Cape Council of Policy
198
1659-05-19
Minute details
- Entry number
- 198
- Date
- 1659-05-19
- Year
- 1659
English translation
The Commander having held a consultation today, and for various reasons this Council, with its few members strengthened by the sargeant and the two free Citizens' Councillors, as well as granting a vote in this matter (as it was an important matter) to the exchequer and the Secretary of the Council, Abraham Gabbema, the same Commander has made the following harangue in order to hear each advice with good deliberation656 and to decide on this as largely in the interest of the E. Compe. and the peace of the free colonists with this country's nation, etc., will come to be required, and may also (as much as we are to work on) be practiced with God's honor and good pleasure, so that we, endowed with the spirit of true wisdom and prudence in our deliberations, may be graced, instead of punishment, with His Holy blessing in all matters to come. Continuing in whose name, it is that the aforementioned Commander further states:
First, the deliberate robbing, stealing, and all other acts of violence these days committed by the Caepmans, through the instigation of the toll-bearer Dom, who, with the Rev. Van Goens had been to Batavia, and having returned here with Mr. Cuneus, he has become all too wise, and a much more harmful plague is currently falling on us than before, since all our nation's affairs, etc., have become familiar, and he has also learned to handle a firearm. This, thank God, has not been kept out of his hands here at the Cape to this day, but he has managed to make his people understand that one cannot hold a fuse in time of rain and therefore can hardly shoot, as everyone knows.
Also, we are warned daily, in addition to the current nuisances, that the Capes have an advantage in such wet and dark, rainy weather, as is possible, of the Comps. to remove the freemen's weapons, believing that they would not be able to shoot and equip themselves with scythes, bows, and arrows, so that they would be more effective in fighting, as the Dutch, like interpreter Eva, also confirms this and warns us to watch carefully so that we do not let it happen to us.
For yesterday the Commander some of the Caepmans Hottentoos here at the fort withheld from them (presumably having nothing to do with the others, but actually being only spies, which is pretended by us) having the aforementioned interpreter ask them what the Caepmans had in store for us that they were doing in this way, and that she therefore did not think it right that one of theirs should go to them with 2 or 3 of ours to ask what was wrong with them, and to see if they could mediate any differences that might exist by friendliness, etc., they were unwilling to do so, and Eva told us afterwards plainly that the Caepmans Capn. Gogosoa indeed admonished his people to remain calm, with suggestions as to where they would remain if the Saldanhars attacked in large numbers: to depart, but due to the resistance of the Dominicans, his people generally retreated into the wind, unwilling to leave us undisturbed, since they themselves would not leave their neighbors and their own countrymen unmolested. Eva also felt the same way, if we were so amicably disposed to make peace, they would think that they were now sufficiently in control, and that they would also be strengthened in this by the Dominicans and remain so, as long as they could generally feel what the Dutch could do. In addition to all this, which was also long and wide proposed by the Commander, it was also necessary to pay attention not only to the foregoing, but also to whether all this now gives us sufficient reason to attack the aforementioned Caepmans (at the request of the freemen) capitally and to cause as much damage as we can, because our Lords and Masters, in their general letter of September 2, 1658, believe (always up to that time) that no sufficient reason has yet occurred to do so.
This, then, is what we now consider, in our humble opinion, and which is also considered just and responsible before God. It was therefore important to consider whether it would actually reach the right target, namely not to prey on the animals, nor to exact revenge or vengeance, which belongs to God alone, but to be able to live and move on in peace with this country's nation. The main point is not to be hindered or prevented by unsafe roads. Comps. requested these to know what might be discovered by travel deep inland, and the frequency with the inhabitants deeper inland, which the hostility of the Caepmans might make frightening for us become &a.
Also, no one (like all the freemen who were also nominated at their request earlier) needs to imagine that the moods will improve with hostile means, but will worsen and embitter more and more; as well as practiced with them on any damage they might think of inflicting on us in retaliation.
