Document: Commission of Peter Lucassen to command the ship Abraham's Sacrifice

Copy.Petrus Stuyvesant, on behalf of their honorable High Mightinesses, the States-General of the United Netherlands, the lords directors of the General Chartered West India Company, director-general of New Netherland, Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba and their dependencies, to all who hear, see or read this, greetings. Let it be known that, for the promotion of trade and commerce between this our entrusted government and other neighbors, we have deemed it good and necessary [ ] to send from here to the island of Curacao the ship named de Offerhande Abrahams. Whereas we need a capable and experienced person to command thereon as skipper and chief officer, and to guide it across the sea; therefore, upon good reports and recommendations given to us concerning the person of Pieter Lucasz, having previously served aboard the aforesaid ship as skipper, we have commissioned and appointed him, as we him do hereby commission and appoint as skipper and chief officer on the aforesaid ship, de Offerhande Abrahams, with the authority and commission to man the aforesaid ship accordingly and to provide it with munitions of war as is necessary, of which he is to give us a list. After being thus manned and provisioned, he is to undertake a voyage to the islands of Curacao and from there to return without touching any other islands or places except in an emergency (or special orders from us), much less attacking any barks or vessels passing by; unless forced to defend oneself. Therefore, all our subjects are ordered, and all our neighboring generals, admirals, governors [ and captains ] are requested to recognize and accept the aforesaid person for that which he is hereby commissioned, and to impede neither him nor his crew nor his cargo in his passage out and back; but even more, they are requested to honor him with all due assistance and favor in time of need and when asked for, which we shall reciprocate in similar circumstances. Thus done under our usual hand and seal this 22nd of December 1654 in New Amsterdam, New Netherland; and was signed: P. Stuyvesant; below was written: By order of the same; and signed: Cornelis van Ruyven, secretary.