Lv^;V V |i^^ ,>5*' ( ; •} '^ Tt '^'i h fff - V^ /3> .*f' *-<-, >ci ^^. lir- ^.1 ki'. /f^^ feS ,s'...a» ^^. iiv '.' J- :i# ^^.^^ -ti * .S 'r^: ?AK%"" #m i."^*> Sl £>-,3s-^ %%^/ it. J ■ lie uiii.c suutv» wiievi tiiiB vuiume was laKen. All books not in use for instruction or re- search are limited to all borrowers. ., Volutnes of periodi-^ cals and of pamphlets '^^ comprise so many sub- jects, that they are held in the library as much as possibly jvyor spe- cial purposes Ihtyare given out for a limited time. ' ^ ' ■ Graduates aijd sen- ors are allowed five volumes for two weeks. Other students may have two vols, from the "nitiiiniiiPii «rtMI^ : circulating library for two weeks. Books not needed uring recess periods should be returned to . the library, orarrange- ments made for their return during borrow--' er's absence, if wanted. ' Books needed by more than one person are held on the reserve ' list. \ , Books of special value and gift books, when the giver wishes it, are not allowed to circulated \ BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF $li»ttr9 m. Sage 1S91 A.i *l:7!io.^ ^ i±i L'J b-S" 3081 J. MICHAELIUS THE FIRST MINISTER OP THE DUTCH REFORMED CHUBCH IN fHB UNITED STATES. FAGSIMILfi OF HIS LETTER, THE ONLY EXTANT, WRITTEN DURING THE FIRST YEARS OF THE SETTLEMENT OF NEW-YORK. WITH TRANSSCRIPT, PREFACE AM) ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY THE LATE . 5 '' HON. HENRY G MURPHY. mm,.: »M>*: !.-''■'-■••. AMSTERDAM, FEEDEKIK MULLER & CP. 188 3. 'eo h Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028859168 THE FIRST MINISTER OF I'HE DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES. /\. uyy (^% THE HAGUE, PKINTED BY THE miOrUEUS GIUNTA d'ALBANI. JLhere has just appeared in the Kerk-hislorisch Archief, a work published periodically at Amsterdam , one of those interesting fragmeiij;s , which the researches of the curious into the history of the settlement of the United States are constantly bringing , for the first time , to light. It is a letter of Jonas Michaelius , who may now be called the first minister of the Dutch Eeformed Church in the United States, written at Manhatas in New Netherland on the 11*'' of August 1628 , and communi- cated to the work above mentioned, with such notices of the life of the writer, as existing materials permit , by Mr. J. T. Bodel Nijenhuis ; who deserves well of Ame- ricans, and especially of New-Yorkers, for the zeal which prompted him to rescue this waif from oblivion , and for the industry which he has exhibited in collecting as far as possible the events in the life of the missionary. We are now carried back five years earlier in the history of the regular ministration of the Gospel in New- York , and are enabled to add one more to the list of clergymen of the Dutch Refor- med Church in America , one who , by his attainments and his holy zeal , as well as the high respect with which he was regarded by his learned brethern in Holland, is not unworthy to take his place at the head of the roll of that learned and pious body. This letter is addressed to Dom. Adrianus Smoutius, minister of the Dutch Eeformed Church at Amsterdam. It was found among the papers^of the late Jacobus Koning, clerk of the fourth judicial district of Amsterdam. Further than this its history is unknown ; but as Mr. Nijenhuis justly observes , it is undoubtedly to the importance of its contents that we are indebted for its preservation. Of the author, however, some few incidents interesting both as connected with his life and confir- matory of the claim now established in his behalf, have been discovered. They serve to excite our wonder that no intimation of his ministry and residence at New-Am- sterdam has ever before been given. From the researches of Mr. Nijenhais we learn that Jonas Michaelius was born in the year 1577 in North-Holland and was educated contemporaneously with Jacob Cats and Grer. Joh. Vossius at the celebrated univer- sity of Leyden, in which as appears by its records, he was entered as student of Divinity on the 9*'' of September 1600. He was settled as minister at Nieuwbiks- woude in North-Holland in 1612 and two years later at Hem in the same neighbor- hood. In 1624 he was, on the conquest of St, Salvador from the Portuguese to the Dutch arms by Peter Heyn in that year, established as a minister there; but on the recovery of that place by the Portuguese in the following year, he left for Guinea and became the minister at the fort there, then recently taken from the Portuguese. He returned to Holland in 1627 and in January following, as his letter states, embarked with' his wife an^ three children for New Netherland. He was then over fifty years of age. How long after writing his letter he remained in New Netherland is not known. He appears however in 1637 and 1638 to have been again in Amster- dam , when he was requested by the Classis of Amsterdam to return as minister to New"*Netherland. This he consented to do and the Classis directed an application to be made to the West India Company to send him out. This was refused after some months delay [for reasons which do not appear. Whether his advanced age, or the additional expense which the company would incur, or what other reason caused the rejection of the application, is not known; the confidence which he had of the Classis of Amsterdam shows it must have been some special reason not afiecting his stan- ding as a minister. There is what appears to ns an important fact in the register of these proceedings of the Classis of Amsterdam. Michaelius is there styled „ late minister in Virginia," (gewezen predikant in Virginia), a circumstance not important, as Mr. Nijenhuis intimates , because it may thence be inferred that he emigrated from New Netherland to Virginia, for there is no possible reason why he should go there as a „ minister" where neither the Dutch nor the French language was spoken; but as confirming the authenticity of the letter itself, which otherwise stands wholly unsup- ported by other testimony. It shows that Michaelius had been in North -America as a minister, g,nd the fact that he is mentioned as of Virginia, proves nothing more, taken in connection with the letter , than that the Registrar who penned the minute , had in his mind the idea, which prevailed at that time throughout Europe, and which assigned the general name of Virginia to all that portion of North- America lying be- tween Florida on the South and New France on the North, and embracing the colo- nies of New-Engeland , New-Netherlanil and Maryland, as well as the particular colony of Virginia. There is , however , in the letter itself abundant intrinsic evidence of its authen- ticity. The nationality of the first adventurers, Walloons as well as Dutch; the place of the former residence in Europe of the Governor, Minuit; the war between the Mohawks and the Mohicans, are all stated incidentally in such a manner, that, being at the same time consistent with the facts known from other sources, they leave no reasonable ground for doubt, even without the recognition of the ministry of Mr. Michaelius iu New-Netherland by the note of the registrar in the Ada Clas- sicalia, of its truth. This letter, of which, a faithful translation into English is now offered, pos- sesses a peculair interest independently of its importance in connection with the his- tory of the Church. It is the only letter extant , within our knowledge written during the first years of the settlement of New- York by any of the adventurers. While New-^ England is rich in this kind of material for its history , New- York is with the excep- tion of that now presented to us, entirely barren. We read with interest the picture which the writer draws of the privations of the first settlers of New- Amsterdam , of their first cultivation of the land , of the productions of the country , and of the man- ners and language of the Indians, from all which the reader will derive the means of no unprofitable reflection. Hen. C. Murphy. The Hague, Apni i. i858. JL' Vl;St>^ Q^^t'lSH^ '^t^f^ff^Vv^tf i-j^^dW, •>^%0^,W^,t!5^ fO^ Ky *^>"'*oi ^***r%^ : V7i.