Cape Council of Policy
293
1662-06-03
Minute details
- Entry number
- 293
- Date
- 1662-06-03
- Year
- 1662
English translation
Germerckt Leendert Cornelisz van Sevenhuijsen, presently in charge of the free wood sawers here, has for some time allowed his affairs to go quite a bit here, as well as allowing his house, situated near the forest of his designated wood-cutting, to fall into near ruin, and besides his sawmill, he has little or no care for it anymore. A few days ago we questioned him about the cause of his negligence and damaging omission in this matter, to which he could only offer an excuse: that, due to the death and defection of all his slaves, he has fallen into poverty, no longer pays his servants, and therefore can no longer keep them under proper control. He subsequently requested very earnestly that we release him from his aforementioned office, and furthermore allow him to depart for Batavia at the first opportunity. This request having been duly attended to by us, the said boss, together with all his servants, had them summoned before us today and further questioned them, according to the situation of his state, as to what debts or outgoings he might have, as well as from whom he could legitimately claim them and to whom he should actually give them. Based on the written report received, we found that these mutual debts differ very little, but we did not consider it advisable to release the aforementioned. to encourage the man to continue his office in the aforementioned sawmill, since he has not only been brought into disrepute by his people through his sloppiness, but also from time to time through his own misconduct (as he himself admits) to such an extent that he is now, beyond all desire, as if dazed and bewildered, and finds himself unfit for this any longer. Therefore, it is unanimously understood and approved of him to grant his request to allow him to depart for Batavia at the first opportunity in his old capacity as ship's carpenter, and at such a salary as he had stipulated and paid in the homeland. In the meantime, we will send his servant (who nor four hundred and fifty-two guilders in wages earned from him) should be paid first from the Comps. treasury, and in return withheld whatever is legitimately due from here, nor from any freemen like us, for delivered planks and other woodwork, assuming that one or the other person will soon find someone who will take up this necessary work again with more enthusiasm and zeal, to the great benefit of all residents here, and will continue it better.
And since, in the aforementioned Leendert's service, a certain Torckel Troensz van Laerwyck some time ago broke his leg while felling a tree and was subsequently found unfit for such heavy work, it is also understood that the same should be returned to Comps. to accept service with all the remuneration he has paid, in order to assign him some lighter work in the Comps. house here, or where he can best use it.
Thus done and resolved at the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] Z. WAGENAER.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1662.
[Signed:] F. TULLEKEN.
[Signed:] H. LACUS, Secrets. 1662.
And since, in the aforementioned Leendert's service, a certain Torckel Troensz van Laerwyck some time ago broke his leg while felling a tree and was subsequently found unfit for such heavy work, it is also understood that the same should be returned to Comps. to accept service with all the remuneration he has paid, in order to assign him some lighter work in the Comps. house here, or where he can best use it.
Thus done and resolved at the Fort of Good Hope on the date and year as above.
[Signed:] Z. WAGENAER.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1662.
[Signed:] F. TULLEKEN.
[Signed:] H. LACUS, Secrets. 1662.
Original Dutch transcription
Germerckt Leendert Cornelisz van Sevenhuijsen tegenwoordigh baes over de vrije houtsagers alhier, sijne saken eenigen tijt herwaerts al vrij wat heeft laten verboten gaen, mitsgaders desselfs huijs, staende omtrent het bos van sijn aengeweesen houthackerije, bijna laten vervallen, ende na sijn Zagerije weijnigh off gants niet meer omgesien, Hebben wij deselve eenige dagen geleden de oorsake van sijn nalatigheijt en schadelijck versuijm hierin affgevraeght, waerop hij tot sijn verschooningh niet anders heeft weten bij te brengen, als dat hij door ‘t versterven en verloopen van al sijn slaven rechtevoort in arremoede vervallen wesende, sijn kneghts langer niet meer betalen, en dierhalven deselve oock niet meer in behoorlijcke bant houden can, Dienvolgende versochte seer ernstelijck dat wij hem van sijn voorsz ampt ontslagen, en voirder toestaen wilden dat hij met de eerste gelegentheijt na Batavia vertrecken moght, Op welck versoeck bij ons behoorelijck geleth wesende, hebben gemelte baes nevens alle sijne knechts, heden voor ons doen roepen ende deselve wijders affgevraecht na de gelegentheijt van sijnen staet, off wat in off uijtschulden hij noch wel soude mogen hebben, mitsgaders van wien hij die reghtmatigh te eijsschen en aen wien hij die eijgentlijck te geven had, ‘t welck naer ontfangen goet schriftelijck bescheijt wij bevonden hebben dat die over en weer loopende schulden seer weijnigh comen te differeren, echter hebben niet geraden geacht de voorn. man wijders t’ animeren om bij sijn ampt in voorsz houtzagerije te continueren, ten aensien deselve sigh niet alleen merckelijck bij sijn volck door sijn sloffigheijt in kleijnachtingh gebracht maer oock soo nu als dan door desbauche233 (gelijck hij selffs bekent) sodanigh vergrepen heeft dat hem nu buijten alle lust gelijck als versuft en verweesen staende, langer hiertoe onbequaem bevinden, Soo is ‘t dat eenparigh verstaen en goetgevonden hebben, deselve sijn versoeck toe te staen om hem met de eerste gelegentheijt in sijn oude qualiteijt van scheepstimmerman, en soodanige gagie als in ‘t vaderlandt bedongen en uijtgebracht heeft, wijders naer Batavia te laten vertrecken, onderentusschen sullen wij desselfs knechts (die noch vier hondert twee-en vijfftigh gulden aen verdient arbeijtsloon van hem hebben moeten) voor eerst uijt ‘s Comps. cassa betalen, en daer en tegen weder inhouden ‘t geen hier noch van eenige vrijeluijden als van ons Comps. wegen over geleverde plancken en andere houtwercken rechtmatigh is competerende, als wanneer vertouwen dat d’ een off d’ ander persoon, wel haest uijtvinden sullen die dit noodige werck tot groot gerief alder ingesetene alhier met meer lust en ijver weder ter handt nemen en beter vervolgen sal.
Ende alsoo in gemelte Leenderts dienst eenen Torckel Troensz van Laerwyck eenigen tijt geleden door ‘t vellen van een boom syn been gebroken heeft ende langer tot sodanigen swaeren werck onbequaem bevonden wort, Is mede verstaen denselven weder in Comps. dienst aen te nemen met al sulcken gagie als uijtgebracht heeft om deselve voortaen in des Comps. thuijn alhier off daer hem best toe gebruijcken cunnen, wat lichter werck te geven.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope ten dage ende jare als boven.
[Signed:] Z. WAGENAER.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1662.
[Signed:] F. TULLEKEN.
[Signed:] H. LACUS, Secrets. 1662.
Ende alsoo in gemelte Leenderts dienst eenen Torckel Troensz van Laerwyck eenigen tijt geleden door ‘t vellen van een boom syn been gebroken heeft ende langer tot sodanigen swaeren werck onbequaem bevonden wort, Is mede verstaen denselven weder in Comps. dienst aen te nemen met al sulcken gagie als uijtgebracht heeft om deselve voortaen in des Comps. thuijn alhier off daer hem best toe gebruijcken cunnen, wat lichter werck te geven.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope ten dage ende jare als boven.
[Signed:] Z. WAGENAER.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN.
[Signed:] ABRAHAM GABBEMA. 1662.
[Signed:] F. TULLEKEN.
[Signed:] H. LACUS, Secrets. 1662.