Document: Ordinance renewing previous ordinances for the formation of villages, against admitting armed Indians into cities, villages, or houses, etc.

[ The director general and councilors of New Netherland do hereby make known to all persons. That they have been informed by some Indians that 2, 3 or four Indians of Tappaen were brooding some mischief, and had given out that they intended to kill one ] or the other Christians [ on the flatlands. ] [i] And whereas the director general and councilors cannot ascertain where, or against whom the blow is leveled, much less that it is a general plot of the Tappaen nation, and that the warning has been given by other wilden, the director general and councilors with the assistance of the burgomasters of this city cannot, for the present, apply any other order or remedy against it than hereby to renew their previous ordinances and edicts, namely: that the separate country people have to concentrate themselves in the nearest villages and hamlets, and to form a community there, on the fine formerly affixed thereupon; and in the meanwhile, to warn everyone to be on his guard, and not to go into the woods or on the roads except armed, and at least 2, 3 or 4 men together in order to be able to oppose such bosloopers.[ii] Further, in order to prevent such dangers of isolated murders and assassinations, the director general and councilors with the advice of the burgomasters of this city, cannot for the present devise any better or other expedient than already stated, and besides that, to interdict and forbid the admission of any wilden with a gun or other weapon, [ either in this city or in the flatlands, into the villages and hamlets, or into any houses or any places, on pain of forfeiting such arms, which may and also shall be taken from them ] on the complaint of the inhabitants, by the schouten, marshals or, in their absence, by one of the magistrates, to wit: 14 days after the publication and posting hereof, or after notice and communication of this interdict have been given to the wilden, which the director general and councilors hereby order to be communicated to the wilden by some of their subjects acquainted with the wiltse language, and that in the most civil and proper manner, it being intended and meant by the director general and councilors, with the advice of the burgomasters aforesaid, only to prevent difficulties between the Christians and wilden. Thus done in the session held in Fort Amsterdam the 3rd of July 1656.

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 8.