"Therefore, the Governor-General of New Netherland, by and with the advice of his Council, reviewing the aforesaid Ordinances and Edicts enacted on that subject, have deemed it highly necessary strictly to order and command that all Strangers and others, of what nation or quality soever they may be, who have not as yet bound themselves by Oath and promise of fealty to the present Supreme government of this Province, and have not been received by it as good subjects, do within the space of four and twenty hours from the publication hereof depart from out this province of New Netherland, and further interdicting and forbidding any person, not being actually an inhabitant and subject of this government, from coming within this government without first having obtained due license and passport to that end, on pain and penalty that the contraveners shall not be considered other than open enemies and spies of this State, and consequently be arbitrarily punished as an example to others. And to the end that they may be the more easily discovered and found out, all Inhabitants of this Province are interdicted and forbidden from henceforth harboring or lodging any strangers over night in their houses or dwellings unless they have previously given due communication thereof to their officer or Magistrate before sun-down, under the penalty set forth in the former Edict.
"Furthermore, the Inhabitants of this Province are strictly interdicted and forbidden, from this day forward, from holding any correspondence with the neighboring Colonies of New England, and all others actual enemies of our State, much less afford them any supplies of any description, on pain of forfeiting the goods and double the value thereof, likewise from exchanging any letters, of what nature soever they may be, without having obtained previous special consent thereto. Therefore all messengers, skippers, travellers, together with all others whom these may in any wise concern, are most expressly forbidden to take charge of, much less to deliver, any letters coming from the enemy's places, or going thither, but immediately on their arrival to deliver them into the Secretary's office here in order to be duly examined, on pain of being fined One hundred guilders in Beaver, to be paid by the receiver as well as by the deliverer of each letter which contrary to the tenor hereof shall be exchanged or delivered."
Their Currency.
Gold and silver were scarce among them. The modern device of paper money had not then come in vogue, and so they had to use wampum—the Indians' currency or medium of exchange.
This was made from oyster-shells, and was worn by the natives as ornaments, and had no intrinsic value, but only a conventional one. And it seems to have been hard work to keep it up to its standard. Every body could make it that could catch oysters, and its plenty or scarcity causing a fluctuation of prices, gave them a great deal of trouble, especially when their old rock of offence, "the Yankees," began to manufacture it and buy away from them all they had to sell, for what was actually of no value.
So we find every once in a while "Ordinances" passed on the subject, which in their quaint and simple way show the state of things. Between April 18th, 1641, and December 28th, 1662, we find in this book twelve different ordinances on the subject; some of them fixing their value, some punishing frauds, some making them a legal tender, some declaring them merchandise, some providing that they shall be paid out by measure, some exempting them from import duty, and some providing for their depreciation.
The following extracts will afford an idea of their difficulties on the subject.
"Resolutions
Of the Director and Council of New Netherland respecting loose Wampum.—Passed, 30 November, 1647.
"Resolved and concluded in Council at Fort Amsterdam, that, until further Order, the loose Wampum shall continue current and in circulation only that, in the mean while, all imperfect, broken, or unpierced beads can be picked out, which are declared Bullion, and shall, meantime, be received at the Company's counting-house as heretofore. Provided that the Company, or any one on its part, shall, in return, be at liberty to trade therewith among the Merchants or otter Inhabitants, or in larger parcels, as may be agreed upon and stipulated by any individual, or on behalf of the Company."