[E.B. O'Callaghan (ed.) (1856)] The publication and posting of a notice in Kieft's and Stuyvesant's administrations, to the effect that no declaration or other public writing should have any legal force in New Netherland, except written by the Secretary, did not proceed from any design to prevent the preparation of evidence, but from this consideration: — Those living in New Netherland are, for the most part, country people and seafaring men, who summon each other frequently before the court for mere trifles; many of them cannot read or write, and several produce no intelligible papers or evidence; and if anything were brought forward, 'twas written sometimes by a sailor or farmer, oftentimes wholly indistinct, and entirely repugnant to the meaning or declaration of the person who had caused it to be written. The consequence was, the Director and Council could not learn the facts of the case properly, and in accordance with justice, &c. No persons have been arrested, during Stuyvesant's administration, but Verdonck for writing the Journal and Augustyn Heermans, Gabri's clerk, for having refused to produce the writings which were drawn up for circulation among the Nine men. This was told to the Director, who had been repeatedly for them, like a little boy.