Document: Minute of the appearance before the council of twelve Indians of Marsepinck

Anno 1656, the 30th of September[i], about twelve wilden from Marsepinck came here to the Manhatans and into the fort, bringing by order of their sachem a [ coat of ] gray [ cloth ] or innocent and two old shirts, (which, they said) had been stolen by members of the Sicketawach nation; one shirt from a Negro on Long Island at Joresey’s plantation, the other at Breuckelen from Jan Eversen’s house [ and the coat or innocent from this side of Mespadt kil, where three houses stand together. They declared that the savages of Matinecogh of the tribe called Sicketawagh had done it and that the sachem Tachpausan ] was angry [ because ] they, the wilden, had done it; [ it is proved (his anger) ], because he ordered the return of the stolen articles. They declared further that those on this side said the Wappings had also taken a blanket from the place where the coat mentioned above had been stolen, and that those of the Matinecongh men had now gone there to fetch it, (as they had been obliged to return theirs), and when it had come [ back ], it would also be brought here.

Through the interpreter Laurens Hansen, they were thanked for the trouble taken by them and told that their chief had done very well in causing the stolen goods to be returned; otherwise, it might create disharmony and trouble. We accepted this on the contrary as a sign of sincere friendship, which our chief would reciprocate, whenever any theft was reported to him and we would inform him of it as soon as he returned from Fort Orange.

After these speeches we gave them a pound of powder to deliver to their chief as a sign of our good heart, with which they left.

Amsterdam in N. N. Dated as above.