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Freedoms and Exemptions granted and Awarded by the directors of the West India Company at the chamber In Amsterdam to Joseph Nunes de Fonseca alias David Nassi and Partners as patroon of a colony On the island of Curaçao located Within the limits of the aforesaid Company’s district.

1.

The aforesaid Joseph Nunes de Fonseca and partners shall be allowed to transport and move themselves to the island of Curaçao with their ship or ships, as owners or freighters, and there to establish a colony on the conditions and articles as follow.

2.

That the skipper of the aforesaid ship or ships must present a proper and standard commission with indication of name, size, equipment and crew of the same.

3.

The private persons, being colonists of the aforesaid De Fonseca and partners, shall also be obliged to have their names registered at the chamber, present certificates of consent and promise that they shall obey and adhere to the general regulations of the Company which pertain to them.

4.

The aforesaid De Fonseca, or his representative appearing on the island, shall present himself to the vice-director of the aforesaid island, presently being the person of Lucas Roodenburgh, and before the same swear the oath of allegiance, acknowledging him and the council there as his lawful superiors and promising to obey all orders and commands which they shall impose or give there.

5.

The aforesaid De Fonseca and partners shall be allowed and permitted, in the form of quitrent or fee-farm, to choose and take possession of such parcels of land as he and his subordinate colonists shall be able to cultivate for the growing of all sorts of fruits and produce, also animals and livestock of that region (except for the saltpans and the groves of dyewood which the Company reserves for itself); calculating the size and quantity of the aforesaid land according to the number of persons; namely, for 50 persons, 2 miles along the coast, for 100 persons, 4 miles and so on in proportion, under the condition that they be obliged to begin the aforesaid cultivation and improvement within the year and to attain the aforesaid number of persons within the period of four consecutive years, upon pain of forfeiting the aforesaid land.

6.

The same persons shall enjoy freedom from tenths and any duties on all of the aforesaid fruits and produce for the period of 10 years; however, they shall pay as other private persons for wood or anything else acquired or traded outside the plantation.

7.

They shall not be permitted to take possession of any cut wood belonging to the Company or to dispossess any private person from the places they occupy, whether they be Indians or others unless they are willing to renounce their claims in a reasonable manner and give satisfaction in the presence of the aforesaid vice-director.

8.

The aforesaid patroon and colonists shall deliver and take the goods and merchandise, which they desire to take along from here, into the Company’s warehouse (paying as others do) with the understanding that provisions and necessities for the colony shall not be charged.

9.

Upon request the aforesaid patroon shall be given permits to sell wood and salt, as well as a commission from their High Mightinesses in order to be permitted to seize and capture Portuguese ships, provided that the prizes be brought in here to this country in order to be placed under the administration of the Company for assessment by the admiralty of such duties as other commissioned privateers pay.

10.

The directors shall instruct the aforesaid vice-director in writing that he neither obstruct nor hinder the aforesaid patroon and colonists in any way, but rather give them as much help and assistance as possible; just as the Company places the same under its safeguard and protection, he is to promise to defend and protect them against all violence as much as possible with the might which they have there, provided that the same persons also suitably defend themselves in such occurrences. Therefore, all men coming over are to be provided with a firelock or musket of standard caliber at their own or the patroon’s expense.

11.

And whereas it is apparent that there shall be some Christians among the aforesaid colonists, the patroon shall not order them to do any work on the sabbath day of the Christians, just as he himself and others, although not Christians, shall not be allowed to do; much less preventing their going to church service or engaging in scandalous activities, because the same would directly conflict with the intention of the Company, which shall also be furnished the aforesaid vice-director in written form.

12.

Finally, the aforesaid patroon and colonists are granted such privileges as shall hereafter be given the patroons and colonists in Nieuw Nederlandt, to the extent that the situation of this present island shall be able to permit. For which purpose they shall in time be given copies of them so that they may regulate themselves accordingly.

References

Translation: Gehring, C., trans./ed., Curaçao Papers, 1640-1665 (New Netherland Research Center and the New Netherland Institute: 2011).A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.