The manuscript document is a set of regulations issued by the States General of the United Netherlands, dated 10 April 1749, concerning the treatment and punishment of deserters from the military who were condemned to forced labour instead of death.
 
These regulations outline how deserters should be confined and employed in state works, such as fortifications, as a more effective deterrent against desertion.
 
The States General issued this decree in response to the increasing incidence of desertion among soldiers. It was found that the death penalty, which had been previously prescribed for desertion, was not serving as a sufficient deterrent.
 
Based on the advice of the Prince of Orange (as outlined in the publication of 17 October 1748), the decree replaced the death penalty with a lifetime sentence of forced labour in public works. This applied to all soldiers, including those up to the rank of sergeant, except for cases involving aggravated circumstances such as desertion from a besieged city or during a military campaign.
 
The manuscript includes details outlining the locations and conditions of confinement, provisioning and living conditions, labour and supervision, religious and moral instruction, discipline and punishment, and finally release and reintegration.
 
The regulations reflect a focus on both punitive and rehabilitative measures, as prisoners were expected to reform themselves through religious instruction and moral improvement while also contributing to state infrastructure projects.