Document: Petition of Adriaen Post, agent of Mr. Van de Capelle, for an order to all his colonists to return to Staten Island

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Honorable lord general and councilors of this province of N: Netherland,

Honorable lords, your petitioner Adriaen Post shows with due respect how he, petitioner, by order of his lord and master Capel, is forced, in conformance with the rules, to turn to your honors because your honors are the only instrument by which my lord and master’s order can be observed. It is now the petitioner’s request, as attorney for his patroon, [several lines lost] [ ] to place [ ] being [ summoned ] before your honors to give sufficient reason for refusal or denial, with which he can give complete satisfaction to his lord and patroon, as your honors, according to your honors’ wisdom and discretion, shall find appropriate as the case requires; doing this, etc., (lower stood) remaining your honor’s willing servant (was signed) Adriaen Post, dated the last of May anno 1658.

The above petition having been received and read, after deliberation it is resolved: Before an order or injunction can be given upon the request, it is required that the petitioner has the absent persons legally and properly given notice and summons [ to appear ] before the director general and councilors to give reasons for their absence, in order to then be further decided as the development[i] of the case shall require. Dated as above.

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 8.