Cape Council of Policy
19
1653-02-21
Minute details
- Entry number
- 19
- Date
- 1653-02-21
- Year
- 1653
English translation
The Council of this fortress of Good Hope has today been informed: together with its own inspection and numerous public testimonies, and voluntary confessions of Pieter Martensz van Tonningen, caretaker of the cows; Jan Blanx van Mechelen, former fugitive and released from the chain to which he had been banished as a penalty by promising good commutations; Jan Glijsteen, caretaker of the sheep; together with the young Davit Jansz before him; and Hans Willemsen van Antwerp, now present also looking after the cows, it being clear and evident that these, together with Willem Huijtjens and Gerrit Dircksz van Maestright, also with Jan Blanx, former fugitives, and Roeloff Hendricksz, co-caretaker of the sheep,46 together several times from Comps. They had taken, slaughtered, and eaten cows and sheep, which they then presented as lost, devoured, and dead; and sometimes young sheep were thrown into the field, hidden, and then beaten against older sheep to maintain their numbers. Because of the very harmful and shameful consequences, they were initially arrested and, in order to provide for them promptly, rigorous punishment should have been imposed on others at a later date. It should be noted that our people are mostly weak-legged and sick from running water and other ailments; and these aforementioned individuals are certainly the bravest in their labor, and their loss would have caused a great deal of harm. suffer from the works of our fortification, which, because of the English war, must be completed with all force. This has nevertheless been understood with good deliberation, since the fleet is expected from India every day, to delay these matters so long: in order to communicate to the Commander of the said return fleet, and then (because our Council is somewhat weak), with the help of him and its Broad Council, to have the matter decided further, and in the meantime to obtain the necessary service from the said persons in the works and on the fortification, etc. to be allowed to withdraw it, upon request, from its apprehended status until that time. And then, as stated, to be re-examined and handed over to the Justice Department to allow justice to be administered as is due.
Thus secretly done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK, 1653.
[Signed:] TUENIS AIJSEN.
[Signed:] JOOST VAN DER LAECK.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.
Thus secretly done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK, 1653.
[Signed:] TUENIS AIJSEN.
[Signed:] JOOST VAN DER LAECK.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.
Original Dutch transcription
Den Raedt deser fortresse de Goede Hoope heden aengedient: mitsgaders bij eijgen genomen inspectie ende veelvoudige openbare getuijgenissen, ende vrijwillige confessien der personen Pieter Martensz van Tonningen, oppasser op de coebeesten, Jan Blanx van Mechelen, gewesen fugitijff ende door beloffte van goede comportementen vrijgelaten uijt de kettingh daer tot straffe in gebannen was geweest, Jan Glijsteen oppasser van de schapen, mitsgaders den jongen Davit Jansz voor desen, ende Hans Willemsen van Antwerpen nu jegenwoordigh op de coebeesten mede passende, claer ende evident gebleecken sijnde dat deselve nevens Willem Huijtjens ende Gerrit Dircksz van Maestright beijde oock met Jan Blanx, gewesene fugitiven, ende Roeloff Hendricksz mede oppasser van de schapen,46 gesamentlijck verscheijden malen van Comps. coebeesten ende schapen hadden genomen, geslacht ende gegeten, die dan voor verloren, verslonden ende gestorven hadden aengebracht: mitsgaders oock somtijts jongen van de schapen in ‘t velt geworpen sijnde, sulcx verborgen ende daer tegen oude schapen geslagen hadden daer se hun getal mede wisten vol te houden, Waer over als saecken sijnde van seer schadelijcken ende schandelijcken gevolge voor eerst sijn in47 hechtenisse genomen ende om bijtijts daerinne te voorsien, wel behoorden ter versser daet rigoreuselijck andere ten affschricke gestrafft te worden, maer gemerckt ons volck meest swack op de beenen ende sieckelijck van ‘t water den loop ende andere ongesontheden: ende dese bovengemelte persoonen wel de cloeckste in den arbeijt sijn, door welckers vermissinge groot achterdeel souden lijden aen de wercken onser fortificatie die vermits den Engelsen oorloge met alle cracht wel dienen volbracht te worden, Soo is nochtans met goet overlegh verstaen, vermits alle dagen de vloote uijt India verwachten, die saecken soo langh op te houden: omme aen den Commandr. der gemelte retourvlote te communiceren, ende als dan (vermits onsen Raet wat onsterck is), met hulpe van dien ende desselffs Breden Raet de saecken vorders te laten decideren, ende ondertusschen om van de gemelte personen den nodigen dienst in de wercken noch aen de fortificatie &a. te mogen trecken, deselve op hanttastinge tot die tijt toe uijt hare apprehentie te ontslaen: Ende als dan als geseijt weder aengetast ende de Justitie overgelevert te worden omme recht over te laten geschieden als nae behoren.
Aldus secretelijck gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jare als boven.
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK, 1653.
[Signed:] TUENIS AIJSEN.
[Signed:] JOOST VAN DER LAECK.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.
Aldus secretelijck gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jare als boven.
[Signed:] JOHAN VAN RIEBEECK, 1653.
[Signed:] TUENIS AIJSEN.
[Signed:] JOOST VAN DER LAECK.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrets.