MySource:Quolla6/Kieft's Proclamation of 19 December 1645

Modern language pastishe

A modern language translation of the key portion of the proclamation, from a combination of Gerritsenmemories.com and [MySource:Thompson, 1839:439]]

Willem Kieft Patent for the Town of Gravesend

Whereas it hath pleased the High and Mighty Lords of the Estates General of the United Provinces, his Highness Frederick Henry (by the grace of God) Prince of Orange, and the Right Honorable the lords Directors of the West India Company to give and grant unto me, William Kieft, sufficient power and authority for the general rule and government of this province called the New-Netherlands,--Now know ye whomsoever these presents may anyway concern:

That I William Kieft, Governor General of this Province, have given end granted unto the Honored Lady Deborah Moody, Sir Henry Moody, and their associates a certain quantity or parcel of land, together with all the havens, harbors, rivers, creeks, woodland, marshes, and all other appurtenances thereunto belonging, lying and being upon and about the westernmost part of Long Island, and beginning at the mouth of a creek adjacent to Coneyne Island, and being bounded on the westward part thereof with the land appertaining to Anthony Johnson and Robert Pennoyre, and so to run as far as the westernmost part of a certain pond in an old Indian field on the north side of the plantation of the said Robert Pennoyre, and from thence to run direct east as far as a valley beginning at the head of a fly or marsh sometimes belonging to the land of Hugh Garretson, and being bounded on the south side with the Main Ocean....[with liberty to put what cattle they shall see fitting to feed or graze upon the aforesaid

Conyne Island, and with liberty to build a town, with such necessary fortifications as to them shall seem expedient; and to have and enjoy the free liberty of conscience according to the customs and manners of Holland without molestation, and to establish courts, and elect magistrates, to try all causes not exceeding fifty Holland guilders." insert from MySource:Thompson, 1839:439 ]

Given under my hand and seal of this province this 19th of December in the Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland 1645.

Willem Kieft

Original English Language Version

From: [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Laws_and_ordinances_of_New_Netherland,_1638-1674/1645 Wiki Source: Laws and ordinances of New Netherlands (with all the flourishes and antique spellings intact).

Whereas it hath pleased the High and Mighty Lords the Estates Generall of the united Belgick Provinces his Highness ffredericke Hendricke by the grace of God Prince of Orange, etc.: & the Right Honourable the lords Bewint-hebbers of the West India Company by theyre severall Comissions under theyre hands and seales to giue and graunt unto me William Kieft sufficient power and authoritie for the generall rule and gonerument of this Prouince Called the New Netherlands & likewise for the setling of townes, Collonies, plantations and disposing of the land within this Prouince, as by the said Commissions more att large doth and may appeare;

Now Know yee whomsoeuer these presents may any ways Concerne that I Will: Kieft Gouern^r Gener^l1 of this Pronince by vertue of the authoritie aboues^d & with the aduice & consent of the Councill of State here established haue giuen and granted and by vertue of these presents doe giue, graunt & confirme vnto the Honoured Lady Deborah Moody: Sir Henry Moody Barronett, Ensigne George Baxter: & serieant James Hubbard, theyre associates, heyres, executours, administratours, successours, assignes, or any they shall ioyne in association with them, a Certaine quantitie or parcell of land, together with all the hauens, harbours, riuers, Creekes, woodland, marshes, and all other appurtenances thereunto belonging, lying and being vppon & aboute the westernmost part of Long Island, and beginning att the mouth of a Creeke adiacent to Conyne Island & being bounded on the westward part thereof with the land appertaming to Anthony Johnson & Robert Pennoyre, and soe to runne as farre as the westermost part of a Certaine pond in an ould Indian field on the north side of the plantation of the s^d Ro: Pennoyre, & from thence to runne direct East as farre as a valley beginning att the head of a fflye or marsh somtimes belonging to the land of Hugh Garretson, & being bounded on the south side with the Maine Ocean, for them the said pattentees theyre associates, hrs, execut^rs administ^rs succes^rs & assigns, actuallie, reallie & perpetuallie to inioy and posesse as theyre owne ffree land of inheritance and it to improue & manure according to theire owne discretions, with libertie likewise for them the said patt^es theyre assoc^ts hrs & succes^rs & assignes to put what cattle they shall thinke fitting to feed or grase vppon the affores^d Conyne Island.

ffarther giueing & graunting, & by vertue of these presents wee doe giue & graunt unto the s^d pattent^es theyre assoc^ts hrs, & success^rs full power and authoritie vppon the said land to build a towne, or townes with such necessarie fortifications as to them shall seem expedient, & to haue & enioy the ffree libertie of Conscience according to the Custom and manner of Holland, without molestation or disturbance from any magistrate, or magistrates, or any other ecclesiasticall minister that may pretend iurisdictie ouer them, with libertie likewise for them the s^d pattentees, theyre assoc^es hrs, &c: to erect a boddy politique & Civill Combination amongst themselues as ffreemen of this prouince & of the towne of Gravesend & to make such Civill ordinances as the maior part of the inhabit^ts ffree of the s^d towne shall thinke fitting for theyre quiet & peaceable subsisting & to nominate elect & choose three of the ablest, approued, honest men, & them to present annually to the Gouern^r gener: of this prouence for the time being for him the s^d Gouern^r to establish & Confirme;

