An answere to the Hollanders declaration, concerning the occurrents of the East-India. The first part. Written by certaine marriners, lately returned from thence into England 1622 Approx. 47 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 17 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A03477 STC 13599 ESTC S104145 99839884 99839884 4344 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A03477) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 4344) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1382:17) An answere to the Hollanders declaration, concerning the occurrents of the East-India. The first part. Written by certaine marriners, lately returned from thence into England Churchman, Bartholomew. [2], 14, [16] p. Printed [by Nicholas Okes], [London] : 1622. Signed at end "Bartholomew Churchman", who probably compiled the whole. A reply to "The Hollanders declaration of the affaires of the East Indies", which was a translation of: Waerachtich verhael, van 't geene inde eylanden van Banda, inden jaere sestien-hondert eenentwintich, ede te vooren is ghepasseert. Printer's name from STC. The second part either comprises quires C and D, or was evidently never published. Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. 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Waerachtich verhael, van 't geene inde eylanden van Banda, inden jaere sestien-hondert eenentwintich, ede te vooren is ghepasseert Banda Aceh (Indonesia) -- History -- Early works to 1800. 2006-07 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-08 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-11 Celeste Ng Sampled and proofread 2006-11 Celeste Ng Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion An Answere to the Hollanders Declaration , concerning the Occurrents of the East-India . The first Part. Written by certaine Marriners , lately returned from thence into England . Printed 1622. AN ANSWERE TO THE HOLLANders Declaration concerning the Occurrents of the East-India . THere was of late two Currants published , bearing date , the one , the 8. of February , the other , the 28. In these two Currants sundry , both incredible and intollerable wrongs and grieuances were made knowne , which the Hollanders of the East-Indies had inflicted and enforced vpon the English company of the East-Indies . Sithence the printing of these two Currants , the Hollanders haue published a Pamphlet entituled , A declaration of the affaires of the East-Indies . This declaration was published ( as by the discourse may appeare ) in answer of the two Currants aboue mentioned , for the whole scope of the declaration tendeth to no other end , but to iustifie their owne right in the East-Indies , and thereupon to charge the English with wrongs done to them , that thereby the world might be made beleeue that whatsoeuer extremities or hard measures they offered to the English , they were vrged and prouoked thereunto by the vniust dealing of the English , and the wrongs first offered by them : How soeuer the English prouoked the Hollanders in India , the Hollanders by this declaration doe vrge and prouoke the English to defend themselues against so false and fabulous slanders imposed vpon them . Is it not too much that the Hollanders most vniustly oppressed vs in India , but that they must proceede further to slander vs in England . They spoyled vs of our goods in forraigne parts , and now they practice to depriue vs from all hope of reliefe in our owne Countrey ? What reliefe & remedy can we expect , if by our own desert and prouocation wee drew and vrged the Hollanders to practice what they did vpon vs. Where punishment is deserued the offenders are condemned and their complaints contemned : It is an old Prouerbe , Giue losers leaue to speake ; Our losses are without compare , to lose our liues and liberty , to lose our goods , to lose our trade and trafficke , and now lastly in our owne Countrey to lose the honest reputation of men , of Englishmen , of English Merchants , of the English company of East-India . This is a losse irrecouerable , as an Heathen Historian writeth ; Maiora sunt fame & fidei damna , quam que sarciri possunt : The losse of a good name , the losse of trust and credit are losses irrecouerable . But thanks bee to Almightie God who doth alwayes protect the innocent : This Declaration of the Hollanders entended and published for our vtter vn doing and disgrace , offereth vnto vs in two respects both hope and helpe , so that wee may say to the Hollanders as the primatiue Christians said of Iulian the Apostata ; Voluntatem nocendi habes , potestatem auiem non habes Iuliani : We vnderstand your intents O Hollanders , to ouerthrow vs , but you want power , wee doe not meane your Sea power ( which is too potent ) but we meane of your malice , which is by the iudgement of God vtterly confounded : if in this Declaration of yours , your will and malice had ioyned in equall power , wee the oppressed English might haue for borne to haue complained of our wrongs , with shame & confusion ; of whom or what should we complaine , if our selues vrged , prouoked and deserued our owne misfortunes . But as wee haue said , thanks bee to Almighty God , who hath conuerted Hamon his Gallowes entended against Mordocheus , to his owne confusion , like as he hath suffered you to publish a Declaration to cut your owne throats : what could you deuise to write and publish more opposite to what you intended , more to disgrace your selues in conuincing you of falshood , more to honor , acquite and cleere the English then this Declaration ? All which shall manifestly appeare in the examination of your declaration , which followeth . To begin with the very first lines and page , you affirme , that all the Ilands of Banda from the tenth of August 1609. were by a speciall Treaty and agreement made with the Orange Cayus the Magistrates of the Ilands , put vnder the protection of the States of Netherlands : how vntrue this is , let all men iudge , when as you confesse in the latter end of the first page , and in the beginning of the second , were afterward broken and violated ; And that the Ilanders withheld their fruits and spices , that they enforced & robbed their Ware-houses , murthered at sundry times and places diuers of the principall Officers , committies , and seruants of the Netherlands company , taking away their ships & prouision , what could the Hollanders say lesse then to pretend an agreement ? and what or how could alledge & proue more directly to conuince them selues of vntruth then so plainly & largely confesse the recited hostilities , practised by the Bandineses against them : what an agreement could this bee where there was so great an auersion of the Ilanders mindes , declared by the hostile deeds which they practised against the Hollanders , they might perhaps say , there was a Treatie ; but such hostile practices manifestly proue there could bee no agreement . The Hollanders proceede further , from the yeer 1609. to the yeere 1616. where they speake of another agreement concluded in May , by one of the Netherlanders Commanders called Lam. And another agreement made by their Gouernour Generall called Reall , in the yeere 1617. which they confesse were both shortly after broken by the Bandineses , but how ? Here commeth in the maine matter , the Bandineses rebelled through the animating of the English , who did openly ayd and assist them with victuals , munition , great Ordinance , men , and ships . In this second Page here are strange wrongs offered to the Hollanders by the Bandineses and the English , nay , to God himselfe , of which wee must first speake . The Bandineses enforced Christians to turne Moores againe . First , let vs aske you who conuerted these turne-coate Christians , did you ? Admit you did . Next let vs aske you to what kinde of Christianity did you conuert them , if to that kinde of Christianity to which one Chircke , the Master of a Ship called the Sampson , which you wrongfully tooke from the English , the offence of the Bandineses was the lesse , if they compelled the inhabitants to forsake such Christianity , for your owne Countrey men in the East-Indies doe and did openly & iestingly confesse that Chircke was a Cuckold before he was a Christian , for being married in Holland , hee left his wife with his familiar friends , who did out of their familiar loue encrease the family in the Husbands absence ; It was two or three yeers after that Chircke was christned . Such Christians may quickly turne Moores who delay Baptizing till thirty fiue . But to returne to the heauy burden with which the English are charged ; namely , to animate , to aide and assist the Bandineses , it were necessary that the Hollanders should set downe the causes which moued the English to ioyne so sarre with the Bandineses , for the causes doe either lesson or agrauate the charge imposed vpon the English : they must either say the English ayded the Bandineses directly against the Hollanders without further respect , which they cannot proue , or they must alleadge , which themselues in their Declaration , doe proue that the English did endeauour to defend them with whom they had free trade and trafficke , who louingly and with free consent sold to the English their spices , &c. who put themselues vnder the protection of the English , who yeelded the Ilands of Polawaye , Polerone and Lantore , vnder the obeysance of the King of England , which if they would they cannot deny , for they confesse that the English had mounted ordinance vpon all these Ilands : why should the English plant their ordinance vpon these Ilands but to defend their right . How could the English plant their Ordinance vpon the Ilands but with free consent of the Bandinesses , at what time did the English plant their Ordinance in these Ilands of Banda ? The Hollanders confesse before they came to the Ilands ; for they found them in the Ilands : now where is the wrong that the English haue done the Hollanders ? and in what because the English did hinder the agreements so often made betwixt the Hollanders and the Bandinesses , why for eleuen yeares the Hollanders confesse there was neuer any , as in the third page they say : In this wilfulnesse did the Bandinesses continue till in Iune 1620. Thus hitherto it is plainely acknowledged the Hollanders neuer had any landing , any Castle or Fort , any trading in the Ilands of Banda , but what was gotten by force and absolute constraint : If the Hollanders could proue so much for themselues as they doe for the English ; the English then might haue blushed for shame . In all this time that the Hollanders maintained hostility with the Bandinesses there is no mention made that the Bandinesses euer offered any