Document: Petition of the burgomasters for power to collect the assessment made for the repair of the public works

To the highly esteemed lords, the honorable director general and high councilors of New Netherland.

The burgomasters of the city of Amsterdam in their capacity as treasurers show with appropriate reverence and humility how it is that many, indeed the majority of those, who have subscribed to the collection of certain funds, both by voluntary offering as well as by quota, for the payment of expenses of necessary works of this city already incurred and still to be incurred, remain in default of payment of the promised and apportioned sums, but repeatedly remain in default with one or the other excuse until [ ] whereby, they, petitioners, have been impeded in their aforesaid capacities to order to repair what is necessary, because they cannot make payment of the expenses with these monies; therefore, they request of your honors that your highly esteemed honors be pleased to maintain the petitioners in their aforesaid capacities for collection of promised and apportioned sums, and to help constrain the unwilling to do so, as your highly esteemed honors shall find appropriate. Whereupon we are relying and remain your honors humble servants, the burgo-masters and treasurers of the city of Amsterdam in New Netherland. (Was dated:) first of February 1656 at Amsterdam in New Netherland.