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

My Lord, your letter dated the 7th of this month reached me safely by the galliot which also brought over a load of bricks made at Fort Orange, which were requested from there, along with 250 planks, etc.

I am extremely sorry that the ship, de Waegh, departed from there so late, and that the crew lingered there so long and set sail so strangely; although it was completely contrary to the lords-mayors' intentions. It is a ship that has cost about 4000 guilders a month, which means that the freight does not come to as much as it sometimes appears; and besides, more has taken place upon its arrival there than I care for. I recommend and dutifully request that such [ actions ] be curtailed immediately or prevented so that the growth of animosity and discontent may be suppressed and removed.

The six hogsheads of peas which were sent and the six barrels of meat and salt have been delivered to the commissary at Fort Altena. He also requested 7 or 8000 bricks which are needed there and which request shall be granted him together with anything else I can supply for his needs and your service, just as it has been done from time to time.

I intend to have the bricks and everything else unloaded from the galliot and have it re-ballasted in two or three days in order to sent it back to you so that I might obtain a few more necessary provisions for fear if [      ] I shall also have to consider [      ] everything is bought for beavers, [      ] to obtain, likewise mostly in a [      ] by goods that I do not have, whereby [      ] is limited too much, and for which I have to do [      ] whatever I can afford.

You can also expect the discharged garrison aboard the galliot, because I made the offer to the commissary and sergeant who were inquiring about another vessel, and promised that the galliot would be unloaded very quickly and sent back there with all due speed.

I presently need 8 or 10 barrels of bacon, 3 or 4000 lbs. of wheat flour, 30 skipples of gray peas, 20 skipples of barley; also, 100 skipples of oats for the horses since I have little fodder for the cattle this winter; and also about 70 head of cattle have been bought in Virginia. I shall send 25 or 30 empty barrels aboard the galliot, both as containers and payment for the aforesaid; and also some cloth, linen, duffels, blankets, etc.

Concerning your suggestion to send the galliot to Curacao for two or three months: it has been decided that it would be a service to this place to obtain one or two dozen mares, besides that which you may have there to ship in it. This could be done equitably provided that the value of the horses or some few other animals, as well as the freight of whatever should be shipped to and fro, be subject to the taxation and regulations of the lords-mayors. I expect a letter of advice as soon as possible so that we may be served in this matter without having to consider any difficulty of delay of agreement or conditions. In conclusion, after cordial greetings, I commend you to God's protection and remain

[ Addressed: ] Noble, Honorable, Esteemed, Wise and very Prudent Lord, the Honorable Lord Petrus Stuyvesant, Director-General of New Netherland, Curacao etc. Residing at Manhattan in Fort Amsterdam.

[      ] may God protect.

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.