was continued after the Duke of York became King, as it was before. Coll Slaughter the first Governor after the Revolution, found the Country in such confusion and lived so short a while that I think only one Patent passed in his time for Lands. But Coll Fletcher who succeeded him, made amends by the liberal hand with which he gave away Lands. The most extraordinary favors of former Gov" were but petty Grants in comparison of his

He was a generous

colden's report on the lands in the province OF NEW-YORK.

man, and gave the Kings Lands by parcels of upwards of One hundred thousand Acres to a man, and to some particular favourites four or five times that quantity, but the King was not pleased with him, as I am told, and he was recalled in disgrace. This lavishing away of lands probably was one reason for

The Earl of Bellamont, who succeeded, having orders to use all legal means for breaking extravagant grants of Land, joined with the assembly in vacating several of the extravagant Grants made by Coll Fletcher but as this act was carried thro' with Spirit of party in the assembly, it passed with

much less impartiality than might have been expected from the Justice of the Legislature.

For some of the most extravagant Grants were passed over, while some others were declared extravagant and vacated, that no way deserved that Character. However this act has considerably encreased his Majestys Quitrents for of these tracts which were then vacated, and which by their pattents were to pay altogether five beaver skins, one otter skin one fat Buck and twenty shillings the lands since that time regranted within the bounds of the said patents pay near four hundred pounds yearly at the rate of 2 s 6 d per hundred acres, notwithstanding that a great part of these lands still remain ungranted.