ago. The ship "Gelderse Bloom" has, thanks to God, arrived here since; by her we received your letters and papers of the 22d of December 1654 and 29th of March 1655, to both of which we will now reply as far as necessary and not answered by our former letter, adding thereto what we deem proper. We approve, that you bought there the ship "Abraham's Offerhande" to ply between Curaçao and the islands and if necessary also New Netherland, but that to pay for her you draw on us for 800 fl appears strange to us, for we have on several occasions expressed our displeasure with such transactions and given special orders not to trouble us with such drafts. You ought to have been the more careful now, because out of our so small revenues here, diminishing daily, we send you a considerable share and contribute and do more, than our ability and condition warrant. You must recollect, that in future all such drafts will not be accepted or paid by us, (nor do we pay it in this case) but simply returned. You are to inform us by the first opportunity, what revenue the Company receives in New Netherland from salt, that we can act upon it. The written conditions, sent over, have told us of the rules made and the care taken there of the children from the Almshouses, which have our approval; we hope, that the Burgomasters and Almshouse authorities have also been pleased; they are again sending by this ship a party of boys and girls as per enclosed list. We recommend them as before to your care and although among them some may be found of tenderer age than you require, we think it does not matter, for it can be amended and corrected by one or two years' longer service, which is of little importance to the boys. It appears to us very strange, that vinegar sells there as high as 70 to 80 fl the hogshead, while vineyards and grapes thrive so well and a good deal more might be planted and cultivated; we begin to think, that our inhabitants there show very little industry or diligence in agricultural pursuits; besides it might be made from beer, as here in this country. Although much might be said on this subject, we shall leave it for the present and commit it to your own speculations. * We are surprised, that you did not expect Brian Newton to return to his old post of duty there, for in your letter of the 27th of July 1654 you recommend him so highly as the only trustworthy Englishman, who had remained faithful to the Company in all the troubles there and now it is said, that he not only expressed, but also at that time already by his acts proved his unwillingness to march against his countrymen, the English. If this is the case, we do not consider it advisable to continue him in his position, but to discharge him. You may then put in his place the ensign Dirck Smith, if he is capable and leads the life of a good and faithful soldier. You do not seem to understand our opinions or wishes, expressed in our letter of the 234 of November 1., as you remind us, that the new duties, imposed there on certain goods, might easily have been laid only on liquids: we are however of a different opinion and desire therefore, that our orders in this regard be obeyed; but we have no objection, that you should get a revenue from the consumption of liquids, which we always have thought and still think can be done without obloquy. You will act accordingly. We are fully aware, that it is very necessary to establish the boundary lines between us and our English neighbors there, but as you have never sent us the documents and proofs, called for by our last general letter, without which we can do nothing here, this so very desirable question has to our great regret been necessarily left unsettled. Meanwhile we have directed you, not only to determine our boundaries by the erection of a fort, wherever you thought best and most * For the following paragraph see Vol. XII, p. 90. convenient, but we have also ordered and authorized you, as we herewith do again, that in case some English people should make any attempt upon our territories there contrary to the provisional boundary-agreement made at Hartford in 1650, you should proceed against such usurpers with energy after previous protestation and warnings (further explained in our letter of the 23d of November). For this purpose we send you, according to the enclosed lists and invoices under No. 4, the requisites for building a fort, of which as well as of the soldiers going over now you will make all proper and prudent use. This for your instruction. We were very much pleased to learn, that you live in harmony with the inhabitants of the Province and we recommend to you to maintain and promote this good feeling by all fair and just means, for good and prudent rulers can contribute much thereto. As the heavy outlays, which we make, are also for the maintenance and protection of our said inhabitants, we have hardly any doubt that they could easily be persuaded to give us some subsidies, very much needed to pay for and keep up these supplies. We have therefore considered, agreed and decided upon the measures, of which our general and the enclosed letters will inform you and the copy of our letter, No. 5, will tel you, what we have been writing in this matter to the Burgomasters and Schepens of Neu Amsterdam and to all the inferior courts there; the original of it you can hand to