Document: RESOLUTION permitting Company servants to return to the fatherland, and concerning ship's crews

Resolution drawn up 18 March 1643 at Fort Amsterdam on Curacao.

In the preceding resolution drawn up on the 13th of this month appears the plan to send the veteran soldiers, who have been in this country over fifty months and promised their release, first leeward in order to seek out provisions and at the same time a good prize. In the meantime, while we were still busy with the keelhauling of De Sevenstaer, four Company ships arrived here from Brazil to take on salt, whereby the aforesaid plan was not only delayed but partly frustrated because the veteran soldiers took this opportunity to request earnestly for their promised release, for which no reasons were wanting, because their obligated time had more than expired and their release at the first opportunity was promised during the last famine; also, at that time their accounts and passports had already been approved and they had been granted to seek passage by way of other islands with De Kemphaen because of lack of food. In addition, they feared falling once again into another famine, which already seemed upon them because few supplies had been received from the fatherland or from Nieuw Nederlandt. With regard to the souls who have to be fed from it, which would cause more insubordination and mutiny among the soldiers, we find it advisable for the maximum service to the Company, peace, unity and the maintenance of our posture to grant the veteran soldiers deliverance with the squadron of Director Tolck[i] and those which arrived here previously with the present salt ships, and to levy again some sailors from the ships as a crew for the present yachts, who do not yet have five months service with the Company, for the promotion of reason, equity and peace on the island.

P. Stuyvesant
Jacob Lopper
Brian Newton
L. Rodenborch
Claes Martensz
Jan Klassen Smal
Jacob Tijssen Pal

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