Document: Petition of burgomasters and schepens of New Amsterdam for the establishment of burgher right

To the highly esteemed lords the right honorable director general and his lords councilors of the New Netherland.[i]

The undersigned petitioners in their capacity as burgomasters and schepenen of this city remonstrate with due reverence how it is that they daily find more and more the multiplication of schotsen [ii] who yearly sail to here back and forth with the ships from the fatherland, arriving here, are unwilling for the most part to sell their goods, but proceed immediately to Fort Orange or elsewhere. Upon finishing their trade they leave again at the first opportunity, so that not only this place can derive no benefit from such persons, but on the contrary this good community suffers great damage thereby, so that last summer one even had to get consumable provisions that came from patria from Fort Orange because [the trade there was much better than at this place. Which commerce is in direct violation of the 12th article of the freedoms,[iii] which the honorable lords patrons granted to this place, by which article the said lords decide that the staple of the whole of New Netherland shall be on the island of Manhattans, inasmuch as the said burgomasters have reserved this island] for their own [ colony ]; also taking into consideration the burdens that their community has to bear in this city and the services that they have rendered as well in the time of the English troubles as in those which happened on other occasions, in which they always showed their willingness; so that for this reason and in order to animate them the more, it would be very proper (in our opinion) to favor them with some privileges. And whereas the burgher right is one of the foremost privileges in a well-governed city, the petitioners therefore humbly request your honors to be pleased to grant the privilege that no one shall be allowed to keep a store here unless they are known as burghers here in the city; also, that persons who are not settled residents here in this country shall not be allowed to trade at any district hereabout outside this place, together with what your honors may be pleased kindly to grant to our community and your honors’ subjects; also, in addition, to be pleased to order how much those who come from patria or any other places shall give to this city to reside and carry on a trade here to purchase their citizenship. Awaiting hereupon your honors favorable disposition we remain,

Your honors’ humble subjects,

The burgomasters and schepenen of the city Amsterdam in New Netherland,

(lower stood) By order of the same, (and signed) Jacob Kip, sec.

(dated in the margin) Done this 22nd Jan. 1657 at the session in the city hall at Amsterdam in N. Netherland.