Document: Appeal of Warnaer Wessels of a judgment of the court at New Amsterdam in favor of Jacob Barsimson

Petrus Stuyvesant, on behalf of their honorable High Mightinesses, the lords States General of the United Netherlands, and the honorable lords directors of the chartered West India Company, chamber at Amsterdam, director general of N. Netherland, Curaao, Bonaire, Aruba and dependencies thereof, together with the honorable lords councilors, have summoned hereto the court messenger, Claes van Elslant de Jonge, greetings.

Whereas Wamaer Wessels has remonstrated to us by petition that he finds himself greatly injured for reasons shown to us in the judgment handed down by the honorable court of this city, dated 29 January, last past, between him and Jacob Barsimson, Jew, because he was condemned to pay to the aforesaid Barsimson one hogshead of tobacco and some loose baskets, amounting to the quantity of 400 lb. at 7 stivers a pound that the aforesaid Barsimson claims to have left in the cellar of Wamaer Wessels, which the aforesaid Barsimson has not and cannot prove by all his submitted documents and declarations, so he says. For this our assistance is requested.[1]

Therefore, we order you to summon the aforesaid Jacob Barsimson to appear here before us in Fort Amsterdam on Thursday, being the 20th of March, or to send a deputy, to respond to any demands and rejoinders that the aforesaid Wamaer Wessels shall make or effect against him, inviting those of the aforesaid court to appear or to send deputies on the date stated above (if it please them) in order to see us annul or confirm the aforesaid judgment; providing copies for use of the parties, and relating to us what you encounter.

Done at our meeting held in Fort Amsterdam in N. Netherland, the 27th of February 1659.