opposition against the English , or once denied them their Spices , but that they had trade and trafficke with them freely and friendly , now if consent and prescription of time be the best claime the Hollanders would haue for the Ilands of Banda , why the Englishmen go farre beyond them , the Bandinesses did neuer violate any agreement made with the English , they neuer kept any pretended agreement made with the Hollanders , the Englishmen in eleuen yeeres were neuer expelled , the Hollanders in all that time were neuer entertained , but in all hostile manner : The English men had offer at all times of Nutmegs and Mace , so had the Hollanders neuer at any time , but what they got by violence and compulsion ; all which is acknowledged in the third Page , and the beginning of the fourth . We passe ouer many acknowledgements and confessions of the Hollanders , because they all tend but to two ends , to iustifie themselues , and condemne the English ; and because there is sufficient obseruation giuen , that in iustifying themselues , they disgrace themselues , and in practising to disgrace the English , they doe them great honor . But to deale plainely and truely , not to abuse the world with vntruths , nor to wrong the Hollanders without cause , we doe confesse ; The Bandineses made one famous agreement with the Hollanders , which wee well remember , euen in that yeere in which they report they had made agreement with the Bandineses . In Iune 1609. after they had by force taken from them a Towne called Noara , and making them flye to the backeside of the coast , to a place which they called Nassaw . Van Hofe the generall made shew of loue & friendship with the Bandineses , which they perceiuing and desirous to reuenge the wrongs and cruelties offered vnto them by the Hollanders , did dissemble their intents , entertaining Van Hoofe with vaine hopes , promising him to come to some agreement , by which meanes they drew Van Hoofe with three score or more of his Commanders and Souldiers vnto a place in which the Bandineses had aduantage . Now insteed of agreement , in warlike manner they set vpon Van Hoofe and slew him and almost his company . This is the best agreement that wee euer knew or heard the Bandineses euer made with the Hollanders during a leauen or twelue yeeres . Presently after this , in Iuly after , Captaine Bitter who among all the Commanders escaped , when Van Hoofe was slaine , attempted to supprize another Towne caled Slamma ; hee was sought withall by the Bandineses , and wounded in the thigh , of which wound he shortly dyed . Now it appeareth manifestly without denyall vpon this former examination of the Hollanders declaration that the right to the Hands of Banda was principally yeelded by free consent of the Ilanders , confirmed by many yeeres trade and trafficke without any opposition in any hostile manner , but with mutuall enter course of all loue and amity . This the Hollanders doe confesse , and what proofe can be more pregnant then the testimony of an aduersary : Where is now any wrong which the English hath done the Hollanders , except it bee a wrong to maintaine them , who with free and generall consent put themselues vnder the protection of the King of England ? or a wrong to defend them who willingly trafficke and trade with the English , or a wrong to maintaine that right which the Hollanders acknowledge the English had in the Iland of Banda : These be all the wrongs which the Hollanders doe or can charge the English withall . But now on the other side , what extreame wrongs doe the English charge vpon the Hollanders ? In two Currants printed the eight of February , and the twenty eight 1629. the Hollanders are charged with most barbarous and inhumane wrongs done to the English , all which they passe ouer in their Declaration without any answere at all , whereby in silence they cannot but pleade guilty : to confesse them they are a shamed , and to deny them they cannot , but in their accustomed pollicy they seeke to auoyd them by way of infinuation , that the English deserued them in ayding and assisting the Bandineses against them . There were two Orators of Athens very great and inward friends , before the Iudges the one did accuse , the other defend a Magistrate of Athens , whereupon the one Orator did challenge the other that he had dealt very vnkindly with him to defend his mortall enemy , and thou as vnkindly with me , quoth the other , to accuse my dearest friend . This is iust the like challenge betwixt the Hollanders and the English : Why doe you say the Hollanders defend our greatest enemies ? And why doe you say the English oppose against our dearest friends ? Yet in this challenge there is a difference , for the English haue more cause to defend their friends , then the Hollanders haue cause to oppose against their enemies , English men haue a right by consent , Hollanders haue nothing but by constraint . Iust defence is more honest and honourable then vniust opposition is , either by Lawes of God or man warrantable . To proceede on with the cruell , and inhumane wrongs done by the Hollanders , to the English , by so much more barbarous and inhumane , by how much the English of all Nations in the world , did least deserue it . What ? deserue any hard measures from the Hollanders ? To what Nation vnder the Coape of Heauen , are they so much bound as to the English , who hath fostered and nursed them vp to this greatnesse , but the English ? what Nation hath shed so much blood , lost the the liues of so many gallant Captaines , Commanders , and Souldiers , to ayde and defende them as the English ? What Nation hath lent them , and spent vpon them so much money and treasure , as the English haue done , when they were in their extreemest weaknesse , and pouerty ? when and where did the English euer fayle them . If for these causes , the English haue deserued at the Hollanders , hands , to haue their shippes taken , and made prize , their goods confiscate , and conuerted to their owne vses , their Captaines , Souldiers , Factors , & Mariners , taken prisoners , held in miserable seruitude , clogged with yorns , kept in stockes , bound hand and foote , tied to stakes , haling , and pulling them with ropes about their neckes , spurning them like dogges , throwing them headlong downe rockes and clifts , killing , murthering , staruing , and pining them to death , enforcing them to carry lime , and stone for their buildings . Landing them amongst the Pagan people , without all prouision whatsoeuer , exposing them to the mercy of miscreants of whom notwithstanding they sound better vsage then of the Hollanders . When as the Hollanders robbed , and spoyled other Nations vnder the English coulers , pretending to disgrace the English , that they were English men , counterfeiting the coyne of other nations , charging the English with the same . Laying the English , whom they held as prisoners aboue hatches , where the Sunne scorched them in the day , and where their ordutes and pisle fell vpon them in the night , till they grew more loathsome and filthie then Leapers , barring the English , as much as in them lay , from all commerse and trade in the Indies . As all these perticulars are directly to be proued by men yet liuing , who either endured , or their eyes saw , what is heare reported , and will be ready vpon all occasions either with their liues or oathes to iustifie for truth , what they haue endured , and what they haue seene with their eyes . Let all the world iudge whether English men haue deserued these vsages , at the Hollanders hands : VVhere as some people either affected to the Hollanders , or thinking it to strange , and monsterous , that Christians should domineare ouer Christians , with such inhumane and barbarous cruelty , rather tyranoy , except the English had prouoked them heauily thereunto . Let all such who harbour any such conceits , reade and consider what is before answered to such obiections : the Hollanders in their declaration being charged in the two first Currants , with may of these extreame wrongs inflicted vpon the English , they make no deniall of them : make a chalenge that the English did ayde and assist the Bandineses against them ; it hath formerly bene alleaged , and sufficiently proued , by their owne confession , that the English did not maintaine the Ileanders , by way of opposing against the Hollanders , but they did as much as in them lay , to defend the right of the King of England , they did defend that right which they had by consent , they did defend that people , who did so freely , and friendly trade and trafficke with them , other causes then their so honest , so iust agreeing with the Lawes of God , of nature , and Nations , they neither do or can alleadge any : some other inconsiderat people , who enuy the prosperity of the East-Indian Merchants will further say , to cloase with the Hollanders , that these extremities were offered in India , onely and no where else to the English , for proffe of the contrary , wee of the East-Indian Company do chalenge all the Merchants which trauaile or trafficke East , VVest , North , or South , to deliuer their knowledge what indignities they haue endured from the Hollanders in Turkey , in the Straights , in Moscony , in Groynland , at Neusoundland ; and where not so that not onely the East-Indian Company hath onely cause to complaine : yea , they wrong Englishmen in their owne seas , at home , as is generally knowne : Now because Hollanders may say , that they are charged with generalities , without perticular instances . Generall speaches beeing a common cause to aggrauate causes , and be auoyded except the Generall bee proued by perticulars , because they shall find that wee cannot want of particulers our of infinite , there shal bee heare following deliuered some by men yet liuing , who haue both seene them , and endured them . In the Roade of Patanye in the East-Indies the 17. of Iuly 1619. the two ships called the Sampson and the Hound , riding there at Anchour , three ships of the Netherlands set vpon them with might and maine , after fiue howers fight , eleuen of the men in the Sampson were slaine out-right , and fiue and thirty men of the same ship were wounded , maymed and dismembred , at this time Captaine Iorden was Captaine of the Sampson , and did hang vp a flagge of Truce , and withall sent Thomas Hackwell , Maister of the Sampson , to the Netherlanders to parlee about a peacc . The Examination of Thomas Hackwell the 25. of Ianuary . 1621. Thomas Hackwell being sworne and examined vppon certaine Articles ministred on the behalef of the right worshipful , the English company of Merchants trading to the East India aforesaid , saith and deposeth thereto as followeth . TO the first of the said Articles he saith , & deposeth by charge of his oath , that in the Roade of Pattany in the East India , vpon the 17. day of Iuly . 