Documents Relative to the Colonial History of New York, Vol. I — Passage 90
[E.B. O'Callaghan (ed.) (1856)] The Company shall not take from the service of the Patroons or Colonists, their man servants or maid servants, even though some person should solicit it; nor receive them, much less suffer them to go from their master's service to that of another, during the term of such years as they are bound for; and if any man servant or maid servant run away, or take his freedom contrary to contract, the Company shall, according to its means, cause such to be delivered into the hands of their masters, to be proceeded against according to the circumstances of the case. From all definitive judgments pronounced by the Courts of the Patroons or Colonists, for an amount exceeding one hundred guilders, or from such as entail infamy, also from all sentences pronounced in matters criminal, on ordinary prosecution, conformable to the custom of this country, an appeal shall lie to the Governor and Council of the Company in New Netherland. All Patroons, Colonists and inhabitants are allowed free hunting and fishing, both by land and by water, generally in public woods and rivers in the extent of their lands, according to the order to be made thereupon by the Governor and Council; and the Patroons exclusively within the limits of their Colonies, with the clear understanding that the Governor and Council shall not be excluded therefrom.