[ The director general and councilors of New Netherland hereby give notice, that for the further promotion of agriculture, for the security of this island, and the cattle pasturing thereon, ] as well as [ for the greater recreation and amusement ] of this city of Amsterdam [ in New Netherland they have ] resolved to form a [ new village or ] bijeenwooninge at the end of this island, on and about the lands of Jochem Pietersen, deceased, and those which adjoin thereto; for which, in order that those who would like to work in agriculture be encouraged all the more, the aforesaid newly-to-be-built village is favored by the director general and councilors with the following privileges:[i]
First. The inhabitants of the same shall each by drawing of the lots receive in true ownership 18, 20, or 24 morgens of sowing land, 6 or 8 morgens of meadows, and 15 years of exemption of the tenth, beginning next May, provided that within the time of three years, they pay once in installments, eight guilders for each morgen of arable land for the benefit of the party concerned or his creditors, who are now or were before driven away from the said lands and suffered great loss thereon.
Secondly. In order to prevent similar loss from disasters or expulsion, the director general and councilors promise to maintain and protect the inhabitants of the aforesaid village in all possible ways, and, being urged or requested thereto, the assistance of 12 to 15 military persons on monthly pay of the Company; but board and lodging paid by the village if the inhabitants would request this.
[ Thirdly, when the aforesaid village has 20 or 25 families, the director general and councilors will favor it with an inferior court of justice; and for that purpose a double number is to be nominated out of the ] most righteous and capable persons, [ for the first time by the inhabitants and afterward by the magistrates thereof, ] and presented annually to the director general and councilors in order to elect a single number from that.
Fourthly. The director general and councilors promise to use all possible means that the inhabitants of the aforesaid village, once they reach the aforesaid number of families, will be accommodated with a good and pious orthodox minister, for whose maintenance the director general and councilors promise one half of the salary; the other half, with the advice of the magistrates of the aforesaid village, to be found among the inhabitants in the best and fairest way at a proper time.
Fifthly. The director general and councilors shall assist the inhabitants with the Company’s Negroes at a convenient time, when it best suits their convenience, in building a suitable wagon road from here to the aforesaid village, in order that one can come hither and thither on horseback and with a wagon.
Sixthly. In order that the advancement of the aforesaid village may be promoted the sooner and the better, the director general and councilors have resolved and ordered not to establish or allow to be established any new villages or bijeenwooningen before the aforesaid village is organized, certainly not until the aforesaid number of inhabitants is completed.
[ Seventhly. For the better and greater promotion of neighborly correspondence with the English of the north, the director general and councilors will, at a more convenient time, authorize a ferry and a ] suitable scow [ near the aforesaid village in order to ] convey over [ cattle and horses, and favor the aforesaid village with a cattle and horse market. ]
Eighthly. Whoever are inclined to settle themselves there on the aforesaid exemptions, or to have a farm erected there by their servants, shall be bound to register their names at once and within a short time in the office of the secretary of the director general and councilors, and with others to begin immediately to place on the land at least one able-bodied person provided with proper arms, or, in default thereof, to be deprived of his right. Thus done at the session of the director general and councilors held in Fort Amsterdam in N: Netherland the 4th of March 1658.
P. Stuyvesant Nicasius de Sille Pieter Tonneman
