that the sheriff, town 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 them respectively, jointly and severally, as cause shall require, 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 processes, of them and every of them, as belongeth and appertaineth to be done or executed; and that the aforesaid mayor, recorder and aldermen, and every of them, as justices of the peace for 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 the peace, and other offenders for other misdemeanors, who shall be apprehended within the said city, or liberties thereof, shall and may send and commit, or cause to be sent and committed to the common jail of the said city, there to remain and be kept in safe custody, by the keeper of the said jail, or his deputy, for the time being, until such offender and offenders shall be lawfully delivered thence. And I do, by these presents, for and on the behalf of his most sacred majesty aforesaid, his heirs and successors, charge and require the keeper and keepers of the said jail for the time being, and his and their deputy and deputies, to receive, take, and in safe custody to keep, all and singular such person and persons so apprehended, or to be apprehended, sent and committed to the said jail, by warrant of the said justices, or any of them as aforesaid, until he and they so sent and committed to the said jail, shall from thence be delivered by due course of law.

Mayor to grant licenses to tavern-keepers.

10. 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 (according to the usage and custom practiced in the said city of New York, in the times of my predecessors, the several lieutenants, governors and commanders in chief of this province), shall have power and authority to give and grant licenses annually, under the public seal of the said city, to all tavern-keepers, inn-keepers, ordinary-keepers, victualers and all public sellers of wine, strong waters, cider, beer, or any other sort of liquors, by retail within the city aforesaid, Manhattan's Island, or their liberties and precincts thereof; and it shall and may be lawful 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 mayor, aldermen and commonalty, of the said city of New York, and their successors, without any account thereof to be rendered, made or done to any of the lieutenants or governors of this province, for the time being, or any of their deputies.

Mayor, recorder and aldermen, or the mayor and any three or more aldermen to make freemen.

11. 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 said city, and their successors, that the mayor, recorder and aldermen, or the mayor and any three or more of the aldermen for the time being, shall, from time to time, and 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 than such free citizens, shall hereafter use any art, trade, mystery or manual occupation, within the said city, liberties and precincts thereof, saving in the times of fairs there to be kept, and during the continuance of such fairs only. And in case any person or persons whatsoever, not being free citizens of the said city, as aforesaid, shall at any time 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 merchandise 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 of the said city, for the time being, at the place or places where such 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 merchandises, 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 impose such reasonable fine for such offense, not exceeding five pounds for every respective offense; and the same fine and fines so imposed, to levy and take by warrant under the common seal of the said city, for the time being, by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of the person or persons so offending 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 lieutenants, 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 shall first be naturalized by act of general assembly; or shall have obtained letters of denization under the hand of the lieutenant-governor or commander 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 heretofore hath been used and accustomed to be paid and received on their being admitted freemen as aforesaid; provided it is not exceeding the sum of five pounds.

Corporation to hold lands.

12. 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, aldermen and commonalty of the said city, that they and their

successors be forever, persons able and capable, and shall have power to purchase, have, take and possess in fee simple, lands, tenements, rents, and other possessions within or without the same city; to them and their successors forever, so as the same exceed not the yearly value of one thousand pounds per annum, the statute of mortmain or any other law to the contrary notwithstanding; and the same lands, tenements, hereditaments 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 accomplish 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 granted by the said mayor, aldermen and commonalty of the said city for the time being.

Three market days to be held weekly.

13. 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 said mayor, aldermen and commonalty, that they and their successors shall, and may forever hereafter, hold and keep within the said city, in every week of the year, three market days, the one upon Tuesday, the other upon Thursday, and the other upon Saturday, weekly forever.

To lay out their ground and build.

14. 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 lay out all and singular the lands and grounds in and about the said city and Island Manhattan's and 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 as low-water mark aforesaid.

To hold courts of common pleas.

15. And I do by these presents, for and on the behalf 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 forever, upon Tuesday, one court of common pleas for all actions of debt, trespass, trespass upon the case, detinue, ejectment and other personal actions; and the same to be held before the mayor, recorder and aldermen, or any three of them, 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 common law, acts of the general assembly of the said province.

Grant to the corporation of all their former franchises.

16. 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, shall have and enjoy all the privileges, franchises and powers that they have and use, 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 pretense 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 may not be particularly mentioned; and that no officer shall disturb them therein under any pretense whatsoever, not only for their future, but their present enjoyment thereof, provided always, that the said privileges, franchises and powers be not inconsistent with or repugnant to the laws of his majesty's kingdom of England, or other the laws of the general assembly of this province as aforesaid. And saving to his 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 New York, and in all the liberties, boundaries, extents, privileges thereof, for the maintenance of the said fort or garrison there all the right, use, title and 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 messuage by the fort, now in the possession of Thomas Coker, Gent. The piece of ground by the gate called the Governor's Garden, and the land without the gate called the King's Farm, with the swamp next to the same land by the fresh water, and saving the several rents and quit rents reserved, due and payable from several persons inhabiting within the said city and Island Manhattan's, by virtue of former grants to them made and given and saving to all other persons, bodies politic and corporate, their heirs, successors and assigns, all such right, title and claim, possessions, rents, services, commons, emoluments, interest in and to anything which is their's (save only the franchises aforesaid), in as ample manner as if this charter had not been made.

Grants to charitable uses saved.

17. 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 anything by means whereof the lands, tenements or hereditaments, stocks, goods or chattels thereof, or in the hands, custody, possession of any the citizens of the said city, such as have been set, let, given, granted or collected to and for pious and charitable uses, shall be wasted or misemployed 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 good; and to suppress all acts and contrivances to be invented, or put in use contrary thereunto.

Attestation clause.

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 the year of our Lord God, one thousand six hundred and eighty-six.

THOMAS DONGAN.

THE CORNBURY CHARTER.

By virtue or under pretext whereof the said citizens and inhabitants from the date thereof, hitherto have held or claim to hold and still do hold, or claim to hold and enjoy, all and singular the rights, privileges, franchises, pre-eminences, advantages, jurisdictions, courts, powers, profits, immunities, lands, tenements, hereditaments and other the premises therein particularly mentioned and thereby intended to be granted; and

Recital of several other buildings made by the city.

WHEREAS, The citizens and inhabitants of the said city of New York, besides the several public buildings, accommodations, conveniences 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 conveniences for the said city, that is to say, the present city hall and jails, rooms and places for the sitting of courts of justice and chambers adjoining, with the ground and appurtenances thereunto belonging, five market-houses, the present crane and bridge, with the common shore leading through the great dock and a magazine or powder-house near the fresh water, and several other public buildings and conveniences in the said city; and have built the new ferry-houses on the island of Nassau for the reception of travelers, with a barn, stables and pen, or pound for cattle; and

Queen Anne's charter, 1708.

WHEREAS, Our late royal predecessor, Queen Anne, by her letters patent, under the broad seal 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 wit: Anne, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, queen, defender of the faith, etc., to all whom these presents may in any wise concern, sendeth greeting: Grant of ferries and of land between high and low water mark on Nassau (Long) Island from the Wall-about to Red Hook. WHEREAS, The mayor, aldermen and commonalty of the city of New York, by their petition to our right trusty and well-beloved cousin Edward, Viscount Cornbury, our captain-general and governor in chief, in and over our province of New York and territories depending thereon in America, and vice-admiral of the same, etc., preferred in council, therein setting forth that they have a right and interest, under divers ancient charters and grants by divers former governors and commanders in chief of our said province of 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 possessed the same, and received all the profits, benefits and advantages thereof, for the space of fifty years and upwards; and perceiving the profits, advantages and benefits usually issuing out of the same to diminish, decrease and fall short of