Document: Letter from William Beeckman to director Stuyvesant

Noble, Honorable, highly Esteemed, Wise and very Prudent Lord:

My Lord, I hope that you have received my last letter of the 16th of this month. I have considered it necessary to dispatch this one to you by express because yesterday Mr. d'Hinojosse received a letter by way of Maryland from Mr. Borch[1] and Johan Crato dated 27 August. It informed him that the lords of Amsterdam have resolved to retain the colony here and to appoint him as director, with Johan Crato and van Sweringen to be hired as his assistants; and that D'Hinojosse's commission would be sent by way of Manhattan in the ship, de Liefde, which was then being loaded. D'Hinojosse says that he Lords-Mayors were pleased that he empounded the property left behind by the late Mr. Alrichs.

In summary, the rejoicing is very great, for as soon as the letter was opened he had the cannons fire three shots.

There seems to be some discontent arising in Maryland because the brother of Lord Baltemoor[2] has received a commission as governor, and Fendael[3] has been recalled. Mr. d'Hinojosse has received the news from the fatherland that the young Prince of Orange has been restored to all the dignities of his forefathers; and that Their High Mightinesses, the States-General, have dispatched 60 warships against the Turks under the command of Admiral de Ruyter.[4]

My Lord, since our sergeant, Jacop van der Veer, has previously petitioned to be discharged in the spring, for which he still persists and requests to depart on the first vessel when the water is open, I request that you be pleased to provide us with another sergeant as soon as possible. I also request a barrel of salt for salting and pickling our provisions. It is very expensive here: they want 3 or 4 guilders in peltries for one skipple.

In closing, I wish to commend you and your dear family to God's protection with wishes for a long life and a happy New Year, remaining.

Willem Beeckman