Such that the free colonists are in even greater trouble in this matter, as they might well think of it, both with setting fire to their houses, scour and the ripe corn, and otherwise, like those buckets, as well as, as we know the Caepmans reason threaten to do and Doman also knows to say, the Bantammers in Batavia have certainly seen this done, so that this clever guest will incite them all the more, and which they can most cleverly support in everything, etc.
And according to which the Commander had also warned the freemen everywhere that it would be very inconvenient for the E. Compe. to help those who had now got them on their feet again from below659 and that they would much less be able to suffer their losses afterwards outside of peace or be willing to compensate for them: but everyone would have to carry their own burden, and thereupon all the farmers first publicly on Comps. cornland to the Commander and sub-merchant Roeloff de Man: together with the free Citizens, now present, from all their possessions, handed over in accordance with their request on the 7th past and inserted in the register there, continuing to steadfastly adhere to their given absolution of never having had such a thing in mind, much less to wish to pretend to anything on the Compe., but that they are willing to console themselves with all perils at their own expense, yes, much rather than to live so uneasy longer and to be deprived of those with whom one does not seek to live with all friendship and love; For which reasons her request was also made and remained as before, because it became worse from day to day, so that the Commander and the Council preferred to leave her with Comps. to assist not only defensively, but also offensively, or [that] they themselves might be allowed to exact revenge for which they themselves were strong enough and the people were sufficient to make it out, better to offend than to denounce them as hypocrites.
All of which, after careful consideration by the Commander and the Council (as before), was considered in this matter, finally approved with a more unanimous voice, after much mature and slow deliberation, and is approved, as there is no other way to achieve peace or peaceful cohesion with this aforementioned Caep people, that one should first to take advantage of the best opportunity: to quickly attack and surprise them with a good force, if possible; as well as to capture as many prisoners and men as possible, while avoiding as much as possible all unnecessary bloodshed, but to keep the prisoners as hostages and thus to keep those who might manage to escape in check and devotion, in the hope of achieving peace with this means, especially since, for certain, the right Saldanhar's enemies will attract as little as Herrij, but will be more liberal in dealing with us more calmly than before, since these Caepmans are always the most principal in this. Found,
For the execution of the aforementioned matter, order has been made to prepare everything in advance, and we pray to the Lord God through the Council to attend us with His blessing and help, amen.
Thus done, resolved, and arrested in the Fort of Good Hope on the day and year as before.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1659.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] The mark X of HENDRICK HENDRICKSZ BOOM.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1659.
[Signed:] PITER EVRARD.
660
[Signed:] 'T merck X van JAN REYNIERSZ.
First, the deliberate robbing, stealing, and all other acts of violence these days committed by the Caepmans, through the instigation of the toll-bearer Dom, who, with the Rev. Van Goens had been to Batavia, and having returned here with Mr. Cuneus, he has become all too wise, and a much more harmful plague is currently falling on us than before, since all our nation's affairs, etc., have become familiar, and he has also learned to handle a firearm. This, thank God, has not been kept out of his hands here at the Cape to this day, but he has managed to make his people understand that one cannot hold a fuse in time of rain and therefore can hardly shoot, as everyone knows.
Also, we are warned daily, in addition to the current nuisances, that the Capes have an advantage in such wet and dark, rainy weather, as is possible, of the Comps. to remove the freemen's weapons, believing that they would not be able to shoot and equip themselves with scythes, bows, and arrows, so that they would be more effective in fighting, as the Dutch, like interpreter Eva, also confirms this and warns us to watch carefully so that we do not let it happen to us.
