4. I called a Court of Admiraltie this morneinge; and empannelled twelve seamen, to deliver their verdict, concerninge a misdeameanour committed by a master of a shyp, in takeinge awaye a Cable and an Anchor from a vessell rideinge in the Harbour; wherby the said vessell was driven on grounds and in perill to be lost: but thes Jurors proved themselves soe absurde and ignorant as sone made me finde the miserie of trialls in these dayes by such kinde of men: And it now produced an Order in a session of the Counsell of Warre in the afternoone, whereby all future crimes and commissions of this nature wer made punishable another waye. A new officer in the nature of a fiscall or Advocate[18] in our Court of Admiraltie was elected and sworne this daye. [Footnote 18: Representative of the crown or proprietors.] 5. The Prize Vessell that was driven aground was gotten off safe this morneinge, wherby the penalties inclifted[19] by the verdict in the Admiraltie Court in case it hadd perished, wer taken off. [Footnote 19: Inflicted.] _LA GARCE._ _3. Articles of Copartnership in New Netherland Privateering. December 4 (N.S.), 1646._[1] [Footnote 1: New York State Archives, Albany; Dutch Manuscripts, vol. II., p. 153. The dates in the four New Netherland documents which follow are new style dates. The privateer _La Garce_, of French origin, began its connection with New Netherland as early as 1642, from 1644 was chiefly owned there, and from these dates to 1649, or even 1656, was an object of pecuniary interest and investment to a considerable number of New Amsterdam men. Many documents among the Dutch papers at Albany relate to her; they show Dutchmen, Frenchmen, and Spaniards as sharing in her captures.]