n accusation of] some of them. And
since the Director and those connected with the administration in New
Netherland are very much wronged and defamed, I desire time in order to
wait for opposing documents from New Netherland, if it be necessary.

As to Vander Donk and his associates' report that the Director
instituted suits against some persons: The Director going to the house
of Michael Jansen, (one of the signers of the remonstrance,) was warned
by the said Michael and Thomas Hall, saying, there was within it a
scandalous journal of Adrian van der Donck; which journal the Director
took with him, and on account of the slanders which were contained in it
against Their High Mightinesses and private individuals, Van der Donck
was arrested at his lodgings and proof of what he had written demanded,
but he was released on the application and solicitation of others.

During the administration both of Kieft and of Stuyvesant, it was by
a placard published and posted, that no attestations or other public
writings should be valid before a court in New Netherland, unless they
were written by the secretary. This was not done in order that
there should be no testimony [against the Director] but upon this
consideration, that most of the people living in Netherland are country
and seafaring men, and summon each other frequently for small matters
before the court, while many of them can neither read nor write, and
neither testify intelligibly nor produce written evidence, and if some
do produce it, sometimes it is written by some sailor or farmer, and
often wholly indistinct and contrary to the meaning of those who had it
written or who made the statement; consequently the Director and
Council could not know the truth of matters as was proper and as justice
demanded, etc. Nobody has been arrested except Van der Donk for writing
the journal, and Augustyn Heermans, the agent of Gabri, because he
refused to exhibit the writings drawn up by the Nine Men, which were
promised to the Director, who had been for them many times like a boy.

Upon the first point of redress, as they call it, the remonstrants
advise, that the Company should abandon and transfer the country. What
frivolous talk this is! The Company have at their own expense conveyed
cattle and many persons thither, built forts, protected many people
who were poor and needy emigrating from Holland, and provided them with
provisions and clothing; and now when some of them have a l