Document: Petition of Dirck van Schelluyne, agent of baron Van der Capelle

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To the highly esteemed lords director general and high councilors of New Netherland.

Esteemed lords.

It has pleased your honors on the 27th of this month to deem me capable to oversee the livestock of the honorable lord Jonkheer Hendrick van der Capelle on Staten Island, and also to carry out their advice to move them away from there; and whereas I would have previously liked to make an attempt to employ freemen as much as possible to live there, on such conditions as can be agreed upon with them; therefore, I hereby present, with all due respect, the major points to propose to the freemen, in case your honors be pleased to allow it. Whereupon I await your honors’ favorable recommendation and remain your honors’ obedient servant (was signed.) D. van Schelluyne. (Below was written:)

First of all, the oath of allegiance shall be administered by the deputy of the honorable lord Jonkheer Hendrick van der Capelle tho Rijssel van Essel, Hasselt, and Yselbeeck, lord and patroon on Staten Island, ordinary representative on behalf of the principality, Gelre, and the county of Sutphen at the session of the high and mighty lords States General of the United Netherlands;

And swear on honor, fidelity, and probity that they shall be loyal and obedient in everything to his honor and his deputies and officers now and in the future, under the sovereignty and government of their High and Mightinesses, together with the honorable lords directors of the chartered West India Company as lords and patroons of New Netherland, and the supreme government in this country, subjecting themselves to such duties and ordinances as already have been enacted and are to be enacted by both aforementioned lords.