Cape Council of Policy
723
1683-02-17
Minute details
- Entry number
- 723
- Date
- 1683-02-17
- Year
- 1683
English translation
Having been presented at the meeting by the Lord Commander, how His E. has long since experienced that the respective forests are being cut down by a party of willing citizens here, in a manner that is only done casually, without taking any account of the damage and detriment they are causing to the forests, that if this practice continues any longer, it will be ensured that within a few years no planks, beams or other timber will be produced from it for our necessary use, which is also confirmed by the free woodcutters, in contrast to which we have already tried to carefully preserve it, especially since Your Esteem. The Majors, in their latest general letter to the Commander and Council in loco dated June 1 of the past year, expressly state that they will henceforth be unable to order any Dutch woodwork for us, and that therefore we will have to make do with it ourselves here. It is so urgently required that some means be provided for this in council with the free woodsaws, Gent. Hendrick Dircxz van Embden 82 and Hendrick Coster 83 summoned here for that purpose, that it has been agreed that they will be sent by the Company. the large forest in the Houdtbaeij will be cleared, provided that the felling of wood is interdicted and prohibited by all others, who will be obliged to buy the timber from them, without being allowed to fell it themselves, provided that for each sorting the same price is paid as for the aldermen thereon, without the aforementioned woodcutters also being able to fell slats or spruce of yellow wood, which will continue on the aforementioned condition for a period of ten consecutive years, provided that for this permit an annual sum of ƒ150 in cash is brought to the E. Compe., or two hundred guilders worth of planks for the E. Comp. to deliver.85
Thus arrested at the Castle of Good Hope, date above.
[Signed:] S. VAN DER STEL.
[Signed:] J. CRUSE.
[Signed:] A. DE MAN, Rt. and Sects.
[Signed:] PHILIP THEODOOR WELCKER.
Thus arrested at the Castle of Good Hope, date above.
[Signed:] S. VAN DER STEL.
[Signed:] J. CRUSE.
[Signed:] A. DE MAN, Rt. and Sects.
[Signed:] PHILIP THEODOOR WELCKER.
Original Dutch transcription
Door d’ Hr. Commandeur ter vergaderingh voor gedraegen sijnde hoe sijn E. al voor lange heeft ondervonden dat de respective bossen door een partij moetwillige borgers alhier met ‘t cappen van houdt, dat haer maer voordehandt comt, sonder eens reguart te neemen wat schaade en naedeel sij aan de bossen daer door comen te doen, dat geschaapen staat, in gevalle op dien voet langer daer in wert gecontinueert, dat men binnen corte jaeren geen plancken, balken off ander timmerhoudt daer uijt sal connen becomen tot ons nootwendigh gebruijck, dat bij de vrij houtzaagers oock wert geconfirmeert, daer ter contratie door ons alsints is getracht ‘t selve sorghvuldigh te conserveeren, te meer dewijl d’ EdIe. Heeren Majores bij haer jonghst80 generaele missive aen den Commandr. en Raat in loco in dato Junij81 des gepasseerde jaers, uijtdruckelijck aen haelen dat sij ons voortaen geen vaderlantse houtwercken sullen connen bestellen en dier halven ons alhier selver sullen moeten behelpen, sulcx hoogh noodigh vereijst dat daer in op ‘t een off ander middel wort voorsien, weshalven in Raaden met de vrij houtsaegers gent. Hendrick Dircxz van Embden82 en Hendrick Coster,83 tot dien eijnde herwaerts ontbooden, is g’accordeert dat haar door de Compa. sal worden in geruijmt ‘t groote bosch in de Houdtbaeij , mits ‘t cappen van houdt aen alle andere interdicerende en verbiedende, die gehouden sullen wesen ‘t houtwerck van haar te coopen, sonder selfs te mogen cappen, mits voor ijder sorteringh betaelende soodaenigh84 prijs als van outs daer op is beraemdt, sonder dat de voorn. houtsaegers evenwel sullen vermogens wesen latten off sparren van geel hout te cappen, sullende op de voorenstaende conditie den tijt van thien achtereen volgende jaeren continueeren, mits voor die vergunningh aen d’ E.Compe. jaerlijcx op brengen ƒ150 in contant, off voor twee hondert guldens aen plancken aen de E. Comp. te leeveren.85
Aldus g’arresteert in ‘t Casteel d’ Goede Hoop, datum ut supra.
[Signed:] S. VAN DER STEL.
[Signed:] J. CRUSE.
[Signed:] A. DE MAN, Rt. en Sects.
[Signed:] PHILIP THEODOOR WELCKER.
Aldus g’arresteert in ‘t Casteel d’ Goede Hoop, datum ut supra.
[Signed:] S. VAN DER STEL.
[Signed:] J. CRUSE.
[Signed:] A. DE MAN, Rt. en Sects.
[Signed:] PHILIP THEODOOR WELCKER.