1619. last past , the Sampson whereof this examinant was Master , and the Hound belonging to the English Company , were forceably assaulted by three ships of the Hollanders , ( viz. ) The Angell , the Morning Starre , and the Burgarboate , whereof Hendricke Iohnson was commander , and after fiue glasses fight two houres and a halfe , eleuen of the sayd ship the Sampson , her men being slaine outright , fiue dismembred , and about thirty otherwise wounded , Captaine Iourdaine being then in the sayd ship the Sampson and Commander of her , caused a flagge of truce to be hung out , and sent this examinant in the Sampsons boate , aboard the Flemmings , to treate with them for a peace , and at the hanging out of the said flagge of truce , and when this examinant left the said Captaine Iourdaine to goe aboord the Flemmings , he was wel ; But aboue halfe an houre after the said flag of truce was so hung out , and this examinant was in parlee with the Flemmings about the sayde peace , Captaine Iourdaine not exspecting any violence from the Flemmings during the sayd Parlee , shewed himselfe aboard the Sampson before the main Mast vpon the gratings , where the Flemmings espying him , most treacherously and cruelly shot at him with a Musket , and shot him into the body neere the heart ; of which wound he died within halfe an houre after . And this hee saith by charge of his oath . To the second hee saith , That after the said Ships , the Sampson and the Hound were surprized by the Hollanders in the said fight at Patany , as aforesaid , the greatest part of their men , by the command of the Dutch , were brought aboord the Angell , their Admirall : And there notwithstanding , diuerse of them in the said fight were much burnt with Gun-pounder , and wounded with splinters , and thereby suffred miserable torment , yet they the sayd Dutch most vnchristianly and inhumanly caused and forced them to put their legs downe through the gratings , and so seized them , and tyed them to the Capsten Barres , insomuch that still as any man had occasion to goe and ease himselfe , his legs were so swelled by reason of the extraordinary hard tying of them , that the Carpenter was alwaies fetched to make bigger the holes , at which they were put downe to get out their legs againe . And this he saith by charge of his oath is most true . To the third he saith , That he knoweth that the Dutch at Iackatra , doe cause all China men , residing and bartering there , to pay monthly 6. shillings vppon a head , or else you shall not sell any commodity there to the English , and this he hath seene diuers of China men pay at Iackatra . To the fourth he saith , That vpon the third day of March last was twelue month , aboard the new Zealand then riding in Bantam roade , this examinant , with three or foure oathes , did heare one Clause Derickson , then vpper stearsman of the Dutch ship called the Southern-Indraught , sayd that the States in Holland had bin plotting that warre betweene the English and the Dutch in the Indie seuen yeares before . To this last Article is witnesse , Thomas Hackwell . William Shaples . Henrie Backtasel . Bartholomew Churchman . Antony Piccot . The deposition of Bartholomew Churchman . I do affirme , that they haue many times termed vs slaues to the king of Holland , & that we should all be sent to the Moluccaes to rowe in their Gallies , and so be kept bond-slaues vnder them during our liues . More I affirme , that they haue kept 12. of vs in a dungeon at Poloway , and 24. at Aomboyna , by the comand of Lawrence Riall then Generall , but now returned into Holland , where they pist and ( ) vppon our heads , and in this manner we lay , vntill such time as we were broken out from top to toe , like lepers , hauing nothing to eate but durty Rice , and stinking raine-water , insomuch as if it had not beene for a Dutch woman , named mistresse Cane , & some poore Blackes that brought vs a little fruite , we had all starued in that place , as many of our company did , besides the extremitie which they vsed to manyothers , which they had in prison at other Ilands where they perished , leauing their wiues and children here in England ready to starue for want of maintenance . The names of the 10. other men which lay in Poloway are these : Bartholomew Churchman . Iacob Lane. Kellam Throgmorton . Mathew Willis . William Burris . Cassarion David . George Iaokson . George Pettice . Walter Stacy . Rhichard Phillips . At Amboyna , Richard Swanley , William Brookes , and 12. more , whose names I well know not , nor cannot remember , put into a dungeon , with forty Indians all in a hole , hauing no place to ease themselues . Bartholomew Churchman . The last of October , 1617. Iohn Tucker affirmeth . That the Dutch men tooke the Dragon , the Expedition , the Beare , and the Rose , and deliuered onely the Rose , and that there being in the Dragon a present from the King of Achai for the King of England , called by them a Creese ( that is to say ) a Dagger , which they doe detaine to this houre . This is true , I vnder written do affirme , and testifie that it was not done by base Rognes ( as they term it ) but some of the principall Commanders . Iohn Tucker . After the taking of these ships , there were