Cape Council of Policy
214
1659-07-13
Minute details
- Entry number
- 214
- Date
- 1659-07-13
- Year
- 1659
English translation
In the afternoon, a number of over 80 soldiers from the ship Honingen, along with 70 strong men from the fort and other free men, as well as 150 men, prepared and present at arms for four days, were standing ready within the fort, ready to commence the invasion decided yesterday to be carried out to the detriment of our brutal enemies here.
And although fiscal Abraham Gabbema was appointed chief over this capital's force (in order to be governed with even greater caution), as he had been deep inland several times, and therefore knew the nature of the Hottentoes' routes and armies, the Commander nevertheless... (representing the importance of matters pending this planned expedition) the Council (reinforced by the commanders of the aforementioned ship, as well as all its and this fort's military officers21 specified in yesterday's resolution), has given further consideration to whether it would be just as good, and indeed even better, for the Commander himself to accompany them in person, in order to instill greater fear among the enemies and also greater courage and courage among our people; as well as to assist the aforementioned military officers in all matters that arise, each time with greater advice and action; also to renew their intention generally and to have it kept in fresh memory, etc.
Whereupon the above-mentioned Councillors, for various compelling reasons presented, most emphatically advised and concluded that the Commander, so far in the country, should not and need not concern himself with Comp's occupation and conversion, as they considered the fiscal sufficient and capable for all the aforementioned, with a willingness also to respect him (as representing the Commander's person). Also, even the least of the Cape military officers (those with experience in the matter) had themselves been fully and sufficiently informed of everything, as had the ship's military officers, while this consultation was also taking place. So that in yesterday's resolution, it remained unchanged, namely that the Commander would remain at home, because there was also sufficient material available to the deputy merchant, Roeloff de Man, in addition to the fiscal. It is furthermore considered advisable that, since the captured Hottentoes can barely understand our language, (in addition to the same), Herrij should also be taken along (well-guarded) to make the others fully understand and fulfill our intentions in the course of our enemy's armies, etc.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1659.
[Signed:] SANDER GERRITSZ VAN OSSEN.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] W. QUARLIS.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1659.
[Signed:] PITER EVRARD.
[Signed:] FRANSCOIS DOMINIKUS.
[Signed:] PIETER CRUDHOFF.
[Signed:] ROBBERT LAURENSSEN.
[Signed:] ELIAS GIERS.
[Signed:] ‘T mercq van X GABRIEL MALE.
[Signed:] GYSBT. VAN CAMPEN, secrets.
And although fiscal Abraham Gabbema was appointed chief over this capital's force (in order to be governed with even greater caution), as he had been deep inland several times, and therefore knew the nature of the Hottentoes' routes and armies, the Commander nevertheless... (representing the importance of matters pending this planned expedition) the Council (reinforced by the commanders of the aforementioned ship, as well as all its and this fort's military officers21 specified in yesterday's resolution), has given further consideration to whether it would be just as good, and indeed even better, for the Commander himself to accompany them in person, in order to instill greater fear among the enemies and also greater courage and courage among our people; as well as to assist the aforementioned military officers in all matters that arise, each time with greater advice and action; also to renew their intention generally and to have it kept in fresh memory, etc.
Whereupon the above-mentioned Councillors, for various compelling reasons presented, most emphatically advised and concluded that the Commander, so far in the country, should not and need not concern himself with Comp's occupation and conversion, as they considered the fiscal sufficient and capable for all the aforementioned, with a willingness also to respect him (as representing the Commander's person). Also, even the least of the Cape military officers (those with experience in the matter) had themselves been fully and sufficiently informed of everything, as had the ship's military officers, while this consultation was also taking place. So that in yesterday's resolution, it remained unchanged, namely that the Commander would remain at home, because there was also sufficient material available to the deputy merchant, Roeloff de Man, in addition to the fiscal. It is furthermore considered advisable that, since the captured Hottentoes can barely understand our language, (in addition to the same), Herrij should also be taken along (well-guarded) to make the others fully understand and fulfill our intentions in the course of our enemy's armies, etc.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1659.
[Signed:] SANDER GERRITSZ VAN OSSEN.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] W. QUARLIS.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1659.
[Signed:] PITER EVRARD.
[Signed:] FRANSCOIS DOMINIKUS.
[Signed:] PIETER CRUDHOFF.
[Signed:] ROBBERT LAURENSSEN.
[Signed:] ELIAS GIERS.
[Signed:] ‘T mercq van X GABRIEL MALE.
[Signed:] GYSBT. VAN CAMPEN, secrets.
Original Dutch transcription
’s Namiddaghs een aental van over de 80 soldaten van ‘t schip Honingen ende daerneffensnoch19 by de 70 cloecke coppen van ‘t fort ende vrijel. mitsgaders alsoo 150 man uijtgemaeckt ende jegenwoordigh in wapenen voor 4 dagen geprovideert binnen ‘t fort vaerdigh staende, tot aenvangh van de op gister geresolveerde landttocht te doen tot afbreuk van onse brutale vijanden alhier,
Ende schoon over die cappitale macht (om met te meer voorsichticheijt te mogen worden geregeert) den fiscael Abraham Gabbema als opperhooft is gestelt als hebbende verscheyde malen diep te landt in geweest, endedierhalven20 de natuijre der wegen ende legers van de Hottentoos kennende, soo heeft nochtans den Commandr. (voorstellende de wichtigheijt van saken hangende aen dese te doene landttocht) den Raedt (versterckt met d’ opperhooffden van voorsz schip neffens alle derselver ende deses forts crijghsofficieren21 bij de resolutie van gister gespecificeert), in nader bedencken gegeven of niet wel soo goedt ja beeter soude wesen dat den Commandr. selffs in eijgen persoon mede gingh soo om te meer vreese onder de vyanden als oock te grooter moedt ende couragie onder ons volck te verwecken: mitsgaders de gemelte crijgsofficieren in alle voor te vallen saecken t’ elckens met te meer raedt ende daet t’ adsisteren: oock sijn intentie doorgaens te vernieuwen ende in verser memorie te doen houden &a.
Waer op bij de bovengenoemde Raedtspers[on]en om verscheijde bij gebrachte pregnante redenen meest stemmigh g’adviseert ende geconcludeert is, dat sich den Commandr. soo verde in ‘t landt niet van Comps. besettinge ende ommeslagh en behoorde noch behoefde te begeven als achtende den fiscael tot allen ‘t voorhaelde sufficant ende capabel, met genegentheijt oock om den selven (als des Commandrs. persoon representerende) te respecteren. Item oock tot de minste van de Caepse crijghsofficieren (ervaringe van saken hebbende) hun selffs volcomen ende genoeghsaem van alles g’informeert gelijck mede de scheeps crijghsofficianten als dese raedtsplegingh oock by sijnde, sulcx dat bij de resolutie van gister dienaengaende geparsisteert bleeff namentlijck dat den Commandeur soude thuijs blijven om datter oocq boven den fiscael aen den ondercoopman Roeloff de Man mede bequame stoff genoech was.
Is wyders mede raedtsaem g’acht dat dewyl den gevangen Hottentoo d’ onse tale weynich verstaen can (beneffens den selven) oocq Herrij soude (wel bewaert) mede genomen worden om den anderen onse intentie in ‘t wysen onser vijanden legers recht te doen begrijpen ende nacomen &a.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope ten dage ende jare als boven.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1659.
[Signed:] SANDER GERRITSZ VAN OSSEN.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] W. QUARLIS.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1659.
[Signed:] PITER EVRARD.
[Signed:] FRANSCOIS DOMINIKUS.
[Signed:] PIETER CRUDHOFF.
[Signed:] ROBBERT LAURENSSEN.
[Signed:] ELIAS GIERS.
[Signed:] ‘T mercq van X GABRIEL MALE.
[Signed:] GYSBT. VAN CAMPEN, secrets.
Ende schoon over die cappitale macht (om met te meer voorsichticheijt te mogen worden geregeert) den fiscael Abraham Gabbema als opperhooft is gestelt als hebbende verscheyde malen diep te landt in geweest, endedierhalven20 de natuijre der wegen ende legers van de Hottentoos kennende, soo heeft nochtans den Commandr. (voorstellende de wichtigheijt van saken hangende aen dese te doene landttocht) den Raedt (versterckt met d’ opperhooffden van voorsz schip neffens alle derselver ende deses forts crijghsofficieren21 bij de resolutie van gister gespecificeert), in nader bedencken gegeven of niet wel soo goedt ja beeter soude wesen dat den Commandr. selffs in eijgen persoon mede gingh soo om te meer vreese onder de vyanden als oock te grooter moedt ende couragie onder ons volck te verwecken: mitsgaders de gemelte crijgsofficieren in alle voor te vallen saecken t’ elckens met te meer raedt ende daet t’ adsisteren: oock sijn intentie doorgaens te vernieuwen ende in verser memorie te doen houden &a.
Waer op bij de bovengenoemde Raedtspers[on]en om verscheijde bij gebrachte pregnante redenen meest stemmigh g’adviseert ende geconcludeert is, dat sich den Commandr. soo verde in ‘t landt niet van Comps. besettinge ende ommeslagh en behoorde noch behoefde te begeven als achtende den fiscael tot allen ‘t voorhaelde sufficant ende capabel, met genegentheijt oock om den selven (als des Commandrs. persoon representerende) te respecteren. Item oock tot de minste van de Caepse crijghsofficieren (ervaringe van saken hebbende) hun selffs volcomen ende genoeghsaem van alles g’informeert gelijck mede de scheeps crijghsofficianten als dese raedtsplegingh oock by sijnde, sulcx dat bij de resolutie van gister dienaengaende geparsisteert bleeff namentlijck dat den Commandeur soude thuijs blijven om datter oocq boven den fiscael aen den ondercoopman Roeloff de Man mede bequame stoff genoech was.
Is wyders mede raedtsaem g’acht dat dewyl den gevangen Hottentoo d’ onse tale weynich verstaen can (beneffens den selven) oocq Herrij soude (wel bewaert) mede genomen worden om den anderen onse intentie in ‘t wysen onser vijanden legers recht te doen begrijpen ende nacomen &a.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope ten dage ende jare als boven.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1659.
[Signed:] SANDER GERRITSZ VAN OSSEN.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] W. QUARLIS.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1659.
[Signed:] PITER EVRARD.
[Signed:] FRANSCOIS DOMINIKUS.
[Signed:] PIETER CRUDHOFF.
[Signed:] ROBBERT LAURENSSEN.
[Signed:] ELIAS GIERS.
[Signed:] ‘T mercq van X GABRIEL MALE.
[Signed:] GYSBT. VAN CAMPEN, secrets.