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Commission for Cornelis Steenwyck to be Member of the Council.

The Honorable Council of War over a squadron of ships of war now at anchor in the North river in New Netherland, on the behalf of their High Mightinesses the Lords States-General of the United Netherlands and his Serene Highness the Prince of Orange, &c.

To all those who shall see or hear these read. Greeting:
Whereas we have deemed it necessary for the promotion of justice and police in this conquest of New Netherland, under the superintendence and direction of the Hon. Governor-General Anthony Colve, to appoint and commission an expert person as member of Council in this Province. We, therefore, upon the good report which we have received of the abilities of Cornelius Steenwyck, former Burgomaster of the city of New Orange in the time of the West India Company's government of this country, have commissioned, qualified and appointed, as we now commission, qualify and appoint the aforesaid Cornelius Steenwyck, Councillor of the aforesaid Province of New Netherland, to assist in the direction of all cases relative to justice and police, and further in all such military concerns, both by water and by land, in which the Governor shall deem proper to ask his advice and assistance, to maintain good order and promote the welfare and prosperity of this country, for the service of the Lords Maijors, to take all possible care for the security and defence of the forts in these parts, to administer justice, both in criminal and in civil cases, and further to do and execute everything relative to his office, that a good Councillor is in duty bound to do, upon the oath which he shall have taken. Commanding, therefore, by these presents all persons whom this may concern, to acknowledge, respect and obey the aforesaid Cornelius Steenwyck, as Councillor in New Netherland, as we have deemed it necessary for the service of this country, but all this under approbation or rejection of our Lords and Principals.

Dated in Fort William Henry on the day 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.