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Ordinary Session Held in Fort Orange
August 20,1657

President, Johannes Lamontagne
Jacob Schermerhoorn
Philip Pietersen
Jan Tomassen
Goosen Gerritsen
magistrates

Mr. van Hamel, plaintiff, against
2d default. Lambert van Valckenborch, defendant.

Harmen Jacobsen, plaintiff, against
Default. Abraham Pietersen Vosburch, defendant.

Harmen Jacobsen, plaintiff, against
Default. Cornelis Vos, defendant.

Idem plaintiff, against
Default. Henderick Bierman, defendant, and Evert Noldinck, defendant.

Idem plaintiff, against
Default. Adriaen Appel, defendant.

Idem plaintiff against
Default. Claes Ripsen, defendant.

Pieter Quackenbosch, plaintiff, against
Default. Pieter Bosboom, defendant.

Jan van Hoesem, plaintiff, against
Default. Gijsbert van Loenen, defendant.

Teunis de Metselaer, plaintiff, against
Default. Jan Gaeuw, defendant.

Harmen Jacobsen, plaintiff, against
Default. Jan Gaeuw, defendant.

Mr. van Hamel, plaintiff, against Pieter Loockermans, defendant.
The plaintiff demands payment of eight beavers and ƒ9 in sewant.
The defendant admits the debt and promises to pay within the space of one month, in beavers, or in sewant, reckoned at ƒ12:- for one beaver.
The court, having heard the confession and the promise of the defendant, orders him to pay the sum demanded within the promised time of one month, under penalty of attachment.

Harmen Jacobsen, plaintiff, against Pieter Bronck, defendant.
The plaintiff says that he has had some money attached, belonging to the defendant.
The court adjourns the case until the next court day, when the parties are to bring in their evidence. Meanwhile, the money remains attached.

Idem plaintiff, against Jan Dareth, defendant.
The plaintiff demands an account of a certain amount and settlement thereof.
The defendant produces his account in court.
The court orders the defendant to give the plaintiff a copy of his account and to settle with each other.

Idem plaintiff, against Pieter Meessen, defendant.
The plaintiff demands payment of the sum of ƒ17:-.
The defendant admits the debt.
The court orders the defendant to pay the sum demanded in eight days, under penalty of attachment.

Idem plaintiff, against Daniel Rinckhout, defendant.
The plaintiff demands that the defendant take back the sum of ƒ55 which he gave him in payment.
The court, having seen the sewant, adjudges the same not merchantable and condemns the defendant to take back the said sewant and to deliver other sewant in its stead within the space of eight days.

Idem plaintiff, against Poulus Jurcksen, defendant.
The plaintiff demands payment of ƒ8:-.
The defendant denies the debt.
The parties having been heard, the court dismiss the plaintiff’s complaint.

Idem Harmen Jacobsen, plaintiff, against Willem Hoffmeyer, defendant.
The plaintiff demands payment of the sum of ƒ13:10:-.
The defendant admits the debt.
The court orders the defendant to pay the sum demanded within the space of eight days.

Idem plaintiff, against Gerrit Hendericksz, defendant.
The plaintiff demands payment of the sum of ƒ103:19:-.
The defendant admits the debt.
The court orders the defendant to pay the sum demanded within the space of 15 days, under penalty of attachment.

Extraordinary Session Held in Fort Orange
August 20, 1657

President, Jacob Schermerhoorn
Philip Pietersen
Jan Tomassen
Adriaen Gerritsen

Goossen Gerritsen and the officer, as interpleader, against Teunis Cornelissen and Marretien, his wife, defendants.
Goossen Gerritsen, plaintiff, complains that the defendants in the month of February of this year, in his absence, came into his house and committed great insolence there. He produces the information taken by the aforesaid officer in regard to said excesses and requests justice in the matter.
The defendant requests time until the next court day to produce his counter evidence.
The court grants the defendant time until the next court day.

Idem officer, plaintiff, against Susanna Janssen, wife of Marten de Bierkaecker, defendant.
The plaintiff says that on Sunday, being the 12th, he discovered an Indian about ten o’clock in the evening who came from the house of Marten Bierkaecker, having with him a kettle in which was brandy and other strong liquor, as he proves by the testimony of three witnesses, given on the 15th of the aforesaid month, and also by the confession of the defendant herself.^[1] And whereas this is a deed of very dangerous consequence, in violation of the placards issued by the honorable director general and council of New Netherland,^[2] and a deed which cannot be tolerated in a place where justice prevails, therefore, the said La Montagne, in his capacity as officer, demands that the said Susanna Janssen, in accordance with the said placards, be condemned to pay a fine of ƒ500: and the costs of the suit and furthermore be banished from this jurisdiction for the term of six years.
The defendant again confesses that she committed the said deed but says that she was moved by extreme poverty, her husband having double hernia and being therefore unable to earn his living and she being burdened with three small children, for whom she can buy no food except with beavers, which she the week before had tried to buy in many places for sewant at ƒ12:- apiece, but could not get. That, finally, she was asked [ for the liquor ] by an Indian who came twice to her house at night with a beaver, for which she gave him three pints of beer, brandy, French and Spanish wine, mixed together, praying of the court forgiveness in consideration of her youth and extreme poverty, promising never to do so again.

The court, considering the dangerous consequences of the case and the severe placards, condemn the said Susanna Janssen, in accordance with the said placards, to pay a fine of [ left blank ].

Notes

References

Translation: Gehring, C., trans./ed., New Netherland Documents Series: Vol. 16, part 2, Fort Orange Court Minutes, 1652-1660 (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press: 1990).A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.