Document: Declaration by Symon Roodt and others that two Minqua chiefs stated that the Swedish governor on the South river had offered to sell them arms and ammunition and had asked permission to erect a trading-house

We, the undersigned, all understanding the language of the Minquas, attest, testify and declare, in place and with promise of an oath if need be, at the request of the honorable director general of New Netherland, Curaçao, etc., in the presence of the said honorable general and the late director, Willem Kieft, that it is true and truthful that this day, being the 13th of July 1647, there came to the house of his honor aforesaid two chiefs of the Minquas, named Aquariochquo and Quadickho, who in token of friendship and for the continuation of mutual trade gave a small present and declared in our presence that the commissary of Johan Prins, the Swedish governor residing at the South river of New Netherland, had said to them that he could sell them powder, lead and guns enough, but that the Netherlanders, being poor, could not do so. The aforesaid chiefs said that the Swedish governor had also informed them that the Netherlanders were bad and the Swedish good men. The said governor had also asked permission of them to set up a trading- house in their country, which request they had rejected and refused. All of which we declare we have heard from the above mentioned chiefs at the house of the honorable general, offering to confirm this on oath if necessary. Thus done in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, this 13th of July anno 1647.

Symon Roodt
Jan Andriessen
Adriaen Dircksen Coen
Cornelis van Tienhoven