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June 8, 1646

Piter Wyncoop, plaintiff, vs. Jan Cornelisen, defendant, for payment of fl. [ 149:18 ].^[1] As defendant acknowledges part of the debt, he is ordered to pay now as much as he acknowledges and to prove through Piter Hertgers that he paid the balance, as he claims.

Piter Wyncoop, plaintiff, vs. Adriaen van[ der ] Donck, defendant, for payment of fl. 134:[ 8 ], as appears by a certain bond signed by Antony de Hooges. Whereas said de Hooges acknowledges the debt and promises to pay Piter Wyncoop in current seawan within six weeks from this date in the colony of Renselaer[ swyck ], said de Hooges is condemned to fulfil his promise in the time aforesaid.

Nicolaes Coorn, sheriff of the colony of Renselaerswyck, plaintiff, vs. Antony de Hooges, chief commissary, defendant, on account of a certain dispute between parties about the sloop Renselaerswyck and other matters. As the action is instituted above, In the colony, and as ship are daily expected with which apparently other orders [ for the government ] of the colony are to come, we have sent back the case, in order that the parties may get ready to prosecute the suit at that time.

Jacob Hendricksen, soldier, is commanded not to trespass any more on the lot of Dirck Volckersen and not to molest Dirck any more, on pain of punishment.

11 June^[2]

Whereas Oloff Stevenson, deacon and commissary of merchandise and the store, has presented to us a petition wherein he requests that four referees may be appointed to us to settle the difficulty which he has with Domine Everardus Bogardus, minister here, to which said Bogardus also consents, according to his own writing delivered to us by him, Oloff; therefore, we do not object to do so and hereby appoint the persons of Domine Megapolensis, Mr. de Hooges, Jonker Adriaen Verdonck and Laurens van Heusden, commissary, whom we kindly request and also authorize and fully empower to decide and settle the aforesaid question as far as their honors shall be able to do so, reserving the action which the honorable fiscal may have against Oloff Stevensz. Thus done in Fort Amsterdam, the 11th of June anno 1646.

The honorable director and council to you, Rev. Bogardus, minister here:

Although the offer we made your Reverence to submit our case to the judgment of impartial men, as you requested, sufficiently proves the justice of our proceedings and the inclination we have for peace, just as your refusal proves the contrary, nevertheless, the respect we bear the dignity of the ministry and the desire for your Reverence's welfare prompt us once more, seeing that the opportunity therefor now presents itself, to try to submit the case to those whom we had nominated thereto, namely, the ministers Domine Johannes Megapolensis and Mr. Douthey and such other impartial members as you yourself will be willing to select; protesting in case of refusal that we shall proceed to judgment. And in order that we may with more fervor pray God in the midst of the congregation that He would dispose your and our hearts to a Christian concord, we request that Domine Megapolensis may preach next Sunday, as has always been his custom and, being here, make us partakers of the gifts which God has granted him. Your Reverence will be pleased to gratify us in this matter to the extent that we may hear him on that occasion. Relying hereon and not doubting that your Reverence will have no objection to it, seeing the justice of our request, we shall await your Reverence's answer thereto today and to the preceding matter next Thursday, being the 14th of June.

Whereas we, the under signed, are authorized by the honorable director and council of New Netherland as far as possible to settle the question between Domine Bogardus and Oloff Stevensen, we have examined and considered all the documents in the proceedings and find that Oloff Stevensen is not guilty according to the commission granted to him by the honorable commander and that Domine Bogardus said that had he known of it or the same been shown to him he should never have had such intentions; Therefore, we have unanimously decided and concluded that the question between the aforesaid persons regarding the indigo, beavers and whatever else may appertain thereto shall be from now on finally settled, disposed of and extinguished, without hereafter being in any way revived on either side. And in regard to the complaints which may be made and instituted in consequence of this case against Domine Bogardus, these shall be void and not tend to his prejudice at any future time.

Done at Manhattan this 11th of June anno 1646. The original was signed by Johannes Megapolensis, ecclesiastic in Renselaerswyck, Antony de Hooges, Laurens van Heusden and Adriaen van[ der ] Donck.

Here follows the approval of the honorable director general and council of New Netherland.

Whereas a certain suit has for a long time been pending before us between Oloff Stevensen, deacon and commissary of merchandise and the store of the West India Company, plaintiff in a case of slander, and Domine Everardus Bogardus, minister, defendant, in which after long litigation, the defendant failing to produce proof, we were ready to pronounce judgment, the parties respectively requested us to order and authorize four referees to decide the case, which, in consideration of the standing of the persons, was done and authorized.

The said [ referees ] having decided the question to the satisfaction of the parties, they have requested that the same be approved and confirmed by us, as we do hereby approve and confirm the same to be firm and binding as if the decision were pronounced by ourselves. Thus done in council in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 12th of June anno 1646.

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.