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On the 21st of September, in the year after the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, one thousand six hundred and forty-seven, before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary in New Netherland appointed by the General Chartered West India Company, appeared the honorable and valiant Mr. Petrus Stuyvesant, director general of New Netherland, Curaçao and the islands thereof, of the first part, and Mr. Steven Goudjer, deputy governor and merchant, residing at the Roode Berch, called by the English New Haven, of the second part, who in the presence of the undersigned witnesses, declared that they had voluntarily, without persuasion or inducement, amicably entered into, made and concluded together the following contract in the manner and on the terms hereinafter written.

The said general sells for the account of the directors of the Chartered West India Company, chamber at Amsterdam, the ship Swol with standing and running rigging, sails, anchors, cables end all that further appears by inventory, good and bad, as the ship aforesaid now lies and can be seen, to the said Mr. Steven Goudjer, deputy governor, who also acknowledges that he has bought the ship above mentioned according to the inventory placed in his hands, in such condition, good or bad, as the said ship now lies in the roadstead and has been inspected by him, the purchaser, for the sum of nine thousand Carolus guilders, if twenty iron cannon shall be delivered with her, and seven thousand guilders if only ten iron guns be delivered with the ship Swol, it being left to the option of the purchaser whether he is to receive ten or twenty iron guns with the ship and the appurtenances mentioned in the inventory and to make payment accordingly as hereinbefore mentioned.

The purchaser remains bound to receive the ship and the appurtenances specified in the inventory here in the roadstead in front of Fort Amsterdam and to execute an acknowledgment of such receipt, taking the ship and all that belongs to her at his risk from the hour that the delivery shall be made, the above mentioned general being bound only to furnish a sufficient crew to assist in conducting the ship Swol by the inner way^[1] to New Haven, placing a person over them in command. And as the general incurs and will run no risk in the least of said ship on the voyage from here to New Haven, the above named Mr. Goudjer shall provide at his expense a pilot in whose charge the entire ship, cargo and appurtenances shall be, which pilot shall have the command in tacking, veering, turning, sailing, getting under way and hearing to during the voyage; and if it should happen, which God forbid, that any accident overtook said ship, the honorable general shall not have to suffer anything on that account, but the loss shall be borne wholly by the purchaser.

Mr. Steven Goudjer promises to furnish provisions necessary for the ship’s crew on the voyage to the Roode Berch and in addition to pay here in this country to the honorable General Petrus Stuyvesant, or his order, the sum of nine or seven thousand guilders, as mentioned above, to wit: one fourth in good peas, one fourth in good wheat receivable at New Haven, both the peas and the wheat at thirty-nine stivers a schepel, and the remaining two fourth parts in white strung sewant, computed at six beads for a stiver, of which 2/4 parts 1500 gl. shall be delivered in beef and pork, as the animals hang on the hook, at New Haven, where the director general shall send a person to inspect and receive the same if approved and to ship the same to him, namely, between this date and the last of May next, when the last payment must be made. For greater security and fulfillment hereof Isaack Allerton offers himself as surety and co-principal, providing that in case the purchaser remain in default of payment, the surety shall be held responsible for the purchase money. For the performance of this contract he, the purchaser, as principal, and Mr. Isaack Allerton, as surety and co-principal, bind their respective persons and property, movable and immovable, present and future, submitting the same to all courts and judges. In testimony whereof this is signed the day and year above mentioned by the general, by Mr. Goudjer, as purchaser and principal, and by Mr. Isaack Allerton, as surety and co-principal, in the presence of Paulus Leendersen, naval storekeeper, and Carel van Brugge, as witnesses.

References

Translation: Scott, K., & Stryker-Rodda, K. (Ed.). New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 2, Register of the Provincial Secretary, 1642-1647 (A. Van Laer, Trans.). Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1974.A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.