Document: Petition of Pelgrom Clock to be admitted a notary

To the esteemed lord director general and high councilors of Amsterdam in New Netherland.

Pelgrom Clock, freeman here, your honors’ obedient servant, makes known with appropriate reverence how it is that since childhood he, petitioner, has been training in the practice and in the fatherland for several years took care of his father’s office in the countryside as secretary and helped to keep the place going; and whereas [several lines lost] the petitioner is a person from a good house, plain spoken from honest stock, who seeks to do his best (with God and honor) to live honorably and to provide for his household, for which reasons he, petitioner, is seeking a good position; Therefore, he, petitioner, deemed it appropriate to turn to the esteemed lord director and high councilors to be accepted as notary and be allowed to serve these places and elsewhere. Hoping to regulate and acquit himself therein as is appropriate. Thus doing etc.

Was signed, Pelgrom Lock [sic]

The above petition, having been submitted and deliberated, was resolved as follows: The director general and councilors, having been informed of the petitioner’s abilities, permit and allow the petitioner to practice the office of notary in this province, with the condition that our fiscal administer the appropriate oath. Done at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Dated 31 October 1656.