1789 David Malan Davidsz
A prominent burgher, David Malan Davidsz, who lived on the renowned Vergelegen farmstead in the Hottentots-Holland area, eloped with his long-standing lover Sara, the slave of another burgher, by whom he had fathered a child. The details of the elopement, as well as the crisis it caused within the community, are revealed in these records. Disapproval of Malan’s behaviour was evident, both in warnings given to him about his affair with Sara, and in the subsequent sentence of the Council of Justice which outlawed and banished him.1 Malan’s marriage was not a happy one, although whether this was a cause or a consequence of his relationship with Sara is not clear.
Footnotes
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He was reported on 3 March 1791 as living ‘op de limiten deezer colonie, omtrent het Kafferland’ (on the borders of this Colony, near Kafferland), CJ 73, ff. 76-7. See also Schutte 1982: 280 for a contemporary report that David and Sara were living with another burgher who had eloped with a Khoi woman. He seems to have returned by 1806 when he applied for permission to obtain freehold land in the Koeberg district (Leibbrandt 1906: 828). ↩
1/STB 3/12 Criminele Verklaringen, 1786-1793, unpaginated.
There appears before us, the undersigned delegates from the honourable Council of Justice of this government, Anna Dorothea Otto, wife of the burgher Jurgen Radijn, who, on the requisition of the landdrost of Stellenbosch and Drakenstein, the honourable Hendrik Lodewijk Bletterman, declares it to be true:
That at about 10 o’clock on a certain night at the beginning of the month of June, without being able to determine the precise day, the deponent heard a loud noise caused by the barking of the dogs; when she got up from her bed and went to the room of the meijdenmeijdenLiterally ‘girl.’ This word developed among the same lines as jongen, the word coming to mean ‘female slave.’ However, its trajectory diverged from that of jongen in that it eventually was used more widely to refer to indigenous women, so that meid still survives in modern Afrikaans as a pejorative term for women of colour. As with jongen, the word was no longer available to refer to European girls, but instead of the difference between girl and daughter disappearing, the diminutive form, meijsje (Afrikaans, meisie), came to be used for ‘girl.’ in order to find out what the cause of this was, and then called to these meijdenmeijdenLiterally ‘girl.’ This word developed among the same lines as jongen, the word coming to mean ‘female slave.’ However, its trajectory diverged from that of jongen in that it eventually was used more widely to refer to indigenous women, so that meid still survives in modern Afrikaans as a pejorative term for women of colour. As with jongen, the word was no longer available to refer to European girls, but instead of the difference between girl and daughter disappearing, the diminutive form, meijsje (Afrikaans, meisie), came to be used for ‘girl.’ until her old slave Rachel woke up and asked her what she desired. The deponent then ordered her to light a candle and, when this was done, she discovered in the light that the burgher David Malan Davidsz had entered that room and was in his stockings under the bed of one of her women slaves. That the deponent asked Malan about the reason for his presence there, who answered her in essence: “Mother Radijn, I did not come here for your meijdenmeijdenLiterally ‘girl.’ This word developed among the same lines as jongen, the word coming to mean ‘female slave.’ However, its trajectory diverged from that of jongen in that it eventually was used more widely to refer to indigenous women, so that meid still survives in modern Afrikaans as a pejorative term for women of colour. As with jongen, the word was no longer available to refer to European girls, but instead of the difference between girl and daughter disappearing, the diminutive form, meijsje (Afrikaans, meisie), came to be used for ‘girl.’, but on account of some business matters”. The deponent then asked Malan: “What business matters?”, yet he did not say anything to this, but immediately replied: “Goodnight, Mother Radijn”, and departed from there by foot.
That when the deponent, on the 12th of this month, got up, there came to her the wife of aforementioned Malan, who was very sad and sorrowful, and who told her in a plaintive manner that her husband, the said Malan, had absented himself that night with two horses and also took with him two pillows, a rifle, gunpowder and shot, as well as a new pair of trousers; to which the deponent also adds the circumstances of the departure of the abovementioned Malan, as narrated to her by his wife in this manner, viz. that she, on the aforesaid morning, because her husband had not yet appeared, knocked on the door of his bedroom, but when she did not receive any answer from him, she opened the door herself and discovered that he had gone from there.
That shortly thereupon, on that same morning, the deponent sent a Hottentot to the keeper of the kloof,1 Jan de Vos, to whom she had loaned her slave Sara as wet nurse,2 in order to enquire whether the slave Sara did not perhaps absent herself, since she feared that the same might have eloped with the aforesaid Malan, seeing that there were already rumours that Malan had a relationship with the said slave Sara since, when the deponent reprimanded her now and then, she said that Malan had fathered her child. She then received as answer from the aforementioned keeper of the kloof that the said meijdmeijdLiterally ‘girl.’ This word developed among the same lines as jongen, the word coming to mean ‘female slave.’ However, its trajectory diverged from that of jongen in that it eventually was used more widely to refer to indigenous women, so that meid still survives in modern Afrikaans as a pejorative term for women of colour. As with jongen, the word was no longer available to refer to European girls, but instead of the difference between girl and daughter disappearing, the diminutive form, meijsje (Afrikaans, meisie), came to be used for ‘girl.’ had gone from there that night.
