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May 11, 1645

The fiscal, plaintiff, vs. Piter van[ den ] Bergh and Willem de Key, defendants. Plaintiff requests a speedy trial.

In court appeared the Invited councilors, Captain Johan de Vries, Ensign Gysbert de Leuw, and Commissaries Oloff Stevensz and Gysbert Opdyc.

Willem de Key still objects to Captain Johan de Vries and gives reasons for the challenge. Piter van[ den ] Bergh is satisfied to have Opdyck sit with the council. The fiscal is ordered to inquire further where the cloth has gone and who took it out of the cases.

Ritchert Cloff, plaintiff, vs. Philip Weyt, defendant, for payment for 2200 lb. of pork. Defendant answers that he paid Mr. Bosseroot in Virginia. Ordered that Ritchert Cloff give security for the delivery of the bond and that the defendant before he leaves here furnish surety for the payment of the above named sum.

Gysbert Opdyck, plaintiff, vs. Tonis Cray's wife, defendant, for slander. Whereas the defendant can not prove what she said, it is ordered that she shall keep silence on pain of being punished as she deserves.

Touchyn Briel, plaintiff, vs. Robbert Bottelaer, defendant.

1 Default.

The council having observed how much the Company needs a carpenter here, Piter Cornelisz is engaged as house carpenter at fl. 36 a month and fl. 100 a year for board.

^[1]This day, being the 24th of May 1645, appeared here a chief named Witaneywen, sachem of Moohgonnekonc, lying on Long Island with 47 armed Indians, who offered his services to this country, whereupon the director convened these following persons: Fiscal van[ der ] Hoykens, Monsieur la Montangne, Captain Onderhill, Ensign de Leuw, Oloff Stevensen and Gysbert Opdyck, commissaries, Jan Eversen and Jacob Stoffelsen of the Selectmen, to whom the said sachem submitted his proposition.

It is resolved that he shall embark in one of the sloops of the Company and sail to the place where he is to put ashore his spies to discover the enemy, whose whereabouts they are to report to him, whereupon he is to endeavor to defeat them with all his force; and after the work is done he is to return here to be rewarded according to his deserts. The director is to provide them with the necessary food in the sloop, etc.

Before us, the director and council of New Netherland, appeared Wittaneywen, sachem of Mochgonnekonck, declaring that he is empowered by his bretheren named as follows, to wit:

Rochkouw, the greatest sachem of Cotsjewaminck, Mamawichtouw, sachem of Catsjeyick, Weyrinteynich, sachem Mirrachtauhacky, and said as well in his own name as in that of his bretheren aforesaid that they had taken under their protection the villages called Onheywichkingh, Sichteyhacky, Sicketauhacky, Nisinckquehacky, at which place the Matinnekoncx are now living, and Keckouhacky,

He asked to enter into a firm alliance of friendship with us and promised that nothing but friendship would be shown to the Christians by him, his warriors, or any one in the above named villages; and in order that his friendly feeling might appear he offered to attack our enemies, which he did, bringing a head and hands of the enemy. He agreed to help us henceforth against the Indians, our enemies, which [ offer ] we accepted. In confirmation of this agreement a present was given by us to the above named chiefs, with promise not to molest them so long as he and the villages aforesaid observe their duty, but to show them all possible friendship. In testimony of the truth the original hereof is signed by us, confirmed with our pendant seal and handed to the chief, the 29th of May 1645, in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland.

Notes

References

Translation: Scott, K., & Stryker-Rodda, K. (Ed.). New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 4, Council Minutes, 1638-1649 (A. Van Laer, Trans.). Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1974.A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.