ever to succeed: when occasion offers and the time seems to be favorable, we shall nevertheless press the matter again and endeavor to see, whether so serviceable a measure cannot be brought about. You shall hear the result in due time. The arguments, made by the said Burgomasters in favor of their request, to increase the weights in the public weigh-house 6 p. ct. are not sufficient to make us order such a change, for we see many difficulties in such alterations; the merchants, buying tobacco and other merchandises there, upon which the English allow no rebate, can and undoubtedly make their calculations by your weight satisfactorily and without risk, as everybody knows his own business and is therefore alert and cautious about it. The three flags, the partisans, halberds and drums, required for the trainbands, are sent herewith, also some drumskins, snares and strings, to be used when necessary. * * Thus far in reply to the letter of his Honor, the Director-General. The Burgomasters and Schepens have among others requested us, that for repayment of the debts of the administration they might be given and granted the whole income from the public Weighhouse, observing, that one fourth of it was already given them by you, which we now have also learned from your resolution of the 25th of January 1658, lately sent over. This appears strange to us, for you ought to have first received our approbation and added reasons for the necessity of this step, so that we could express our opinion on it, especially as time and circumstances required no hurried action; which we presume was not the case here. Although the books of the colonists' accounts and of monthly wages, sent by you, have not yet been thoroughly examined, we have already found in them much to displease us, especially the items placed to the credit of the Company's officers, while they were still indebted to the Company, for instance Councillor La Montagne is credited with....... Vincent Pikes with and Gerrit Bicker with ... Al 117.16.8 13.10.0 15.00.0 all in favor of one Jacob Schellinger, upon the statement of whose account payment was demanded here from us, notwithstanding that the first still owes the Company fl 1900, the second has not as much to his credit and the third* had already committed his villainous deed. You have also given credit to D' Johannes Polhemius for fl 782.6.-, but as he has that much to his credit on his Brasilian account, we have balanced these two sums against each other, which you too must do in your books and you are hereby expressly charged, not to give further credit either to his reverence, whose account is now closed and with whom the Company has nothing further to do, nor to anybody else, be he an officer or a party, to whom the Company owes nothing; for in case of death of the persons or other troubles the Company would only be the loser. We learn further from the books of monthly wages, that the Councillor La Montagne receives instead of fl 200 for rations 300 per year; the same increase has been allowed to Peter Tonneman in his account of salary; both changes having been made without the knowledge of the Company, as if it did not concern us and we need not know what became of our funds. To prevent troubles we are now compelled to give to Councillor De Decker also 300fl for rations yearly, instead of 200, to begin with his arrival there, unless we wished to disapprove your action completely, which for reasons we do not at present, but shall certainly do in the future, as we must necessarily resent any neglect * Gerrit Bicker had been commander of Fort Casimir, which he surrendered to the Swedes under Rysingh in 1654, without offering any resistance. See Vol. I, pp. 601-605, and Vol. XII, p. 86. of the Company's interests and reputation. We shall inform you, what else we find to remark on in the aforesaid books; in the meantime we expect your general Journal (blaffart) of all the Company's expenses and receipts for the year 1658, to see now and for the future, how its means and revenues are employed. In the administration of the finances the instructions drawn up here and sent to you must be strictly obeyed without any deviation whatever, and in order that this may be done without fail, we charge herewith the Receiver General Van Ruyven not to neglect his duty and to make no payment to anybody, whoever he be, unless ordered according to the instructions. As he has undoubtedly a good knowledge of affairs, we have for your own relief decided to give him an advisory and conclusive vote, but only on questions concerning the finances and what is intimately connected with them; you will make a note hereof and act accordingly. The arguments submitted by the Burgomasters and Schepens there, why the office of auctioneer and the sale of real estate within the City should be committed to the charge of the communalty or its Secretary, appear so convincing and satisfactory, that we have granted their request and Secretary van Ruyven is herewith relieved from these duties. We understand, that he charged for the sale of real estate a commission of 5 p. ct., which is too much and should anyway have been paid into the Company's treasury, as it is done in this City here. That this method may be followed