Document: Ordinance of the court of Midwout and Amesfoort obliging the proprietors of houses and lots in Midwout to furnish palisades for defense

According to the resolution of the [schout] and schepenen of Midwout and Amesvoort, confirmed and entered by the director general and high councilors in New Netherland on 22 February last past, that the consolidation of the houses and dwellings of this village of Midwout was highly necessary; and also, with regard to that, the commonalty was later called together by order of the schout and schepenen to inform them orally that it was necessary for the general welfare, for the security and strength of the aforesaid village of Midwout, and that everyone’s house location and lots of land, especially those locations in the village, be enclosed and fenced in behind palisades; and the same was then freely accepted by the commonalty with the promise to carry out the same in fourteen days, which aforesaid time has now long passed and expired, and examining it we notice that some do not proceed with the consolidation and enclosure of this village—much to the great detriment of the general welfare—but on the contrary delay and do nothing, whereby the good intention of the director general and high councilors has been retarded and held back; therefore, the court of Midwout and Amesvoort aforesaid, with the approval of the highly esteemed director general and high councilors, hereby [ ] as they expressly order and instruct that everyone to-date remaining in noncompliance, shall employ all possible diligence herein not to fail from now on in order to prevent any trouble from the wilden and enemies as much as possible [ ] ordered without any delay or postponement from now on after this has been posted, summoning everyone for having ready and erecting his quota and portion of the palisades in eight days, whereupon the magistrates shall make a visit at a designated time in order to inspect and check everything, and whoever is found to be delinquent in carrying out his obligation shall be fined 25 guilders for each lot, half of which goes to the scholters of this place, the other half to the general fund of the village of Midwout aforesaid. Thus done, confirmed by the court of Midwout and Amesfoort, with the previous approval of the director general and high councilors in New Netherland. Done in Midwout on Long Island, the 26th of May 1656 (below was written) By order of the court Midwout and Amesfoort, with the previous approbation of the aforesaid director general and high councilors in New Netherland (was signed) Pieter Tonneman, secretary for this.

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