Also for a passport for a family consisting of one or more persons, who wish to return here 24, and for all other commercial documents in proportion. You must also reduce the cartage and porterage fees for goods taken in and out of the Company's Warehouse, which are now too high, so that the free people there, who informed us of the dishonest tax or demand of the laborers, be satisfied.

Some particular complaints have also been made to us concerning the anchorage fees paid there, about which we would like to know the details, as to when they were first exacted and on what grounds they are demanded, how much is paid for a large ship or a smaller one in proportion, so that we may act thereon; and whereas one hundred pounds of powder are sent over in this ship as anchorage fee for the ship "Sta Maria," already paid there for her or for which security was given to the amount of 150 fl, we recommend to you to refund upon receipt hereof the money paid or to release the securities from their obligation.

We enclose two separate acquittances or ground briefs of land apparently bought on Long Island by Cornelis van Werckhoven, who died last year, for which the guardians of his minor children have asked our consent and approval. We refused, partly because the groundbriefs were executed privately before the Notary Schelluyne, contrary to the Company's orders, partly because we first desired to have your opinion about it and we await your report on the quantity and quality of the land, how many persons they have there, how much land they can keep in good order and cultivate and everything else relating to it. We expect to receive this information by the first opportunity, so that we can give a final decision. As the said guardians are now sending over their attorneys to manage the affairs of the late Mr. Werckhoven and have asked us for letters of recommendation for them, we could not well refuse their request and recommend, that in everything just and fair you assist them, without however granting them more land or allowing them to enter upon more, than for which proper papers of conveyance have been executed before the Director and Council there as usual pursuant to the Company's rules.

We need here very much at present the groundbrief or briefs for Staten Island, for which please to have a search made in the Secretary's office or wherever they may have been deposited and then send them to us directly, adding a statement of the manner, in which the Company obtained possession of them, of who were the purchasers and who the sellers, what price was agreed upon, who paid it and all other circumstances relating to it, upon which we have to act. Look out meanwhile, that Cornelis Melyn, who, we understand, is now at the North and in negotiation about the Island, does not sell or deliver it to a foreign nation, not subject to our jurisdiction; in such a case you must seize it for the Company, as having the best title and endeavor cautiously to inveigle said Melyn to New Amsterdam, arrest and keep him and then send him well treated, but also well secured, to this country, if the above rumor proves to be true.

Now and then we are much embarrassed here by the lack of copies of divers groundbriefs or conveyances of lands, houses, gardens and other real estate, of the daily and secret minutes as well as all other public documents concerning the country. You will send them to us by the next ship and continue with it hereafter.

The wife of Domine Polhemius goes over in the ship "Gulden Otter;" we gave her permission, as to all other private parties, to go there as cabin passengers, the Company paying the fare for her and her children on condition, that the amount shall be deducted from the salary earned by her husband in Brazil.

In the ship" Blauwe Duiff" goes also over Thomas Lodewicksen, carpenter, for whom the Company too paid the fare, on condition of his remaining in New Netherland for three years or if he leave before he must refund the passage money to you in Holland coin or its equivalent.

It appears strange to us, that you prevent Abraham Jacobsen van der Pot from returning to this country, under pretext of his not having paid his passage out nor the freight for his goods, although it is apparent from the receipt given by the cashier, Hontum, that he paid his passage, while the freight for his goods was remitted.

Some requests and complaints are made here now and then, of which we intended to inform you, but as we have no time, the wind being favorable and the ships ready to sail from the Texel, we decided to refer you for information to the enclosed extract from our daily minutes. Lucas Rodenborgh, late Vice-Director of the Island of Curaçao, goes as freeman with his wife, one child and one negro in the ship "Vergulden Otter;" there is due him yet as balance of his salary from the Company the sum of 6000 fl, which on account of scarcity of money in the treasury we have not been able to pay in full; we allowed him therefore, pursuant to our resolution of the 16th of March last, to balance it there with negroes, horses and whatever else may be of service to him; you will act accordingly.

In the same ship goes Gerrit Sivertsen from Eswiller, engaged by us as mason at a monthly salary of 12 fl, and it was agreed with him, that he should go from there to Curaçao to build a new oven; you can arrange this, when an opportunity offers.

We are greatly embarrassed in settling the accounts of the lately returned soldiers, because they could not exhibit any papers, but simply declared, that they had delivered to you the arms brought from here: you will therefore hereafter give to the soldiers, returning home, whose arms you retain, a receipt for them, that we may know, what to do.

