“Stuyvesant is governor no longer.  I will soon go to New Amsterdam, with a hundred men, and proclaim the supremacy of his Majesty, king Charles, beneath the very walls of the fort.”

The next day he went to Flatbush, where there was a renewal of the scenes which we have above described.  Though the people could present no resistance, he found no voice to cheer him.  The want of success exasperated Scott.  He went to New Utrecht.  There was a block fort there, armed with cannon, and over which floated the Dutch flag.  He hauled down that banner and raised in its stead the flag of England.  Then, with Dutch cannon and Dutch powder, he fired a salute in honor of his victory.  All passers-by were ordered to uncover their heads and bow in submission to the English flag.  Those who refused to do so were pursued by his soldiers and cruelly beaten.

Governor Stuyvesant, upon being informed of these transactions, immediately sent three of his principal men to Long Island, to seek some arrangement with Scott for the termination of such disorders.  They met him at Jamaica.  After much discussion they entered into a partial agreement, which was to be submitted to the approval of Governor Stuyvesant.  As the Dutch deputies took their leave, Scott said to them,

“This whole island belongs to the king of England.  He has made a grant of it to his brother, the duke of York.  He knows that it will yield him an annual revenue of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.  He is soon coming with an ample force, to take possession of his property.  If it is not surrendered peaceably he is determined to take, not only the whole island, but also the whole province of New Netherland.”

With these alarming tidings, the Dutch envoys returned to New Amsterdam.  Disorders were now rapidly multiplying.  Scott rallied around him all the most turbulent of the English population, and the Dutch towns were menaced with violence.  The Dutch families in the English villages, were many of them compelled to abandon their houses, and repair to the Dutch villages for protection.  Frequent collisions occurred.  There was no longer any happiness or peace to be found in these dwellings agitated by the approaching tempests of revolution.

The inhabitants of New Amsterdam became greatly alarmed from fear that their rich and beautiful city would be attacked or plundered by the English.  The burgomasters and principal men drew up a petition to the authorities urging additional fortifications for the city and the enlistment of an increased armed force.

In this petition they said,