Document: Dutch colonial council minutes, 18-19 November 1642

On the 18th of November anno 1642

Messrs. Jaques Bentyn, Jochim Pietersen, Hendrick van Dyck, ensign, and Gysbert van Dyck, commissary, are requested by the honorable director and council of New Netherland to repair next Thursday, being the 20th of November, to the house of the said Mr. Willem Kieft to hear there, in company with the honorable councilor La Montangne, the complaint of the fiscal against Hendrick Jansen, tailor, for certain slanderous statements made by him, and there to pronounce their opinion as according to law they shall find proper to which they are hereby authorized and empowered and we shall hold their sentence as binding, lawful and irrevocable. Thus done in Fort Amsterdam on the date above written.

On the 19th of November anno 1642

Jan Damen, aged 35 years, declares in court that he knows nothing more of the matter of Hendrick, the tailor, than he has heretofore testified, which testimony is recorded above. Dated as above.

In court at Fort Amsterdam appeared Burger Jorissen, farrier, who at the request of the fiscal declares, testifies and attests, as he does hereby, by true Christian words that it is true and truthful that he, the deponent, heard Hendrick, the tailor, say at his house on the 27th of October last, "He is a rascal", saying immediately afterward, "I do not mean it." He declares that he heard nothing more, except something about "giving birth," but there were other words before and after this which the deponent did not hear. All of which the deponent confirmed by oath before the honorable director and councilor of New Netherland on the 19th of November anno 1642.