For yesterday the Commander some of the Caepmans Hottentoos here at the fort withheld from them (presumably having nothing to do with the others, but actually being only spies, which is pretended by us) having the aforementioned interpreter ask them what the Caepmans had in store for us that they were doing in this way, and that she therefore did not think it right that one of theirs should go to them with 2 or 3 of ours to ask what was wrong with them, and to see if they could mediate any differences that might exist by friendliness, etc., they were unwilling to do so, and Eva told us afterwards plainly that the Caepmans Capn. Gogosoa indeed admonished his people to remain calm, with suggestions as to where they would remain if the Saldanhars attacked in large numbers: to depart, but due to the resistance of the Dominicans, his people generally retreated into the wind, unwilling to leave us undisturbed, since they themselves would not leave their neighbors and their own countrymen unmolested. Eva also felt the same way, if we were so amicably disposed to make peace, they would think that they were now sufficiently in control, and that they would also be strengthened in this by the Dominicans and remain so, as long as they could generally feel what the Dutch could do. In addition to all this, which was also long and wide proposed by the Commander, it was also necessary to pay attention not only to the foregoing, but also to whether all this now gives us sufficient reason to attack the aforementioned Caepmans (at the request of the freemen) capitally and to cause as much damage as we can, because our Lords and Masters, in their general letter of September 2, 1658, believe (always up to that time) that no sufficient reason has yet occurred to do so.
This, then, is what we now consider, in our humble opinion, and which is also considered just and responsible before God. It was therefore important to consider whether it would actually reach the right target, namely not to prey on the animals, nor to exact revenge or vengeance, which belongs to God alone, but to be able to live and move on in peace with this country's nation. The main point is not to be hindered or prevented by unsafe roads. Comps. requested these to know what might be discovered by travel deep inland, and the frequency with the inhabitants deeper inland, which the hostility of the Caepmans might make frightening for us become &a.
Also, no one (like all the freemen who were also nominated at their request earlier) needs to imagine that the moods will improve with hostile means, but will worsen and embitter more and more; as well as practiced with them on any damage they might think of inflicting on us in retaliation.
Such that the free colonists are in even greater trouble in this matter, as they might well think of it, both with setting fire to their houses, scour and the ripe corn, and otherwise, like those buckets, as well as, as we know the Caepmans reason threaten to do and Doman also knows to say, the Bantammers in Batavia have certainly seen this done, so that this clever guest will incite them all the more, and which they can most cleverly support in everything, etc.
And according to which the Commander had also warned the freemen everywhere that it would be very inconvenient for the E. Compe. to help those who had now got them on their feet again from below659 and that they would much less be able to suffer their losses afterwards outside of peace or be willing to compensate for them: but everyone would have to carry their own burden, and thereupon all the farmers first publicly on Comps. cornland to the Commander and sub-merchant Roeloff de Man: together with the free Citizens, now present, from all their possessions, handed over in accordance with their request on the 7th past and inserted in the register there, continuing to steadfastly adhere to their given absolution of never having had such a thing in mind, much less to wish to pretend to anything on the Compe., but that they are willing to console themselves with all perils at their own expense, yes, much rather than to live so uneasy longer and to be deprived of those with whom one does not seek to live with all friendship and love; For which reasons her request was also made and remained as before, because it became worse from day to day, so that the Commander and the Council preferred to leave her with Comps. to assist not only defensively, but also offensively, or [that] they themselves might be allowed to exact revenge for which they themselves were strong enough and the people were sufficient to make it out, better to offend than to denounce them as hypocrites.
All of which, after careful consideration by the Commander and the Council (as before), was considered in this matter, finally approved with a more unanimous voice, after much mature and slow deliberation, and is approved, as there is no other way to achieve peace or peaceful cohesion with this aforementioned Caep people, that one should first to take advantage of the best opportunity: to quickly attack and surprise them with a good force, if possible; as well as to capture as many prisoners and men as possible, while avoiding as much as possible all unnecessary bloodshed, but to keep the prisoners as hostages and thus to keep those who might manage to escape in check and devotion, in the hope of achieving peace with this means, especially since, for certain, the right Saldanhar's enemies will attract as little as Herrij, but will be more liberal in dealing with us more calmly than before, since these Caepmans are always the most principal in this. Found,
For the execution of the aforementioned matter, order has been made to prepare everything in advance, and we pray to the Lord God through the Council to attend us with His blessing and help, amen.
