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In 1629 the Dutch West India Company, in order to effect a permanent agricultural colonization of New Netherland, granted a charter of "Privileges and Exemptions" to any members of the company who would within four years plant a colony of fifty anywhere in New Netherland, except on Manhattan Island. These wealthy grantees were called Patroons, and were privileged to rule their colonies in absolute feudal style, the colonists being bound to them for a certain number of years. This system was soon found to be disadvantageous, since it tended to debar the less wealthy class of individual colonists. In 1640 the charter was modified and extended to any good citizen of the Netherlands. In later years there were frequent quarrels between the Patroons and the provincial government.