Cape Council of Policy
177
1658-10-02
Minute details
- Entry number
- 177
- Date
- 1658-10-02
- Year
- 1658
English translation
It is also noted that the copses, which have not yet been issued but provisionally permitted, are being violated in a very disorderly manner and that much property remains needlessly felled without due decency587 and is left to rot, to the great detriment of this growing colony here. This is because the present first freemen are already provided with fine opportunities for houses, barns and stables, etc. have been informed that we, considering the necessity of carpentry for freemen who are also about to come after this, as well as that at present two free woodcutters have been free for fifteen years, and to each of them a piece of wood has been distributed to equip each one with planks and all kinds of carpentry, and on which they say at their expense several German servants are kept as carpenters, wagemakers, woodcutters and slaves, have approved and resolved all and each one as well Comps. servants, as freemen, to henceforth inhibit and prohibit access to and use of the aforementioned woods, just as they are hereby inhibited and prohibited from doing so. And that anyone who needs any timber or other wood, including spruce, laths, and anything else related thereto, will be required to fetch and purchase such at a reasonable price from the free woodcutters, who are subsequently freed and each granted a piece of wood for the aforementioned purpose.588
And it is also observed that some, without being noticed, carry away much more firewood than is needed for their own household.589 Yes to sell the same for the most part to Englishmen and stone cutters etc., whereby their oxen can be freely used for agriculture without anyone being willing to acknowledge it from the E. Compe. (who owns it). It has also been agreed that for every wagon of fuel that someone brings outside their land for stone cutters or others,590 in acknowledgement and justice to the E. Compe., ten stuivers will henceforth be paid. From time to time, their freemen who have a liking for the fuel woods of the E. Compe will reveal this. to lease or rent, but that which each one has on his own land he shall be free to take, burn, and sell to others, and branches for ore or beans may also be taken freely from the lower scrub and dune thickets until further notice, as well as whatever he needs for his own firelighter,591 Except that everyone who is also entitled to it shall have to take care to cut the least branches, both on the inner and outer sides, from the wood that runs along the top of Comps. forest. The forested area extends down to the Liesbeek river, including the area, which, as it has naturally grown over, has become a formal support and dense enclosure of all kinds of wood for landscaping, etc., which the Hottentoes might occasionally attempt to remove. Likewise, we may not burn any lime or stone bricks for our kilns from any dunes or small clumps, so that they are not destroyed completely too early and farmers are left to struggle to build the walls of their houses, etc.
And in order that this might be well observed and that no simulation or fraud might occur in this, the lance pass592 has ordered the Comp's corn collector as well as the excise and other officials to observe all orders593 and to seize any that are found to be in violation in this regard in favor of the E. Compe. by the forfeiture of timber and fuel taken from other forests than aforementioned and not properly brought in, together with a fine of three reales per journey, 1/3 for the excise, 1/3 for the poor and the rest for the seizer,594 it being understood that this is largely for the benefit of the E. Compe. and to the best of the incipient colony, for the community here, to require much necessity. And so that no one should have to apologize for incivility, it was, by form of placate, delivered at the proper place and installed in the country.
Thus done and resolved in Fort de Goede Hoope on the day and year as above.595
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.
And it is also observed that some, without being noticed, carry away much more firewood than is needed for their own household.589 Yes to sell the same for the most part to Englishmen and stone cutters etc., whereby their oxen can be freely used for agriculture without anyone being willing to acknowledge it from the E. Compe. (who owns it). It has also been agreed that for every wagon of fuel that someone brings outside their land for stone cutters or others,590 in acknowledgement and justice to the E. Compe., ten stuivers will henceforth be paid. From time to time, their freemen who have a liking for the fuel woods of the E. Compe will reveal this. to lease or rent, but that which each one has on his own land he shall be free to take, burn, and sell to others, and branches for ore or beans may also be taken freely from the lower scrub and dune thickets until further notice, as well as whatever he needs for his own firelighter,591 Except that everyone who is also entitled to it shall have to take care to cut the least branches, both on the inner and outer sides, from the wood that runs along the top of Comps. forest. The forested area extends down to the Liesbeek river, including the area, which, as it has naturally grown over, has become a formal support and dense enclosure of all kinds of wood for landscaping, etc., which the Hottentoes might occasionally attempt to remove. Likewise, we may not burn any lime or stone bricks for our kilns from any dunes or small clumps, so that they are not destroyed completely too early and farmers are left to struggle to build the walls of their houses, etc.