Thus done, resolved, and arrested in the Fort of Good Hope on the day and year as before.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1659.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] The mark X of HENDRICK HENDRICKSZ BOOM.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1659.
[Signed:] PITER EVRARD.
660
[Signed:] 'T merck X van JAN REYNIERSZ.
Original Dutch transcription
Door den Commandeur heden raetsplegingh gelegt sijnde ende om verscheijden consideratien desen Raedt mits de weijnige leden van dien versterckt met den sargeant ende de 2 vrije Borgerraeden, als oock in desen (als een wichtige sake sijnde) stem vergunt hebbende aen den fiscus en de Secretaris van den Raedt Abraham Gabbema, heeft den selven Commandr. de navolgende harangue gedaen omme daer op elcks advijs met goet overlegh te hoeren656 ende sulcx te besluijten als ten meesten dienste van d’ E. Compe. en de ruste der vrije coloniers met dese landts natie &a., sal comen te vereijsschen, ende oock (soo veel in ons te wercken sij) met Godes Eere ende wel behaegen sal mogen gepractiseert worden over een te comen, opdat wij van sijn Almogentheijt in onse beraetslaginge met den Geest der rechte wijsheijt ende voorsichticheijt begaefft wesende, in plaetse van straffe, met Sijnen H. zegen in alle voor te comen saecken mogen begenadicht worden. In welckers name dan voortgaende, soo is ‘t dat voorsz Commandeur wijders voordraeght:
Eerstelijck het moetwilligh roven, stelen ende alle andere overlasten dese dagen van de Caepmans geschiet, door onderspelinge van den tolcq Doman die met d’ E. Hr. van Goens op Batavia geweest, ende met d’ Heer Cuneus weder hier geretourneerdt sijnde, al te wijs is geworden ende ons jegenwoordigh veel schadelijcker pest valt als out Herrij te vooren is geweest, vermits alle onser natie gelegentheden &a., bekent sij geworden, ende oock met schietgeweer heeft leeren om gaen, dat hem Gode loff tot heden hier aen de Caep noch uijt de handen is gehouden, doch sijn volckien wel heeft weten wijs te maecken, dat men in tijt van regen geen lont ophouden ende daeromme qualijck schieten kan, gelijck ijder een bekent is-
Als oock dat wij dagelicx boven de jegenwoordigh lijdende overlasten, oock gewaerschout worden, de Caepmans voor hebben bij soodanigh nat ende doncker, regenachtigh weer, mogelijck sijnde, ons soo wel al des Comps. als der vrijeluijden bestiael aff te haelen als meenende dan niet cunnende schieten, ende sijluijden met hasegaijen, pijl ende boogh versien, in ‘t vechten suffichanter te sullen wesen, als de Nederlanders gelijck de tolckinne Eva sulcx oock t’ eenemael is confirmeerende ende ons waerschouwende wel toe te sien opdat wij ‘t ons niet te laet en beclagen.
Want gister den Commandr. eenige van Caepmans Hottentoos hier bij ‘t fort haer onthoudende (quansuijs als met de ander niet te doen hebbende, doch eijgentlijck maer spions wesende dat bij ons geveijnst wordt) door de voorsz tolckinne latende vragen hebben wat de Caepmans op ons schorten dat se aldus aengaen ende off haer derhalven niet goet dachte dat ijemandt van de haere met 2 a 3 van d’ onse na haer toe gingen om te vragen wat hun deerden, ende de verschillen die der mochten wesen te sien met vruntschap te bemiddelen &a., waren sijluijden daertoe niet te bewegen ende seijde Eva naderhandt ons rondt uijt, dat de Caepmans Capn. Gogosoa sijn volcq wel vermaenden haer rust te houden, met voorstellingen waer se blijven souden als de Saldanhars met groot volcq aff quamen: om te wijcken, doch sloegen sijn volcq sulcx door Domans tegenhitsinge doorgaens in de wint die niet gesint waeren ons gerust te laeten, dewijle selffs haer nabuijren ende eijgen landtsluijden niet ongemoeijt costen laeten, wesende Eva oock van sulck gevoelen indien wij soo minnelicke besendinge om vreede te maecken voornemen, sijluijden dencken souden dat sij nu genoechsaem al meester waren, mitsgaders daerin door Doman oock souden gestijfft worden ende blijven, soo langh tot se ter degen generalijck voelen wat de Nederlanders doen cunnen &a.
