Research

Translation

RESOLUTION against plundering gardens belonging to blacks and Indians

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Scanned Document:

Resolution drawn up at Fort Amsterdam on Curaçao, 26 February 1643.

Pursuant to the complaints of the Indians and Negroes that some of the Company’s servants have robbed their abandoned gardens of fruit left behind [      ] near the Quarter, Piscadero[i] and Enchorro[ii] and destroyed the fruit trees, as well as now having trespassed on the Company’s cultivated plantation and stolen some fruit; in order to prevent such irregularities, we have decided first to forbid such plundering through an ordinance carrying the death penalty, and if our intention is not thereby attained, to prevent movement into the country. In acknowledgment thereof, we have signed this with our own hands. Done at the place, year and day as above.

P. Stuyvesant
Jacob Lopper
Brian Newton
L. Rodenborch
Claes Maertensz
Jan Klaessen Smal
Jacob Tijssen Pal

Notes

The Ruyters Quartier on St. Anna Bay and Piscadera Bay northwest of Fort Amsterdam, respectively.
The placename Enchorro is derived from the antiquated Portuguese form escorrer meaning “to drain” or “flow”; therefore this place was probably located in the drainage system which flows into St. Anna Bay near the Ruyter Quartier.

References

Translation: Gehring, C., trans./ed., Curaçao Papers, 1640-1665 (New Netherland Research Center and the New Netherland Institute: 2011).A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.