Noble, Honorable, highly Esteemed, Wise, Prudent and very Discrete Lord:
My Lord, I received your letter of 30 May on the third of this month together with the nine soldiers. This serves as a pass for the discharged men.
My Lord, I find myself obligated by office, honor, and oath to communicate to you that Mr. d?Hinojosse has stripped his fort of its palisades to burn under his brew-kettle.
Also, that Mr. d'Hinojosse has sold the City's new muskets, which were sent aboard the ship, de Purmerlander Kerck, to the Indians of which Mr. Frans Cregier has seen at least five.
Also, that he has sold the millstones, which were also sent aboard the aforesaid ship, to the English in Maryland for 1000 lbs. of tobacco; also, a small brew-kettle weighing 7 to 800 lbs. Fop Jansz says that the kettle belongs to the Company; he was present when it was turned over upon the departure of the Swedes. He has sold the above and many other goods to the English in order to receive the tobacco in Maryland, which lends strength to the suspicion that he will leave by way of Maryland this coming winter.
When Jan de Caper was leaving Mr. d'Hinojosse went into a tirade about his enemies at Manhattan in the presence of Jan de Kaper and many others. Since then I have been trying to investigate the matter and acquire testimony; not until yesterday did the opportunity present itself, when some people met here who heard in person the calumnies and seditious remarks by this betrayer of the country. As a result of this, the discharged men were detained one day. I had the aforesaid friends summoned by the notary, van Nas, and requested that they come here to Fort Altena in order to furnish testimony about what they knew; and I had to constrain them with arrest. Since I considered it necessary for my own vindication, I herewith send the declarations.
If you should decide not to prosecute d'Hinojosse on this matter (although I believe you will) the deponents request that they remain anonymous because they fear that d'Hinojosse would destroy them. In addition, I have been informed, for which I also intend to obtain testimony, that d'Hinojosse has said that if he were discharged and failed to receive proper satisfaction that he would then get a commission from Portugal or elsewhere; then he would do privateering here along the coast of New Netherland, and do special damage to the people on Manhattan, because he knew when the ships came in and out. The people who have heard him utter such things at various times out of fear dare not to furnish testimony. However, if he were to be apprehended (which would be easy to do) much more would come to light.
In closing, I recommend the matter to you and remain, after commending you to God's protection with wishes for a long life and prosperous administration.
