Document: Propositions of the three Mohawk castles

The 16th of June 1657, the sachems of the three castles of the Maquassent to the Heer La Montagne, vice director, the chief named Sasiadego, who requested in the name of the said sachems that they be heard the same day. Whereupon the vice director convened the court. At which meeting appeared the three sachems of the three Maquas castles, who after the usual ceremonies made the following propositions: Firstly, they request us as old friends that we should accommodate them with some horses to haul logs out of the woods to repair their castles and that we should protect their wives and children here in the village in case they should be involved in war with the Sinnekes, offering on this proposition a string of sewant amounting to ƒ16:12:-.Secondly, as all three castles belong to the same nation and they are bound to help each other in time of need, which cannot well be done without warning each other of their distress, they ask that we should assist each of the castles with a cannon and that the same should be drawn by horses from here to the flats,[1] being eight [ Dutch ] miles[2] from here. Upon which proposition they presented another string of sewant, amounting to ƒ16:9:-.Thirdly, [ they state ] that in passing through on their way to the Mahikanders they called on us to renew the old friendship between us and them. Whereupon they offered a third string of sewant, amounting to ƒ13:10:-.

The officer, plaintiff, against Jochim Wesselsen, defendant.The plaintiff says that owing to Willem Hoffmeyer’s failure to pay the sum of ƒ500, which on October 6, 1656, he was by the honorable director general and the court condemned to pay, and for which sum the defendant and his wife became sureties, he has had ƒ315:- of the aforesaid sum attached in the hands of Robbert Vastrick and requests that the attachment may be declared valid.The defendant failing to appear, the court declares the attachment valid.