Dutch Petitions

11 December 1668

Petition of Olive Stuyvesant Van Cortlant, Gerritt Slicktonhorst, Jacques Cousseau, Mathew Sternbergen, Nicholas de Meyer, Leysbert Blankerts, Stoffell Jansen, John Jansen, Koster Van Aken, Jacob Schermerhorn, John Van Balen, Herman Vedder, John Martens, Adrian Van Ilpendon, Jeronymus Ebbing, Margarita Phillips, and Jamietide [Janneti de] Witt, his Majesty's sworn subjects of the Dutch nation, inhabitants of New York, in behalf of themselves and many more of his Majesty's subjects in New York, to the King. In confidence of the continuation of his Majesty's grant of 23rd Oct. 1667, [for three Dutch Shipps yearely to Trade and Trafficke to and from New Yorke] petitioners transported themselves into Holland last summer to settle their accounts and propagate the trade of these his Majesty's dominions and have freighted a ship called the King Charles, which is ready to sail, but having, to their unspeakable grief and damage, received a copy of the Order in Council of 18th Nov. 1668, recalling said permission and restraining the number to one ship this year, they humbly represent that one of the three permitted ships was gone to sea before said signification arrived at Amsterdam, and that the King Charles with all her lading has lain in Texel many days, being stopped in obedience to his Majesty's commands. Pray his Majesty to take their ruinous condition into consideration, and to permit said ship and cargo to enjoy the privilege formerly granted for this year.
Indorsed, "Read in Council 11th Dec. 1668. Ordered."
By an Order in Council of11 Dec. 1668 the King Charles was authorised to make one voyage and no more to New York this year only.

4 March 1669

Declaration of Peter Van Buytene, Notary Public of Amsterdam, in the presence of Gerrit Slechtenhorst, Adrian Gerritson, Peter Jacobson, William Abrahamson, and Claes Ripse; also on behalf of Oloff Stevenson, Dirck Van Cleeff, Immetge Volckerson, Marritge Van Doesburch, and the wife of Maes Cornelisson, all in this country, subjects of his Majesty of Great Britain dwelling at New York and Albany, impowering Jaques Cousseau, a subject of his Majesty at New York, to entreat his Majesty, the Duke of York, and where else is requisite to obtain freedom for them, their families, and companions to sail to New York, by a certain vessel made in New England, lying at Amsterdam, and belonging to New York, they being not able to depart to their respective habitations in the ship that sailed hence to New York last winter.
Endorsed, "Received 2nd April 1669. Read in Council, April 14th 1669."

1669

Petition of James Cousseau and Frederick Phillips, in behalf of themselves and other free denizens of new York and Albany, to the King in Council. On the 23rd June 1668, Petitioners, owners and masters of the ship Fort Albany, built at Barnstable, New England, and belonging to New York, obtained a pass from the Governor of New York for said ship to make her voyage out of Europe to New York; and they also obtained a pass from the Duke of York, dated 24th Oct. last. But by reason of a later order of the 18th Nov. which puts a restriction on Dutch ships trading to that Plantation, several families, denizens of New York and Albany, now in Amsterdam, where said ship is ready to receive its lading, are unwilling to ship themselves and goods unless Petitioners may enjoy the privilege of said pass. Whereas, as Petitioners and said families are in danger of being ruined unless they can transport themselves and goods in said ship to New York, and forasmuch as the Duke of York has been authorised to grant a pass for the King Charles, a Dutch ship, notwithstanding the said order of restriction of 18th Nov., Petitioners ("being the first proprietors of any ship which as yet hath belonged to the said port of New York") pray that said ship may be permitted to proceed on her voyage, or that said order of restriction may not extend to hinder said ship from trading to New York as an English built ship.

Sainsbury, W. Noel, ed., Calender of State Papers, Colonial Series (Volume 5), America and West Indies, 1661-1668, Preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office (Vaduz: Kraus Reprint Ltd., 1964) First Published London: HMSO, 1880. p. 630. Sainsbury, W. Noel, ed., Calender of State Papers, Colonial Series (Volume 7), America and West Indies, 1669-1674, Preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office (Vaduz: Kraus Reprint Ltd., 1964) First Published London: HMSO, 1889. pp. 10 and 11.