Director and Council of New Netherland having observed that there are, in and around the city of New Amsterdam, Brewers who tap and sell by retail, whence it may arise and happen that the Beer when brewed and thus retailed is not duly entered nor the legal excise thereon paid, Therefore, the said Director General and Council, in conformity to the rule and customs of Holland, forbid, as they do hereby, all who brew in and around this city, from tapping, retailing or selling Beer by the can or glass, and all Tapsters from brewing or allowing others to brew for them, on pain of forfeiting all such Beer as shall be found on such Brewers’ or Tapsters’ premises, and in addition, of being excluded from trade during months.
Thus done the 12 January, A° 1648.
, that private Inhabitants of New Netherland shall be allowed to export their Country produce under suitable duty, in their own or chartered Ships, to Brazil and Angola, on these following conditions: First, that the aforesaid ships, when in Brazil, shall not be at liberty to return back with Sugars to New Netherland aforesaid, but shall let themselves be chartered directly hither. Secondly, that the permit to proceed to Angola abovementioned shall be granted only provisionally, and that for the time that the dispensation shall continue in regard to the transportation of Slaves, which was accorded on Thursday last. Thirdly, that those willing to go to Angola, shall, previous to their departure from New Netherland, take out a commission and permit from here, and also give security similar to all other private persons sailing from this country.
Hon Director General of New Netherland, Curacao and the Islands thereof, and the Hon Council having by experience seen and observed that some careless people neglect to keep their Chimneys clean by sweeping, and do not pay attention to their fires, whereby recently two Houses were burned and greater damage is to be expected in future from fire, the rather as the houses here in New Amsterdam are for the most part built of Wood and thatched with Reed, besides which the Chimneys of some of the houses are of wood, which also is most dangerous; Therefore the Hon General and Council aforesaid have considered it proper and most expedient to provide herein, wherefore the said Hon General and Council Ordain, enact and command as they hereby do, that from now henceforward no Chimneys shall be built of wood or [lath and] plaister in any houses between the Fort and the Fresh Water, but those already erected may remain until further order and pleasure of the Firewardens; and in order that the foregoing shall be well observed, to that end are appointed as Firewardens — from the Hon Council, Commissary Adriaen d’ Keyser; from the Commonalty, Thomas Hall, Marten Crigier and George Wolsey, with power at their pleasure to see if the Chimneys in all houses situate and standing within this city every where around, between this Fort and the Fresh Water, are kept well cleaned by sweeping, and if anyone be found negligent he shall, every time the Firewardens aforesaid examine and find the Chimneys foul, pay them forthwith, without any contradiction, a fine of three Guilders for every flue found on examination to be dirty, to be expended for Fire ladders, Hooks and Buckets which shall be procured and provided at the earliest and most convenient opportunity, and if any one’s house be burned, or be the cause of fire, either through negligence or by his own fire, he shall forfeit 25 florins to be applied as above.
Thus done and enacted in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 23d January, A° 1648. Published.
is unanimously considered in Council proper and advantageous, most serviceable, expedient and profitable for the Hon. West India Company, and also for the better prevention of Smuggling, to mark the Beavers, Bearskins, Otters and Elkhides with the Company’s mark so soon as they will be brought here from other places; provided that whoever shall have the Beavers stamped, shall be responsible for the duty.