Slavery in New Netherland
[75] As to the maid, of whom you wrote to me by the Gekruyste Hart, I would have sent over her account, but I have not yet been able to find brother Nicolaes' letter, so that I do not know what goods there have been, but I shall do my best to send it over by the next ship.
In answer to your favor of the 18th of April, this will serve to let you know that I as well as my wife thank you very much for accepting the sponsorship over our Kiliaen, who, God be praised, is strong and well and runs around everywhere. He grows lustily. 1\1ay the good Lord let him grow up in virtue. Secondly, we thank you for the christening present sent to him and for the two large cakes sent to us; the others I have de- livered according to your instructions [to the friends] who have accepted them with thanks.
The arrival of brother Ryckert and how he found things here you will have learned from his letters. We shall consult and act together as brothers ought to do. As to my coming over next year and settling all accounts beforehand, this can be done if it please God, but as to not coming home with empty hands, I see as yet not much chance of bringing home much, for one can not sell a hundred schepels of wheat for beavers and how the wheat is to be sent over next year [remains to be seen, so that] I do not know what will become of the trade between us.
I bought a Negro for the colony from the honorable General Petrus Stuyvesant, but the said Negro had to remain a few weeks more in the Company's service, so that I received him only a fortnight ago, together with the Negress whom the said general urged me to buy also, although he had given her to him later, after I had bought the Negro. She is a [good], sound wench. They cost, the Negro 400 guilders, and the Negress 350 guilders, in beavers, but I paid for them by means of accounts, so that now your 511 guilders are also paid. I shall let the scholtus employ the Negro when he needs him [ ] and shall try with the wife to start raising
] whether a [
] the [ ].
[76] As to sending over the kettles of Bessels, I should not like that, for you know what they look like owing to [their having been used for] the raising of chickens and pigeons and drawing water, so that they will have to be sold for old copper.
I would have sent you from year to year a pertinent account
of what you have sent to me if the circumstances had not changed
here so much. During the spring we had so much trouble with
the Indians that we thought that everything would go to ruin,
but afterwards, with the surrender of the country, things went
even worse, as you no doubt have learned before this. How
matters stand with our colony, you will see from the enclosed
7.'519
patent.
as I could. He has already been here to urge me to enter into an agreement with him, but I appealed to the King or to the Duke of York, saying that you would agree with them and that our brother Nicolaes had spoken with the King about the pre- diction he had made to him. I do not doubt therefore that you will be able to make better terms there than I can make here, for Governor Richard Nicoll demanded of me an annual recogni- tion of 200 whole beavers, but after much arguing he left it to me for 50 beavers and 1000 boards, and this on condition that there would be no war, for otherwise he would run off with the
whole boodle (wilde h)) met het heele sootie ,doorgaen). There- fore I was advised by one of the four com[missioners], Colonel
George Cartwright, to have the patent of the [colony entered in my name. [I] told him that I could not do that as the [colony did not belong to me alone]. Well, he said, if there should be war between [England and] Holland, the king will confiscate the property of those who belong to Holland, whereas if [the patent] is entered in your name and you are his subject, according to the oath of allegiance to him, you and your brothers [will retain the colony], so that you ought to take this into consid- eration, for you [know] the condition of affairs there be[tter than we do]. [
] .160
[77] I trust that you will take care that within the year we obtain a patent from the king, as we are obliged to do, otherwise I shall have to fall in with his ideas and call on one of the gov- ernor's men here, who will then probably talk in a different tone. What he demanded released us from other obligations, except that we were to maintain our minister at our expense. Y ou will please take this into consideration when you ask for a patent and see to it that the annual recognition be stated therein, without more; also the limits of the colony, how far it extends on both sides of the river, with the islands inclusive, and how deep into the country. It seems to me that you could get them to extend from Beere Island to one mile above the Vlackte, or Poest's farm, which according to my reckoning is 6 German miles up the river,16'1 and if on each side they extended as many miles into the woods, we might be content and if the Fuyck Was included I would consider our colony worth more than before, [especiallyj if the patent should also contain articles about the free trade between us and the Indians. If you should be pleased to send me a line by way of London or Virginia, have it delivered first to the governor in Fort James, in New York, on the island of Manhatans, or to Colonel Georgie Cartwright, commissioner of the king. We shall, if it please God, at every opportunity let
you know our situation, as you can see from the accompanying [documents] what took place here, for we shall make every effort to maintain the rights of the colony, in order that we at last reap the fruits thereof. Ending herewith, I and my wife send you
greetings.
October 21/11 Ao 1664
In the colony of Rensselaerswyck, situated in the
duchy of N. Albany, by the ship De Eendracht, Jan Bergen, master
[You] must from all the beavers deduct the duty for the duffels and [the blankets, ] for I delivered a piece of duffels and blanketing
to the [ ].
About the New Netherland Institute
For over three decades, NNI has helped cast light on America's Dutch roots. In 2010, it partnered with the New York State Office of Cultural Education to establish the New Netherland Research Center, with matching funds from the State of the Netherlands. NNI is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. More
The New Netherland Research Center
Housed in the New York State Library, the NNRC offers students, educators, scholars and researchers a vast collection of early documents and reference works on America's Dutch era. More
Subscribe Now
Subscribe to NNI's e-Marcurius and DAGNN-L to receive information about New Netherland-related events, activities, conferences, and research.
Dutch American Group (DAG)
To learn more about the Dutch American Group or to join go to DAG
Support NNI
By supporting NNI you help increase awareness of the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland and its legacy in America.