We the deputies duly elected from the several towns upon Long-Island, being assembled at Hempstead, in general meeting, by authority derived from your royal highness unto the honorable Colonel Nicolls, as deputy governor, do most humbly and thankfully acknowledge to your royal highness, the great honor and satisfaction we receive in our dependence upon your royal highness according to the tenor of his sacred majesty’s patent, granted the 12th day of March, 1664; wherein we acknowledge ourselves, our heirs and successors forever, to be comprized to all intents and purposes, as therein is more at large expressed. And we do publickly and unanimously declare our cheerful submission to all such laws, statutes and ordinances, which are or shall be made by virtue of authority from your royal highness, your heirs and successors forever: As also, that we will maintain, uphold, and defend, to the utmost of our power, and peril of us, our heirs and successors forever, all the rights, title, and interest, granted by his sacred majesty to your royal highness, against all pretensions or invasions, foreign or domestic; we being already well assured, that, in so doing, we perform our duty of allegiance to his majesty, as freeborn subjects of the kingdom of England inhabiting in these his majesty’s dominions. We do farther beseech your royal highness to accept of this address, as the first fruits in this general meeting, for a memorial and record against us, our heirs and successors, when we or any of them shall fail in our duties. Lastly we beseech your royal highness to take our poverties and necessities, in this wilderness country, into speedy consideration; that, by constant supplies of trade, and your royal highnesses more particular countenance of grace to us, and protection of us, we may daily more and more be encouraged to bestow our labors to the improvement of these his majesty’s western dominions, under your royal highness; for whose health, long life, and eternal happiness, we shall ever pray, as in duty bound. _List of the Deputies._