Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period. Various

qualite voor Rekeninge van de welgedachte Comp'e een meedereder in de fregadt de la Garce, Dewelcke nevens alle de naergenoemde persoonen bekende te Hirrideeren in dito Fregat een recht achste part, Jan Damen Ingelycx een recht achste part, Jacob Wolphersen de somma van vyftien hondert gulden, Marten Crigier een gerecht sestiende part, Jacob Stoffelsen elft hondert gulden, Hendrick Jacobsen pater vaer een achste part, Hendrick Arentsen de somme van dertien hondert gulden, Capitain Willem Albertsen blauvelt een Recht achste part, Cristiaen Pitersen Rams veertien hondert gulden, Willem de key een Recht sestiende part, Adriaen dircksen een Recht twee ende dertichste part, Welcke voornoemde Somme ende parten de voornoemde Persoonen als gemeene Reders yder voor haer Particulier hebben gedaen ende Hirrideeren op Winst ende Verlies, ende is desen gemaeckt ende getekent omme in toecomende hunl[ieden] daer van te connen dienen ende Weten Wat yder Reder voor syn Winst vande uytgeleyde pen[ningen] te vorderen mocht hebben. T'Oirconde ende teken der waerheyt is desen by de voornoemde Reeders getekent, den 4e desember 1646. In Nieu Nederlandt.

Christiaen Pietersz.	Jan Jansz Damen.
Wyllem Blaufelt.	Martin Cregier.
	Jacob van Couwenhoven.
dit ist X merck	Adriaen Dircksen Coen.
van Hendric Arentsen	Willem de Key.
dit ist merck van
Hendric Jacobsz p. vaer.
dit ist merck van
Jacob Stoffelsen.
In kennisse van my
C. v. Tienh. Secret.

      Translation.

Appeared before me, Cornelis van Tienhoven,[2] authorized secretary for the Chartered West India Company in New Netherland, the Honorable Willem Kieft, Director General of New Netherland,[3] being in that capacity partner in the frigate La Garce on account of the aforesaid Company, who together with all the persons named hereafter acknowledged that he was taking a share of one just eighth part in the said frigate, Jan Damen likewise a just eighth part, Jacob Wolphersen the sum of 1500 gulden, Marten Crigier a just sixteenth part, Jacob Stoffelsen 1100 gulden, Hendrick Jacobsen Pater Vaer an eighth part, Hendrick Arentsen the sum of 1300 gulden, Captain Willem Albertsen Blauvelt[4] a just eighth part, Christiaen Pitersen Rams 1400 gulden, William de Key a just sixteenth part, Adriaen Dircksen a just thirty-second part, which aforesaid sums and parts the aforesaid persons, as owners in common, each on his own account, have invested and ventured, for profit or loss, and this [declaration] is made and signed in order to serve them in the future and to know exactly what each owner may have a right to demand for his profit on the monies invested. In witness and token of the truth this is signed by the aforesaid owners, December 4, 1646, in New Netherland.

Christiaen Pietersz.	Jan Jansz Damen.
Wyllem Blawfelt.	Martin Cregier.
	Jacob van Couwenhoven.
this is the X mark	Adriaen Dircksen Coen.
of Hendric Arentsen	Willem de Key.
this is the mark
of Hendric Jacobsz P. Vaer.
this is the mark of
Jacob Stoffelsen.
Acknowledged before me,
C. v. Tienh. Secret.

[1] New York State Archives, Albany; Dutch Manuscripts, vol. II., p. 153. The dates in the four New Netherland documents which follow are new style dates. The privateer La Garce, of French origin, began its connection with New Netherland as early as 1642, from 1644 was chiefly owned there, and from these dates to 1649, or even 1656, was an object of pecuniary interest and investment to a considerable number of New Amsterdam men. Many documents among the Dutch papers at Albany relate to her; they show Dutchmen, Frenchmen, and Spaniards as sharing in her captures.

[2] Book-keeper under Director van Twiller (from 1633), provincial secretary under Kieft, schout fiscaal under Stuyvesant till 1656.

[3] Director-general 1637–1646. Of the other partners, Jan Jansen Damen, Jacob Wolfertsz van Couwenhoven, and Martin Cregier were among the leading citizens of New Amsterdam. The total venture seems to have been about 14,000 gulden, say $5600 (worth much more then).

[4] Two Blauvelts or Blawfelts, Albertus and Wyllem, apparently father and son, appear in the records of the Providence Island Company (document 1, note 1). The former discovered the inlet on the Mosquito Shore, excellent for buccaneers, which is still called by his name, Blewfields Bay, in Nicaragua. After the Spanish conquest of Providence in 1641, Wyllem Blawfelt took to privateering, and, as will be seen, pursued it too long.

4. Articles of Copartnership between Augustin Herrman and Wyllem Blawfelt. December 4 (N.S.), 1646. [1]

      Wy ondergeschreven bekennen geaccordeert ende verdragen te wesen inde fregat de la Garce op Winst ende verlies te hirrideeren, de somma van seventien hondert drie ende t'seventich