Document: Order to liberate the imprisoned intruders from Westchester

Having read and further deliberated the foregoing charge or complaint of the fiscal, as plaintiff and preserver of the peace, against the imprisoned Englishmen, recently taken from Vreedlant, named Westchester by them, together with the humble remonstrance of the women, hereto attached,[i] all of which, considering the dangers of the time and the inconvenience of the winter, we, the director general and councilors of New Netherland, for these and other important reasons, have resolved that after the imprisoned Englishmen promise under oath, signed by their own hands, to depart from the lands of Vreedlant and out of this jurisdiction within or in about the time of six weeks with their possessions and livestock, and never to return to these places without our special consent, which having been sworn and signed with their usual signatures, the fiscal is hereby authorized and ordered to release these Englishmen from their imprisonment, against whom he, as preserver of the peace, has no other complaint than those previously stated, after incurred expenses have been satisfied, at the discretion of impartial men, and this shall be his sufficient warrant. Concerning the fugitives or other criminals, as well as those who refused to comply and adhere to the aforesaid promises, to arrest the same, pursuant to yesterday’s resolution, and to proceed against them according to law. Thus done in our session held at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Ady ut supra. Was signed: P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius de Sille, La Montagne.

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.