Jan Evertsen Bout says, as Van der Donck is a burgher, he ought to be treated as such. Philip Geraerdy says, as Van der Donck has earned, so must he be paid. Peter Cock says that Van der Donck shall remain confined until examined, as he deserves. Borger Jorissen says ditto to Peter Cock. The Honble Director General is of opinion that for the removal of all differences and disputes, it would be requisite, to summon two deputies from each Colony and Town in New Netherland to deliberate on the highly necessary delegation for the best of the country in general. Mr. Dincklaghe says, he will not meddle with the matter, and thinks that men ought to wait until the Lords States shall have given an order. RESOLUTION. TO CALL A GENERAL CONVENTION, TO CONSIST OF TWO DEPUTIES FROM EACH OF THE COLONIES IN NEW NETHERLAND, TO CONSIDER THE SENDING OF A DELEGATION TO HOLLAND; VOTES THEREUPON. Fiscal Van Dyck thinks it advisable to summon two @ three persons from the circumjacent English and other towns, to assist with those of the Manhatans in deciding what is best for the public in regard to the delegation to Fatherland. La Montagne, ditto. Martin Crigier, ditto. Augustyn Heerman refers it to the Board of Nine Men. Borger Jorissen, Philip Geraerdy and Peter Cock agree in opinion with the Fiscal as above. APPOINTMENT. COMMISSIONERS TO INVESTIGATE THE CASE OF ADRIAEN VAN DER DONCK. Paulus Leendersen and Adrian d' Keyser are ordered and appointed Commissioners to examine into the case of Adriaen van der Donck, and that in the presence of the Fiscal, on the 5th of March A° 1649, in New Amsterdam in New Netherland. RESOLUTION. ON PETITION OF A. VAN DER DONCK, THAT HE REMAIN IMPRISONED UNTIL THE The 6th of March A° 1649. ABOVE COMMISSIONERS REPORT. In Council is presented a certain petition of Adriaen can der Donck, on which the Director and Council have caused the following apostil to be made: Petitioner is ordered by plurality of votes, to remain in prison until he be examined, and answer to the interrogatories, pursuant to the resolution of March 4th A° 1649 in New Amsterdam in New Netherland. VOTES OF THE COUNCIL, ON THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL ASKING THEIR OPINION, WHETHER HE SHOULD READ A WRITING HE HAD DRAWN UP TO A REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMONALITY. On the 8th of March. The Honble Director General produces in Council and exhibits to the members a writing; after reading it to them, he inquired their opinion whether said writing should not be read to the entire commonality when met. Mr. Dincklage refuses to express an opinion thereon. Fiscal van Dyck advises that it is well and advisable that it be read to the commonalty. La Montagne, ditto. Brian Nuton, ditto. Adriaen Keyser, Commissary, ditto. PROPOSAL. OF DIRECTOR STUYVESANT, TO COMPEL ADRIAN VAN DER DONCK TO PROVE CERTAIN STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN HIS JOURNAL, OR TO RECALL THEM, AND NOT TO APPEAR IN COURT, OR AMONG THE NINE MEN, UNTIL HE DO ONE OR THE OTHER; WITH THE VOTES OF THE COUNCIL ON THE ORDER. Proposition submitted in writing by the Honble Director to the ordinary Councillors and other officers, the 15th of March A° 1649. The ordinary Councillors and other superior and inferior officers are aware that we, by virtue of our office and commission, have quite recently caused one Adriaen van der Donck to be guarded in his usual residence or confinement,* on account of a slanderous writing drawn up in the form of a Journal, and found at the house of Michael Jansen, wherein he has grossly slandered not only some superior and inferior officers, but also their High Mightinesses themselves, or at least many among the Lords States are suspected and accused of perjury; as appears by the original thereof. Authentic extracts of which having been read by the Commissioners to the aforesaid Van der Donck and a categorical answer demanded, the said Van der Donck responded in contempt of the court, in a dubious, or at least in an immaterial manner, nevertheless affirming in plain and distinct words the injurious and defamatory accusation partly expressed by him in writing to me, and partly read to others out of the Journal, tending to the special defamation both of our Sovereigns and the Councillors sent hither, to the maintenance of whose most illustrious renown we are pledged by our commission and the Laws of Netherland and by honor, oath and conscience * Gijselinge-Debtor's Prison. Therefore my opinion in regard to the equivocal deposition that has been taken is, that the deponent be ordered and constrained