Noble, Honorable, highly Esteemed, Wise and very Prudent Lord:
My Lord, since my last letter by the galliot, we have lost at New Amstel the Lord-Director Jacop Alrichs who passes away on 30 December. His death is producing a great deal of turmoil in the colony, principally among the officials and heirs. According to the enclosed last will of Mr. Alrichs, deceased, his choice for a successor is Mr. d'Hinojosse who, as I am told, has already established himself somewhat sternly and harshly. The inhabitants desire to see you in the spring in order to restore order and appoint another director. Mr. Crato is to go to the fatherland by way of Virginia as soon as there is open water.
I went overland to New Amstel yesterday for the first time since my severe illness. Many of the inhabitants gave me a friendly reception and rejoiced at my recovery. I understand that, strangely enough, many are now no longer inclined to go to Virginia but rather to Manhattan.
Our people are now healthy, praise God. Although completely frozen in, they are not afraid because they are well-provisioned.
I would have liked to have sent this over sooner but I could not get an Indian for the journey, notwithstanding I have agreements with four of them.
While writing this letter, the nephew of Mr. Alrichs[1], deceased, arrived here with a packet of letters from Mr. van Gazel. He tells me that after my departure yesterday the schepens and city officials were summoned by Mr. D'jnojosse, which has been done almost every day during his administration. He wanted from them a deposition stating that Mr. Alrichs, deceased, had ruled badly. This they refused to do and would not even appear on the third or fourth summons. After this Elmerhuysen and Mr. Willems were discharged and Dr. Evert, the precentor, were brought into the fort by the schout, sergeant and four soldiers to testify against the deceased director. At the same time van Gesel was held in prison because they claimed that he was inciting the people. It is apparent that total confusion will ensue. My Lord, I find myself further obligated to inform you that last year a brown mare and a white stallion of the horses left behind by the Swedes died at Mr. Alrichs'. By the bearer of this I shall await your advice and orders on the proposal of the schout and magistrates here concerning a tax on each household of the Swedish nation for defraying the necessary expenses of the court.
I must again inform you of the irregularities of Jan Juyriansz Becker in the sale of strong drink. He encourages the soldiers to drunkenness by offering to sell them brandy or carry it on account. Some, principally new men here only six of seven weeks, have already drunk up two or three months' wages. He accepts notes in which it is stated that such a sum was disbursed for necessities of life. I have privately instructed him to stop this because drunks often come into the fort at night singing and brawling; resulting several times in law suits. Nevertheless, he has continued. Finally I had to forbid him from selling any more strong drink by the small measure. He is still doing it but in secret. His credit caused the drunkenness of two soldiers who burned a small Indian canoe. As a result the Indians threatened to set a house afire or shoot some livestock so that I had to satisfy them immediately. He has likewise not stopped selling brandy to the Indians, although I have admonished him several times about it. Consequently much animosity has arisen, as happened on 7 November when six Indians, totally drunk, caused a great disturbance among Jan Becker's neighbors so that they had to come to me for help. In the course of their hostile actions, they took from Sander Boyer's house a gun or snaphance belonging to the Company, which I have not yet been able to recover. The people told me that these Indians had been at Jan Juyriaen's house off and on the whole afternoon. On the 18th of this month, Pieter Mayer met an Indian at the edge of the woods, or in the thicket, who had a gallon jug[2] of brandy. He said he had bought it from Johannis and asked him to sit down and have a drink with him, which he did several times. The next morning the Indian was found dead further in the woods. The jug was lying next to him almost empty. For this the Indians threatened to kill Johannis, as they call him, saying that he had poisoned the Indian. The declaration of Pieter Mayer that he had drunk with him several times in the same afternoon when the wine was bought, satisfied the Indians somewhat. They laid the dead Indian on a litter and set it up on four large forked stakes in the thicket opposite Jan Juyriaen's house. Some say, since he drank himself to death he was not worthy of the earth, other Indians say he must bemoan the house where he got the drink. On 12 December, while Jan Juyriaens was at New Amstel with his wife and maid, an Indian came to his house carrying a jug and knocked at the door with it. Two of our soldiers' wives, who live nearby, heard this and asked what he wanted. He said, "I am returning the jug in which I got brandy from here." He gave the jug to the women and asked that it be given to Johannis. The jug was brought to me at once and I easily recognized it because Maria Becker often had it with her in the canoe when she accompanied me to New Amstel. However, I have not been able to catch the man again because the soldiers are somewhat devoted to him for the credit for drink and other reasons. I dare not grant him access to my papers, especially to copy letters and other things, because he is nothing but a common gossip. Otherwise, he performs no service here except to read at church on Sunday. This I can let the sergeant or someone else do. If you have a use for him elsewhere, I can, subject to correction, easily spare him here.
Pieter Mayer is anxious to hear whether you have been pleased to grant him the requested patent.[3] Michiel Carman's wife respectfully requests that you favor her husband with a safe- conduct pass since he is threatened here for having taken Samuel from the Hoerekil. They consider him an embezzler for having tried to take away some creditors of the City and their goods. Mr. Alrichs, deceased, once intended, as I am told to remove some goods from Karman's house as punishment for his crimes. When his wife heard this, she was obliged to place her goods with trusted friends and to entrust several casks of drink with Dr. Evert,[4] saying that she had sold them for cash. Dr. Evert was then summoned by Mr. Alrichs who asked him why he had bought the goods since they were liable to confiscation. Now his wife fears that Mr. d'Hinoyosse will do no less if Michiel returns here without a safe-conduct from you.
My Lord, I find that everything here is very expensive for the maintenance of a large family. Therefore, I respectfully request to be graced with a cadet's wages for my oldest son.
On 15 December I engaged Huybert Alberts as a soldiers here. He was Reynier van Heyst's servant and is now a freeman. In conclusion I wish to refer you to my previous letters and commend you to God's protection with wishes for a long life and prosperous administration, remaining, after cordial greetings,
Willem Beecqman
