Cape Council of Policy
180
1658-10-24
Minute details
- Entry number
- 180
- Date
- 1658-10-24
- Year
- 1658
English translation
It has been found that, contrary to our previous edicts of May 4th and September 13th, the cattle trade with these country’s inhabitants, or Hottentoes, has been prohibited by order of Our Lordships, the Principals from the fatherland; however, this is still continued by some, and most notably by the freeman Jan Reijniersz today last found that he does not disregard the same at all, but continues in it unabashedly and boldly, against all the established orders and commands of Our Lordships; and to that end this nation also deliberately keeps their house; such that cattle rarely come to the fort, knowing that at least his share of the sheep can be obtained, slaughtered and consumed by mutual agreement and sometimes also by force (as if living on the passage), instead of doing the same thing other freemen do, first of all not to pay any attention to the breeding, etc., besides that such private revelry has also often been found to tend to prejudice and damage Comps. trade being today on such a good footing, it is that the Commander and the Council, noting the boldness of the same Jan Reijniersz, with the consent of the free Citizens' Councillors today, as also having been present regarding the faults committed by Jan Reijniersz, have approved for the third time again an equally good Comps. to warn and tax servants as freemen, as they do by promulgation and affixation hereof, provided that no one, no matter who it may be, will interfere in the least with the grazing of any slaughtered or unslaughtered cattle, directly or indirectly and under whatever pretext it may be, on penalty of, instead of the stipulated 6 reals, now to forfeit a fine of 25 reals for the first time and 50 reals of 8 reals for the second time, to be applied 1/3 for the informer, and the rest according to uso, but if anyone who refuses to object to this a third or more times, the fiscal authority will be ordered to take action against the same for inob[ed]ience and opposition to the ordinances and orders of the lawful authorities, at the behest of our Lords, placed at the service of the E. Compe and the prosperity of the community. And since the Hottentoes also complain that the aforementioned Jan Reyniersz, calling them to his house and unable to agree with them, forcefully extorts, strikes, and pushes away their property, which consequently causes bitterness instead of amicable conditions. Furthermore, it has been noticed that the Hottentoes' access to the freemen's houses in the country (somewhat distant from the fort) not only provides ample opportunity for the aforementioned forbidden cattle trade, but also that this nation (beginning to become quite cunning) can thereby also exploit all opportunities to harm the freemen and take their cattle. Yes (which God forbid) to kill them all at night or at any time, as the interpreter Dominic had been told 2 or 3 days ago, among other things, that the Cochoquas (to make them look good) had asked him whether the German nation had not set their houses on fire and that they were also keeping watch at night, etc. It has also been decided to warn all the free people of this and to have them state that from now on until further notice they will not allow any Hottentoos into their houses at all, much less into their houses, on a penalty of 6 reals of 8s, in order to avoid all such damage and discomfort as also any burning of the ripe corn, etc. To avoid and prevent as much as possible, therefore everyone is also admonished to keep a good watch at their homes.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the day and year as above.599
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the day and year as above.599
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.
Original Dutch transcription
Alsoo bevonden wort dat niet jegenstaende bij onse vorige placcaten van 4 Maij ende 13 September verleden de vrijeluijden door ordre onser Heeren Principalen uijt ‘t vaderlandt den veehandel met dese lants inwoonders offte Hottentoos is verboden echter evenwel sulcx door sommige noch al gecontinueert wort, ende voornamentlycq bij den vrijborger Jan Reijniersz heden daerop noch laest bevonden, die sigh ‘t selve gansch niet ontsiet maer tegen alle gestelde ordres ende bevelen onser Heeren Mrs. onbeschroomt ende stout daerin blijft voortvaren; mitsgaders ten dien eijnde dese natie t’ synen huijse oocq expres aenhoud; soodanich datter selden vee aen ‘t fort compt off weet van de schapen ten minsten sijn deel met minne ende oocq somtijts wel per force (als woonende op de passagie) te crijgen, slachten, consumeren, in plaetse van gelijcq andre vrijeluijden doen, voor eerst noch op d’ aenteelinge wat te letten &a., behalven dat soodanige private reuijlinge oocq niet weijnich bevonden is te strecken tot prejuditie ende schade van Comps. handel jegenwoordich op soo goeden voet gebracht sijnde, soo is ‘t dat den Commandeur en de Raedt gemerct de stouticheijt van den selven Jan Reijniersz met toestemminge van de vrije Borgerraden heden hierover, als oocq over de begaene faulten van Jan Reijniersz voorsz present synde geweest, goetgevonden hebben, ten derden male wederom een ijegelijcq soo wel Comps. dienaren als vrijeluijden te waerschouwen ende belasten, gelijck deselve bij promulgatie ende affictie deser doen, mits desen dat hun niemandt wie het oocq is en sal in ‘t alderminste bemoeijen eenich geslacht ofte ongeslacht vee te reuijlen, directelijcq ofte indirectelijcq ende onder wat pretext het oocq mochte wesen op pene van in plaetse der gestelde 6 realen nu voortaen te verbeuren een geltboete van 25 voor d’ eerste ende 50 realen van 8en voor de tweedemael, t’ appliceren 1/3 voor den aenbrenger, ende de rest naer uso, doch ijmandt ten derden ofte meer malen hiertegens noch willens comende te pexeren, sal den fiscael last gegeven worden tegen den selven proces te maecken van inob[ed]ientie ende tegenstrevinge der ordonnantien ende bevelen van de wettelycke overicheyt na den last onser Heren Principalen ten dienste van d’ E. Compe. ende welvaert van ‘t gemeen gestelt.