there also, we have resolved, that henceforth there be paid for sales of real estate into the Company's treasury in cases of voluntary sales the 40th penny, one half by the seller, the other by the purchaser, on Sheriff's sales the 80th penny by the purchaser alone, together with one half of a guilder to the Secretary besides his office fees; you will act accordingly. A considerable number of free people are now going over at the expense of the Company; among them you may find some, who have engaged to serve other masters, as this is the manner in which the authorities of Rensselaerswyck and other private owners of colonies bring over their people. It is not feasible to discover that here and we have therefore resolved to direct and recommend you, to keep and cause to be kept a sharp look-out and to demand from the masters of persons coming over that way the passagemoney advanced by us: for else the desire of the Company, to increase the population, would be thoroughly abused at our expense, while we intend to grant free passage only to free indigent persons, having the ability to make a living, on the condition, that it be considered as a loan, to be repaid, when they are in better circumstances or if they leave the Company's territory. You must keep a good account of them and enter the item to the debit of every one not only to demand the money in due time, but also to see upon the departure of ships whether some of these men do not return to this country. A copy of these accounts must be sent to us without delay every year, that we too may be able to see, how careful of the interests of the Company you are. The slow expedition of the ships coming over now, caused by an early frost, has compelled many colonists and other freemen, now going in this ship the "Trouw" at the expense of the Company, to expend their little fund of money, so that we finally decided out of pity to give to the most needy for their support small sums, as you will see by the enclosed lists, and we direct, that you charge these sums to their individual accounts and allow them to earn as much by labor or otherwise, also to take care, that these and other free people coming over, may find places with good masters and farmers, for the country must be made to prosper especially by agriculture. The invoices of private goods, shipped in the " Trouw," are enclosed and we recommend to you and still more to the Fiscal closely to watch the discharging of her cargo. The required powder, lead and other ammunition of war, as well as the material for clothing could not be shipped in the " Trouw;" you may therefore expect them by the "Otter,” which will follow in 8 or 10 days. Date as above. By order A. B. DE DECKER, jun. LETTER FROM THE DIRECTORS TO STUYVESANT: CHILDREN FROM THE ALMSHOUSE SENT TO NEW 20th of February, 1659. NETHERLAND. Honorable, Prudent, Dear, Faithful. As you will find among the free people, going over in the ship " Trouw" at the expense of the Company six children from the Almshouse, named as in the enclosed list, who by mistake received no passport and therefore were not entered upon the manifest, we thought it advisable to inform you thereof, that the skipper may not have trouble on account of it. We further recommend you to place these children (girls and boys, who might be apprenticed to farmers) with proper and honest masters, as it has been done heretofore. Relying thereupon we commend you to God's holy protection. Amsterdam, February 20th, 1659. By order of the Lords-Directors of the W. I. Comp., Dept. of Amsterdam A. B. DE DECKER, jr. The enclosed list shows also, what passengers went over from the "Trouw" to the "Otter." To the Honble Petrus Stuyvesant, Director-General and Council in New Netherland. By the "Otter." COUNCIL MINUTE. MAGISTRATES FOR GRAVESEND APPOINTED. Honoured Gou'nor. Wee the Inhabitants of Grauesand according to our vsuall manner and the libberties and preuiledges of our pattent haue made choice of William Wilkens, William Bowne and John Cooke for our Magistrates this yeare and likewise Charles Morgen for our Scout, all which are well knowne vnto yo' Hon' haueing binne formarly in place and office: and now present them by our messenger John Applegate in the name of the whole desireing yo' Honours Confirmation an Establishment of them and wee shall rest in all due obedience. Yo" The Inhabbytants of The persons above nominated weare by these presents by Us confirmed and established as Magistrates and Schout for the yeare folloinge 1659. Actum Amsterdam in Nieu Nederlant 21st Aprilis 1659. PATENT FOR LAND IN MIDWOUT, (FLATBUSH) L. I. Petrus Stuyvesant, Director-General &c., and the Council testify and declare, that to-day, date underwritten, we have given and granted to Gustavus Danielis a lot, situate upon Long Island in the village of Midwout on the South side of the former millhouse, in which the widow of Solomon Abbes lives, and on the North side of Jan Cornelissen's land, in length on both sides five rods, wide in front and rear four and one half rods: with the express condition and stipulation, etc. Done at Fort Amsterdam in N. N. the 21st of April 1659. PATENT FOR LAND ON LONG ISLAND. Petrus Stuyvesant, Director-General, etc., and the Council testify and