Cape Council of Policy
1
1651-12-30
Minute details
- Entry number
- 1
- Date
- 1651-12-30
- Year
- 1651
English translation
O Merciful and Gracious God and Heavenly Father, Since Your Divine Majesty has seen fit to appoint us to manage the affairs of the General United Netherlands Patented East India Company here at Cabo de Boa Esperance, and for that purpose we have assembled with our Council in Your Holy Name, in order to make, with their advice, such decisions as will serve the utmost good of the aforesaid Company, uphold Justice, and, if possible, that Your true Reformed Christian Teaching may be propagated and spread among these wild, brutal people, to the praise and honor of Your Holy Name, and the prosperity of our Lord. Principals, of which we could not do the least without your gracious help. We therefore pray to Thee, O most gracious Father, that Thou wilt attend us with Thy Fatherly wisdom, and presiding in this our assembly, so enlighten our hearts that all wrong passions, misunderstandings and other such shortcomings may be kept from us, so that our hearts may be pure from all human affections, and our minds may be so disposed that in our deliberations we may not intend or decide otherwise than what may tend to the magnification and praise of Thy most holy name, and the greatest service of our Lords and Masters, without in any way considering our own advantage or private profit, which and was more for the execution of our commanded service and she needs salvation. We pray and desire in the name of your dear Son, our Salvation and the Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray
Our Father &a.
Our Father &a.
Original Dutch transcription
O Barmhertige Goedertieren Godt ende Hemelsche Vader, Nadien het uwe Goddelijcke Maijesteijt geliefft heefft ons te beroepen over ‘t bestier der saacken van de Generale Vereenighde Nederlantse g’octroijeerde Oost Indische Compe. alhier aen Cabo de Boa Esperance ende wij ten dien eijnde met onsen bijhebbenden Raedt in uwen H. name vergadert sijn: omme met advijs van deselve sodanige besluijten te maecken, waermede den meesten dienst van de opgemelte Compe. gevoirdert, de Justitie gehanthaefft, ende onder dese wilde brutale menschen (mogelijck sijnde)2 uwe ware gereformeerde Christelijcke Leere mettertijt mochte voortgeplant ende verbreijt worden, tot uwes H. Naemes loff ende Eere, ende welstant onser Hren. Principalen, waertoe wij sonder dijne genadige hulpe ‘t alderminste en vermogen. Soo bidden wij U derhalven O aldergenadighste Vader, dat gij ons met uwe Vaderlijcke wijsheijt wilt bijwoonen, ende in dese onse vergaderinge presiderende, onse herten sulx verlichten dat alle verkeerde passien, misverstanden ende andere diergelijcke gebreecken van ons mogen geweer[t] blijven, ten eijnde onse herten van alle menschelijcke affecten reijn, ende onse gemoederen soo gestelt sijnde wij in onse raedtslagen niet anders voornemen nochte besluijten, als ‘t gene mach strecken tot grootmaeckin[ge] ende loff van uwen alderheijlighsten naeme, ende den meesten dienst van onse Heeren ende Meesters sonder in eeniger maten op eijgen baet off particulier proffijt acht te nemen, het welcke ende wes meer ons tot uijtvoerin[ge] onser bevolen dienste ende zaligheijt nodigh sij. Wy bidden ende begeeren in den naeme uwes Wel lieven Zoons onsen Heijl[ant] ende Zaligmaker Jesu Christij, die ons heefft leeren bidden
Onse Vader &a.
Onse Vader &a.