The deponent declares to have gathered from the wife of the aforementioned De Vos that the said slave had once or twice threatened to dress herself in men’s clothing so that she could run away.
There being nothing further to declare, the deponent asserts to be convinced of the accuracy of her statement as in the text, being willing to subsequently confirm the same with solemn oaths, if so required.
Thus recorded on the farm named De Harmonie in Hottentots Holland on 18 August 1788.
[signed] Anna Doroteia Otto, the wife of Jurie Radeijn.
As delegates, [signed] R.J. v.d. Riet, D. de Wet.
In my presence, [signed] A. Faure, secretary.
1/STB 3/12 Criminele Verklaringen, 1786-1793, unpaginated.
There appears before us, the undersigned delegates from the honourable Council of Justice of this government, the keeper of Hottentots Hollands kloof, Jan de Vos of Severen who, on the requisition of the landdrost of Stellenbosch and Drakenstein, the honourable Hendrik Lodewijk Bletterman, declares it to be true and truthful:
That some time ago, about fourteen days at a guess, Dorothea Otto, the wife of the burgher Jurgen Radijn, told the deponent that on a certain night, when she went out of her room because of the barking of the dogs, and got to the kitchen, she saw a certain person going to the outside and afterwards two coming back to the inside, which made her suspicious. She then went there with a lit candle and found that the burgher cornet David Malan Davidsz was under the bed of one of her slave meijdenmeijdenLiterally ‘girl.’ This word developed among the same lines as jongen, the word coming to mean ‘female slave.’ However, its trajectory diverged from that of jongen in that it eventually was used more widely to refer to indigenous women, so that meid still survives in modern Afrikaans as a pejorative term for women of colour. As with jongen, the word was no longer available to refer to European girls, but instead of the difference between girl and daughter disappearing, the diminutive form, meijsje (Afrikaans, meisie), came to be used for ‘girl.’, without her mentioning the name of this meijdmeijdLiterally ‘girl.’ This word developed among the same lines as jongen, the word coming to mean ‘female slave.’ However, its trajectory diverged from that of jongen in that it eventually was used more widely to refer to indigenous women, so that meid still survives in modern Afrikaans as a pejorative term for women of colour. As with jongen, the word was no longer available to refer to European girls, but instead of the difference between girl and daughter disappearing, the diminutive form, meijsje (Afrikaans, meisie), came to be used for ‘girl.’ to the deponent.
That the deponent was further informed by the wife of the aforesaid Malan that she had wanted to be separated from him because he treated her very badly, since, as the deponent, in accordance with general rumour, suspected, the said Malan had a relationship with a certain woman slave Sara, belonging to Juffrouw Radijn. On the occasion when the aforesaid Malan, about fourteen days ago now, came to the deponent, asking to buy some cattle for his auction and the deponent agreeing to this,3 the deponent directed the conversation to Malan’s conduct concerning the relationship he had with the slave Sara, and at that time advised him that he really ought to change his way of life. Malan then told him that he would change his conduct and that he and his wife had agreed to separate after the forthcoming auction4 and that his wife would get three parts of the estate and that he would take the remaining part.
The deponent also declares that with his departure, the aforementioned Malan asked him if he might not say something to the meijdmeijdLiterally ‘girl.’ This word developed among the same lines as jongen, the word coming to mean ‘female slave.’ However, its trajectory diverged from that of jongen in that it eventually was used more widely to refer to indigenous women, so that meid still survives in modern Afrikaans as a pejorative term for women of colour. As with jongen, the word was no longer available to refer to European girls, but instead of the difference between girl and daughter disappearing, the diminutive form, meijsje (Afrikaans, meisie), came to be used for ‘girl.’ Sara in private, to which the deponent answered that he should ask the deponent’s wife, however the said Malan did not do this and thereupon departed from there.
That moreover, a few days ago now, the deponent learned from one of his slaves by the name of Damon that a certain European was hanging around in the vicinity of his farm, and afterwards came up to the garden, without, however, the deponent having discovered anything about this man.
Finally, the deponent declares that the said slave Sara, who was given to him as wet nurse by the aforementioned Juffrouw Radijn, got dressed and washed herself more than usual on the afternoon of last Monday, the 11th of this month, and that night, between 11 and 12 o’clock, asked his wife to [be allowed to] go outside, which was also granted by the deponent’s wife, and that the said Sara then indeed went outside and shortly thereupon returned again, yet shortly thereafter she again requested to go out of the house once more, which she then also did. Yet, when the said slave did not return after a long time, the deponent went outside the house with his musket and dogs and searched for the same Sara around his farm, but he did not find anything.
On the morning thereafter, the deponent again searched everywhere for the said Sara because the aforementioned Juffrouw Radijn had ordered him that the said Sara should not, under any circumstances, be allowed to go outside of the house on her own, and that he did not want to ask after the reasons for this, since he knew them well.
