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[edit] Modern language pastisheA 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
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 ]
[edit] Original English Language VersionFrom: [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). of Gravesend, L. I. Passed 19 December, 1645.
Now Know yee whomsoeuer these presents may any ways Concerne that I Will: Kieft Gouernr Generl1 of this Pronince by vertue of the authoritie abouesd & 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 sd 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, executrs administrs succesrs & 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 pattes theyre assocts hrs & succesrs & assignes to put what cattle they shall thinke fitting to feed or grase vppon the afforesd Conyne Island. ffarther giueing & graunting, & by vertue of these presents wee doe giue & graunt unto the sd pattentes theyre assocts hrs, & successrs 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 sd pattentees, theyre assoces 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 inhabitts ffree of the sd 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 Gouernr gener: of this prouence for the time being for him the sd Gouernr to establish & Confirme; To the which sd 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 gildrs for all such actions as shall happen within the iurisdiction of the abouesd limit: with power likewise for any one of the sd 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 sd thre shall agree vnto, in such Cases we doe hereby giue and graunt full power and authoritie to any two of the sd thre, to attach, and Ceise, uppon the land, goods, Cattles & Chattles of the parties Condemned by theyre sd 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 afforesd 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 abouesd jurisdiction & belonging to the partie Condemned as afforesd 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 sd appointed men. Likewise giueing & graunting & by vertue hereof wee doe giue & graunt unto the sd pattes theyre asocts hrs, successrs &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 Gouenr gener: of this prouince to be established and confirmed, to which sd 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 abouesd iurisdiction, & him, them, or her, soe arrested or apprehended, to bring or Cause to be brought before the Gonernr gener: of this prouince, & theyre by way of processe declare against the partie soe offending; ffarther wee doe giue & graunt unto the sd pattes theyre assocs hrs, etc: free libertie of hawking, hunting, fishing, fowling within the abouesd 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 sd pattes theyre assocts hrs, etc: with all & singular the immunities and priuledges already graunted to the inhabitts of this pronince or hereafter to be graunted, as if they were natives of the united Belgick prouinces. Allways prouided the sd pattes theyre assocts 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 inhabitts 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 Gonererr 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 sd pattes theyre assocts 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 afforesd pay or cause to be paid to an officer deputed as afforesd such reasonable satisfaction in butter and cheese, as other inhabitts of other towns shall doe in like Cases; Likewise inioyning the said pattes theyre assocts 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.
(Endorsed on the back) —
This Patent was Recorded in the office at New Yorke the 1st</sup> day of March, 1666.
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