population, good (49) Privileges and Exemptions, which could encourage the inhabitants; attract navigation and profitable trade, and with the pleasantness, convenience, salubrity and productiveness of the country, allure everyone hither. If a Boundary were added in the protection, to what has been already done, then with God's help everything would, in human probability, go well, and New Netherland could be, in a short time, a brave place, able, also, to be of service to the Netherland State, to richly repay expended outlays and to thank her benefactors. High and Mighty Lords We have ! taken the liberty to write this

Remonstrance, and to submit the case as we have done, through love of the truth, and because we have felt bound to do so by our oath and conscience. It is true that all of us, either together or individually, have not seen, heard or had a knowledge of the entire contents in every particular; nevertheless it

contains nothing but what some among us well know to be true and credible. We all know the greatest part of it to be truth some are acquainted with ;

the remainder of and have also heard it from trustworthy persons, and it,

sincerely believe it to be wholly true. We hope your High Mightinesses will pardon our presumption, and be indulgent to our plainness of style, composition and method. In conclusion, we commit your High Mightinesses' persons, deliberations and measures with your people both at home and abroad, together with all New Netherland, to the merciful guidance and protection friends of of the Most High, whom we supplicate to grant prosperity to your High Mightinesses in time and eternity. Amen. Done this XXVIII July, in New Netherland, 1649. (Signed) Adriaen van der Donck, Augustyn Harman, Arnoldus van Hardenbergh, Jacob van Couwenhoven, Oloff" Stevens, (beside whose name is written) " under protest.