Cape Council of Policy
102
1657-01-26
Minute details
- Entry number
- 102
- Date
- 1657-01-26
- Year
- 1657
English translation
On that date, the quartermaster Gerrit Harmensz, chief of the seal hunt (which arrived here the day before yesterday full of skins from Saldanha Bay) was summoned by the Commander and daily council of this fortress and asked whether the seal catch in the aforementioned bay and Dasseneijlant etc. to observe, and to which the same was answered by Jae, Also that he had long intended to apply for it, if he sometimes thought that the assistant Jan Woutersz (since his time was almost up) would leave for Batavia etc., so (given that the aforementioned Gerrit Harmensz is a brisk and vigilant, level-headed man, who through his good comportment reached the aforementioned chief of the common hunting) it was considered right to order the same with an eye to the seal catch in the place of the aforementioned Jan Woutersz and to summon him back there at the very first, to give reasons for his slanderous calumnies were spoken falsely behind the Commander's back and to the great disgrace of the Commander, and were so widely divulged that the rumour of it spread as far as this place, to the great disrespect and dishonour of His E., but principally and mainly because it has become clear to us that the same Jan Woutersz has said that he currently intended to take a libidinal aim at stealing Comps. best skins &a., because (as he also said) it had to go that way and that according to the now come thoughts the victuals had given him for a good three months already consumed it within 1 1/2 months, especially the aracqin had been finished with his drinking water in 23 days315, etc., so that the innocent people through his debauchery and disorderly household already began to suffer, and because of which to Comps. Additional burdens and costs require that other provisions be sent there, according to all of which, among other things, the aforementioned Gerrit Harmensz will also be ordered to detain the aforementioned assistant arriving in the Bay immediately on board, and to send him across in such a sealed package, so that he will not cause any delay or otherwise in running over the yacht, as might well be feared from such disloyal guests.
Thus done and resolved at the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as before.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1657.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1657.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] CASPAR VAN WEEDE, Secrets. 1657.
Thus done and resolved at the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as before.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1657.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1657.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] CASPAR VAN WEEDE, Secrets. 1657.
Original Dutch transcription
Op dato den quartiermeester Gerrit Harmensz opperhoofft van ‘t Robbejachtjen (daer eergister mede uijt de Saldanhabaij vol vellen is hier gecomen) voor den Commandeur ende dagelijcxen Raet deser fortresse geroepen ende affgevraeght sijnde off wel moet soude hebben de robbevanghst in de voorsz baij ende Dasseneijlant &a. waer te nemen, ende daer op bij den selven g’antwoort sijnde van Jae, Item oock dat alover langh314 voornemens was geweest daer na te solliciteren, als hij somtijts meenden dat den adsistent Jan Woutersz (vermits sijn tijt haest uijt was) na Batavia vertrecken soude &a., soo is (ingesien voorsz Gerrit Harmensz een flucx ende vigilant nuchter man is, welcke door sijn goet comportement tot voorsz opperhooffts-schap des gem. jachts sij geraeckt) goetgevonden den selven oock met eenen d’ opsicht over de robbevanghst te beveelen in de plaets van voorsz Jan Woutersz ende die met den aldereersten herwaerts te ontbieden, om reden te geven van sijne lasterlijcke calumnien achter rugge ende tot groote diffame van den Commandeur troulooselijck gesproocken, ende soo verde gedivulgeert dat den roep daer van al verder als dese plaetse sal gevlogen wesen, tot groot disrespect ende eerrovinge van Sijn E., doch principaelijck ende voornamentlijck omdat ons gebleecken is den selven Jan Woutersz geseght heefft het jegenwoordigh voornemens was lustigh te willen aenleggen op een steelen van Comps. beste vellen &a., dewijl ‘t (soo hij oock seijde) doch soo gaen moste ende dat den selven volgens de nu gecomen dachten de victualien hem voor ruijm drie maenden mede gegeven al binnen 1 1/2 maent geconsumeert, bijsonderlijck den aracqin 23 dagen315 met sijn droncken drincken opgemaeckt had &a., sulcx de onnosele luijden door sijn debauche ende onordentelijcke menagie al begonnen gebreck te lijden, ende waer door tot Comps. meerder last ende costen weder ander provisie moet derwaerts gesonden worden, volgens allen ‘t welcke dan voorsz Gerrit Harmensz onder anderen mede g’ordonneert sal worden om voorsz adsistent in de Baij comende datelijck aen boort te detineren, ende alsoo gesloten over te senden, op dat hij tusschen wegen geen retardement off andersints in ‘t overvaren van ‘t jacht en come te causeren, gelijck van sulcke ontrouwe gasten doch wel te vreesen mochte wesen.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jare als vooren.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1657.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1657.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] CASPAR VAN WEEDE, Secrets. 1657.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jare als vooren.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1657.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1657.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] CASPAR VAN WEEDE, Secrets. 1657.