Cape Council of Policy
501
1675-03-26
Minute details
- Entry number
- 501
- Date
- 1675-03-26
- Year
- 1675
English translation
Considered the Gentlemen Majors in their general letter dated 4 November of the deviated 25th year written from the meeting of the Seventeen to be in no way satisfied about the irregular criminal proceedings on Mauritius during the supreme command of the E. Commander Hugo, who was being exercised there, and especially in the case against a certain sergiant, who had been second to his aforementioned E. Pieter Philip Coll, with the rigorous corporal punishment it was decided and led to execution, and therefore have been pleased to order us to investigate the matters of the aforementioned. To examine Col in our Council further and, if it is found that he might be wrong, to repair him at liberty, as well as to have his joints unevenly restored to the best possible form. So, after foregoing consideration of the matter and in particular since we currently lack the means and opportunity to be able to carry out his E. Lord's aforesaid order directly from here, it has been resolved and established here by the E. Hr. Commander Jan Bax, all designated Governor of the Cape, to inform him in detail and with a request, if opportunity would permit, that his E., on his arrival here, may visit the aforementioned island en route and, based on the foregoing examination and summary of the aforementioned. process, to act in such a way as His E. will be advised and the order of the E. Compe. is brought along, And thus to us from the aforementioned. as other proceedings held there from time to time, it has sufficiently become apparent how on the aforementioned island, considerable misconduct and illegalities have been committed regarding the maintenance of justice, and that in the event of further proceedings it is to be feared that others may be further injured and their reputation harmed, so it has also been arrested to prevent such irregularities, that the first time Commander Hugo goes there, the execution of criminal sentences will be inhibited, with the exception of notorious conspiracies and capital crimes that cannot withstand surveillance, and all this until further order of our Lords, our Principals in the Fatherland, or rather the High Government in Batavia, and thus somewhat complicated, that according to Commander Hugo His imagination cannot be found in any other Judicature than Her Honor in the fatherland, and for that reason it might well be that this order of ours should be rejected from the command of Her Honor, that the aforementioned Commander Bacx, in the name of the meeting of the Lords 17th, shall be authorized to come here on his E., approaching the said island, to inquire about all matters concerning the administration of justice, as commissioned there, and to arrange for such action as the E. Compe. shall deem appropriate, and that also until further approval by Our Lords Majors in the fatherland or Her Honor in Batavia.
The deacons, in a petition at this meeting, also indicated that the raising of alms from the boxes of incoming ships as a subsidy for the needy had not yet been practiced here, or perhaps neglected, as this practice was observed throughout India. Therefore, it was requested that this be qualified in the future, as well as for the levying of such legacies or other bequests as were sometimes discussed in these and other cases on ships arriving at the time of their death for the benefit of the poor. It was also approved of the request for the raising of the boxes, as in accordance with the custom of India, to recommend, but to decline the legacies concerning this matter, unless these poor people had been specifically nominated.26
Thus resolved at the Fort of Good Hope on the day and year aforesaid.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] JACOB LOBS.
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ. SMIENDT.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP.
The deacons, in a petition at this meeting, also indicated that the raising of alms from the boxes of incoming ships as a subsidy for the needy had not yet been practiced here, or perhaps neglected, as this practice was observed throughout India. Therefore, it was requested that this be qualified in the future, as well as for the levying of such legacies or other bequests as were sometimes discussed in these and other cases on ships arriving at the time of their death for the benefit of the poor. It was also approved of the request for the raising of the boxes, as in accordance with the custom of India, to recommend, but to decline the legacies concerning this matter, unless these poor people had been specifically nominated.26
Thus resolved at the Fort of Good Hope on the day and year aforesaid.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] JACOB LOBS.
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ. SMIENDT.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP.
