claim, therefore you must send us a statement of the goods, which his brother Arnout van Hardenburgh may consign to him. We have engaged the supercargo for the "Pynappel”, Cornelis Greesen, under the conditions, as per enclosed copy, and paid him 20 fl on account of his salary to be earned, the balance, which will not amount to much, may be paid to him there. Commending you herewith to God's protection we remain, Honorable Dear and Faithful Sir, Your Honor's true friends Amsterdam, J. SPECX. Concerning the case of Mons van Twiller the Council has come to no decision yet; your Honor will therefore leave the payment of his claims in statu quo. J. SPECX. DAVID VAN BAERLE. LETTER FROM THE PRINCE OF ORANGE TO DIRECTOR STUYVESANT, INFORMING HIM THAT CORNELIS MELYN AND JOCHEM PIETERSEN KUYTER HAD RECEIVED PERMISSION ΤΟ RETURN TO NEW NETHERLAND AND ORDERING THE DIRECTOR NOT TO MOLEST THEM. THE PRINCE OF ORANGE. Honorable, Prudent, Discreet, Dear Sir. You will receive by the bearers hereof Jochem Pietersen Cuyter and Cornelis Melyn, the commands, which their High: Might: the States General have concluded to issue to you, directing you to allow these men to enjoy their property there free and unmolested by virtue of the provisional appeal, granted to them by their High: Might: with the clause suspending the sentence passed over them by you on the 25th of July 1647. Although I do not doubt, that you will obey and respect these orders, yet I desire hereby to admonish you very earnestly and advise you expressly, that you allow these men to enjoy quietly and without contradiction the result of the resolution passed by their High: Might: Herewith etc At the Gravens' Hague, May 19th 1648. To the Honorable Prudent, Discreet, Our Dear and Special Friend PETRUS STUYVESANT Director of New Netherland. Your very good friend PROPOSALS MADE BY DIR. STUYVESANT ON THE SUBJECT OF SMUGGLING GUNS, MANSLAUGHTER AT FORT ORANGE ETC, AND RESOLUTIONS OF COUNCIL THEREUPON. Propositions submitted by the Honble Director General in Council. Whereas it is seen by experience that nothing is done by the Fiscal to obtain a decision as to what is to be done with the guns, about in number, obtained from both the ships and still remaining in the Council Chamber; in case no further claim is brought against the ships on that account, we are of opinion that the guns at least are liable to confiscation. 24 Regarding the 13 guns and 13 bullet moulds and some other articles marked Æ. which are seized, not appearing on the invoice of goods taken on board. 3rd The purchased cloth which still lies in the Council Chamber, and is found longer than is entered on the invoice. 4th In regard to the homicide, whilst I was at Fort Orange, and the wounding of the gunner by Simon Courtbrant, a soldier, who ran away before my departure, and since skulks at Mespachtes without the Fiscal making any enquiry for, or prosecuting him, to the blame and scandal of the court. 5th The petition of the free traders in favor of the conVicted Jacob Reynsen and Schermerhoorn, that their sentence of banishment may be revoked. Finally, the case of Egbert The petition of respectable Burghers residing in this city, New Amsterdam, having been read in Council, and the petition and conduct of Jacob Reynsen and Jacob Jansen Schermerhoorn in regard to a certain sentence of banishment recently imposed on them for trading in contraband wares considered, the Honble Director General and Council of New Netherland have graciously revoked the banishment of said Jacob Reynsen and Schermerhoorn, and declare them from this time and henceforth capable of going, coming and returning here, as is permitted to all other honest people. Thus done in Fort Amsterdam, the first of August A° 1648. Present, the General, Mr. DINCKLAGE, LA MONTAGNE, B. NUTON, P. LEENDERSEN and ADRIAn Keyser. RESOLUTIONS TO SUMMON THE CHIEF OFFICER OF THE COLONY OF RENSSELAERWYCK TO ANSWER CERTAIN CHARGES AND ANSWER TO THE CHARGES. The Honble Director General having produced in Council the charges exhibited to and made against Brant van Slechtenhorst, chief officer in the Colony of Renselaerswyck, and the countercharges and protest of said Slechtenhorst, dated 28th of July, A° 1648, it is therefore resolved and concluded in Council to authorize the Fiscal to cause said Slechtenhorst to be summoned to appear here before the Honble Director and Council and hear the said Fiscal's demand against him. This 10th of August A° 1648. Abraham Willemsen appeared in Council, declared and acknowledged that being with Egbert van Borsum at Newhaven in the North in the year 1647, he in company with Egbert van Borsum bought there from Klinckert, the chief boatswain and from the cook, all sailing on the ship St. Beninjo, Cornelis Claesen Snoÿ, master, 50 guns (snaphanen,) four kegs of powder, two kegs of shot, which he declares to be true. This 10th August A° 1648, New Amsterdam. Present: The Honble General, Mr. DINCKLAGE, LA MONTAGNE, B. NUTON and ADRIEN D' KEYSER. Complaints exhibited to the Chief Officer of the Colony of Renselaerswyck. We judge and declare that the granting of Patents and the building on grounds about the Company's fortress Orange, without the knowledge and consent of our Sovereigns' representative, tend to the disparagement of the authority of our Sovereigns, their issued commission, an infraction and diminution of their granted charter, a notable weakening of the Fort aforesaid in time of defense and necessary resistance, and therefore opposed to all military and defensive order. Wherefore we request in virtue of our commission, the Commandant and Court of the said Colony to desist and refrain from such building within a cannon shot from the Fort, until further order and advice from our Sovereigns, or Superiors, or to produce to us, special consent and authority signed by our Sovereigns or Superiors aforesaid, there being, either above or below equally suitable, yea better building spots. 