Document: Answer ordering Hendrick Huyghen to depart with the ship Mercury and passengers from the South river

Present at the session: the honorable general Petrus Stuyvesant, the honorable lords Nicasius de Sille, La Montagne, and Cornelis van Tienhoven.

Having received the foregoing written proposition or petition of Sr. Hendrick Huygen, the director general and councilors of New Netherland find that (with exception of his presumption expressed concerning Commander Jacquet “considering me a traitor and enemy of their state,” about which the aforesaid director general and councilors know nothing) the written proposal or petition squares in substance with the letter of Johan Papegaaij dated 24 March, written from the South River for that reason, and answered in detail by their honors on the 29th following,[1] to which resolution the director general and councilors are still conforming; namely, that their honors, for reasons explained in detail in the letter, cannot permit any ships, vessels, trade, or the landing of any people at the aforesaid river, except those who arrive there with their orders and commissions. Therefore, the petitioner is hereby ordered once more to depart with the ship Mercurius including the people and everything belonging to it, and is given the choice to do so himself, as he is free to leave this aforesaid river under his own orders wherever it may please him. If he should not accept this, the director general and councilors shall be compelled to employ other means for the departure of the ship Mercurius and everyone else who arrived there without their or their superiors’ orders and commission. The petitioner’s prompt decision and answer concerning his choice in the matter is requested. The director general and councilors (in the event that this advice is not followed) hold themselves not responsible for any subsequent loss and damage. Thus done at the session held at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Ady ut supra (was signed:) P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius de Sille, La Montagne, Cor. van Tienhoven. 11 April 1656.