Original Dutch transcription
Geconsidereert d’ Heeren Majores bij hunne generale missive in dato 4 November des afgeweken25 jaars uijt de vergadering van de Seventienen geschreven haar geensints vernoegt houden over d’ irregulaire criminele proceduiren op Mauritius geduirende ‘t oppergesag van den E. Commandeur Hugo aldaar g’exerceert, en besonderlijck in ‘t gunt tegen seeker sergiant, geweest sijnde secunde van sijn voormelte E. Pieter Philip Coll, met de rigoreuste lijfstraffen is gedecideert en ter executie geleijt, ende oversulcx ons hebben gelieven te gelasten de saken van voors. Col in onsen Rade nader t’ examineren en bij bevindinge dat deselve soude mogen verongelijckt wesen, in vrijheijt te herstellen mitsgaders sijn geleeden ongelijck in de beste form als doenlyck, te doen repareren, Soo is na voorgaande overweeging van saaken en besonderlijck dewijle ons tegenwoordig stoff en gelegentheijt ontbreekt om haar Edles. vooraangetoogen ordre directelijck van hier uijt te connen voeren, geresolveert en vastgestelt hier van den E. d’ Hr. Commandeur Jan Bax all gedesigneert Gouverneur van de Caap omstandig te bedeelen en met een te versoeken, indien de gelegentheijt het soude willen toelaten, dat sijn E. in sijn herwaarts comste en passant ‘t voorseyden eijlant geliefde aan te doen en naar voorgaande examinatie en resumptie van voors. proces, daarin soodanig te handelen als sijn E. te rade werden sal en d’ ordre van de E. Compe. is meedebrengende, Ende alsoo ons soo uijt de voors. als andere proceduiren van tijt tot tijt aldaar gehouden, genoegsaam is gebleken hoe op ‘t gemelte eijlant omtrent ‘t hanthaven van de Justutie vrij groote mesusen en onwettelijckhede[n] sijn gepleegt en dat bij langer vervolg te duchten staat hierdoor wel andere meer mochten werden geledeert en in haare goede faam gekrenckt, soo is mede g’arresteert tot preventie van alsulcke ongeregeltheden den E. Commandeur Hugo bij de eerste occasie van hier derwaarts gaande, het exerceren van criminelen vonnissen sal werden g’inhibeert, uijtgesondert notoire conspiratien en halssaken, die geen surcheantie connen lijden, en sulcx alles tot nader ordre van de Heeren onse Principalen in ‘t Patria, off wel de Hooge Regering tot Batavia, ende alsoo enigermaten gedifficulteert wert, dat den E. Hugo volgens sijn imaginatie van onder geen andere Judicature als haar Edle. in ‘t vaderlant te resorteren, uijt dien hoofde wel mochte bestaan dese onse ordre uijt het bevel van haar welgemelte Edle te rejecteeren, dat voorn. heer Commandeur Bacx uijt den naam van de vergadering van de Heeren 17en sal werden g’authoriseert op sijn E. herwaarts comste het geseijde eijlant aangierende, sich omtrent alle mesusen ‘t execeren van justitie rakende, aldaar gecommitteert, sal hebben t’ informeren, mitsgaders daar tegens soodanig te versien als ten meesten dienste van de E. Compe. sal oordeelen te behooren, en dat mede tot nader approbatie van onse Heeren Majores in ‘t vaderlant off wel haar Edle. tot Batavia.
Door de diaconien te deser vergaderinge bij forme van request mede te kennen gegeven, dat tot noch toe alhier niet gepractiseert, off misschien versuijmt was het lichten van de almissen uijt de bussen van de aancomende schepen tot subsidie der behoeftigen daar nochtans sulcx door geheel India in observantie wiert gehouden, en dierhalven versocht daartoe voortaan gequalifiseert te moogen werden, mitsgaders ook tot het heffen van alsulcke legaten off andere makingen als bij dese en geene op de schepen comende t’ overlijden ten behouve der armen somwijlen werden besproocken soo is meede goetgevonden het versoek van ‘t lichten der bussen, als met d’ usantie van India accorderende, t’ advoijeren, doch de legaten aangaande sulcx te declineren, ten ware dese armen speciaal daarin genommineert26 waren.
Aldus geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoop ten dage en jare voors.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] JACOB LOBS.
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ. SMIENDT.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP.
Door de diaconien te deser vergaderinge bij forme van request mede te kennen gegeven, dat tot noch toe alhier niet gepractiseert, off misschien versuijmt was het lichten van de almissen uijt de bussen van de aancomende schepen tot subsidie der behoeftigen daar nochtans sulcx door geheel India in observantie wiert gehouden, en dierhalven versocht daartoe voortaan gequalifiseert te moogen werden, mitsgaders ook tot het heffen van alsulcke legaten off andere makingen als bij dese en geene op de schepen comende t’ overlijden ten behouve der armen somwijlen werden besproocken soo is meede goetgevonden het versoek van ‘t lichten der bussen, als met d’ usantie van India accorderende, t’ advoijeren, doch de legaten aangaande sulcx te declineren, ten ware dese armen speciaal daarin genommineert26 waren.
Aldus geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hoop ten dage en jare voors.
[Signed:] ISBRAND GOSKE.
[Signed:] JACOB LOBS.
[Signed:] ALBERT VAN BREUGEL.
[Signed:] DIRCQ JANSZ. SMIENDT.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP.