Cape Council of Policy
171
1658-08-28
Minute details
- Entry number
- 171
- Date
- 1658-08-28
- Year
- 1658
English translation
Seeing and noting daily more and more from the vivid examples that the Guinean slaves are just as much natural and inclined to running away as the Angolans, especially now that they themselves also the free wood sawers Leendert Cornelisz van Zevenhuijsen, and Pieter Pouwelsz Cleij (by whom they are treated as well and better than by any of all the freemen) escaped to 14 pieces last night, plus two more from the freeman Harman Remajenne, whom he received again yesterday and had locked up today, besides two boxes. of the free fisherman Marten Jochumsz on the 17th of last year, and not yet recovered, as well as that night itself of the Compe. outside the fort, from the stone house of the gardener (where they were locked up) broken out, together with the 7 before that of the E. Compe. and 3 pieces of other freemen escape all 28 pieces of slaves, which is beginning to become a strong group, and it is to be feared that they are deprived of something where they know how to gather them and apparently all of them, being known, will take their course and try to make strength, of which people (being smarter, bolder, much braver, and also more courageous than these Hottentoos) the E. Compe. Over time, due to breeding, there will be far more nuisance than one might fear from this nation, to the extent that provision was not made for it temporarily.
It has been noted that the Hottentoos (as they always maintain and pretend) are wary of slaves and are not afraid to treat them well. After deliberation, to prevent further escape and the Comps, suffering great damage as a result, more than all other feared misfortunes, it was approved by the smith, the sooner the better, and before all other work, to have chains made first: to cover all the Comps. To lock up slaves (being men's persons), except for a few very old and sick men and women or female slaves and young boys. This is also to be permitted to all free people who request it, so that they can no longer escape from us or them.
Also, that all efforts should be made with strong runners and soldiers to ensure that at least those who have recently escaped can still be found.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope, date aforesaid.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.
It has been noted that the Hottentoos (as they always maintain and pretend) are wary of slaves and are not afraid to treat them well. After deliberation, to prevent further escape and the Comps, suffering great damage as a result, more than all other feared misfortunes, it was approved by the smith, the sooner the better, and before all other work, to have chains made first: to cover all the Comps. To lock up slaves (being men's persons), except for a few very old and sick men and women or female slaves and young boys. This is also to be permitted to all free people who request it, so that they can no longer escape from us or them.
Also, that all efforts should be made with strong runners and soldiers to ensure that at least those who have recently escaped can still be found.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope, date aforesaid.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.
Original Dutch transcription
Siende ende dagelijcx meer ende meer merckende aen de levendige exempelen, dat de Guinese slaven soo wel als de Angoolse tot het weghlopen even seer genatureert ende genegen sijn, bijsonderlijcq nu dat se oocq selffs de vrije houtsagers Leendert Cornelisz van Zevenhuijsen, ende Pieter Pouwelsz Cleij (bij welcke sij soo wel jae beter als bij ijemandt van al de vrijeluyden getracteert worden) gister nacht tot 14 stucx sijn ontloopen, Item mede noch twee van den vrijborger Harman Remajenne, die hij gister wederom gecregen ende heden in de kettingh laten klincken heefft, behalven twee dos. van den vrij visser Marten Jochumsz den 17en verleden quijtgeraeckt, ende noch niet weder gecregen, mitsgaders desen gepasseerden nacht selffs van de Compe. buijten ‘t fort uijt het steenen huijs van den hovenier (daer se in geslooten leggen) uijtgebroocken, sijnde te samen met de 7 voor dato d’ E. Compe. ende 3 stucx andre vrijeluijden ontloopen al 28 stucx slaven ende slavinnen dat een sterck tropjen begint te worden, ende te duchten is haer ergens onthouden daer se hun weten te vergaderen ende apparent wel altemalen van bekent sijnde haren loop na toe sullen nemen ende soecken stercq te maecken, van welcq volcq (slimmer, stouter, veel dapperder, ende oocq couragieuser als dese Hottentoos wesende) d’ E. Compe. metter tijt door voorteelinge aenwassende, wel vrij ander overlast, als van dese lants natie mochte te vresen hebben, bij soo verre daerinne niet tijdelijcq571 werde voorsien,
Soo is, gemerckt de Hottentoos (soo se haer altijt houden ende voorgeven) doch schroomachtich voor de slaven sijn ende haer niet wel derven aendoen, na overlegh van saecken, tot voorcominge van ‘t vorder weghlopen ende Comps. daerdoor lijdende groote schade, als alle andre gevreest wordende onheijlen meer, goetgevonden, door den smith hoe eer hoe liever, ende voor alle ander wercq ten eersten kettinghs genoech te laten maecken: om alle des Comps. slaven (mans persoonen wesende) daerin te clincken, behalven eenige heele oude sieckelijcke mannen ende572 vrouwen offte slavinnen ende cleijne jongens. Ende sulcx oocq den vrijeluijden allomme mede toe te staen die het versoecken ten eijnde ons noch haer geen meer en comen te ontloopen.
Item oock dat men met cloecke loopers ende soldaten alle debvoiren sal aenwenden om altoos ten minsten die laest weghgeloopen sijn, mogelijcq wesende noch wederom te becomen.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope datum voorsz.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.
Soo is, gemerckt de Hottentoos (soo se haer altijt houden ende voorgeven) doch schroomachtich voor de slaven sijn ende haer niet wel derven aendoen, na overlegh van saecken, tot voorcominge van ‘t vorder weghlopen ende Comps. daerdoor lijdende groote schade, als alle andre gevreest wordende onheijlen meer, goetgevonden, door den smith hoe eer hoe liever, ende voor alle ander wercq ten eersten kettinghs genoech te laten maecken: om alle des Comps. slaven (mans persoonen wesende) daerin te clincken, behalven eenige heele oude sieckelijcke mannen ende572 vrouwen offte slavinnen ende cleijne jongens. Ende sulcx oocq den vrijeluijden allomme mede toe te staen die het versoecken ten eijnde ons noch haer geen meer en comen te ontloopen.
Item oock dat men met cloecke loopers ende soldaten alle debvoiren sal aenwenden om altoos ten minsten die laest weghgeloopen sijn, mogelijcq wesende noch wederom te becomen.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope datum voorsz.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.