^ w? ©x ^'^ t'V J*^ /■■Dvt-'i^*'*! ■•^» <»X *"^ f-'.-jr"^ ' f^a-vf, jg, D^ v,;:^^.^ -w ^ ^u^ U, ,i..,^^,*:.fT (,^^u^ a>^^^^ cvT^^ i*<>*) #<»•»»»«.■' /V^ ■«>«>«) '^pi^w.t^J'ii/{vau^i«g-^*^>«>tt_ : "^ S^vtnti; "i>l*S ^oJ- C^**vfVvV^a,.^ oht> (^1^ uteJSO-i^wwvWV.- t^« im)^ ciin-KM^ Kr> «.afp^ c**.-vj*!' v]^u^*v- Tb^^jAs ^-K*-**- <'o^f^^ ot; i^J^^-^^.rc'cewp^s . ^^'>/'«. ^^ <,u*a ^^^^^.'-^hV- QAy aorfL^yfk^Mj^ fSin. ^^■^ T«*~A Ai'ev—- Wc^ /HUMS. |v] p,-, «rt;^.vy>-ln>j!>^^^iiy:bVv^jJ:f>«>£A 'yi'***^ 1*^^ ^""^f ••f^'*^C**M«*^ r«|Xs)t^y'^^*''*^ •'f^-'VeWV-fo'' ^<*3«' t*<^ ;^»^-**»^^ 'J'efiiHr'^ ^•^ 'ia'>t*t«i)»> .k'-^^SiA 'i(*i/vi^>u^ >»*, M'T^ ><^r^f'>f^yr) »^o^-@^ j-wvcj ^/.jig^ jp>f3»>^ ut^^g^^i DE VREDE CHRIST/. Honorable Sir, Well-beloved Brother in Christ, Kind Friend! J. he favorable opportunity, which now presents itself of writing to your Right Reverend Sir, I can not let pass, without embracing it, according to my promise. And I first unburden myself in this communication of a sorrowful circumstance. It has pleased the Lord seven weeks after we arrived in this country to take from me my good partner, who has been to me for more than sixteen years, a virtuous, faithful and in every respect amiable yokefellow, and I find myself with three chil- dren very much discommoded, without her society and assistance. But what have I to say ? The Lord himself has done this , in which no one can oppose Him. Where- fore I should also be willing, knowing that all things must work together for good to those who love Grod. I hope therefore to bear my cross patiently, and by the grace and help of the Lord, not to let the courage fail me which I stand in need of in my particular duties. The voyage continued long, namely, from the 24'''' of January till the 1^^ of April when we first set oftr foot upon this land. Of storm and tempest we have had no lack , particularly about the Bermudas and the rough coasts of this country , the which fell hard upon the good wife and children, but they bore it better as regards sea-sickness and fear, than I had expected. Our fare in the ship was very poor and scanty, so that my blessed wife and children, not eating with us in the cabin, on account of the little room in it, had a worse lot than the sailors themselves; and that by reason of a wicked cook who annoyed them in every way; but especially by reasoii of the captain himself who , although I frequently complained of it in the most courteous manner , did not concern himself in the least , about correcting the rascal : nor did he, even when they were aU sick, give them any thing which could do them any good , although there was enough in the ship ; though he himself knew very well where to find it in order , out of mealtimes , to fill his own belly. All the relief which be gave us, consisted merely in liberal promises, with a drunken head, which pro- mises nothing followed when he was sober, but a sour'face, and thus has he played the brute against the ofiicers and kept himself constantly to the wine, both at sea and especially here in the (North) river; so that he has navigated the ship daily with a wet sail and an empty head , coming ashore seldom to the Council and never ' to the public Divine Service. We bore all with silence on board the ship; but it grieves me , when I think of it , on account of my wife ; the more , because she was placed as she was , — not knowing whether she was pregnant , and because the time « was so short which she had yet to live. In my first voyage (*) I travelled much with him, yea, lodged in the same hut, but never knew that he was such a brute and drunkard. But he was then under the direction of Mr. Lam, and now he had the principal direction himself. I have also written to Mr. Godyn about it, conside- ring it necessary that it should be known. Our coming here was agreable to aU, and I hope, by the grace of the Lord, that my services will not he unfruitful. The people, for the most part, are all free somewhat rough , and loose , but I find in most all of them both love and respect towards me; two things with which hitherto the Lord has every where graciously blessed my labors, and which will produce us fruit in our special calling, as Your Right Reverend yourself well knows and finds. We have first established the form of a church (gemeente) ; and , as Brother Bastiaen Crol very seldom comes down from Fort Orange, because the directorship of that fort and the trade there is committed to him , it has been thought best to choose two Elders for my assistance and for the proper consideration of all such ecclesiastical matters as might occur , intending the coming year , if the Lord permit, to let one of them retire, and to choose another in his place from a double number first lawfully presented by the congregation. One of those whom we have now chosen is the Honorable Director himself, and the other is the stbrekeeper of the Company, Jan Huyghen, his brother-in-law, persons of very good character, as far as I have been able to learn; having both been formerly in office in the church, the one as Deacon and the other as Elder in the Dutch and French churches , respectively , at Wesel. We have had at the first administration of the Lords Supper full fifty com- (*) To Brazil. 9 municants — not without great joy and comfort for so many — Walloons and Dutch ; of whom, a portion made their first confession of the faith before us, and others exhibited their church certificates. Others had forgotten to bring their certificates with them, not thinking that a church would be formed and established here; and some, who brought them, had lost them unfortunately in a general conflagration, but they were admitted upon the satisfactory testimony of others to whom they were known and also upon their daily good deportment, since we cannot observe strictly all the usual formalities in making a beginning under such circumstances. "We administer the Holy Sacrament of the Lord once in four months , provision- ally until a larger number of people shall otherwise require. The Walloons and French have no service on Sundays , otherwise than in the Dutch language , of which they understand very little. A portion of the Walloons are going back to Father- land, either because their years here are expired or also because some are not very serviceable to the Company. Some of them live far away and could not come on account of the heavy rains and storms, so that it was neither advisable, nor was it possible, to appoint any special Service for so small a number with so much uncer- tainty. Nevertheless the Lord's Supper was administered to them in the French language and according to the French mode, with a preceding discourse, which I had before me in writing , as I could not trust myself extemporaneously. If in this and in other matters Your Right Reverend and the Reverend Brothers of the Con- sistories , who have special superintendence over us here (*) , deem it necessary to bestow upon us any correction , instruction or good advice , it will be agreeable to us and we will thank Your Right Reverend therefor; since we must have no other ob- ject than the glory of God in the building up of his kingdom and the salvation of many souls. I keep myself as far as practicable within the pale of my calling, wherein I find myself sufficiently occupied. And although our small consistory, em- braces at the most — when Brother Crol is down here, — not more than four per- sons , all of