tina as one who had performed "good and faithful services," and who was worthy of protection in order to his advancement.

Pappegoya became Printz's son-in-law, and under his appointment as deputy, ruled New Sweden in the interval between the departure of Printz and the arrival of the new Governor, John Claude Rysinge. No account of his official acts seems to be in existence.2 He remained in New Sweden. In July, 1654, Rysinge recommends him to the minister of Sweden, as a proper person to be appointed Schute, or Schout. In 1656, after the conquest of New Sweden by the Dutch, he is still on the Delaware, for on the 30th of March, in that year, he announces to Governor Stuyvesant the arrival, at the Delaware, of a Swedish vessel, the "Mercury," and the refusal of the Dutch to allow its crew and passengers to land. This is the last direct mention of him. His wife, Amigart Printz Pappegoya, figures at a much later date, in the history of affairs on the Delaware, mention being made of her as late as 1672. She finally returned home to Sweden."

On the 12th of December, 1653, John Claude Rysinge, formerly the secretary, but now commissary-elect of the Swedish Royal College of Commerce, was commissioned to visit New Sweden, with a view of assuming the direction of affairs in that colony, should Governor Printz insist upon his determination of returning to Sweden. Manifestly, the home government had not contemplated so sudden a departure on the part of Printz, as will appear from the tenor of Rysinge's instructions. In these instructions it is provided, among other things, that there shall be no such interference, by Rysinge, with the Dutch posession of Fort Casimer, on the Delaware, as will provoke a controversy, it being deemed better that the Dutch should be allowed to occupy their fortress, than that it should fall into the hands of the English, of which there was much danger, in the event of open hostilities between the Dutch and the Swedes, in that quarter, as the English, from New England, coveting the region of the Delaware, were continually encroaching on the rights assumed by its present possessors.

Rysinge's disregard of his instructions, in this particular, was a most unfortunate thing for the Swedes, as the sequel shows, being the direct cause of the almost immediate overthrow of Swedish power on the Delaware.

Between the 27th and 31st of May, 1654, Rysinge arrived at the Delaware, upon the ship Eagle, together with "various officers, officials, and military," and, finding that Printz had departed, declared himself Director-General of New Sweden, and, as above stated, relieved John Pappegoya of any further direction of affairs in the colony.

Ar

His first act was an express and fatal violation of his instructions. rived before the Dutch Fort Casimer, which was, at the time, under com

1 Pa. Arch., 2d Ser., Vol. V, p. 775.

2 Hazard's Ann., p. 142.

3 Ibid., p. 155.

4 Ibid., p. 212.

Acrelius says Pappagoya returned to Sweden directly after the arrival of Rysinge.

See Memoirs Hist. Soc. Pa., Vol. X1, p. 63.

8 Acrelius' Mem. Hist. Soc. Pa., p. 62.

mand of Gerrit Bikker, Rysinge demanded the immediate surrender of the fort and the river, and Bikker, without even a show of resistance, surrendered the fort unconditionally. Heedless of the result of his rash act, Rysinge proceeded to establish his government, so far as circumstances would permit, in accordance with his instructions. He made as favorable terms with the Dutch settlers and Indians as possible. Summoning the latter to a grand conclave, at Printz Hall, on Tinnicum Island, and making a treaty with them, he purchased lands, to which they gave him, at least, the show of a title.

That a full understanding may be had of what is to follow, mention must here be made of one Captain John Admunson Besk. Prior to the commission of Rysinge,1 on account of services rendered, this individual 'had received the grant of a tract of land in New Sweden, and the commission of "a captain in the navy."

Presuming that Printz still remained in New Sweden, the Swedish Government had instructed him, through their commission to Rysinge, to render to the latter a full statement of the situation of civil and military affairs in the colony.

Under the new regimé the military affairs of the colony were to be placed under the command of Admunson.

Printz was further commanded to establish "a council, formed of the best instructed and most noble officers in the country," of which Rysinge was to be director. But neither he nor Admunson, the military governor, had the power of deciding or approving anything without consultation with each other. In the event of Printz's remaining in the country, the right of choosing his council was guaranteed to him, but he was to accept Rysinge as commissary and assistant counsellor.3

Relieved of all obligations to Printz by the absence of that individual, Rysinge, doubtless, modified these instructions to suit the circumstances. But his lease of power was limited; too much so, in all probability, for him to mature the plans of his administration.

When the West India Company, in Holland, were apprised of the capture of Fort Casimer, it aroused their indignation and anger. DirectorGeneral Stuyvesant, at New Amsterdam, was ordered "to exert every nerve to revenge that injury, not only by restoring affairs to their former situation, but by driving the Swedes from every side of the river, as they. did with us, provided that such among them as may be disposed to settle under and submit to our government, may be indulged in it."

