Document: Judgment against Nicolas the Frenchman and Abraham Jansen for refusing to contribute to the support of the rev. Mr. Polhemus

[ Pursuant to the order of the director general and councilors, dated the 26th of March, Jan Martijn, Nicolaes the Frenchman, Abraham Jansen, called the Mulatto, appeared before the council, being the persons who on several occasions, about 7 or 8 times, have been called upon ] by the schout [ of the village of ] Breuckelen, the lord Pieter Tonneman, [ and in his behalf ] by the court messenger Simon [ Joosten; and have each been ] given notice to contribute six guilders for the support of dominee Polhemius, minister on Long Island, pursuant to the assessment made by the court of Breuckelen, and approved by the director general and councilors; they have shown themselves very insolent and malicious, making none but frivolous excuses, namely, the one, that he is Catholic, and the other, that they don’t understand Dutch, etc. Therefore, the fiscal concluded that for reasons mentioned before, the aforesaid persons should be condemned to a considerable fine. The director general and councilors having considered the nature of the case and heard the defense of said persons, as an example to others, condemned and ordered the aforesaid persons to pay instead of six guilders, 12 guilders each to the said scholtus Tonnemans before they will leave the Manhatans. Dated as above.[i]

Whereas in addition to the above-named persons also Gerrit de Raademaecker and Lodewijck Jongh were summoned but did not appear, the fiscal is ordered to summon them again on the next court day. Dated as above.