Document: Commission of Johannes La Montagne to be vice-director at Fort Orange

28 September.

Petrus Stuyvesant, on behalf of the their high mightinesses the lords States General of the United Netherlands and the lords directors of the Chartered West India Company, and the same director general of New Netherland, Curaçao, Bonayro, Aruba, and the dependencies thereof, together with the lords councilors, to all who shall see this or hear this read, greetings; whereas we, for the direction and recommendation of the honorable Company and our affairs at Fort Orange and the village of Beverwijck and the dependencies thereof, had need of a capable and qualified person to command and [ ] in our absence [several lines lost] De La [ ] Netherland [ ] from the middle of [ ] provisionally commissioned and appointed as we hereby do commission and appoint him for our vice director and superior officer over the aforesaid Fort Orange, village of Beverwijck and the dependencies thereof in order to maintain the security and good order of the same; to manage and command all matters concerning the trade, administration, justice, and military, also the soldiers, sailors, free persons, high and low officers, no matter what their position or status might be, whether the same are already there, or those we might find advisable to send there later to assist administering and commanding in the office of vice director over those places, and maintain everything in good order for the service and well being of the general Chartered West India Company, to administer law and justice, whether civil or military and furthermore, to do everything regarding his office and position according to the instructions given to him and to be given hereafter, of what a good and loyal vice director is obligated to do upon the oath already administered to him, [ we ] therefore hereby order and command all and everyone, whether servants of the honorable Company or free people in the aforesaid fortress, village of Beverwijck [several lines lost] and respect [ ] for the accomplishment of this [ ] and to provide assistance [ ] concerns him [ ] because we find this appropriate for the aforesaid Company and [ ] of this province. Thus done and issued in our session held in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, this 28 September 1656 and confirmed with our seal in red wax etc.