Also, that same morning Juffrouw Radijn had the deponent asked by a Hottentot if the slave Sara was still with him since the aforementioned Malan was gone.
There being nothing further to declare, the deponent asserts to be convinced of the accuracy of his statement as in the text, being willing to subsequently confirm the same with solemn oaths, if so required.
Thus recorded on the farm named Vergelegen, situated in Hottentots Holland, on 18 August 1788.
[signed] Jan de Vos.
As delegates, [signed] R.J. van der Riet, D. de Wet.
In my presence, [signed] A. Faure, secretary.
1/STB 3/12 Criminele Verklaringen, 1786-1793, unpaginated.
There appears before us, the undersigned delegates from the honourable Council of Justice of this government, the burgher Isaak de Vlaming who, on the requisition of the landdrost of Stellenbosch and Drakenstein, the honourable Hendrik Lodewijk Bletterman, declares it to be true and truthful:
That on Tuesday morning, the 12th of this month August, there came with tearful eyes to the deponent, the wife of the burgher cornet David Malan Davidsz, who informed him in a plaintive manner that when her aforesaid husband did not get up that morning, at first she and then her son knocked on his door, but not receiving any answer, she then went outside the house and pulled opened one of this room’s windows, and then let somebody climb into the room, which is when she discovered that her husband was gone and had taken with him a bolster, two pillows and some clothes, besides his rifle, gunpowder and shot; discovering afterwards also that he had got two straps from the slave house and had taken with him two riding-horses. The said wife of Malan then requested the deponent to go on her behalf to Stellenbosch in order to inform the honourable landdrost Bletterman, the petitioner in this, of what had happened and to ask what she should do about this [lit. how she should behave herself regarding this], since the forthcoming auction was at hand and she did not know if the posters ought not now to be torn off. For this reason the deponent then went to the honourable petitioner and, after his honour was accordingly informed about everything by him; the petitioner asked the deponent if he had power of attorney, because, as the placards had been put up by the [illegible] they must also be taken down by him, and that the petitioner then told the deponent: “Even if you had power of attorney, the matter is of too great an importance, the woman must come herself”,5 after which the petitioner again continued: “But De Vlaming, what do you think of this?”, to which the deponent replied: “God knows, trouble may come of it, the meijdmeijdLiterally ‘girl.’ This word developed among the same lines as jongen, the word coming to mean ‘female slave.’ However, its trajectory diverged from that of jongen in that it eventually was used more widely to refer to indigenous women, so that meid still survives in modern Afrikaans as a pejorative term for women of colour. As with jongen, the word was no longer available to refer to European girls, but instead of the difference between girl and daughter disappearing, the diminutive form, meijsje (Afrikaans, meisie), came to be used for ‘girl.’ is also gone and she has left her child in the lurch”.
There being nothing further to declare, the deponent asserts to be convinced of the accuracy of his statement as in the text, being willing to subsequently confirm the same with solemn oaths, if so required.
Thus recorded on the farm Onverwacht, situated in Hottentots Holland, on 19 August 1788.
[signed] J. d. Vlamingh.
As delegates, [signed] R.J. van der Riet, D. de Wet.
In my presence, [signed] A. Faure, secretary.
Footnotes
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On his function, see 1786 Augustus van de Caab et al., n. 12. ↩
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Lactating slave women were often used as wet nurses, either to their owner’s children or hired out to other families, as in this case (Shell 1994: 304-12). Sara had given birth to Malan’s child, although whether this was the cause of her present lactation is not clear. See also, on this issue, 1792 Francois de Wet. ↩
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The text here is corrupt: the phrase ‘voor zijn [onleesbaar]’ should probably have been crossed out, i.e. it was replaced by ‘voor zijn vendutie’, or vice versa. ↩
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Malan’s marriage was clearly on the rocks by this stage, and the forthcoming auctioning of their goods may have been because of their impending separation – and have given Malan an incentive to elope with Sara. ↩
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The text is corrupt here, with the result that the meaning of this whole sentence is rather opaque. ↩
Compareerde voor ons, ondergeteekende gecommitteerdens uijt de edelagtbaare Raad van Justitie deeses gouvernements, Anna Dorothea Otto, huijsvrouw van de burger Jurgen Radijn, dewelke, ter requisitie van landdrost van Stellenbosch en Drakensteijn, de heer Hendrik Lodewijk Bletterman, verklaarde hoe waar is:
Dat de comparante, het begin der maand Junij, zonder de juijste dag weet te bepaalen, op zekeren nagt, de clocke omtrend thien uuren, een sterk geraas gehoord hebbende, veroorzaakt door het blaffen van de honden, de comparante van haar bed opgestaan en naar de meijdekamer vervoegd had, ten eijnde te verneemen wat de oorsaak daarvan was, alstoen deselve meijden toegeroept had totdat haar oude slavin Rachel ontwaakte en haar gevraagd hebbende wat zij comparante begeerden, de comparante haar alstoen gelast had een kaars op te steeken, hetwelk geschied zijnde, had de comparante door het ligt bekend dat de burger David Malan Davidsz aldaar binnen gekomen, zig onder de kadel van een haare slavinnen op zijne kouzen zig bevond, dat de comparante hem Malan de reeden van zijn komtz [sic] aldaar vroeg, haar substantieelijk te antwoord gaf: Moeder Radijn, ik kom hier niet om jou meijden, maar om eenige affaires. De comparante hem Malan alstoen gevraagd had welke affaires, hij Malan daarop niets g’antwoord had, maar dadelijk daarop geregereert [sic] had: Goede avond, moeder Radijn, op staande voet van daar was vertrocken.
