Chamber at Amsterdam to the States General. [ From the Original in the Eoyal Archives at the Uague ; File, Wait Indie. ]

High and Mighty Lords. We have been unexpectedly informed by our brother, Mr. Abraham Wilmerdonx, that your High Mightinesses have been pleased to send to the Assembly of the Deputies from the respective Chambers in the City of Amsterdam the petition and appendices presented to your High Mightinesses by this Chamber for the approval and ratification of some Colonies to be planted in New Netherland by the Worshipful Burgomasters of Amsterdam, which are immediately

and extremely necessary for the augmentation of the population and the maintenance and Assembly may communicate to your High security of those countries, in order that said Mightinesses, without delay, its information and advice; notwithstanding that place hath been many years under the particular disposition of the Amsterdam Chamber, and by numerous resolutions of the Assembly of the XIX., is left to that Chamber; so that your High Mightinesses made not the least objection in the year 1651, to grant similar approbation and ratification to Mr. Cornells van Werckhoven, late Councillor in the Common Council and ancient Schepen of Utrecht, deceased, who at that time obtained his Colonie only from this Chamber; besides 'tis still the practice that the respective Chambers, each in their particular, but for the common interest, may grant Colonies in places generally at the disposal of the respective Chambers, as fully appears by the granting of the Colonie at Tobago last year, by the Zealand Chamber to Mess" Lampsoens, which obtained your High Mightinesses' approbation without the least objection. Wherefore we shall most humbly request your High Mightinesses to accommodate Chamber with the approval of the aforesaid Colonies also, for the this