Full text of ' Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 ■■ ' 'Vr. ■ V' v'’’ '■!■' iPRECIS OF THE ARCHIVES ■ ir OF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Letters and documents received, 1649 - 166 ^.
LEIBBRANDT, keeper of the archives. CAPE TOWN: V i. RICHARDS A SONS, GOVERNMENT PRINTERS CASTLE STREW 1898. Vni.— A8888; MERE!^G!;/-fiiDL10TEEK K,ajrn.”'zPB aCU - H'®RtWOT Ref-fisternomm.'
— ^ —: Y' I TO THE HEADER. This literal Publication of the Resolutions of the Council of “ The Fort the Good Hope,” covering the period between December 30, 1651, and April 20, 1658, is the result of an agreement between Dr. Theal and myself, that we were from time to time to issue exact copies of important historical records. Theal has already published some, and I am glad that they have seen the light, especially the Journal of Governor Joachim von Pleti'enberg, although I was not aware that that important document was in his possession until he sent me a printed copy of it. He knew that I had for years been trying to recover it- The late President and present Secretary of the Historical Society of Utrecht did everything in their power to assist me in searching for it, but naturally, under the circumstances, without avail, because it now appears that it was the whole time in Dr. Theal’s possession.
Fish Sebade Avalon
It is not too much to claim that he should have informed me of this, and voluntarily restored the document to the collection. If I had merely consulted my own inclination, I should have said nothing about this, and I merely mention it now, because it must seem strange to those in Holland, who had helped me in my search, that the document was all the time really at the Cape. I am also pleased that the Journal of Lieutenant Beuti.er has been printed, but feel bound to observe that all the extracts preceding it were collected by myself, and are in my handwriting, and that the copy of the Journal, us well as the large chart, were obtained by me from the Hague.
This should have been mentioned by Dr. It was my intention to publish the v;^hole manuscript as I had compiled it, with the chart and an English precis, — in fact, the preliminary steps for the purpose had already been taken, — but the publication as now effected has prevented me from carrying cut my object.
All this I have deemed necessary that the Public should know. Joint Library of Parliament, July, 1898. RIEBEECK’S PRAYER, WITH WHICH HE OPENED THE COUNCIL MEETINGS. In his own handwriting. P Arfa.«^r’ // V w^wv V -».
— wK tV X (^!.«. (CX- ou 02 ^- C34- )^C^U—^^CL£p-^i^T^Lpt.sMCt^ ^jC^.Vw^- V SS'^^^i.etSlr »v.ii.^y. o.^ 6^f^his capacity, and no one to he left idle. 31 papier gebracht ende daervan ontwoipen is, met de beste geiegentheijt geleijt sal konnen werden, verstaende, dat (omme binnen bet vooruoemde fort altijt versch water te bebben, de voor- noemde riviere rontsomme off midden door bet fort gelijt sal konnen werden) gelijck bet protect daer van gemaeckt uitwijst, ende bet voornoemde fort de naeme geven ‘ De Doede Hoope.’ Ende alsoo noodigb is dat alle bet volck binnen bet Fort gelogeert ende geaccommodeert werde, suit de gelegentbeijt daer na aen leggen omme bequame buij singe te mogen bebben voor 70 a 80 persoonen. Soo baest gij met u volck gelandt sijnde in defencie sijt, omme van niemaut overvallen te connen werden, suit gaen uijtsien na bequame plaetse, omme deselve te gebruijoken tot thuijnen daer toe nemende vooral de beste vetste gronden al waert gene men plandt ende saeijt, wel sal connen wassen, welcke tbuijnen (na gelegentbeijt van saecken) rontsomme versterekt dienen te worden, waer op wij geen perticuliere precise ordre geven konnen. Suit mede omtrent ’t fort inspectie nemen van de beste landen bequaem sijnde om vee te weijden ende aen te teelen waer toe dan wel van noode wesen sonde goede correspondentie ende intelli- gentie met de Inwoonders omme deselve metter fijt U' omgangb gewoon te maken ende aen te locken, dat met discretie gescbieden meet vooral uwacbtende van baer persoonen off vee dat sij waeijen ende afbrengen to bescbadigen, waer door sij dan van d’ onse afkericb gemaeckt werden gelijck in versch eij den occurrentieen gebleken is. Ende alsoo bet vee ’s nacbts sender groot perickel van genomen te werden, voor eerst niet buijten int velt sal mogen blijven suit deselve s’avcnts tijdelijck int Port laten driven ende ’s morgens wederomme int velt jagen, waer toe dan oock bequaeme stallinge int Fort gemaeckt moot worden, tot dat metter tijt d’ Inwoonders vertrouwt sullen mogen werden ten ware gbij neden bet voor- noemde vee buijten bet fort door andere middelen in goede verseec- kerbeijdt bewaren cent dat u vigilantie ende sorge bevolen blijft.
Dewijle dit fort principalijck begrepen wert soo wel omme d’ Dost Indiscbe gaende scbeepen van alle verversinge te konnen provideeren als die na bet Vaderlant keerende, daer mede bet Eijlandt St. Helena voorbij te doen loopen suit neerstigb letten op alderbande soorte van vruehten, de welcke na bet elimaet aldaer best sullen willen wassen ende in wat Saijsoen van’t Jaer leder specie gesaeijt ende geplant moet werden waer van de recbte ken- nisse door ervarentbeit bedomen suit. Ende opdat onder ’t volcq goede ordre gebouden macb werden sijn deselve bfeedicbt op den generalen artickul brief van de Comp' waer naer sij baer dan sullen bebben te reguleeren ende doen alle ’t gunt van de opperboofden belast sal werden, gebruijc- keudeieder een nasijii capasiteijt int gunt vereijscht wert sender jemaud lodigb te bouden, maer baer dagelijcx werck gevende. 26en Maert 32 lo61.
You snail keep a correct journal of all occurrences, and from time to time examine whether anything else can be taken in hand to defray the costs of the establishment; and to guide you, a copy of the “ remonstrance ” forwarded to the Chamber of Seventeen is annexed. The fort having been placed in a proper state of defence, and provided with its necessary furniture, the ship Drommedaria shall with 40 men on board be despatched to Batavia — you retaining 70 men, and the sloops sent out in pieces on board and to be put together at the Cape for your service at all times, especially for discovering the going and coming ships, and bringing them towards the best anchorage, for which purpose you shall have a wooden Lighthouse or something of the kind on shore to warn and guide them.
Fish Sebade Avatar
To be well prepared for all enemies, every wing of the fort shall be armed with four pieces of ordnance, which you shall land with everything required for them. As we cannot enter into all particulars, which we are unacquainted with, and which will mainly depend upon your experience and zeal, we cannot give you instructions in full, hence what we have stated must suffice for the present to carry out the intentions of the Company. You are likewise ordered to corre- spond with the Company on all matters; and we wish you good fortune and prosperity on your voyage, and the fulfilment of your trust, looking forward to the proper time when we shall be informed of your good success. Resolved in the Council of Seventeen at Amsterdam, 25th March, 1651. Agrees with the original.
Pruys, Advocate of the Company. As Van alle ’t geene omtrent u passeert suit correcte uotitie ende daghregister houden soader daer van te blijven in gebreecke ende voorts van tijt tot tijt ondersoecken oS aldaer ten profite van de general 0 Comp® omme deso oncosten te vinden lets bij de handt genomen sal konne werden, waer toe u sal connen dienen copie van de remostrantie aen de vergadering van de seventbiene over gegeven bier nevens gaende.