them respectively, but whether that is to be done before or after the beforementioned expedition, we leave to your judgment and discretion. We have considered, that the ship "De Waegh," now going over, cannot well sail from there before next winter and have therefore decided to direct you to keep her there until the month of February or March of next year and then to dispatch her with such a cargo, as you may find for her. If Captain Frederick de Coninck (who is to obey your orders implicitly pursuant to the extract of our resolutions here enclosed under No. 6), and Lieutenant Yevoort, both coming as such in the ship "De Waegh," should desire to remain there as freemen and not in the service and pay of the Company, you may keep them there. The soldiers and sailors, not absolutely required for the said ship, who wish to remain there, may also be kept either as freemen or in the Company's service, but nobody shall be compelled. The extract from our resolutions of the 10th of May 1655, here enclosed under No. 7, will inform you of our wishes and the consent we have given to the skipper and the owners of the ship" New Amsterdam" and we add, that they have given us good bail here. The goods and merchandise attached there by the Fiscal out of the ship "Groote Christoffel" are found not to have been declared here, especially the 36 awms* of brandy, as both the letters written for the purpose and the receipts here enclosed under No. 8, show; they are therefore legally confiscated and must remain so: this for your information. The enclosed copies (No. 9.) of our letter and of the invoices will tell you what we have lately written and sent to Lucas Rodenburgh, Vice-Director at Curaçao, by the chartered ship "Liefde." A copy of the letter, which we have since received from him via Hamburgh would have too been sent you, but as Director Stuyvesant has been on the Island and received sufficient information of the condition there, we have deemed it unnecessary. You have lately informed us, that you have been obliged to negotiate a loan from the inhabitants there (not at all to their liking, nor to ours, and many complaints, perfectly justified, have been made to us on account of it), but you did not report, how large the sum was and as for its repayment we have remitted from here the often discussed 4 p. ct. duty amounting already to * One awm ca. 40 English gallons.- Webster. 7600 fl, we have considered it advisable, to order imperatively, that by the first opportunity you send us a detailed and correct statement or account not only of the whole amount of the said loan, but also how it was levied and with whom negotiated and how much of it has been balanced in account with or otherwise repaid to the individual parties: we require this for our accounts. The good testimony given us every day concerning the life, suitableness and industry of Johan de Deckere, arrived there lately in the ship "Swarte Arent," has so increased our good opinion of the man, that we have concluded to confirm our recommendation of him of the 23d of November 1654 and to direct you to pay special attention to him, because we believe it will be for the benefit of the Company; in the meantime we increase his salary provisionally by 150 fl a year or as much more as you already may have allowed him. You can well believe, that the treacherous action of George Baxter and his accomplices has startled us very much; the papers and documents sent over have been translated and we are busy examining them, to form an opinion, but we are expecting the remaining papers, which you promised to send by the "Groote Christoffel": upon receipt of them we shall inform you of our opinion and wishes in this matter. Meanwhile you are strictly charged, to keep the aforesaid men in close and stringent confinement, as it is required in so important a case: we further recommend, that henceforth you dispense in the government of the respective places there with such foreigners, who have no domicile in this country, for little or no confidence can be placed upon them. Herewith etc etc Amsterdam, the 26th of May 1655. P. S. Your good friends EDWARD MAN We enclose the invoices of the few private goods shipped by the "Waegh," also the musterroll of the sailors and soldiers going over, which will inform you of the items to be charged to their accounts: you will pay strict attention to it, that the Company may not be the loser. We have here given permission to William Brouwer, to go over with his wife and three children without paying passagemoney, on condition that he act as reader or comforter of the sick on board the "Waegh," until she arrives there, but not longer. This for your information. Date as above. Arrived per "De Waegh" Aug. 13th 1655. By order of the Directors LETTER FROM THE DIRECTORS TO THE MUNICIPALITY OF NEW AMSTERDAM AND THE MAGISTRATES OF OTHER TOWNS IN NEW NETHERLAND: TAXES ON LAND, HOUSES ETC IMPOSED. No. 31. To the Burgomasters and Schepens of the City of New Amsterdam and the respective Colonies and Courts of the Province. Honorable, Worshipful, Pious, Faithful. As a good government is bound to take care in protecting and defending its territories, cities and inhabitants as far as possible against molestations and attacks from all foreign enemies and neighbors, so is it the duty of a good community to help carrying the common burdens, made