Document: Pardon of Laurens Hansen, a soldier

The fiscal Cornelis van Thienhooven brought to the session the prisoner Laurens Hansz, lance corporal, who was charged with insubordination against his officer. The aforesaid Laurens Hansz replied that it had happened when he was drunk. The director-general and council having heard the accused, who deserved to be punished as an example to others, decided, in consideration of the aforesaid Laurens Hansz' nearly 13 years of service on land and sea, to forgive this mistake and pardon him on the condition that he promise to behave himself from now on as befits a loyal and obedient soldier. Thus done at the session of the director-general and high council held in New Amsterdam in New Netherland, 17 August 1654; present: the honorable General and all the gentlemen of the high council.