[E.B. O'Callaghan (ed.) (1856)] P, To the Hon'''^ Peter Stuyvesant, Director General of New Netherland, Cura9ao and the Islands thereabout, and to the Hon"* Council. Hon"' Gentlemen The written demand of the late Director General Kieft was sent to us by the Court messenger about 9 o'clock 5n the 19"" June of this year, 1644, with express orders to answer thereunto within twice 24 hours. Coming then to the point — Mr. Kieft says in his first statement that Jochem Pietersen and Cornells Melyn sent some letters to the Honorable Directors in Holland in the name of the Eight men, containing nothing but libels and lies, etc. It was not under, nor in the name of the Eight men, but by their previously determined counsel and resolution, word for word, conjointly approved and signed by them. We shall, therefore, without any glossing or circumlocution, simply answer according to our ability his Hon" proposed articles. 1. Your Honors will please to know, as regards the 400 men who could be brought into the field on the arrival of the Blue Cock, that we doubt not but we were informed of it by his Honor himself and Captain de Vries told us so. They admit first, that 130 soldiers had come in the Blue Cock, commanded by the aforesaid Captain. 2°. There were yet also at that time between 40 and 50 old soldiers, exclusive of the English who, according to our best judgment, were full 50 strong.