[Frederic Shonnard & W.W. Spooner (1900)] Per-, sons taking advantage of the offer of traffic were required to have their goods conveyed on the ships of the West India Company, paying an export duty of ten per cent, on merchandise sent out from the ports of the Netherlands, and an import duty of fifteen per cent, on merchandise brought thither from New Netherland. These certainly were not onerous customs exactions. Respecting individuals, of whatever nationality, desiring to acquire and cultivate land, the di-rector and council were instructed " to accommodate everyone, ac-cording to his condition and means, with as much land as he can prop-erly cultivate, either by himself or with his family." The land thus conceded was to become absolute private property, and to be free from burdens of every kind until after it had been pastured or culti-82 HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY vated four years; but subsequently to that period the owner was to pay to the company -the lawful tenths of all fruit, grain, seed, to-bacco, cotton, and such like, as well as of the increase of all sorts of cattle" Those establishing themselves in New Netherland under this offer were bound to submit themselves to the regulations and orders of the company, and to the local laws and courts; but there was no stipulation for the renunciation of allegiance to foreign potentates.