Dat wanneer de comparante ’s morgens de 12e deeser opgestaan, bij haar zeer droevig en treurig gekomen zijnde, de huijsvrouw van voormelde Malan, haar klaagenderwijsen gezegd had dat haar man, gemelde Malan, dien nagt met twee paarden <zig g’absenteert had>1, met meede neeming van twee kussens en geweer, kruijd, lood, mitsgaders een nieuwe broek; voegende de comparante teffens daarbij de omstandigheijd van het vertrek van bovengenoemde Malan door desselfs huijsvrouw in dier voegen aan haar te zijn verhaald, dat namentlijk op voorseijde morgen, omdat haar man nog niet praesent was, aan desselfs kamerdeur had geklopt, dog geen antwoord van hem bekomen, zij alstoen de deur zelve geopend hebbende, had ontdekt dat hij zig van daar begeeven had.
Dat de comparante kort daarop, denzelfden morgen, een Hottentot naar de cloofonderhouder Jan de Vos,2 alwaar zij haar slavinne Sara tot minne had gegeeven, uijt vrees dat dezelve haar met voorseijde Malan mogte g’absenteerd hebben, terwijl reeds gerugten waaren dat hij Malan met gemelde slavin Sara verkeering hield, zo is deselve slavin Sara, wanneer de comparante haar nu en dan eens beknorde, gesegt had haar kind bij Malan te hebben verwekt, gezonden hebbende om te verneemen of dezelve slavin Sara haar mogelijk mogte hebben g’absenteerd, zij alstoen ook van gemelde cloofonderhouder ten antwoord bekomen had dat gemelde meijd dien nagt van daar was weggegaan. Betuijgende de comparante van de huijsvrouw van voormelde De Vos te hebben vernomen dat gemelde slavin nu en dan gedreijgd had van haar eens nog in manskleederen te zullen kleeden om alsdan te kunnen deserteeren.
Niets meer verklaarende, geeft de comparante voor reeden van wetenschap als in de text, bereijd zijnde hetzelve, des gerequereerd werdende, met solemneele eede nader gestand te doen.
Dat aldus passeerden aan Hottentots Holland, op de plaats genaamd De Harmonie, den 18e Augustus 1788.
[get.] Anna Doroteia Otto, husvrou [sic] Jurie Radeijn.
Als gecommitteerdens, [get.] R.J. v.d. Riet, O.G. de Wet.
Mij praesent, [get.] A.A. Faure, secretaris.
1/STB 3/12 Criminele Verklaringen, 1786-1793, unpaginated.
Compareerde voor ons, ondergeteekende gecommitteerdens uijt den edelagtbaare Raad van Justitie deeses gouvernements, den onderhouder van Hottentots Holland cloof, Jan de Vos van Severen, dewelke, ter requisitie van den landdrost van Stellenbosch en Drakensteijn, de heer Hendrik Lodewijk Bletterman, verclaarde hoe waar ende waaragtig is:
Dat aan den comparant voor eenige tijd, na gissing omtrend veerthien dagen geleeden, van Dorothea Otto, huijsvrouw van den burger Jurgen Radeijn, gesegd geworden is dat zij, op zekeren nagt, op ’t geblaft der honden haar uit haar slaap kamer begeeven hebbende en, in de combuijs gekomen zijnde, <zekeren persoon>3 had zien naar buijten gaan en vervolgens twee weder naar binnen komen, hetgeen bij haar eenig naardenken had veroorsaakt, zij comparante4 daarop met een brandende kaars haar daarnatoe begeeven, bevonden dat de burgercornet David Malan Davidsz onder het bed van een haren slave meijden kwam te bevinden, zonder dat door haar aan de comparant de naam van die meid genoemd was.