On the 4th of September, 1655, Stuyvesant, with seven vessels and about six hundred men, set sail for the Delaware, and invested Fort Cassimer, which capitulated on the 11th of September. The downfall of Cassimer was followed by the surrender of Fort Christina, by Rysinge, on the 25th of the same month. Thus, in less than fifteen months from the inception of Rysinge's government, followed the conquest of the entire 1 November, 1653. 3 Hazard's Ann., p. 144.

2 Pa. Arch., 2d Ser., Vol. V, Hazard's Ann.,

4 Ibid., p. 168.

colony by the Dutch, under Peter Stuyvesant, and the overthrow, forever, of Swedish authority on the Delaware.

Governor Rysinge, after mortgaging the Swedish Company's property for his own private debts,' sailed for home, but was obliged, on account of unfavorable weather, to land in England. From that country, shortly afterwards, he returned to Sweden, where we hear of him again, and the last time, in the year 1661, when he is reported under arrest for his behaviour on the Delaware, but is promised immunity from punishment, if he will recover the lost territory.

The destruction of the Swedish archives, at Stockholm, by fire, has left us in the dark, to a large extent, as to the doings of the Swedes on the Delaware. In the fragmentary record, only a vestige, here and there, of the rules, regulations, and laws of their colonial government in that quarter remains. A mere trace, fitful at best, and rendered more faint by the shadows of time. If the reader has been able to catch a glimpse of it, the full purpose of the writer, in this particular, has been attained.

CHAPTER III.

THE DUTCH DOMINION, 1655-1664.

Stuyvesant's conquest of the Swedes was immediately followed by the establishment of a Dutch form of government on the Delaware, and the appointment, by degrees, of proper officers for the enforcement of law and the administration of justice.

Upon his departure for New Amsterdam, Stuyvesant appointed Deryk Smidt to act as commissary or commandant of the conquered territory, until the arrival of such person as should be appointed to be Vice Director or Governor.1

On the 29th of November, John Paul Jacquet was appointed "Vice Director and Chief Magistrate on the South river of New Netherlands, as well for the forts, territories, and other places situate upon said river,"2 and with his administration was inaugurated a more settled condition of affairs upon the Delaware.

The several administrations, under the dominion of the Dutch, were as follows:

Director General of New Netherlands.

PETER STUYVESANT, 1655-1664.

Under Stuyvesant, the government of the New Netherlands consisted of a Director General and Council. Fiscaal or Schout was the name of the principal prosecuting officer.

1 Acrelius, p. 88. Hazard's Ann., p. 204. Pa. Arch., 2d Ser., Vol. VII, p. 493. 2 Pa. Arch., 2d Ser., Vol. VII, p. 490.

The office of Fiscaal, or Schout, as more frequently designated, was a most important one. Officers bearing this name, and delegated with many of the powers of the office, were appointed on the Delaware during the continuance of Dutch power in that quarter. For a proper understanding of future references, a brief description of the duties of this office is appended.1

The Council of the New Netherlands had the supreme authority to make laws and execute them throughout their jurisdiction. It was the tribunal for the trial of both civil and criminal cases. Distant settlements, however, were allowed their own courts, from which an appeal lay to the Director-General and Council of New Netherlands. The principal prosecuting officer was called the "Schout," whose duties combined both those of a sheriff and a district attorney, or attorney general. He convened the judges and prosecuted the case. The name "Schout' is derived from Shuld-debt, and he is so denominated, because he is the person who recovers or demands common debts, according to Grotius."2

The Schout" was charged specially with enforcing and maintaining the placards, laws, ordinances, resolutions, and military regulations of their High Mightinesses the States General, and protecting the rights, domains, and jurisdiction of the Company, and executing their orders, as well in as out of court, without favor or respect to individuals; he was bound to superintend all prosecutions and suits, but could not undertake any actions on behalf of the Company, except by order of the Council; nor arraign, nor arrest any person on a criminal charge, except on information previously received, or unless he caught him in flagrante delicto. In taking information he was bound to note, as well those points which made for the prisoner, as those which supported the charge against him, and after trial, he was to see to the proper and faithful execution of the sentence pronounced by the judges, who, in indictments carrying with them loss of life and property, were not to be less than five in number. He was, moreover, specially obliged to attend to the commissaries arriving from the Company's out-posts, and to vessels arriving from or leaving for Holland, to inspect their papers and superintend the loading and discharging of their cargoes, so that smuggling may be prevented; and all goods introduced, except in accordance to the Company's regulations, were at once to be confiscated. He was to transmit to the Directors, in Holland, copies of all information taken by him, as well as all sentences pronounced by the court, and no person was to be kept long in prison, at the expense of the Company, without special cause, but all were to be prosecuted as expeditiously as possible before the Director and Council."

"The Schout fiscaal of New Netherlands had no voice in the Council. He was privileged to sit in that body merely when questions rose relating to finance, justice or police, and give his opinion when asked, but not to

1 Quoted in the main from O'Call. Hist. N. N., Vol. I, p. 102, &c. 2 Van Leemon's Com. on Roman Dutch Law, in note in O'Call,