aboue three hundred and fiftie men set out of the foure shippes which were on shoare , exposed vnto the mercie of the Indians , where they found more curtesie then of the Hollanders , otherwise they had all perished . That all these abuses , and many more which wee haue formerly receiued by them , are true , we will maintaine vpon our oathes , and with our liues against any of their Nation , or others that shall gaine-say this trueth . Yet notwithstanding all this being ( by the goodnesse of almighty God ) returned into our owne Countrey , wee haue no satisfaction for these intollerable iniuries , nor any consideration for two thirds of our wages most barbarously kept from vs. Articles of abuses done by the Hollanders at the Iland of Moloccas , and other places of the East Indies , aswell against our Soueraigne Lord the Kings Maiestie ; as also against vs , and other Englishmen , since the yeare of our Lord , one thousand fixe hundred and sixteene ; not onely before the Peace , but also since , vntill the moneth of March , one thousand six hundred and twentie , that we came out of the Indies , in the good Shippe called the Iames. The second day of the month of February , in the yeare of our Lord 1616. the Swanne was surprized and taken by the Hollanders , at the Ilands of Banda , and her men kept prisoners till the eight and twenty of Aprill following . At which time the Hollanders carried fiue and twenty of the English to the Moloccaes , where they were very hardly and inhumanely vsed , being fettered and shackelled in the day time , and close locked vp a nights . And from the month of Maie , vntill the end of September , they were compelled to carrie stone and lime for the building of Forts there ; which if any refused to do , they were kept in Stocks and Irons till they would worke ; and were notwithstanding also very hardly vsed , for their victualls , insomuch that the one halfe of them died through their hard vsage . When wee were first taken , wee were possessed of diuerse goodes , prouisions and meanes wherewith to relieue our selues , which they presently tooke from vs , and left vs not so much as wherewith to couer our bodies . Whereof when we complained to Iohn Ellias who was Lieutenant to one Garret Derickson in the Trow . hoping that he would haue had some commiseration of our miseries , and long lying in Irons , bad vsage for want of meate , drinke , lodging , and other things : The sayd Ellias and the rest of his company did thereupon , and many other times say vnto vs , That he cared not for vs , nor for any of our Countreymen ; and that if they should take vs and hang vs vp , wee had our deserts : Yea , they vsed other grosse and base speeches , not fit to bee spoken of . We affirme , that the said Iohn Ellias and his companie said , that they had little need of Englishmen ; for they in Holland were able of a sodaine to make and furnish 24000. of flat-bottomd boates , such as Parma would haue landed vpon the English shore in 88. And also sayd , that they had of their owne Nation and Countreymen at the least 40000. strong in England , that presently , vpon the least occasion , would rise in Armes , and bend their forces speedily against vs in our owne Countrey . We affirme , that Laurence Ryall , who was their Generall , caused Grates and Cages to be made in their Shippe , and did put vs therein , and carryed vs in them bound in Irons from Port to Port amongst the Indians , and thus in scornefull and deriding manner and sort spake vnto the Indians as followeth : Behold and see , heere is the people of that Nation , whose King you care so much for . But now you may heereby plainely behold how kindly wee vse his Subiects ; making them beleeue , that Englishmen were their Vassals and Slaues . Besides all this , they kept many of vs fast bound and fettered in Irons , in most loathsome and darke stinking dungeons , and gaue vs no sustenance , but a little durtie Rice to eate , and a little stinking raine-water to drinke . So that many of our English fainting in their sights , for want of competent sustenance or other lodging at their hands : for want whereof many dyed , who were fetcht out of the Dungeons , and so basely buried , more like Dogges then Christians . About the fift of May , in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and nineteene , wee hauing ouer-passed many hungrie dayes , and cold nights Lodging , in cold Irons and darke Dungeons , and thinking it not possibly able for vs to endure those miseries any longer , made meanes that some of vs came to Iohn Peter Socoma , their Generall that now is , and desired his Lordship ( which Title hee duly lookes for in the East Indies ) that hee would consider of our extreame wants , and miseries , and helpe vs to some better sustenance . And further wee desired him , that hee would bee so much our friend , as to ease vs of our Irons but for the day time : Whereupon the sayd Generall most wickedly replyed with base speeches , and bade vs bee gone , and trouble him no more ; for if wee did , hee would cause vs all to bee hanged speedily . So that wee were forced to returne from whence wee came with heauie hearts , hauing no hope but in the Almightie , to whom wee prayed to turne their hearts , and to release vs of our miseries . Vpon the thirteenth of May , in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and nineteene , the