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The Governor-General of New Netherland: To all those who shall see these presents or hear them read. Greeting, makes known:

Whereas the fortifications of this city New Orange are, through the good zeal and industry of its citizens, so far advanced that they will now soon be brought to such perfection and posture of defence, as to be, under God, capable of resistance and defence against the attacks of any enemies who might be expected, nevertheless it being considered that the preservation of the entire Province, is for the most part dependent on the preservation and security of this place, therefore have I, at this present conjuncture, for its better security to call on and order all the out people of the Dutch nation in the circumjacent towns and on the Flat land, to repair to this city with their respective companies, on the first notice of the approach of any enemy, and to stand by their colors, as they have all promised to do; therefore have I, in like manner, deemed it essentially necessary all and every of the Burghers, Freemen (Poorters) and inhabitants of this city, New Orange, women and young children only excepted, strictly to interdict and forbid, without exception of what rank soever he may be, to presume to depart hence, to any other place, or to pass the night out of this city without special consent from their Magistrates and officers, much less to absent themselves from within this city, on the arrival of any enemies, or directly or indirectly to correspond with the enemy on pain of death and confiscation of all their goods; and those of the Court of this city aforesaid, are hereby ordered and instructed to communicate these presents to their inhabitants to the end that no man plead ignorance in the premises. Done Fort Willem Hendrick, this 16th March, 1674.

(Signed),

A. Colve.

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.