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Honorable, Prudent, Dear and Trusted Lord:

Although we have not been informed by the director-general and council of New Netherland, we have, nevertheless, learned from some enclosures, which were sent with the latest letters, how certain things have been practiced in the colony on the South River, with whose direction you have been entrusted on behalf of this City, and by which the Company is considerably prejudiced and defrauded with regard to its authority, prerogatives and rights which are specifically its own, to wit:

1. That not only has smuggling been practiced there but has also been tolerated with regard to contraband goods because such offenders have not been prosecuted as is proper. A case in point is a certain seized case containing guns which were distributed there among the community by you without further ado and without acknowledging the Company's [      ] to whose benefit this confiscation should in any case have been converted; being prerogatives and rights ceded to the aforesaid Company and not to the colony.

2. That an oath is administered to people arriving in the colony which excludes the Company and its government there.

3. That the appeals, which the settlers of the aforesaid colony make to the aforesaid government or director-general and council of New Netherland, have been obstructed and delayed by indirect means because the secretary of the aforesaid colony refused to sign the same, as happened, for example, to a certain Van der As and Nicolaes de Ringh.

And since the aforesaid points are thus in direct opposition to the agreement that the lords-mayors and magistrates of this city entered into here with the West India Company about the establishment of the colony, it has, therefore, amazed us all the more. Whereas the same can be closely seen that the Company has reserved for itself supreme authority and supervision. Consequently, the aforesaid colony cannot be considered anything else but a subordinate colony under the aforesaid West India Company; so have the aforesaid magistrates of this City comprehended the same. For this reason such infractions will not be tolerated. We decided to address ourselves to this so that the honorable magistrates might issue the necessary order, but considering that they might become displeased with you because of this, we have preferred to intercede herewith and to [      ] and admonish you beforehand in order to remedy such infractions at once, and accordingly to acknowledge the Company and its government there as is fitting and to maintain its prerogatives and privileges, thereby not neglecting to assist and extend a helping hand to the commissary and auditor who is residing there on behalf of the Company [      ] as the equity and nature of the matter demands and requires. Upon this we are relying, and in the meantime commend you, the Honorable, Prudent, Dear and Trusted Lord, to God's protection, and remain

In Amsterdam,

13 February 1659

References

Translation: Gehring, C. trans./ed., New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vols. 18-19, Delaware Papers: Dutch Period, 1648-1664 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1981).A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.