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The following is the election and commission for the Schout and Secretary of the towns situate at Achter Coll.

The Lords Commanders & Honorable Councel of Warre of New Nederland, residing in fort Willem Hendrik etc.

Whereas wee have thought fitt & necessarij to discharge the forme of Government late in practise here and to reduce it under the stijie of Schout and Scheepens, which is customarij in our natieve country, the United Belgick provinces. Know yee therefore that wee bij virtue of our Commission from ye High & mighty Lords the States Generall and his Serene Highnesse the Prince of Orange etz. out of ye Nomination presented unto us bij ye deputies of Elizabeth Towne WoodBridge, Shrousburry, New-Worke Piscattewaij & Middeltowne, have elected and established

Mr John Ogden to be Schout &	of all the said respectieve Townes
Mr Samuell Hopkins to be Secretary

Giveing & by these presents granting unto the said John Ogden & Samuel Hopkins & each of them, full pouwer strenght & authority in their said offices. The said Schout together with ye Schepens or magistrates of ye respective Townes to Rule & governe as well their Inhabitants as Strangers and ye said Samuel Hopkins to administer the office of Secretarij in ye said Townes according to the Laws of the United Belgicq Provinces and such particuler Instructions as they from time to time shall receive from us &from our Gouvernors for the time being, and wee do hereby strictly order & command all the inhabitants of the said Townes to obeij & execute all such lawfull orders & constitutions as shall be made by ye said Schout & magistraets for the welfare of ye said respective Townes and ye inhabitants thereof.

Dated as above.

References

Translation: O'Callaghan, E.B., trans./ed., Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New-York, vol. 2 (Albany: Weed, Parsons: 1858), pp. 569-730 (vol. 23, pp. 1-270 only).A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.