Their High Mightinesses having granted him an order and protection so as not to be molested by any person, places us under dutiful thankfulness to their High Mightinesses; but the Directors, or some others having on the contrary instructed their Officer here, not to respect any safeguard granted, or to be granted, by their High Mightinesses to any inhabitant of New Netherland, as appears by declaration, an opinion can be formed as to the cause of the troubles and ruin of this country and its inhabitants, and of the insulting resistance to their High Mightinesses' orders.

Extract from a declaration of the Vice Director as to the answer he received from the Fiscal, when he inquired about the news from Holland ; dated S"* November 1650.

The Fiscal answered, Myn Heer Stuyvesant told me the Directors write, that their High Mightinesses have referred the affairs of New Netherland to tliem, as that country belongs exclusively to them, and 1 shall remain some years longer. They also write that we should Vol. I. 57

450 NEAV-YOKK COLONIAL MANUSCRIPTS. their High not consider of any value, nor regard in the least, the protections and passes which Mightinesses had already granted and given, or should hereafter grant to any inhabitants of New Netherland, &c.

Extract from a declaration of Joachim Peters Cuyter in the matter and case aforesaid ; dated as above.

Myn Heer Stuyvesant had received several letters ; among others, from Mr. Pergens and other individual directors of the Hon''''' West India Company, and that M' Pergens had written, that the Committee had from their body stated to their High Mightinesses in the matter of New Netherland in their High Mightinesses' meeting, that New Netherland did not belong to their High Mightinesses that the Lords Majors had purchased the country that it was their property ; ;