A History of New York

HISTORY OF NEW YORK,

FROM THE

BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THE END
OF THE DUTCH DYNASTY;

CONTAINING, AMONG MANY SURPRISING AND CURIOUS MATTERS, THE
UNUTTERABLE PONDERINGS OF WALTER THE DOUBTER, THE

DISASTROUS PROJECTS OF WILLIAM THE Testy, and

THE CHIVALRIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF PETER THE

HEADSTRONG; THE THREE DUTCH GOV-
ERNORS OF NEW AMSTERDAM ;

BEING THE

ONLY AUTHENTIC HISTORY OF THE TIMES THAT EVER
HATH BEEN OR EVER WILL BE PUBLISHED.

DIEDRICH KNICKERBOCKER.

De waarheid die in duister lag,
Die komt met klaarheid aan den dag.

THE AUTHOR'S REVISED EDITION.

COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME.

NEW YORK:

G. P. PUTNAM AND SON, 661 BROADWAY

OPPOSITE BOND STREET.

1868.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by
GEORGE P. PUTNAM,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of

New York.

RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE: STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY H. 0. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY.

CONTAINING DIVERS INGENIOUS THEORIES AND PHILOSOPHIC SPECULA-

TIONS, CONCERNING THE CREATION AND POPULATION OF THE WORLD,

AS CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF NEW YORK.

CHAP. I.- Description of the World..

CHAP. II.-Cosmogony, or Creation of the World; with

a multitude of excellent theories, by which the crea-

tion of a world is shown to be no such difficult mat-

ter as common folk would imagine......

СНАР. ІІІ. -How that famous navigator, Noah, was

shamefully nicknamed; and how he committed an

unpardonable oversight in not having four sons.

With the great trouble of philosophers caused there-

by, and the discovery of America.

CHAP. IV. Showing the great difficulty philosophers

have had in peopling America - and how the Abo-

rigines came to be begotten by accident - to the great

relief and satisfaction of the Author...

CHAP. V. — In which the Author puts a mighty question

to the rout, by the assistance of the Man in the Moon

- which not only delivers thousands of people from

great embarrassment, but likewise concludes this in-

troductory book..

BOOK II.

TREATING OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE PROVINCE OF NIEUW-

NEDERLANDTS.

CHAP. I. In which are contained divers reasons why a

man should not write in a hurry - Also of Master

Hendrick Hudson, his discovery of a strange country

-and how he was magnificently rewarded by the

munificence of their High Mightinesses.

CHAP. II.-Containing an account of a mighty Ark

which floated, under the protection of St. Nicholas,

from Holland to Gibbet Island - the descent of the

PAGE

119

128

141

strange Animals therefrom- - a great victory, and a

description of the ancient village of Communipaw.. 111

CHAP. III. In which is set forth the true art of making

a bargain together with the miraculous escape of a

great Metropolis in a fog- and the biography of cer-

tain heroes of Communipaw.

CHAP. IV. - How the heroes of Communipaw voyaged to

Hell-gate, and how they were received there....

CHAP. V. How the heroes of Communipaw returned

somewhat wiser than they went and how the sage

Oloffe dreamed a dream and the dream that he

dreamed..

CHAP. VI. Containing an attempt at etymology — and

of the founding of the great city of New Amsterdam 147

CHAP. VII. - How the people of Pavonia migrated from

Communipaw to the island of Manna-hata and how

Oloffe the Dreamer proved himself a great land-spec-

ulator

CHAP. VIII. Of the founding and naming of the new

cityof the City Arms; and of the direful feud be-

tween Ten Breeches and Tough Breeches....

CHAP. IX. How the city of New Amsterdam waxed

great under the protection of St. Nicholas and the

absence of laws and statutes-how Oloffe the Dream-

er begun to dream of an extension of Empire, and of

the effect of his dreams.

IN WHICH IS RECORDED THE GOLDEN REIGN OF WOUTER VAN TWILLER.

CHAP. I. Of the renowned Wouter Van Twiller, his

unparalleled virtues as likewise his unutterable

wisdom in the law-case of Wandle Schoonhoven and

Barent Bleecker- and the great admiration of the

public thereat..

CHAP. II. Containing some account of the grand council

of New Amsterdam, as also divers especial good phil-

osophical reasons why an Alderman should be fat-

with other particulars touching the state of the prov-

ince..

CHAP. III. How the town of New Amsterdam arose out

of mud, and came to be marvellously polished and

polite together with a picture of the manners of

our great-great-grandfathers...

CHAP. IV. - Containing farther particulars of the Golden

Age, and what constituted a fine Lady and Gentle-

man in the days of Walter the Doubter...

CHAP. V. Of the founding of Fort Aurania — Of the

mysteries of the Hudson - Of the arrival of the Pa-

troon Killian Van Rensellaer; his lordly descent

upon the earth, and his introduction of club-law.... 207

CHAP. VI. In which the reader is beguiled into a de-

lectable walk, which ends very differently from what

it commenced..

CHAP. VII.- Faithfully describing the ingenious people

of Connecticut and thereabouts showing, more-

over, the true meaning of liberty of conscience, and

a curious device among these sturdy barbarians, to

keep up a harmony of intercourse, and promote

population.

CHAP. VIII. - How these singular barbarians turned out

to be notorious squatters. How they built air-castles,

and attempted to initiate the Nederlanders in the

mystery of bundling..

CHAP. IX.-How the Fort Goed Hoop was fearfully be-

leaguered how the renowned Wouter fell into a

profound doubt, and how he finally evaporated..... 229

BOOK IV.

217

223

CONTAINING THE CHRONICLES OF THE REIGN OF WILLIAM THE TESTY

CHAP. I. Showing the nature of history in general;-

containing furthermore the universal acquirements of

William the Testy, and how a man may learn so

much as to render himself good for nothing...

CHAP. II. - How William the Testy undertook to conquer

by proclamation-how he was a great man abroad,

but a little man in his own house..

CHAP. III. In which are recorded the sage projects of a

ruler of universal genius - The art of fighting by

proclamation and how that the valiant Jacobus

Van Curlet came to be foully dishonored at Fort

Goed Hoop..

CHAP. IV. - Containing the fearful wrath of William the

Testy, and the alarm of New Amsterdam - how the

Governor did strongly fortify the City Of Antony

the Trumpeter, and the windy addition to the armo-

rial bearings of New Amsterdam..

CHAP. V. Of the jurisprudence of William the Testy,

and his admirable expedients for the suppression of

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A History of New York: From the Beginning of the World to the End of the ...