[several lines lost]
[ ] in order to apprehend the [ ] to dispatch [ ] security [ ] Pr. Adriaensz alias Soogemackelijck and Aren Jansz van [ ] both tappers.
Therefore, I, Johan de Deckere, [ ] at Fort Orange, had the aforesaid Soogemackelijck come to my house on the following 24th, and consequently incarcerated him. Then, the prisoner escaped the following day because of the poor surveillance and vigilance of several soldiers who were standing guard, and fled his confinement. In the meanwhile, looking everywhere and waiting for a chance to apprehend the aforesaid Arien Jansz, the commies director Jan Baptist van Rensselaer came to my house in the evening of the same date, requesting in the form of a question whether I was content and intended to undertake nothing further against the well-known tappers; if yes, which he assumed in any case, and promised with the first departing yacht to go personally to the Manhatans, declaring the aforesaid persons to be innocent in their disobedience, as it was done through his instigation and inducement, and that therefore he wanted to intervene on their behalf and be answerable for it himself, to which I conceded and acquiesced out of the following insights and considerations:
First, because the aforesaid fugitive Soogemackelijck would probably remain in hiding for some time.
Second, for fear of bloodshed, for reasons reported that the aforesaid Renselaer [ ] with some [several lines lost] and finally, out of consideration of the aforesaid’s voluntary offer, concluding that if the cause or unrest thereof is under control, the other advisers could also be managed accordingly, and brought under control without much commotion.
Nevertheless, on the 29th ditto I received a certain letter from the aforementioned lord director general dated 23 May last past, restating the order to me also to send down Mary Goossens, also a tapper, in addition to the aforesaid two persons, and in case of any resistance, to protest to the aforesaid Renselaer and deputies in communi forma.
Therefore, I, Johan de Deckere, aforenamed, in conformity with the same restated order and commission, accompanied by three soldiers and the witnesses stated below, found myself before the house of Mary Goossens, aforesaid; however, the door not being opened, we went from there to the houses of the aforesaid Pr. Ariens and Arien Jansz van Leyden, where we found the aforesaid Renselaer with his deputies, together with the schout and secretary of the colony, and the aforesaid tappers, whom, in the presence of everyone and on behalf of the lords director general and councilors of New Netherland, I admonished and ordered to accompany me at once, and to give themselves over into my hands and custody. Whereupon they responded, albeit separately, in the same manner, saying, “there sits my lord,” indicating the aforesaid Renselaer, “he shall answer for me.” It was also acceded to and accepted by the aforesaid Renselaer without [ ] wanting to tolerate that they, tappers, would go along; whereupon I, commies, forenamed, protested both to the aforementioned Renselaer and deputies, as well as the aforesaid respective tappers, on behalf of the aforesaid, about all the expenses, damages and losses already done and suffered by the honorable Company by their opposition, disobedience, and non-subjection to the excise, and still to be endured, so that the same be repeated there, and thus such shall be found advisable. Thus done and protested on the last of May 1656 in the presence of Rutger Jacobs, Andries Herpertsz and Jacob Schermerhooren, requested here as witnesses; (was signed)
J. de Deckere 1656
Rutger Jacobsz, Jacob Schermerhoorn Andries Herperts
