Document: Ordinance increasing the tavern-keepers' excise throughout the province

The director general and councilors, considering the great and excessive expenses incurred the last year on account of the English troubles, and now again de novo created by the southern expedition, besides those they must bear in consequence of this unexpected, deplorable encounter with the Indians, natives of these parts, which expenses are increased by maintaining a greater number of soldiers than formerly, as well on the South River in Fort Casamier, as here, at Fort Orange and elsewhere; and that on the other hand, the revenue is smaller than it was last year, estimating the duties received at not half so much as they were last year, whereby the treasury is considerably in arrears, and it is in the highest degree necessary that subsidies be found, in order to relieve and supply in some measure what is previously herein set forth; therefore, the above mentioned director general and councilors have resolved, inasmuch as the excise on wines and beer to consumed by the tavernkeepers and tappers next year, within the jurisdiction of this city of New Amsterdam, will be publicly let tomorrow to the highest bidder, according to the praiseworthy custom and order of our fatherland, to raise the excise on wines and beer everywhere within this province, so that henceforward there shall be paid by the tavernkeepers and tappers as excise for one ordinary

Thus done at the session of the noble honorable director general and councilors held at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Ady ut supra. Resumed and published the last of the same month of November. (Was signed:) P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius de Sille, La Montagne.[1]

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.