Cornelis van Tienhoven in quality as Schout of this City of New Amsterdam, appeared in Court and made ex officio complaint of the illegal proceedings of the Court of Gravesend in setting up and affixing the bans of matrimony betwixt Johan Van Beeck and Maria Verleth, both of whom have their domicile in and about this City of New Amsterdam and are not published, in accordance with correct practice of the ecclesiastical and civil order in this City, so that the aforesaid proceedings greatly tend to the infringement on the good policy of our Fatherland and the privilege and jurisdiction of this City, and prepare a way, whereby hereafter some sons and daughters, unwilling to obey their parents and guardians, will, contrary to their wishes, secretly go and get married in such villages or elsewhere; he requests, that the Court give heed hereunto, and take such action as their W. shall judge proper, to maintain jurisdiction and prevent unlawful marriages. Done this 26"‘ of January 1654 in Court at the City Hall in New Amsterdam."
"Kind Friends: Whereas on this date the 10th of February, 1654, by petition presented to our Court by Johannes van Beeck, he requests, that his bans with Maria Varleth may be entered and be properly proclaimed here, and we have understood, that the same Johannes van Beeck and Marya Verleth had previously to this made proclamation of their bans through your Court at Gravesend, which (under correction) is contrary to the style and laws of our Fatherland, it is our request to your Honorable Court, in case such a circumstance should hereafter occur, that we may be informed thereof in order to prevent on one side and the other all improprieties, which we on our part engage to do in like manner, especially as it is usual, according to the custom of our Fatherland, that every one shall have three publications at the place, where his domicile is, and then he may go and be married wherever he pleases ; wherein we are and remain
Your affectionate friends
(Signed) Arent van Hattem.
By order of the Burgomasters and Schepens of the City of N. Amsterdam.
Jacob Kip, Secretary.
Done, N. Amsterdam in N. Netherland this 1o February 1654.
City Hall, Thursday, February 19, 1654.
Johannes van Beeck appeared in Court and requested as before, that action may be had on his petition, offering furthermore in time and on occasion, if necessary, to a?irm at all times under oath what be has stated in his petition respecting the private conversation with the Hon
ble Petrus Stuyvesant. Burgomasters and Schepens of this City having seen and examined the petition presented to our Court on the 10th and 16th of February instant, regarding the bans of matrimony between Joh: van Beeck and Maria Verleth, therefore it being noted
First, Who in the beginning instituted marriage ; also what the Apostle of the Gentiles teaches therein.
Secondly, The proper and attained ages of Johannes van Beeck and Marya Verleth.
Thirdly, The consent of the father and mother on the daughter's side.
Fourthly, The distance and remoteness of places between this and our Fatherland together with the di?iculty between Holland and England.
Fifthly, The danger that in such circumstances matters by long delay might come to be disclosed between these aforesaid young people, which would bring disgrace on both families, as well on one side as on the other.
’ Tis true that our Theologians say, and that correctly, that we must not tolerate or permit lesser sins, in order thereby to avoid greater ones. Therefore we think (with due submission) that by a proper solemnization of marriage (for the Apostle to the Hebrews calls the marriage-bed honorable) the lesser and greater sins are prevented.
Therefore the Burgomasters and Schepens of this City are of opinion, that the proper ecclesiastical proclamations of these aforesaid young people ought to be made at the earliest opportunity to be followed afterwards by their marriage. Done at the session aforesaid in the City Hall, New Amsterdam in New Netherland this 19 February, 1654.
(Signed) Arent van Hattem 1654, Martin Krigier, P. L. vandie Grift, Wilh: Beeckman, Pieter Wolfersen, Jochim P
r Kuyter, Oloff Stevensen.. Hereinafter cited as
Records of New Amsterdam.[S520] VWH.[S2456] "Extracts from Dutch Documents Bound in a Book Labelled 'Original Records of Burgomasters and Orphan Masters'", Year Book of the Holland Society of New York (1900): p. 111. Entry on 9 Nov 1955. "Joh. Van Beeck had died. His widow Maria Verleth is given till Tuesday Nov. 16, to name guardians for child."[S1171] Thomas Grier Evans, editor, Records of the Reformed Dutch Church in New Amsterdam and New York: Baptisms From 1639 to 1730 (New York: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 1901), p. 39. Judith, child of Johannes Van Beeck and Maria Verleth, bapt. 9 May 1655; sponsor Johannes Nevius.