The director general and councilors of New Netherland, to all those who shall see, or hear this read, greetings, let it be known:
Whereas the farmer of the recognition duties and rights that belong to the lords superiors from exported goods, which are not sent directly to Holland with the return ships, has submitted to us various complaints of the great frauds and smuggling committed in regard to the aforesaid recognition duties, not withstanding our ordinances and placards formerly enacted thereon. Therefore, the director general and councilors do, hereby, once more notify, warn and order all skippers, boatmen, merchants, and traders residing in this country, or frequenting this place, that henceforth they do not embark, transport, carry, or move with yachts, boats, carts, or wagons, or in any other manner, any beavers, otters, bearskins, or other peltries, together with wines and beers or distilled spirits, unless such peltries, wines and beer are first properly entered with the farmer Poulus van der Beecq or his collector, who shall be found in the weighhouse of this city from 15 April until 15 October, from 7 to 11 o’clock in the morning and in the afternoon from 2 until 6 o’clock, and from 15 October until 15 April, in the morning from 8 until 11 o’clock and in the afternoon from 2 until 5 o ’clock; and receive from him a permit upon which is shown the full quantity, by whom shipped, or sent off, and to whom consigned, and going beyond the jurisdiction of New Netherland to pay the fee set thereon; namely:
Larger and smaller containers in proportion; on pain of forfeiting the unreported peltries, wines and beers, and double the value thereof, whether the skipper or owner thereof takes them for his own use or as freight for others. Furthermore, in order to prevent disputes between the skipper, boatman, merchant, or trader and the farmer of the duties, everyone is hereby ordered and commanded not to convey his registered peltries, wines and beers from one house to the other from the time that they have been registered and the duty paid, but to be transported on board or to its destination before sunset. Let each and everyone hereby be warned not only against loss but also in addition commanding their fiscal and other officers strictly to execute these after publication and posting, duly to inspect and cause to be inspected all departing and arriving barks, boats, carts, or wagons, and to prosecute as is appropriate against the defrauders. Thus done at the session of the honorable director general and councilors of New Netherland held at Fort Amsterdam. Ady ut supra. 27 April 1656.[1]
