The name Bruijkleen Colonie was given to this tract of land. The name was not coined for a particular settlement or vil- lage like Biishwick and Flatbush in later times; it was never given to the village, but it described plainly and correctly what this tract of land was intended to be. The word bruijkleen is still being used in the Netherlands ; translated into English it is a free loan The word consists of two parts, viz. : bruijk and leen ; bruijken means to use, and leen denotes loan or manor. The land was given to a bruijker, i. e., user or tenant, for a certain consideration. lts equivalent, in modern times, is homestead as used when Indian lands are opened to farmers, who thus can secure a piece of land, which becomes their property, provided they put it under cultivation. It was expected that these farms of a reasonable size would grow and prosper, whereas formerly the large manors had retarded the growth of the col- ony of New Netherland. Director-General Kieft, in spite of all his faults, must be credited with having introduced democracy into the country and having given to the colony a new lease of Hf e. Stuyvesant created in 1654 a superior District Court for the Bruijkleen colonie ; it consisted of the Schout and Delegates of the three towns Breukelen, Amersfoort and Midwout ; he also had a church edifice erected at the same time in Midwout or Flatbush village In 1661 the towns of Bushwick and New Utrecht were annexed to the jurisdiction of the Schout. The English applied the name of The Five Dutch Towns to the former Bruijkleen Colonie.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 23:53:46 +0000
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