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Whereas, I remark that the good people of the towns of Amesfoort, Midwout, Breuckelen, Utrecht and Bushwyck, on Long Island, do, according to the permission granted by the Magistrates and officers, daily betake themselves hither; which zeal of theirs in the discharge of their sworn oath and bounden duty for the public good is most pleasing to me; I have therefore thought it necessary on the proposals submitted to me on the part of some inhabitants of sundry of the said towns, that at first some men shall remain in each of the aforesaid towns, to prevent further damage, until additional news be received of the enemy's approach or designs; and in order that such be executed for the greatest security of the public and in good order, the respective Captains, Lieutenants and Ensigns of the aforesaid towns are hereby ordered to appear with their companies fully armed next Friday, being the 29th instant, in the forenoon, in the city of New Orange, in front of Fort Willem Hendrick, leaving six men in each town, which being done, one-third of each company shall be furloughed for the present and at liberty to return to their respective towns, to remain there until relieved by another Corporal's guard, which shall until further order be on the third day; and the officers and Magistrates are hereby authorized to give such orders respecting threshing and the foddering the cattle as each in his district shall consider best, above all taking good care that proper guard be kept and patrolled both day and night, so that they may not be surprised by the enemy or cut off from us; whereupon relying, I remain

		Your friend,
Done Fort Willem Hendrick,	By order of the Governor-General of New Netherland.
this 26th December, 1673.		(Signed),	N. Bayard, Secretary.

The above letter was sent to the Five Dutch towns on Long Island, and to the town of Bergen, on the

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.