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[several lines lost] The director general and councilors of New Netherland having taken into consideration the submission of the burgomasters and schepenen of this city of New Amsterdam in New Netherland, wherein they remonstrate on the one hand the trouble, labor, burdens, guard duty, and doing the rounds, which the burghers of that city have supported, borne and sustained in the last national quarrels with the neighbors, as well as in the sad and unexpected encounters with the naturellen, and what they, as the principal frontier and capital are subjected to more than others; on the other hand, the repeatedly made complaints of the burghers and of other inhabitants of this province against the trading and trafficking of the Schotsen, who sail back and forth within the country’s interior, also even at the best trading places, taking, as it were the bread out of the mouths of the good burghers and resident inhabitants, without being subject, like the burghers and settled inhabitants, in time of peace or war, to any trouble, expense, labor, guard duty or watches, other than, in time of peace they carry off the profits, and in time of war desert the country and its inhabitants, against which the burgomasters and schepenen request for their citizenry some more [extensive favor, privilege and freedom.^[i] The director general and councilors of New Netherland, having taken the premises into serious consideration, being sufficiently informed by their own experience of the truth and justice of the case, have, on the petition of the burgomasters and schepenen, with the approbation and ratification of the lords patroons, and by their advice] and instructions dated 12 [ March, 1654, provisionally ] condescended, resolved, privileged and granted that from now on the Schotsen and traders who come over, shall, by virtue of the staple right and pursuant to the orders and instructions of the lords patroons, be bound to set up and keep in a rented or owned house or room rented or owned by them, an open store within the gates and walls of this city before selling or transporting their goods and merchandises, and to ask previously of the burgomasters and schepenen aforesaid for the common or small burgher or poorter right to enable them so to do, for which they shall pay once twenty guilders for the benefit of this city and the support thereof. In like manner, also, in virtue hereof, the burgomasters and schepenen are granted that, from this time forward, no passengers, Schotsen, shop keepers or craftsmen shall be privileged to pursue, within this city, any public store or craft, except those who [ have applied to and received ] from [the burgomasters and schepenen the small or common burgher right, and bound themselves by subscription or promise of oath to the supreme government of the director general and councilors, to bear, during] their stay here in the city, their taxes, guard duty, and watches, like other burghers and poorteren.

Further, conforming to the laudable custom of the city of Amsterdam in Europe, the director general and councilors of New Netherland consent and grant, with the approval and ratification as aforesaid, to the burgomasters and schepenen of this city the establishment of a great burgher right, for which those who request to be therein shall pay fifty guilders.

And all such, and such only, are in the future qualified to fill all civil offices and dignities within this city, and accordingly they can be brought up for nomination; secondly, are exempt for one year and six weeks from guard duty and watches;

Thirdly, they are not subject to arrest by any subaltern judges or courts of this province.

The director general and councilors reserve to themselves the further amplification and the interpretation of the obscurities or misunderstandings hereof.

Thus done in council in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 30th of January, 1657.

P. Stuyvesant Nicasius de Sille Pieter Tonneman.

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References

Translation: Gehring, C., & Venema, J. (Ed.). New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 8, Council Minutes, 1656-1658 Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press: 2018.A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.