Boven alle ‘t welcke ende wes meer bij den Commandeur langh ende breet mede geproponeert wierd wijders oock te letten stonde niet alleen op ‘t voorige, maer off ons in desen alles nu oock al reeden genoech gegeven sijn om de gemelte Caepmans (op der vrijeluijden gedaen versoeck) capitalijck te overvallen, ende soo veel affbreuck te doen als wij cunnen, want onse Heeren Meesters per haere generale missive van den 2en September 1658 meenen (altoos tot die tijt) noch geen suffichante reden daer toe voorgevallen te wesen.
Sulcx dan jegenwoordigh ‘t selve na ons geringh oordeel al sijnde ende oock g’acht wordende voor Godt oock rechtveerdigh, ende verantwoordelijck.
Dat dan noch wijders gedacht diende off het wel tot het rechte doelwit sal comen te strecken, namentlijck niet om den buijt van de beesten nochte jusijst657 om revengie off wraeck te nemen, die Godt alleen toecomt, maer om daer na met dese landts natie dan voorts gerustigh te sullen cunnen leven ende om gaen, dat ‘t voornaemste poinct sij om niet door onveijlicheijt der wegen belet off verhindert te blijven van Comps. vorder desseijnen te weten ‘t geene diep te lande met reijsen ontdeckt soude mogen worden, ende de frequentatie met d’ inwoonders dieper te landewaert in, welcke door de hostiliteijt de Caepmans aen te doen, mochten affschrickkigh van ons gemaeckt worden &a.
Oock dat sigh niemandt (gelijck al de vrijeluijden op haer request voor dato oock voorgedraegen) en behoeft in te beelden dat de humeuren met hostile middelen sullen verbetert, maer meer ende meer verargert ende verbittert; mitsgaders bij haer gepractiseert worden op alle schade die se ons in weerwraeck aen te doen sullen cunnen bedencken,
Sulcx dat aengaende de vrije coloniers hierinne al grooter swaricheijt gelegen sij als deselve wel cunnen bedencken soo met brantstichtinge aen hunne huijsen, schuijren ende ‘t rijpe cooren als andersints, gelijck deselve emmers alsoo wel als wij weten dat de Caepmans rede dreijgen te doen ende Doman oock weten te seggen, heeft sulcx door de Bantammers op Batavia wel heeft658 gesien gedaen soodat dien slimmen gast haer daer toe dan oock te meer sal op hitsen, ende ‘t welck ‘t slimpste sij in alles cunnen onderrechten, &a.
