Cape Council of Policy
89
1656-06-26
Minute details
- Entry number
- 89
- Date
- 1656-06-26
- Year
- 1656
English translation
Since the Lord God has been pleased to visit us here for 7 or 8 weeks now, to visit us freely with illnesses and diseases among the people, of which almost no one, yes, even the officers have not been free from it, and while many still remain in bed in the sickhouse or keep to themselves, without doubt this is not due to anything, except because of the grave sins we daily commit and the violations of His Holy Commandments, and because some among us also live so godlessly that it is most displeasing to mankind, even to the Lord God, so that His horn cannot be turned away from us. be prayed for, if the same is prayed for with great solemnity, with the intention to also better arrange our lives from now on, and to bring forth fruits that may be pleasing to His Almighty and worthy of right conversion. Therefore, the Commander and Council, in order to obtain such grace, have seen fit to institute and celebrate a general fast and prayer on Thursday next, the 29th of this month: to pray there with common prayer His heavy, punishing hand (if possible) from us (which will be announced to the people this evening after the prayer), besides express and strict command that that no one on that day shall engage in any craftwork or drunken drinking and dishonest time-cutting, except for the corrections thereto, which the ruler shall diligently have to pay attention to; but that instead of this the Christian community be kindly admonished to devote itself to the aforementioned prayer to all Christian exercises and prayers, for the purpose aforesaid, and that God the Lord, in place of His plagues, please send upon us His bountiful blessing and grace, so that the plagues may cease, the sick may be healed, and that things here, having always flourished and increased beautifully, may not decay; but through His help more and more for the benefit of the common good and His Holy. May Name's Honor increase.
And noticing that some among our people live so godlessly that they often go to and from eating like pigs without even praying for or thanking the Lord, but instead using all kinds of curses and useless words, they are also recommended to bear it better and not forget to pray or thank God the Lord who created them and still provides them so graciously with food and drink, and so that this may be observed the better from now on, the commander has been ordered to make the rounds to the common backside at midday and in the evening, and to keep an eye out for those who, after this, go more to or from the backside in such a disorderly manner. Without praying and thanking God, they will each time forfeit 1/4 Ra. of 8s, the second time 1/2, and the third time 4 doubles, plus any additional arbitral correction.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the day and year as above.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1656.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1656.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN, Secrets.
And noticing that some among our people live so godlessly that they often go to and from eating like pigs without even praying for or thanking the Lord, but instead using all kinds of curses and useless words, they are also recommended to bear it better and not forget to pray or thank God the Lord who created them and still provides them so graciously with food and drink, and so that this may be observed the better from now on, the commander has been ordered to make the rounds to the common backside at midday and in the evening, and to keep an eye out for those who, after this, go more to or from the backside in such a disorderly manner. Without praying and thanking God, they will each time forfeit 1/4 Ra. of 8s, the second time 1/2, and the third time 4 doubles, plus any additional arbitral correction.
Thus done and resolved in the Fort of Good Hope on the day and year as above.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1656.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1656.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN, Secrets.
