Willem Kieft, late director, requests that some persons may be examined in council, to which end they have been legally summoned. It having thereupon been taken into consideration whether the said summoned persons should be examined by the whole board or by a committee appointed for that purpose, the honorable director and council have unanimously decided that they shall be heard and examined in full council.
Jan Eversz Bout having been legally summoned to appear before the council to testify to the truth, at the request of the honorable Director Willem Kieft, which he has obstinately refused to do, it is resolved and decided to place him under arrest.
Paulus Leendersz, superintendent of equipments, is ordered in council to take measures that the ships Groote Gerrit, De Kath and De Liefde be made ready to go to sea at the earliest possible opportunity, in order to cruise against our common enemy, the Spaniard, in the West Indies and the islands thereof, to the best advantage and profit of the honorable directors. In Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 6th of June anno 1647.
Whereas Commissary Davidt Provoost has come from the Fresh river of New Netherland and requests his discharge, reporting that the house De Hoop, situated on said river, is in great need of repair and requires more attention than it has hitherto received, especially as said house De Hoop is one of the farthest outposts of New Netherland to the north and the possession of the Fresh river has been preserved thereby up to this time; and whereas, in case said house De Hoop, which is a heavy burden to the honorable directors, were abandoned, the English, who have usurped there our purchased and paid-for ground, would immediately annex the place, whereby the possession of the aforesaid river, the farthest boundary, would come into the hands of the English, which would tend greatly to the disparagement and discredit of their High Mightinesses and the honorable West India Company;
Therefore, all things being well weighed, it is after mature deliberation in council resolved and concluded to maintain the house out of respect for their High Mightinesses and the honorable directors and to that end to send thither again a proper person in the stead of the former commissary.
Thus done and ratified in council in Fort Amsterdam of New Netherland, the 6th of June anno 1647.
