Document: Dutch colonial council minutes, 6 April 1645

April 8, anno 1645

Piter van[ den ] Berch presents a declaration in writing regarding the smuggled pieces of cloth.

April 28

Master Johan Wilkock appeared in court and declared that he was drunk when he stated that Jan Dollingh owed him fl. 1500. He declares that this is not true and that he said so because he was drunk.

Jan de Vries, captain, plaintiff, vs. Jan Wilkock, defendant, because the defendant called the plaintiff a villain. The plaintiff produces two witnesses and demands reparation of honor.

Jan Wilcock declares in court In the presence of the ensign and the sergeants that he was drunk and does not know what he said; also, that he knows nothing of the captain but what is honest and honorable. He, Wilcock, begs the captain for forgiveness and acknowledges that he spoke falsely to the defamation of the captain. Therefore, the aforesaid Wilcock is condemned to pay a fine of fifty guilders, one-third for the fiscal and two thirds for the poor.

The fiscal, plaintiff, vs. Piter van[ den ] Berch and Willem de Key, defendants. The plaintiff requests that the trial may be expedited as the defendants have nothing more to say.

The director and council, in view of the small number of councilors, think it proper to engage Captain Johan de Fries, Ensign Gysbert de Leuw, and Commissaries Oloff Stevensen and Gysbert Opdyc to sit as councilors in this case.

Willem de Key challenges the captain, maintaining that he is a friend of his opponent and an enemy of his. Van[ den ] Bergh objects to Opdyck.

April 29

The fiscal is ordered to deliver to Cornelis Melyn an itemized account of the hides sold to him.

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. Dutch colonial council minutes, 1638-1665. Series A1809-78. Volume 4, page 220.