The Charter of the Reformed Protestant
Dutch Church of New York
1696

Whereas: Wee have been informed by the humble peticon of Our loving Subjects, Henricus Selyns, William Beeckman, Joannes Kerbyle, Joannes De Peyster, Jocobus Kipp, Isaac De foreest and Isaac De Reymer,* the present Minister, Elders and Deacons of the Dutch protestant congregacon in our City of New yorke, presented to Our trusty and wellbeloved Benjamin Fletcher Our Captaine Generall and Governour in Chiefe of Our Province of New yorke and Territoryes depending thereon in America,

That the said Minister, Elders, Deacons and the other members in Communion of the said Dutch protestant congregacon in Our said City of New yorke, have at their own charge built and erected a Church within our City of New yorke, and the same together with the Coemetry or Church Yard thereunto adjoining, have dedicated to the service of God, situate, lying and being in a certaine street called the garden street, being bounded on the south by the said garden street, and on the north by the orchard, late in the possession of Elizabeth Drissius, and on the west by the lott of John Hendrick De Bruyn, and on the east by the lotts of John Sipkins and David Hendrix; containing on the south side, one hundred and eighty foot, and on the north side, one hundred and seventy-five foot, and on the west side eighty-four foot, and on the east side eighty-four foot, all of English measure, together with another lott of ground adjoyning to the north side of the said Church lott, abutting on the north side upon the lott of Henricus Selyns, on the west upon the alley newly laid out, on the east the lott of Jon Weet, and on the south the said Church lott; containing, on the north, sixty-three foot two inches, on the south, sixty-five foot and a half, on the east, eighteen foot and a half, and on the west twenty-two foot, English measure,

and are also seized in their demesne as of ffee as in right of the said Church, of and in a certain messuage or toft of ground, situate, lying, and being within Our said City of New yorke, in a certain streete called and known by the name of beaver streete, being bounded on the west by the lott heretofore belonging to Thomas Wandall, and now in the occupation of Jacob Lnnen, on the north by the lott late appertaining to Ceonraedt Teneyck, and now in the tenure of Theunis Dekey, and on the South by the said bevers streete, containing in front towards the said streete, fourty-four foot one halfe in depth, on the west one hundred and thirty foot one halfe on the East side one hundred thirty foot eight inches, and on the reere or North side fourty-five foot tenn inches, english measure,

As also of and in a certain Mannour commonly called and knowne, by the name of the Mannour of Fordham, situate, lying and being within Our County of Westchester, to the Eastward of Harlem River, near unto the passage formerly alled Spiten divell, and now known by the name of Kingsbridge; beginning at the high woodland that lyes due northwest, over against the first point of the Maine land, to the east of Paparinam, there where the kill Musketas is, and so goes along the said kill; the said land stretching from the high woodland afore-menconed, east south east until it comes unto Bronx kill;

so westward up along the Maine land, to the place where Harlem kill and Hudson's river meet, and then furthe alongst Harlem kill to the fresh spring or fountaine lying to the south of crab Island, so eastward along Daniel Tormer's land, the high woodland belonging to Thomas Hunt, and then to Bronx kill, aforementconed,

As also of and in a certain parcell of meadow, No. 1 situate, lying and being on the said Harlem river neer the said Mannour of Fordham, beginning in the middle of a point to the north of Creger's house, beyond or above the small cove that lyes above the said house, and southwest in Harlem river, and extends further northward to the highway where the wooden bridge lyes;

and Whereas, in the said humble peticon they have likewise prayed our grant and confirmacon of all and every premises, and that we would be graciously pleased to make them and their Successours forever capable to hold and enjoy the same, by incorporating the members of the said Dutch protestant Congregacon in our City of New yorke, aforesaid, into a body politick and corporate in deed and name, by the name and style of the minister, elders, and deacons of the reformed protestant Dutch Church of Our City of New yorke.

