Research

Series:

Scanned Document:

Inventory of the property which I, skipper Claes Cornelisz, found on the ship De Offerhande Abrahams, the 21^st of October anno 1655
1 main sail
2 foresails with a bonnet
1 main topsail
1 fore topsail
1 spritsail, good and bad as it is
1 mizzen
1 prince’s flag
1 Jack
3 anchors
3 cables
1 horseline
Some old loose ropes
1 bundle of match
1 dipping pan
1 gridiron
1 keg with some powder
2 iron 3 pounders
1 ladle and 1 sponge
2 small pedereros with 3 chambers
1 worm
6 cannon balls
3 muskets
1 powder horn
2 copper kettles
1 brass pot
1 dishing out spoon
1 skimmer
1 frying pan
1 scraper
2 cartridge tubes
1 tub with blacking
1 dozen wooden bowls
6 plates
30 lbs. Of ( )
2 pewter dishes
1 pewter basin
1 pewter dipping bowl
1 pewter wine cup
4 compasses
3 night hour glasses
1 captain's glass running two hours
6 [      ] spars of all sorts
1 tin lamp
1 lamp in the watch house
3 marling spikes
1 piece of pump leather
1 boat line with a lead
1 maul
1 axe
1 kedge anchor

On the 23d of October of this year 1655, the undersigned commissaries appointed by the honorable director general in the name of the honorable directors of the West India Company, of the one part, and Capt Tomas Willeth, of Plymouth in New England, merchant, of the other part, have agreed about the purchase of the little ship Abraham's Offerhande according to the preceding Inventory, to wit:

That the aforesaid ship and the articles enumerated in the inventory shall be delivered to the aforesaid Tomas Willeth, who shall be held free of all claims thereto to be made by any one in the world and in all ports and harbors by peoples who are in alliance with the State of the Netherlands. For which ship and furniture above mentioned Mr. Willeth promises to pay for account of the said Company the sum of thirty-three hundred and fifty guilders, payable in good beef and pork, to wit, the fresh unsalted beef and pork to be delivered here at the Manhatans, clean on the hook, at three and a half stivers a pound, ox beef, and good pork at four and a half stivers a pound; the salt beef in barrels at four stivers and salt pork in barrels at five stivers; it being understood that the half of the said purchase money must be paid in the above named provisions, all in good condition, before this winter, and the other half in the spring, in the month of April. In token of the truth this is signed by us, the parties on both sides, on the date above written. It is also agreed that the Prince's flags shall be retained by the honorable Company, provided that so much bunting shall be delivered to Mr. Willeth as is necessary to make an English flag. Ady ut supra.

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.