Document: Dutch colonial council minutes, 12-21 April 1649

The fiscal asks for the second time that Tielman Willekens, merchant, of the ship The Prince of Denmark, shall provide a list of debts and credits made on behalf of the ship.

Willekens answers that as soon as he has received the papers of the court proceedings he will submit these others.

Since the honorable director general and the Councillors of New Netherland have noted that Tielman Willekens, up to now, remains in failure and has remained unwilling to surrender his account in order to show his known debts, thus all creditors are hereby warned that these will not be paid out of the confiscated goods unless they can produce a verification signed by Tielman's own hand to establish the authenticity of the debt; meanwhile Tielman Willekens remains under arrest and will not be allowed to depart for 24 hours. Done this 12 April 1649, New Amsterdam, New Netherland.

Anthony Crol, skipper of the ship The Prince of Denmark, appeared before the gathering and sought for himself and the remaining ship's personnel that their account might be given to Tielman Willekens so that they might obtain their earnings. Tielman Willekens answers that when he has received the papers of the court proceedings, he will then settle with the sailors, especially since they are finished. The Director and Council order that Tielman Willekens shall give the skipper and all other sailors shall provide individual extracts of the account, showing the debts and credits and properly signed by him. Failing to do this, Tielman Willekens will remain in arrest until he has provided each of the ship's personnel with a private accounting. 12 April 1649, New Amsterdam.

April 21

The fiscal Van Dyck, Nomine Offitie, presents action against the ship and goods of Gerrit Vastrick because of a case of firelocks. So it is that I, the undersigned, as Director and primary judge of the country, affix and make known under oath and assisted by the testimony of unimpeachable witnesses: first that I have been ordered by two letters from the noble gentlemen directors to try to obtain at moderate prices powder, lead, and firelocks from sources outside the noble Company, until it will be in a better position to supply these and to meet the eventuality of a new war, and not to dispose of any unless there is a request from the colony of Renselaerswyck which has been advised that such must be highly urgent, but that beyond this there will have to remain a shortage for the time being. To this end it was that Mr. Gerrit Vastrick was asked by me here on 2 and 3 August 1648 if he, upon his return, would bring 20 to 30 firelocks for the account of the Company and he was promised for his risk, advance of money, and freight, a premium of fifty percent or two beavers to be paid here. This agreement was closed in public in my garden in the presence of the Secretary Tienhoven and others.