Document: Petition of Dirck Smith for a pardon

[several lines lost] Shows in all humility with proper reverence your honors’ obedient servant, Dirck Smith, how he, petitioner, has served the honorable West India Company and their esteemed honors (without boasting) for the period of 17 years with loyalty and also intends to continue to serve and earn a living here from now on honestly and piously with all due obedience and diligence as a good soldier and loyal servant ought to do. For which reason the petitioner has already laid out and spent his personal savings and effects brought over for the cultivation and establishment of a plantation granted to him by your honors: therefore, it would lead to the petitioner’s total ruin and destruction if it were necessary for him to leave this country. As a result he turns to your honors (beforehand placing himself at your honors’ pity and compassion) praying in all humility that your honors, in consideration of his long and loyal [several lines lost] to fill the position of ensign as before, promising to comport himself henceforth to the satisfaction of your honors, hoping and praying for a favorable decision, he shall remain as before,

Your honors’ obedient servant (was signed) Dirck Smith

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 8.