Document: Letter from Jacob van Curler, Anthony Jansen and other Dutch inhabitants to director Stuyvesant

[ 20th October 1655 ]

[ Copy ]

My lord [ general ]

We are presently surrounded here by Indians, of whom some have been permitted to come in by the English. They say that the English are their nietappen[1] [ ] will have nothing to do [ ] It may well be that our turn will come soon, or at the latest this evening. We request assistance as soon as possible, for the English let the Indians go in and out. It shall undoubtedly fall on our heads. We trust that since they move about freely we will be offered no help, so that everyone with wife and children wait in great anxiety. Therefore, we all, young and old, humbly request assistance. (Below was written:) On behalf of all of us (Was signed:) Jacob Swart, Jan Tomassen, X the mark of Antony Jansen, Lauris Jansz, X the mark of Pieter Ebel, J. v. Curler.[2]

[ RESPONSE OF THE COUNCIL TO THE FOREGOING REQUEST ]

The honorable lord director general and councilors having seen and taken to heart the submitted request, have resolved to assist the inhabitants of Gravesande with twenty soldiers and to order them to secure the safest place.

Adi ut supra, New Amsterdam. (Was signed:) P. Stuyvesant, La Montagne, Cornelis van Tienhoven.

Rights: This translation is provided for education and research purposes, courtesy of the  New York State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections, Mutual Cultural Heritage Project. Rights may be reserved. Responsibility for securing permissions to distribute, publish, reproduce or other use rest with the user. For additional information see our Copyright and Use Statement Source: New York State Archives. New Netherland. Council. Dutch colonial council minutes, 1638-1665. Series A1809. Volume 6.