This series consists of the ordinances, or laws and regulations written to govern and maintain order in the communities of New Netherland. The ordinances address many aspects of daily life and commerce including personal behavior, customs, marriage, sales, licensing, fees and taxes on goods and services, tobacco, liquor, military service, livestock, construction, fire prevention, currency, ships and shipping, farming, trapping, citizenship, and real estate.

For more on the arrangement and publication of the Dutch Colonial Manuscripts, see the compilation of the introductions to the New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch / New Netherland Documents Series.

Manuscript images in the New York State Archives’ Digital Collections

Fort Orange Court Minutes, 1652-1660 translation (also contains material housed at the Albany County Hall of Records) (published book images)