Now Know Yee, that in consideracon thereof as well as Wee being willing, in particular favour to the pious purposes of our said loving subjects, and to preserve to them and their Successours that liberty of worshipping God according to the constitutions and direccons of the reformed Churches in Holland, approved and instituted by the nationall Synod of Dort, have therefore thought fitt and do hereby publish, grant, ordaine, and declare, That Our royall will and pleasure is,

that noe person in communion of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church, within Our said City of New yorke, at any time hereafter shall be any wayes molested, punished, disquieted, or called in question, for any difference in opinion in matters of the protestant religion, who do not actually disturb the civil peace of Our said province,

but that all and every person and persons in Communion of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church may, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, freely and fully have and enjoy his and their own judgments and consciences in matters of the protestant religious concernments of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church, according to the constitutions and directions aforesaid,

they behaving themselves peaceably and quietly, and not using this liberty to licentiousnesse and profannesse, nor to the civill injury or outward disturbance of others; any law, statute, usage or costume of Our realme of England, or of this, our Province, to the contrary hereof in any wayes notwithstanding.

And that they may be in the better capacity to hold and enjoy the premissess, Wee have further thought fitt, and at their aforesaid humble request, wee are graciously pleased to Ordaine and declare that the aforesaid Church, built and erected as aforesaid, and scituate, lyeing and being within the limites aforementioned, and the ground thereunto adjoyning and inclosed and intended to be used for Cemetry or Church yard, shall be the Church and Church yard of the ministers, elders and deacons, and other members of the reformed protestant Dutch Church of Our City of New yorke, and the same is hereby declared to be forever separated and dedicated to the service of God, and to be applyed therein only to the use and behalfe of the members of the said Dutch Church Inhabitants from time to time inhabiting and to inhabite within Our said City of New yorke, and that there shall be a Minister to have care of the souls of the members of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church Inhabitants from time to time inhabiting and to inhabit within Our said City of New yorke, and a pepetuall Succession of Ministers there.

And wee do by these presents, constitute Our trusty and very loving subject, Mr. Henricus Selyns, the present Minister of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church, in Our City of New yorke aforesaid, who hath, since the building and dedication of the said Church to the service of God, very well and religiously supplyed the same in all divine offices for the service of God and the instruccon of the members of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church inhabiting within Our said City of New yorke, in the Christian faith according to the constitutions and direccons aforesaid;

Wee have further thought fitt, and at the humble peticon of the persons aforesaid, are graciously pleased to create and make them a body politick or corporate, with the powers and prviledges hereafter mentioned, and accordingly Our will and pleasure is, and of Our Special grace certaine knowledge and meere mocon Wee have ordained, constituted and declared, and by these presents for us, Our heirs and Successours, do ordaine, constitute and declare, that they, the said Mr. Hendricus Selyns, Nicholas Bayard, Stephen Cordtlandt, William Beeckman, Johannes Kerbyle, Johannes De Peyster, Jacobus Kipp, Isaac De foreest and Isaac De reymer, the present Minister, Elders and Deacons, and all such others as now are, or hereafter shall be admitted into the Communion of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church, in Our City of New yorke, shall be, from time to time, and at all times forever hereafter, a body corporate and politick, in fact and name, by name of the Minister, Elders and Deacons of the reformed protestant Dutch Church of the City of New yorke, and that by the same name they and their Successours shall and may have perpetuall Succession and shall and may be persons able and capable in the Law to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded, to answer and be answered unto, to defend and to be defended in all and singular suites, causes, Quarrells, matters, accons, and things of what kinde or nature soever;

And alsoe to have, take, possess, acquire, and purchase lands, tenements, or hereditaments, or any goods or chattells, and the same to lease, grant, demise, aliene, bragaine, sell and dispose of at their own will and pleasure as other our liedge people or any corporacon or body politick within Our Realme of England, or this Our Province, may lawfully do over and above rents, lands Tenements, messuges, Mannours and hereditaments hereby settled on the said Corporacon and their Successours, not exceeding the yearly value of two hundred pounds, currant money of Our said Province;

And further, that they the said Minister, Elders, and Deacons, and their Successours, shall and may forever hereafter, have a common seale to serve and use for all matters, causes, things and affairs whatsoever, of them and their Successours, and the same seale to alter change, break, make new, from time to time, at their will and pleasure, as they shall think fitt;

