To the honorable and esteemed lords burgomasters and schepenen of the city of Amsterdam in New Netherland.
We, the undersigned, remonstrate to your honors with all due respect and obedient reverence how the farming of exported [several lines lost] wines and beers [ ] this city [ ] shall be detrimental, not only [ ] but also for every inhabitant and [ ] must be drawn, just as [ ] already has taught us since the farming out, [ ] in some commodities of wines and beers which are kept back by the same impost, whereas they do not want to agree to pay so much excise, consequently fearing a falling off of business, as we up to now have done with the English, and firmly trusting that your honors shall continue to look out for the general welfare of this city and welfare of the burghers, just as the lords burgomasters of the city of Amsterdam in Holland (name giver of this city) always has taken care of the promotion of business for their city. Therefore, we humbly request, in consideration of the preceding that business in this tender, budding province be seen favorably, otherwise claiming from our viewpoint that the lords patroons of these lands can also suffer retardation and loss, for if there is such little business here, then the honorable Company can draw little recognition fees, both here and in the fatherland, so that for this reason your honors may be pleased to employ such means that the aforesaid impost may be ended and terminated. We shall remain, (below was written:) your honors’ obedient servants (was signed:) Jacob Backer, Pieter Schafbanck, Reynier Reycken, Pieter Rudolphus, Pieter de Jonge, Pieter van Couwenhoven, Govert Loockermans, P. Cornelisse vander Veen, Warnaer Wessels, Pieter Jacobsz Buys, Pieter Jacobsz Marius, Claes Bordingh, Abram Nickel, Joost van Beeck, Joan Withart.
[ ] and councilors [ ] on the wines [ ] shall divert [ ] of too great a precision and after complaints [ ] director general and councilors have modified the imposts placed on the exported wines, beers, and distilled spirits for a just third in the following ways: in order not to annul the current farming out or to prejudice in no way the farmer, the seller shall pay to the farmer one third share of the impost, the buyer an equal third, the remaining third the farmer shall, together with the director general and councilors, use against balancing accounts. Thus done at the session of the honorable lord director general and councilors held in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 7th of June 1656 (was signed:) P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius de Sille, and La Montagne.