Dat de comparant van de huijsvrouw van voornoemde Malan g’informeerd geworden zijnde dat zij haar van hem willen separeeren om reedenen hij zeer slegt met haar leefden, zo als de comparant sustineerd, volgens algemeene gerugt, dat gerepten Malan met zekere slavin Sara, toebehoorende genoemde juffrouw Radijn verkeering hield. Dat den comparant, bij geleegendheijd dat voormelde Malan, voor nu omtrent veerthien dagen geleeden, bij hem gekomen, hem comparant vragende om voor zijn [onleesbaar] een paar slagtbeesten voor zijn vendutie te koopen,5 den comparant daarin bewilligd had. Had den comparant vervolgens het discours laten komen op het gedrag van hem Malan, wegens de verkeering die hij met de slavin Sara hield, en hem alstoen vermaand dat hij dog van levensaard wilde veranderen. Malan hem alstoen had toevoegd dat hij van gedrag zoude veranderen en dat hij Malan naar de te houdene vendutie met zijn huijsvrouw was overeengekomen van malkanders te gaan, en zijn huijsvrouw als de drie deelen van den boedel en hij Malan het overige gedeelte soude neemen.
Verclaarende den comparant nog dat voormelde Malan bij het weggaan van hem comparant had gevraagd of hij Malan de meijd Sara nog iets alleen mogte zeggen, de comparant hem Malan daarop had g’antwoord dat hij sulx aan de huijsvrouw van hem comparant moeste vragen, dog hetgeen gerepte Malan niet gedaan had, en vervolgens van daar was vertrekken.
Dat den comparant wijders van een zijner slaven, met naame Damon, nu voor wijnige dagen vernomen had, dat zeekere Europees [sic] omtrend de plaats van hem comparant opgehouden en vervolgens tot aan de tuijn gekomen was, zonder dat hij comparant egter iets van die man heeft ontdekt.
Eijndelijk verclaard den comparant dat gemelde slavin Sara, die als minne door voornoemde juffrouw Radijn aan hem comparant was gegeeven, haar op laatstleeden Maandag, de 11e deeser, ’s nademiddags gekleed en meer als naar gewoonte verschoond had, dien nagt, tusschen 11 en 12 uuren aan de huijsvrouw van hem comparant gevraagd haar naar buijten te mogen begeeven, so als ook door des compts. huijsvrouw was toegestaan en gemelde Sara ook daarop haar naar buijten had begeeven en kort daarop weder was naar binnen gekomen, dog kort daarna weder had versogt opnieuws buijten de deur te mogen gaan, zij alstoen ook was heen gegaan dog, naar lang wagtens, gemelde slavin niet weder terug gekeerd zijnde, de comparant hem met zijn snaphaan en honden zig buijtenshuijs begeeven en in den omtrek van zijn plaats naar deselve Sara had gesogt, egter niets gevonden had.
Hebbende de comparant ’s morgens daarop nog overal naar gemelde Sara gesogt om reedenen dat meergemelde juffrouw Radijn hem comparant had gelast dat gemelde slavin Sara hoegenaamd niet buijtenshuijs alleen mog te laaten gaan, en dat hij comparant naar de reeden niet had willen vragen, wijl hij deselven wel wist.
Terwijl dien zelfden morgen juffrouw Radijn aan hem comparant door een Hottentot had laten vragen of de slavin Sara nog bij hem comparant was, wijl meergenoemde Malan absent was.
Niets meer verclaarende, geeft den comparant voor reedenen van wetenschap als in den text, bereid zijnde hetzelve, des gerequireerd werdende, met solemneele eede nader gestand te doen.
Dat aldus passeerde op de plaats genaamd Vergeleegen, geleegen aan Hottentots Holland, den 18e Augustus 1788.
[get.] Jan de Vos.
Als gecommitteerdens, [get.] R.J. v.d. Riet, O.G. de Wet.
Mij praesent, [get.] A.A. Faure, secretaris.
1/STB 3/12 Criminele Verklaringen, 1786-1793, unpaginated.
Compareerde voor ons, ondergeteekende gecommitteerdens uijt den edelagtbaare Raad van Justitie deeses gouvernements, den burger Isaak de Vlaming, dewelke, ter requisitie van den landdrost van Stellenbosch en Drakensteijn, de heer Hendrik Lodewijk Bletterman, verclaarde hoe waar ende waaragtig is:
Dat op Dingsdag morgen, den 12e deeser maand Augustus, bij den comparant met weenende oogen klaagenderwijse gekomen zijnde, de huijsvrouw van den burgercornet David Malan Davidsz, meede deelende dat haaren voormelde man dien morgen niet opgestaan zijnde, zij comparante6 eerst, en daarna door haaren zoon, aan desselfs kamerdeur geklopt had, dog geen antwoord bekomende alstoen ze haar buijten de huijsdeur begeeven en een dier kamervengsters openen getrocken, en daarop ijmand in de kamer doen inklimmen; als wanneer zij had ontdekt dat haaren man absent was en met zig genomen had een peulen, twee kussens eenige kleederen, voorts zijn schietgeweer en kruijd en loot, vervolgens ook vernomen dat denselve in het slaven huijs twee riemen gehaald en twee rijd paarden meede genomen had, gemelde huijsvrouw van voormelde Malan den comparant alstoen hebbende versogt voor haar naar Stellenbosch te gaan ten eijnde van het voorgevallene aan den heer landdrost Bletterman, <den requirant in deesen>7, kennisse te geeven en te vragen hoedanig zij haar daarin moeste gedragen, terwijl de te houdene vendutie op handen was, zij niet wiste of de billietten als nu niet dienden te werden afgescheurd. Den comparant zig dan ook totdat einde na den heer requirant begeven en aan zijn edele door de comparant in dier voegen <zulks alles door hem comparant>8 meede gedeeld zijnde, den requirant hem comparant gevraagd had of hij comparant procuratie had, terwijl door de [onleesbaar] de billietten aangeplakt zijnde, ook door hem moet vernietigt worden en dat de requirant aan den comparant daarop g’antwoord had: Schoon gij ook procuratie had, is de zaak van te groot belang, de vrouw moet zelfs komen; waarna den requirant wederom had hervat: Maar De Vlaming, wat denkt gij er van?, den comparant daarop gerepliceerd had: God weet het, daar kunnen ongelukken van komen, de meijd is ook weg, en zij heeft haar kind in de steek gelaaten.
