Cape Council of Policy
28
1653-10-11
Minute details
- Entry number
- 28
- Date
- 1653-10-11
- Year
- 1653
English translation
The sub-merchant Jacob Reijniersz with his eight men came this evening from the Bay of Saldanha overland here at the fort, and besides his written report79 (inserted in our diary under the date of this), he also reported to us verbally that the people of the French ship found there had always shown much favor to them, and he also sincerely prayed to us that they would stay in Compes. service might be accepted, since they were not allowed to eat anything from their chiefs, except seal meat, peguins and other files: catching them daily for that purpose, without receiving a single morsel of bread or anything in the world, besides promising to pay them in all matters in such a way that we would be satisfied with it, and furthermore informing us of everything they knew, etc. whereupon he, Reijniers, had provisionally instructed the bookkeeper Verburgh before his departure from the bayal to accept such food on his own, thinking that there was no harm in it, but the Company. service could be done there, as we, looking into the matter a little more closely, also understand it this way, considering that by this means the Frenchman might well be deprived of his homeward journey and be greatly embarrassed; as well as, according to the matter, if he came any farther, that it would be arranged: to offer his own ship and cargo of the E. Compe. here for sale; or at least our help would have to come to seek his great obligation, and, according to the future wishes of his master (fearing that subject), he would lose the taste or desire to come here again, besides the good service the French could perform for us in seal hunting, through which we would also gain complete knowledge and understanding of how these skins are handled; as well as the manner and quality of their equipment and voyages, and whether it is only for these seal skins and tears that there is more to be had, caught, and traded here, and whether anything more might be questionable to investigate. All of which we have well taken into account and carefully considered, that such acceptance by the people, given their own requests and lamentations, could and may be sufficiently based on compassion and sympathy, and may be justified and excused, and whatever more might be required in the event of failure, after careful deliberation in the service of the E. Compe. it has finally been understood and determined that four men should be sent overseas again to the Bay of Saldanha, with a letter and full instructions to the chiefs of Compe. galley, the Red Fox, that they will use all their diligence and diligence: not only to accept those which they themselves present to them from the French service in Combes, but also to lure them back overland with ours as much more than they will be able to move; in order, as aforementioned, to cause the Frenchman on his homeward journey as much hindrance as possible, as well as the same principals as much unrest for further equipping and pursuing this trade, and especially also for the service which we have rendered in seal hunting, etc. from the French (being accustomed to that work and fully accomplished) will come to enjoy it, etc., without neglecting in any case: to capture the three bandits (banished on one of the islands by the chief captain of the aforementioned French ship), and to take them with them, which no one can object to, as it is a work of compassion, etc. 1642 ours (banished from the ship Rotterdam by Mr. Caron on Robben Island for their crime) were also rescued by the English (while still being friends), and helped by the same Englishmen across England to the Fatherland for our return trip, as we might well have done to the aforementioned three bandits out of compassion.
Furthermore, noting the offer of the French captain to take letters for us, it is understood that our advice to the Lords Masters in the homeland should be prepared promptly by tomorrow (as he has informed us that he will return home by the 25th of this month) and that the papers with the aforementioned four men should be delivered overland to the bay of Saldanha to the chief of our galley, the Red Fox: in order to be treated by the same to the Frenchman and to command the good order recommended: as well as further encouraged and, if possible, persuaded to come here to the bay with his ship with fine words and promises of good salaries, etc., in order to arrive here (which (however, I do not think it right) to proceed with ourselves, if the matter and time should come to our attention and be required, in the best interest of the E. Compe.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort de Goede Hoope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1653.
[Signed:] JACOB REIJNIERSZ.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrts.
Furthermore, noting the offer of the French captain to take letters for us, it is understood that our advice to the Lords Masters in the homeland should be prepared promptly by tomorrow (as he has informed us that he will return home by the 25th of this month) and that the papers with the aforementioned four men should be delivered overland to the bay of Saldanha to the chief of our galley, the Red Fox: in order to be treated by the same to the Frenchman and to command the good order recommended: as well as further encouraged and, if possible, persuaded to come here to the bay with his ship with fine words and promises of good salaries, etc., in order to arrive here (which (however, I do not think it right) to proceed with ourselves, if the matter and time should come to our attention and be required, in the best interest of the E. Compe.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort de Goede Hoope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1653.
[Signed:] JACOB REIJNIERSZ.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrts.