We would have liked to send you with these ships 24 or 25 soldiers, but could not engage them, so that only the number goes, whose names you will find on the enclosed muster-roll. Herewith etc etc

Amsterdam,

the 14th of June 1656.

Your good friends
The Directors of the W. I. Company,
Dept. of Amsterdam.

EDWARD MAN.

Herewith also the invoices of the lately arrived ship "Niew Amsterdam;" from the marginal notes you may learn, how great the depredations committed there by the Customs Inspector Adrian van Tienhoven have been and the quantity of merchandise, the weight or measure of which have been falsified; on account of these defalcations we have been summoned before the Court of Admiralty by their Fiscal for the direction-money (direktie-gelt) and steps have been taken for the confiscation of it. You must make there proper arrangements, that henceforth such falsifications cannot be perpetrated, for not only we, but also private parties, suffer great loss thereby. We hope, that it will be stopped now, else the Company would by such a manner of doing business get into a bad reputation with the government, which must be avoided.

EDWARD MAN.
ABR. WILMERDONX.

Received the 5th of September 1656 by the ships " Otter" and " Duyff."

ORDINANCE FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE TENTHS, PASSED JUNE 27th 1656.

(See Laws of New Netherland, p. 232.)

ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CLEARANCE OF VESSELS AND FOR THE ENTRY OF GOODS SUBJECT TO EXPORT DUTIES, PASSED JUNE 27th, 1656.

(See L. of N. N. p. 233.)

RESOLUTION, THAT THE DIRECTOR AND COUNCIL PROCEED TO GRAVESEND FOR THE SETTLEMENT

OF BOUNDARY QUARRELS THERE.

20th of June 1656.

Resolved and decided in Council, that their Honors, the Director-General and Council of New Netherland proceed to-morrow to the village of Gravesend on Long Island, to settle the question so long pending about the boundaries between said village and Anthony Jansen, Robert Pennoyer and others; if possible in the presence of some prominent and impartial Englishmen. Date as above.

JUDGMENT IN THE CASE BETWEEN GRAVESEND AND ANTHONY JANSEN AND OTHERS.

The Director-General and Council of New Netherland, after having on Wednesday last, the 21st of this month, personally inspected the enclosures or posts and rails put up lately by the inhabitants of Gravesend and also compared them on the spot with the tenor of title deeds, find, that the posts and rails are not put up or placed in accordance with their patent, which begins at the kil or creek next to Coney Island and not at the middle of the bay, as their fences stand and stretches thence not along the shore of the bay, but to the point, where the land of Anthony Jansen and Robert Pennoyer join each other, thence to the western side of a pond in an old Indian's land, which meets and bounds have evidently not been adhered to by the people of Gravesend; therefore the Director-General and Council direct the Magistrates of the said village upon receipt hereof to take up the posts and rails lately set and to put the land lately fenced in by them on their own responsibility (propria auctoritate) to the prejudice of the partnership of Anthony Jansen and William Bredenbent into its former condition (in statu quo prius); after this has been done, the Director-General and Council or their impartial committee shall assign to them, according to their patent, the limits of the village, to be enclosed in obedience to the patent. In case of refusal and further contumacy the Fiscal is directed, to do it or have it done nomine officii and to proceed according to law in regard to the damages already suffered or yet to be suffered by their contumacy. Thus done in Council of Director-General and Council of New Netherland held at Fort Amsterdam the 24th of June A° 1656.

P. STUYVESANT.

NICASIUS DE SILLE, LA MONTAGNE.

PAPERS REGARDING THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL AND THE PATROON
OF RENSSELARSWYCK AS TO THE PRIVILEGES OF THE LATTER.

Remonstrance made by Jean Baptist van Rensselacr, Director of the Colony of Rensselaerswyck situate on the North river of New-Netherland, to his Noble Honor, General Petrus Stuyvesant and the High Council of New-Netherland.

First. Your Honors, the Director-General and High Council, will see by a copy of an extract from the register of resolutions of the Lords-Directors of the W. I. Company, Dept. of Amsterdam, dated the 24th of November 1633 and marked B, that the grievances complained of by the Patroons were submitted to a committee and that it was decided, that the conditions granted to the founders of colonies were lawfully obtained.

Second. Your Honors may also see by a copy of an extract from the register of resolutions, signed by the Honorable Committee of the Assembly of the XIX of the W. I. Co. at Amsterdam on the 9th of December 1633, marked A, that the said Committee delegated five out of their number, to confer with the Patroons and in case they could not come to an understanding, the matter should be referred to a committee of their High: Might: or the court of justice and it was further declared, that the privileges granted to the Patroons by the XIX and recorded, should be considered to remain legally in force.