And further, Wee will and ordaine, and by these Presents for us, Our Heirs and Successours, doe declare and appoint that for the better ordering and manageing the affairs and businesse of the said corporacon and Successours, there shall be four Elders and four Deacons, from time to time constituted, elected and chosen out of the members of the said Dutch Church inhabiting in our said City of New yorke, for the time being in such manner and forme as is hereafter in these presents expressed, which persons, together with the Minister for the time being, shall apply themselves to take care for the best dysposing and ordering the generall businesse and affairs of and concerning the lands and hereditaments herein menconed to be granted and of all others that shall be acquired as aforesaid.

And for the better Execution of Our Royall pleasure herein, Wee do for us, Our heirs and Successours, assigne, name, constitute and appoint the aforesaid Mr. Henricus Selyns, to be the first and present Minister of the said Church, and the aforesaid Nicholas Bayard, Stephen Cortlandt, William Beeckman and Johannes Kerbyle, to be the first and Present Elders of the said Church and Johannes De peyster, Jacobus Kipp, Isaac De Foreest adn Isaac De REymer, to be the first and present Deacons of the said Church, which Elders and Deacons are to continue in the said severall offices resepectively, untill the second Sunday of November, now next ensuing;

And further, Wee will, and by these presents for us, our Heirs and Successours, do ordaine and grant the Minister of the said Church for the time being, or in his absence by sickness or otherwise the first Elder for the time being shall and may from time to time, upon all occasions, give order for the assembling or calling together the said Elders and Deacons to consult and advise of the businesse and affairs of said Church;

And further, Our will and pleasure is, and Wee doe hereby for Us, our Heirs and Successours, establish, that yearly, once in the year, forever hereafter, on the third thursday of October, at the said Church, the Elders and Deacons of said Church, by and with the consent and approbacon of the members of the said Church for the time being, shall nominate and appoint such of their Members of the said Church that shall succeed in the office of Elders and Deacons for the year ensuing,

And if it shall happen that any of the said Elders and Deacons so eleccted, nominated, and appointed as aforesaid, shall dye or be removed, before the said yearly day of Eleccon, that then and in every such case it shall and may be lawfull for the Members of the said Church to proceed, in manner aforesaid, to a new Eleccon of one or more of their members in the room or place of such officer dying or removed, according to their discrecon;

And further, our will and pleasure is, and wee do for us, Our Heirs and Successours, declare and grant, that the patronage, advoson, donation or presentation of and to the said Church after the decease of the said first minister or next avoidance thereof shall appertaine and belong to and be hereby vested in the Elders and Deacons of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church and their Successours forever. Provided always that all the succeeding Ministers that shall be by them presented, collated, instituted, and inducted into the said Church, shall bear true faith and allegiance unto us, Our heirs and Successours, any thing contained herein to the contrary hereof in any wayes notwithstanding.

And that the first Minister and all the succeeding ministers thereof shall and may have, take and enjoy such and the like stipends, constribucons, offerings, Free and voluntary gifts and other Ecclesiasticall dutyes, ariseing or used and accustomed to rise, from the members of the said Church;

And Our further will and pleasure is, and we do hereby declare that it shall and may be lawfull for the said Minister, Elders, and Deacons of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church in Our City of New yorke, aforesaid, and their Successours, to grant and demise such of the premises or any part of parcell thereof (as are now in lease), at the expiracon or other sooner determination of such lease, for the term of fifteene years, upon a reasonable improved yearly rent, without taking any fine for the same.

And Our further will and pleasure is, and Wee do hereby further declare that it shall and may be lawfull for the Deacons of the said Church, or any other person sufficiently authorized from them, at any time or times, when they meet and assemble together in the said Church, congregated as aforesaid, which is to be imployed by the Minister, Elders and Deacons, &c., unto such pious and charitable uses as they and their Successours, at their discrecon, shall think convenient and needfull;

And Our will and pleasure further is, and we doe hereby declare that the Minister of the said Church for the time being shall and may by and with the consent of the Elders and Deacons of the said Church, for the time being, or any four of them, whereof one of the Elders to be one, from time to time as need shall require, nominate one or more other able Ministers lawfully ordained according to the constitutions and direccons aforesaid, to be preachers and Assistants to the said Minister and his Successours in the celebracon of the divine offices or praying and preaching, and other dutyes incident to be perfomed in said Church as the Minister, Elders and Deacons of said Church shall require of him; And likewise to nominate and appointe a Clarke, Schoolmaster, bellringer or sexton, and such other under officers as they shall stand in need of.

