away and convey to this country the State's people who are in New Netherland. And whereas the said Board of Admiralty at Amsterdam does not know to what person New Netherland will be restored for the King of Great Britain, nor whether said person is to be found there, that therefore, said Ambassadors shall communicate what precedes to his Majesty, with request that he will at the earliest moment inform their High Mightinesses who the person is to whom restitution shall have to be made in his Majesty's name, and where the person is to be met and found. Without reconsideration.

Chamber at Amsterdam to the States -General.

[From the Original, in the Royal Archives at the Hague; File, West Indie. ]

High and Mighty Lords.

In compliance with your High Mightinesses' most esteemed letter and resolution, dated the 5th instant, we transmit herewith, to serve as your High Mightinesses will find proper, the requested letter to the Governor of New Netherland, on the behalf of this State, whereby the Directors of the General Incorporated West India Company order and direct him, agreeably to your High Mightinesses' heretofore given orders, to vacate and move out of the aforesaid Conquest and places lying under his Government there.

Wherewith, High and Mighty Lords, we shall pray Almighty God, that He would be pleased to take your High Mightinesses' persons and government into His holy keeping; remaining your High Mightinesses' humble and obedient servants, the Directors of the General Incorporated West India Company, at the Presiding Chamber in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam, 14th June, 1674.

(Signed),

DIRCK SPIEGEL,
P. SCHAEP.

To the High and Mighty Lords, States-General of the United Netherlands.

pany.

Folio 776.

ernor of New

Resolution of the States-General.

[ From the Register of Resolutions of the States-General, in the Royal Archives at the Hague.]

Friday, 15th June, 1674.

Received a letter from the Directors of the General Incorporated West India West India Com Company Chamber at Amsterdam, written there the fourteenth instant, and with Letter to the Gov- it, in compliance with their High Mightinesses' resolution of the fifth of this Netherland. month, a letter to the Governor of New Netherland on the part of this State. Which being considered, it is resolved and concluded that the aforesaid letter shall be sent to their High Mightinesses' Ambassadors Extraordinary in England, to deliver the same where it belongs.

Folio 216. New Netherland.

States-General to their Ambassadors at London.

[From the Register of Uitgegane Brieven of the States-General, in the Royal Archives at the Hague. ]

THE STATES, &c.

Honorable, &c. You will find inclosed the letter written by the Directors of the General Incorporated West India Company at the Presiding Chamber at Amsterdam, to the States' Governor in New Netherland, which, with a a copy thereof, we transmit you, to be delivered where it belongs, and further to serve for your information. The Hague, 15th June, 1674.

The Ambassadors at London to the States-General.

[From the Original, in the Royal Archives at the Hague; File, Engeland. ]

High and Mighty Lords.

After dispatching our last letter of the instant, we received at once your High Mightinesses' four letters and resolutions of the 9th and 11th previous; the first containing your orders to ascertain who is authorized by the King to receive New Netherland from the hands of your High Mightinesses' Commander there, and the other instructing us to promote as much as possible the payment of the creditors of the Queen of Bohemia and of the Princess Royal. On the first, we have spoken with Lord Arlington,1 who hath promised to have the requisite information transmitted to us, which if done before the departure of the now closing mail, will be forwarded to your High Mightinesses.

As regards the payment of the abovementioned creditors, the fruitless efforts made up to this time in their favor seem to demonstrate the slender or hopeless prospect of their finding their pay here, especially since, through want of money, many of the inhabitants of the Kingdom are equally unfortunate, and that therefore the little hope which might remain to those good people only seems to be founded on the two millions their High Mightinesses are bound to pay this King. But inasmuch as this cannot suffice to satisfy both the Prince of Orange's debt and the aforesaid creditors if all the pay were not reserved for that purpose, and we, at the same time, observe by the printed minutes sent us, that your High Mightinesses, on application of the Ministers of this King, warn the States of the respective Provinces to pay in the first installment of the aforesaid two millions, without making any mention of appropriating this to any other purpose than the payment of his Majesty. So, we do not see much chance of accomplishing anything effectual for the aforesaid creditors, unless (which we trust is not your High Mightinesses' intention) by the postponement of the expected assignment of the aforesaid debt of his Highness to the other installments. And although we are duly mindful of what is committed to us by our instructions, to make use, in good season, of the argument of induction, to induce his Majesty to assign his Highness' debt and that of the aforesaid creditors on the first and future installments of the two millions, yet we clearly perceive, from what M. Van de 1 Supra, 346, note. - ED.

1

Lier1 formerly experienced thereupon, and from the answer given him—that the King could not admit of any further assignment in regard to the first installment than has already been made that there is no prospect of obtaining anything here. And especially not, if your High Mightinesses, for reasons, continue to evince a disposition to allow the aforesaid first installment to go without making any remark on your subjects' debts; unless indeed the King, of his own free will, assign these thereon.

And we shall, therefore, take the liberty respectfully to remind your High Mightinesses of what you ought further to resolve in order immediately to accomplish your good intentions in favor of the aforesaid creditors.

M. Van Swerin, Ambassador Extraordinary of the Electoral Prince of Brandenburgh, who arrived here on the day before yesterday, had his first audience yesterday fixed by the King. Wherewith ending, High and Mighty Lords, we shall pray God Almighty to be pleased to bless more and more your High Mightinesses' deliberations and wholesome designs, and remain, Your High Mightinesses'

At Soudlay Country Seat,

near Windsor, the June, 1674.

Obedient and faithful servants,
(Signed),

F. VAN REEde,
C. VAN BEUNINGEN,
W. v. HAREN.

Folio 813. Ambassadors England.

in

Resolution of the States-General.

[From the Register of Resolutions of the States-General, in the Royal Archives at the Hague.]

Monday, 25th June, 1674.

Received a letter from Mess" Van Reede, Van Beuningen and Van Haren, their High Mightinesses' Ambassadors Extraordinary, near the King of Great Britain, written at Sutley country seat, near Windsor, the instant, in answer to their High Mightinesses' respective letters and resolutions of the ninth and eleventh previous, the first, directing an inquiry as to who was authorized by the King of Great Britain to receive New Netherland from their High Mightinesses' Commander there; and the other, to obtain payment for the Queen of Bohemia and the Princess Royal. Which being considered, it is resolved and concluded that copy of the aforesaid letter be placed in the hands of Grand Pensionary Fagel2 and the other their High Mightinesses' Deputies for Foreign affairs, to inspect, examine and report on the whole to the Assembly.

The "Resolution-book, No. 34," in Holland Documents, XIII., 167, being imperfect and incomplete, has been laid aside, and, in its stead, the following Minutes of Council are translated from the Original Dutch Record in New-York Colonial Manuscripts, XXIII., in the Office of the Secretary of State, Albany, New-York. — Ed.