Document: Dutch colonial council minutes, 18 April 1648

Holding Institution
Document ID
NYSA_A1809-78_V04_p379
Description

Sentence. James Hallet, for aiding a prisoner to escape, and attempting to seduce another man's wife, to be publicly whipped, and afterwards put to hard labor in chains. [1648]

Document Date
1648-04-18
Document Date (Date Type)
1648-04-18
Document Type
Document Type Unlinked
Minutes
Full Resolution Image

Translation
Translation

Whereas the ship Nieu Swol is at present again being made ready to be sent with provisions to CuraƧao, for which much will be needed and whereas little money is available here to complete her outfit; therefore, it is unanimously resolved in council that a list of the debts which the honorable Company has outstanding here shall be handed to Mr. Dincklaghen and Mr. La Montagne and that they as commissaries shall be authorized to call upon and urge the debtors to make payment either in whole or in part, according to each person's circumstances.

Thus done in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 17th of April anno 1648.

Whereas Jems Hallet, at present a prisoner, has heretofore made bold to run away from the Company's service without leave or permission and at Greenwich, within the Jurisdiction of New Netherland, to steal divers goods; and furthermore has stolen a canoe from the Indians hereabout and therein, on St. Nicholas Eve, carried off a servant girl from her master's house, for which misdeed and offense he, Jems Hallet, on the third of last March, was condemned by the honorable general and council to be brought to the place where justice is usually executed, there to witness the punishment which was then and there inflicted and, in order to make satisfaction for the stolen goods, etc., to saw during an entire year, on condition that he should receive reasonable wages for said labor if he conducted himself well.

And whereas, notwithstanding the mild sentence, the said Jems Hallet has now recently assisted one Hans Hootrock, who was confined for theft, to escape at night from jail, furnishing a rope with which the prisoner let himself down and thus escaped, for which reason we have been unable to administer proper justice to him; and whereas Jems Hallet attempted also to carry off Hans Hootrock's wife and run away with her; all of which acts are of evil consequence and may not and ought not to be tolerated in a land where it is customary to maintain justice;

Therefore, the honorable director general and council, administering justice in the name of their High Mightinesses, the Lords States General, his Serene Highness of Orange and the honorable directors of the West India Company, on the request of the fiscal, condemn said Jems Hallet to be brought to the place where justice is usually executed and there to be severely whipped with rods, and there to be severely whipped with rods, and in addition to be locked to a chain to saw or labor for the honorable Company in satisfaction as aforesaid, so long as the honorable director general and council shall think proper, as an example to others. Thus done and sentenced and put into execution, the 18th of April anno 1648, in New Amsterdam in New Netherland

References

From the collections of the New York State Archives, Albany, New York.  https://www.archives.nysed.gov/  

Translation link see: http://iarchives.nysed.gov/xtf/view?docId=tei/A1809/NYSA_A1809-78_V04_p379.xml

Published bound volume is also available: Translation: Scott, K., & Stryker-Rodda, K. (Ed.). New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 4, Council Minutes, 1638-1649 (A. Van Laer, Trans.). Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1974.

Copyright to the published bound volume is held by the Holland Society of New York.
A complete copy of this publication is available on the
New Netherland Institute website.

A1809 Additional Party
Document Location