Document: Commission of captain de Coninck to capture the leading inhabitants of Westchester and to expel English intruders

[ 6th March ]

The orders of the lords directors and their letters dated 23 November 16[ 54, 26 April and 26 May ] 1655 show, and the director general and councilors have been reliably informed [ that the English ] in the village, by them called Westch[ ester, situate on the ] Vreedlant, about 2 miles from this city, [ not only ] harbor fugitives and robbers of this [ province ], but also, as can be deduced from the copy of a certain letter, that their chief officer Lieutenant Wheller was in communication with the [ barbarians ] at or [ about ] the time of our recent unhappy confrontation with them. It has therefore been unanimously resolved for the welfare and advantage of the country, and for the maintenance of the rights of the lords patroons against such usurpers, to have the aforesaid English, at least the most prominent of them, taken away from there in most secret and civil manner possible, making the rest depart with all their moveable goods, and to commission for the execution thereof the valiant Captain Frederick de Coninck, Captain Lieutenant Brian Nuton, in addition to the lord fiscal Cornelis van Tienhoven so that he can serve his protest in the matter and have some fugitives and thieves arrested.[1] Done at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Ady ut supra. (Was signed: P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius de Sille, La Montagne, Cornelis van Tienhoven.

Rights: This translation is provided for education and research purposes, courtesy of the  New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections, Mutual Cultural Heritage Project. Rights may be reserved. Responsibility for securing permissions to distribute, publish, reproduce or other use rest with the user. For additional information see our Copyright and Use Statement Source: New York State Archives. New Netherland. Council. Dutch colonial council minutes, 1638-1665. Series A1809. Volume 6.