And further, Wee do of Our Especiall grace, certaine knowledge and meer mocon give and grant unto the said Minister, Elders and Deacons, by and with the consent and advice of the members in Communion of the said Church or the major part of them, full power and authority to make rates and assessments upon all and every of the members in Communion of the said Church, which Minister, Elders and Deacons, together with the members in communion of the said Church or major part of them are hereby authorized, from time to time, to make rates and assessments upon all and every of the members in communion of the said church for the raising of money for the payment of the yearly stipends and sallaryes of the aforesaid Officers of the said Church, and also for repairing, amending and enlarging the said Church and steeple, belfry, Coemetry or Church yard, and other things necessary belonging to the said Church, which rates and assessments shall be paid unto the Deacons of the said Church for the time being, and disposed of to the uses aforesaid, by order of the said Minister, Elders and Deacons;

And for the better and more easy taxing and making of the rates and assessments aforesaid, Wee further grant and declare that the Minister shall on every first Sunday in the month of May in the year, give notice to the members of said Church by name to appear, assemble and meet with him and the Elders and Deacons of said Church, on the second Monday then next following in the said Church, to make the said assessment, And if upon notice so given, they neglect or do not meet, then Our will and pleasure is that the said Minister, Elders and Deacons do make the said assessment, any thing contained herein to the contrary hereof in any wayes not withstanding.

And Wee doe of Our further speciall grace, certain knowledge and meer mocon, give and grant unto the said Minister, Elders and Deacons, and their Successours, That the said Minister, Elders and Deacons, together with the members in Communion of the said Church, Inhabitants from time to time inhabiting and to inhabite in our said City of New yorke, shall be called the reformed protestant Dutch Church of Out said City of New yorke,

And that they or the greatest part of them, where of the Minister, Elders and Deacons and the major part of the members in Communion of the said Church, shall have and have hereby given and granted unto them, full power and authority from time to time, and at all times hereafter to appoint, alter and change such dayes and times of meeting as they shall think fitt,

And to choose, nominate, and appoint such and so many of Our liedge people as they shall think fitt and shall be willing to accept the same to be members of their said Church and Corporation and body politick, and them into the same to admitt and to elect and constitute such other Officer and Officers as they shall think fitt and requisite for the ordering manageing and dispatching of the affairs of the said Church and Corporacon and their Successours; And from time to time to make, ordaine, constitute, or repeale such rules, orders, and ordinances for the good discipline and weal of the members of the said Church and Corporacon; as that these rules, orders, ordinances, be not repugnant to the laws of Our Realme of England, and of this Our Province, nor dissonant to the principles of Our protestant religion, but as neere as may be agreeable to our Laws of Our Kingdom of England, and consonant to the articles of faith and worship of God agreed upon by the aforesaid Synod of Dort;

and further Know Yee, that Wee of our more abundant grace, certaine knowledge, and meere mocon, have given, granted, ratifyed, and confirmed, and by these for us, our heirs and Successours do give, grant, ratify and confirme unto the said Minister, Elders and Deacons, and their Successours, all and every of the severall above recited lands, tenements, messuages, Mannours, and hereditaments, withinall and every of their severall and respective limites and bounds above specifyed, together with all and every of their severall and respective houses, buildings, edifices, tenements, closes, yards, tofts of ground, orhcards, gardens, inclosures, fields, pastures, feedings, woods, underwoods, trees, timber, Common of pasture, meadows, marshes, swamps, lakes, ponds, pools, waters, water courses, rivers, rivolettes, brooks, streams, fishing, fouling, hunting, and hawking, quaryes, mines, mineralls, (silver and gold mines excepted) and all other royaltyes, jurisdiccons, franchises, preheminencyes, libertyes, priviledges, benefits, profites, hereditaments, and apurtenances whatsoever, to all and every of the severall and respective above recited lands, tenements, messuages, Mannours, hereditaments and premises belonging, or in any wayse appertaining or there withall used, accepted, reputed, or taken to belong in any ways to appertaine to all intents, construccons and purposes whatsoever; As also all and singular the rents, arrearages of rents and issue of the premises heretofore ariseing, due or payable.