Ende volgens ‘t welcke den Commandeur de vrijeluijden boven dien alomme oock gewaerschout hebbende, dat het d’ E. Compe. seer ongelegen soude comen haer die se nu eens op de been hebben gebracht, weder van onder op te her helpen659 ende veel min hare schade hierna buijten vreede te lijden cunnen offte goetvinden te vergoeden: maer elck sijn eijgen packien soude moeten draegen, ende daer op eerst alle de landtbouwers in ‘t openbaer op Comps. corenlandt den Commandeur ende ondercoopman Roeloff de Man: mitsgaders nu jegenwoordigh de vrije Borgerraden uijt alle derselver neem conform haer request op den 7en verleden overgegeven ende in ‘t dachregister aldaer g’insereert, blijvende volharden bij haere gedaene absolutie van nooijt sulcx in gedachten gehadt te hebben veel min derweegen ijets op de Compe. te willen pretenderen, maer dat se alle periculen tot hun eijgen lasten haer willen getroosten, ja veel liever als langer dus ongerustigh te leven ende berooft te worden van degeene daer men niet als met alle vruntschap ende minne soeckt mede te leven; Om welcke redenen haer versoeck als vooren per requeste gedaen oock was ende bleeff, dewijl het doch van dach tot dagh erger wierd, eenlijck dat het den Commandeur en de Raedt geliefde haer met Comps. macht te helpen adsisteren niet alleen defensijff: maer oock offencijff off [dat] hun selfs mochte toegestaen worden revengie te mogen haelen waer toe haer selffs sterck genoech kenden ende volcx genoech toe uijt te maecken, beter om te offenceren als haer voor geveijnste vrunden te deffenderen,
Op alle ‘t welcke dan bij den Commandeur en de Raedt (verstrerckt als vooren) aendachtelijck gelet ende overwogen sijnde, wat in desen te overwegen stonde, Is eijntlijck met gemeender stemme, na veel rijpe ende langhsame deliberatien goetgevonden, ende g’arresteert dewijl men doch oock gansch geen ander middel siet om tot rust off vreedsaemheijt met dit gemelte Caepvolck te comen, dat men d’ eerste gelegentheijt voor de beste sal waernemen: om haer met een goede macht, doenlijck sijnde, schielijck t’ overvallen ende verrassen: mitsgaders soo veel bestiael ende mannen gevangen te nemen als mogelijck wesen sal, met vermijdinge soo veel doenlijck van alle onnodige bloetstortinge, maer om de gevangens als hostagiers te houden ende alsoo die ‘t mochten comen t’ ontvluchten, daer door in toom ende devotie te brengen, op hoope met die middel tot gerusticheijt te comen, te meer dewijl men voor seecker hout, het haer de rechte Saldanhars haere vijanden als soo weijnigh als van Herrij sullen aentrecken, maer te liberder affcomen om met ons gerustiger om te gaen, als te vooren, vermits dese Caepmans altijt daer inne de principaelste beletters sijn bevonden,
Tot uijtvoeringe van welcke voorsz saecke dan ordre is gestelt alles op voorraedt vaerdigh te maecken ende Godt de Heere bij den Raedt gebeden hij ons met synen Zegen ende hulpe gelieve bij te woonen amen.
Aldus gedaen, geresolveert, ende g’arresteert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jaere als vooren.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1659.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] ‘T merck X van HENDRICK HENDRICKSZ BOOM.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1659.
[Signed:] PITER EVRARD.
660
[Signed:] ‘T merck X van JAN REYNIERSZ.
Eerstelijck het moetwilligh roven, stelen ende alle andere overlasten dese dagen van de Caepmans geschiet, door onderspelinge van den tolcq Doman die met d’ E. Hr. van Goens op Batavia geweest, ende met d’ Heer Cuneus weder hier geretourneerdt sijnde, al te wijs is geworden ende ons jegenwoordigh veel schadelijcker pest valt als out Herrij te vooren is geweest, vermits alle onser natie gelegentheden &a., bekent sij geworden, ende oock met schietgeweer heeft leeren om gaen, dat hem Gode loff tot heden hier aen de Caep noch uijt de handen is gehouden, doch sijn volckien wel heeft weten wijs te maecken, dat men in tijt van regen geen lont ophouden ende daeromme qualijck schieten kan, gelijck ijder een bekent is-
Als oock dat wij dagelicx boven de jegenwoordigh lijdende overlasten, oock gewaerschout worden, de Caepmans voor hebben bij soodanigh nat ende doncker, regenachtigh weer, mogelijck sijnde, ons soo wel al des Comps. als der vrijeluijden bestiael aff te haelen als meenende dan niet cunnende schieten, ende sijluijden met hasegaijen, pijl ende boogh versien, in ‘t vechten suffichanter te sullen wesen, als de Nederlanders gelijck de tolckinne Eva sulcx oock t’ eenemael is confirmeerende ende ons waerschouwende wel toe te sien opdat wij ‘t ons niet te laet en beclagen.
