Document: Ordinance requiring all vessels and persons to take out a permit and to pay duties on exported furs and liquors before sailing from New Amsterdam

Whereas the director general and council of New Netherland have been reliably informed both by remonstrance of the farmer and by others that now and then some vessels depart from here without asking or receiving a proper pass, as is the custom, and without properly entering their exported goods, such as wines, beers and peltries that are subject to duty, by which first the farmer and then the general welfare of the country has been noticeably defrauded; the aforesaid director general and council, wishing to provide herein in conformity with the orders and customs of our fatherland, do hereby interdict and forbid from this time forward any ships, yachts, barks, ketches or any other vessels, of whatever nation they may be, which cast anchor before or near this city, again to lift the same or to sail elsewhere from here, wherever that may be outside or within this jurisdiction, without requesting and obtaining a proper pass from the fiscal; under a penalty of 50 pounds Flemish.

In like manner the director general and council also most expressly forbid any person to load on board any peltries, wines or beers, which are subject either to excise or recognition fees, before and until they are properly recorded, and the proper recognition and excise fees have been paid, on pain of forfeiting the smuggled goods and three times their value, to be applied as is proper; hereby not only authorizing but also commanding our fiscal to inspect any barks or ships properly before issuing them a pass.

Thus done, resolved, resumed, and published at the session of the director general and council held in New Netherland, 27 June 1656.[1]