Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664

by John Franklin Jameson

This important work contains about twenty early journals, letters, reports, and diaries describing the discovery, exploration, and early settlement of New Netherland by the Dutch, with three maps and a facsimile reprint. It begins with "On Hudson's Voyage, by Emanuel Van Metern, 1610," and ends with the "Report of the Surrender of New Netherland, by Peter Stuyvesant, 1665," thus covering the entire period prior to the bloodless English conquest on 6 September 1664. Although most of the documents presented here were originally written in Dutch, they are given here in English translations made by various experts. Each piece is preceded by a short introductory essay by the editor, and there are numerous explanatory footnotes. This work is cited in the Harvard Guide to American History. The editor of this volume was also the general editor of this series. He was director of historical research at the Carnegie Institution when this volume was published, and later became the head of the manuscripts division at the Library of Congress. Chapters include: On Hudson's Voyage, by Emanuel van Meteren, 1610; 'The Third Voyage of Master Henry Hudson, ' by Robert Juet, 1610; From the 'New World, ' by Johan de Laet, 1625, 1630, 1633, 1640; From the 'Historisch Verhael, ' by Nicolaes van Wassenaer, 1624-1630; Letter of Isaack de Rasieres to Samuel Blommaert, 1628 (?); Letter of Reverend Jonas Micha-lius, 1628; Narrative of a Journey into the Mohawk and Oneida Country, 1634-1635; A Short Account of the Mohawk Indians, by Reverend Johannes Megapolensis, Jr., 1644; From the "Korte Historiael ende Journaels Aenteyckeninge," by David Pietersz. de Vries, 1633-1643 (1655); Letter and Narrative of Father Isaac Jogues, 1643, 1645; Novum Belgium, by Father Isaac Jogues, 1646; Journal of New Netherland, 1647; The Representation of New Netherland, 1650; Answer to the Representation of New Netherland, by Cornelis van Tienhoven, 1650; Letter of Johannes Bogaert to Hans Bontemantel, 1655; Letters of the Dutch Ministers to the Classis of Amsterdam, 1655-1664; Description of the Towne of Mannadens, 1661; The Journal of Van Ruyven, Van Cortlant and Lawrence, 1663; Letter of the Town Council of New Amsterdam, 1664; and, Report on the Surrender of New Netherland, by Peter Stuyvesant, 1665. An index to full-names, places and subjects completes this work.

Genres: History

512 pages, Paperback

First published January 28, 1909

Reviews

[Avis Black]

I gave it a shot, but the writing produced by people living in the 1600s is not a good read in general.