Third. Your Honors may further see by two letters from their High: Might: dated the 13th of May and 1st of June 1634, copies of which we marked C and D, directed to the Patroon Kiliaen van Rensselaer, that the Company and the Patroons of the Colony were summoned by their High: Might: to have their differences settled by the Committee of their High: Might:

As it has pleased their Honors, the General and the High Council, pursuant to their resolution, to let publicly to the highest bidder the excise on wine and beer at Fort Orange including therein the consumption of wine and beer brought into our Colony of Rensselaerswyck, against which we have duly protested before the former Commissary Johannes Dyckman and his assistants, carrying out the order and being there on the spot; as the Honble General and High Council did not condescend to let the matter rest there, but ordered the present Commissary Johan de Decker to gauge, as he said in obedience to his order, of which he would not show a copy, the wine and beer in the possession of the tavernkeepers under our jurisdiction, against which we again duly entered protest, whereupon the said Commissary Jan de Decker summoned in the name and on behalf of their Honors, the General and High Council, our tavernkeepers and then arrested them we protested again in due form and as the innkeeper Peter Adriansen escaped from his arrest, I requested the said Commissary to desist from further measures, because I intended to proceed to the Manhattans and confer on the above related matters with their Honors, the General and High Council; for this purpose I present now to your Honors the accompanying copies, specified on the other side, from which I conclude, that the differences over the letting of the excise on wine and beer for sale in our jurisdiction should be submitted to arbitrators as concerning a point of jurisdiction, as the differences arisen before now have been referred and submitted to arbitrators and if their Honors are not satisfied, but against our expectations should execute their resolution and order, to make the tavernkeepers licensed by us appear before them, then I shall be compelled to protest against the use of violence, as I hereby do requesting at the same time a copy of your Honors' resolution and as your Honors have told and directed me not to leave before the aforesaid tavernkeepers have appeared here in person, I engage myself, wishing

to prevent further difficulties and troubles, to satisfy the late farmer of the excise at Fort Orange under solemn protest for the duties imposed upon wine and beer sold during his time by our innkeepers according to his or the innkeepers' books under the special condition that your Honors, the General and High Council, promise to refund the money paid by us, if another decision by impartial arbitrators is given in the Fatherland. As to the orders received by your Honors in regard to the tenths from the bouweries in our Colony, that is altogether contrary to the privileges, declared legal by the Hon. Company and the Assembly of the XIX, and also to the 6th article* of high and low jurisdiction.

I am highly surprised, that the Hon. Company tries to impose such taxes and charges upon our Colony and its inhabitants, as they have no right whatever to do so, for on the contrary we have been promised by the Company in the 25th article that they will defend us against all violence; notwithstanding which we have two or three times with considerable expense assisted the inhabitants of Fort Orange and the village of Beverwyck in repairing the Fort, namely first during the war of the French savages, then in the English war and now during the late troubles and whenever any difficulty arose, we have quickly made considerable presents to the savages and do so yet daily. Let us add thereto the damages done us daily through the killing of horses, cattle, pigs, etc., by the savages, costing us yearly several thousand and further that the Patroon and the other Directors maintain at their own charge their officers and servants; I will leave it to your Honors judgment, having some knowledge of these matters, whether such demands are proper, especially now.

Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 20th of June, 1656.

JAN BAPTIST VAN RENSSELAER.

A.

Extract from the Register of Resolutions of the Hon. Delegates sent to the Assembly of the XIX of the West India Company now sitting at Amsterdam.

Monday, the 19th of December 1633.

Present at the meeting Messrs. Michael Pauw, Hendrick Hamel, Nicolas van Sitterich, Kilian van Rensselaer and Samuel Blommert, who gave an oral answer to the resolution of the 17th inst. concerning the affairs of parties making colonies and after a vote, it was decided to appoint a committee of five from this Assembly, who are to confer with them and take care of the Company's rights. If they cannot agree, then the matter is to be referred to the committee of their High: Might: or the Court of Justice.

Before this committee is appointed, it is understood, that the privileges heretofore granted to the Patroons and recorded in the Book of Resolutions of the XIX shall be considered as having been lawfully obtained, whereupon Messrs. Conradus Velincx, Bruyn, Nicolai Dolfyn and Schreff were appointed as the committee.

After comparing this with the original, it is found to agree. Quod attestor J. G. F. VAN DE VEN, Notary Public 13-4. 1634.

* See "Freedoms and Exemptions" in Laws of New Netherland, p. 1 et seq.-ED.