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[      ] here at [      ] respectfully submit Gerart van [      ] also Isacq Melijn and Christoffel van G[      ] also of this city of Amsterdam how they [      ] decided in the year sixteen hundred [      ] to send some materials and other cargo to N[      ] (at the insistence of Cornelis Melijn, patroon [      ] of the island located near the Manhatans in New Netherland to be used there for the establishment of some farms: payment for land, livestock, and other necessities associated thereto. Therefore, in the month of July of this year, the aforesaid materials and cargo were registered with the honorable Company in the name of the aforesaid Melijn and Adriaen vander Doncq, and after the customary inspection and payment of duties applying thereto, loaded in the ship named de Fortuyn, skippered by Daniel Migielsen, who was obligated to deliver the same, upon arriving at the Manhattans, to Allard Anthoni, the petitioners commissary, after showing the bills of lading thereof. Now the petitioners have been informed that the aforesaid ship was forced to put in at the Red Island [ Rhode Island ] by the urging of sailors, crew members, and all the passengers, also with the consent of the supercargo, after having been forced off course for over four months by extraordinary storms and contrary winds, and having come to the end of their foodstuffs so that only one half barrel of water was left, (after having rationed out their last bread the a few days before). Some foodstuffs and necessities were purchased from the English there, for which some of the petitioners' cargo was traded for lack of money. After continuing their voyage and arriving at the Manhatans, their destined place of disembarkation, the honorable fiscal decided to institute proceedings against the aforesaid Cornelis Melijn as initiator of the aforesaid breaking of bulk at the Red Island, accusing him in addition of [      ] some munitions at Staten [      ] [      ] the aforesaid Melijn [      ] by judgment of the [      ] fiscal denied his request and the [      ] the fiscal [      ] a wrong parcel [      ] the honorable fiscal addressed to the [      ] skipper and [      ] with the same thing [      ] by the judgment of 22 April 1651 the ship and [      ] redeeming the goods and merchandise of the passengers and sailors [      ] these proceedings and breaking of bulk as annexed; provided that a proper bill of lading thereof, signed by the skipper, be produced, and also that such goods and merchandise intended for the advancement of farms be recorded, because now that the petitioners as well as the sailors and the passengers are innocent in the purported breaking of bulk, and a proper bill of lading of their loaded goods, signed by the skipper, be produced. It is also known that neither Cornelis Melijn nor Adriaen vander Doncq (in whose name the loading of the petitioners' cargo was done) have appended anything in any way or fashion, either directly or indirectly (as the petitioners have offered to confirm by oath if required), according to these proceedings, therefore, we request that your honors be pleased to order and command their commissary to deliver and restore to the petitioners or their commissary the proceeds of such goods confiscated from their merchandise according to the following list thereof with expenses.

Following is the list of what was confiscated from the petitioners' merchandise:

3 anckers of brandy sold at 40 gl. each	1560
11 ditto paid in cash at 40 gl.
2 anckers of distilled waters sold at 36 gl.	1080
28 ditto paid in cash for the same price
28 pieces of duffel, long 1015 at 62 stivers	3145:14:8
600 lb. of kettles sold at 26 stivers	780:-
140 lb. pepper at 24 stivers	168:-
9 lb. cinnamon at 4 gl	37:-
490 lb. currants at 11 stivers	269:10:-
416 pieces of linen at 38 stivers	790:17:8
18 hats for	158:-
242 pieces of woolen cloth at 30 stivers	363:-
	Total ƒ7352:2-

[ MARGINAL NOTATION: ]

[ four short lines lost ] the ship N. Nederlantse Fortuyn (transporting in moveable items) that recognition fees have been paid on the goods, bills of lading confirmed, and notation made on the manifest; moreover, by virtue of the judgment they ought to be released by the director and councilors, it has been decided that the same be added to the letter, which shall be written to the aforesaid director. Done at the session this 19 February 1652 in the presence of the advocate, Q. van Seventer.

References

A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.