to prove and establish or to revoke what he has injuriously written or spoken against the Honble Lords States and officers here; and in the meanwhile, until further information, that he absent himself from our Council and the Assembly of the elected Select Men (gemeents mannen). On which points, besides this, we also request the written opinions of the other Councillors and officers, hereby excusing and holding myself guiltless of the charge which may be brought against me, either here or hereafter, that I knew of the defamation and injury of my Sovereigns, and did not punish or notice them. Done Manhatans. (Signed) P. STUYVESANT. Votes on the proposition of the Honble Director given by the IIonble Councillors, dated 15th of March A° 1649. Lubbert van Dincklage, the Vice Director, says he will not have any thing to do with the Director's proposition; refuses to sign. Hendrick van Dyck, fiscal, is of opinion, that Van der Donck shall not appear at the board of the Director and Council, or at the Assembly of the Nine men until he shall have proved the writing drawn up in the form of a Journal. (Signed) II. VAN DYCK, fiscal. La Montagne is of opinion that Verdonck shall not appear in the session of the Council until the decision of the suit. (Signed) LA MONTAGNE. Brian Nuton votes like La Montagne. (Signed) BRIAN NEWTON. Adriaen Keyser, Commissary, votes as the Fiscal has done. (Signed) A. KEYSER. Paulus Leendersen, naval storekeeper, votes and in the case of Verdonck is of the same opinion as the Fiscal. (Signed) PAULUS LEENDERTSEN VAN DE GRIFT. Director and Council have by plurality of votes decided that Adriaen van der Donck shall not attend the session of the Council or the Assembly of the Select Men when they meet, until he shall have duly verified what he has written in defamation of the Hon'ble States and of the officers and Councillors here. This 15th of March A° 1649. New Amsterdam. MINUTE OF A VISIT OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL TO REV. MR. BACKERIUS, TO FORBID HIM TO READ, OR TO ALLOW TO BE READ, ANY POLITICAL WRITINGS IN THE CHURCH. This day underwritten the Director General went in person to the house of the minister Backerius, and there, in his capacity as Director, told the minister not to read himself, or have read by any of the Church officers, from the pulpit or elsewhere in the church, at the request of any of the inhabitants, any writing, petition, or proposal having relation to the municipal or general government, whether generally or in particular, before and until such writing shall be signed by the Director himself, or by the Secretary, by order of the Director and Council; but this is not to apply to ecclesiastical affairs which are left at the full disposal of said minister and consistory. Therein he shall be at liberty to order agreeably to church ordinances and the duty of a godly minister, wherein said Director General offers him all aid and assistance as far as this concerns him as Chief Magistrate of the country. This done in the presence of Councillor La Montagne and Secretary Tienhoven, this 8 of May, 1649. LEASE. OF A TRACT OF LAND ON LONG ISLAND FOR 20 YEARS. Before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, Secretary of New Netherland, appeared Jochem Calder of the one part, and Dirck Holgersten, of the other part, who in the presence of the undernamed witnesses, acknowledged and declared that they had in all love and friendship mutually entered into and concluded a certain contract in regard to the lease of a certain tract of land on the condition hereuntowritten : Dirck Holgersten leases to Jochem Calder a certain lot of land situate on Long Island, together with the land heretofore leased by him Dirck to Jochem Calder, for the term of twenty consecutive years, commencing Anno 1651 and ending Anno 1671. The Lessee shall have the land rent free for the first six years, and during the other fourteen following years shall pay, annually, for the use of said land, which big and little he shall cultivate and improve as he thinks proper, the sum of one hundred and fifty guilders in such pay as shall then be current. All the expenses that the Lessee shall incur in building, fencing and whatever else is necessary shall be at the charge of the Lessee, who shall make such improvements as he will think fit; and if it happen that he, the Lessee should die, it is stipulated that the Lessor shall not eject the wife or descendants from the land against their will. The fences and any other improvements, of what nature soever they may be made by the Lessee, shall at the