prevented by sickness, or 
 
 Prohibition 
 of the Mayor 
 and Recoider. 
 
 When the 
 
 as Mayor. 
 
 Duty of the 
 Mayor. 
 
 any other cause, from attending to the duties of his 
 office, the President of the board of Aldermen shall 
 act as Mayor, and shall possess all the rights and 
 powers oi the Mayor, during the continuance of 
 such vacancy, absence, or disability. 
 
 17. It shall he the duty of the Mayor, 
 
 First —To communicate to the Common Coun¬ 
 cil, at least once a year, and oftener if he 
 shall deem it expedient, a general state¬ 
 ment of the situation and condition of the 
 City, in relation to its government, finances, 
 and imporvements. 
 
 Second.— To recommend to the adoption of the 
 Common Council all such measures con¬ 
 nected with the police, security, health, 
 cleanliness, and ornament of the City, and 
 the improvement of its government, and 
 finances, as he shall deem expedient. 
 Third. —To be vigilant and active in causing the 
 laws and ordinances of the government of 
 the City to be duly executed and enforced, 
 Fourth. —To exercise a constant supervision and 
 controul over the conduct and acts of all 
 subordinate officers, and to receive and ex¬ 
 amine into all such complaints as may be 
 preferred against any of them for violation 
 or neglect of duty, and generally to perform 
 
all such duties as may be prescribed to him 
 by the Charter and city ordinances, and the 
 Laws of this State and the United States. 
 
 IS. Annual and occassional appropriations shall Appropriation 
 be made by proper ordinances of the Common Coun- wiieu maue * 
 cil for every branch and object of city expendature, 
 nor shall any money be drawn from the city treasury 
 except the same shall have been previously appro¬ 
 priated to the purpose for which it was drawn. 
 
 19. The Common Council shall not have author- Borrowing- mo- 
 ity to borrow any sums of money whatever on the ney. 
 
 credit of the Corporation, except in anticipation of 
 the revenue of the year in which such loan shall 
 be made, unless authorized by a special act of the 
 legislature. 
 
 20. it shall be the duty of the Common Council Publishing de- 
 to publish two months before the annual election tailed state- 
 of Charter Officers, in each year, for the general in- ments - re¬ 
 formation of the citizens of New-York, a full and ceif)t ! an( * eX * 
 detailed statement of the receipts and expenditures P cnJltuiesu 
 
 of the Corporation, during the year, ending on the 
 first day of lhe month in which such publication is 
 made; and in every such statement the different 
 sources of city revenue, and the amount received 
 irom each ; the several appropriations made by the 
 Common Council, the objects for which the same 
 were made, and the amount of monies expended 
 under each ; the monies borrowed on the credit of 
 the Corporation, the authority under which each 
 loan was made, and the terms on which the same 
 was obtained, shall be clearly and particularly spe¬ 
 cified. 
 
 21. The executive business of the Corporation Executive 
 of New-York shall hereafter he performed by dis- business, 
 tinct departments, which it shall be the duty of the 
 Common Council to organize and appoint for that 
 
 purpose. 
 
 22. It shall be the duty of the Common Coun- Accountability 
 cil to provide for the accountability of all officers, oncers, 
 and other persons to whom the receipt or expendi¬ 
 ture of the funds of the city shall be entrusted, by 
 
 requiring from them sufficient security for the per¬ 
 formance of their duties or trust, which security 
 
6 
 
 shall be annually renewed ; but the security first 
 taken shall remain in force until new security shall 
 be given. 
 
 Duties of the 23. The Clerk of the Board of Aldermen, shall 
 clerk ot' the by virtue of his office, be Clerk of the Common 
 board oi Alder* Council, and shall perform all the duties heretofore 
 performed by the Clerk of the Common Council, 
 except such as shall be assigned to the Clerk of 
 the Board of Assistant Aldermen ; and it shall be 
 his duty to keep open for inspection at all reason¬ 
 able times, the records and minutes of the proceed¬ 
 ings of the Common Council, except such as shall 
 be specially ordered otherwise. 
 
 24. The division of the Common Council into 
 two boards, shall not take effect until ihe officers to 
 be elected under this law enter on the duties of their 
 of office. Each board shall hold its first meeting, for 
 the purpose of organizing, on the secund Tuesday 
 of May in each year, at which time the Mayor or 
 Clerk of the Common Coudcil shall attend, by 
 whom the oath of offiiee shall be administered to 
 the members elected. In the absence of the May¬ 
 or and Clerk, such oath may be administered by 
 the Recorder or First Judge of the City, or by any 
 of the Justices of the Superior Court. 
 
 Provision* of 25. None of the provisions of this act, except 
 w ^ en the eighteenth, nineteenih, twentieth, and twenty- 
 second sections, shall be construed as applying to 
 the Common Council as now constituted. 
 
 What parts of 26. Such parts of the Charter of the city of 
 the Charter not New-York, and of the several acts of the Legisla. 
 repealed. ture amending the same as are not inconsistant with 
 the provisions of this law, shall not. be construed as 
 repealed, modified, or in any manner affected there¬ 
 by ; but shall continue and remain in full force. 
 
 Division of 
 the Common 
 Council into 
 two boards and 
 their time 
 meeting. 
 
 this act 
 to apply 
 
 Slate of New-Yorlc, Secretary's office. 
 
 I Certify the prececding to be a true copy of 
 
an original act of the Legislature of this State de¬ 
 posited in this office. 
 
 ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL, 
 
 Deputy Secretary. 
 
 JUbany , April 7th, 1830. 
 
INDEX 
 
 To foe Amended Act, 
 
 Passed April 7 th 1830. 
 
 Appropriations, how made, 
 Board of Aldermen, 
 
 A. 
 
 B. 
 
 meeting of, 
 powers of, 
 borrowing money, 
 
 C. 
 
 D. 
 
 Clerk of Board, his duties, 
 
 Common Council, division of, 
 
 Duties of the Board, 
 
 --of the Clerk, 
 
 -of Mayor, 
 
 . E. 
 
 T?; lch . ^ ard to Alderman and Assistant. 
 
 .Eligibility of, 
 
 Election of, 
 
 Expulsion, 
 
 Executive business, 
 
 T L ' 
 
 Eaws, how originated, 
 
 Legislative powers, 
 
 M. 
 
 SecL 
 
 18 
 
 1 , 2 
 7& 9 
 6 & 7 & 8 
 19 
 
 23 
 
 24 
 
 6 & 7 
 23 
 17 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 & 5 
 8 
 
 21 
 
 10 
 
 1 
 
 Meeting of the Board, 
 
 Occasional meeting, 
 
 Members not to hold office, 
 
 Mayor’s Veto, 
 
 Method ot proceeding upon it, 
 
 Mayor and Recorder prohibition to. 
 
 Mayor, Duty of, 
 
 4 P. 
 
 President of the Beard, when he shall act as Mayor, 
 
 Receipts and expenditures of corporation; 20 
 
 7 
 
 9 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 12 & 13 & 14 
 15 
 17 
 
 16