anything, even if it were all right, he received angry and
abusive language, his request was not complied with, and justice
was denied him. These things produce great dissatisfaction,
and lead some to meditate leaving the country. It happened
better with one Pieter vander Linden, as he was not imprisoned.
There are many others, for the most of them are disturbed and
would speak if they durst. Now the Company itself carries on
the forbidden trade, the people think that they too can do so
without guilt, if they can do so without damage; and this
causes smuggling and frauds to an incredible extent, though
not so great this year as heretofore. The publishing of a
placard that those who were guilty, whether civilly or
criminally, in New England, might have passport and protection
here, has very much embittered the minds of the English, and
has been considered by every one fraught with bad consequences.
Great distrust has also been created among the inhabitants on
account of Heer Stuyvesant being so ready to confiscate. There
scarcely comes a ship in or near here, which, if it do not
belong to friends, is not regarded as a prize by him. Though
little comes of it, great claims are made to come from these
matters, about which we will not dispute; but confiscating has
come to such repute in New Netherland, that nobody anywise
conspicuous considers his property to be really safe. It were
well if the report of this thing were confined to this country;
but it has spread among the neighboring English--north and
south--and in the West Indies and Caribbee Islands. Everywhere
there, the report is so bad, that not a ship dare come hither
from those places; and good credible people who come from
thence, by the way of Boston, and others here trading at Boston,
assure us that more than twenty-five ships would come here from