Document: Order to the captains of vessels in the harbor of New Amsterdam

Whereas some skippers of the merchant vessels lying here have been repeatedly asked, both kindly and earnestly, to serve the country in the coming expedition under such reasonable conditions, as in conscience they could agree upon with the director general and council or as impartial experts should adjudge, to which conscientiously they could not be disposed, their reasons for refusal having been examined, although not quite acceptable, because they referred to some private profits, while the director general and council have hopes under God’s guidance and help to bring the expedition to a good end with the means entrusted to them by God and their high magistrates, if the said merchant ships will each supply them with two men and their surplus of provisions and munitions of war; therefore, it is resolved to communicate this to the skippers and at the same time, that they may take in their cargoes here, provided they remain here until after the result of the expedition is known or be in readiness to get their dispatch from the South River, whereas director general and council consider it highly necessary, to give speedy information of the beginning and progress of the expedition in question to the honorable magistrates in the fatherland. Ady ut supra. (It was signed:) P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius De Sille, Cornelis van Tienhoven. 29 August 1655.