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Session held in the residence of the

honorable vice-director M. Beck

Present: M. Beck, vice-director Borgert Stammart, lieutenant J. Jacobsz Bruyn, ensign Balthasar van Essen, cornet Hans Grouwel, sergeant

Wednesday, the 23rd of February 1656.

The honorable vice-director M. Beck has presented and communicated to this council how the Jewish merchant Isaeck de Foncekou has resolved not to accept the conditions granted to him by this council upon his petition, concerning the sale of his cargo to the Company against payment to be received for it on the island of Aruba, for .various considerations and objections which he produced thereon, declaring that he would rather return with his ship and cargo to the Barbados with his business unfinished than receive payment for it on Aruba. And whereas he could not agree to any trading here, he was resolved to proceed to Jamayka and there seek to enhance his superiors’ profit, as contained in his orders; and whereas the honorable vice-director has informed the aforesaid merchant that he could grant him no other condition than what was given to him in this council according to the resolution of the 21st of the month^[i] and if he was not willing to accept the same that he would be allowed, in all friendship, to proceed to Jamayka; however, in view of the fact that the aforesaid merchant together with his skipper was firmly resolved thereto, the honorable vice-director has therefore decided before their departure to communicate the resolve of the aforesaid merchant and skipper to this council and to deliberate on what would best serve the Company and the maintenance of the garrison: whether one adheres to the resolution of the 21st of this month and lets him depart for Jamayka or whether one takes into consideration the need for provisions and that which the Company wants on behalf of the garrison, and whether one should become involved in further discussions and negotiations or not.

After everything was considered by this council according to everyone’s best knowledge and awareness, and put to a vote by the honorable vice-director, requesting everyone’s advice thereon, the council, in consideration of the sober state of the Company’s magazine and uncertainty of when any relief shall arrive here from Holland or N. Nederlandt, especially with the poor growth and because the fruits of the country were not very successful here on the island this year, upon which the Company’s Negroes and many others living in the countryside must depend in order to live, together with other insights and further considerations; hoping that the Company might be permitted at this opportune moment good relations and free trade from here to the Barbados, it has been unanimously decided to grant permission to the aforesaid merchant, after the Company has made arrangements on behalf of the garrison here concerning his provisions and other necessities, to trade the remaining items, not needed by the Company, to the freemen in the country, provided that no other goods be sold to the Indians or natives of the country than they expressly require, namely, with which to clothe themselves and for sustenance, and that done for a just price and without any deception; and for as much as shall be traded with him on the account of the Company, shall be paid in horses and dyewood as the vice-director shall agree upon with the aforesaid merchant.

Notes

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.