Document: Petition of Michiel Tadens for pardon and leave to reside on Long Island

To the lord director general and councilors of New Netherland.

Michiel Tadens, presently residing on Long Island makes known, with all humility, how it is that the lord fiscal has given him, the petitioner, notice to leave this province according to the judgment,[i] and whereas he, petitioner, has therefore gone to live on Long Island in order to be able to live there in peace at the pleasure of your esteemed honors, requesting with all due humility that your highly esteemed honors out of mercy be pleased to consent in consideration of his innocent children to be able to remain in peace on Long Island, and earn his livelihood, trusting that your highly esteemed honors’ usual loving kindness be pleased to concede that his, petitioner’s, departure from here would be his utter ruin, believing that your honors [ ] him in the future something against the placards and ordinances by your honors or on his behalf [several lines lost] shall have cause mercifully to forgive him the mistake, the petitioner, praying once again that your highly esteemed honors shall still be pleased to consent to his request. Which doing I remain,

Your honors’ most obedient subject and servant.

The foregoing petition having been received and read, it was resolved after deliberation: In consideration of his promise from now on to comport himself as an honest citizen and to carry on no more forbidden trade, the petitioner’s request has been granted on the condition that the petitioner pay the church wardens of this city twenty-five beavers for the benefit of the church. Done at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, 7 November anno 1656.