Niets meer verklaarende, geeft de comparant voor reeden van wetenschap als in de text, bereijd zijnde hetzelve, des gerequireerd werdende, met solemneele eede nader gestand te doen.
Dat aldus passeerde op de plaats Onverwagt, geleegen aan Hottentots Holland, den 19e Augustus 1788.
[get.] J. d. Vlamingh.
Als gecommitteerdens, [get.] R.J. v.d. Riet, O.G. de Wet.
Mij praesent, [get.] A.A. Faure, secretaris.
Footnotes
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This phrase is written in the margin with no indication where it belongs in the sentence. It is placed where it seems to make most sense. ↩
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Sic. It seems as if a verbal phrase such as ‘heeft gestuurt’ has been omitted here. ↩
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This original text was crossed out and replaced by something on top, which in turn was also crossed out. Since the replacement is illegibly crossed out, the original is preserved – a phrase like this is needed to make sense of the sentence. ↩
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A mistake by the scribe, as Dorothea Otto is not the comparant here, but De Vos. ↩
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The text here is corrupt: the phrase ‘voor zijn [onleesbaar]’ should probably have been crossed out, i.e. it was replaced by ‘voor zijn vendutie’, or vice versa. ↩
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Another mistake, as Malan’s wife is not the comparant here, but De Vlaming. ↩
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This is written on top of the phrase ‘kennisse te geeven’ with no indication where it should go. It serves to qualify landdrost Bletterman, hence is placed here. ↩
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It seems as if the scribe forgot to cross out something here: the part in angled brackets is inserted above the line, but then ‘door de comparant’ should have been deleted. ↩
CJ 795 Sententiën, 1782-1789, ff. 531-36.
Since, during the night of the 11th and 12th of August of the recently passed year 1788, the cornet of the Stellenbosch burgher cavalry, David Malan Davidsz, supplied with a rifle, gunpowder and shot, as well as some clothes, quietly departed from his farm Vergelegen and proceeded to the residence of the keeper of Hottentots Holland kloof, by the name of Jan de Vos, where at this time was to be found the slave Sara, belonging to the burgher Jurgen Radijn (and with which slave the said Malan, according to undeniable proof of this, had already previously been living in adultery).
And he, Malan, took flight with this same slave Sara (the latter abandoning her suckling child), without, though, leaving even the least instruction about his business affairs, notwithstanding that a voluntary sale for the 18th of the same month August on his aforesaid farm Vergelegen had already been advertised by the setting up of placards.
Therefore, the landdrost of the Stellenbosch and Drakenstein districts, the honourable koopmankoopmanThe administrative or civil sector of the VOC was divided into six categories of rank, with the governor-general at the head of the first one. Most of the titles used for these ranks were derived from the merchant origins of the VOC, but in practice a rank did not equate with a person’s function. Koopman, literally meaning ‘merchant,’ was a rank in the third category, senior to onderkoopman (‘junior merchant’), but below an opperkoopman (‘chief merchant’). Hendrik Lodewijk Bletterman, on the complaint concerning this brought to him by the wife of the same Malan, properly informed the honourable Council of Justice of this government and reported further:
That the said Malan, with the aforesaid woman slave Sara, had passed the farm of the veldcorporaalveldcorporaalLiterally ‘field corporal.’ After 1715, male burghers in the rural districts formed a citizen militia of which the landdrost (magistrate) was the commanding officer. The various divisions (commandos) of a district were each headed by a veldcorporaal. Petrus Stephanus du Toit at the Riviersonderend on the 14th of the month August, that they arrived on the 15th thereupon at the veldwagtmeesterveldwagtmeesterLiterally ‘field guarding master,’ this was often shortened to veldwagter (‘field guard’). This person was in effect the representative of the landdrost (magistrate) in the different parts of a district, and had to act on his orders, making arrests, reporting any criminal activities and transgression of plakkaten, and inspecting the bodies of deceased persons. Daniel du Toit at Goudini and, calling himself Jan Nortjé, requested help for him and his wife (denoting the aforementioned woman slave Sara)1 to cross the Breede River with the boat; while Malan also pretended to be Jan Nortjé at, among other places, the Hex River kloof to one Abraham Finnerhold, and was seen successively on his further journey into the interior with this same slave, and was also sighted, among other places, on the farm of the widow of Karel van der Merwe.
