Document: Ordinance|Burgomasters and Schepenen regarding direct foreign trade

The Burgomasters and Schepens of the City of Amsterdam in N.N. to All etc. Greeting!
Know ye; that some burghers and inhabitants of this City have presented to the Burgomasters a certain memorial for the purpose of securing foreign trade, which memorial having been communicated by the Burgomasters and Schepens to the Honble Director General and Council, these were pleased to submit it to the Lords Directors of the W. I. Company with a favorable endorsement. According to an extract from a letter of the said Lords Directors to the General and Council, a foreign trade privilege has been granted to this Province as being a measure to animate the cultivation of this country, on the advancement and continuation of which depends the prosperity and rise of this Province. It is expressly stipulated however, that the ships, going from here to France, Spain, Italy, the Caribean Islands and other countries, to sell their loads of products or whatever other goods they may have, must with their return freights, bought with the receipts, touch at the City of Amsterdam in Europe or here for the purpose of paying at the discharge and sale of their cargoes such duties, as the Director General and Council shall deem reasonable. The community is informed hereof, that those, who like to engage in such traffic, may govern themselves by it.
Thus done etc., March 9, 1660.