whom , myself alone excepted , have also public business to attend to , I still hope to separate carefully the ecclesiastical from the civil matters, which occur, so that each one will be occupied with his own subject. And though many things are mixii generis , and political and ecclesiastical persons can greatly assist each other, nevertheless the matters and offices tending together must not be mixed but kept separate, in order to prevent all confusion and disorder. As the council of this place consists of good people, who are, however, for the most part simple and have little experience in public afiairs , I would have little objection to serve them in any serious or dubious afiair with good advice , provided I considered myself capable and my advice (*) Named at tlie end of tlie letter- 10 should be asked; in which case I suppose that I would not do amiss, or be suspected by any one of being a noivn^dyLuv or MioTQiaBniaxonog. (A bresy-body, or Meddler.) In my opinion it is very expedient that the Lords Managers of this place should furnish plain and precise instructions to their Grovernors that they may dis- tinctly know how to .regulate themselves in all difficult occurrences and events in public matters ; and at the same time that I hould have all such Acta Synodalia , as are adopted in the Synods of Holland , both the special ones relating to this region and those which are provincial and national, in relation to ecclesiastical points of difficulty , or at least such of them as in the judgment of the Reverend Brothers at Amsterdam would be most likely to present themselves to us here. In the mean time I hope matters will go well here, if only on both sides we do the best in all sin- cerity and honest zeal; whereto I have from the first entirely devoted myself, and wherein 1 have also hitherto , by the grace of God , had no just cause to complain of any one. And if any dubious matters of importance happen to me, and especially if they will admit of any delay , I will apply to the Reverend Brothers for good and prudent advice, to which I have already wholly commended myself. As to the natives of this country I find them entirely savage and wild, stran- gers to all decency, yea, uncivil and stupid as posts, proficient in all wickedness and godlessness, devilish men, who serve nobody but the Devil, that is the spirit, which , in their language , they call Manetto : under which title they comprehend every thing that is subtle and crafty and beyond- human skill and power. They have so much witchcraft, divination, sorcery and wicked tricks that they cannot be held in by any bands or locks. They are as thievish and treacherous as they are tall; and in cruelty they are more inhuman than the people of Barbary and far exceed the Africans. I have written concerning these things to several persons elsewhere, not doubting that Brother Crol will have written sufficient to Your Right Reverend or to the Lords Managers thereof; as also of the base treachery and the murders which the Mohicans at the upper part of this River, against fort Orange, had committed; but their misfortune is by the gracious interposition of the Lord, for our good, who when it pleases Him knows how to pour unexpectedly natural impulses into these unnatural men in order to hinder their designs. How these people can best be led to the true knowledge of God and of the Mediator Christ is hard to say. I cannot my- self wonder enough who it is who has imposed so much upon Your Right Reverend and many others in Fatherland concerning the docility of these people and their good nature, the proper prindpia religionis and vestigia legis naturoe which should be among them; in whom I have as yet been able to discover hardly a single good point, except that they do not speak so jeeringly and so scoffingly of the godlike and glorious majesty of their Creator, as the Africans dare to do. But it is because u they have no certain knowledge of Him , or scarcely any. If we speak to them of God , it appears to them like a dream : and we are compelled to speak of Him not under the name of Menotto , whom they know and serve , — for that would be blasph- emy , — but under that of some great persons , yea , of the Chiefs Sackiema , — by which name they, — living without a king, — call those who have the com- mand over any hundreds among them and who by our people are called Sackemakers ,, the which their people hearing , some will begin to mutter and shake their heads as of a silly fable, and others, in order to express regard and friendship to such a pro- position, will say Orith, that is, good. Now, by what means are we to make an inroad or practicable breach for the salvation of this people? I take the liberty on this point of enlarging somewhat to Your Right Reverend. Their language which is the first thing to be employed with them , methinksis entirely peculiar. Many of our common people call it an easy, language, which is soon learned, but I am of a contrary opinion. For those who can understand their words to some extent and repeat them , fail greatly in the pronunciation and speak a broken language , like the language of Ashdod. For these people have difficult aspirates and many guttural letters which are formed more in the throat than by the mouth, teeth and lips, which our people not being accustomed to, guess at by means of their signs, and then imagine that they have accomplished something wonderfal. It is true, one can learn as much as is sufficient for the purposes of trading , but this occurs almost as much by signs with the thumb and fingers as by speaking; which could not be done in religi- ous matters. It also seems to us that they rather design to conceal their language from us than to properly communicate it , except in things which happen in daily trade ; saying that it is sufficient for us to understand them in those: and then they speak omly half their reasons , with shortened words ; and frequently call a dozen things and even more by one name ; and all things which have only a rude resemblance to each other they frequently call by the same name. In truth it is a made up childish language : so that even those who can best of all speak with the Indians and get along well in trade , are nevertheless wholly in the dark and bewildered when they hear the Indians speaking with each other by themselves. Let us then leave the parents in their condition and begm with the children who are still young. So it should be. But they must be separated in youth from their parents, yea, from their whole nation. For, without this, they would be as much given as their parents to heathenish tricks and deviltries , which are kneaded naturally in their hearts by themselves trough a just judgment of G-od; so that having once obtained deep root , by habit , they can with difficulty be wholly eradicated therefrom. But this separation is hard to effect; for the parents have a strong afiection for their children and are very loth to part with then : and , when they are separated from 12 them, — as we have already had proof, — the parents are never contented, but take them away stealthily or induce them to run away themselves. Nevertheless we must , . — although it would be attended with some expense, — obtain the children through a sens of gratitude on the part of their parents and with their concent , by means of presents and promises; in order to place them under the instruction of some experienced and godly schoolmaster, where they may be instructed not only to speak, read and write in our language, but also especially in the fundamentals ofour Christian religion, and where , besides , they will see nothing but good examples and virtuous lives ; but they must speak their native tongue sometimes among themselves in order not to forget