Document: Dutch colonial council minutes, 11 April - 23 May 1641

On Thursday, being the 11th of April

Cornelio vander Hoykens, fiscal, plaintiff, vs. Laurens Haen, defendant. Plaintiff asks that the case may be expedited. Case put over.

Cornelis Lambertsen Cool, plaintiff, vs. Sybet Claessen, defendant. Plaintiff demands delivery of boards which the defendant has promised to furnish him in exchange for logs. Parties referred to Gillis Pietersen and Dire Cornelissen or, in the absence of one or the other, Pieter Cornelissen, to settle their dispute.

[1]Whereas complaints are made to us that some of the inhabitants here undertake to tap beer during divine service and also make use of small foreign measures, which tends to the neglect of religion and the ruin of this state; we, wishing to provide herein, do therefore ordain that no person shall attempt to tap beer or any other strong liquor during divine service, or use any other measures than those which are in common use at Amsterdam in Holland, or to tap for any person after ten o'clock at night, nor sell the vaen, or four pints, at a higher price than 8 stivers, on pain of forfeiture of the beer and payment of a fine of 25 guilders for the benefit of the fiscal and three months ' suspension of the privilege of tapping.

On Thursday, being the 18th of April

[2]Whereas at present very bad seawan is in circulation here and payments are made in nothing but dirty, unpolished stuff that is brought here from other regions where it is worth 50 percent less than here, and the good, polished seawan, ordinarily called Manhattan seawan. is exported and wholly disappears, which tends to the decided ruin and destruction of this country; therefore, in order to provide against this in time, we do hereby for the public good, interdict and forbid all persons, of whatever state, quality or condition they may be, during the coming month of May to receive or give out in payment any unpolished seawan except at the rate of five for one stiver, that is to say, strung, and thereafter six beads for one stiver. Whoever shall be found to have acted contrary thereto shall provisionally forfeit the seawan paid out by him and ten guilders to the poor, the same applying to the receiver as well as to the giver. The price of the well polished seawan shall remain as before, to wit, four [ beads ] for one stiver, provided it be strung.

On Thursday, being the 2nd of May

Everardus Bogardus, minister, and Jan Damen, Davit Provoost and Tymen Jansen, chosen guardians of the surviving children of the late Cornelis van Vorst, plaintiffs, vs. Hendric Jansen, tailor, defendant. The plaintiffs jointly demand that the defendant be compelled to declare in court whether it is known to him that Hendric van Vorst was indebted to his deceased father in the amount of 1000 guilders. The defendant declares upon his manly troth in court that he has no knowledge of the matter, being ready at all times, if required, to confirm the same under oath.

On Thursday, being the 23rd of May 1641

Jan Damen and Davit Provoost, plaintiffs, vs. Everardus Bogardus and Tymen Jansen, chosen administrators of the estate of the late Hendric van Vorst, defendants. The plaintiffs claim and maintain that Jan van Vorst, being the full brother of Hendrick van Vorst, is lawfully entitled to the just half of the estate before any division is made and that then the remaining half is to be lawfully divided among himself and his half-brother and sister, each to have a one-third share.