Original Dutch transcription
Nademael het Godt de Heere ‘t sedert 7 a 8 weecken herwaerts geliefft heefft ons alhier Vrij te besoecken met sieckten ende cranckheden onder het volcq, daer schier niemant, Ja selfs de officieren mede niet al vrij van sijn gebleven, ende datter nochal doorgaens veel in ‘t sieckenhuijs te bedde offte de coij blijven houden, sonder twijffell nerghens van daen comende als wegen onse dagelijcx pleghende sware sonden ende overtredingen sijner H. geboden, ende dat sommighe onder ons oock soo godtloos leven dattet den mensche, selffs affschrickelijck veel meer Godt de Heere, op ‘t hoochste onbehaechlijck is, waer door oock sijnen thoorne niet van ons can affgewendt worden, ten sij saecke den selven daeromme vierichlijck werde gebeden met voornemen omme oock ons leven voortaen beter aen te stellen, ende vruchten voort te brengen die Sijn Almogentheijt aengenaem ende der rechter bekeeringhe waerdich wesen mogen, Soo is ‘t dat den Commandeur ende Raedt om doch soodanige genade te mogen vercrijgen, goetgevonden hebben Donderdach aenstaende, den 29en deses maents, in te stellen ende te celebreren eenen algemeijnenvast ende276 bededach: omme aldaer met gemenen gebede Sijne swaer straffende handt (mogelijck sijnde) van ons aff te bidden (‘t welcke desen avondt na ‘t gebeth den volcke aengedient sal worden) neffens expres ende strickt bevel dat sich niemant op dien dach sal begeven tot eenich hantwerck off droncken drincken ende oneerlijcke tijtcortinghe op de correctien daer toe staende, waerop den geweldiger naerstich sal hebben te letten: maer dat in plaetse van dien de Christelijcke gemeente gelieve vermaent te sijn haer op voorsz bededach te ontledigen tot alle Christelijcke oeffeningen ende gebeden, ten eijnde voorsz, ende dat Godt de Heere in plaetse van sijne plaegen over ons gelieve te senden sijnen miltrijcken segen ende genade, ten eijnde de plagen ophoudende, den crancken genesen, ende de altijt gefloreert ende fraij toegenomen hebbende saecken alhier niet vervallen: maer door Sijne hulpe meer ende meer tot voordeell van ‘t gemeene beste ende sijnes H. Naems Eere toenemen moghen.
Ende gemerckt sommighe onder ons volcq soo Godloos leven dat se dickwils gelijck de swijnen aen ende van ‘t eeten gaen sonder eens den Heere voor off na te bidden off te dancken maer in plaetse alle vloeck ende onnutte woorden gebruijcken, soo worden deselve bij desen oock gerecommandeert haer daerinne beter te willen dragen ende niet te vergeeten met bidden noch dancken Godt de Heere welcke haer geschapen heefft ende noch soo genadelijck met spijs ende dranck onderhoudt ende opdat sulcx voortaen te beter soude mogen worden g’observeert, soo is den geweldiger last gegeven middach ende avont de ronde aen de gemene bacx277 te doen, ende daerop te letten, op pene van die na desen meer aen off van de back dus onordentlijck gaet sonder voor ende nae Godt te bidden ende dancken, dat desulcke telckens sullen verbeuren 1/4 Ra. van 8en, de tweedemael 1/2 ende de derdemael 4 dubbelt neffens arbitrale correctie daer en boven.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope ten daghe ende jaere als boven.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1656.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1656.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN, Secrets.
Ende gemerckt sommighe onder ons volcq soo Godloos leven dat se dickwils gelijck de swijnen aen ende van ‘t eeten gaen sonder eens den Heere voor off na te bidden off te dancken maer in plaetse alle vloeck ende onnutte woorden gebruijcken, soo worden deselve bij desen oock gerecommandeert haer daerinne beter te willen dragen ende niet te vergeeten met bidden noch dancken Godt de Heere welcke haer geschapen heefft ende noch soo genadelijck met spijs ende dranck onderhoudt ende opdat sulcx voortaen te beter soude mogen worden g’observeert, soo is den geweldiger last gegeven middach ende avont de ronde aen de gemene bacx277 te doen, ende daerop te letten, op pene van die na desen meer aen off van de back dus onordentlijck gaet sonder voor ende nae Godt te bidden ende dancken, dat desulcke telckens sullen verbeuren 1/4 Ra. van 8en, de tweedemael 1/2 ende de derdemael 4 dubbelt neffens arbitrale correctie daer en boven.
Aldus gedaen ende geresolveert in ‘t Fort de Goede Hope ten daghe ende jaere als boven.
[Signed:] JAN VAN RIEBEECK. 1656.
[Signed:] JAN VAN HERWERDEN. 1656.
[Signed:] ROELOFF DE MAN, Secrets.