Pieter Cruythoff1
M, #17240, b. circa 1640
| Last Edited | 04/09/2015 |
| BirthOrigin* | Pieter was from Lin and was perhaps born there circa 1640.1 |
| (Witness) Misc | Koddo van Guinea may have been the individual recorded at the company barn, i.e. Groote Schuur in the complaint made between 26 September 1664 and 29 November 1664 by Pieter Cruythoff against Willem Schalks van der Merwe and Jan Carseur whom he said had conspired against him. The complaint is undated but appears between those of the dates mentioned, viz.: Complaint of Pieter Cruythoff against Willem Schalcq and Jan Carseur, of Denis—the men under him, at the “Schuur,”— presented to the Council of the Fort of Good Hope: — Honourable Sirs, Whereas I have been charged by some of the men under me, who have falsely conspired against me, with some improprieties of which I am not guilty, and as I more and more find that these people are doing their best to play the master and do at the “Schuur” just as they like, I can no longer bear it, but have decided to report their conduct to you, and to give you the following facts: Some time ago I proceeded to False Bay with H. Elberts and Ryk Evertsen to look for some clay for building the new redoubt, and I gave the key of the small kitchen to a female slave, so that should we be detained long, she might have enough to boil for the mess. Afterwards Willem Schalcq got the key from her, and as it was Saturday night he went to the fort or somewhere else. When I came home that evening no one could tell me where the key was, and I was obliged to go to bed without my supper. The next day I again asked everybody whether they knew who had the key, but all replied “No.” A little while afterwards Willem Schalcq came to ask my permission to go out; this I gave him and he went out towards Thielman, having before that given the key to Dirk Wesselsen. Shortly after his departure Dirk brought me the key, saying that he had just now received it from Schalk. This annoyed me, and I went to the kitchen and having opened it found that it looked more like a pig-stye (begging your pardon) than a kitchen. Dirty cans and some dirty stinking books were scattered about the floor, and there were some boxes also which I had at once carried out. I myself threw the cans outside, and some of them were broken. In the evening, Willem Schalcq returned, half drunk, and commenced to rave and bluster, asking me why I had broken the cans. I told him that his place was not there, and he had no right to bring his things there. After replying with some foul language he went to the barn and thence took the gun of Hendrik de Brechtsen, of Ossenbrugge. Jumping with it outside he took aim straight at me. I at once ran under the gun and asked him what he meant. Not knowing what to say, he replied that he intended to take the rounds, which he had not at all been ordered to do. After the gun had been taken from him, he went back to the kitchen and there conspired with his mates, who had together ordered some brandy from the “Uitwyk,” as if they wished to say “we have had honour enough, on the strength of that we ought to take a glass,” for one can understand how they assist each other. When I was speaking to Willem, five or six persons were standing near, but when I called out that they would be required to testify to the truth, all suddenly disappeared. The brandy having arrived they commenced drinking and made a great noise; I then went to the kitchen and warned them not to do so. Willem replied that I had nothing to do there, but that I was to go to my room and myself scarce. He used uncommonly bad words. I was obliged to do so, for they were all drunk together. Willem followed me and thumped and beat at my door, saying: “Come out you rogue and thief, I’ll teach you to break my cans.” I did not known whether my life was safe. All this he did on account of a certain female slave by whom he has a child, and whom he had chambered in the kitchen at the time of her lying in. He likewise, every hour of the day, took care of her by preparing her food and fetching water and fuel. Yea! what is more, when she was being confined he knocked me up and begged me to give him his brandy for the reason stated. I gave him two glasses which he brought to her to revive her. From this you can gather what connection there is between the two. Jan Carseur also wished to play the master, and whenever he was check would at once seize another’s gun and running with it to a distance threaten a person. At the same time the Company’s troop of cattle was not to be found, and when any one ordered him he repled that he had no gun. This might create great loss to the Company, and when he is on sentry he dares to go from the top of the “Schuur” to the kitchen and smoke tobacco there. Being turned out and again found absent when the rounds were made, he continued to be stubborn and would not even lay hold of his gun, by remained sitting behind it. More might be added, but I believe the above to be sufficient, and leave the matter to your judgment. No date.2,3 |
| Monsterrollen and Opgaafrollen (Muster and tax rolls) | On 5 March 1659 Pieter Cruythoff was enumerated in the muster roll, he was recorded as cadet.1 In 1660 Pieter Cruythoff was enumerated in the muster roll, he was recorded as of Lin, corporal of the cadets.4 On 1 April 1662 Pieter Cruythoff was enumerated in the muster roll, he was recorded as from Lin, corporal to the cadets.5 |
Citations
- [S364] Editor-in-chief W.J. de Kock Dictionary of South African Biography Vol II. (Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council, 1972), p.296. Hereinafter cited as Dictionary of SA Biography II.
- [S647] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, Letters Despatched 1652-1662 to which are added land grants, attestations, Journal of voyage to Tristan da Cunha, names of freemen, &c. Vol III, H.C.V. Leibrandt; (Cape Town, South Africa: W.A. Richards & Sons, Government Printers, 1900), pp.476-478. Hereinafter cited as Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope.
- [S810] Mansell Upham 'At Earth's Extremest End… Op 't eijnde van de Aerd … The genealogical impact of the 'Angola' & 'Guinea' slaves at the Cape of Good Hope in the 17th century', First Fifty Years, Uprooted Lives - Unfurling the Cape of Good Hope's Earliest Colonial Inhabitants (1652-1713), (http://e-family.co.za/ffy/ui66.htm), August 2014. "pp. 57-58. As Company slave at Groote Schuur, Plad Oor later becomes concubine to the Company official, Willem Schalksz: van der Merwe (from Broek in Oud-Beyerland).
She appears as a Company slave (1664) housed at the Company’s barn [Groote Schuur]." - [S647] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.298.
- [S647] Precis of the archives of the Cape of Good Hope, p.303.
