Translation
Letter from the director and council to the magistrates of Gravesend
Worthy friends:
On the 19th of January we drafted a certain order and resolution
in the form of a summons which was sent to you with a letter from the
director-general, albeit by a private party; therefore, we do not know whether the
order contained in our aforesaid resolution has been obeyed and carried out pursuant
to the good intention and purport thereof. According to the verbal reports of people
especially interested therein and judging from your last letter of 22 January, which
was directed to the honorable director-general privately in answer to his letter, you
seem not to have completely understood our meaning and intention, and therefore feel
neither obligated nor inclined to carry it out because in your opinion it is contrary
to your patent and privileges, an infraction of which we by no means intend. We have
therefore decided to send you by an officer, namely our sworn court-messenger, our
further resolution and summons, renewing the former and instructing you how to
publish marriage bases of persons of whom one or both are residents and have lived
during the last year in another place, village or jurisdiction. It is contrary to and
offends all political and civil laws, not only of Netherland and other adjacent
countries and provinces, but also against all customs and usages of this province and
even of New England, who all unanimously agree and concur that they who desire to
enter into the state of matrimony must give notice of their bans and proclaim their
intended marriage, and have them published on three consecutive days of prayer or
court session, not in another jurisdiction but in the jurisdiction, place or village
where they both are residents and have lived the last year; and if the persons
desiring the publication of their bans are residents of different villages, places or
districts, such bans must be published in both places and a proof or evidence of no
hindrances must be submitted to the magistrates or church officials at the place
where, after the publication of the bans, they wish to be married, otherwise they
cannot be confirmed in the married state without committing an unlawful act. We have
considered it necessary to inform you hereof that you may not violate through
ignorance the political laws, ordinances and customs of our fatherland and this
country. Relying hereupon we commend you with our greetings to God's protection and
remain — below was written: worthy friends, your honors' devoted friends the
director-general and council of New Netherland; was signed: P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius
de Sille, C. van Werckhoven, La Montagne, Cor. van Thienhoven; and was dated: 10
February 1654, Amsterdam in New Netherland.