Page:Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions.djvu/4

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VAN RENSSELAER BOWIER MANUSCRIPTS
143

X. The patroons and colonists shall be privileged to send all their people and effects thither, in ships belonging to the Company, provided they take the oath and pay the Company for bringing over the people according to the first article, and for freight of the goods five per cent cash of the cost of the goods here; without including herein, however, cattle and agricultural implements, which the Company is to carry over free, if there is room in its ships, provided that the patroons, at their own expense, fit up places for the cattle and furnish everything necessary for their support.

XI. In case it should not suit the Company to send any ships, or there should be no room in the ships sailing thither, then the said patroons, after having communicated their intentions and obtained consent from the Company in writing, may send their own ships or yachts thither, provided that, going and coming, they depart not from their ordinary course, give security to the Company for the same and take on board an assistant[1] at the expense of the patroons as to his board and of the Company as to his monthly wages, on pain, if doing contrary hereto, of forfeiting all right and title they have obtained to the colony.

XII. Inasmuch as it is the intention of the Company to people the island of the Manhattes first, this island shall provisionally also be the staple port for all products and wares that are found on the North River and lands thereabouts, before they are allowed to be sent elsewhere, excepting such as are, from their nature, unnecessary there and such as can not without great loss to their owners be brought there; in this case the owners thereof must give timely notice in writing of the difficulty attending the same to the Company here, or the commander and council there, that such measures may be taken as the situation of affairs shall be found to require.

XIII. All the patroons of colonies in New Netherlands and colonists living on the island of the Manhattes Shall be at liberty to


  1. A supercargo see art. XXIII.