Document: Ordinance|Burgomasters and Schepenen setting the excise on beer and wine

Document ID
NYC-RNA_V1_027
Description

Ordinance|Burgomasters and Schepenen setting the excise on beer and wine

Document Date
1654-05-10
Document Date (Date Type)
1654-05-10
Document Type
Full Resolution Image

Translation
Translation

WHEREAS upon a certain request, presented to the Honble Director General and Council of New Netherland, regarding some revenues for this City, dated February 23, 1654, the Burgomasters and Schepens of this City of New Amsterdam have been allowed to exact from all wines, liquor and beer, consumed here by the burghers, a tapsters excise, the following burghers excise will be levied:

Principally for each tun of good beer  20 stivers
For each half barrel                   10 stivers
and for one anker or quarter            5 stivers
For each tun of small beer              6 stivers
for each half barrel                    3 stivers
for each anker                          2 stivers
For each anker of brandy, Spanish wine
 or distilled waters                   30 stivers
and of French wines half as much.

The Burgomasters and Schepens of this City ordain, that henceforth the burghers as well as the tapsters and tavernkeepers, who wish to lay in or export any beer or wine, shall be obliged to procure first a certificate from our Receiver and pay therefor the proper excise, said Receiver to wait for this purpose at his dwelling house from 6 to 9 o.c. A.M. and from 1 to 3 o.c. P.M., except on Wednesday and Saturday afternoon.
To prevent all frauds and defalcations as much as possible the Burgomasters and Schepens have, with the approval of the Honble General and Council, appointed as sworn wine and beer porters Barent Jacobsen Cool and Pieter Casparsen van Naarden and nobody, but they shall have the right of handling, opening or moving from one storehouse, cellar or brewery to the other any wine or beer or of bringing any beer from outside into the gates of this City, under forfeiture of the wines and beers and arbitrary correction at the discretion of the Court.
That this ordinance and enactment may the better be observed by everybody, the Officer is directed and ordered, to watch for frauds and defalcations; he is authorized, to inspect with two members of the Court as often as he deems necessary the cellars of the tapsters, to gauge all the barrels; he may seize all wines and beers, not reported or for which no excise has been paid, all conform to the preceding article, subject to arbitrary correction and confiscation, one third of the proceeds to be given to the poor, one third to the officer and one third to the informer. Thus done at the meeting of the Burgomasters and Schepens of the City of New Amsterdam in N.N. and after publication affixed May 10, 1654. Signed: Arent van Hattem, Marten Cregier, Paulus L. van die Grift, Pieter Wolferzen (van Couwenhoven), Olof Stevensen (van Cortlandt), Will Beeckman.

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