it, as being evidently a principal means of spreading the knowledge of religion through the whole nation. In the meantime it must not be forgotten to pray to the Lord, with ardent and contmual prayers, for his blessing. Who can make things which are unseen to be quickly and coi^veniently seen , Who gives life to the dead , calls as noth- ing that which is , and being rich in mercy has pity on whom He will : as He has compassionated our people , to be his people , when we before were not pitied and were not his people , and has washed us clean , sanctified us and justified us , Ayhen we were covered all over with all manner of corruption , calling us to the blessed knowledge of his Son and from the power of darkness to his marvellous light. And this I regard so much the more necessary as the wrath and malediction of Grod, which have been found to rest upon this miserable people hitherto, are the more severe. May God have mercy upon them finally, that the fulness of the heathen may be gradually accomplished and the salvation of our God may be here also seen among these wild and savage men. I hope to keep a watchful eye over these people and to learn as much of their language as will be practicable , and to seek better opportuni- ties for their instruction than hitherto it has been possible to find. As to what concenis myself and my household : I find myself by the loss of my good and helping partner very much hindered and distressed, — for my two little daughters are yet small; maidservants are not here to be had, at least none whom they advise me to take; and the Angola slaves are thievish, lazy and useless trash. The young man whom I took with me , I discharged after Whitsuntide , for the reason that I could not employ him out of doors at any working of the land , and in doors, he was a burden to me instead of an assistance. He is now elsewhere at service with the boers. The promise which the Lords Masters of the Company had made me of some acres or surveyed lauds for me to make myself a home , instead of a free table which otherwise belonged to me, is wholly of no avail. For their Honors well know that there are no horses , cows nor laborers to be obtained here for money. Every one is short in these particulars and wants more. The expense would not trouble me, ifanoppor- 13 tunity only offered , as it would be for our own accommodation , although there were no profit from it (save that the Honorable Managers owe me as much as the value of a free table); for there is here no refreshment of butter, milk, etc., to be obtained , although a very high price be offered for them; for the people who bring them and bespeak them are suspicious af each other. So I will be compelled to pass through the winter without butter and other necessaries which the ships did not bring with them to be sold here. The rations, which are given out and charged for high enough, are all hard stale food, as they are used to on board ship, and freqently this is not very good , and there cannot be obtained as much of it as may be desired. I began to get some strength through the grace of the Lord , but in consequence of this hard fare of beans and grey peas , which are hard enough , barley , stockfish , etc. without much change, I cannot become well as I otherwise would. The summer yields something, but what of that for any one who has no strength? The Indians also bring some things, but one who has no wares, such as knives, beads and the like or seewan, cannot have any good of them. Though the people trade such things for proper wares , I know not whether it is permitted by the laws of the Company. I have now ordered from Holland most all necessaries: but expect to pass through the winter with hard and scanty food. The country yields many good things for the support of life , but they are all to be gathered in an uncultivated and wild state. It is necessary that there should be better regulations established, and people who have the. knowledge and the imple- ments for gathering things in their season , should collect them together , as undoubt- edley will gradually be the case. In the meanwhile I wish the Lords Managers to he courteously inquired of, how I can have the opportunity to possess a portion of land, and at my own expence to support myself upon it? For as long as there is no more accommodation to be obtained here from the country people, I would be compelled to order every thing from the Fatherland at great expense , and with much risk and trouble, or else live here upon these poor and hard rations alone, which would badly suit me and my- children. We want ten or twelve farmers with horses , cows and laborers in proportion , to furnish us with bread and fresh butter , juilk and cheese. There are convenient places which can he easily protected and very suitable : which can he bought from the Indians for trifiing toys , or could be occupied without risk; because we have more than enough shares which have never been cleared but have been always reserved for that purpose. The business of furs is dull on account of a new war of the Mcechibwys (Mohawks) against the Mahicans at the upper end of this river. There have occured cruel murders on both sides. The Mohicans have fled and their lands are unoccupied, and are very fertile and pleasant. It grieves us that there are no people , and that there is no regulation of the Lords Managers to occupy 14 the same. They fell much wood here to carry to the Fatherland but the vessels are too few to take much of it. They are making a windmill to saw the wood : and we also have a grist- mill. They bake brick here but it is very poor. There is good material for burning lime , namely, oystershells , in large quantities. The burning of potash has not succeeded; the master and his laborers are all greatly disappointed. We are busy now in buil- ding a fort of good quarry stone , which is to be found not far from here in abund- ance. May the Lord only' build and watch over our walls. There is a good means for making salt; for there are convenient places; the water is salt enough and there is no want of heat in summer. Besides as to the waters , both of the sea and rivers , they yield all kinds of fish ; — and as to the land , it abounds in all kinds of game , wild and in the groves, with vegetables, fruits, roots, herbs, and plants, both for eating and medicinal purposes, working wonderful cures, which are too long to re- late, and which, were it eyer so pertinent, I could not tell. Your Right Reverend has -already obtained some knowledge thereof in part and will be able to obtain from others further information. The country is good and pleasant; the climate is healthy, notwithstanding the sudden changes of cold and heat. The sun is very warm; the winter strong and severe, and continues full as long as in our country. The best remedey is not to spare the wood — of which there is enough , — and to cover oneself well with rough skins wliich can also easily be obtained. The harvest — Grod be praised — is in the barns and is better gathered than ever before. The ground is fertile enough to reward. labor , but they must clean it well, and manure and culti- vate it the same as our lands require. It has hitherto happened much worse because , many of the people are not very laborious or could not obtain their proper necessaries for want of bread. But it now begins to go on better and it would be entirely differ- ent now if the Masters would only send good laborers and make regulations of all matters , in order , with what the land itself produces , to do for the best. I had promised (to write) to the Venerable Brothers , Rudolphus Petri , Joan- nes Sylvius, and Dom. Cloppenburg, who with your Honor were charged with the superintendence of these regions (^) ; but as this would take long, and the time is short, and my occupations at the present time many, will Your Right Reverend be pleased to give my friendly and kind regards to their Reverends and to excuse me, on condition that I remain their debtor to fulfil my promise, — Grod willing, — by the next voyage. "Will you also give my sincere respects to the Reverend Dom. Triglandius and to all the Brothers of the consistory besides, to all of whom I have not thought it necessary to write particulary at this time, as they are made by me (1) Mr. Bodel Nijenluis states that it was so committed to some of the Ministers of Amsterdam by the Synod of North-Holland ; and the Ministers above mentioned were alle at that time active Ministers at Amsterdam, where Sylvias and Triglandius had been since 1610, Petri since 1612' and Cloppenburg since 1621. 