First Fifty Years - a project collating Cape of Good Hope records

Emanuel de Fonseca¹

M, #16006, b. circa 1669

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Last Edited

12/01/2020

BirthOrigin*

Emanuel was from Madras and was perhaps born there circa 1669. He was said to be 25 years old in 1694.²

SlaveAbscond*

On 11 January 1694 Emanuel de Fonseca, a slave belonging to the recently deceased William Deeron, stole f 600 worth of his of his late owner's possessions included a small amount of cash, a diamond ring, gold and amber. Will Gutter skipper of the Josias and friend of Deeron, granted power-of-attorney to Guillaume Heems to apprehend the runaway, and hold him in custody until Gutter returned to the Cape. Fonseca took refuge with Jacob Hendrixe van Hagen a so-called free mesties, planning to escape on the Christianus Quintus, but 16 days later the two fell out over the stolen items which had been buried on Van Hagen's property. Fonseca was apprehended by Heems and was tried, found guilty and sentenced to flogging and 10 years detention.³

Names in the record, in publications, etc.

11 January 1694, the name of Emanuel was written in the record as Emanuel Fonseca van Madras.²

Citations

[S418] Anna J. Böeseken, Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700 (Cape Town: Tafelberg, 1977), p. 71. In a document drawn up on the 11th of January 1694 it is stated that Emanuel de Fonseca.... Hereinafter cited as Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700.
[S418] Anna J. Böeseken, Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700, p.164.
[S418] Anna J. Böeseken, Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658-1700, p. 71. Will Deeron would have come back to the Cape for a fourth time, but died between Madagascar and the Cape. This time he was sailing on the vessel Josias. In a document drawn up on the 11th of January 1694 it is stated that Emanuel de Fonseca, a slave belonging to the late Will Deeron, had fled from the Josias, having stolen several of his late master's possessions: a small amount of ready cash, a diamond ring, as well as gold and amber. Will Gutter, a friend of WilIiam Deeron, gave Burgher Councillor Guilliam Heems power of attorney to hold Emanuel in custody if he were caught, and hand him back when Gutter returned to the Cape. Whether Heems actually had the opportunity to return Emanuel to his master is not known. According to an entry in the Journal of the 12th of March 1694, Emanuel found shelter with Jacob Hayes, who is described as a Free Mesties, a person whose father was white and whose mother was a slave. After about sixteen days the two began to quarrel about the stolen goods which had been buried in the house and garden of Jacob Hayes. The thief had intended to escape on the Danish vessel Christianus Quintus but was caught when Guilliam Heems found out where he was hiding. A court case followed and Hayes was flogged and sentenced to ten years of detention.
p.164. 11.1.1694, p. 455-457: Emanuel Fonseca from Madras (25), a slave belonging to the late Will Deeron, fled from the Josias, having stolen several of his late master's possessions: money, a diamond ring, gold and amber worth about f 600. Will Gutter gave power of attorney to GuilIiam Heems to catch the slave and hold him in custody until Gutter's return.