And in order that this might be well observed and that no simulation or fraud might occur in this, the lance pass592 has ordered the Comp's corn collector as well as the excise and other officials to observe all orders593 and to seize any that are found to be in violation in this regard in favor of the E. Compe. by the forfeiture of timber and fuel taken from other forests than aforementioned and not properly brought in, together with a fine of three reales per journey, 1/3 for the excise, 1/3 for the poor and the rest for the seizer,594 it being understood that this is largely for the benefit of the E. Compe. and to the best of the incipient colony, for the community here, to require much necessity. And so that no one should have to apologize for incivility, it was, by form of placate, delivered at the proper place and installed in the country.
Thus done and resolved in Fort de Goede Hoope on the day and year as above.595
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.
Original Dutch transcription
Alsoo gemerckt wort dat de bosschagies, welcke noch niet uijtgegeven maer provisionelijcq toegestaen sijn, elcq sijn gerieff uijt te halen seer onordentlijck en worden geschendt ende veel goet houdt, nodeloos sonder fatsoen omgeveltblijfft587 leggen vergaen, tot groot nadeel van dese aengroeijende colonie alhier, Soo is ‘t dewijle de jegenwoordige eerste vrijeluijden al met fraije gelegentheden van huijsingen, schuijren ende stallen &a. sijn versien, dat wij insiende de nootsaeckelijcheijt van het timmerhoudt voor vrijeluijden die oocq na desen staen te comen, als mede dat sigh jegenwoordich twee vrije-houtsagers voor vijfftien jaren in vrydom hebben begeven, ende aen deselve elcq een stucq bos is uijtgedeelt omme daeruijt een ijegelijcq met plancken ende alderhande timmerhoudt te versien, ende op ‘t welcke sijluijden t’ haren laste verscheyde Duijtse dienaers als timmerluijden, wagemaeckers, houtsagers ende slaven sijn houdende, hebben goetgevonden ende geresolveert alle ende een ijegelijcq soo wel Comps. dienaren als vryeluyden den toegangh ende het gebruijck van de meergemelte bosschagies voortaen te inhibeeren ende verbieden gelijcq hun ‘t selve g’inhibeert ende verboden wort bij desen, ende dat den genen die eenich timmer offte ander hout, Item oocq sparren, latten, ende wes meer daeraen dependerende nodich heeft, sulcx ten redelijcken prijse sullen gehouden wesen te halen ende coopen, van de vrije houtsagers voorsz welcke daerop vrijgeworden ende elcq een stucq bos ten eijnde voorsz verleent sij.588
Ende nademael mede gesien wort dat sommige sonder aensien van plaetse veele houdt tot brandthout halen ende wegh slepen meer als voor hun eijgen huijshoudingenodigh,589 Ja sulcx oocq wel ten duijrsten weten aen Engelse ende steenbackers &a. te vercopen, waerdoor haerluyder treckossen tot den landtbouw vry worden affgemat sonder dat ijmandt ijts d’ E. Compe. (die ‘t eygen is) tot erkentenisse te wil weet, Soo is mede goetgevonden dat voor ijder wagen branthoudt die ymandt buijten syn landtvoor steenbackers off andren590 haelt tot erkentenisse ende gerechticheijt aen d’ E. Compe. voortaen sal betaelt worden thien stuijvers ter tijt toe haer vrijeluijden sullen openbaren die genegentheijt hebben de branthoudtbossen van d’ E. Compe. te pachten offte huijren, doch ‘t gene elcq op sijn eijgen landt heefft sal hij selffs vrij mogen halen, branden, ende aen andre vercopen, ende tacken tot erten off boonen sullen tot nader gelegentheijtoocknoch mogen vrij gehaelt worden uijt de beneden creupel ende duijn bossjes,als mede elck soo wel hij tot eijgen heertbrandt nodigh heefft,591 Excepto dat sigh ijder een wie het oocq is sal hebben te wachten, ‘t minste tackjen soo wel aen de binnen als de buijtencandt te kappen van ‘t houdt dat boven van Comps. bosch langs do. bosrevier is streckende tot beneden aen de reviere Liesbeecq incluijs, alsoo hetselve van natuijre wege is affgesien te wesen bewassen tot een formele stuttinge ende dichte besluijtinge van allerhande hout, voor bestiael &a. ‘t welcq ons by tyt ofte wijle door de Hottentoos soude mogen onderstaen worden weder te ontvoeren. Soo en sullen oocq van eenige duijn ofte cleijne bosjes, calck noch Steen backers tot hare ovens ijets mogen verstoocken, opdat sulcx niet al te vroegh t’ eenemael vernielt ende de landtbouwers verlegen gemaeckt worden de wanden van hare huijsinge te vlechten &a.
