Document: Burgomasters requesting to be informed what measures have been adopted by the director and council to suppress robberies by English privateers

To the Honorable, Highly Esteemed Director-General and High Council of New Netherland:

Show with all due respect and humility the mayors and schepens of this city of New Amsterdam.

Whereas in our last session on the 10th of February, in the presence of the honorable director-general, Petrus Stuyvesant, some verbal proposals were made to consider measures by which the robberies by the English pirates might be suppressed, which the honorable General promised to communicate to the high council;

Therefore, the mayors and schepens request once more to know what resolutions have been adopted by the director-general and council concerning this matter, for we believe that it should be attended to with all possible speed. In expectation of your honors' reply; below was written: and remain your honors' humble servants; and signed: Arent van Hattem; in the margin was written: Done this 19 February 1654 in session at the City Hall in New Amsterdam, New Netherland; below was written: By order of the mayors and schepens of this city of New Amsterdam; and was signed: Jacob Kip, secretary.[1]

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 5.