The design of those commissioners, frigates and warlike force is directed rather against Long Island and these your Honors' possessions, than to the imagined reform of New England.

In the quote, "The design of those commissioners, frigates, and warlike force is directed rather against Long Island and these your Honors' possessions, than to the imagined reform of New England," Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland, is addressing the intentions of a military action. He suggests that the military forces, including commissioners and frigates, are not aimed at the purported goal of reforming New England, but instead at targeting Long Island and other Dutch territories. Stuyvesant is making a case that the military threat is closer to home, and the real objective is to disrupt Dutch control of the region rather than address the political or religious issues in New England.

Stuyvesant's statement refers to the context of tensions between the Dutch and English colonies in the 17th century. He argues that the military design behind the forces being assembled is not motivated by the reform of New England, a region that was largely Puritan and Protestant, but rather by a desire to challenge Dutch authority and seize important territories like Long Island. The reference to warlike force and frigates underscores the seriousness of the military presence and the threat it posed to the Dutch.

The origin of this quote comes from Stuyvesant’s role in managing the Dutch colony of New Netherland, which included parts of modern-day New York and surrounding areas. As tensions rose between the English and the Dutch over control of these territories, Stuyvesant found himself defending against English aggression. His statement emphasizes the strategic importance of Long Island and the surrounding Dutch-held territories, which were crucial for trade and defense.

Ultimately, Stuyvesant’s quote reflects the political and military struggles during the period of colonial rivalry between the Dutch and English in North America. It highlights his view that the real motive behind the English military actions was not the reform of New England, but the disruption and potential takeover of Dutch-controlled land, especially Long Island, which was a key asset for the Dutch colonial empire.