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Noble, Honorable, Esteemed, Wise and very Prudent Lord:

My Lord, your letters dated the 20th, 21st and 22nd were delivered to me by Jan Flamaen. Since the ship, de Waegh, and the galliot, Nieuwer Amstel, arrived here, I let the galliot be unloaded first in order to send it to you at Manhattan for the purpose of shipping some tobacco, if there is any there in storage, that the merchants or owners may be inclined to send off to Amsterdam in de Waegh; at the same time announcing that everyone may ship their tobacco or other goods in the aforesaid galliot without being required to pay freight charges for carrying them over. The fills of lading will be signed by the galliot's skipper, Jacob Jansz Huss, (who is acquainted with these coasts and waters) in order to deliver here as quickly as possible to de Waegh that which he takes aboard the galliot there. Concerning the [      ] of the ship, de Waegh, to carry the tobacco or other goods to Amsterdam...

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...the aforesaid galliot be sent together with de Waegh with the hope of finding another cargo of tobacco at Manhattan and to load it aboard de Waegh at the Santpunt; at which time all bills of lading can be signed by Captain H. de Raeth on de Waegh. But, in case the merchants or freighters of de Waegh should object strenuously about the risk of sending anything southward to this place, saying that they in no way would be able to resolve to send their tobacco into these waters in the galliot, then I would have to allow and approve that the galliot, after having been loaded, should wait for the ship, de Waegh, at the Santpunt in order to unload and transfer the cargo immediately upon de Waegh's arrival, and then at once to make another trip to Manhattan, bringing back a cargo to de Waegh as quickly as possible so that it can set sail from this coast and proceed to Amsterdam by the end of this month at the latest. This had been transmitted by my superiors or lords-mayors and which I have been commanded most urgently to obey.

Responding further to your letters delivered by Captain Flamaen, I can say that I have not yet heard of any fugitives from Virginia and shall inform you as quickly as possible...

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... and to supply by the most suitable means and to the greatest advantage and profit which shall be [      ] and expected by my superiors.

The long awaited letters from the fatherland which came over on de Waegh, have been entrusted to the respective skippers and other private parties who came over; and at this opportunity, with the departure of the galliot for Manhattan, they are to be delivered to their addresses there.

Further, it is my amicable request that you may be pleased to inform me of the lowest and most current price of bread, namely, cakes^[1] ; likewise, rye-flour, bacon, meat, peas and beans. In the meantime I shall have some empty casks prepared in order to send them over for shipment at once aboard the galliot. For payment I have duffels, linen-cloth and various other merchandise. Please inform me soon where cattle can be obtained for the lowest price and to the best advantage of the lords-mayors; I think from Virginia, and it is probable that I [      ] Captain Kryger, since he is of the mind to go there anyway [      ] by land...

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New Amstel

1 September 1657 [      ]

[ Verso: ] Since P[ ieter ] Corn[ elisz ] Hogeboom, brickmaker, has come here and his son^[2] and his brother's son^[3] are living at Fort Orange or near there at Madam Hulter's place. He is going there to visit them, and see if he can persuade them to return here with him. I believe that I mentioned this before and that you even wrote them a note advising them to move here; that being the case, or if otherwise, would you give P[ ieter ] Corn[ elisz ] a note to the effect that his son and his brother's son be allowed to come here with him. This would be a special act of friendship to him and a great service to the City and this colony. Upon this matter I shall await your good favor. With commendations to and salutations as before.

[ Addressed: ]

Noble, Honorable, Esteemed, Wise, Prudent [      ] Discreet Lord.

My Lord P[      ] Director [      ]

Nether[      ]

By galliot N[      ]

Jansz H [      ]

[ Inverted above address: ] In the absence of the lord general deliver to Fiscal Silla.5

Notes

References

Translation: Gehring, C. trans./ed., New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vols. 18-19, Delaware Papers: Dutch Period, 1648-1664 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1981).A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.