Document: Petition of farmers of Pavonia, Gemoenepa, and adjoining places for an exemption from tenths

Copy.

To the honorable lords director general and high councilors

The undersigned injured farmers, who were driven away by the wilden from their farms on Pavonia, Gemoenepaen, and other neighboring places, make known with all respect and subservient reverence how they, petitioners, would be prepared to begin building up and farming their land again. And because they were injured and damaged very much by the attack of the aforesaid wilden, in such a way that it will be very difficult for them to begin farming their aforesaid lands and farms, for which reason and why, in consideration of their aforesaid suffered damage and the present [ poor ] situation, they would like to be favored with some benefits and exemptions. Therefore, they humbly request that your honors kindly please to give them as many years’ exemption of the tenth and other taxes as your honors, in consideration as before, will kindly please and judge appropriate. Expecting your honors’ favorable resolution, we will remain (below stood), your honors’ humble subjects (was signed), Machiel Jansen, Claes Jansen Backer, the mark of Claes Pieterse Cos, the mark of Jan Capteijn, the mark of Dirck Siecken, Yde Cornelis, the mark of Dirck Claesen, the mark of Lijsbeth Tijsen.

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.