Knickerbocker's History of New York, Complete eBook
Washington Irving
At every town would Peter Stuyvesant, who was noted
for warlike punctilio, order the sturdy Antony to
sound a courteous salutation; though the manuscript
observes that the inhabitants were thrown into great
dismay when they heard of his approach. For the
fame of his incomparable achievements on the Delaware
had spread throughout the east country, and they dreaded
lest he had come to take vengeance on their manifold
transgressions.
But the good Peter rode through these towns with a
smiling aspect, waving his hand with inexpressible
majesty and condescension; for he verily believed
that the old clothes which these ingenious people had
thrust into their broken windows, and the festoons
of dried apples and peaches which ornamented the fronts
of their houses, were so many decorations in honor
of his approach, as it was the custom in the days of
chivalry to compliment renowned heroes by sumptuous
displays of tapestry and gorgeous furniture.
The women crowded to the doors to gaze upon him as
he passed, so much does prowess in arms delight the
gentler sex. The little children, too, ran after
him in troops, staring with wonder at his regimentals,
his brimstone breeches, and the silver garniture of
his wooden leg. Nor must I omit to mention the
joy which many strapping wenches betrayed at beholding
the jovial Van Corlear, who had whilom delighted them
so much with his trumpet, when he bore the great Peter’s
challenge to the Amphictyons. The kind-hearted
Antony alighted from his calico mare, and kissed them
all with infinite loving kindness, and was right pleased
to see a crew of little trumpeters crowding round
him for his blessing, each of whom he patted on the
head, bade him be a good boy, and gave him a penny
to buy molasses candy.
FOOTNOTES:
[58] This Luyck was, moreover, rector
of the Latin School in
Nieuw
Nederlands, 1663. There are two pieces addressed
to AEgidius
Luyck
in D. Selyn’s MSS. of poesies, upon his marriage
with
Judith
Isendoorn. (Old MSS.)
CHAPTER V.
Now so it happened, that while the great and good
Peter Stuyvesant, followed by his trusty squire, was
making his chivalric progress through the east country,
a dark and direful scheme of war against his beloved
province was forming in that nursery of monstrous projects,
the British Cabinet.
This, we are confidently informed, was the result
of the secret instigations of the great council of
the league; who, finding themselves totally incompetent
to vie in arms with the heavy-sterned warriors of the
Manhattoes and their iron-headed commander, sent emissaries
to the British Government, setting forth in eloquent
language the wonders and delights of this delicious
little Dutch Canaan, and imploring that a force might
be sent out to invade it by sea, while they should
co-operate by land.
