The Hon. Director and Council have considered it advisable to ordain that the Inhabitants residing at and around Fort Amsterdam, of what state, quality or condition soever they be, shall each provide himself with a good gun and keep the same in good repair and at all times ready and in order; and as they live at a distance from one another, every warned person is placed under his corporal in order that in time of danger he may appear at his post with his gun. Should it happen, which God forbid, that any mischief occur either from enemies or …

. . . No one shall presume to draw a knife much less to would any person, under the penalty of fl.50, to be paid immediately, or, in default, to work three months with the Negroes in chains; this, without any respect of person. Let every one take heed against damage and be warned.

Ordinance of the Director and Council of New Netherland Regulating the Burgher Guard, § 4 (1643). After the watch is duly performed, and daylight is come, and the reveille beaten, whosoever discharges any gun or musket, without orders of his Corporal, shall pay one guilder.

Whereas the Director General and Council of New Netherland having long ere this noticed the dangerous practice of selling Guns, Powder and Lead to the Indians, and moreover published at the time an Ordinance prohibiting the same on pain of Death, notwithstanding which some persons have yet undertaken to barter all sorts of ammunition among the Heathen, purchasing the same secretly here and then transporting it up the River and elsewhere, to the serious injury of this Country, the strengthening of the Indians and the destruction of the Christians, as We are now, also, informed with certainty, that our enemies …

[Ordinances of New Amsterdam,] Ordinance of the Director and Council of New Netherland against Firing at Partridges or other Game within the Limits of New Amsterdam. Whereas, many guns are daily discharged and fired at Partridges and other game within the jurisdiction of this city New Amsterdam and in the vicinity of the Fort, by which firing People or Cattle might perhaps be struck and injured, against which practice complaints have already been made, Therefore the Honorable Director General and Council, in order to prevent accidents, expressly forbid and interdict all persons henceforward firing within the jurisdiction of this city …

. . . the Hon. Director General and Council, in order to prevent accidents, expressly forbid and interdict all person henceforward firing within the jurisdiction of this city or about the Fort, with any guns at Partridges or other Game that may by chance fly within the city, on pain of forfeiting the gun and a fine at the discretion of the Judge to be applied . . .

An act prohibited the Illegal Trade in Powder, Lead and Guns, however the exact text has been lost to history.

. . . further, in order to prevent such dangers of isolated murders and assassinations, the Director General and Council, with the advice of the Burgomasters of this city, cannot for the present devise any better or other expedient than already stated, and besides that, to interdict and forbid the admission of any Indians with a gun or other weapon, either in this city or in the Flatland, into the Villages and Hamlets, or into any Houses or any places, on pain of forfeiting such arms, which may and also shall be taken from them . . .

Laws of the Colony of New York. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that it shall not be lawful for any slave or slave to have or use any gun, pistol, sword, club or any other kind of weapon whatsoever, but in the presence or by the direction of his her or their Master or Mistress, and in their own ground on Penalty of being whipped for the same at the discretion of the Justice of the Peace before whom such complaint shall come or upon the view of the said justice not exceeding twenty lashes on …

Whereas experience hath demonstrated and taught that, besides an unnecessary waste of powder, much Drunkenness and other insolence prevail on New Year’s and May Days, by firing of guns, planting May poles and carousing; also other deplorable accidents such as wounding, which frequently arise therefrom. In order to prevent these in future, the director General and Council expressly forbid from this time forth all firing of Guns . . .on a penalty of 12 guilders for the first offense; double for the second offense, and for the third an arbitrary correction . . .

Laws of the Colony of New York, Indians. No person shall sell, give or barter directly or indirectly any gun or guns, powder, bullet, shot, lead nor any vessel or burthen, or row boat, canoes only excepted without license first had and obtained under the governors hand and seal to any Indian whatsoever, nor to any person inhabiting out of this Government, nor shall amend or repair any gun belonging to any Indian, nor shall sell any armor or weapons, upon penalty of ten pounds for every gun, armor, weapon, vessel, or boat so sold given or bartered, five pounds …

[By the Court of Albany, etc. (1690) Whereas diverse persons daily waste powder which is of such necessary use for defense of this City and County of Albany, and although many have been advertised thereof yet persist in the same: These are in his majesty’s name to prohibit all persons whatsoever within the same city and county to burn any powder unless to kill provision, or for his majesty’s service and benefit of the place aforesaid, upon pain of paying for every shot or discharging of gun or pistol (contrary to the intent of this order) six shillings current money …

A letter from Governor Clinton to the Lords of Trade. . . . I have taken every other precaution in my power to guard against my surprise by sending circular orders to the respective Colonels of Militia and to the Captains of his Majesty’s Companies posted in this province to inspect the Arms and Accoutrements of their men, and see that they are in good order and fit for immediate service, and that as often as conveniently may be they do exercise the men in arms keeping strict discipline, whereby they may be able not only to repel the French …

