Document: Order to the magistrates of Gravesend to release Anthony Jansen from confinement

The director-general and high council of New Netherland hereby summon, by their court-messenger, Claes van Elslant, the magistrates of the village of Gravesande, concerning how it happened that upon this date Grietie Reyniers, wife of Anthony Jansz van Vaes, inhabitant and farmer within this province, has complained by petition about the forceful apprehension and detention of her aforesaid husband, who was arrested and taken prisoner on his own land outside of the aforesaid village's jurisdiction by the schout of the aforesaid village, and dragged from there to the aforesaid village where he sits a prisoner both fettered and shackled. Thus finding her aforesaid husband to have been highly mistreated, the aforesaid Grietie Ryniers humbly requests proper maintenance of her inherent rights and redress of the affronts and excesses committed against them, which according to the law can neither be tolerated nor denied. The director-general and council hereby order that the aforesaid prisoner, in regard to the above, be set free, and the respective parties appear before the director-general and council next Tuesday, being the 3rd of March, in order to proceed in the matter according to the law. Thus done at the meeting of the director-general and high council held in New Amsterdam in New Netherland, 25 February 1654; and was signed: P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius de Sille, C. van Werckhoven, La Montangne, Cor. van Thienhoven.