Burgomasters and Schepens should pay and support all, for that would be not less unfair, than impossible, and our memorial of August 4th was not meant so much to berate, as to remind the Burgomasters and Schepens, who understood the necessity as well as we, to fulfill their promises made and subscribed by them on the 13th of March 1653, to wit:*

"The Burgomasters and Schepens of this City of New-Amsterdam, Martin Cregier, who is absent excepted, advise and demonstrate, that above all it is necessary to enclose the greater part of the City of New Amsterdam with pallisades and after this has been done as speedily as possible to put Fort Amsterdam in good shape for defense, to serve as a place of retreat. They offer for the accomplishment hereof to provide the sum of 5 to 6 thousand guilders."

The consent given hereto by the Director-General and Council and their reasons for it are stated in their resolution of the following day, the 14th March, but the promise of the Municipality, to assist in repairing the defenses of the Fort after the breast works of the City had been erected, has never been carried out and the 5 to 6 thousand guilders, offered for the payment of the materials, have been used by the Burgomasters and Schepens not for the works in general, but have been borrowed from some merchants for the defense of the City alone. These creditors now dun the Company, as the Burgomasters and Schepens have so far failed to repay the loan, and demand, that their loans should be set off against the duties.

As shown by their petition of last November **, the Burgomasters and Schepens obtained from the Director-General and Council the privilege of collecting the Tavernkeepers' Excise on the promise and under the condition, that they would induce or compel the citizens to provide means for the support of the preachers and to pay the debts made on account of the fortifications, also to raise some further revenues. Besides this they obtained upon their request of the 19th February the authority to levy other municipal taxes for the purpose, as they state in their petition, of defraying the expenses for the fortifications and of paying debts incurred therefor. Impartial people may judge how deceitfully and perversely the Burgomasters and Schepens have misled, if not ridiculed, the Director-General and Council in each case, and disappointed them of their income, the returned accounts and the requests or remonstrances of the 10th and 31st of August annexed thereto show with sufficient conclusiveness the first, to wit the accounts submitted, that the revenue from the Excise was not employed according to the intentions and stipulated conditions, in paying the ministers' salary and the expenses for the fortifications, but rather in entertaining and sending off one Le Blue, the second, that is the request or remonstrance of the 31st August, to which what follows hereafter may serve as answer, that although promised the necessary subsidies were not given.

It appears strange to us, that the Burgomasters and Schepens pretend, that in order to liquidate the debts their quota should only be 3000 fl. which sum they offer to raise as a good example, according to their statement of August 10th, wherein they nevertheless plainly state, that the whole amount of the debt is 16000 A.

The Burgomasters and Schepens will first please to consider the former statement, that the works were not for the benefit of the country in general, but only for behalf of this City and that neither the Magistrates nor the community of this City have done or contributed anything for the general work.

They will further please to consider another previous statement, that they have promised last year to contribute towards the City's fortifications made to their satisfaction and afterwards destroyed, the sum of five to six thousand guilders, for which we refer to their signed

request and offer, besides what they should be held to contribute with us and others, toward repaying the loan negotiated this year. The Burgomasters have further had the use of and drawn from the Tavern keepers' Excise over 3000 guilders, which heretofore had always been paid into the General Treasury for the benefit of the whole country, so that the Burgomasters and Schepens are quite mistaken in believing, they set a good example in offering 3000 fl. as their quota, when they have already collected more, than that sum out of the Excise, belonging to the whole country. Not less strange and perverse is the statement of the Burgomasters and Schepens, that the Lords-Directors, the Lords and Patroons of this Province, intend, the Tavernkeepers' Excise should be paid into and received by the City Treasury, as they themselves had written to the said Directors and plainly stated, that the aforesaid Excise had been granted to them only conditionally by the Director-General and Council, consequently not by the Lords-Directors, who by no means disapprove of this limitation, but rather deny the assertions and proposals of the Burgomasters and Schepens. As to the further remonstrance and complaint, that the Excise, obtained conditionally from the Director-General and Council and not from the Lords-Directors, was not sufficient for the support of the civil and ecclesiastical officers and for the keeping in repairs of the City walls, for which reason they ask authority to impose new taxes, stating the community to be satisfied therewith, the Burgomasters and Schepens are referred to the decision of the DirectorGeneral and Council; cessante conditione cessat obligatio.

