The 29th of June anno 1648
The crew of the Valckenier present a petition to the council and request permission to sell, without hindrance, their entered personal freight;[1] therefore, the honorable director general and council, having seen the reasonableness of the request and also that the freight amounts to little, have allowed the sailors to sell their entered freight here, except the guns, which the honorable Company shall appropriate and pay for at the discretion of the council. Thus done and enacted in council, the 29th of June anno 1648, in New Amsterdam.
Whereas a Spanish bark called Nostra Singnora Rosario, laden with hides, captured in the Caribbean Islands by Hans Wyer, the honorable Company's captain on the yacht De Cath, has been brought up in front of this city of New Amsterdam, public notice is hereby given by the ringing of the bell to every one, of what state, rank or condition he may be, that if he has any objection to make why said bark should not be declared a good prize he must produce his reasons within one month after the publication hereof, on pain in case of non-appearance within said time of being debarred from his action. Thus done in council, published and affixed in Fort Amsterdam, the 2d of July anno 1648.
The 2d of July 1648
Hendrick van Dyck, fiscal, ex officio plaintiff against the crew of the yacht De Cat, for the recovery of some pieces of eight and a few pearls which they secured in capturing the bark Nostra Senora Rosario and divided among themselves. The fiscal, instituting his action in writing, demands restitution of the aforesaid pieces of eight and pearls, maintaining that they are not plunder.
Having seen the demand of the fiscal against the crew of the Kat, who captured the prize below Margarita and brought it up before the Manhatans, [ setting forth that ] said crew, contrary to the Company's Articles, found in said prize some pieces of eight and a few pearls which they divided among themselves and furthermore brought in no prisoners, as ordered by the Company, it appears that this would deserve a civil court punishment, but observing that we have very few men and that it is necessary to fit the vessel out again for the West Indies to procure salt and that consequently we should not be able to procure any men here, and this crew's term has long since expired, we have for the best interest and advantage of the Company considered it advisable to pardon them for this offense, on condition that their claim to the prize money from the captured bark be confiscated for the benefit of the Company. Therefore, the fiscal's further demand is dismissed. This 2d of July anno 1648, in New Amsterdam.
