And on the Patroons' Superior Officers being arrested therefor, which we protest against, should ever be adjudged that their Patroons have lost the granted Freedoms, such it
proceedings shall be declared null and void; the Company charged in future to abstain from such practices, and to make good the damage caused thereby.
16.
Finally, in case the Company seek, by direct or indirect means, to induce the Patroons to abandon their Colonies, it shall be declared bound to make good all incurred costs and
damages vi'liich the Patroons, for causes aforementioned, should happen to experience or have experienced. (Signed), M. Paauw. S. Blommaert. KiLiAEN Van Rensselaer. Hendkick Hamel.
HOLLAND DOCUMENTS : U.
Answer of the West India Company to the Patroons. [ From the Original in the Koyal ArchiTcs at Ihe Hagne Lok-etkm of the States General, Division West Tndische Compagnie ; Loket K., Letter L., ;
No. 6, part 5 of tlie Bundle, entitled " Stukken rakende den Vryen handel oh en in de Brazils. Ao. 1638." ]
Answer of the West India Company to, and against tlie Pretension and Claim of Michael Paauw, Kiliaen Van Renselaar and Samuel Biommaert, Patroons in New Netherland, handed in and delivered to tlieir High Mightinesses' Deputies.
The Directors of the West India Company say, that heretofore eachPatroon of the Colonies in New Netherland, hath given in his separate remonstrance to the Assembly of the Nineteen, with request that the aforesaid Assembly dispose thereof; it can therefrom be seen that the pretensions of the aforesaid Patroons ditfer, and are even erected on different foundations, so that they cannot be well, nor speedily nor regularly arranged, much less treated of, in one suit in the name of all the Patroons. The Directors aforenamed, therefore, maintain that each of the said Patroons shall be bound to institute his suit separately, with vouchers, and therein what he hath, both in general and in particular, against the Company, and afterwards set forth draw pertinent conclusion.