Document: Propositions of the people of Westchester

Honoured Sir

The propositions that wee in the Behalfe of the inhabitans of Freedland and our selves desiere to have rattified and confirmed unto us by your honour are as follow

1. That wee may not have any plantation nor villig nor farme nor farmes nor any Iland or passill of land graunted nor given unto any person or persons what ever with in toe hollands milles of the senter of the plantation where wee doe nou sitt downe called freedlant not of any side of it.

2. That wee may have Libbertie to disspose to Inhabitans that either nowe are or shall be here after Receved by the Consent and approbation of your honnour with our selves: that is to say such as have land graunted by your honnour wee may have Libertie to lay it out in such places as may be leeft preiuditiall to the Towne and convenient for them to whome it is given and graunted by your honnour.

3. That as your honour hath power to Receive in as inhabitants into the place where wee live or Detaine and Reep backe any from liveing and possessing landes in the place soe alsoe wee desire that wee may have Libertie to Receive in such any be benefitiall to the towne or such as are not scandolus but sevell [ civil ] Livers Where by we may popelate our towne alsoe that wee may have Libertie to obiect against and keeppe backe any from liveing and possessing land in our towne or within the limits there of provided wee have iust cause to obiect against any person that hath a desier to be Received in to the Towne.

4. That all men that have land graunted and given unto them shall be ingaged to plante and bule [ build ] and dwell in the towne with in Sixe mounths after he hath his land graunted to him or else to lowse his graunte: and alsoe that all men that doe take up land within the limits of our towne shall be liable to pay such common charge as shall justly arise in the towne according to the proportion of land graunted to him and according to his vissibule estate extent.

5. That we may have liberty within our selves to choose offisors to [ e ]xecutt justice according to law amongst our selves that may be for the mayntayning of peace and equity in the place where we live and allsoe to these select men for the Caring and towne affares in the townes behalfe and alsoo to Chuse millitari officers amonghst our selves for the disciplining of our selves in a millitary way; that soe wee may be able to oppose any that shall un Justlie assalt us.

6. That wee may have a Copie of your lawes Drawne out in English that we soe may know how to Regulate and Conforme our selves accordingly and alsoe we may know when we doe trance gresse and alsoe know how to punnish any accordingly that doe trancegresse.

7. That we may have Liborty to make orders for towne affares amonghst our selves as may not be Repugnant to the fundamentals of your lawes.

8. That wee may have protecktion from your honnor to deffend us from ether Indians or any that shall un Justly assault us: that we may have amonition from you that is powder lend [ lead ] and gunnes that soe we may be able to defend our selves that is provided we satisfie for it & that those armes that are wanting may be maide goode to according to your promise.

9. That whatsoever writings are trance acted betweene you and us may be written in English that soe we may be fully and parfectly understand them.