To the which s^d three men soe chosen & Confirmed wee doe hereby giue & graunt full power and authoritie absolutely and definitinelie to determine (without appeale to any superiour Court) for debt or trespasse, not exceeding fifty hollands gild^rs for all such actions as shall happen within the iurisdiction of the aboues^d limit: with power likewise for any one of the s^d thre to examine vppon oath all witnesses in Cases depending before them, and in Case any shall refuse to stand to the award of what the maior part of the s^d thre shall agree vnto, in such Cases we doe hereby giue and graunt full power and authoritie to any two of the s^d thre, to attach, and Ceise, uppon the land, goods, Cattles & Chattles of the parties Condemned by theyre s^d sentence, and fourtene dayes after the said Czisure (if the parties soe Condemned agrees not in the interim & submits himselfe to the sentense of the said thre men) the ^sd two or three appointed men as affores^d to take or ioyne to themselues two more of theyre neighbours discrete honest men & with the aduise of them to apprise the lands, goods, Cattles, or Chattles, within the aboues^d jurisdiction & belonging to the partie Condemned as affores^d to the full valleu; and then to sell them to any that will buye, that satisfaction & payment may be made, according to the sentence of the s^d appointed men.

Likewise giueing & graunting & by vertue hereof wee doe giue & graunt unto the s^d patt^es theyre asoc^ts hrs, success^rs &c., full power and authoritie to elect & nominate a certaine officer amongst themselues to execute the place of a Scoute, and him likewise annuallie to present to the Gouen^r gener: of this prouince to be established and confirmed, to which s^d officer soe chosen and confirmed, we doe hereby giue and graunt as large and ample power as is vsuallie giuen to the scoutes of any village in Holland, for the suppression or preuention of any disorders that may there arise, or to arrest & apprehend the boddy of any Criminall, malefactour, or of any that shall by word or act disturb the publicqu tranquillitie of this pronince, or ciuill peace of the inhabitants within the aboues^d iurisdiction, & him, them, or her, soe arrested or apprehended, to bring or Cause to be brought before the Gonern^r gener: of this prouince, & theyre by way of processe declare against the partie soe offending;

ffarther wee doe giue & graunt unto the s^d patt^es theyre asso^cs hrs, etc: free libertie of hawking, hunting, fishing, fowling within the aboues^d limits, & to use & exercise all manner of trades & comerce, according as the inhabitants of this prouince may or Can, by vertue of any priueledge, or graunt made unto them, induing all & singular the s^d patt^es theyre assoc^ts hrs, etc: with all & singular the immunities and priuledges already graunted to the inhabit^ts of this pronince or hereafter to be graunted, as if they were natives of the united Belgick prouinces.

Allways prouided the s^d patt^es theyre assoc^ts hrs, &c: shall faithfullie acknowledge & reuen rentlie respect the abouenamed High & Mighty lords, etc.: for theyre superiour lords & patrons, & in all loyaltie & fidelitie demeane themselues towards them & theyre successers according as the inhabit^ts of this pronince in duty are bound, soe long as they shall be within this iurisdiction, and att the expiratieⁿ of ten years, to beginne from the day of the date hereof, to pay or Cause to be paid to an officer thereunto deputed by the Gonerer^r Gener: of this prouince for the tyme being, the tenth part of the reuenue that shall arise by the ground manured by the plough or how, in case it be demanded to be paid to the ^sd officer in the fields before it be howsed, gardens or orchards not exceeding one hollands acre being excepted: and in case any of the s^d patt^es theyre assoc^ts hrs, etc., shall only improue theyre stocks in grassing or breiding of Cattle, then the parties soe doeing shall att the end of the ten yeares affores^d pay or cause to be paid to an officer deputed as affores^d such reasonable satisfaction in butter and cheese, as other inhabit^ts of other towns shall doe in like Cases;

Likewise inioyning the said patt^es theyre assoc^ts hrs, etc: in the dating of all publique instruments to use the new style with the weights and measures of this place.

Given under my hand and seale of this prouiuce this 19th of December in the foort Amsterdam in New-Netherlands, 1645.

WILLEM KIEFT.

(Endorsed on the back) —

Ter ordonnantie van de H^r Derect^r generael en

Raden Van Nieu Nederlandt.

CORNELYS VAN TIENHOVEN, Secret^y.

This Patent was Recorded in the office at New Yorke the 1_{st</sup> day of March, 1666.}

MATTHIAS NICOLLS, Sec^y.