Whereas their High Mightinesses have received the strange and unexpected in elligence that contributions have been demanded from the Aborigines of the country and, such having been refused, that the late Director Kieft, under pretense that the people so demanded by petition, signed, however, by merely three persons, had waged against those Aborigines an unnecessary, bloody and ruinous war, the instigators whereof have not been duly inquired after, or punished, the Director and Council shall in future be careful that [no war] be undertaken against the Aborigines of the country or neighbors of New Netherland, without their High Mightinesses' knowledge. And in case any misunderstanding and trouble may arise between or with said Aborigines or neighbors, all possible means shall be made use of to remove the same, before matters come to extremities, and advice shall be sent at once to their High Mightinesses of what might transpire in the premises.

Secondly, Jan Jansen Damen and Abraham Planck, having presented the petition, whereupon the war was commenced, shall be sent to their High Mightinesses, that information may be obtained from them from what occurred, and who had induced them to present the aforesaid petition.

3.

Thirdly, that those who, contrary to express orders and prohibition, have undertaken to sell and barter articles of contraband, such as guns, pistols, powder and lead to the Aborigines, and thus exposed themselves, with all those who actually reside, or hereafter may come to New Netherland, to the imminent danger of being suddenly attacked, massacred and driven ofT, shall be punished for the excesses herein committed, especially for what occurred during the war, when subjects of this State dared to strengthen their enemies by the sale of prohibited articles of contraband. And whereas this evil has now reached that stage that the trade in the aforesaid contraband goods cannot easily be cut short or forbidden, without evident danger of new war and trouble between the subjects of this State and the Aborigines, the Council of New Netherland shall be notified, and ordered to take care that none of the aforesaid articles