Ende nademael oocq door de Hottentoos geclaeght is dat meergenoemde Jan Reyniersz deselve aen sijn huijs roepende ende niet cunnende met haer accorderen per force hun goet affdringht, slaet ende stoot, ‘t welcq consequentlijck verbitteringe in plaets van minne staet te veroorsaecken, Item oocq bespeurt wordende dat door ‘t acces der Hottentoos aen der vryeluyden huysen in ‘t landt (van ‘t fort wat verde affgelegen) niet alleene groote occasie gegeven wort tot voorsz verboden veehandelinge: nemaer oocq dat bij deselve natie (vry slim beginnende te worden) daerdoor oocq can affgespeculeert worden alle gelegentheden om de vrijeluijden te beschadigen ende haer vee aff te nemen, Ja (dat Godt wil verhoeden) deselve by nacht ofte ontyde wel alle te vermoorden, als hebbende den tolcq Doman 2 a 3 dagen geleden onder andren wel weten te seggen, dat de Cochoquas (om haer odieus te maecken) hem hadden gevraeght off de Duijtse natie598 hare huysen niet waren in den brandt te steecken ende deselve oocq des snachts wel wacht hielden &a., Soo is oocq goetgevonden alle de vryeluyden hier mede van te waerschouwen ende by desen te doen aenseggen dat se van nu voortaen tot nader ordre geen Hottentoos altoos meer aen ende veel min binnen hun huijsen sullen laten comen op pene van 6 realen van 8en, omme emmers alle soodanige schade ende ongemacq voorsz als oocq eenigen brandt aen ‘t rijpe cooren &a., sooveel doenlijck te vermijden ende voor te comen, waeromme elcq mede vermaent wort aen sijn huijsen wel goede wacht te houden.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jaere als boven.599
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.
Ende nademael oocq door de Hottentoos geclaeght is dat meergenoemde Jan Reyniersz deselve aen sijn huijs roepende ende niet cunnende met haer accorderen per force hun goet affdringht, slaet ende stoot, ‘t welcq consequentlijck verbitteringe in plaets van minne staet te veroorsaecken, Item oocq bespeurt wordende dat door ‘t acces der Hottentoos aen der vryeluyden huysen in ‘t landt (van ‘t fort wat verde affgelegen) niet alleene groote occasie gegeven wort tot voorsz verboden veehandelinge: nemaer oocq dat bij deselve natie (vry slim beginnende te worden) daerdoor oocq can affgespeculeert worden alle gelegentheden om de vrijeluijden te beschadigen ende haer vee aff te nemen, Ja (dat Godt wil verhoeden) deselve by nacht ofte ontyde wel alle te vermoorden, als hebbende den tolcq Doman 2 a 3 dagen geleden onder andren wel weten te seggen, dat de Cochoquas (om haer odieus te maecken) hem hadden gevraeght off de Duijtse natie598 hare huysen niet waren in den brandt te steecken ende deselve oocq des snachts wel wacht hielden &a., Soo is oocq goetgevonden alle de vryeluyden hier mede van te waerschouwen ende by desen te doen aenseggen dat se van nu voortaen tot nader ordre geen Hottentoos altoos meer aen ende veel min binnen hun huijsen sullen laten comen op pene van 6 realen van 8en, omme emmers alle soodanige schade ende ongemacq voorsz als oocq eenigen brandt aen ‘t rijpe cooren &a., sooveel doenlijck te vermijden ende voor te comen, waeromme elcq mede vermaent wort aen sijn huijsen wel goede wacht te houden.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jaere als boven.599
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1658.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1658.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA, secrets. 1658.