necessary by and imposed for their own maintenance. You well know the care and expenses, which we have had, before the country there arrived at its present position; notwithstanding you have failed so far to assist us by sudsidies from the people. This is not only contrary to the maxims of all well governed countries and cities, especially of the government of this state, but it is also during the present state of affairs so highly necessary, that a longer delay is not admissible, unless we wish to see the Province, now giving so great hopes, utterly ruined. We have therefore been obliged to consider some means of obtaining the required support and have concluded, agreed upon and determined, to impose the following taxes: For each morgen of land yearly 10 stivers. For each head of cattle yearly 20 stivers and For the rent of a house the twentieth penny (5 p. ct.) every year. Although this our order will be fully communicated to you by our Director-General and Council, to whom with their office we have given absolute authority in this matter, we have nevertheless thought it necessary, to send this letter to you with the urgent and earnest recommendation, not only to set yourselves a good example to the community in raising the subsidy, but also to animate them thereto and if need be, in case of refusal, to execute this order, for we have deemed it necessary for the benefit of the country: whereupon we rely. Nota: This point regards only the Burgomasters and Schepens of N. A. We have already allowed and granted to your Board the collection of the excise on beer and wine, that you may defray therewith the communal and other expenses, stated to you by our Director-General and Council there. But as we notice, that the moneys are not applied to these purposes, but have been used by you or your predecessors for the pay and sending over here of one Le Bleuw and for other private matters to the disservice and dissatisfaction of the Company; we have decided to inform you herewith, that we have resolved to have the collection of this money made again by the financial officer of the Company there: you will act accordingly. Herewith etc etc. Amsterdam, the 26th of May 1655. LETTER FROM THE BURGOMASTERS OF AMSTERDAM TO STUYVESANT: BOYS AND GIRLS FROM THE Noble, Honorable, Wise, Prudent, Very Discreet Sir. Whereas with the consent of their Honors, the Directors of the W. I. Company, we have resolved to send over some boys and girls, specified in the enclosed memorandum, in the Company's ships, thereby taking a burden from the Almshouse of this city and helping to increase the population of New-Netherland; we desire hereby to request and recommend to your Honor to receive these children and youths kindly and to take care, that they may be employed according to their abilities for the best advantage of the Company and a proper advancement of themselves. Herewith etc etc this 27th of May 1655. To the Noble, Honorable Wise, Prudent, Your Honor's good friends The Burgomasters and Regents N. NICOLAI. Memorandum of the names and ages of the Almshouse children, who are to go to New Netherland pursuant to the order of their Noble, Worshipful Honors, the Burgomasters of Amsterdam. COUNCIL MINUTE ON THE APPLICATION OF THE OVERSEERS OF THE POOR IN REGARD OF THEIR LAND ON LONG ISLAND. Thursday, the 3a of June 1655. The reverend D° Johannes Megapolensis, Minister here, and Johannis de Peyster, Deacon and Schepen of this city, appeared before the Council and stated in behalf of the Board of Overseers of the Poor in this city, that said Board had some time ago bought for the behalf and best of the poor a certain bouwery situate on the other side of Hellgate and that the Honorable DirectorGeneral Petrus Stuyvesant had given to the Board a piece of land near the said bouwery, which annex they intended in time to turn into a new plantation or bouwery, when God's blessing had increased their stock of cattle. They find now, however, that this piece of land or a part of it had afterwards been given to one Abraham Rycken, but as the said Abr. Rycken is a poor man, who has no more than what he can earn with his hands, they are neither able nor willing to disturb him ; yet they have cause to remonstrate, because the said Abr. Rycken closed up and fenced in a public road, which had been in use as such for many years, to the great prejudice and disadvantage of the said bouwery of the poor. They request therefore most respectfully, that the said Abr. Rycken be directed and ordered to remove the posts and rails or pallisades erected by him and to make the road and then leave it as it has been formerly and long before he came there. They give also to understand, that the small island obliquely opposite the said Poor Farm, commonly called Huelicken or Borger Joris' Island,* would be very suitable, useful and profitable to their Board for the pasturing of their pigs and cattle and requested therefore, that if it had not been given to others, it might be granted and given to the Board for the benefit of the poor. The Honorable Council reply, that a committee shall be appointed to proceed and inspect the road closed up by Abraham Rycken; as to the island, it has been granted away a long time ago. Done at New Amsterdam in N. N. Date as above. * Hewlett's Island, called "Huelicken" because acquired by marriage—huwelyck, |