2. That no new ordinances touching the sovereign authority, general commerce and the public welfare such as the farming of the trade, attaching the grain and masts and other property belonging to the servants and vassals of the Company, be made or published without the advice and ratification of the representative of their High Mightinesses and our Superiors. 3. Without abridging authority or right of the Colonists, or of their Court in attachments and lawsuits, we demand that attachments levied on the property of the Company's servants or vassals be prosecuted within a reasonable time, where they ought to be prosecuted, so that the interested party, be he servant, or vassal, may turn the property to his profit without serious loss and lapse of time. 4. We are informed, and it has been certainly laid before us in form of complaint that Commander Slechtenhorst endeavors to force and to make the inhabitants of the Colony to promise that the defendants will not appeal from his and his Court's judgment and sentence to the supreme and general Court of New Netherland, which we consider to be a high crime against, and conflicting not only with our Netherland practice, but also with the granted Freedoms and Exemptions of this Province, by the 20th article whereof all inhabitants are allowed to appeal to the Commander and Council of New Netherland from all judgments given by the Court of the Patroons exceeding in amount the sum of Fifty Carolus guilders. 5. In order to prevent the aforesaid unfounded rule, and to give the good inhabitants of the Province the benefit of regular and just judgments, whereon, in conjunction with pure religion, depend the peace, happiness and prosperity of the country in general and the inhabitants in particular, We shall willingly leave to the Courts their proper authority and jurisdiction, saving that for the better promotion of justice, a report and review of the affairs and proceedings of the Colony, be annually rendered to us and our adjoined Council, the commissioned representatives of our Sovereign home government, pursuant to articles 20 and 28 of the New Netherland Exemptions. LASTLY. Whereas in contempt of our office, with which we are invested by commission from their High Mightinesses, Commander Slechtenhorst in the presence of us and many others asserts, and by actions affirms that he is not subject to us and our government-in contradiction not only of our general commission granted by superior authority, but also of the Freedoms and Exemptions of Patroons, article 28 whereof lays down, that "all Colonists shall be obliged to transmit, at least once in every twelve months, an exact report of their lands and Colonies to the Commander and Council there"-by which indecent assault upon the reputation of our official character, and, in our person, the dignity of our Lords Directors are seriously defamed and insulted: Therefore we, to obviate hereafter all altercation and misunderstanding, first, desire and demand proof of, and authority for this pretension under the signature of their High Mightinesses, or of some of the Directors at the Chamber at Amsterdam, which being exhibited and seen, we shall respect Commander Slechtenhorst agreeably to his commission; suppress the aforesaid complaints, and honor and obey the further order of our gracious Sovereigns and Lords Directors; or in default thereof we remain bound by oath and honor to maintain our previous commission, to protest against the Commander for contumacy and disobedience committed in our person against the authority and commission of their High Mightinesses, our sovereigns. Meanwhile, we remain disposed and prepared to promote the welfare of the Colony in general and of the inhabitants in particular, and to afford them whatever aid they stand in need of. Done in Fort Orange this 23rd July, 1648, subscribed: Your affectionate Friend and Governor, Agrees with the Original which I attest, Beneath was written: P. STUYVESANT. A. DE HOOGES, Secretary. We the undersigned hereby certify and declare that, by order of the Honble General abovementioned, we have communicated and most truly read the foregoing complaints to Commander Slechtenhorst and his Council, where, besides himself, Mr. Anthony de Hooges only was present, and gave him a copy thereof on the above day. In acknowledgment of the truth this is signed with our own hands. (Signed) Agrees with the copy written by Brant van Slechtenhorst himself. CAREL VAN Brugge. COR. VAN TIENHOVEN, Secretary. Answer of Brant van Slechtenhorst, chief officer of the Colony of Renselaerswick, to the above written complaint. Whereas General Petrus Stuyvesant, whom at divers times heretofore I have informed that I was heartily inclined to live with his Honor in all friendship and neighborhood, as becomes Christians, and to show him all honor and respect, as far as oath and honor would permit, has on the 20th and 21st of July of this year verbally communicated and afterwards on the 23a ditto caused to be delivered in writing to me, Brant van Slechtenhorst, divers complaints wherein the Patroon's right is, in my opinion, somewhat injuriously affected and curtailed, and which tend to the great prejudice of our said Patroon, Therefore did I, on the 21st inst., in presence of several persons, say to the General; You complain without reason; I have more reason to complain on behalf of the Patroon, as namely: Last year the Director caused a prohibition to be posted up, nearly of the same tenor as that handed to me in writing on the 23a of July by the officers. |