This same Fiscal charges in his letter of the 4th of September, that from the first hour of his departure your Honor had forbidden him the Council chamber and that he has not been properly supported in his duties, sending as proofs for the truth of his charges declarations of as he says trustworthy parties concerning his proper and decent behavior. These people are however unknown to us and whereas we notice, that his misbehaviors have often been forgiven, on promises of reforming, we desire to learn, that he is now living up to his promises; but if he should again forget himself and commit such excesses, that your Honor and the Council consider his mode of living to attract obloquy and himself unable or unwilling to serve the Company well, then you must collect all necessary information against him, that we may give everybody concerned sufficient reasons for his dismissal.

The request of D' Backerus, made in several of his letters, has been approved as reasonable by the Classis and we were therefore obliged to grant it. We should have been more inconvenienced by it, if we had not entertained the hope, that perhaps the preacher from Rensselaerswyck, D' Megapolensis, could be persuaded by fair offers to remain there a few years longer. We consent to it very willingly on account of the good character given him by your Honor. It is true, his wife has arrived here, it being the intention, that he should soon follow her and it seems, that his presence in person is required here for the liquidation of an estate, in which he appears to be much interested; nevertheless we have held tiresome conferences with his wife and it seems, that she could be persuaded to return thither to her husband, if she were assured, that she would not incur his displeasure. After having overcome his objections we hope to induce her to consent to our plan and we shall then consider his salary, which we expect to make satisfactory to him. You will therefore on receipt of this letter try to persuade him, to comply with the requirements of God's church and his community, the more so, as it is to be feared, that we may not be able for some time to provide this church with a minister: this measure is therefore the most advisable.

We shall also look out now for a good school teacher and gather information concerning the man living in Harlem, whom you propose.

Your Honor's appointment of Roeloff Jansen as Receiver-General at a yearly salary of 480 fl. without rations induces us to believe, that you must have a good knowledge of his honesty on that understanding we approve of it herewith, although in our straitened circumstances all possible retrenchments should be made, for which reason we have here discharged all subaltern officers and we believe from information received, that there too are more than enough officers; all unnecessary officers should therefore be discharged, we cannot afford to keep them.

Although it is without precedent, that this Department has ever been godfather of any children, having when invited always refused it for certain good reasons, yet the Board grants herewith your Honor's request, expecting to be informed of the child's name to have it properly registered, that the Company, when in a better financial condition, may be reminded to reciprocate this honor by a keepsake. Meanwhile we shall pray to God, that He may let grow up this child born in New Netherland to His glory and to his parents' happiness.

We must acknowledge, that letters of exchange gone to protest do not add to the Company's reputation; nor would it look any better to accept them, when no payment can follow. We have said above, that we believe you to have enough funds of the Company on hand, that we might remain undisturbed. Besides this the owners of the ship" Wapen van Nieuw Nederlandt" call upon us for the sum of 10123 fl 15 st. for goods delivered at Curaçao in the year 1646; we find however in the letters of Lucas Rodenburch, that these goods and provisions were received under condition to be paid for in salt and horses and that they, at the time, received a lot of salt, we

believe, we can satisfy them by paying them in these values. We are sorry, that their ship has been lost and therefore add in our answer, that they may send for the salt by another opportunity.

We have learned of the precarious situation of the Island of Curaçao with great regret, the more so, as we have no chance of sending the provisions, required by your Honor; we have tried to freight a ship, but could find nobody willing to undertake the voyage upon so uncertain results, while we considered it unadvisable to charter a ship by the month, as you propose. If we had been sure, that a full ship's cargo of wood was ready on the Island, then we might have contracted for it, but we observe that a great mortality has prevailed there and fear, that but little wood has been cut. We would therefore have had but a losing freight, which at present is not at all convenient. We also consider it quite unadvisable to send more people to the Island, for that would only increase our expenses and the products of the Island do not pay for the outlay. There are enough good people on the Island, we think, to defend it and we shall take good care of its interests, when our solicitations concerning the great reform shall have been finally acted upon by their High: Might: which we hope will be done shortly.

The loss of the ship "de Groote Gerrit" has much inconvenienced your Honor in carrying out your plans, for besides not making a profitable venture with it heavy outlays have become necessary, which are made still more burdensome, because the country is not provided with the necessaries to equip a vessel on account of the lacking funds.

