Document: Order on motion of the fiscal to subject Hans Breyer, accused of robbery, to torture

To the highly esteemed lords high councilors residing at Fort Amsterdam in New Nether- land.

Copy My lords,

It is well known not only to your honors but also to many of the good inhabitants through reports and experience that the inhabitants are being attacked and robbed by villainous evil doers in this city and elsewhere in this province; therefore, I have, ex officio, arrested the person of Hans Breyer, who is notorious and has been convicted of various thefts, and who has sought to lure others from the path of honesty to thievery; which Breyer having been legally examined before your honors upon the attached interrogatory, and obstinately denied the evidence, without requesting confession, pardon or forgiveness, I have deemed it advisable, in order not to neglect my responsibilities to uphold justice and punish evil doers, to submit to your honors this my petition, and hereby to request that the aforesaid Hans Breyer be turned over to the fiscal, and, according to law, in the presence of your honors, or those commissioned thereto by your honors, to carry out a more thorough examination and torture in order to extract a confession from the obstinate delinquent by customary methods that are lawful and based on law, so that for the good of the commonalty rightand justice may be served as an example to other evil doers. Dated 28 April 1655, New Amsterdam in New Netherland. Was signed: Cornelis van Tienhoven, fiscal.