Document: Dutch colonial council minutes, 3 April 1642

[1]On the 34 of April 1642

Whereas all the subjects of the High and Mighty Lords the States General who pursue their trade or commerce here in New Netherland are bound to pay in Holland before they can ship their goods a duty of 10 percent to the West India Company, which was granted to said Company by their High Mightinesses in consideration of the great war which the honorable West India Company is carrying on and the heavy expenses it has to bear; and whereas the honorable directors have learned that many goods are brought hither from divers places upon which no duty has been paid anywhere, which tends to the serious injury of the honorable Company and great damage of the good Inhabitants of New Netherland who have to bear even heavier burdens than foreigners; wherefore we are expressly commanded to collect said duty here on all imported goods on which nothing has been paid in Holland, Brazil, Guinea and the West Indies and on exported goods so much as is authorized by the Freedoms granted to this country.

Therefore, we have ordained and enacted, as we do hereby ordain and enact, that from now and henceforth all persons who import here any wares for purposes of sale shall enter their goods and pay a just tenth part either in kind or in money and on the exported goods according to the list thereof included in the Freedoms, to the receiver of the Company's revenues or whoever shall be appointed thereto, on pain of forfeiture of the same goods not only by the seller but by the buyer and the parties in whose hands they may be found. Thus done, published and posted in Fort Amsterdam, dated as above.