For which reason the said landdrost, armed with the necessary evidence in the aforesaid case, undertook the proper procedures against the same Malan: on the 4th of September of the said year 1788, he requested and obtained a mandate whereby the said fugitive cornet David Malan was summoned under the ringing and beating of bells to come to clear and justify himself in this case, on pain that, failing this, procedures would be taken against him in accordance with the law (which writ of summons was repeatedly published and set up everywhere in four week terms, without, however, the said Malan coming to the fore, even though, as one was informed for certain, he obtained knowledge through a messenger of the writ of summons issued against him). Consequently, the aforementioned landdrost, on 27 November of the said year, requested a fourth mandate by decree in superabundance to serve as arraignment.2 That since the aforesaid Malan did once again not appear on this last summons, which was after all being issued for a term of six weeks, but on the contrary remained fugitive and hidden, he, apart from having disdained justice to the utmost, had thereby, in accordance with the law, not only confessed the crimes laid against him, but is also taken to be convinced and persuaded of them. Therefore, on 8 January of this year, the said landdrost delivered his action, with the other documents relating to it, and, after having argued the case, concluded as by rights.
And since such outrageous crimes cannot remain unpunished in a country where justice is upheld.
Thus it is, that the honourable Council of Justice of this government, serving today, having seen and read with attention the written declaration of intent of the landdrost of the Stellenbosch and Drakenstein districts, the koopmankoopmanThe administrative or civil sector of the VOC was divided into six categories of rank, with the governor-general at the head of the first one. Most of the titles used for these ranks were derived from the merchant origins of the VOC, but in practice a rank did not equate with a person’s function. Koopman, literally meaning ‘merchant,’ was a rank in the third category, senior to onderkoopman (‘junior merchant’), but below an opperkoopman (‘chief merchant’). Hendrik Lodewijk Bletterman, and the conclusie delivered against the aforementioned David Malan Davidsz, further having noted the documents produced with it and the contumacy of the defaulter, and similarly everything that merits reflection and could have moved their honours, practising justice in the name and on behalf of the high and mighty Lords States General of the United Netherlands, demotes the defaulter and fugitive David Malan Davidsz from his rank as cornet of the Stellenbosch burgher cavalry, and besides this banishes him from this government and everything which resorts under it, as their honours are banishing him with this, on pain that, if he ever comes into the hands of justice, he is then to be punished according to merit, with sentencing the defendant to all the costs that were incurred in this case.3
Thus done and sentenced at the Cape of Good Hope on 5 March 1789, as also pronounced in the Castle of Good Hope on the 28th thereupon.
[signed] J. Rhenius, T.C. Rönnekamp, Johs. Smuts, C.G. Maasdorp, G.H. Meijer, M. Appel, Js. Cd. Gie, R.J. v.d. Riet, O.G. de Wet.
In my presence, [signed] W.S. v. Rijneveld, sworn clerk.
Footnotes
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There was clearly no difficulty about Sara being passed off as Malan’s wife, which suggests that colour was not a reliable indicator of free status. ↩
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Under Cape criminal procedure, an accused person who could not be found was summonsed to appear before the court up to four times ‘by means of placards and the ringing of a bell’. Failure to do so, as in this case, resulted in permanent banishment (Botha 1962, vol. II: 130). See also 1707 Jan de Thuilot, n. 6. ↩
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The sentence was recorded in CJ 71, ff. 81-2. Control of the estate (which was in considerable disorder) was taken over by the Council of Policy (CJ 71, ff. 82-90), although Elizabeth Malan requested that the sentence be overturned and she be given administration of the estate (Leibbrandt 1906: 814-15, 19 October 1789). A fine of 1000 rixdollars was extracted from the estate on 18 November, CJ 71, ff. 392-96. ↩
Nademaal den cornet der burgercavallerij aan Stellenbosch, David Malan Davidsz, in de nagt tusschen den 11e en 12e Augustus des jongst verloopen jaars 1788, voorzien van een schietgeweer, kruijd, loot en voorraad van kleederen, van zijn plaats Vergeleegen in stilte vertrokken zijnde, zig begeven heeft naar de wooning van den onderhouder der Hottentots Hollandsche kloof, in name Jan de Vos, bij wien zig doentertijd de slavin Sara, toebehoorende den burger Jurgen Radijn (met welke slavin gerepte Malan te vooren reeds, volgens daarvan zijnde ontwijffelbare blijken, in overspel geleefd had) bevond.
En hij Malan zig met en benevens dezelve slavin Sara (de laastgemelde [sic] haar zuijgend kind agterlatende) fugatief gesteld heeft, zonder echter eenige de minste ordre omtrent zijne zaken te hebben gesteld, onaangezien reeds bij affictie van billiëtten eene vrijwillige verkooping op zijn voorseijde plaats Vergeleegen tegens den 18e van dezelve maand Augustus geprafigeerd was.