To have and to hold all and every of the severall above recited lands,tenements, messuages, Mannours and hereditaments within all and every of their severall and respective limites and bounds above specifyed, together with all and every of their severall and respective houses, buildings, Edifices, tenements, closes, yards, tofts of ground, orchards, gardens, inclosures, fields, pastures feedings, woods, underwoods, trees, timber, common of pasture, meadows, marshes, swamps, lakes, ponds, pools, waters, water-courses, rivers, rivoletts, brooks, streams, fishing, fowling, hunting and hawking, quarryes, mines, mineralls, (silver and gold mines excepted) and all other Royaltyes, Jurisdiccons, franchises, preheminencyes, libertyes, priviledges, benefits, profites, hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever to all and every of the severall and respective above recited lands, tenements, messuages, Mannours, hereditaments and premisses belonging or in any ways appertaining unto them,

the said Minister, Elders and Deacons and other members in Communion of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church in the City of New yorke, and their Successours in ffree and common soccage as of Our Mannour of East Greenwich in our County of Kent, within our Realme of England; yielding, rendering and paying therefore yearly and every year, forever unto Us, our Heirs and Successours, on the feast day of the annunciation of Our Blessed Virgin Mary, at our City of New yorke, the annuall rent of twelve shillings, Currant money of our said Province, in Lieu and steade of all other rents, dues, dutyes, Services, claims and Demands, whatsoever, for the premisses.

AND LASTLY WE do for us, our Heirs and Successours ordaine and grant unto the said Minister, Elders and Deacons of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church, within the City of New yorke, and their Successours, by these presents, That this our grant shallbe firme, good, effectuall and available in all things in the law, to all intent and meaning, herein before declared, and shall be construed, reputed and adjudged in all cases most favourable on the behalfe and for the best benefite and behoofe of the said Minister, Elders and Deacons of the said reformed protestant Dutch Church in the City of New yorke, and their sucessours; although express mencon of the true yearly value or certainty of the premises or of any of them in these presents is not named, or any statute, act, ordinance, provision, proclamation, or restriccon heretofore had made, Enacted, ordained or provided, or any other matter, clause or thing whatsoever, to the contrary hereof notwithstanding.

IN THE TESTIMONY WHEREOF we have caused the great seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed, Witness our trusty and well beloved Benjamin Fletcher, our Captaine Generall and Governour in Chiefe of our Province of New yorke and the Territoryes and Tracts of land depending thereon in America, and Vice Admirall of the same, our Lieut and Commander in Chiefe of the militia, and of all the forces by sea and land within our Colony of Connecticutt, and of all the fforts and places of strength within the same, in Councill at our ffort in New yorke, the eleventh day of May, in the eighth year of our reigne, Annoq Domini, 1696,

BEN FLETCHER

By his Excells. Command

David Jamison
D Secry

The Charter was confirmed by the Legislature of the Colony of New York, Dec. 12, 1753 (see the Colonial Laws of New York, Vol. III, 1739-1755, compiled by the Statutory Revision Commision, p. 983, Chapter 950), and continued in force by the Constitution of the State of New York (see Section 16).

*The form in which the names of the Elders and Deacons appear in the text is doubtless due to the English scribe by whom the Charter was drawn up. In the Minutes of the Consistory, which are in the handwriting of Domine Selyns, they are as follows: Elders, Nicolaes Bayard, Stephanus van Cortlant, Willem Beeckman, Johannes Kerfbyl: Deacons, Isaacg de Foreest, Johannes de Peyster, Jacobus Kip, Isaacg de Riemer.
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