Present at the session the lord director general Petrus Stuyvesant, the lords councilors Nicasius de Sille, and La Montagne.[i]
Received the following request:
Copy.
To the right honorable lords director general and councilors of New Netherland.
Right honorable esteemed lords.
Whereas the honorable general appeared last [Monday in our meeting and communicated to the burgomasters and schepenen the instructions of the honorable lords patrons to provide ways and means, and reproved the neglecting thereof, whereby the city works are in decay and the incurred] debts are also unpaid. Therefore, we, burgomasters and schepenen of this city of Amsterdam in New Netherland, considering the low and sober conditions and circumstances of the inhabitants of this city, both in consequence of the last trouble with the Indiaenen by the great damage and loss suffered there, and the previous difficulties with our neighbors, the English, in the erection of walls, defenses, and diverse expeditions then undertaken; besides, that only last fall a voluntary assessment of about six thousand guilders took place from this commonalty, in addition to various other collections, so that the inhabitants are so weakened that many scarcely see where they are to get means to stay alive, and others are leaving. They have, therefore, waited to the present time deliberating on finding ways and means proposed to be levied by you.
But they now are resolved [ to create and farm, with your approbation, ] some imposts which [ in our opinion ] are least burdensome [ to the commonalty, to be collected into the city treasury and expended to the advantage of this city to the necessary repairs thereof according to circumstances, provided you ] grant to [the burgomasters and schepenen formal act that the same shall henceforth and forever belong to the city and be disbursed by the burgomasters.
And whereas it is the] custom in our fatherland that a frontier [ place ] such as this whereon the whole country depends be fortified and strengthened, not at the expense of this city (because many like this are unable to defray such) but from the general revenue. Therefore, the burgomasters and schepenen request that your highly esteemed honors would be pleased to excuse the commonalty (in consideration of their extraordinary service and onerous labors expended at their own cost) from said incurred debts, so that equality may be obtained and these inhabitants may be tested for the greater prosperity of the commonalty. Or, otherwise, that the honorable lords superiors might be written to, and their honors’ reply awaited. Expecting hereupon your favorable disposition and remaining (below stood) your honors’ obedient servants, the burgomasters and schepenen of the city of Amsterdam in New Netherland.
(was signed) Oloff Stevensen [Allard Anthony Johannes van Brugh
Jacob Strycker
Done this 11th September 1656. Concluded and signed in session at the city hall, Amsterd]am in New Netherland.
