The Charter of Freedoms and Exemptions for New Netherland was granted by the Dutch West India Company on June 7, 1629. It provided for the perpetual proprietorship of vast estates, called patroonships, to those members of the Company founding settlements of fifty or more persons on land purchased from the Indians. In return for a pledge of loyalty to the Company, patroons were given complete jurisdiction over their territory. Under the terms of this Charter, a handful of patroons quickly took control of most of the Hudson river valley, the choicest portion of New Netherland. However, disputes within the Company and difficulty with the Indians doomed the system, so that by 1680 only two of the original grants remained in force. The colony itself passed under British control in 1664.

Source: E. B. O'Callaghan, History of New Netherland; or New York Under the Dutch, New York, 1846, pp 112-120.

They shall, from the time they make known the situation of the places where they propose to settle colonies, have the preference to all others of the absolute property of such lands as they have there chosen, but, in case the situation should not afterward please them, or that they have been mistaken as to the quality of the land, they may, after remonstrating concerning the same to the commander and council there, be at liberty to choose another place.

The Patroons, by virtue of their power, shall and may be permitted, at such places as they shall settle their colonies, to extend their limits four miles along the shore, that is, on one side of a navigable river, or two miles on each side of a river, and so far into the country as the situation of the occupiers will permit; providing and conditioned that the Company keep to themselves the lands lying and remaining between the limits of colonies, to dispose thereof, when and at such time as they shall think proper, in such manner that no person shall be allowed to come within seven or eight miles of them without their consent, unless the situation of the land thereabout were such that the commander and council, for good reasons, should order otherwise; always observing that the first occupiers are not to be predjudiced in the right they have obtained, other than, unless the service of the Company should require it, for the building of fortifications or something of that sort; remaining, moreover, the command of each bay, river, or island of the first-settled colony, under the supreme jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses the States General and the Company. But that, on the next colonies being settled on the same river or island, they may, in conjunction with the first, appoint one or more council in order to consider what may be necessary for the prosperity of the colonies on the said river and island.

They shall forever posssess and enjoy all the lands lying within the aforesaid limits...and, in case any one should in time prosper so much as to found one or more cities, he shall have the power and authority to establish officers and magistrates there and to make use of the title of his colony, according to his pleasure and to the quality or the persons.

The patroons and colonists shall be privileged to send their people and effects thither in ships belonging to the Company, provided they take the oath and pay to the Company for bringing over the people.

Inasmuch as it is intended to people the island of the Manhattes first, all fruits and wares that are produced on the lands situate on the North River and lying thereabout shall, for the present, be brought there before they may be sent elsewhere; excepting such as are from their nature unneccesary there, or such as cannot, without great loss to the owner thereof be brought there; in which case the owners thereof shall be obliged to give timely notice in writing of the difficulty attending the same to the Company here, or the commander and council there, that the same may be remedied as the necessity thereof shall be found to require.

All the patroons of colonies in New Netherland and of colonies on the island of Manhattes shall be at liberty to sail and traffic all along the coast from Florida to Terra Neuf, provided that they do again return with all such goods as they shall get in trade to the island of Manhattes and pay 5 percent for recognition to the Company, in order, if possible, that, after the necessary inventory of the goods shipped be taken, the same may be sent hither....

In case the ships of the patroons, in going from Florida to Terra Neuf and no further without our grant, should overpower any of the prizes of the enemy, they shall be obliged to bring, or cause to be brought, such prize to the college of the place from whence they sailed out, in order to be rewarded by them; the Company shall keep the one-third part thereof, and the remaining two-thirds shall belong to them, in consideration of the cost and risk they have been at, all according to the orders of the Company.

It shall be also free for the aforesaid patroons to traffic and trade all along the coast of New Netherland and places circumjacent, with such goods as are consumed there, and receive in return for them all sorts of merchandise that may be had there, except beavers, otters, minks, and all sorts of peltry, which trade the Company reserve to themselves....

The Company promises the colonists of the patroons that they shall be free from customs, taxes, excise, imposts, or any other contributions for the space of ten years; and, after the expiration of the said ten years at the highest, such customs as the goods are taxable with here for the present.

They will not take from the service of the patroons any of their colonists, either man or woman, son or daughter, manservant or maidservant; and, though any of them should desire the same, they will not receive them, much less permit them to leave their patroons and enter into the service of another, unless on consent obtained from their patroons in writing; and this for and during so many years as they are bound to their patroons; after the expiration whereof, it shall be in the power of the patroons to send hither all such colonists as will not continue in their service and until then shall not enjoy their liberty. And all such colonists as shall leave the service of his patroon and enter into the service of another or shall, contrary to his contract, leave his service, we promise to do everything in our power to apprehend and deliver the same into the hands of his patroon, or attorney, that he may be proceeded against....

In regard to such private persons as on their own account, or others in the service of their masters here (not enjoying the same privileges of the patroons), shall be inclined to go thither and settle, they shall, with the approbation of the director and council there, be at liberty to take up as much land, and take possession thereof, as they shall be able properly to improve and shall enjoy the same in full property either for themselves or masters.

They shall have free liberty of hunting and fowling, as well by water as by land, generally, and in public and private woods and rivers, about their colonies, according to the orders of the director and council.

Whosoever, whether colonists of patroons for their patroons or free persons for themselves or other particulars for their masters, shall discover any shores, bays, or other fit places for erecting fisheries or the making of salt ponds, they may take possession thereof and begin to work on them in their own absolute property, to the exclusion of all others....

In case any of the colonists should, by his industry and diligence, discover any minerals, precious stones, crystals, marbles, or suchlike or any pearl fishery, the same shall be and remain the property of the patroon or patroons of such colony, giving and ordering the discoverer such premium as the patroon shall beforehand have stipulated with such colonists by contract. And the patroons shall be exempt from all recognition to the Company for the term of eight years and pay only for freight to bring them over, 2 percent, and after the expiration of the aforesaid eight years, for recognition and freight, the one-eighth part of what the same may be worth.

The Company will take all the colonists, as well free as those that are in service, under their protection and the same, against all outlandish and inlandish wars and powers, with the forces they have there, as much as lies in their power, defend.

Whosoever shall settle any colony out of the limits of the Manhattes Island shall be obliged to satisfy the Indians for the land they shall settle upon, and they may extend or enlarge the limits of their colonies if they settle a proportionate number of colonists thereon.

The patroons and colonists shall in particular, and in the speediest manner, endeavor to find out ways and means whereby they may support a minister and schoolmaster, that thus the service of God and zeal for religion may not grow cool and be neglected among them; and that they do for the first, procure a comforter of the sick there.

The colonies that shall happen to lie on the respective rivers or islands (that is to say, each river or island for itself) shall be at liberty to appoint a deputy, who shall give information to the commander and council of that Western quarter, of all things related to his colony, and who are to further matters relating thereto, of which deputies there shall be one altered, or changed, in every two years; and all colonies shall be obliged, at least once every twelve months, to make exact report of their colony and lands thereabout to the commander and council there, in order to be transmitted hither.

The colonists shall not be permitted to make any woolen, linen, or cotton cloth, nor weave any other stuffs there on pain of being banished, and as perjurers to be arbitrarily punished.

The Company will use their endeavors to supply the colonists with as many blacks as they conveniently can, on the conditions hereafter to be made; in such manner, however, that they shall not be bound to do it for a longer time than they shall think proper.