Document: Ordinance establishing a weekly market day in New Amsterdam

[ The director general ] and councilors [ of New Netherland, to ] all those who shall see this or hear it read, greetings, make known.[i] Whereas diverse articles, such as meat, bacon, butter, cheese, turnips, carrots, cabbage and other country produce are brought to this city now and then by farmers to be sold here; upon arrival here at the strand with such, they often have to remain a long time with their produce, frequently to their serious loss, because the commonalty, or at least a majority thereof, who live at a distance from the strand, are not aware that such articles are brought there for sale, which tends not only to the inconvenience of the burgher, but also to the notable damage of the industrious farmer, who oftentimes loses more by absence from home than he has gained on his produce. Wishing to remedy this, the director general and councilors aforesaid, do hereby ordain that in this city, on every Saturday shall be market day, and it shall be held at the strand by or near the house of Mr. Hans Kiersteede, according to which everyone who has anything to buy or to sell shall have to regulate himself.

Thus done in the session of the director general and councilors held in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 13th of September anno 1656.