Document: Dutch colonial council minutes, 12-17 January 1648

[1]The director general and council of New Netherland having observed that in and around the city of New Amsterdam there are brewers who tap and sell by retail, whence it may happen and occur that the beer thus brewed and retailed be not properly entered and the legal excise thereon paid; therefore, the said director general and council, in conformity with the rule and customs of Holland, forbid, as they do hereby, all those who brew in and around this city to tap, entertain parties, or sell beer by the can; also, no tapsters shall be allowed to brew, or to have others brew for them; all this on pain of forfeiting all such beer as shall be found on such brewers’ or tapsters' premises, and in addition of being prohibited from doing business for the space of [ ] months. Thus done the 12th of January anno 1648.

Whereas one Jan Tonsen, Eduwart Tomas Styls, Jan Laurensz and Jan Hick, inhabitants of Flushing in New Netherland, are with others the principal opponents to the general vote and decision of their neighbors in contributing toward the support of a Christian and godly Reformed minister and to the nomination of a schout, wishing, contrary to the custom of the fatherland, to nominate and elect but one person only and request the honorable general and council to confirm the same; it is resolved for the best interest, advantage and peace of this province to have the said person summoned to appear on the 23d of January before the honorable director and council and, in case of refusal or declining to appear, said person may be arrested by the fiscal to be proceeded against as the case may require.

Furthermore it is resolved to write to the inhabitants of Flushing to obey the already issued orders by nominating three persons for the election of a schout, and that Schout Harck shall continue until said order be obeyed and the appointment be made by us. This 17th day of January anno 1648, in New Amsterdam.