Ordinances of the City of New York, § VI. And be it further ordained by the authority aforesaid, That if any Children, Youth, apprentices, Servants, or other persons, do fire and discharge any gun, pistol, leaden-gun, rockets, crackers, squibs, or other fire works, at any mark, or at random against any fence, pales or other place in any street, lane or alley, or within any orchard, garden or other inclosure, or in any place where persons frequent to walk, such person so offending shall forfeit for every such offense, the sum of forty shillings, current money of New York; and …

[Ordinances of the City of New York, § XII. And be it further ordained by the authority aforesaid, That the Prices and Rates to be taken by Cart-Men for the carriage of firewood, goods, wares and merchandise, and other things within this city,be according to the rates and prices hereafter mentioned, with out any exactions. . . For every load of gunpowder, to or from the powder-house, not exceeding four casks, two shillings and six pence. If less than four casks eighteen pence. If more than four casks three shillings.]

§ XVI. And whereas the present store-keeper of the magazine with the consent of the corporation, for the more safe conveying of gun-powder to and from the said magazine, hath provided leather bags, or covers, in order to cover all casks of gun powder to and form the said magazine, be it ordained by the authority aforesaid that from and after the publication hereof, no cart-man, or other person whatsoever, do presume to carry any gun powder to or from the said Magazine, or through any part of this city, but what shall be covered with leather bags as aforesaid, …

A Law for the Better Securing of the City of New York from the Danger of Gun Powder. Be it therefore ordained by the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonality of the City of New York, convened in Common Council, and it is hereby ordained by the authority of the same, the from and after the publication hereof, no person or persons whatsoever inhabiting within the said city, within two miles of the city-hall of the said city, shall presume to keep in any house, shop, cellar, store-house, or other place within the said city (his majesty’s garrison and magazine only excepted) …

And whereas it is of the utmost importance to the safety of every state, that it should always be in a condition of defense; and it is the duty of every man who enjoys the protection of society, to be prepared and willing to defend it: This convention therefore, in the name and by the authority of the good people of this State, doth ordain, determine and declare, that the militia of this State, at all times hereafter, as well in peace as in war, shall be armed and disciplined, and in readiness for service. That all such of the …

Chap. 33. An act for regulating the militia of the State of New York . . . Be it therefore enacted by the People of the state of New York represented in Senate and Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same. That every able bodied male person Indians and slaves excepted residing within this state from sixteen years of age to fifty (except such persons as are herein after excepted) shall immediately after the passing of this act tender himself to be enrolled as of the militia to the captain or in his absence the …

. . . [F]rom and after the passing of this act, it shall not be lawfull [sic] for any merchant, shopkeeper, or retailer, or any other person, or persons whatsoever, to have or keep any quantity of gun powder exceeding twenty-eight pounds weight, in any one place, less than one mile to the northward of the city hall of the said city, except in the public magazine at the Fresh-water, and the said quantity of twenty-eight pounds weight, which shall be lawfull [sic] for any person to have and keep at any place within this city, shall be seperated [sic] …

Whereas great dangers have arisen, and mischief been done, by the pernicious practice of firing guns, pistols, rockets, squibs, and other fire works on the eve of the last day of December, and the first and second days of January . . . if any person or persons whomsoever, shall fire or discharge any gun, pistol, rocket, squib or any other firework, within a quarter of a mile of any building, of the said eve, or days beforementioned, every such person so offending, and being thereof convicted before an justice of the peace, of the city or county where such …

An Act of April 22, 1785, An Act to Prevent the Firing of Guns and Other Fire-Arms within this State, on certain days therein mentioned. Whereas great dangers have arisen, and mischief been done by the pernicious practice of firing guns, pistols, rockets, squibs, and other fire-works, on the eve of the last day of December, and first and second days of January: For prevention whereof for the future: Be it enacted by the People of the State of New York, represented in the Senate and Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that if …

An Act to prevent the Firing of Guns and other Fire-Arms within this State, on certain Days therein mentioned. Whereas great dangers have arisen, and mischief been done by the pernicious practice of firing guns, pistols, rockets, squibs and other fire-works, on the Eve of the last day of December, and first and second days of January, for prevention whereof for the future, Be it enacted by the People of the State of New York, represented in the Senate and Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That if any person or persons whomsoever, shall …

That every able-bodied male person, being a citizen of this State, or of any of the United States, and residing in this State, (except such persons as are herein after excepted) and who are of the age of sixteen, and under the age of forty-five years, shall, by the captain or commanding officer of the beat in which such citizens shall reside, within four months after the passing of this act, be enroled [sic] in the company of such beat. . . . That every citizen so enroled [sic] and notified shall within three months thereafter provide himself at his …

Ordinances of the City of New York, To Regulate the Keeping of Gun-powder in the City of New York: Whereas the better to secure the inhabitants of the city of New York from the dangers they have been exposed to by large quantities of gun powder being kept in houses, shops and stores within the said city, a suitable and convenient magazine or powder house is erected and built at Inclemberg in the seventh ward for the reception of all the gunpowder which is or shall be imported into the said city: Therefore, Be it ordained by the Mayor, Aldermen …