As the Burgomasters and Schepens do not fulfill their promise and carry out the conditions, to provide for some other revenue in place of the Tavernkeepers' Excise and as they have failed, to let the same for the purpose of paying the salaries of the clergymen and placing them above want, the Director-General and Council are compelled, to let the said Excise to the highest bidder in conformity with their resolution of the 13th of Aug. last past, and to employ the proceeds in promptly providing for the support of the clergy. By these means the Burgomasters and Schepens will be excused and delivered from carrying out their offer to support at their expense one clergyman, one schoolmaster and one beadle, the intentions and order of the Lords-Directors will be executed, the jus patronatus will be preserved and both the clergymen paid and placed above want.

The Director-General and Council never intended, when making the proposition in regard to the support of the military, to place the whole burden thereof upon this City, as the Burgomasters and Schepens apprehend; that would be not less unfair than impossible. The meaning of all the former propositions, remonstrances and memorials has been and still is, that the Burgomasters and Schepens, as the most prominent men of this our capital and residence, should contribute their fair and just share of the past and future expenses, increasing from year to year, so that other less prominent people may see their good example and follow it. As we have not been able to obtain this by persuasion, we are obliged to find means ourselves or else to report to the Lords-Patroons the excuses, subterfuges and disinclination of our subjects in this matter, the more so, as it is well known and proved, that the export duties on peltries amounting year in year out to hardly more than 20 to 22 thousand guilders are not sufficient to support the present civil, ecclesiastical and military establishment, and to defray besides other expenses and outlays, necessary for the acquisition of ammunition, repairs of the fortification, public works, churches, houses etc.

As to the request, that a Schout might be appointed to complete the Court, according to the order of the Lords-Directors, the Burgomasters and Schepens are right in stating, that at the urgent request of Mr. Werckhoven we intended to commission for this place Jacques Corteljou.

He, however, found himself aggrieved by the instructions given him and we have been compelled to defer the matter, until the Lords-Patroons shall have approved or altered the instructions, as first framed, or until we find another capable person.

On the last point the Burgomasters and Schepens have been correctly informed by their colleagues Paulus Leendertsen and Oloff Stevenson. To provide for the above stated wants, the Director-General and Council have found it necessary and concluded, to levy on the houses and lots, the owners of which pay no cattle or ground tax, the 100th penny for this year. The Burgomasters state, they had also resolved, to levy such a tax, to raise their quota, which they pretend to be 3000 guilders. This point has substantially been answered before. The DirectorGeneral and Council care very little, whether the 100th penny is ordered to be levied by and paid to them or to the Burgomasters and Schepens, as long as the proceeds are used according to the instructions of the Lords-Directors, to ease their burdens and for the civil and military servants.

We have spent more time, than we intended, in explaining and answering these points, but it was done for the better information of the Burgomasters and Schepens as well as of the LordsPatroons, to whom this letter with the request or memorial of the Burgomasters and Schepens and our resolution concerning the tax of the 100th penny will be sent, that they may make disposition of the subject according to their usual wisdom.

Given at New-Amsterdam in New-Netherland September 16th 1654.

P. STUYVESANT.

By order of the Honble Director-General and High Council.
CORNELIS VAN RUYVEN, Secr'.

ORDER ON A PETITION FROM THE COURT OF MIDWOUT AND AMESFOORT RESPECTING CHURCH

MATTERS.

The Magistrates of Midwout and Amesfoort presented to the Council a petition, which is copied into the Book of Petition and to which the following answer was given.

It is resolved upon the petition of the Court of Midwout and Amesfoort, first concerning the proposition to continue the teacher, that they must proceed in this matter according to the rules of the church and await the answer of the Lords-Directors to the request made by the said Court or its deputies. Meanwhile the Director-General and Council are satisfied, that the present teacher, D° Polhemius, attend to the divine service among them, until further orders shall have been received from the Fatherland and they also consent, that he shall receive for his ministrations a proper and fair remuneration in conformity with the teachings of the Apostle Paulus, "that he, who serves at the altar, shall live by it."

As to the further request for assistance to obtain a house, in which divine service may be held, the Director-General and Council consent, that some persons, duly qualified by the said Court, may solicit assistance from others and take up a collection, to which the Director-General and Council will contribute their share according to their means.

Thus done etc New Amsterdam, Octbr 13th 1654, present the Director-General and all members of the High Council.

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR AND COUNCIL TO THE (GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF CONNECTICUT?) COMPLAINING OF ENCROACHMENTS ON LONG ISLAND AND IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

Honorable, Prudent and Very Worshipful
Gentlemen.

