To all to whom these presents shall come or may any way concern; Rip Van Dam sendeth greeting : Whereas on the death of the late Governour Montgomerie the administration of the government of this province of New-York did devolve on him the said Rip Van Dam ... And whereas he the said Rip Van Dam hath been advised by council learned in the law, that the administration of this government did devolve upon him, upon the decease of His late Excellency ... Therefore he the said Rip Van Dam did take the measures in order thereto, contained in the following protest. ...