162 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

affairs the people were allowed to adhere to the laws formerly in force. In fact, the transient rule of the Dutch afforded opportunity for but few legislative changes.1

1 Provisional Instructions for the Sheriff and Magistrates of the Villages of Midwout, Amersfoort, Breuckelen, New Utrecht, and Gravesend, and for the Magistrates of Boswyck (N. Y. Col. MSS., xxiii. 93):

Art. 1. The Sheriff and Magistrates, each in his quality, shall see to the maintenance of the Reformed Christian Religion, in conformity with the (canons of) the Synod of Dordrecht; and shall not permit that any thing contrary to it shall be attempted by any other sects.

Art. 2. The Sheriff shall, as often as possible, be present at and preside in all the meetings. However, if he acts for himself as a party, or defends the rights of the Lord's patrons, or steps forward in the cause of justice, he shall, in such cases, rise from his seat and leave the bench, and shall then have no advisory, much less a conclusive, vote, while in Ids stead the oldest Schepen shall preside.

Art. 3. All cases relating to the police, to the security and peace of the inhabitants, and to justice between man and man, shall be definitely determined by the magistrates of each of the aforesaid villages, to the amount of 60 guilders, or less, in beavers. If the sum is larger than that, the aggrieved party may appeal to a council (consisting of) the Sheriff and a Commissioner of the Counsellors (magistrates) of the village, subject to his (the Sheriff's) jurisdiction (for which purpose one person shall be annually chosen in each village), who shall meet at some convenient place selected by them, and who shall have the power to pronounce a definitive sentence to the amount of 240 guilders, in beavers, and under. But in all ewes exceeding that sum, each party shall be entitled to the right of appeal to the Governor and Council.

Art. 4. In case of a disparity of votes, the minority shall submit to the majority; but they who have a dissentient opinion, are permitted to have it recorded on the protocol, but they shall not divulge it outside of the meeting, under penalty of an arbitrary correction.

Art. 5. If at any such meeting, cases occur in which any of the magistrates are concerned as parties, the magistrate in such case shall be obliged to leave his seat and absent himself, as was before said of the Sheriff in the 2d article,

Art. 6. All the inhabitants of the aforesaid villages may be summoned before the Sheriff and Schepens, or before the Committee of Counsellors, who shall hold their meetings as often as may be required.

Art. 7. All criminal derelictions shall be referred to the Governor_General and the Council; provided that the Sheriff is under obligation to apprehend the criminals, to arrest and secure them, and conduct them in safety to the Chief Magistrate, with correct information of the committed crime, at the expense of the delinquent or of the Attorney-General.

Art. 8. Smaller derelictions, such as quarrels, injuries, scoldings, threatenings, blows, and similar trespasses, are left to the jurisdiction of the magistrates of each village.

Art. 9. The Sheriff and Schepens are authorized to issue orders relative to the welfare and peace of the Inhabitants, such as the laying out and making of roads, the surveying of lots and garden-spots, and whatever has any relation to agriculture; also with respect to keeping the Sabbath, building of churches, school-houses, and similar public works; also about fighting, throwing stones, and similar petty crimes-provided that such orders are opposed, but, as far as possible, consonant with the laws of our Fatherland and the statutes of this province; and therefore all such orders of any