15 participants in these tidings and are content to be fed from the hand of Your Right Reverend. If it shall be convenient for your Honor , or any of the Reverend Brothers to write hither to me a letter corcerning matters which might he important in any degree to me , it would be very interesting to me , living here in a savage land with- out any society of our order , and would be a Spur to write more assiduously to the Reverend Brothers concerning what might happen here. And especially, do not forget my hearty salutation to the beloved wife and brother in law of Your Right Reverend, who have shown me nothing but friendship and kindness above my deserts. If there is anything in which I can in return serve or gratify Your Right Reverend , I will be glad to do so and will not be behind hand in any thing. Concluding then herewith and commending myself in Your Right Reverend's favorable and holy pray- ers to the Lord, Honored and Learned Sir, Beloved Brother in Christ and Kind Friend; Commending Your Right Reverend and all of you to Almighty God , by His Grace , to continued health and prosperity and to eternal salvation of heart. From the Island of Manhatas in New-Netherland this llt^^ August Anno 1628, by me Your Right Reverend's obedient in Christ, Jonas MicHAeLius. (Endorsed.) The Honorable Learned and pious Mr. Adrian Smoutius , faithful Minister of the Holy Gospel of Christ in His Church, dwelling upon the Heerengracht not far from the House of the West-India Company, Amsterdam. By the care of a friend whom God preserve. (Sealed with a wafered signet not discernible.) DE VREDE CHRIST/. Eerwaerdige Heore, welbeminde Broeder in Christo, gumtige Vriend ! De goede gelegenheyd, die mij nu voorcomt, om aan UWelEw. te schrijven, en caaick niet laten voorbg [gaen] , sonder het selve , volgens mgne belofte te doen. Ende opdat ick mg in dese communicatie , van een droevige zake eerst ontlade, het heeft den Heere belieft mij mijne goede parture (die mg nu over de 16 jaren langh, een deugtsame, geti'ouwe ende gansch lieftallige jockgenoot geweest hadde) af te nemen, nadat wg ruym 7 weken {}) hier te lande geariiveert waren; ende vynde mij nu sonder haer gezelschap ende hulpe, seer gediscommo- deert, met mgne 3 kinderkens alleene. Doch wat heb ick te seggen? De Heere selve heeft het gedaen: tegen welcken hem niemand can stellen. Ende waerom soud ick oock willen, wetende dat alle dingen ten goede moeten helpen dengenen die God lief hebben. Hope derhalven mgn cruyce lydsamelijck te dragen, ende de couragie, die mg alhier in mgnen dieust sonderlinge van nooden is, niet te laten ontvallen, door des Heeren genade ende hulpe. — De reyse heeft lange geduyrt, namelijk van den 24 Januarii tot den 7 Aprilis, als wij eerst onsen voet hier aen land stelden. Storm ende onweder en hebben v^g geen gebreck gehat, voornemelgck om- trent de Barmudes ende de ruyge custen deser Landen: twelck de goede vrouwe ende de kin- deren hard viel, doch sy hidden sich noch ongelgck beter, soo ten aensien van zeesiecte als vreese, dan ick wel verv?acht hadde. 0ns tractament te schepe viel gansch hard ende sober, so dat mgn zalige huysvrouwe ende kinderen, niet etende met ons in de cajuyte van vregen de cleyne ruymte, een arger lot hadden dan de bootsgesellen selve, ende dat van wegen enen ondeugenden cock, die voornam hen op alle manieren te plagen: maer insonderheyd van den schipper selve , dewelcke (hoewel ick menichmael met alle beleeftheyd daerover claegde) hem sulcx int minsteniet aen en trock, om den rabaut (^) daerover te bestraflfen: noch oock selve genich dinck en gaf, selfs als sij gansch qualgck te passe waren, dat hun conde goed doen, ende nochtans genoech in het schip was: gelgck hg oock selve wel genoech wiste le vynden, om buytens tijds synen buyk te vullen. Al de deugdt die hij ons dede, bestond alleenlijck in liberale beloften met een droncken hoofd , op de welcke , als hij benuchtert was , niet en volgde dan een suyr gesichte, ende dus heeft hij mede de beeste gespeelt tegens de officieren, ende (1) Dit gebeurde dus omstreeks half Junij. (2) Hij ledoelt den Icok. 17 hem gestadich aen den wijn gehouden, soo in zee,«als oock voornemelijck hier liggende in de Eiviere [Hudson] , soo dat hij dagelijcx te scliepe geloopen heeft met een nat seyl ende berooyt hoofd, comende seer selden te lande in den Eaed (') ende nimmermeer in de publycke Gods- dienst. Wij hebben 't te schepe al met stilswijgen verdragen , maer bet jammert mij , als ick daer aen gedeneke om mijner huysvrouweii wille, te meer omdat se soo gestelt was, als sij was, niet anders wetende of sij was swanger van kynde, ende omdat den tijd soo cort was, dien sij noch hadde te leven, Ick bebbe in mijne eerste voyagie (^) lange met hem gesworen, jae gelogeert in 66n hutte, maer en wiste nooyt datter sulcken buffel ende dronckaerd in stack. Maer doe stond bg onder d'opsicbt van den Heer Lam, ende nu hadd' bij selve over alles te gebieden. Ick heb oock aen den Heere Godyn (■'') daervan gescbreven, noodich achtende dat ment wete. Onse aencomste was alhier aengenaem bij alien, ende verbope door des Heeren genade dat mijii dienst niet onvruchtbaer sal wesen. Het volck is de meeste part al vrij wat ruych ende ongebonden, doch ick bevynde in meest alien, beyde liefde t'mijwaert, ende oock ontsicb; twee dingen daermede de Heere mijnen dienst tot noch toe allenthalven genadelgck gezegent heeft, ende die ons in onse bedieninge (gelijck UWelEerw. selve wel weet ende bevyndt) son- derlinge wel te passe comen om vrucbt tc verschaffen. Wij hebben van eersten aen een forme van een gemeente aengestelt; ende dewijle de Brooder Bastiaen Crol (*) seer selden na beneden afcomt van 't fort Orangie, doordien hem aldaer de Directie van tselve fort en den handel bevolen is: soo is goed gevonden twe Ouder- lingen te verkiesen, mij tot assistentie ende behoorlijck communicatie alles wat kerckelijk sonde mogen voorvallen : denckende bet toecomende jaer soo 't de Heere toelaet, den enen te laten afgaen, ende enen anderen in sijne plaetse te verkiesen uyt een dubbeld getal, der Gemeynle eerst wettelijk voorgestelt. D'een die wij nu gecoren hebben, is de heer Directeur selve (^), ende d'ander de winkelhouder der Compagnie, Jan Hnygen, zijn swager, luyden van zeer goeden getnygenisse, soo vele ick doemaels vernemen conde; hebbende beyden wel eergeweest in kerckelijke bedieninge, d'eene der diaconye ende d'ander des Ouderlingscbaps respectivelijk in de Duytsche ende Franscbe Kercke tot Wesel. Wij hebben in de eerste bedieninge des H. Avondmaels (niet sender groote blijdschap ende troost van velen gehouden) gehat ruym 50 communicanten , soo Walen als Duytschen : van de welcke een partije hare eerste belydenisse des geloofs voor ons gedaen hebben, ende andere hare kerckelijcke attestation verthoont. Andere hadden se vergeten mede te nemen, niet denckende dat hier een gemeente geformeert ende opgericbt sonde werden; ende enige die se metgenomen badJen hebben