Document: Petition of the magistrates of Midwout and Amesfoort for authority to take up a collection for the support of their minister

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

Respectfully and with appropriate humility the magistrates of Midwout and Amesfoort on Long Island in New Netherland make known that they have adopted a resolution for the general welfare, so they think, to take up a voluntary collection in the villages of Breuckelen, Midwout, Amesfoort, and dependant places for support of a minister or teacher, to which, they believe, many are inclined to contribute; however, as they have no authority to do so before making the highly esteemed council in New Netherland aware thereof, the honorable magistrates therefore request your honors’ approval hereon, together with a favorable recommendation that they may carry out their well-intended proposal and resolution. The aforesaid magistrates pledge themselves to give to your honors or to your honors’ deputies a full and true account and rendering of the monies received, if it is necessary and they are called upon to do so. In so doing we remain your honors’ servants, the magistrates of Midwout, Amesfoort, and adjacent places. (Below was written:) By order of the same; was signed: Pieter Tonneman , as secretary. (Dated:) Done on 8 February 1656.

The foregoing request having been read at the session, after deliberation thereon, the following was decided: the director general and councilors of New Netherland find the contents hereof not only appropriate but also necessary; therefore, the director general and councilors hereby authorize the schout and schepens herein named to promote the collection. Ady ut supra.