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Petition of the burgomasters and schepens for approval of the fees imposed by them for sealing weights and measures

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To the honorable and highly esteemed lords, the lord director general [      ] of New Netherland.

The current burgomasters and schepens of the city of Amsterdam in New Netherland make known with all due humility and reverence:

That at their session dated 28 June 1655[1] it was decided to find some funds to defray the expense of some of the necessary works of this city, as follows:

For assizing of the skipple  15 stivers 
For marking of the ell  20 stivers 
For assizing of the tun and half kegs  10 stivers 
For quarter kegs  5 stivers 
For assizing of any kanne whether large or small  6 stivers 
For weights of 1 to 10 pounds  3 stivers 
From 10 to 20 lbs.  5 stivers 
From 20 to 50 lbs.  8 stivers 
Above 50 lbs.  10 stivers 

And that each tavernkeeper is to take out a license every quarter, and pay 6 guilders for it.

And whereas the petition to request your honors’ approval of the same was delayed for certain reasons until today; therefore, they, petitioners, now request that your honors be pleased to approve their aforesaid proposal for the benefit of this city in order to be able to implement the same at the earliest opportunity. Awaiting your honors’ favorable disposition hereon, we remain (below was written:) your honors’ humble servants, the burgomasters and schepens of the city of Amsterdam in New Netherland. (Was signed:) Allard Antony, Johanis van Brugh, Jacob Strijcker, J. Vinge, [      ].

The petition recorded above having been read [      ] resolved after the foregoing deliberation [      ] to approve, and hand down the decision: fiat ut petitiur. Done in our session held at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Ady ut supra. (Was signed:) P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius de Sille, La Montagne, Cor. van Tienhoven

Notes

See RNA, 1:327-28, for this session.

References

Translation: Gehring, C., trans./ed., New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 6, Council Minutes, 1655-1656 (Syracuse: 1995). A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.