se in enen gemeynen ongeluckigen brand verloren: doch sijn ge- admitteert op goede getuigenisse van andere dien sulx bekent was, ende oqck op bun dagelijcx goed comportement ; dewijle men in een sulcke gelegenheyd om een beginsel te maken, alle behoorlijcke formaliteyten soo naeuwe niet can observeren. Wij houden des Heeren H. Avondmael eens om de 4 maenden bij provisie, tot dat een meerder freqnentie des volcx anders sal vereysschen. De Walen ende Frangoisen en hebben des sondaegs genen dienst anders dan in de Duytsche tale : want die gecn Duytscb en verstaen syn gansch weynicb. Daer gaet oock een partije Walen na 't vaderland, 'tsg dan omdat harejaren (1) Raed; welligt de Eaad van lestnur der kolonie, waarin hij misscliienj volgens zijne commistie, wat te zeggeu had hij de verdere ten nitvoer hrenging der kolonisatie. (2) Werwaarts? naar Brazdlie en Guinea, tusschen 1624 en 1626. (3) Welligt bedoelt hij Samuel Godyn, bij O'Callaghan, I. 479. (4) O'Callaghan, I. 122. Seb. Jansen Kiol was ook volgens Brodhead in 1626 krankbezoeker op het eiland Manhattans, in 1628 Viee-Direoteur op fort Oranje. Br?, p. 165, 169, 183, 201, 212, 223. (5) Directeur, Pieter Minuit of Minnewit, van Wesel. O'Callaghan, I. 100. Brodhead, 162 en passim tot 320. Hij zag zich in 1631 ontslagen, en stierf later in de Zweedsche kolonie aan de Zuidrivier, als haar besohermer, in 1641. Br is geen spoor van misverstand tusschen hem en Michaelius gevonden, gelijk wel later tusschen Minuit's opvolger, Ev. Bogardus, en den volgenden Directeur der kolonie, Wouter van Tmller. 18 alhier geoxpireert sijn , ofte oock omdat enige der Compagnie niet seer dienstich en zijn : sommige wonen verde, ende en souden bg grooten regen ofte onweder niet wel connen comen, soo datse solve sulcx niet raedsaem en connen vynden enigen bysonderen dienst int Fransche aen te stellen onder een soo cleyn hoopken , ende dat nocb op hef onsekere. Evenwel bet Avondmael werdt ben toegedient in de Fransche tale ende opde Fransche, wijse met een voorgaende predicatie, die ick in geschrifte voor mij legge, soo lange ick mijselven de behoorlijcke veerdicbeid niet toe en ver- trouwe (1). Isser yet soo in dese als in andere zaken daerin UWelEerw. ende de E. E. Broe- deren des Kerckenraeds (welcker inspectie over ons bier d'aldemaeste is) noodicb achten onste dienen met enige correctie, instructie ofte goede advysen, tsal ons aengenaem sijn ende wij sullen UWelEerw. daer voren danck weten: dewijle wy alle geen ander oogemerck moeten hebben dan d'eere Godes in de opbouwinge van sijn Coninckrgcke ende beboudenisse van vele zielen. Ick boude mij soo veel als doenlijck is binnen de palen mijner beroupinge, daerin ick mij oock genoechsamelijck geoccupeert vynde. Ende boewel onse cleyne Eaed der Kercke, be- staende tea hoogsten (als de Breeder Crol bier beneden is) niet meer dan wt 4 personen, de- alle (mij alleene wtgesondert) oock politycque bedieningen hebben, soo verhope ick nocbtans de voorvallende kerckelijcke dingen van de borgerlijcke sorgfuldelijck te onderscbeyden , opdat elck geoccupeert blijve met sijn cygen subject. Ende boewel vele dingen sijn mixti generis , ende de politycque ende kerckelg eke personen malcanderen grootelycx connen dienen, soo moeten nocb- tans te samen gaende dingen ende ampten niet vermengt maer onderdscheyden werden , om alle verwerringen ende brodderijen te verhoeden. Ende alsoo den Baedt deser plaetse bestaet uyt goede luyden, die nocbtans de meeste part eenvoudigb sgn ende weynich geoeffent in politycque dingen, soo ist dat ick wel cleyne swaricheyd maken soijde bun in enige sware ofte dubieuse dingen met goede advysen te dienen, mids dat ick mgselven eerst enichsins capabel kende ende daertoe versocht wierde ; in welcken gevalle ick niet en achte dat ick yet sonde misbeuren ofte oock by yemand in suspitie comen van een ■noXvvsQayiJ.cov ofte alXoTQiOBniaKonog te wesen. — Tware mijns bedunkens gansch oorboir, dat de Heeren Bewynthebberen dese plaetse voorsagen met duydelycker ende naerder Instructien voor den Eegeerders, opdat se mochten bescheydelijck weten, hoe sij sich in alle voorcomende burgerlijcke swaricheden ende gevallen hadden te re- guleren: gelgck mede dat my alhier eens mochten geworden al sulcke Acta Synodalia, als in de HoUandsche Synoden, soo Particuliere onses quartiers, als Provinciale ende Nationale, over alle kerckelijcke swaricheden gestelt zijn, ofte ten minsten die na bet oordeel der E. E. Broe- deren tot Amsterdam ons hier aldcrmeest zouden connen te pas comen. Ondertusscben soo hope ick, dat de zaken hier wel gaen sullen, soo wy slechs aen wederzyden ons beste doen in alle oprechticheyd ende goeden yver; waertoe gelijck ik my van eersten aen ganschelijck overgegeven hebbe, alsoo en hebbe ick oock tot noch toe door des Heeren genade geen billijcke oorzake om over yemand te clagen. Ende soo my hier enige dubieuse dingen van enigen gewicbte sullen voorvallen, insonderbeid als de saken enich wtstel connen lyden, soo sal ick my refereren een der E. E. Broederen goede ende voorsichtige advysen , aen de welcke ick mij alreede ganscbelyck recommandere. Wat aengaet de natie deses Lands, die vynd ick gansch wild ende woest, vreemd van alle borgerlijcke sedicheyd, jae onbeleeft ende bot als tuynstaken, in alle boosbeyd ende god- loosheyd gelijck als gepromoveert , verduyvelde menschen, die niemand anders dan denDuyvel dienen, wesende die Geest, dien sij op bare sprake Menetto noemen: gelijck sy mede onder dien tytel begrijpen alles wat subtyl ende geestich is ende beyde menschelijck vernuft ende crachten te boven gaet. Sij gaen met vele tooverijen, waerseggingen , besweeringen ende snoode consten om, soo datse bijna in genige banden ofte sloten en sijn te bouden. Sij sijn soo dief- achtich ende verradisch als sij groot zijn : ende in wreedheyd sijnse gansch onmenschelyck ende nieer dan Barbariscb ende gaen d'Africanen daerin al verde te boven (^). Ick hebbe dies aen- (!) Naraelijk, om voor de vuist in hct Fransch te prediken. (2) Hij Icon dit uit eigene ondervinding , in Africa opgedaan, getnigen. 19 * gaende aen verscheydene personen elders geschreven, niet twijfelende of de Breeder Crol sal daervan aen UWE. ofte immers aan de Heeren Bewyndhebberen genoech geschreven hebben: gelijok oock van het snoode verraed ende de moordergre die de Mahicans aent oppereynde deser Kiviere tegens het fort Orangien voorgenomen hadden (*), doch is hun misluckt dooreengena- dige bestieringe des Heeren ons ten goede: de welcke als het hem gelieft, in dese onnatuyr- Igcke menschen onversiens natnyrlijcke bewegingen weet te storten om haer doen te beletten. Hoe men nu best dese luyden tot de ware kennisse Godes ende des Middelaers Christi soude connen aenleyden, is qualijck te seggen. Ick en can mij selven niet genoech verwonderen wie UwerE. ende velen anderen int Vaderland soo vele op de mouwe gespeldt mach hebben, be- langende de geseggelijckheyd deser lieden, en den goeden aerdt, de gevoeohlijcke principia religionis ende vestigia legis naturae die bg haer louden sijn: in de vrelcke ick tot noch toe schaers een enich goed point hebbe connen bemercken, wtgenomen dat se van de goddelijcke ende glorieuse majesteyt hares Scheppers soo' spottelijck ende versmadelijck niet en spreken, als d'Africanen wel durven doen. Doch 't can wesen omdat se van hem noch soo sekere kennisse niet en hebben ofte oock wel gansche gene. Als wij tot hun van God willen spreken, het schijnt hun een droom te sgn : ende wij sgn genootsaekt dat te doen onder den name , niet van Menotto dien sij kennen ende dienen (want dat ware een Laster), maer van enigen grooten jae den alderoppersten Sackiema (*) (met welcken name sg (sender Coningh levende) heten den genen die over enige honderden onder hun hebben te gebieden , die van de onsen Sackemakers genaemt werden), het welcke sij lieden hoorende soo sullen sommige beginnen te grijnen ende het hoofd te schudden als over een conde fabel, ende andere om met eeren ende vriendschap uyt een sulck propoost te comen, sullen seggen Orith, dats goed. Nu, wat middel om ditvolck ter salicheyd te ontginnen, ofte een heylsame bresse daeronder te maken? Ick neme verloffom in dit point wat wijdluftiger met Uwe E. te discoureren. Hare tale die het eerste is bij hun te besigen, dunckt, mg gansch vreembd. Vele onder ons gemeyne volck hetense gemeynelijck een lichte tale die haest geleert is: ick ben van een andere opinio. Want degene die hare woorden enigsins verstaen ende naspreken connen die feylen grootelgck in pronuntiatie ende radebraken se gelijck de sprake Asdod (3). Want dese natie heeft sware aspiratie ende vele litterras gutturales die meer in de kele dan door den mond tanden ende lippen geforineert worden, hetwelcke onse popel(*) ongewent sijnde, op sijne wijse een groven slach daerinne slaet ende meynt sijne dingen noch wonder wel gedaen te hebben. 