Document: Power of attorney from Frans Bruyn and Jan Porter to Matthias van Riethoven to collect moneys from the West India Company

This day, date underwritten, before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven, secretary of New Netherland appointed by the General Chartered West India Company, residing in Fort Amsterdam, appeared Frans Bruyn and Jan Porter, both at present inhabitants of New Netherland and formerly soldiers on the Island of Curaçao, who appoint and empower, as they do hereby, Matias van Riethoven, merchant at Amsterdam, to ask, demand and receive in the name and on behalf of the principals from the honorable directors of the Chartered West India Company, chamber at Amsterdam, all such sums of money as the above mentioned principals have earned on the island of Curaçao, as can be seen on the books at Amsterdam and as the accounts prove. Furthermore, the above mentioned Mr. Matias van Riethoven has power to ask and receive from the said directors the value of eighteen hundred and four and one-half pounds of tobacco, shipped by the above mentioned Frans Bruyn and Jan Porter in the year 1645 in the ship Neptunes, whereof Paulus Leendersz was master, which said master, on account of lack of provisions, according to his affidavit dated the 19th of June,[1] took said tobacco and with it brought provisions and other necessaries for the ship Neptunes and the crew in Ireland. On payment of said wages and the value of the above mentioned 1804½ lbs of tobacco, computed at nine stivers a pound and accepted at that price by the board of accounts as appears by Paulus Leendersz’ affidavit, by the above mentioned directors, the aforesaid Mr. Mathias van Riethoven shall heve power to execute a receipt therefor, which shall be valid; they, the principals, holding valid whatever shall be done in the matter by the aforesaid attorney. Furthermore, if the case require it, he, the attorney, may substitute one or more persons in his place who with the attorney shall have power to sue and plead at law before all such judges as the necessity and circumstances of the case may demand; to prosecute the case to the end, either as plaintiff or defendant; to hear judgment pronounced and to appeal therefrom; acting in all things as they, Frans Bruyn and Jan Porter, could or might do were they present, even though the case should require fuller and further authority snd orders. Thus done and signed in the record by Frans Bruyn and Jan Porter, with Jacob Hendricksen Kip and Laurens van Heusden[2] as witnesses hereto invited, the 3rd of August anno 1647, in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland.

Frans Bruyn
Jan Porter
Laurens van Heusden
Jacob H. Kip