Document: Petition of the skipper of the ship Flower of Gelder

Copy

To the honorable director general and high councilors of New Netherland.

Simon Claesen, skipper of the ship de Gelderse Blom, shows with all due humility how he, the petitioner, having had a very long voyage with the aforesaid ship from Holland to this place, has now undertaken his return with consent, and has taken on some cargo, and whereas he has been forbidden to continue with the loading, or to desist therein until the warship de Waagh has taken on its cargo, whereby he, the petitioner, his superiors, [ and ] the merchants who have already shipped, are suffering considerable damage and loss; and because he, the petitioner, would like to continue with his voyage back to Holland as soon as possible, therefore, he humbly requests that your honors be pleased to permit him to continue with the loading of his ship so that he may proceed with his voyage. Awaiting hereon your honors’ favorable decision etc. (Was signed:) Simon Claesen.

The foregoing petition having been read at the session, after due deliberation, the following decision was made:

The petitioner is permitted, together with the Company’s ship de Waagh, to load, provided that the loading of one not hinder that of the other, and that they depart in the company of one another. Ady ut supra.