follonlous crimes wc'^ God knowes we have not comitted obstinately but meaning well & Ignorantly nevertheless we are highly Sensible, Si, Sorry for y® Same, & cannot but Implore their Mat'^s Mercy, & Comiseracon for our lives, & estates, your Peticon"^^ therefore humbly desire your Excelly to make applicacon for y*' Same to their Ma*'^^ & In y® meanwhile that you would be pleased to Consider our miserable condicon (having been Imprisoned for upwards of seventeen monetlis and caused us to be set at liberty & peaceable enjoym* of our estates & families untill their Ma^'es Pleasure shall arrive.

And yo"" Peticoni"s as in duty bound, shall ever Pray &c.-- Gerardus Beekman Johannes Vermelle Thomas Williams Meyndert Corten Abraham Brasher Abraham Governeur . Endorsed

The Peticon & submission of the prisoners Condemned to His Exeye the Govern^' & Council.

To his Excellency Benjamin fletcher Esqr Capt: generall . . ,. and governour jn Chiefe of y® province of New Yorke

The humble petition of gerardus Beekman jn habitant of y^ toAvne

of Flatbush Most Humbly Sheweth --

That this petit' is at present jn a bond of good behaviour since w^h time hath behaved himselfe as a good subject ought to doe, Both to y^ king and his people giving no words of any provocation But it is so that on John Tunisse van dyckhuyse makes greate defamations against this petit'" Calling him Rough Rachall

LIEUT. GOV. LEISLER. 415

treator & Rebele &c. And threatning to persecute him to have Revenge as Long he liveth and what he Could not doe to him would doe to his Children, and that he had not suffered halfe enough but should suffer more, and other words pass at y^ house of M^ Jacques Cortelljou jn y® prence of him and his son peter Corteljou a justice of y® peace, and this petif being jn Clinable to ye peace wold Reconsile w'h him, but was Refused this passed y® 28 of Feb: laest since mad this petit^ his Complaine on y^ 20^^ day of this month March to y^ justices of y^ County were y^ s'' John Tunisse did jterate his defamations & threatning so against this petif jn y® presence of y^ s'' justices who Referred this pelit^ to y^ Law w''^ did give this petit^" present protection against s'J John Teunisse whoe being a justice of the peace him selfe, should not breake and violate y^ peace, jn defaming & threatning this petit^ that is under a bond of his good Bhvior therefore this petif Craves from his Exellency protection against s^ John Teunisse according as yo"* Excellency shall judge fitt & Convenient that he may unmolested use his occupations and as jn duty bound shall ever pray &c --