Dutch went a-shore at Iaparre ; and there they wickedly and maliciously burnt downe the Towne , and the English House there , and from thence forcibly tooke away the English Flagge , and in great disdaine of our Countrey trayled our Flagge after them in the durt through the Towne , and towed it aboord their shippe at their boats stearne ; but what they did with it afterwards , we know not . Vpon the eighteenth day of the moneth of Nouember , and in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred and nineteene , they tooke one Bartholomew Churchman , and clapt him vp in Irons , and set him where hee sate in the raine and coldc stormes of the night , and in the day time , where the hot Sunne shone vpon him , and scorched him , without any shelter at all : and this they did to him , only because he strucke a base fellow that spake such words against our late Queene Annes Maiestie , as are not fit to be repeated : which words , as also diuers other which they spake against our dread Soueraigne , wee dare not relate , as being too odious to be vsed in a subiects mouth touching his Prince : Howbeit , might licence and freedome of speech be granted vs , to make knowne the base flaunderous and detracting speeches of that Nation against our King and Countrey , that we might not incurre any danger of his Maiesties displeasure by the repeating them , it would sufficiently make knowne the pride and crueltic of that people , who did not then let to say that they made no account of our King , nor any of his subiects . The seauenteenth day of the moneth of March , and in the yeere of our Lord God euerlasting , one thousand sixe hundred and nineteenth , their Gouernor of the Moloccas gaue order for the release of the English there , and appoynted thirtie of them to be carried to Aombonias , from thence to be sent into England or Holland . But the gouernor of Aombonias , perceiuing them to be arriued , hee vtterly refused to discharge them , and forced them to serue in their 3. ships , that went to the Manelees as men of waire , which if any refused to doe , they were to rowe in their Gallies chained like vnto slaues ; in which voyage to the Manelees , foureteene of our men went in the Saint Michael , which were lost , and neuer since heard on , whose names doe follow : George Trigges , Iohn Edwards , Iames Welch , Iohn Crocket , William Nichols , Robert Gilbert , Matthew Gilbert , Giles Lipscombe , Arthur ●ap , Edward Parker , William Vese , Iohn King , Iohn Ouer , and William Smith Chirurgeon . Wee affirme , that they hauing Arrian Ellis , Edward Reade , and William Ponell , 3. Englishmen prisosoners , in their ship called the Bantam , they chained them in Irons , and layed them in the Beake-head , straitly prohibiting all others to come neare them , to giue them any other foode then their allowance , which was so small that meere hunger compelled those three prisoners to throw the dice who should cut each others throat ; and so they did throw the dice to that end , but were disclosed before anie of them were slaine , so that they were thereupon sundred , and sent into other ships . They haue taken our men , and without any cause haue stripped and whipped them openly in the market place ; they haue also beaten vp their Drumme , and called the Blackes together to see it done . They will not suffer vs to weare , or spread in our English houses in those parts where they haue any command , any colours that are our Kings colours . The Coppie of a Letter sent vnto the Dutch in the East Indies , from their English Captiues at the Iland of Monoboca , the nineteenth day of March one thousand sixe hundred and eighteene , and deliuered vnto Captayne William Iohnson , Commaunder of the Angell . COnsideration in things of difficultie is requisite : and therefore much requisite in these our vnchristian-like miseries . But because this hath beene but sleightly respected , we are now resolued to tell you of all your perfidiousnesse . First , Grippe got aduantage to surprize our shippes , and made a vowe , not to touch life , nor goods in any sort . But since the contrary hath beene so much proued , that Grippe and his confederates are now seene to be forsworne , as shortly after their actions did shew , in taking away euen those things , which with their consent wee did saue , and bring aboord your shippe called the Trowe . At that time we being indungeoned at Pollaway , ( besides all the Pagan-like vsage of that cruell man , Laurence Ryall ) we were by Vanhoose kept in such extreame miserie , with stinking water , and Rice halfe full of stones and durt ( scarce able to keepe life and soule together ) that had not Derrickson Van lame graunted the English at Pollo-Roone , free accesse to Pollaway to bring vs reliefe , wee had beene all ere this time starued for want . But we passed away that time in expectation of better fortunes , which you haue all from time to time promised ; yet now againe our miseries are thrice redoubled : for since wee came to this place , you haue not onely vsed vs most basely in other things , but also haue taken away from vs euen that poore sustenance , which wee bought with our owne monies ; and this hath bene done by that enuious man the Maister , whom your Commaunders doe suffer to be their Commander , rather then their inferiour . If you consider all his actions , the refreshing which wee haue