Copy of the petition concerning the trade, on which the following apostil is granted:
To the Honorable Gentlemen, the Commissary and Magistrates of Fort Orange and the village of Beverwijck
Show with due reverence and respect, the undersigned petitioners, that they have heard that on the 25th of May last of the year 1660, a petition was presented in regard to the trade by some principals who, being moved by excessive greed and jealousy, make themselves believe and imagine that they thereby increase the trade. This is a pretext invented for no other purpose than to divert the trade to themselves and inspired by greed, as above stated. But considering that many a poor person could earn a beaver and the community would be better served, it has seemed to the petitioners, representing a majority of the people, that as an extra precaution it would be well to submit to your honors in proper form what is well known to all the inhabitants, for the petitioners hope that your honors in accordance with your civic duty and the privileges of the praiseworthy fatherland will not tolerate that the community be oppressed, considering that the least [ of the citizens ] has as much right as the most [ important one ], since the country must exist by them, and they, the petitioners, can prove that they are not rabble, as they were called yesterday, because they live decently. The petitioners therefore conclude and request that everyone may be allowed to do the best he can with Christians and with Indians, in order that he help himself with honor and to the best of his ability, everyone to enjoy what belongs to him, to love his neighbor, and to do what shall tend to the salvation of his soul. Whereupon the petitioners expect a favorable marginal apostil.
Actum the 27th of May Anno 1660, in Beverwijck.Underneath was written:
Which doing, etc. Praying in and upon everything, etc. Your honors’ willing and affectionate subjects: Was signed: Jan Dircksen van Breemen, Arent Jansen van Hoeck, Jan Harmsen, Rem Jansen, Jacob Thijsen van der Heyden, Cornelis Theunesen Bosch, Daniel Verveelen, Jacob Jansen, the mark of Lambert van Valkenburch, Pieter Loockermans, Jan Jansen van Ekelen, the mark of Meyndert Fredricksen, Thoomas Pouw[ elsen ], the mark of Jan Fransen, the mark of Sijmon Volkerts, the mark of Theunes Cornelissen, the mark of Willem Fredricksen, the mark of Jan Harmsen, the mark of Mattheus Abrahamsen, the mark of Jan Cornelissen, Pieter Loockermans de Jonge, the mark of Jochem Ketteleyn, Jacob Loockermans, Willem Jansen Schut, the mark of Reynier Albertsen, Jan Vinhagel, Hendrick Anderiesen, Anderies de Vosch, Jan Schekel, Pieter Winnen, Jan Cornel[ issen ] Leyden, Jan Michaelsen, Jochem Wessel, Jurrian Theunesen, Daniel Rinckhout, Pieter Bronck, Harmen Bastiaensen, Jacob van Laer, Cornelus Bogardus, Pieter Adriaensen, Claes Marrechael, Philip Hendricksen, Adriaen Appel, Sijmon Sijmonsen, Baerent Meyndersen, the mark of Wouter Albersen, Gillis Pietersen, Hendrick Rooseboom, Claes Jacobsen, Cornelis Vosch, Willem Jansen Stol, and Wijnandt Gerritsen vande Poel.[1]
