Document: Letter from William Beeckman to director Stuyvesant

Noble, Honorable, highly Esteemed, Wise and Prudent Lords:

My Lords, I write at the request of some Englishmen from Virginia who arrived here a few days ago by way of Maryland in pursuit of their runaway servants. They recovered some who had been staying in the colony of New Amstel. About 28 August two runaways sailed from New Amstel to Meggeckesiou in order to go on to Manhattan. This was reported to me by the aforesaid gentlemen with the request to inform you of the matter and if possible to apprehend one or both of them and to send them back. They will gratefully repay all expenses, as it seems that they are very concerned about these runaways. These two servants first arrived at the Hoerekil. There, as well as at New Amstel, they pretended that they had lost a small bark loaded with tobacco between Virginia and Cape Hinlopen; under this pretext they passed through unmolested.

There was one William Braun still here at Jacop Swen's place. He had bought him last summer from the Indians. There were four of them altogether who escaped from their master by boat which then ran aground at Cape May. Yesterday I advised Jacob Swens to return the aforesaid Willem Broun to his master. He replied that he had left two or three days ago and knew not where to, although it was rumored that some Englishmen had come into New Amstel. Mr. Swens thought it very strange that I recommended turning over the servant. Some of these Englishmen have gone to the Hoerekil where there is one Turck working for Alrichs[1] who was among the aforesaid four runaways; one Mollaet is still among the Mantas Indians on the east side of this river; the fourth was ransomed from the Indians by Mr. d'Hinojosse last summer, and this spring was conveyed to Mr. Heermans;[2] he is now back with his rightful owner from his plantation.

My Lords, since my last letter little has happened; therefore, in order to be brief I refer you to the information in my last letter and commend you and your loved ones to God's protection, remaining, with wishes for a long life and prosperous administration,