High and Mighty, with due reverence, humbly praying your High Mightinesses to be pleased to take into serious consideration, this matter, which is of such importance and advantage to this state, so that they may not only be freed from the rigor of the aforesaid proclamation, but be also maintained and continued in the privilege of trading to the abovementioned islands and places; and to be pleased to give extraordinary instructions for that purpose, and, if possible, at the earliest moment, to the Noble, High and Mighty Lords Commissioners, whom your High Mightinesses have appointed to treat with the Ambassadors from England, as we have been informed, for a certainty, that a considerable number of men of war lie in the harbor of Falmouth, prepared to enforce that proclamation, and 'tis reported that they have already sailed thither; so that your petitioners may be saved from loss, and not deprived of a trade so advantageous to all the inhabitants of this Province. For, independent of the profit accruing from ship-building and what is connected therewith, our cargoes, which are exported thither to the value yearly of several millions, consist, not of gold, silver, or any description of coin, but exclusively of all sorts of domestic manufactures, brewed beer, linen cloth, brandies, or other distilled liquors, duffels, coarse cloth, and other articles suitable for food and raiment for the people inhabiting those places, in return for which are imported all

HOLLAND DOCUMENTS: V. 437 sorts of eastern commodities, as from Virginia, beavers and otiier eastern furs, considerable tobacco, and from tiie Caribbean islands a large quantity of sugars, tobacco, indigo, ginger, cotton, and divers sorts of valuable wood, affording extensive trade by the exportation of said wares to countries and places far and near; contributing to the support of several thousand people, independent of the profit of common stock. (Signed) Jean Gabry, Goycken Elber, W" Watson, Giiles Verbrugge and Son, Jean Schuyl, Egbert Dolm , Pieter Bert, Abraham van Susteren, Adam van Germez, Jaques de la Rue, Wiiiem Reyerssen, Solomon van der Burch, Jan Jansen van Dinter, H.