Document: Complaint of Joost Van Beecq vs. Maria Verleth

At the session present: the honorable director general Petrus Stuyvesant, the lords councilors, Nicasius de Sille, and La Montagne.

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To the highly esteemed lord, the lord director general and lords high councilors in New Netherland.

Joost van Beecq shows with all due respect that he, petitioner, has been slandered with no basis of truth by a certain Maria Verleth, an inhabitant of this city, in her response to his, the petitioner’s, points of grievance, as having committed crimen furti;[1] and whereas the petitioner has been greatly slandered by the untruthful accusation, and, compromised in his honor, name and reputation, which at one time or another might lead to a reproach for him or his decendants; therefore, he, petitioner, has protested the aforesaid slander and publicly announced that he intended to request reparation thereof, howsoever it may be appropriate, because he, petitioner, is a merchant, standing under the protection of your honors’ appeal, by virtue of which the aforesaid Maria Verleth may be summoned by your honors before the high court to hear such charges and declarations which the petitioner shall bring against her regarding injuries in the matter, and to proceed further to the extent of the law.[2] In so doing I remain (below was written:) your honors’ most humble servant (was signed:) Joost van Beecq.