Document: Power of attorney from Captain Jacob Loper to Nicolaes van Lit to receive moneys from the West India Company

This day, date underwritten, before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of New Netherland residing in Fort Amsterdam, appeared Jacob Looper from Stockholm, who sailed in the ship Swol in the year 1643 as commander and captain-lieutenant, and who, in the presence of the undersigned witnesses, appoints and empowers, as he does hereby, Mr. Nicolaes van Lit, trustee of the poor-house[1] at Amsterdam residing, to ask, demand and collect in his, the principal’s, name from the honorable directors of the General Chartered West India Company, chamber at Amsterdam, the sum of five hundred and forty guilders, sixteen stivers, which were received by the principal from the Honorable General Petrus Stuyvesant in goods and cash for his personal use at diverse times here in New Netherland as well as in Curaçao and elsewhere, upon the promise that he would repay the same out of the monthly wages already earned by him from the honorable directors. On payment of the said sum by the honorable directors above mentioned to the said Mr. Nicolaes van Lit or his substitute, he is empowered to execute a receipt for the same in due form, the principal further holding as valid whatever shall be done and transacted in the matter by the attorney or his substitute, who is to act herein as the principal could or might do were he present, an authentic instrument hereof being requested. Thus done and signed in the record by the above mentioned Jacob Loper in the presence of Jacob Kip and Davit Provoost, witnesses hereto invited, the 6th of July anno 1647.

Jacob Loper
David Provoost
Jacob Hendricksz
Cornelis van Tienhoven