Ende opdat dit wel g’observeert mochte worden ende hierinne geenige simulatie offte fraude en come te geschieden, soo heefft denlanspassaet592 aen Comps. corenschuijr soo wel als den fiscus ende geweldiger last daerop aen alle orden593 te letten ende die in desen overtredich bevonden worden te beslaen ten behoeve van d’ E. Compe. in de verbeurte van het timmer ende branthoudt dat uijt andre bossen als voorsz gehaelt ende niet na behooren aengebracht wordt, nevens een geltboete van drie realen t’ elcken reijse, 1/3 pro fisco, 1/3 voor den armen ende de rest voor den beslager,594 alsoo verstaen wort sulcx ten meesten dienste van d’ E. Compe. ende ten besten van de beginnende colonie voor ‘t gemeen alhier soodanich hoogh nodigh te vereijsschen. Ende opdat sigh niemandt op oncunde soude hebben te verschoonen, soo is desen bij forme van placcate ter behoorlijcke plaetse affgelesen ende in ‘t landt aengeplact.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten daege ende jaere als boven.595
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.
Ende nademael mede gesien wort dat sommige sonder aensien van plaetse veele houdt tot brandthout halen ende wegh slepen meer als voor hun eijgen huijshoudingenodigh,589 Ja sulcx oocq wel ten duijrsten weten aen Engelse ende steenbackers &a. te vercopen, waerdoor haerluyder treckossen tot den landtbouw vry worden affgemat sonder dat ijmandt ijts d’ E. Compe. (die ‘t eygen is) tot erkentenisse te wil weet, Soo is mede goetgevonden dat voor ijder wagen branthoudt die ymandt buijten syn landtvoor steenbackers off andren590 haelt tot erkentenisse ende gerechticheijt aen d’ E. Compe. voortaen sal betaelt worden thien stuijvers ter tijt toe haer vrijeluijden sullen openbaren die genegentheijt hebben de branthoudtbossen van d’ E. Compe. te pachten offte huijren, doch ‘t gene elcq op sijn eijgen landt heefft sal hij selffs vrij mogen halen, branden, ende aen andre vercopen, ende tacken tot erten off boonen sullen tot nader gelegentheijtoocknoch mogen vrij gehaelt worden uijt de beneden creupel ende duijn bossjes,als mede elck soo wel hij tot eijgen heertbrandt nodigh heefft,591 Excepto dat sigh ijder een wie het oocq is sal hebben te wachten, ‘t minste tackjen soo wel aen de binnen als de buijtencandt te kappen van ‘t houdt dat boven van Comps. bosch langs do. bosrevier is streckende tot beneden aen de reviere Liesbeecq incluijs, alsoo hetselve van natuijre wege is affgesien te wesen bewassen tot een formele stuttinge ende dichte besluijtinge van allerhande hout, voor bestiael &a. ‘t welcq ons by tyt ofte wijle door de Hottentoos soude mogen onderstaen worden weder te ontvoeren. Soo en sullen oocq van eenige duijn ofte cleijne bosjes, calck noch Steen backers tot hare ovens ijets mogen verstoocken, opdat sulcx niet al te vroegh t’ eenemael vernielt ende de landtbouwers verlegen gemaeckt worden de wanden van hare huijsinge te vlechten &a.
Ende opdat dit wel g’observeert mochte worden ende hierinne geenige simulatie offte fraude en come te geschieden, soo heefft denlanspassaet592 aen Comps. corenschuijr soo wel als den fiscus ende geweldiger last daerop aen alle orden593 te letten ende die in desen overtredich bevonden worden te beslaen ten behoeve van d’ E. Compe. in de verbeurte van het timmer ende branthoudt dat uijt andre bossen als voorsz gehaelt ende niet na behooren aengebracht wordt, nevens een geltboete van drie realen t’ elcken reijse, 1/3 pro fisco, 1/3 voor den armen ende de rest voor den beslager,594 alsoo verstaen wort sulcx ten meesten dienste van d’ E. Compe. ende ten besten van de beginnende colonie voor ‘t gemeen alhier soodanich hoogh nodigh te vereijsschen. Ende opdat sigh niemandt op oncunde soude hebben te verschoonen, soo is desen bij forme van placcate ter behoorlijcke plaetse affgelesen ende in ‘t landt aengeplact.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten daege ende jaere als boven.595
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.