Zoo heeft overzulks den koopman en landdrost der coloniën Stellenbosch en Drakensteijn, de heer Hendrik Lodewijk Bletterman, op de klagten dieswegens door de huijsvrouw van denzelven Malan bij hem ingebragt, hiervan aan den edelachtbaare Rade van Justitie dezes gouvernements behoorlijk kennisse gegeven en vervolgens berigt:
Dat gerepten Malan met voorseijde slavin Sara op den 14e der gemelde maand Augustus aan de Rivier Zonder Eind, de plaats van den veldcorporaal Petrus Stephanus du Toit gepasseerd zijnde, op den 15e daaraan in de Goudinie, bij den veldwagtmeester Daniel du Toit was aangekomen en, zich noemende Jan Nortjé, verzogt had hem en zijn vrouw (denoteerende bovengemelde slavin Sara) met de schuijt over de Breede Rivier te helpen; terwijl hij Malan zig onder anderen ook aan de Hex Riviers klooff, bij eenen Abraham Finnerhold, meede voor Jan Nortjé uijtgegeven hebbende, in zijne verdere rijze met dezelve slavin landwaards in, successivelijk was gezien, en onder anderen ook op de plaats van de weduwe Karel van der Merwe verkend geworden.
Weshalven gemelde landdrost, met de nodige bewijzen gemuniëerd, ter zake voorseijde, op ende jeegens denzelven Malan de gepaste procedures ondernomen hebbende, op den 4e September des gemelde jaars 1788 heeft verzogt en geobtineerd mandament bij edicte, waarbij gemelde voortvlugtenden cornet David Malan, onder het luijden en kloppen der klokke wierde ingedaagd om zig dieswegens te komen purgeeren en verantwoorden, op poene dat, bij manquement van dien, tegens hem zoude worden geprocedeert als na rechten (welke edictale citatie herhaaldelijk bij termijnen van vier weeken gepubliceerd en allomme geaffigeerd zijnde, zonder dat gemelde Malan, hoe zeer hij ook, gelijk men in ’t zeekere geïnformeerd is, door eene expresse van de, tegens hem geëxpedieerde edictale dagvaerdingen, heeft kennis gekreegen, egter is te voorschijn gekomen) voornoemde landdrost derhalven op den 27e November des gemelde jaars heeft verzogt, een vierde mandament bij edicte ex superabundanti, om vervolgens te dienen van intendit. Dat, terwijl voorseijde Malan op deze, als nog ten overvloede tegen een termijn van zes weeken geëxpedieerde, laatste indaging wederom niet is gecompareerd, maar zig daarentegen vlugtig en latiteerende heeft gehouden, zulks dat hij Malan, behalven de justitie ten hoogsten te hebben versmaad, de hem ten lasten gelegde delicten daar door na rechten niet alleen heeft bekend, maar ook gehouden word van dezelve geconvinceert en overtuijgd te zijn; heeft derhalven gemelde landdrost op den 8e Januarij jongstleeden gediend van intendit, met de stukken daar toe relatief, en na deductie van zaaken, geconcludeert als na rechten.
En gemerkt dergelijke verregaande misdaden, in een land alwaar het regt word gehandhaaft, niet kunnen worden ongestraft gelaten.
Zoo is ’t, dat den edelachtbaare Raade van Justitie dezes gouvernements, ten dage dienende, met attentie gelezen en geresumeerd hebbende het schriftelijk intendit van den koopman en landdrost der coloniën Stellenbosch en Drakensteijn, Hendrik Lodewijk Bletterman, en de tegens meergemelde David Malan Davidsz genomene conclusie, voorts gelet op de daarnevens gevoegde stukken en den contumatie van den defaillant, gelijk ook, op alles dat reflectie meriteerde en hun edelachtbaare konde doen moveeren, recht doende uijt naam ende van weegens de hoogmogende Heeren Staaten Generaal der Vereenigde Nederlanden, den defaillant en latitant David Malan Davidsz heeft gedeporteerd van zijne qualiteit als cornet der burger cavallerij aan Stellenbosch, en wijders uijt dit gouvernement en den ressorte van dien gebannen, gelijk hun edelachtbaare denzelven daaruijt bannen bij dezen, op poene van zoo, wanneer ooijt in handen van justitie mogt komen te geraken, als dan na merite te zullen gestraft worden, met condemnatie van den gedaagden in alle de ter dezer zake gevallene kosten.
Aldus gedaan ende gesententieerd aan Cabo de Goede Hoop, den 5e Maart 1789, mitsgaders gepronuntieerd in ’t Casteel de Goede Hoop, den 28e daaraanvolgende.
[get.] J. Rhenius, T.C. Rönnekamp, Johs. Smuts, C.G. Maasdorp, G.H. Meijer, M. Appel, Js. Cd. Gie, R.J. v.d. Riet, O.G. de Wet.
Mij praesent, [get.] W.S. v. Rijneveld, geswoore clercq.