The letters of the honorable high and mighty lords States General[i], being delivered at the session by Joan Gaillardo, an inhabitant of the city of St. Lucar de Barrameda, with a copy annexed thereunto of an extract from the memorial of the lord ambassador of Spain, respecting the case of the above named Johan Gallardo, [ a Spanish pilot, with and against Captain Sebastiaen Raeff and his lieutenant Jan van Campen, who was charged with having seized the ship and some Negroes belonging to the above named Gaillardo and repaired ] to New Netherland, [ from which the ] aforesaid Raaff [ was discharged ] at Amsterdam [ on his own security; also, an ] extract of their high mightinesses’ resolutions, dated 10th of January 1656, with order to the director general and councilors here that should they find the case, upon inquiry, to be as narrated in the memorial aforesaid, they shall send lieutenant Jan van Campen there, pede ligato, and also to those interested in the matter of the slaves claimed, grant good, brief, prompt and undelayed justice; likewise, having received the letters of the honorable lords burgomasters of the city of Amsterdam, recommending the above named Gaillarde, in order that he may receive, in the matter aforesaid, undelayed, speedy and prompt justice.[ii]
After reading both the letters and the memorial of the lord ambassador of Spain, it is found that the memorial presented by the lord Spanish ambassador to their high mightinesses is very erroneously drawn up and submitted, inasmuch as neither the said Captain Raaff nor his lieutenant Jan van Campen has ever been in New Netherland, [ at least ] not in the time of the present director general and councilors, but it is found that in or about the last of July and beginning of August in the year 1652, there arrived here at the North River in New Netherland one Captain Geurt Tijssen and his lieutenant Pieter Jacobsen with a commission in due form from the lord, French governor of Christoffel Poinci, beginning: Novis Poinci, Chevallier de Malte, Lieutenant General du Roy de France des Illes Ameriques et Gouverneur Hereditaire de St. Christophere. Signed, Le Chevallier Poinci, and sealed on the side with his seal; which commission being exhibited to the director general and councilors of New Netherland, and received as good, said Captain Geurt Tijsen and his lieutenant Pr. Jacobs, in virtue of said commission as ministers of the crown of France, and consequently as allies and good friends of their honorable high mightinesses, the lords States General of the United Netherlands, asked that they, with his ship named the Swarten Raven and accompanying prize, may, unmolested, come up before this city of New Amsterdam in order that they may repair, mend, and re-victual their ship for their money and merchandise; which, exhibiting to him his commission as above mentioned, together with special recommendations to that effect from the above-mentioned Chevallier du Poinci to the lord director general, he could not [ and dare not refuse such permission; which Captain Geurt Tijsen lay here for about the period of three months, and, meanwhile, having given, traded or sold some Negroes to one or other of the inhabitants, subjects of this state, for wages, provisions and other effects, sailed again ] towards winter from this place, and has not been here since; some of these Negroes are already dead; some have run away; some are still on hand here with diverse inhabitants as bondage servants, purchased and paid for, but most of these have been two, three or more times re-sold, and have changed masters. In consideration whereof, the director general and councilors cannot, at the request of the aforesaid Joan Gallardo, deprive the owners, settlers, and subjects of this city, of any Negroes that have been bought and bought over again and long since paid for, but it is resolved and concluded to inform the honorable high and mighty lords States General and the honorable lords directors of the Chartered West India company honestly of the circumstances of the case, and to await their high mightinesses and the aforesaid lords directors’ further advice on the subject; meanwhile, to allow aforesaid Gallardo copy hereof. Done in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. Dated as above.
