Document: Charter party of Willem Dircksen, skipper, about to sail to St. Christopher

This day, [ date underwritten, before me ], Cornelis van T[ ienhoven ], [ secretary ] residing [ in New Netherland, appeared ] Willem [ Dircksen ][ , skipper under ] God of the [ ship ], [ who ] in the presence [ of the undersigned witnesses ] acknowledges that he has contracted [ to load ] and discharge [ whatever goods ] Jan Torner and Willem [ Holmers ] shall put on board, according to the [ bills of lading ] which he, the skipper, has signed; if God preserve him, to [ pile them up ] on the beach beyond high water, at the island of St. Christopher, in the Caribbees, where the skipper shall remain two days to unload and that in fair weather; for which freight, board and passage of Jan Torner and Willem Holmers and three other men with them, he, Willem Dircksen, must be satisfied and paid here in New Netherland, while he on his part shall be bound to have the said five persons properly provided with food like his own crew, to wit, three in the cabin and two between decks. For which parties submit their respective persons to the control of all courts and judges, without any exception. This is signed without fraud or deceit by the parties and the witnesses hereto invited this 4th of May anno 1642, in New Netherland.

John Turner