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VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS

137

Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions^[1]

June 7, 1629
Translation

Freedoms and Exemptions for the patroons, masters or private persons who will plant any colonies in, and send cattle to New Netherland, drawn up for the benefit of the General West India Company in New Netherland and for the profit of the patroons, masters and private persons.

I. Such participants of the said Company as may be inclined to plant any colonies in New Netherland shall be permitted to send, in the ships of this Company going thither, three or four persons to inspect the situation of the country, provided that they, with the officers and ship's company, swear to the Articles^[2], "so far as they relate to them, pay for board and passage, going and coming, six stivers a day (such as desire to mess in the cabin to pay 12 stivers) and agree to give assistance like others, in cases offensive and defensive. And if any ships be taken from the enemy, they shall receive pro rata their portions with the ship's company, each according to his quality, that is to say, the colonists messing outside the cabin shall be rated with the sailors and those messing in the cabin with those of the Company's servants messing at table who receive the lowest wages.

II. However, in this matter, those persons shall have the preference who shall first have declared their intentions and applied to the Company.

↑ The first translation of the Freedoms and Exemptions, made by Abraham Lott, jr, in 1762, appeared in Moulton, History of New York, 1826, pt 2, p. 389-98, and was reprinted in Dunlap, Hillary of New York, vol. 2, app. H, and in N. Y. Historical Society Collections, ser. 2, l:370-77. With slight changes, the same translation has appeared in O'Callaghan's History of New Netherland, 1:1 zz-zo; Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 2:553-57; Laws and Ordinances of New Netherland, p. 1-xo; MacDonald's Select Charters, p. 43-50; and Index to the Public Records of the County of Albany, l630-1894, Albany 1902, pref. p. lxiii-lxv. The present translation is revised from that printed by O'Cal1aghan. from which it will be found to differ materially.
↑ Artijcul-Brieff; probably a code of rules of similar tenor as the Articulen ende Ordonnonatien, ter Vergaderinge vande Hoogh Mogende Heeren Staten Genraal ghhersumert ende gearresteert, Daer op aengenomen ende beeedicht sullen worden alle de geene die hen voortaen in den dienst vande geoctroyeerde Wert-Indische Compagnie sullen begerven, om met derselver Schepen naer West-Indien, Brazil, ofte andere Limiten van't Octroy te varen, passed Nov. 24, 1647, shortly after the renewal of the charter to the W. I. Co. Groot Placaet Boeck, l:625-54.

[1] The first translation of the Freedoms and Exemptions, made by Abraham Lott, jr, in 1762, appeared in Moulton, History of New York, 1826, pt 2, p. 389-98, and was reprinted in Dunlap, Hillary of New York, vol. 2, app. H, and in N. Y. Historical Society Collections, ser. 2, l:370-77. With slight changes, the same translation has appeared in O'Callaghan's History of New Netherland, 1:1 zz-zo; Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 2:553-57; Laws and Ordinances of New Netherland, p. 1-xo; MacDonald's Select Charters, p. 43-50; and Index to the Public Records of the County of Albany, l630-1894, Albany 1902, pref. p. lxiii-lxv. The present translation is revised from that printed by O'Cal1aghan. from which it will be found to differ materially.

[2] Artijcul-Brieff; probably a code of rules of similar tenor as the Articulen ende Ordonnonatien, ter Vergaderinge vande Hoogh Mogende Heeren Staten Genraal ghhersumert ende gearresteert, Daer op aengenomen ende beeedicht sullen worden alle de geene die hen voortaen in den dienst vande geoctroyeerde Wert-Indische Compagnie sullen begerven, om met derselver Schepen naer West-Indien, Brazil, ofte andere Limiten van't Octroy te varen, passed Nov. 24, 1647, shortly after the renewal of the charter to the W. I. Co. Groot Placaet Boeck, l:625-54.

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