Document: Order to Jan Evertsen Bout to prepare to embark for Holland

1654, 9 April New Amsterdam.

Whereas Jan Eversz Bout, an inhabitant and owner of property in Breuckelen on Long Island, has at the election of schepens in the village of Breuckelen also been elected schepen by the director-general and council, which office he has refused to accept, saying he would rather depart for Holland (than undertake such duties), whereupon the director-general then replied, "If you will not accept to serve as schepen for the welfare of the village of Breuckelen with others, your fellow inhabitants, then you must prepare yourself to sail in the ship, de Coninck Salemon, agreeable to your own statement"; therefore, the honorable director-general and high council, in consideration of the obstinacy of the aforesaid Jan Evertsz Bout and the subsequent disorders which could arise therefrom, have ordered their fiscal, Cornelis van Thienhoven to inform the aforesaid Jan Evertsz by the Schout, Davidt Provoost, of his summons to depart. Thus done at the session of the honorable director-general and council, dated as above, held in New Amsterdam in New Netherland; and was signed: P. Stuyvesant, N. de Sille, La Montangne and Cor. van Werckhoven.