Want gister den Commandr. eenige van Caepmans Hottentoos hier bij ‘t fort haer onthoudende (quansuijs als met de ander niet te doen hebbende, doch eijgentlijck maer spions wesende dat bij ons geveijnst wordt) door de voorsz tolckinne latende vragen hebben wat de Caepmans op ons schorten dat se aldus aengaen ende off haer derhalven niet goet dachte dat ijemandt van de haere met 2 a 3 van d’ onse na haer toe gingen om te vragen wat hun deerden, ende de verschillen die der mochten wesen te sien met vruntschap te bemiddelen &a., waren sijluijden daertoe niet te bewegen ende seijde Eva naderhandt ons rondt uijt, dat de Caepmans Capn. Gogosoa sijn volcq wel vermaenden haer rust te houden, met voorstellingen waer se blijven souden als de Saldanhars met groot volcq aff quamen: om te wijcken, doch sloegen sijn volcq sulcx door Domans tegenhitsinge doorgaens in de wint die niet gesint waeren ons gerust te laeten, dewijle selffs haer nabuijren ende eijgen landtsluijden niet ongemoeijt costen laeten, wesende Eva oock van sulck gevoelen indien wij soo minnelicke besendinge om vreede te maecken voornemen, sijluijden dencken souden dat sij nu genoechsaem al meester waren, mitsgaders daerin door Doman oock souden gestijfft worden ende blijven, soo langh tot se ter degen generalijck voelen wat de Nederlanders doen cunnen &a.
Boven alle ‘t welcke ende wes meer bij den Commandeur langh ende breet mede geproponeert wierd wijders oock te letten stonde niet alleen op ‘t voorige, maer off ons in desen alles nu oock al reeden genoech gegeven sijn om de gemelte Caepmans (op der vrijeluijden gedaen versoeck) capitalijck te overvallen, ende soo veel affbreuck te doen als wij cunnen, want onse Heeren Meesters per haere generale missive van den 2en September 1658 meenen (altoos tot die tijt) noch geen suffichante reden daer toe voorgevallen te wesen.
Sulcx dan jegenwoordigh ‘t selve na ons geringh oordeel al sijnde ende oock g’acht wordende voor Godt oock rechtveerdigh, ende verantwoordelijck.
Dat dan noch wijders gedacht diende off het wel tot het rechte doelwit sal comen te strecken, namentlijck niet om den buijt van de beesten nochte jusijst657 om revengie off wraeck te nemen, die Godt alleen toecomt, maer om daer na met dese landts natie dan voorts gerustigh te sullen cunnen leven ende om gaen, dat ‘t voornaemste poinct sij om niet door onveijlicheijt der wegen belet off verhindert te blijven van Comps. vorder desseijnen te weten ‘t geene diep te lande met reijsen ontdeckt soude mogen worden, ende de frequentatie met d’ inwoonders dieper te landewaert in, welcke door de hostiliteijt de Caepmans aen te doen, mochten affschrickkigh van ons gemaeckt worden &a.
Oock dat sigh niemandt (gelijck al de vrijeluijden op haer request voor dato oock voorgedraegen) en behoeft in te beelden dat de humeuren met hostile middelen sullen verbetert, maer meer ende meer verargert ende verbittert; mitsgaders bij haer gepractiseert worden op alle schade die se ons in weerwraeck aen te doen sullen cunnen bedencken,
Sulcx dat aengaende de vrije coloniers hierinne al grooter swaricheijt gelegen sij als deselve wel cunnen bedencken soo met brantstichtinge aen hunne huijsen, schuijren ende ‘t rijpe cooren als andersints, gelijck deselve emmers alsoo wel als wij weten dat de Caepmans rede dreijgen te doen ende Doman oock weten te seggen, heeft sulcx door de Bantammers op Batavia wel heeft658 gesien gedaen soodat dien slimmen gast haer daer toe dan oock te meer sal op hitsen, ende ‘t welck ‘t slimpste sij in alles cunnen onderrechten, &a.
