HARVAN UNIVERSITY

LIBRARY 050*136

A

HISTORY OF NEW-YORK,

FROM THE

BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THE END OF

THE DUTCH DYNASTY;

CONTAINING, AMONG MANY SURPRISING AND CURIOUS MATTERS, THE UNUTTERABLE

PONDERINGS OF WALTER THE DOUBTER, THE DISASTROUS PROJECTS OF WILLIAM THE TESTY, AND THE CHIVALRIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF PETER THE HEADSTRONG -THE THREE DUTCH GOVERNORS OF NEW AMSTERDAM: BEING THE ONLY AUTHENTIC HISTORY OF THE TIMES THAT EVER HATH BEEN OR EVER WILL BE PUBLISHED

BY

Wiedrich Knickerbocker.

De waarheid die in duister lag,
Die tomt met flaarheid aan den dag.

THE AUTHOR'S REVISED EDITION.

COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME.

NEW-YORK: GEORGE P. PUTNAM, 155 BROADWAY,

And 142 Strand, London.

ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1848, by

WASHINGTON IRVING, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of

New-York.

John F. Trow, Printer and Stereotyper

49 Aun-street, N. Y.

CONTENTS.

poh xi

l'HE AUTHOR'S APOLOGY,

ORIGINAL ADVERTISEMENTS,

ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR, .

ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC,

13

23

BOOK I.

CONTAINING DIVERS INGENIOUS THEORIES AND PHILOSOPHIC SPECULATIONS,

CONCERNING THE CREATION AND POPULATION OF THE WORLD, AS CON-

NECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF NEW-YORK.

.

.

CHAP. I.-Description of the World

29

CHAP. II.-Cosmogony, or Creation of the World ; with a multitude of excel-

lent theories, by which the creation of a world is shown to be no such

difficult matter as common folk would imagine

36

CHAP. III.—How that famous navigator, Noah, was shamefully nicknamed;

and how he committed an unpardonable oversight in not having four sons.

With the great trouble of philosophers caused thereby, and the discovery of

America

45

CHAP. IV.-Showing the great difficulty Philosophers have had in peopling

America-and how the Aborigines came to be begotten by accident—to the

great relief and satisfaction of the Author

52

Chap. V.-In which the Author puts a mighty question to the rout, by the

assistance of the Man in the Moon, which not only delivers thousands of

people from great embarrassment, but likewise concludes this introductory

book. .

59

75

CHAP. I.-In which are contained divers reasons why a man should not write

in a hurry-Also of Master Hendrick Hudson, his discovery of a strange

country—and how he was magnificently rewarded by the munificence of

their High Mightinesses

CHAP. II.—Containing an account of a mighty Ark which floated, under the

protection of St. Nieholas, from Holland to Gibbet Island—the descent of

the strange Animals therefrom-a great victory, and a description of the

ancient village of Communipaw

86

CHAP. III.-In which is set forth the true art of making a bargain-together

with the miraculous escape of a great Metropolis in a fog—and the biogra-

phy of certain heroes of Communipaw

93

CHAP. IV.—How the heroes of Communipaw voyaged to Hell-gate, and how

they were received there

101

CHAP. V.-How the heroes of Communipaw returned somewhat wiser than

they went—and how the sage Oloffe dreamed a dream-and the dream

that he dreamed

112

CHAP. VI.—Containing an attempt at etymology and of the founding of the

great city of New-Amsterdam

117

CHAP. VII.-How the people of Pavonia migrated from Communipaw to the

Island of Manna-hata-and how Oloffe the Dreamer proved himself a great

land speculator.

120

CHAP. VIII.—Of the founding and naming of the new City-of the City Arms;

and of the direful feud between Ten Breeches and Tough Breeches 123

CHAP. IX.—How the city of New-Amsterdam waxed great under the protec-

tion of St. Nicholas and the absence of laws and statutes How Oloffe the

Dreamer begun to dream of an extension of Empire, and of the effect of

his dreams

129

.

BOOK III.

IN WHICH IS RECORDED THE

GOLDEN REIGN OF WOUTER VAN TWILLER.

CHAP. I.–Of the renowned Wouter Van Twiller, his unparalleled virtues—as

likewise his unutterable wisdom in the law case of Wandle Schoonhoven

and Barent Bleecker—and the great admiration of the public thereat 137