We cannot sufficiently express our surprise, that upon the report of one Jan Sluyter, who says, he has been a prisoner of the Spaniards at St. Martin, no search has been made for the gold mine, which he says, has been discovered upon the Island on the mountain, where our quarters have been. He asserts that the mineral is so rich, that 10 pounds of ore will yield 3 pounds of pure metal. We see that your Honor is very much grieved by the loss of the specimen sent by the ship "Princesse," since lost; but we do not know, whether that specimen came from this mountain, to which attention ought to be paid. We do not think, that the ironmine is of any benefit to us.

Your Council minutes of December 5th 1647 informs us, that you have published an order, according to which all Englishmen, coming for some reason from New-Haven to take refuge among us, are to be protected, because the Governor has refused to surrender to your Honor William Westerhuysen and Samuel Godenhuysen, who had deserted to New-England. This proceeding appears to us very hazardous at this critical time and the matter must be treated with great prudence, especially as according to your own opinion, this nation is much too strong for us. We must therefore guard against a strife with them.

You think, that if 10000fl. in small coins could be sent there, it might be advisable to drive the wampum gradually out of the country, but your own judgment must tell you, that in our present financial situation it cannot be done, the more so as we are much troubled by our inability to supply the provisions, which you so urgently call for. If we do not receive the proceeds from the sale of hides, we shall be obliged, to leave your requisition unfilled.

Recurring to your letter directed to the Commissaries of New Netherland, we find it to be only a repetition of your general letter and can therefore not understand, what its purpose is, except that you believe, your complaints are not taken into as serious consideration by the Department, as they deserve. Your Honor may rest assured, that they are treated always with great care and seriousness; it is not the good will, that is wanting on our side, but the means, as repeatedly stated above. We send herewith the following papers:

The invoice of the goods sent by the ship "Prins Wilhelm."

Copy of the contract and bailbond made and given for the voyage of the said ship for your Honor's information.

We are surprised, that contrary to our orders and to the contracts made with Messrs. Wouter van Twiller, Jan van Hardenbergh and others you have made them pay 10 percent duty on goods sent hither, that being for every 100 fl. two more than the said contracts stipulate for. We have refunded this overcharge here but the matter is in itself of no small importance, that you receive the duties on merchandise sent here at your own discretion, when they ought to be paid here and that you made the aforesaid parties pay them. This must cease in future and we desire expressly, that you shall keep to the contracts and obey the orders received or to be received from us. Relying hereupon we are

Amsterdam,

the 27th of January, 1649.

Honorable, Worthy, Pious, Dear and
Faithful Sir, whom we commend to
God's protection

Your Honor's Friends

The Directors of the Priv. W. I. Company
Department of Amsterdam

JACOB PERGENS m. p.

S. RYCKAERT.

RESOLUTION TO SUMMON THE ENGLISH TOWNS ON LONG ISLAND TO SEND DELEGATES TO NEW AMSTERDAM, TO CONSIDER OF AN EMBASSY TO FATHERLAND.

Whereas the select men here have at divers times by petitions requested to have a delegation sent to Fatherland to address our superiors on some weighty matters; and whereas the English villages on Long Island, which are subject to their High Mightinesses, ought also according to our best judgment be consulted on this important matter, so that they may not hereafter plead any ignorance, it is resolved in Council to invite them by letter for the appointed day.

Thus done and approved, Present: The Honble General, The Vice, LA MONTAGNE, Brian NUTON, PAULUS LEENDERSEN, This 21st of February [1649].

LETTER FROM THOMAS TAPPING, RICII. GILDERSLEEVE AND OTHER DEPUTIES TO DIRECTOR STUYVESANT, PROMISING TO SEND AN ANSWER TO HIS PROPOSALS AND STUYVESANT'S REPLY. Noble Sir.

May it please you to vnderstand, that we have Received yours by hand of youre Deputed and authorized agents viz your Secretary and Ensigne vnto whose relations wee have and doe according to your request give Credence and wth all conuenient speed indevred to acquaint our Neighbors wth your pleasure declared chiefly in the Instructions you sent by them for our Consideration, who incontinently mad choyce of 5 of us to conferr wth your aforesaid agents: further that so the might have the more light after serious consideration to returne a plenarie

answer vnto you some grounds were given vnto your agts and you may please to vnderstand that wee are not so well versed in such maters of high Gouernment as to give a present resolution besides some of our Neighbors are absent whose advise wee desire to Concure wth vs at whose return wee shall wth conuenient speed indevor it; so wth due respects and thankful acknowledgment of your well wishings and well indeuors for our good we Humbly take leave and Rest. Hemstede ffeb. 26: 49

To our honered Gouernor

PETER STUYVESANT, Director
General of the Province

New Netherland, Curaçao

these present.

