Document: Commission of Thomas Wheeler to be chief magistrate of Westchester (Vreedland)

Whereas Lieutenant Tomas Wheeler moved himself and some of his associates and settled upon the land of our superiors named Vreedlant, and [ ] have volutarily submitted to the government of New Netherland as good subjects, and whereas care must be taken of the administration of justice and good order observed in all matters (while the documentation of their privileges is being drafted and so that one knows exactly who shall stay or shall depart); therefore, the director general and council of New Netherland have commissioned and appointed the aforesaid Lieutenant Wheller as the commander there, in the absence of the lord general, to see to it that what is just and equitable is done, and if anyone should disobey him, he is to have him apprehended and sent to this place to be punished appropriately as an example to others, and all this until further orders. Dated 16 March 1656, Amsterdam in New Netherland. (Was signed:) P. Stuyvesant.