It has pleased the great and good God to end the however short, but not less bloody differences between two so old friends, allies and co-religionists and to turn them into a closer union, firmer friendship and alliance, than ever existed between the two nations. God be praised, we in this American wilderness shall enjoy the desired benefit of it, but considering the present constitution of the world and its sudden changes, we deem it our duty and that of others, whom God has placed in authority, to take as much care, as our knowledge and power allow, that jealousies and misunderstandings between two nations, especially when believing in the same religious doctrines, should be avoided or made impossible and in their place a new alliance be made, by which the subjects of either might be assured and confidently attend each to his business. If this is necessary in some places of the world, how much more it is so in these distant countries between the subjects of your Noble Honors and ours, who have been called and placed by God's Providence into a waste wilderness beyond the reach and help of friends, left to themselves amidst vast numbers of savages, who seek only the ruin and destruction of both and would accomplish it, if they were not restrained by the hand of the Almighty.

Before and during the European differences we have addressed several letters to this effect and made friendly offers to your Noble Honors and the other neighboring Governments, declaring repeatedly our real intentions on this matter, which we still hold. If our affairs had permitted we would have presented ourselves or sent deputies to the usual meeting of the Honble Commissioners, had we had timely notice of the day and place of meeting, but with great regret we must now defer it to the next time.

In the meantime we are in duty bound to remind and inform your Noble Honors in a neighborly and friendly way, that some of your Noble Honors' subjects are beginning to settle and establish villages far within our boundaries on land, bought and paid for by us a long time ago, both on Long Island at Schouts or Martin Gerritse's Bay and on the mainland opposite to the White Stone not quite two leagues from Manhattas Island. We do not know, by whose authority and and under whose commission they do this nor whether with or without the knowledge of the Honble Commissioners for New-England, but we hope it is without their knowledge, for it would be quite contrary to the convention made at Hartford between their and our deputies.

We dislike very much to enter upon anything, which might increase the jealousies between the two nations in this country, but our honor and oath forbid us to let pass and allow such unlawful encroachments on and usurpation of lands bought, paid and partly settled and inhabited by us, without doing something to prevent it. Pursuant to special orders and instructions, given by the Lords-States-General, our Sovereigns and the Lords-Directors, our Masters and Patroons, we are further compelled to resist these unlawful encroachments and appropriations with all our available forces and means, if the Government of New-England, herewith once more kindly requested thereto, does not interfere.

Before we undertake this, we have resolved, in order to prevent further troubles, first to let the law officer of the Honble Company, our Fiscal, issue an interdict to all these usurpers, ordering them to desist in their proceedings and to remove. We request your Noble Honors as neighbors,

most kindly and earnestly to assist us herein and favor us with an answer, offering our poor services in similar more or less important matters.

Closing herewith we commend your Noble Honors to God's protection and blessing and

remain

New-Amsterdam, Octbr 26, 1654.

Honorable, Prudent and Very Worshipful

Gentlemen,

Your Noble Honors' friend and neighbor
P. STUYVESANT.

ORDER GRANTING

PERMISSION TO ANDRIES HARPERTS TO BUY AN ISLAND AND A PIECE OF LAND
OPPOSITE FORT Orange.

A petition of Andries Harperts (copied in the Book of Petitions) was read in Council, by which he asks permission to buy from the savages a small island opposite Fort Orange and so much woodland on the East side of the river, as he requires for a good bouwery, that he may enter upon and cultivate it. After a vote had been taken, it was resolved to grant the petitioner's request, as the small island asked for is used by the savages as a den to conceal their plunder, to the great prejudice of the inhabitants of Fort Orange and Beverwyck Village.

Thus done etc New Amsterdam, Octbr 27, 1654.

RESOLUTION TO HIRE ISAAC ALLERTON'S HOUSE FOR THE PURPOSE OF LODGING THE CHILDREN SENT FROM THE POORHOUSE IN AMSTERDAM.

After reading the letter of the Noble Lords-Directors, the Director-General and Council resolved, to hire the house of Mr. Allerton and lodge there the children sent over by the Poormasters and to direct Peter Lefever, who has hired the same house, not to move into it for this and other weighty reasons.

Done at New-Amsterdam, November 9th 1654.

P. STUYVESANT.
NICASIUS DE SILLE, LA MONTAGNE.

NOMINATION AND APPOINTMENT OF MAGISTRATES FOR HEMPSTEAD, L. I.

The Honble Director-General and Council having received the nomination made by the inhabitants of Heemstede, from which their Honors are to elect and confirm two persons to serve as Magistrates for the ensuing year, select and confirm herewith out of the persons nominated, viz: Mr. Stickland, John Symon, Robert Asiman and Henry Pearsall, these two, viz: John Symons and Robert Assiman.

Done New Amsterdam November 10th 1654.