termination of the twenty years, belong to the Lessor, his heirs and descendants in full propriety without disbursing anything therefor. For further security and the performance of this contract, parties pledge their respective persons and properties, submitting to that end to all Courts and Judges. In testimony this is signed by the parties with Jan Nagel and Peter Jansen Noorman witnesses hereunto subscribed, this 2a of June A° 1649, New Amsterdam. PERMIT TO REV. JOHANNES BACKERIUS, MINISTER OF NEW AMSTERDAM, TO RESIGN HIS OFFICE AND RETURN TO HOLLAND. Johannes Backerius, minister in this city New Amsterdam, appeared before the Council and requested his dismission, in order that he may return to Fatherland; therefore the Honble Director General and Council having considered the urgent request, cannot refuse said Backerius his dismission; the said Director General and Council have accordingly granted him leave to depart for Fatherland. This 6th of July, 1649. RESOLUTION. TO RETAIN AND ENGAGE REV. JOANNES MEGAPOLENSIS AS MINISTER OF THE CHURCH AT NEW AMSTERDAM. Whereas Domine Johannes Backerius on his urgent petition, and, as he declares with the consent of the Classis, wherein the despatches of the Honbin Directors concur, has received from us license and dismission, in order to depart with the first ships for Fatherland, and in the meanwhile this congregation would remain destitute of spiritual nourishment, namely the preaching of the Holy Gospel and the. lawful participation of the Blessed Sacrament, Therefore we, the Director and Council wishing to promote as far as we are able, the honor of God, the welfare and salvation of men, cannot consent that this congregation ought or can remain bereft of a pastor. Wherefore, on the instructions from the Honble Lords Directors, we have resolved, as we do hereby resolve, carnestly and urgently to solicit and entreat the Reverend Dom Johannes Megapolensis, late minister in Renselaerswyck, who having obtained his dismission there, is now here and prepared to depart with the first ships for Fatherland, and seriously and urgently to inquire if he could not be induced by persuasive reasons, for the honor of God, the advancement of his church, and the salvation of men to supply here the service of the Word and the administration of the Holy Sacrament. His reverence has, as we are already informed, no weighty reasons to decline our invitation. Meanwhile the extreme need of the church work imperatively demands, that at least one clergyman remain in this province among the Dutch people, both for this capital and Renselaer's Colony, were it only for administering Baptism to the children who are commonly presented here every Sunday at the Manhatans for baptism alone, sometimes one, sometimes 2, yea even 3 and 4 together. Therefore, we excusing his reasons, cannot accept them at this time, but do hereby resolve, if possible, to endeavor to retain him blanda vi et quasi nolens volens, and we shall try to justify him to the best of our ability both to the reverend Classis and the Patroon from whom he has already received his dismission and settlement of account. Such we resolve, to be most necessary for the honor of God, the service of his church, and the salvation of the people. Thus done in our Council this 24 of August, present: The Honble Director General Petrus Stuyvesant, L. van Dincklage, H. van Dyck, La Montagne, and Brian Nuton. LETTER FROM ROBERT HUSTED AND OTHERS OF GREENWICH TO DIR. STUYVESANT. Right honorable: we the inhabitants of greenwich doe make bould to present your honors with A few lins and to informe you with our state and condition as followeth: our neyghbors of Standford hath allways desired and indevord to depoppolate this plase of grenwich and to leave it without inhabitans that so the prophit may redoune to themselves as might be proved by divers instances: and now they lay howld upon a new ocasion as we aprehend, for such an end M3. Feke being returned Agayn from old England; they make use of his wekenes and sillines to wring the land out of Mr. Halletts hands and they stand redy as we think to gayne a grant from your honor for such A thing. But we hoope your honor will seriously consider before they drawe forth such a request from you: we can not see that M. Fk have any right to it although he Joyned in the purches, yet the former governor protested agaynst them and sent the vandrager* and souldiers and required them to submit to the goverment or Avoyde the plase. M. Feke allways withstood it wherupon when the governor required their answer the Captain and Mrs. * Ensign. |