Ende volgens ‘t welcke den Commandeur de vrijeluijden boven dien alomme oock gewaerschout hebbende, dat het d’ E. Compe. seer ongelegen soude comen haer die se nu eens op de been hebben gebracht, weder van onder op te her helpen659 ende veel min hare schade hierna buijten vreede te lijden cunnen offte goetvinden te vergoeden: maer elck sijn eijgen packien soude moeten draegen, ende daer op eerst alle de landtbouwers in ‘t openbaer op Comps. corenlandt den Commandeur ende ondercoopman Roeloff de Man: mitsgaders nu jegenwoordigh de vrije Borgerraden uijt alle derselver neem conform haer request op den 7en verleden overgegeven ende in ‘t dachregister aldaer g’insereert, blijvende volharden bij haere gedaene absolutie van nooijt sulcx in gedachten gehadt te hebben veel min derweegen ijets op de Compe. te willen pretenderen, maer dat se alle periculen tot hun eijgen lasten haer willen getroosten, ja veel liever als langer dus ongerustigh te leven ende berooft te worden van degeene daer men niet als met alle vruntschap ende minne soeckt mede te leven; Om welcke redenen haer versoeck als vooren per requeste gedaen oock was ende bleeff, dewijl het doch van dach tot dagh erger wierd, eenlijck dat het den Commandeur en de Raedt geliefde haer met Comps. macht te helpen adsisteren niet alleen defensijff: maer oock offencijff off [dat] hun selfs mochte toegestaen worden revengie te mogen haelen waer toe haer selffs sterck genoech kenden ende volcx genoech toe uijt te maecken, beter om te offenceren als haer voor geveijnste vrunden te deffenderen,
Op alle ‘t welcke dan bij den Commandeur en de Raedt (verstrerckt als vooren) aendachtelijck gelet ende overwogen sijnde, wat in desen te overwegen stonde, Is eijntlijck met gemeender stemme, na veel rijpe ende langhsame deliberatien goetgevonden, ende g’arresteert dewijl men doch oock gansch geen ander middel siet om tot rust off vreedsaemheijt met dit gemelte Caepvolck te comen, dat men d’ eerste gelegentheijt voor de beste sal waernemen: om haer met een goede macht, doenlijck sijnde, schielijck t’ overvallen ende verrassen: mitsgaders soo veel bestiael ende mannen gevangen te nemen als mogelijck wesen sal, met vermijdinge soo veel doenlijck van alle onnodige bloetstortinge, maer om de gevangens als hostagiers te houden ende alsoo die ‘t mochten comen t’ ontvluchten, daer door in toom ende devotie te brengen, op hoope met die middel tot gerusticheijt te comen, te meer dewijl men voor seecker hout, het haer de rechte Saldanhars haere vijanden als soo weijnigh als van Herrij sullen aentrecken, maer te liberder affcomen om met ons gerustiger om te gaen, als te vooren, vermits dese Caepmans altijt daer inne de principaelste beletters sijn bevonden,
Tot uijtvoeringe van welcke voorsz saecke dan ordre is gestelt alles op voorraedt vaerdigh te maecken ende Godt de Heere bij den Raedt gebeden hij ons met synen Zegen ende hulpe gelieve bij te woonen amen.
Aldus gedaen, geresolveert, ende g’arresteert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jaere als vooren.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1659.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] ‘T merck X van HENDRICK HENDRICKSZ BOOM.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1659.
[Signed:] PITER EVRARD.
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[Signed:] ‘T merck X van JAN REYNIERSZ.