28 Patroons in New Netherland (1629)

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.

III. All such shall be acknowledged patroons of New Netherland as shall agree to plant there a colony of 50 souls, upwards of 15 years old, one fourth part within one year and the remainder within three years after the sending of the first, making together four years. But they are warned that the Company reserves to itself the island of the Manhattes.

IV. From the very hour they make known the situation of the places where they propose to settle colonies, they shall have the preference over all others to the free ownership of such lands as they shall have chosen. But in case the location should afterwards not please them or they should find themselves deceived in the selection of the land, they may after memorializing the commander and council there choose another place.

V. The patroons, by their agents, may, at the place where they wish to settle their colonies, their limits [boundaries] extend four leagues along the coast or one side of a navigable river, to two leagues along both sides of a river, and as far inland as the situation of the occupants will permit. No one else shall be allowed to come within seven or eight leagues of them without their consent unless the situation of the land thereabout be such that the commander and council for good reasons shall order otherwise.

VI. They shall forever own and possess and hold from the Company as a perpetual fief of inheritance, all the land lying within the aforesaid limits together with the fruits, plants, minerals, rivers and springs thereof, rights of fishing, fowling and grinding, to the exclusion of all others. No fishing or fowling shall be carried on by anyone but the patroons and such as they shall permit.

VII. There shall likewise be granted to all patroons who shall desire the same, Venia Testandi, or liberty to dispose of the aforesaid fiefs by will.

VIII. The patroons may also to their profit use all lands, rivers and woods lying contiguous to them, until such time as they are taken possession of by this Company, other patroons, or private persons.

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.

XIII. All the patroons of colonies in New Netherlands and colonists living on the island of the Manhattes shall be at liberty to sail and traffic along the entire coast from Florida to Terra Neuf, provided that they do first return with all such goods as they shall get in trade to the island of the Manhattes and pay five per cent duty to the Company.

XV. It shall also be permitted the aforesaid patroons, all along the coast of New Netherland and places circumjacent, to trade their goods, products of that country, for all sorts of merchandise that may be had there, except beavers, otters, minks, and all sorts of peltry, which trade alone the Company reserves to itself.

XVIII. The Company promises the colonists of the patroons not to lay any duties, tolls, excise, imposts or any other contributions upon them for the space of 10 years.

XIX. They will not take from the service of the patroons any of their colonists, either man or woman, son or daughter, manservant or maidservant. And though any of these should desire it they will not receive them, much less permit them to leave their patroons and enter into the service of another, except on written consent obtained previously from their patroons and this for and during so many years as they are bound to their patroons. And if any colonist runs away to another patroon or contrary to his contract leaves his service, we promise to do everything in our power to deliver the same into the hands of his patroon that he may be prosecuted there according to the customs of this country, as occasion may require.

XX. From all judgments given by the courts of the patroons above 50 guilders, there shall be appeal to the Company’s commander and council in New Netherland.

XXI. And as to private persons who on their own account, or others who in the service of their masters here in this country shall go thither and settle as freemen in smaller numbers than the patroons, they may with the approbation of the director and council there, choose and take possession of as much land as they can properly cultivate and hold the same in full ownership either for themselves or for their masters.

XXII. They shall also have rights of hunting, as well by water as by land, in common with others in public woods and rivers and exclusively within the limits of their colonies, according to the orders of the director and council.

XXIV. In case any of the colonists, by his industry and diligence should discover any minerals, precious stones, crystals, marbles or the like, or any pearl fishery, the same shall be and remain the property of the patroon or patroons of such colony, provided the discoverer be given such premium as the patroon shall beforehand stipulate with his colonist by contract.

XXV. The Company will take all the colonists, free men as well as those that are in service, under its protection and help to defend them against all domestic and foreign attacks and violence, with the forces it has there, as much as lies in its power.

XXVI. Whosoever shall settle any colonies out of the limits of Manhattes Island must satisfy the Indians of that place for the land and may enlarge the limits of their colonies if they settle a proportionate number of colonists thereon.

XXVII. The patroons and colonists shall in particular endeavor as quickly as possible to find some means whereby they may support a minister and a schoolmaster, that thus the service of God and zeal for religion may not grow cool and be neglected among them, and they shall for the first procure a comforter of the sick there.

XXVIII. The colonies that shall be established on the respective rivers or islands (that is to say, each river or island for itself), may appoint an agent who shall give the commander and council information about that district and further matters before the council relating to his colony. Of which agents one shall be changed every two years. And all colonies must, at least once in every 12 months, send an exact report of their colony and of the lands thereabout to the commander and council there.

XXIX. The colonists shall not be permitted to make any woolen, linen, or cotton cloth, nor to weave any other stuffs there, on pain of being banished and peremptorily punished as oath breakers.

XXX. The Company will endeavor to supply the colonists with as many blacks as it possibly can, on the conditions hereafter to be made, without however being bound to do so to a greater extent or for a longer time than it shall see fit.

XXXI. The Company promises to finish the fort on the island of the Manhattes and to put it in a posture of defense without delay. And to have these Freedoms and Exemptions approved and confirmed by their High Mightinesses the Lords States General.

Source: Charter of Freedom and Exemptions, The Dutch West India Company, 1629. Source: https://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/history-and-heritage/digital-exhibitions/slavery-exhibit/slave-labor/article-30-charter-of-freedom-and-exemptions-1629/