Document: Dutch colonial council minutes, 13-20 January 1639

Anno 1639

On Thursday, being the 13th of January, in Fort Amsterdam

Cecero Piere, plaintiff, vs. Davidt Pietersen, defendant. Default.

Blancke Ael, plaintiff, vs. Adam Rolantsen, defendant, for slander. Parties are ordered not to slander each other any more, on pain of being fined at the discretion of the honorable director and council.

Hans Steen, plaintiff, vs. Tomas Coninck, defendant, for slander. The parties being heard, the defendant does not persist in his slander and acknowledges that he has nothing to say against the plaintiff and admits him to be an honorable and honest man.

On the 20th ditto, being Thursday

Maryn Adriaensen, plaintiff, vs. Everardus Bogardus, minister, as husband and guardian of Anna Jans, defendant. The plaintiff demands payment from the defendant, the defendant's wife having received, as she says, a suit of clothes as a present from Jacob Govertsen. The plaintiff maintains that no one has a right to make a present to or give away his property as long as he has not paid his debts, from which it would follow that inasmuch as Anna Jans, the plaintiff's wife, received the aforesaid [ suit ] from the late Jacob Govertsen, she must pay his debts. Parties being heard and Anna Jans having taken the oath that the aforesaid clothes were presented to her and belong to her, it is ordered that what is due to Maryn Adriaensen and the other creditors of the late Jacob Govertsen shall pro rata be paid by the Company out of the money which is due to the said Jacob Govertsen.

Claes Cornelissen Swits, plaintiff, vs. Jeuriaen Hendricksz, defendant. Default.

Cecero Piere, plaintiff, vs. Davidt Pietersen, defendant. Plaintiff demands payment of his earned monthly wages. Case put over to next week.