Cape Council of Policy
477
1672-11-22
Minute details
- Entry number
- 477
- Date
- 1672-11-22
- Year
- 1672
English translation
The Lord Governor in Council having reported that His E. had only been informed this morning by the skipper on Cattenburgh, Jan Bartelsz Tant, how on their journey hither, between ways to refresh, they had come upon the island of St. Vincent, there to catch turtles, having found at the quay a certain constructed French buoy from Diepe, mounted with 2 small guns and a pair of guns and a side gun of 16 rounds,87 great danger, 30 to 40 loads, containing only a little salt, which they had embarked unmolested88, and this, in accordance with the resolution taken by him[m].89 and the Ship's Council thereupon; Having been brought to council and examined, the reasons that had prompted her to do so were, firstly, that many of the crew were sick and burdened with scurvy and therefore unable to man the aforementioned vessel; secondly, that they would have had to keep a watchful eye on it at all times during their journey, and consequently, the ship, safe and sound, would have been placed in great danger.
And lastly, because the aforementioned vessel had been found to be of little value, they therefore decided to enlarge it and leave it undisturbed.
Without taking any notice of the act of interdiction, given to them by the Majors from the fatherland, by which their people were expressly ordered to pursue the English and French ships with hostility, and to do all possible harm, and consequently this order was indeed taken into account and was greatly preferred above the considerations quoted above, especially since, according to the written sworn statement of the mate, third mate, sergeant and two sailors, most of the French people were withdrawn ashore, six men to Cattenburgh, and two people in the small boat, as well as seven men of ours who went over to the buoy, such95 without shot, thrust or any danger had already become master of it, and had been able to disarm and further ruin it at their pleasure, which was then seen as a case not only of great disobedience in violating such strict order, but also of a very bad consideration and pernicious consequence, which could not or should not be confined or suffered, Thus gives Mr. The Governor was deliberating whether it was appropriate to order the fiscal, the said skipper, and the requisitioned ship's crew to be disbanded, in order to further rectify the situation. Having considered this, he noted that before matters could be brought to a conclusion, it would take some time, and the proposed mission on the island of St. Helena could not be permitted. Furthermore, the appointment and deployment of so many other officers at Cattenburgh lacked adequate material.
Thus, after careful consideration, it was decided and resolved to keep these matters in suspense, and that the information received would be sent to the Honorable at the earliest opportunity. Governor-General and Councillors of India, to be brought to justice in Batavia in due time and to have them jointly discharge their duties.
Thus arrested at Fort de Goede Hop[e] on the date above.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] CONRAD VON BREITENBACH.
[Signed:] J. COON.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP. In R. and Scr.
And lastly, because the aforementioned vessel had been found to be of little value, they therefore decided to enlarge it and leave it undisturbed.
Without taking any notice of the act of interdiction, given to them by the Majors from the fatherland, by which their people were expressly ordered to pursue the English and French ships with hostility, and to do all possible harm, and consequently this order was indeed taken into account and was greatly preferred above the considerations quoted above, especially since, according to the written sworn statement of the mate, third mate, sergeant and two sailors, most of the French people were withdrawn ashore, six men to Cattenburgh, and two people in the small boat, as well as seven men of ours who went over to the buoy, such95 without shot, thrust or any danger had already become master of it, and had been able to disarm and further ruin it at their pleasure, which was then seen as a case not only of great disobedience in violating such strict order, but also of a very bad consideration and pernicious consequence, which could not or should not be confined or suffered, Thus gives Mr. The Governor was deliberating whether it was appropriate to order the fiscal, the said skipper, and the requisitioned ship's crew to be disbanded, in order to further rectify the situation. Having considered this, he noted that before matters could be brought to a conclusion, it would take some time, and the proposed mission on the island of St. Helena could not be permitted. Furthermore, the appointment and deployment of so many other officers at Cattenburgh lacked adequate material.
Thus, after careful consideration, it was decided and resolved to keep these matters in suspense, and that the information received would be sent to the Honorable at the earliest opportunity. Governor-General and Councillors of India, to be brought to justice in Batavia in due time and to have them jointly discharge their duties.
Thus arrested at Fort de Goede Hop[e] on the date above.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] CONRAD VON BREITENBACH.
[Signed:] J. COON.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP. In R. and Scr.
Original Dutch transcription
D’ Heer Gouverneur in Raede gerapporteert hebbende dat Zijn E. door den schipper op Cattenburgh Jan Bartelsz Tant, eerst heden morgen was bekent gemaekt, hoe zij op d’ reijse nae herwaerts, tuschen wegen om te vervarsch[en] het eijland St. Vincent aenlopende, aldaer om schilpadden te vangen, ter rhede gevonden hebben zeker opgetimmerde France buijs van Diepe , gemonteert met 2 stuckjens en parthije schiet en zijd geweer 16 coppen,87 groot ongevaer 30 a 40 lasten, inhebbende alleen maer weijnigh zout, denselven ongemoeijt g’aba[ndon]neert88 hadden, en zulx, ingevolge de resolutie by he[m].89 en Scheepsraadt daerop genomen; dewelcke in Raed[e] gebracht en g’examineert zijnde, d’ redenen die h[aer]90 daertoe hebben bewogen, bestaande eerstelik daerin dat veel volc siek en met d’ scheurbuijk belaeden wa[s] en zulx niet magtigh, om de voors. buis te bema[nnen] ;91 dat deselve haer in hun reijs zeer veragteren, mitsgaeders doorgaens en92 waekend oogh daerop soude moeten hebben houden, en bij gevolgh schip, goe[t]93 en volc in groot hazard gestelt.
