The following proceeding is curious, setting forth the ancient practice of tradesmen cutting down timber in the public woods, and the regulations made respecting the same. It appears that directly after the Trustees were chosen by the above meeting they together with the Justices, held the following meeting. “Att a meeting held this 29th day off Aprill, (1699) in Breucklyn, Present, Benjamin Vande Water, Jooris Hanssen, Jan Geritse Dorlant, being choisen townsmen in the presence and with the advice off the Justices off this towne. Considering the greate inconvenience, lose and intrest that the inhabitants off this towne have by reason that the tradesmen here living in this towne doe ffall and cutt the best trees and sully the best of our woods and sell the worke thereoff made the most part to others living withoute the towne, and that the shoemakers and others doe cutt and fall all the best treese ffor the barke, and the wood lyes and rott, and that some persons doe cutt and ffall trees for timber and ffensing stuff, and leave the trees in the woods soe cutt until they are spoilt, and that people off other towns come and cutt and fall trees ffor timber, ffensing stuff, and ffire woods, and transport the same away out off our townes bounds and limitts, and that without leave or consent off the towne, soe that in the time off ffew yeares there shall bee no woods leaved ffor the inhabitants ffor timber or ffensing stuff to the ruine off the said towne. It is thereffore ordered, That ffrom the date hereoff no tradesman shall make any worke ffor to sell to others without thee towne, ffrom wood soe cutt as afforesaid as only ffrom old wood. That no shoemaker or others shall cutt or ffall any trees ffor to barke in the common woods uppon the penaltie off ffive pound ffor every tree soe cutt. That no men shall leave any timber, ffensing stuffe, or other wood in the woods longer as six weeks affter itt is cutt, uppon the penaltie, that itt shall be ffree ffor others to take and carry the same away as theire owne wood. And that iff any one off other townes shall be ffounden within our townes limitts to cutt or carry away any sorts off woods ffor timber, ffensing stuff or ffire wood, that itt shall bee ffree ffor any one off this towne to take it away and to take out writ to arrest, or to apprehend such offender or offenders presently, and that the Justices off this towne shall answer the action as iff itt were done by theire owneselves,[12] These proceedings were also recorded by order of the Court of Sessions. “Towne meeting held this 5th day off May, 1701, by order off Justices Cornelis Sebringh and Machiell Hanssen. We the major part off the ffreeholders off Breucklyn doe hereby nominate, constitute and appoint Capt. Jooris Hanssen, Jacob Hanssen and Cornelis Van Duyn, to bee trustees of our Common and undivided lands, and to deffend and maintaine the rights and privileges off our General pattent, as well within as without.”