Document: Petition of Maria Varlet praying the annulment of a certain judgment obtained by Joost van Beecq against her

[several lines lost]

[ ] the fiscal Tienhoven [ ]

[ ] recorded and executed [ ]

[ ] the name of the burgomasters and [ ] pronounced; also, the judgment of 12 April by your honors, resulted as a consequence of this, and the one of 24 April by the court, annexed thereto with the judgment that your honors (concerning the suit between Joost van Beeck and me) have been pleased to pronounce, of which the first one was not simply and absolutely a provisional judgment but was limited with these reservations, to wit: if the parties are not satisfied with this order, they can address themselves regarding this and further items encompassed by their documents to the honorable lord director general and councilors.[i]

Your honors know that the parties have never addressed themselves concerning this and further items to the director general and councilors. For my part, I have never been summoned by the court messenger; also, I have never been informed that the aforesaid judgment was being considered by your honors, much less able or allowed to vindicate myself; above all else, I find myself extremely aggrieved, injured, and wronged in the said judgment and how the same is to be resolved; and I can see nothing but that the rudder was turned in order to call my deceased husband a bankrupt, finally after so much torment done to him by you, so miserably murdered by a bad administration, and balancing the accounts of the [ procured ] by his own; likewise all honest persons either here or elsewhere in our neighboring provinces where we have lived, shall attest to the upright and honest conduct of my departed husband; likewise, the circumstances of the procured documents shall demonstrate that the remaining merchandise is in his care, and consequently could not be produced by me. In order to prevent and avert the aforesaid and other misfortunes which might stem therefrom, I petition your honors that the above-mentioned judgments be abolished and nullified, and the book, which the provider fraudulently obtained from my brother in my absence, I would like placed in my hands again; and if it comes to the account, upon denial of the petition, then I shall protest against the fiscal Cornelis van Tienhoven, above named, for the murder of my departed husband, Johannes van Beeck, and against the director Petrus Stuyvesant and councilors, also for all the injuries and affronts done to me in the aforesaid judgment and proceedings as well as those done to me before and to come, whereby the blood and the damage on your honors, as impartials, shall be expelled and pursued; more so, as the director has been instructed by the ship the Waegh to let us live in peace. Done in New Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 2nd of May 1656 (was signed) Maria Varlet, widow of Sr. Johannes van Beeck.