Document: Ordinance explaining the ordinance regulating the anchorage ground before New Amsterdam

The director general and councilors of New Netherland being informed of some [ obscurity or difficulty in their last ] published order and edict, in the point respecting the anchoring near this city of New Amsterdam, do declare, in order to prevent all misunderstanding, that the meaning thereof is not that no ships, barks, sloops, ketches or yachts should anchor in the North River or East River by this city, except at the ordained places, tide, weather and time permitting or not permitting, but that all barks, yachts, etc., before they discharge any goods or merchandises on shore, or take any on board in such ship, ketch, bark, sloop or yacht, they shall come therewith to the ordinary and customary roadstead in front of the city between its gates and walls, on the penalty of 25 guilders for the first time and 50 guilders for the second offense. Thus done in our council held in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland the 24th of August 1656.[i]