Original Dutch transcription
Den ondercoopman Jacob Reijniersz met sijn achten desen avont uijt de bay van Saldanha overlant hier aen ‘t fort gecomen wesende, ende ons beneffens sijne schrijftelijck bescheijden79 (onder dato deser in ons daghregister g’insereert) oock mondelingh gerapporteert hebbende, dat ‘t volcq van ‘t aldaer gevonden Frans schip altoos veele van dien hun genegen hadden getoont, ende d’ onse oock hertelijck gebeden dat se in Compes. dienst souden mogen worden aengenomen, vermits van hare opperhooffden niet t’ eeten cregen, anders als robbenvleijs, peguijns ende ander vijl80 wilt: dagelijx ten dien eijnde selffs vangende, sonder daertoe een beetjen broot off eijts ter werelt81 te crijgen, nevens belofften van hun in alle saecken sodanigh te quijten, dat wij daeraen genoeghsaem souden genoeghen hebben, ende ons wijders van alles informeren dat sij wisten &a. waerop hij, Reijniers, aen den boeckhouder Verburgh provisionelijck voor sijn vertreck uijt de baijal last had gelaten om de sulcke82 vast aen te nemen als menende daer geen quaet, maer de Comp. dienst bij soude cunnen gedaen worden, gelijck wij de saeck wat nader insiende ‘t selve oock alsoo begrijpen, Ten aensien dat door die middel den Fransman wel van sijne thuijsreijse mochte versteecken worden ende machtigh verlegen vallen; mitsgaders ingevolge de saecke soo verde met hem wel mochte comen, dat genootsaeckt soude worden: omme van selffs sijn schip ende geladen d’ E. Compe. hier te coop aen te bieden; offte ten minstenonse83 hulpe t’ sijner groote obligatie souden moeten comen versoecken, ende ingevolge des selffs meesters in toecomende (dat subject vresende) de smaeck offte lust vergaen om weder hier te comen, behalven den schonen dienst welcke ons die Francen souden cunnen doen in de robbenvanghst waer door oock volcomen kennisse ende onderright souden becomen hoe men met die vellen omgaet; mitsgaders op wat maniere ende hoedanigh derselver equipagie ende reijsen doorgaens genomen worden, Item oock off ‘t om dese robbenvellen ende traen alleen is dan offer ijts anders hier bij offte omtrent meer te haelen, vangen ende negotieren valt, ende wes meer bedenckelijck mochte wesen t’ ondersoecken.
Allen ‘t welcke bij ons wel ingesien ende met goede aendaght overwogen wesende, dat oock sodanige aenneemingh van ‘t volcq vermits haer eijgen versoeck ende lammenteren genoegsaem op mededogentheijt ende compassie soude cunnen ende mogen metgoet84 recht gefondeert ende g’excuseert worden, ende wes meer bij uijtval van saecken mochte vereijschen, Is nae goede deliberatien ten dienste van d’ E. Compe. eijndelijck verstaen ende vastgestelt, dat men vier man expres overlant weder na de baij van Saldanha sal affsenden, met aenschrijvens ende volcomen last aen d’ opperhooffden van Compes. galjot, de Rode Vos , dat deselve alle hare diligentie ende naerstigheijt sullen aenwenden: omme niet alleen de geene welcke haer van selffs uijt den Francen dienst presenteren in Compes. dienst aen te nemen maer oock Soo veele meer boven de selve overlant met d’ onse herwaerts te locken, als sullen cunnen bewegen: omme als voorhaelt den Fransman in sijne te doene thuijsreijse sooveel hinders mitsgaders der selver principaelen sooveel onlust tot nader equipagie ende vervolgingh deser negotie te causeren als mogelijck sij, ende insonderheijt oock om den dienst die wij in de robbenvanghst &a. van de Francen (dat werck gewent ende volcomen volleert sijnde) sullen comen te genieten &a., sonder oock in allen gevalle te versuijmen: om de drie banditen (door d’ opperhooffden des voorhaelden Frans schip op een van de eijlantjens gebannen) te lichten, ende mede te nemen, daer niemant tegen hebben can, als sijnde werck van compassie, ende ao. 1642 d’ onse (om hare misdaet van ‘t schip Rotterdam door d’ Hr. Caron85 op ‘t Robbeneijlant gebannen) van d’ Engelse oock (noch vrunden wesende) wel gelight, ende voor onse retourvlote door de selve Engelse over Engelant in ‘t Patria geholpen, hoedanigh met de gemelte drie banditen door ons uijt medelijden oock wel m[och]te86 gedaen worden.
