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

My Lord, this goes with the letter of Peter Mayer (who dispatched this Indian) stating dissatisfaction with a certain sentence handed down at a meeting on the 2nd of this month.

My Lord, it is the case that about one year ago Jan Staelcop bought a certain piece of land - lot and house - near the fort here. Jan Staelcop says that he was to have a patent, which Peter Mayer denies; neither of them has any proper documentation or written contract. We had referred the matter to arbitrators but they could not arrange a settlement. Therefore, Peter Mayer earnestly requested in writing that we should make a determination, and the purchase was declared valid because Staelcop had immediately taken possession of the land by plowing, sowing and mowing it; on the contrary, Peter Meyer was ordered to make a conveyance by virtue of ownership within three months, under penalty of forfeiting the purchase. He is now very concerned about it because he had not the slightest proof that you had granted him the land and that it was assigned [ to him ] by Jan Juriaensz at your order. Therefore, he respectfully requests that you be pleased to grant him two or three lines saying that he has taken possession of the aforesaid with your consent; by virtue of which, he then will make a conveyance. I wish that I were rid of this disruptive character once and for all. Yesterday he had another quarrel with his adversary and they went at each other with drawn swords. He also wounded Captain Swens Schouten in the head with a fork so that Peter Mayer was held in the guardhouse for five or six hours by our sergeant. Yesterday afternoon I went to New Amstel because I saw this disturbance coming; also, I wanted to absent myself from the schout and magistrates who were present when it happened, and had been carousing the whole day at Peter Mayer's.

Peter Rambou, one of the magistrates, did not appear at the meeting; he does not intend to come anymore. The magistrates present would not act on a certain case between the minister and Peter Mayer, although it was the third summons. They said that they saw some difficulties but would give no reasons for it.

My Lord, the ship, den Groenen Arent, departed on the 30th of August. Mr. d'Hinojosse permitted Gerrit van Sweringen and his wife to go to the fatherland, as well as Joost Adriaensen, Dr. Crabbe, the City's smith and another colonist.

The schout, van Sweringen, declared 21 bear-skins, 4 raccoon coats and 6 dressed deerskins; with the supercargo of the aforesaid ship he declared 100 small deerskins, for which he paid him 3 pieces of eight as a bribe. I have sent a note to the Lords- Mayors, informing them of these actions.

This is in haste because the Indian insists on leaving with this tide and I was only informed of his departure upon my return from New Amstel.

We look forward daily to seeing you. I hope to have the honor of enjoying your presence here.

My Lord, today I distributed our last bacon for a month's ration. I have no more than 50 lbs of meat in stock. In closing, I wish to commend you and your family to God's protection, with wishes for a long life and a prosperous administration, remaining, after cordial greetings.

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.