declare, that to-day date underwritten, we have given and granted to Govert Loockermans, Cornelis van Ruyven and Jacobus Backer a piece of land, situate on Marten Gerritsen's Bay, in the Indian tongue called Matinneconcq alias Hogs Neck or Hogs Island, being a small island at high tide, with the dependencies thereof, as the said Loockermans bought it from the natives in the year 1650: with the express condition and stipulation, etc. Done at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 23d of April 1659. LETTER FROM THE DIRECTORS TO STUYVESANT: RENSSELAERS WYCK; LATIN SCHOOL; STATEN ISLAND; CODE OF PROCEDURE. April 25th 1659. Honorable, Prudent, Dear, Faithful Since our last letter to you of the 13th of February, sent by the "Trouw" and the "Otter,' the Patroon and the other directors of the Colony of Rensselaerswyck have presented a remonstrance, containing various, but in the main the same, complaints, which have already been made several times, to which they have only added their lamentations over the demand of the tenths and the farming out of the excise on wine and beer consumed in the said Colony of Rensselaerswyck. In regard to the last two points we referred to what had passed between you and Jan Baptista Rensselaer in June 1656 and we must admit, that we are highly pleased with your answer to his remonstrance, wishing only, that you had avoided or passed over the too minute explication or statement regarding the expenses, which he claims the Patroon and the co-directors incur in the maintenance of their servants: the following words "or if impartial men &c" might also have been omitted, for it seems, they have given these people with their unfounded claims some hope, that by supporting a preacher they could avoid the paying of the tenths; especially if the case is to be adjudged by arbitrators, which they have always desired, while we considered it uncalled for and against the interest of the Company: we stand upon quite a different, but sufficiently firm basis, also upon some demands against the Patroon and the co-directors, for which in due time we shall demand satisfaction. These points and the provisional answer, already given to their abovementioned remonstrance, are herewith sent you for an expression of your opinion thereon and in order to see, whether you may not have still other complaints against the Patroon and the other directors, which we shall expect in due time. As we cannot discover, that according to the Freedoms and Exemptions, which they quote so often, the Company is deprived of the power and authority of appointing a Schout even for the Colony of Rensselaerswyck,—we intended to direct and authorize you hereby, to appoint and instal somebody there as such, but in order to do this for the present with the least commotion, we would suggest to you, whether the present Schout in the said Colony - we think, he is Gerrit Swart, who has already taken the oath of allegiance to the Company - should not have the preference before others and be continued in his office, on condition, that he receives and accepts his instructions and commission (to be drawn up by you) on behalf of the Company as Chief Patroons and Sovereigns under the jurisdiction and government of their High: Might, the Lords States-General. If you think it advisable, you may act accordingly or in any other convenient and suitable manner; act however without precipitancy, but await a favorable opportunity; meanwhile we desire you, to continue in the former manner with the demand for the tenths and other duties from the Colony, until we shall give you other instructions.* In our next we shall inform you and give a complete and explicit account of the statements, made by Cornelis Melyn concerning the purchase of Staten Island for account of the Company under the administration of the former Director Minuit; also of our answers, given to some of his representations and requests. How much trouble we have taken, to find a Latin schoolmaster is shown by the fact, that now one Alexander Carolus Cursius, late Professor in Lithuania, goes over, whom we have engaged as such at a yearly salary of 500fl, board money included; we give him also a present of 100f in merchandise, to be used by him upon his arrival there, as you may learn by the enclosed extract from our resolutions or by the contract, made with him, to which we refer for brevity's sake. We have sufficiently proved, by our late precaution and orders, of how great importance we consider the proper administration of the finances there: as we have seen, that to carry out our plans a suitable and experienced bookkeeper is required there, we have here engaged as such Jacob Sam at a monthly salary of 50fl and 200fl a year for board; he is coming over with his wife and family in one of these ships. There is further doing over one Dirck Looten, whom we have engaged as clerk at a monthly salary of 20 with 80f a year for board; he belongs to a good family and is also said to be a promising young man. If you have occasion to advance him, we recommend you to do so; in the meantime employ him, wherever his services may be found required and useful.** The following two paragraphs refer to lawsuits between private parties. ** See Vol. XIII, p. 99. |