Document: Order that the deacons shall have an eye to widows and orphans and apply to the burgomasters and schepens or to the director and council for the appointment of curators

[ As to the propositions of the orphanmasters, although the provident care of the mayors and schepens is praiseworthy and the director-general and council highly approve of it, it is to be considered that there ] is more required to place the orphan asylum upon the same footing as that of Amsterdam than the weakness and youth of this only budding city can at present afford. In the meantime it is necessary to take care, according to God's words, of the widows and orphans; and therefore, the director-general and council resolve that the deacons, as orphanmasters, shall keep an eye on the widows and orphans in order to report to the mayors and schepens, and through them, if necessary, to the director-general and council when special curators should be appointed for widows and orphans or their property. Then the mayors and schepens, or if necessary the director-general and council, shall give such orders and appoint such curators, as the case may require; the curators are to be responsible to the mayors and schepens, and when they learn that good care is not being taken of the widows, orphans or their property, they shall summon the curators and call them to account for their negligence

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.