Document: Ordinance|Director General and Council concerning the improvement and preservation of fences

The Director General and Council of New Netherland hear to their regret great complaints daily, that the posts, rails, clapboards and other parts of the fences, put up around sown fields and gardens at great expense, trouble and labor for the protection of the crops, are stolen in the night as well during the day. That what has been or may be sown or planted be not destroyed and trodden down by cattle because of deficient fencing, which must be feared, if no timely provision is made, also that during the present winter all the lands and gardens may not be deprived of their fences, which would lead to the destruction of everything sown or planted and leave us no crops to gather next year,—the Director General and Council aforesaid, in the presence of the Burgomasters and Schepens of this City and wishing to prevent it, hereby expressly admonish every one, of what position or condition he may be, and at the same time order, that henceforth no garden, sown or planted land shall be stripped of posts, rails, clapboards or other fencing, under the penalty, for him, who is found to do it wholly or partially, of being whipped and branded for the first offense and of being punished with the rope until death, without distinction of person and if after the date hereof somebody reports, a person who has stripped fences of post, rails etc. he shall receive a reward and his name shall be concealed.
Thus done etc., October 9, 1655, renewed December 30, 1658, and again renewed January 7, 1659.