Ende laestelik, ter saeke het voors. buijsje van weijnigh waerdije hadde bevonden te wesen, dae[rom]94 verstaan te largeren en ongemoeijt te laeten.
Sonder eenigh reguardt te nemen op d’ acte van interdictie, bij d’ Heeren Majoores haer uijt ‘t vaederland medegegeven, bij d’welcke haer luijden wel expres gelast is, d’ Engelsche en Fransche schepen viandtlijc te vervolgen, en allen mogelijcken afbreuk te doen, en bij gevolgh dese ordre immers in agtingh genomen en verre geprefereert te werden boven derselver consideratien, hier vooren geciteert zijnde, te meer, dewijl volgens d’ schriftelijke beëdigde verclaeringe van den onderstierman, derdewaek, sergeant en twee matrosen, ‘t meeste volcq van de France aen land geretireert, ses man aen Cattenburgh , en eenlijc twee personen in ‘t scheepje, mitsgaeders daertegens seven mannen van d’ onse aen ‘t buijsje overgegaen, zulx95 sonder schoot, stoot off eenich gevaer reets daervan meester geworden waren, en nae hun believen hadden connen disarmeren en vorder ruineren, het welc dan ingesien, als een saeke niet alleen van overgroote ongehoorsaanheijd in ‘t overtreden van so stricten ordre, naer ooc van een seer quaede naebedenckinge en pernicieusen gevolge, dat niet can off magh geconniveert off geleden werden, Soo geeft den Hr. Gouverneur in deliberatie, of men den fiscael niet en behoorde ‘t ordonneren, den geseijden schipper en den vorderen Scheepsraat te doen calangeren, om so voorts te regte te stellen, dan daerjegens in consideratie gecomen sijnde, dat alvooren de saeken conden werden gebragt in staat van te termineren, al eenigen tijt naer sigh slepen soude, en het voorgenomen desseyn op ‘t eijlant St. Helena zulx niet can toelaten, Mitsgaeders tot het maeken en stellen van so veel andere officieren op Cattenburgh , aen bequaeme stoffe gebreeckt.
Soo is96 naer rijpe overweginge goet gevonden en geresolveert, die saeke te houden in suspens, en dat met eerste gelegentheijt d’ becomene informatien sullen werden gesonden aen d’ Edle. Heeren Gouverneur generael en Raeden van India, om op Batavia t’ zijner tijt te regt gestelt te werden en haer inmiddels gesaementlijc derselver functie te laten becl[eden].
Aldus g’arresteert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hop[e] datum ut supra.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] CONRAD VON BREITENBACH.
[Signed:] J. COON.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP. In R. en Scr.
Ende laestelik, ter saeke het voors. buijsje van weijnigh waerdije hadde bevonden te wesen, dae[rom]94 verstaan te largeren en ongemoeijt te laeten.
Sonder eenigh reguardt te nemen op d’ acte van interdictie, bij d’ Heeren Majoores haer uijt ‘t vaederland medegegeven, bij d’welcke haer luijden wel expres gelast is, d’ Engelsche en Fransche schepen viandtlijc te vervolgen, en allen mogelijcken afbreuk te doen, en bij gevolgh dese ordre immers in agtingh genomen en verre geprefereert te werden boven derselver consideratien, hier vooren geciteert zijnde, te meer, dewijl volgens d’ schriftelijke beëdigde verclaeringe van den onderstierman, derdewaek, sergeant en twee matrosen, ‘t meeste volcq van de France aen land geretireert, ses man aen Cattenburgh , en eenlijc twee personen in ‘t scheepje, mitsgaeders daertegens seven mannen van d’ onse aen ‘t buijsje overgegaen, zulx95 sonder schoot, stoot off eenich gevaer reets daervan meester geworden waren, en nae hun believen hadden connen disarmeren en vorder ruineren, het welc dan ingesien, als een saeke niet alleen van overgroote ongehoorsaanheijd in ‘t overtreden van so stricten ordre, naer ooc van een seer quaede naebedenckinge en pernicieusen gevolge, dat niet can off magh geconniveert off geleden werden, Soo geeft den Hr. Gouverneur in deliberatie, of men den fiscael niet en behoorde ‘t ordonneren, den geseijden schipper en den vorderen Scheepsraat te doen calangeren, om so voorts te regte te stellen, dan daerjegens in consideratie gecomen sijnde, dat alvooren de saeken conden werden gebragt in staat van te termineren, al eenigen tijt naer sigh slepen soude, en het voorgenomen desseyn op ‘t eijlant St. Helena zulx niet can toelaten, Mitsgaeders tot het maeken en stellen van so veel andere officieren op Cattenburgh , aen bequaeme stoffe gebreeckt.
Soo is96 naer rijpe overweginge goet gevonden en geresolveert, die saeke te houden in suspens, en dat met eerste gelegentheijt d’ becomene informatien sullen werden gesonden aen d’ Edle. Heeren Gouverneur generael en Raeden van India, om op Batavia t’ zijner tijt te regt gestelt te werden en haer inmiddels gesaementlijc derselver functie te laten becl[eden].
Aldus g’arresteert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hop[e] datum ut supra.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] CONRAD VON BREITENBACH.
[Signed:] J. COON.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP. In R. en Scr.