Your servants

THO. TAPPING

Сн PANCO

RICARD GILDERSLEEVE.
HENRY PERSALL.
JONAS WOOD.

Gent: Your letter by Mr. Whitehead I rec. and what declaration yo' deputys made you att theyre returne I know not, only this they neuer presented vnto mee any procuraties, from your ownes and did not see your instructions: for what myne owne hae done, if according to my instructions by them to you presented, the Coppie whereof was lefte with you, but this sure I am it was with a sincere heart to all your good, that I presented them and therefore haueing discharged my duty, I shall with God's assistance in euery respect act and doe for you and all vnder my gouerment, as much as shall lye in my power for your publique good, for present and future tyme and had you wrote soe much toe me att first I should have been contented and soe proceeded that you need not haue troubled yourselves soe much, soe with my loving salutations to you I rest. ffort New Amsterdam March the 20th (49).

YOUR LOVING FFRIEND.

RESOLUTION. TO GRANT THE FARMERS ON THE ISLAND OF MANHATTAN FREE PASTURAGE BETWEEN SCHEPMOES' PLANTATION AND BOUWERY No. 1.

The farmers on the Island Manhattan requesting by petition a free pasturage on the Island Manhattan between the plantation of Schepmoes and the fence of the Great Bouwery No. 1, the petitioners' request is provisionally granted, and that no new plantations shall be made or granted between said fencing. [March 4th 1649.]

MINUTE. OF A MEETING OF THE COUNCIL AND BURGHER OFFICERS IN THE FORT, ON THE SUBJECT OF A JOURNAL WRITTEN BY ADRIAEN VAN DER DONK; HIS IMPRISONMENT; PROTEST OF MR. VAN DINCKLAGE.

On the 4th of March A° 1649, met and appeared, on the invitation of the Honble Director General,

in the parlor at Fort Amsterdam, Mr. Dincklage, Fiscal Van Dyck, La Montagne, Brian Nuton, Ensign Baxter, Paulus Leendersen, Commissary Keyser, Serjeant Litschoe.

Next, the Burgher officers: Jacob Couwenhoven, Captain; Martin Crigier, lieutenant; Philip Geraerdy, Peter Cock, serjeants; Borger Jorisen, Augustyn Heerman, ensigns; by whom the following in a joint board and meeting was concluded and did occur.

Mr. Lubbert van Dincklage protests in Council against the Honble Director, for that he has heretofore done, and still does many things without his previous knowledge; also for imprisoning Adriaen van der Donck without letting him know it.

Thus protested, Present all the above named officers and Burghers.

At the Council aforesaid was read the part of Adriaen van der Donck's Journal in which Van der Donck writes, that he has heard Mr. Dincklage say at Melyn's house, that he had violated his oath in the case, and that things do not go smoothly in Holland, and that among the States there are also who are perjured.

Mr. Dincklage denies having ever expressed what Van der Donck has stated in his Journal against their High Mightinesses and demands proof thereof.

Mr. Dincklage demands copy of a written by Verdonck, and taken out of Michael Jansen's house by the Director without his, Dincklagen's knowledge; against which he protests also.

The Director gives for answer, that it will be furnished to him Dincklage, at the proper time when the ships shall sail for Holland, and that for cause he cannot have a copy, as it contains things which must first be proved. This 4th of March, Present the abovenamed Councillors and Burghers.

Votes and advice of the council and burghers respecting a journal written by Adriaen van der Donck.

The 4th of March A° 1649.

Votes of the Hon Councillors and of the Burghers respecting the Journal written by Adriaen van der Donck.

Mr. Dincklage is of opinion that Adriaen van der Donck shall be heard touching the writing and provisionally be released on bail.

La Montagne advises that Verdonck be heard according to law.

Brian Nuton is of opinion that Verdonck shall be heard in his prison.

Paulus Leendersen is of opinion that Adriaen van der Donck shall be examined by commissioners in jail.

Cominissary Keyser is of opinion that Van der Donck ought to be brought here and then

examined.

Burghers.

Jacob Wolphertsen says this matter does not concern him, and therefore he ought to be excused from voting.

Martin Crigier says, that Van der Donck ought to be heard in confinement.

George Baxter, ensign, ditto.

Augustyn Heerman says, as Van der Donck is a member of the board of Nine Men, he cannot advise in the case.

Serjeant Litscho thinks that Verdonck ought to remain in prison until he be examined.