214 HISTORY OF BROOKLYN.

selves aggrieved, together with others who feared being placed in the same position, applied to the Colonial Legislature, and obtained, July 27, 1721, the passage of a law to “continue the common road or king's highway, from the ferry, towards the town of Breucklaud, on the Island of Nassau, in the Province of New York,” with the following preamble:

”Whereas, several of the inhabitants on the ferry, on the Island of Nassau, by their petition preferred to the General Assembly, by setting forth that they have been molested by prosecutions, occasioned by the contrivance and instigations of ill and dissaffected persons to the neighbourhood, who would encroach upon the buildings an fences that have been made many years, alledging the road was not wide enough, to the great damage of several of the old inhabitants, on the said ferry; the said road is it now is, has been so for at least these sixty years past, without any complaint, either of the inhabitants or travellers.”

The law then proceeds to establish the road “forever” as it then was, from the ferry upwards to the town of Breuckland, as far as the swinging gate of John Rapalje, just above the house and land belonging to James Harding. Providing, however, against a possible "jam" near the ferry—although, perhaps, scarcely anticipating the great thoroughfare which now exists at that localityÑthe law enacts that, if a majority of the inhabitants of the town should “adjudge that part of the road near to the ferry to be too narrow and inconvenient,” they might cause the Sheriff to summon a jury of twelve, to appraise the land necessary to be taken in the widening, and that said appraisement should be levied and collected upon the town, and paid to the owners. This, however, was never done, and the old lane continued to serve the economical townsfolk of Brooklyn. Its appearance may be understood by a glance at Guy's picture of Brooklyn, which represents it at its passage at Front street,

their duty in laying out the King’s highway according to ye law, being the King’s highway is too narrow from the ferry to one Nicalus Cowenhoven, living at Brooklyn; and if all our neighbours will make ye road according to law, then ye said John Rapaije and Hans Bergen is willing to do the same as aforesaid, being they are not willing to suffer more than their neighbours. As witness our hands the day and year first above written. JAN RAPELJE. HANS BERGEN.” 1 N. Y. Col. Doc., v. 021.