Document: Orders to the vice-director at the South river

Upon the rereading of the letters dated 17 March from the commander on the South River of New Netherland, informing us that some of the Swedes left behind there are either troublesome or very dangerous, among others specified by name the persons of Swen Scheute and Jacob Swenske; it being said about the latter that he would share secret intelligence with the Indians to the disadvantage of our country. Upon considering and deliberating about the dangerous consequences thereof, we have deemed it necessary for the maximum service of the Company and security of the aforesaid conquered South River, to order and authorize the vice director Jan Poul Jacquet to secure the aforesaid persons and to send them over to this place with the first vessel, namely, with Capt. Jan Jacobsz; and for which purpose, in order to carry it out efficiently in case of opposition, we send a force of 12 soldiers, who are to be returned to this place either by land or with the aforesaid vessel after the matter is settled; and to instruct and order at once the aforesaid vice director and his supporting councilors to have all the Swedes who have not yet done so to take the customary loyalty oath, and to ship off at every opportunity those who refuse or transgress thereon. Thus done, resolved and reconsidered, ady ut supra, at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland. (Was signed:) P. Stuyvesant, Nicasius de Sille, La Mon- tagne, Cor. van Tienhoven.