Document: Extract from the minutes of the court at Altona

Extract from the minutes kept at the meeting of the vice-director and magistrates at Fort Altena, 14 April 1662.

Present: Vice-Director W. BeeckmanPieter CockMaets HansenOele Stille

The vice-director as schout, plaintiff

contra

Domine Laars Caerlsz, defendant

The plaintiff concludes: whereas it is well-known and admitted by the defendant on 23 November 1661 that he, Domine Laers, had the insolence on 20 September 1661 to break into the room of the fugitive, Jacob Jongh, and to open his trunk after he, Jongh, had fled the previous night; and made an inventory of the goods left behind, as can be seen by the statement in the defendant's own hand, which he was not authorized to do, thereby unsurping and scorning both justice and authority. Therefore, he is obligated to pay us on behalf of the Company for the goods left behind by the fugitive, Jacob Jongh, i.e., two hundred guilders in grain and forty guilders in beavers. In addition, he is fined one hundred guilders for having scorned authority.

The defendant says that he went to the house of Andries Andriesen Fin at the aforesaid time and asked whether his wife was in Jacob Jongh's room. Andries Fin's wife answered that she didn't know and that he could go look, whereupon he took an ax and opened the room, and made an inventory of the goods. After the magistrates deliberated on the case, they ordered that Domine Laars should pay the requested sum of two hundred guilders as well as forty guilders in beavers, and a fine of forty guilders for his insolence.

On the aforesaid day.

Vice-Director W. Beeckman summoned Mr. Laars Carelsen to declare his marriage illegal because he had married himself, which is contrary to the order of matrimonial affairs. According to the laws of the fatherland, he should have first requested and obtained divorce papers from the superior authorities, and if he refuses to act thereon he will be prosecuted.

Agrees with the original minute.

A. Hudde, secretary