The director general and councilors of New Netherland, to all those who see or hear this read, greetings.[i]
Let it be known that whereas they, to their regret, are daily informed, importuned, and troubled, both by their own experience, as well as by the numerous complaints of the inhabitants and strangers respecting the great, excessive and intolerable dearness of all sorts of necessary commodities and household necessities, the prices of which are increasing from time to time, principally, among other causes, in consequence of the high price of beavers and other peltries here in this country far beyond the value, which, by reason of the great abundance of sewant, is pushed up to ten, eleven and twelve guilders for one beaver; and sewant being, for want of silver and gold coin, [ as yet the most general and common currency between man and man, buyer and seller, domestic articles and daily necessaries are rated according to that price, and become dearer, from time to time; the rather, as ] not only with the merchants, but also, consequently, with the shopkeepers, tradesmen, brewers, bakers, tappers and grocers make a difference of 30, 40 and 50 percent whether they sell their wares for sewant or for beaver. This tends, then, so far to the remarkable damage, distress and loss of the common artisans, laborers, brewers, farmers, and other good inhabitants of this province that the superior and inferior regents of this province are blamed, slandered, and, indeed cursed by strangers and inhabitants, and the country in general receives a bad name, while some greedy people do not hesitate to sell the most necessary eatables and drinkables, according to their insatiable avarice, viz a can of vinegar at 18 to 20 stivers; a canne of oil at 4 to 5 guilders; a canne of French wine at 40 to 45 stivers; a gill of brandy at 15 stivers; and the vaene of home brewed beer, far above the price, at 14 to 15 stivers etc., which, for the most part, they endeavor to excuse on the pretext that they lose a great deal in the counting of the sewant; [that it is partly short and partly long; that they must give 11 to 12 and more guilders before they can convert the sewant into beaver.
The director general and councilors, wishing, therefore, to provide herein as much as lies in their power, have, for the good and advantage of their inhabitants, after diverse serious considerations, propositions and debates held at various times, not been able to discover any better expedient, than to declare sewant] a commodity and merchandise in the matter of commerce and wholesale trade; namely, only among those who import it from abroad, or trade it in this province with wilden for furs; but inasmuch as, (for want of silver and gold coin or other pay), sewant must, in smaller quantities, serve as currency between man and man, buyer and seller, the aforesaid director general and councilors have determined, resolved and ordained, as they do hereby resolve and ordain to rate sewant, and as far as is possible to cause it to be rated at the value of beaver, the beaver being still reckoned, until further order and advice from patria, at eight guilders and no higher.
And in order to prevent in future the complaints of miscounting of the sewant, with regard to which no few mistakes have been experienced to the loss of the honorable Company’s treasury; [ also, the taking out of short or long sewant, if it be but good, even and well strung, the director general and councilors further ordain and command that, from this time forward, after the publication and posting hereof, ] sewant shall no longer be paid out or received, between inhabitants and inhabitants of this province, (not even for merchandise or for contracts made before this in sewant), by the tally or stiver, and also by no other stamped measure than authorized by the director general and councilors, to be made and stamped for that purpose, the smallest of which measures shall be five stivers; the whole ten, and the double 20 stivers.
And if it should come to pass that the price of the purchased or sold article should not amount to, or equal to half the smallest measure or 2 stivers,[ii] the director general and councilors (in order to prevent objections and disputes) do order and command that the receiver or the payer, shall satisfy or make up the smallest fraction under or over 2 stivers, by the count; each white sewant piece being reckoned at two pennies, and each black one at four pennies.
And in order that no one may plead ignorance hereof, the director general and councilors order and command that this shall be published, [ and, after publication, observed, executed and obeyed ] everywhere within this province of New Netherland [ under a fine of 50 pounds Flemish for the first time, and double for the second time, to be forfeited by such as shall be found, after the publication and posting hereof, to have paid out ] or received any sewant by the tally or any other [ measure ] than that ordained and stamped by the director general and councilors, such fine to be applied as it ought. Thus done in the session of the director general and councilors held in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 3rd of January 1657.
