Translation
Order of Lucas Hendricksen, drummer, on the West India Company to pay his debt to Lucas Dircksen out of his monthly pay in case he should not return from the expedition against the Swedes
Before me, Cornelis van Ruyven, appointed secretary in New Netherland in the service of the General Chartered West India Company, appeared the worthy Lucas Hendricksen, from West-countrey, drummer here in the service of the said Company, who in the presence of the undersigned witnesses acknowledged that he was well and truly indebted to Lucas Dircksen, corporal in the aforesaid Company's service, in the sum of sixty guilders at 20 stivers each for goods received to his satisfaction, which sum he promises to pay when opportunity offers to Lucas Dircksen aforesaid. But whereas he is obliged to depart with the honorable director general to the South River and does not know whether any accident (which God forbid) may befall him or not, he requests and desires, in case he should happen to die on said expedition, that the contents hereof be satisfied and paid to Lucas Dircksen aforesaid out of the monthly pay which is at present due or shall then be due to him from the Company, in preference to all other debts, if there be any at the time of his decease.
In witness hereof the appearer has signed this with the witnesses. Done at Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 29th of August anno 1655.
References
Translation: Scott, K., & Stryker-Rodda, K. (Ed.). New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 3, Register of the Provincial Secretary, 1648-1660 (A. Van Laer, Trans.). Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1974.A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.
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