Document: Dutch colonial council minutes, 17 February 1639

On the 17th of February anno 1639

Having considered the action and the complaint of Ulrich Lupoldt, fiscal, against Marten Cael, Skipper of the ship De Liefde. chartered by the honorable directors of the chartered West India Company, chamber of Amsterdam, to sail to New Nether- land, on condition that neither he, the skipper, nor any of his crew were to be at liberty to sell any merchandise or do any trading either in New Netherland or elsewhere within the limits of the charter,[1] for all of which he, Marten Cael, offered as security the ship and stipulated freight, as will more fully appear from the charter party made thereof;

And whereas it clearly appears from the seized brandy and stockings, as well as by the testimony of various persons who bought goods from some of the sailors of said ship that the skipper failed to have his crew observe the terms of the charterparty; and also in consideration of the acknowledgment by the skipper that he only became aware in New Netherland that his crew had shipped any merchandise in the said ship;

We, therefore, doing justice, have debarred the aforesaid skipper Marten Cael from all exceptions, defenses and pleas of which he might in any way avail himself in this case and condemn him, as we do hereby, to forfeit one month's stipulated freight amounting to the sum of 1290 gl., whereof the Company shall receive 645 gl., 322 gl. and 10 st. to be used for the building of a new church in New Netherland and 322 gl. 10 st. for the benefit of the fiscal. Thus done in Fort Amsterdam, the day and year above written.