Document: Answer to the protest against the detention of the ship Hope

Reply to the matter in the foregoing copy. Request granted.

19 October

Let it serve as a response that long before this the petitioner was permitted [ to do so ], and also to this end arbitrators were appointed and authorized by the petitioner himself and the director general, namely, George Rapailje, chosen by the petitioner, and Anna Douwesz, skipper on de Liefde, appointed by the lord director general to hear the request of the petitioner and to balance it against what the petitioner has already received for himself and for his crew and galiot, to which arbitration the petitioner himself was not willing to agree, or consent to equitable settlement. Concerning the attachment on the aforesaid galiot made by the fiscal, as the guardian of justice, the aforesaid fiscal has already been ordered and shall once again hereby be ordered to place in the hands of the petitioner a copy of his charge, which being answered, the director general and councilors shall not neglect to extend to the petitioner swift and fair justice.

Done at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, ady ut supra, 19 October 1655.