'Tis waer, men can lichtelgck soo vele leeren als genoech is om te handelen, maer dit geschiedt bijcans soo vele int wijsen met duym ende vingeren als door spreken ; het welcke in zaken van religie soo niet soude connen geschieden. Oock soo schijnt het dat se hare tale voor ons liever occulteren , dan behoorlijck mededeylen , ten sij dan in dingen die in den dagelijckschen handel te passe comen; seggende dat het genoech is dat wij hen daerinne verstaen connen: ende dan spreken se noch maer halve redenen, afgecortede woorden ende noemen dickwils een douzijne dingen ende noch mcer; jae al wat met malcanderen slechts eenige rouwe gelijckenisse heeft noemen sij dickwils al met 6nen name. In summa 't is een gemaeckte kyndische tale: soo dat selfs degene die best van alien met den Wilden connen spreken ende in handel seer wel te rechte comen, nochtans gansch blind staen ende gelijck als met baeuis (*) sijn, als sij de Wil- den allehe onder malcanderen hooren spreken. Wel, of men dan d'oude in haer wesen liete ende aen den kinderkens die noch jongh (1) Brodhead spreekt ook hiervan niet: alleeu dat in het voorjaar van dit jaar 1628, digt bij het fort Oranje vijande- lijkheden waren uitgebroken tusschen de Mahicans, ook elders Mohicanen geheeten, en de Mohawks, waarbij de eerstgenoemdeu verslagen en veqaagd zijnde, naar Connecticut Kiver geweken waren. L. 1. 113 en hier onder in het vervol" des briefs. (2) SacUema, later in de Noord-Amerikaansche werken steeds Sachem genoemd. (3) Hij doelt op Nehemia XIII: 24. (4) Verwant met gepoupel. (5) Baems (sic). Kan het ook in verband staan met het Fraosche bijv. naamwoord esbahi? 20 sijn, begonne. Tzij alzoo. Maer sij moesten van joncks op van haren ouderen afgesondert wQv- den, jae van hare gansclie Natie. Want, sender dit, soo souden se de heydeosche grillenende duyvelryen terstond soo gewent sijn als d'oude, die doch van selfs door een rechtveerdich oor- deel Godes in hare herten geknedet sgn van naturen: soo dat se eens diepe wortelen gecregen hebbende door gewoonte, gansch sv^aerlijk daervan souden sijn aftebrengen. Doch dese afson- deringe is qnalijck te doen. Want d'ouders hebben hare kinderen hertelgck lief, ende souden seer noode daeraf scheyden, ende als het geschiedt (want men heeft er al prouve af) soo en sijn d'ouders nimmermeer te degen gerust, ende nemen se weder steels wijse wech, oftemaken dat se van selfs ontloopen. Noehtans dies weegs moeste men uyt, al sonde men enige costen daertoe aenwenden, om de kinderen door gaven ende onder goede beloften met danck ende wille der ouderen te becomen, om de solve onder de hand van enich welervaren ende godsalich schoolmeester te bestellen, daer se mochten geoeffend werden, niet alleenlijck in onse tale te spreken, te lesen ende te schrijven, maer oock voornemelijck in de fiindamenten onser Christe- lijcker religie, ende daer beneffens daer sij niet dan goede exempelen enes deugtsamen levens en zagen; mids dat se noehtans somtijds onder malkanderen hare moederlijcke tale spraken om de selve niet te vergeten , als apparentlijck een voorneme middel sijnde om de kennisse der Religie onder de gansche Natie uyttebrelden. Ondertusschen en moeste men niet vergeten den Heere om sijnen zegen te soliciteren met vierige ende geduyrige gebeden, die doch dingen die ongesien sijn , haest gesien ende gelegen can maken , die den dooden het leven geeft ende roupt hetgene dat niet en is als of het ware ende daertoe rijck sijnde in barmharticheyd hem ontfermt wiens hij wil: gelijck hij sich onser ontfermt heeft om sijn volck te wesen, als wij te voren niet ont- fermt " ende sijn volck niet en waren , ende heeft ons , als wij met een gelijcke sop aller ver- dorventheden overgoten waren, afgewassen, geheyligt ende gerechtveerdigt, ons roupende tot de zalige'^kennisse sijns Soons, ende uyt de macht der duysternisse tot sgnen wonderbaerlijcken lichte. Ende dit achte ick soo vele te noodiger als de toorn Godes ende vloek te swaerder is, de welcke tot noch toe op dese elendige natie bevonden wordt te leggen. Magschien of hem God noch ten eynde ontfermde, opdat de volheyd der heydenen allenskens incomen mochteende het heyl onses Godes oock alhier gesien mochte werden onder dese wilde ende woeste menschen. Ick hope een sorgfuldige ooge over dese luyden te houden ende soo vele van hare tale te leeren als doenlijck sijn sal, ende te practizeren op betere gelegentheden haerder onderwijsinge dan men tot noch toe heeft connen vynden. Wat nu mij selven belangt ende mijne huishoudinge : ick vynde mij door het verlies van mijne goede ende behulpsame parture seer ontrgft ende verlegen. Want mijn twee dochterkens sijn noch cleyn ; dienstmaegden en sijn hier niet te becomen , immers gene die men mg raden sonde in te nemen: d'Angoolsche slavinnen sijn oock diefachtige, luije ende ontijdige vodden. Den jonghraan dien ick met my nam , hebbe ick na Pinxteren weder laten gaen , om dies wille , dat ick hem buyten'shuys tot genich landwerk en conde besigen ende binnens buys mij meer beswaerde, dan verlichtinge aenbrachte; hij dient nu elders bij de boeren. De belofte die mij de Heeren Meesters der Comp. gedaen hadden van enige mergens ofte gemeten lands te doen hebben om mij daerop te geneeren ende dat in de plaetse van een vrije tafel die mij anderssins toebehoorde, is gansch nietich ende ijdel. Want hare E. E, wisten immers selve wel dat alhier geen peerden noch koeijen noch arbeydslieden om geld te becomen sijn. Want elck heeft in deseu noch te cort ende roept om meer. De costen sonde ick mij ont- sien (1), soo de gelegenheyd slechts viele: ende dat om ons eygen gerijf, al waert schoon datter geen voordeel op liepe (behoudens noehtans dat d'E. E. Meesters mij schuldich blgvea soo vele als de weerde van een vrije tafel) want hier en is gene verversschinge van boter ende melck etc. te crijgen , hoewel bet tot gansch dieren prijs vercocht [werdt] , want de lieden die het halen ofte bespreken sijn jaloers over malcanderen. Dus sal ick den wynter moeten over- (1) Ontsien is liier zoo veel als getroosteu. 