Writ of Reduction[1]
Petrus Stuyvesandt, on behalf of their honorable High Mightinesses the lords States General of the United Netherlands and the lords directors of the Chartered West India Company, chamber of Amsterdam, director general of N. Netherland, Curaao, Bonaire, Aruba and the dependencies thereof, together with the honorable lords councilors, have summoned hereto the court messenger, Claes van Elslant, greetings.
Whereas Teunis Jansz, residing in the village of Breuckelen on Long Island, has shown us how he, petitioner, was accused of bad faith by Michiel Tadens, in that he, petitioner, cut a piece from the ear of each of two boar hogs belonging to him, Tadens, (so he said) and held them one and a half years; also, that the petitioner, contrary to the truth, sold one of them to Evert Duyckingh Glaesemaker during the last slaughtering season,[2] which according to Michiel Tadens would have been a white hog with black spots and an ear half cut off which was decorated. Whereupon Michiel Tadens threatened to summon the petitioner before the honorable court at Breuckelen; and he [ ] the petitioner through the strong advice of Albert Albertsz residing at Breuckel[3] and Salomon LaChair,[4] themselves offering to be arbitrators for the matter of the two boars in dispute, in order to settle by arbitration; and after they had made the petitioner afraid with threats that if the case came before the judge, it would not go well with him, together with other persuasive reasons, he, petitioner, let the aforesaid Albert Albertsz and Salomon LaChair persuade him because of his simple and shy nature (which could be presumed as a result of Michiel Tadens request) to refer the dispute of the two boars to them. Their mistaken judgment was made on the 25th of July 1661, by which the petitioner finds himself greatly injured and harm done to his honor (so he says). For this reason he requests our assistance.[5]
Therefore, we hereby commission and order you to summon the aforesaid Michiel Tadens to appear, or to send deputies, before us here in Fort Amsterdam on the 25th of this month in order to see us annul and invalidate the aforesaid judgment, at least correcting and amending it, sustaining or repudiating it, as shall be deemed fit, inviting die aforesaid arbitrators to come on the appointed day, or to send deputies, if this matter concerns them in any way. Providing copies for the parties and relating to us what you encounter.
Thus done in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland the 22nd of August 1661.[6]
