Document: Commission of Paulus Leendertsen van der Grist to command the ship Dolphin

Petrus Stuyvesant, on behalf of their honorable High Mightinesses, the lords States-General of the United Netherlands, and the honorable lords-directors of the General Chartered West India Company, director-general of New Netherland, Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba and their dependencies, to all who hear, see or read this, greetings. Let it be known that, upon the request of the general owners (our dear subjects) and for the promotion of trade, we have consented to equip and prepare the ship, den Dolpheyn. Whereas it is necessary for us and the aforesaid owners to have a capable and experienced person to command thereon as skipper and chief officer and to guide the aforesaid ship across the sea; therefore, upon good reports and recommendations given to us concerning the person of Poulus Leendersen vander Grift, we have commissioned and appointed him, as we him do hereby commission and appoint as skipper and chief officer aboard the aforesaid