those islands every year if the owners were not fearful of
confiscation. It is true of these places only and the report
of it flies everywhere, and produces like fear, so that this
vulture is destroying the prosperity of New Netherland,
diverting its trade, and making the people discouraged, for
other places not so well situated as this, have more shipping.
All the permanent inhabitants, the merchant, the burgher and
peasant, the planter, the laboring man, and also the man in
service, suffer great injury in consequence; for if the
shipping were abundant, everything would be sold cheaper, and
necessaries be more easily obtained than they are now, whether
they be such as the people themselves, by God's blessing, get
out of the earth, or those they otherwise procure, and be sold
better and with more profit; and people and freedom would bring
trade. New England is a clear example that this policy succeeds
well, and so especially is Virginia. All the debts and claims
which were left uncollected by Director Kieft--due for the most
part from poor and indigent people who had nothing, and whose
property was destroyed by the war, by which they were compelled
to abandon their houses, lands, cattle and other means--were
now demanded; and when the people declared that they were not
able to pay--that they had lost their property by the war, and
asked My Lord to please have patience, they were repulsed. A
resolution was adopted and actually put into execution,
requiring those who did not satisfy the Company's debts, to
pay interest; but the debts in question were made in and by
the war, and the people are not able to pay either principal
or interest. Again, the just debts which Director Kieft left
behind, due from the Company, whether they consisted of monthly
wages, or were for grain delivered, or were otherwise lawfully