Cape Council of Policy
641
1680-02-12
Minute details
- Entry number
- 641
- Date
- 1680-02-12
- Year
- 1680
English translation
Also, as stated by his Honour, how that particular slave of the citizen Johannes Pretorius in a company of 3 Dutchmen in the month of January. had fled into the interior of Passado, which slave had kept from him since that time by the Girigquase nation.147 Of which he had recently learned, when his E. had made every effort to regain possession of the said slave, to which the aforementioned Hottentots consented, with the condition, however, that no harm would be done to him by us, or that otherwise he would not be delivered into our hands, wherefore his E. companion was obliged to promise them so; considering that the aforementioned slave, through his daily association and long stay with the aforementioned nation, had become reasonably proficient in languages, and, according to his statement, in the region where the aforementioned Hottentots had learned well; Therefore, the European Company, if it were decided to conduct a further experiment in dealing with the Namacqua Hottentoots (who, having withheld their presence there and not much further inland), might be of good service to him. Therefore, after due deliberation, it has been approved and agreed to retain the aforementioned slave for the European Company, as well as to grant the owner another slave of the Company in return, as we deem appropriate for the Company, in light of the aforementioned and other important considerations.
Thus resolved in the Castle of Good Hope, date above.
[Signed:] S. VAN DER STEL.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP.
[Signed:] SMIENDT.
[Signed:] J. CRUSE.
[Signed:] I present A. DE MAN, Secrts.
Original Dutch transcription
Insgelyx door zijn E. opgemelt voorgedragen zijnde hoe dat zeecker slaaff van den borger Johannes Pretorius in comp. van 3 Nederlanders in de maant Januarij ao. passado landewaert in was gevlucht, welcke slaaff hem tseedert die tijt by den Girigcquase natie147 hadde onthouden, waer van dan onlangs kennis bekoomen hebbende, wanneer zijn E. alle moeyten hadde aangewent om de gemelte slaaff weder in handen te krijgen, waer toe de voorn. Hottentoos hebben bewilligt, met dat beding nochtans, dat hem in ‘t minste door ons geen leet zoude werden aangedaen, off dat anders hem in onse handen niet wilde overleveren, weshalven Zijn E. genootsaackt is geweest zulcx aan haer te belooven; daer besyden geconsidereert dat de meergemelte slaaff door zijn dagelyxse ommegangh en lang verblijff bij de gemelte natie redelijk taelkundig is geworden, mitsgaders volgens zijn seggen in de lantstreek daer de gemelte Hottentots haer onthouden wel ervaren; weshalven d’ E.Comp. indertyt, wanneer verstaan mocht worden een nader proeff te nemen om met de Namacquase Hottentoots (die haer mede daer omtrent en niet veel verder landewaerts in zijn onthoudende) te handelen, goede dienst van hem zoude konnen trecken, Zoo is naar genoomen deliberatie goetgevonden en verstaan de gemelte slaaff voor de E.Comp. te behouden, mitsgaders den eygenaer daer voor een andere slaaf van de Comp. in eygendom te vergunnen, alsoo wy zulx om de voorenstaande en andere wichtige consideratien voor de Comp. dienstig oordeelen.
Aldus geresolveert in ‘t Casteel de Goede Hoope, datum ut supra.
[Signed:] S. VAN DER STEL.
[Signed:] H. CRUDOP.
[Signed:] SMIENDT.
[Signed:] J. CRUSE.
[Signed:] Mij present A. DE MAN, Secrts.