Wijders gemerckt de presentatie van den Francen capiteijn omme brieven voor ons mede te nemen, Is verstaen onse advijsen aen d’ Heeren Meesters in ‘t vaderlant tegen morgen cortelijck vaerdigh te maecken (alsoo ons bekent gemaeckt heefft tegen den 25en deser na huijs te keeren) ende die pampieren met de gemelte vier man overlant na de baije van Saldanha te beschicken aen d’ opperhooffden onses galijots de Rode Vos : omme door de selve aen den Fransman behandight ende de welbestellingh gerecommandeert: mitsgaders wijders g’animeert ende, mogelijck sijnde, bewogen te mogen worden met sijn schip hier in de baij te comen met schoone woorden ende belofften van goede tractementen &a., Omme daer op hier comende (‘t welck nochtans niet wel dencken) als dan metter selven te procederen, soo de saecken ende tijt ten meesten dienste van d’ E. Compe. ons mochte comen aen te wijsen, ende vereijsschen.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jare als boven.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1653.
[Signed:] JACOB REIJNIERSZ.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrts.
Allen ‘t welcke bij ons wel ingesien ende met goede aendaght overwogen wesende, dat oock sodanige aenneemingh van ‘t volcq vermits haer eijgen versoeck ende lammenteren genoegsaem op mededogentheijt ende compassie soude cunnen ende mogen metgoet84 recht gefondeert ende g’excuseert worden, ende wes meer bij uijtval van saecken mochte vereijschen, Is nae goede deliberatien ten dienste van d’ E. Compe. eijndelijck verstaen ende vastgestelt, dat men vier man expres overlant weder na de baij van Saldanha sal affsenden, met aenschrijvens ende volcomen last aen d’ opperhooffden van Compes. galjot, de Rode Vos , dat deselve alle hare diligentie ende naerstigheijt sullen aenwenden: omme niet alleen de geene welcke haer van selffs uijt den Francen dienst presenteren in Compes. dienst aen te nemen maer oock Soo veele meer boven de selve overlant met d’ onse herwaerts te locken, als sullen cunnen bewegen: omme als voorhaelt den Fransman in sijne te doene thuijsreijse sooveel hinders mitsgaders der selver principaelen sooveel onlust tot nader equipagie ende vervolgingh deser negotie te causeren als mogelijck sij, ende insonderheijt oock om den dienst die wij in de robbenvanghst &a. van de Francen (dat werck gewent ende volcomen volleert sijnde) sullen comen te genieten &a., sonder oock in allen gevalle te versuijmen: om de drie banditen (door d’ opperhooffden des voorhaelden Frans schip op een van de eijlantjens gebannen) te lichten, ende mede te nemen, daer niemant tegen hebben can, als sijnde werck van compassie, ende ao. 1642 d’ onse (om hare misdaet van ‘t schip Rotterdam door d’ Hr. Caron85 op ‘t Robbeneijlant gebannen) van d’ Engelse oock (noch vrunden wesende) wel gelight, ende voor onse retourvlote door de selve Engelse over Engelant in ‘t Patria geholpen, hoedanigh met de gemelte drie banditen door ons uijt medelijden oock wel m[och]te86 gedaen worden.
Wijders gemerckt de presentatie van den Francen capiteijn omme brieven voor ons mede te nemen, Is verstaen onse advijsen aen d’ Heeren Meesters in ‘t vaderlant tegen morgen cortelijck vaerdigh te maecken (alsoo ons bekent gemaeckt heefft tegen den 25en deser na huijs te keeren) ende die pampieren met de gemelte vier man overlant na de baije van Saldanha te beschicken aen d’ opperhooffden onses galijots de Rode Vos : omme door de selve aen den Fransman behandight ende de welbestellingh gerecommandeert: mitsgaders wijders g’animeert ende, mogelijck sijnde, bewogen te mogen worden met sijn schip hier in de baij te comen met schoone woorden ende belofften van goede tractementen &a., Omme daer op hier comende (‘t welck nochtans niet wel dencken) als dan metter selven te procederen, soo de saecken ende tijt ten meesten dienste van d’ E. Compe. ons mochte comen aen te wijsen, ende vereijsschen.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoope ten dage ende jare als boven.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1653.
[Signed:] JACOB REIJNIERSZ.
[Signed:] FR. V.BURGH, Secrts.