Document: Declaration of magistrates of New Castle on the opposition to the order to construct dykes or highways in New Castle

Declaration of the undersigned concerning what happened June 4th last in the rioting of the town's people due to the construction and repair of two outer-dikes.[1]

As soon as we had read and made public the order[2] concerning it, John Ogle belligerently stepped forward (in church) and said: "We neither intend to build Hans Block's dike nor the other dike." Capt. Cantwell answered: "You John Ogle are an Englishman and it does not become you to make such commotion among so many people," and he (Cantwell) took him by the arm and shoved him out of the church. Whereupon a certain Mathys Smith angrily said: "The man speaks the truth and what he says we all say," along with more foul words. Capt. Cantwell called for the Constable to put him in the stocks, but since the constable was not at hand and Mathys Smith continued with his foul language, Capt. Cantwell was forced to strike him with his cane. Then Magister Jacobus Fabritius shouted out contemptuously: "The man is right, he speaks the truth, if he has to go into the stocks then I want to go too," adding more foul words unbecoming of a priest. Since the constable was not present, we decided to prevent futher trouble by having the aforesaid John Ogle and Magister Fabritius put aboard the yacht. On the way to the yacht, when Capt. Cantwell tried to grasp the unwilling priest by the arm, he swore and cursed: "The devil take you if you lay hands on me," adding more blasphemous words. In the boat he continued to use his foul mouth so that some people who had gathered near the boat shouted: "Seize it, seize it,"[3] while some milled around with swords and clubs. Since it appeared as if a great disorder was about to erupt, we resolved, at the request of several people, to have the aforesaid John Ogle and Magister Fabritius brought back ashore.

A few days after we had had the confirmation of our order put up on the church, I, Hans Block, met John Ogle on the street and spoke with about the recent mutiny, perpetrated by him and others. He said: "If the Finns had been drunk not much good would have come of it." I replied: "There is now a confirmation of our order posted on the church." Whereupon he retorted: "I think as much of your order as this dirt on the street," kicking the dirt with his foot.

[ Endorsed: ] No. 12 A declaracon of the Magistrates of New Castle about the Dykes. June 4, 1675

H: Block
John Moll
Derek Albertsen

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 York (Colony). Council. British Delaware River Settlement Administrative Records, 1664-1682. Series A1879. Volume 20.