Document: Answer of Councillor De Sille to propositions submitted to the council by director Stuyvesant

Reply [ ] Nicasius de Sille [ ] proposals.

At first he said as he previously [ ] submitted on the General’s proposals, the [ ] then answered on the fifth thereof, besides returning to the captain of de Waagh what was borrowed from him, for the service of the Company, and the scarcity of treasury funds, because Abrahams Offerhande returned fully loaded, and did not satisfy the terms of payment; the same was again seized with its cargo, which was to be sold in order to satisfy our contract. Also to be sold was het Dolphijntje, the Curaçao horses, and the two half-finished, small ships located near the warehouse.

Concerning the first:

He also answers as he answered to the sixth one in the foregoing proposals, and has nothing further to say.

Concerning the second:

He answers that it is still too early, because not long ago the beers were reduced in price, and concerning the discharge of officials in general, that a proposal be made who or where one shall be discharged.

Concerning the third:

He answers that Carel van Brugge must first be warned that he has to be finished within six weeks, or that if he is he not, he shall be sent off with the ship de Waagh with the books.

Concerning the last:

He answers that one must await the return of the Indians’ sachems; and beforehand, one must work zealously for the consolidation and concentration of the villages everywhere; also, to publicize the same in order the better to be able to constrain the soldiers thereby.

This is in reply to the proposals submitted by the lord director general at the session on 22 February 1656. Signed by me on the last day of ditto; (was signed:) Nicasius de Sille.

Rights: This translation is provided for education and research purposes, courtesy of the  New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections, Mutual Cultural Heritage Project. Rights may be reserved. Responsibility for securing permissions to distribute, publish, reproduce or other use rest with the user. For additional information see our Copyright and Use Statement Source: New York State Archives. New Netherland. Council. Dutch colonial council minutes, 1638-1665. Series A1809. Volume 6.