Document: Permit to the Swedes on the South river to form a village where they think proper

[12th of June 1657.[i]

The credentials and instructions dated the 20th of May last past and given by the Swedish] nation on the [ South River of New Netherland to Gregorius van Dyck ], schout of the same nation on [ the said river, were received and ] after having been read, the said schout was admitted; his communication and proposition heard and taken into consideration, the request for permission to establish communities[ii] was not only allowed, but it was also judged necessary that the same should be done forthwith. Therefore, the said schout and the magistrates appointed there are not only authorized and qualified, but also ordered and directed, to concentrate their houses and dwellings and henceforth to erect them in the shape of a village or villages either at Oplant, Passajonck, Finlant, Kinghsessing, on Verdrietige Hoeck [iii]or at such places as they may consider suitable, under condition that previous notice be given to the director general and councilors, in case they should choose some other places than those specified above.

Upon the request to have for their court a man who should attend to the duties of court messenger and marshal, for which the schout proposes [ one Jurgen, the Fin on the crooked kil, director general and councilors agree and consent that the above named person may provisionally be employed for it, provided that he, ] opportunity [ offering, ] come here to present himself to the director general and councilors, when a salary shall be granted him.

With regard to the complaints of the injured farmers on and against Jan Paul Jacquet, the fiscal has been directed to gather information and make a written report of the result to the director general and councilors, when according to the exigency of the matter they will be disposed of. As to the request regarding the animals, it is decided that, as there are only few at present, the same can as yet not be let out on half of the increase.

Done at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 12th of June, 1657.