Document: Petition of Fiscal Van Dyck to change the phrasing of the resolution on The Bride

Henricus van Dyck [ ] New Netherland humbly shows how on the 21st of August [ ] , in his official capacity, he brought up a certain galliot, de Bruyt, on which the skipper was Isaac Abrahamsen, sailing out of E[ nckhuysen ]; it was anchored at an improper roadstead where smuggling and other frauds were practiced. [ ] appeared to be the anchorage before Staaten [ ] where Cornelis Melyn calls himself patroon. Whereas, by the resolution dated 25 August 1649 it was recorded [ ] that the aforesaid galliot, de Bruyt, was brought up before Manhattan by the petitioner without your honors knowledge or expectation; also, that the skipper, Isaac Abrahamsen, was accidently killed in the seizure of the aforesaid galliot. [ ] two points to which the petitioner takes exception. Concerning the first, because the petitioner was acting in his official capacity in the seizure of the aforesaid galliot, and the words "without our knowledge or expectation," used by your honors, could be interpreted in a detrimental way, it should be noted that the petitioner was acting in his official capacity, not as a private person; and concerning the second point, because it can be clearly seen in the depositions that the accident was caused by Adriaen Janssen, pilot of the aforesaid galliot, when the helm sprang from his hands. It is therefore requested that the aforesaid incident, for the petitioner's peace of mind, be described in more detail; that your honors be pleased to revise the resolution and to replace the words "without our knowledge etc." with "in his official capacity"; also, [ to insert ] that the accident, according to the depositions, was caused by the pilot when the helm sprang from his hands. Finally, to protect the petitioner against any slander and reproach which because of this might be directed toward him either here or elsewhere. Thus done [ ] .

signed:H. van Dyck, fiscal.

The director and council declare, upon the remonstrance of the fiscal that the words "without our knowledge or expectation" refers to him [ ] in the judgment, that it was unknown to us to anchor such a vessel in an uncommon roadsteed, as it is not usual that any vessels coming in from outside come around below Staaten Island without the permission of the director and council, as prescribed in the Company's regulations [ ] . Therefore the director and council hereby declare that the bringing up of the aforesaid galliot was done in an official capacity and judged by us as well done [ ]

[ Three lines are lost. ] Done the 6th of February 1652 [ ] director-general and council of New Netherland.

P. Stuyvesant
La Montagne
Brian Newton