21 brengen sonder boter ende andere noodige dingen, die de schepen niet mede en brengen om hier verkocht te werden. Ende liet randzoen dat bier wtgedeelt werdt ende hooge genoechaen- gescbreven, is al barde onde cost, gelijck men te schepe plach te gebruycken: oock dickwils niet seer goed ende nocb en can men 't tot sijnen wille niet genoech becomen. Ick begonde vrij wat stercte te crijgen door des Heeren genade, maer door dit barde voedsel van boontgens , graeuw erwten die bard genoecb zyn, gort, stockvis etc. sonder vele vernieuwinge , doet dat ick niet gebeel can becomen, gelgck ick anders wel sonde. De somer geeft wel yet, maer wat ist voor yemand die niet en heeft aen bem selven? De Wilden brengen oock wel sommige dingen, maer die gene waren en beeft, ak messen, coralen ende diergelijcke ofte seeuwan (*), die en can niet te recbte comen. Ende boewel de lieden sulcke dingen verbandelen voor eer- lijcke waren, soo en weet ick nocb niet of bet bun al vrij staet na de wetten der Comp. Ick bebbe nu wt Holland meest alle noodige dingen ontboden: ende verbope den wynter met barden ende scbralen cost nocb overtebrengen. Hel land geeft vele goede dingen tot den leeftocbt, maer sg sijn al te ongereedt ende wild te soecken: daer moeste beter ordre gestelt werden, ende luyden sijn die verstand ende gereedscbap badden om alles in sijn beboorlijck saysoen optesoecken , te vangen ende bgeen te brengen : gelgk ongetwgffelt allenskens sal ge- schieden. Ondertusscben soo wilde ick wel den E. E. Heeren Bewyntbebberen beleefdelijck ge- vraegt bebben , boe ick best de gelegenbeyd sal connen bebben om een partge lands te beslaen ende my selven daerop (oock tot mijnen costen) te geneeren? Want soo lange bier niet meer van gerief bij den landlieden te crggen is ende ick genoodzaeckt sonde wesen tot booge costen met vele moeyten ende peryckel alles wt bet Vaderland te ontbieden ofte bier op dit enckel sober ende bard rantzoen te leven: dat sonde mij ende mijne kinderen ganscb slecbt bevallen. Ons ontbreken nocb 10 ofte 12 boeren met peerden, koeyen ende arbeydslieden naer advenant om onsselven te bedroopen van brood, suyvel ende beboorlijcke verversschinge. Want bier syn nabij gelegene plaetsen, die licbt sijn te bescbermen ende seer bequaem: die men oock den Wilden om een geringe snuysteringe sonde connen afcoopen, ofte oock sonder peryckel innemen : dewijle wij daerop meer dan genoechsame actien op bebben de welcke nooyt afgedaen en syn geworden, maer met sulken insicht altyd gereserveert. De negotie in de vellen (^) valt slap ende dat van wegen een nieuwe oorloge der Maecbibaeys tegen de Mabicans aent oppereynde van dese riviere. Daer vallen wreede moorderyen tusscben beyden. De Mabicans sijn vluchticb; ende bun lant staet open, seer vrucbtbaer ende plaisiericb: bet jammert ons alleen dat men geen volck, nocb ordre en heeft van de Heeren Meesters om bet selve te besetten. Men velt hier vele houts om na 't Vaderland te voeren, maer de schepen sijn te weynich om vele te laden. Men maeckt enen meulen te wynde (*) om bout te sagen; gelijck wy oock al enen meel- molen bebben. Men backt bier stenen docb sy vallen ganscb slecbt. Om calck te branden isser goede stoffe namelijck oesterschelpen by menichten. De potascbbrandinge en succedeert niet ende de meester met sijne arbeydslieden syn alle grootelycx verabuseert (*). Men is besicb met een forteresse te bouwen van goede berghstenen, die niet verde van hier by menichten leggen. De Heere bouwe slecbts mede, ende sy de wacbter op onse muyren. Men siet hier goede commo- diteyt om sout te maken: want daer syn gelegene plaatsen, bet water is sout genoech ende 'ten onbreeckt niet aen hitte in den somer. Voorts wat de wateren al geven van vele soorten visch beyde in zee ende in de rivieren: wat bet land al heeft van gevogelte, wild ende bos- schagien, van eerdvruchten , boomvrucbten , wortelen, gewassen, cruyden soo om te eten als medicinale ende met de welcke wonderlijcke curen gewrocbt connen werden , soo [sou] ganscb langh vallen om te verbalen, ende ick en soude 't soo gebeel pertinent alsnocb niet connen (1) Seeuwan, eene soort van walvisclibaard of balein, in den ruilhandel destijds aldaar gebmikelijk en bij de inboor- lingen zeer gewild. Zie A. v. d. Donck, Beschr. van Nieaia-Nederlant , 2de dr. Amst. 1656. bl. 56, 57. (2) Bevervellen. (3) 'Windmolen. (4) D. i. vinden zicli bedrogen. . o 22 doen. Uwe E. heeft daev af ten deelo al kennisse gecrcgep ende sal wt andere noch mcer be- scheyds connen vernemen. Het land is goed ende playsierich , de lucht is gesond niet tegen- staende de subyte veranderinge van coude ende hitte. De sonne is gansch beet, de wynter fel ende strenge ende duyrt ruym soo lange als in onse landen. De beste remedie is geen bout te sparen: want 't isser genoech, ende sich wel te decken met ruyge vellen, die men oock tot sijn gerief licbt can becomen. Den oogst is Gode loff in de scbuyre ende beter geslaegt dan ooyt te voren: daer was oock wat meer toe gedaen dan te voren. De grond is vruchtbaer ge- noech om den arbeyd to beloonen, maer men meet hem wel suyveren, alle deugt doen ende cultiveren, gelijck onse landen ook vereysschen. Het heeft tot noch toe veel te arger gegaen omdat vele lieden niet seer arbeydsaeni en waren ofte oock haren behoorlijcken nooddruft niet en cregen bij gebreck van brood ende toespijse. Dan het begint nu alles bet te gaen ende het siet nu geheel uyt een ander ooge: soo de Meesters slechts goede arbeyders senden ende op alle dingen ordre geven om hem met die dingen die dit land selve geeft ten besten te geneeren. — Ick hadde wel voor, ende oock belooft [te schrijven] aen de E. E. Broederen Rudolphum Petri, Joannem Sylvium, ende aen D. Cloppenburgium , die neffens Uwe E. met de besorginge deses quartiers was belastet (i); doch^alsoo dit langh sonde vallen, den tijd cort is ende mgne oc- cupatien voor dees tijd vele, soo sal Uwe E. gelieven mijne vriendelijcke ende beleefde groete- nisse aen hare E. E. te doen elide mij te excuseren , mids dat ick haren schuldenaer bly ve , om mgne belofte de naeste reyse (soo God wil) te vervuUen. Wilt oock mijne hertgrondelijcke groete- nisse doen aen E. D. Triglandium ende voorts alle de Broederen des Kerckenraeds , aen welcke alle ick voor dees tijd niet noodich en achte bgsonderlgck te schrijven, als die van mij ge- maeckt werden participanten in dese tijdingen, ende geerne tevreden sijn uyt Uwer E, hand geaest te werden. Soo 't Uwer E. gelegen sal zyn ofte yemand der E. Broederen om herwaerds aen mg een letterken te schrijven van dingen daeraen mij enigsins mochte gelegen zgn: het sonde mg (bier levende in een woest land, buyten alle tgeselschap van onse orden) gansch vermakelijck sijn, ende een spore om den E, E. Broederen, van alles dat hier sonde mogen voorvallen, des te vlijtiger overteschrgven. Doch vooral en dient niet vergeten dat mijne herte- Igcke groete geschieden aen Uwer E. beminde hiiysvrouwe ende swager, dewelcke mij niet dan alle vriendschap ende deugt (oock boven mijne weerde) bewesen hebben. Soo daer yets ware waerin ick hen ende Uwer E. wederomme conde dienen ofte gratificeren, het sonde mij van herten lief zijn ende ick sonde mg in genige dingen willen te nooden maken (^). Hiermede dan ein- digende , ende mij selven in Uwer E. gunste ende godsalige gebeden tot den Heere bevelende : Eerweerde Welgeleerde Heere, beminde Br. in Christo ende goedganstige vriend, soo wil ick Uwe E. ende alien den uwen den Almogenden God in genaden tot een lang- duyrige voorspoed ende gesondheyd ende tot een eeuwige zalicheyd van herten bevolen hebben. Wt het Eyland van Manhatas desen 11" Augusti A". 1628, in Nieuw-Nederland , bg mij Uwer E. in Christo gansch dienstwillige Jonas MichaSlius. (Van achter stond:) Den Eerwaerdigen Welgeleerden ende Godvruchtigen Heere Adrian© Smoutio , getrouwen Bedienaer des H. Euangelii Christi in sijne Gemeynte, wonende op de Heeren-gracht , niet verde van het West-Indische buys tot Amsterdam. Per vriend dien God beware. (Het zegel is van een geouwelden cachet- of zegelring, niet duidelijk.) (1) Belastet. Dit was dus door de Noord-HoU. Synodus aan eenige Amsterdamsclie predikanten opgedragen. — De in den tekst genoemde predikanten waren alien destijds nog>te Amsterdam werkzaam; Sylvrius en Triglandius sints 1610, Petri sints 1612 en Cloppenburg siuta 1621. (2) Beteekent dit: willen te kort scHeten? Cornell University Library F 1221 M621883 + + J. Michaelius, the first minister of th 3 1924 028 859 168 I oiin Overs i