bought , hath beene but small , that is to say , foure small hennes and cockes , and euen them hath the Maister taken away , and eaten them in the great Cabbin , which dealing of his , if it bee Christian-like , we refer it to your owne discretion : and now at last , for a smal cause , or nothing at all , to be thus handled , is a ten times worse affliction , then euer was inflicted vpon vs , for to chaine vs vp like so many dogs , and to let vs lie in the raine and stormes of the night , without any shelter , which is also brought to passe by the Maister : For ( Commander ) * we considering your gentlenes , so that you can dispense with rigor : Therefore that miserie that we endure is not by your meanes , but by the masters and theirs that be of his mind ; and this is of a truth , that euen your hogges after their kind lie a nights drier , then we after our kind being Christians : and our griefe is the more , because your men of the blacke Lyon , being taken by our English , were vsed like men , and we like abiects of the world , to be thus vsed like dogges , being subiects to the Kings Maiestie of England , and in good respect with our imployers . But God that is aboue all , knowes all , and in his good time will remedy all . Thus much we haue thought good to certifie vnto you , not in the way of intreaty , for that we see is vaine , but onely that you may know , we now neuer looke to come aliue out of your hands : for by all manifest appearance , you seeke to take euen our liues from vs : and this shall bee a true argument of our grieued hearts , witnessing to all men , how vnchristianlike wee haue bin , and are vsed by you , for in all this wee haue not expressed the tenth part of your cruelty , yet we hope , that for this time it shall be a sufficient light vnto you for that which hath bin from time to time , practised by you against the English . Giuen at the Iland of Monaboca . the 19. of March. 1618. Subscribed by Cassarian Dauid . Bartholomew Churchman . George Pettys . Vpon the receipt of this letter , wee three aforenamed were layed in Irons for eighteene moneths following , with such barbarous vsage as is not to be imagined to be vsed amongst Christians . Vpon the newes of the taking of our two ships called the Sampson and the Hound in Patania Roade , Hendericke Iohnson the Commander of three ships . viz. the Angell , the Morning Starre , and the Burger-Boate , sent a letter by the vpper Steresman of the Starre , ( who had but one arme ) to their Generall Iohn Peeter Sacone then at Iacotra of the taking of our two ships , He , the said Sacone then said , you haue now , Henricke Iohnson , giuen me good satisfaction , in that Captaine Iordan is dead , & at his returne thither gratified him with 1400. Gilders , in a chaine of gold , putting it himself about his necke , not leauing any one vnrewarded , that had beene at the taking of our two ships , and a 100. peeces of eight to him that shot him , notwithstāding our flag of truce was hung out . We affirme also that the sayd Generall Iohn Peeter Sacone vpon the newes brought him by a ship called the Hart from the coast of Carmandele of the death of Sir Thomas Dale , then said ; Dale is dead , and Iordans blood I haue , if I had George Cockins life too I were then satisfied . An answer to obiections made by the Hollanders that the English were the cause of the first breach in the East Indies . Whereas the Hollanders affirme that Sir Thomas Dale and Captaine Iordane were the prime cause of all the differences betwixt the two Companies . This we affirme and can proue , that both Sir Thomas Dale and Captaine Iordane were both in England when the Defence and the Swan were taken , and also that very inhumanely they tooke the Defence when for reliefe being put from their Anchor at Polorone in a storme , they came into one of their harbors for succor . They tooke the ship , and detemed her men prisoners , likewise in rescue , wee following they tooke a Pinnice of ours called the Speed-Well , going to Iacatra , one of our men they slew , and the rest they layd in Irons as prisoners , amongst which one Richard Tayler Carpenter of the sayde Pinnice , who at that time had the bloody fluxe , who dying in their hands in Irons , they tooke the dead carkasse of the said deceased , and put him into a bush , with his head downeward , and his heeles vpward , and sayd in most barbarous manner , that there was a stert man , that is a man with a taile with his heeles vpward , and there his carkasse rotted in the bush . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is to be proued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then comming out of England , hardly cleare of the Coast , when they tooke both these ships , vpon faire termes of Composition : namely with promise to giue vs our liues , goods , and libertie . They robbed vs of all our goods , and kept vs in lamentable manner in Irons ; some of vs three yeeres , some more , some lesse : in which wofull miserie many of our Company 〈◊〉 their daies lamentably ; for in truth they neuer kept any faith , oath , or promise with vs at all , but most proudly , disdainfully , and cruelly demeaned themselues towards vs. Bartholomew Churchman . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A03477-e100 1619. Iaparre , the cruelty there . 1619. Aombonias crueltie . * A sop for Cerberus . 1616. Feb. 2. 1617. 〈…〉