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A61701
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The religion of the Dutch represented in several letters from a Protestant officer in the French army to a pastor and professor of divinity at Berne in Switserland ; out of the French.; Religion des Hollandois. English
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Stoppa, Giovanni Battista.; Davies, John, 1625-1693.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing S5769; ESTC R8262
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51,056
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72
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they are interrogated not one amongst them confesses any thing and there could be no Discoveries made of their being guilty of it But it was for the interest of the Dutch-Company that they should be so That they might be â—ender'd such in appearance they are put to the Torture All â—he several Tortures of Fire and Water were us'd to make them acknowledg what the Dutch would have them to say After some resistance of such Cruel Torments they were at last or'e-press'd by their violence and confess'd whatever they desir'd them But after they had recover'd themselves again they disown'd all they had said in the midst of their Torments nay when they were just at the point of Execution they call'd God to attest their Innocence and besought him to make it appear after the death they were then going to suffer He who was the Commander of that place and the unjust Judg who had condemn'd them were nothing mov'd at though fully convin'd of the Innocence of those Prisoners But there beâ—ng a necessity of their Dying for the interest of the Dutch-Company Nine of the pretended Conspirators were Executed and some of them were set at Liberty who returning into England brought thither the News of that Cruel Massacre Now Sir I would fain know what you would say of so inhumane and so barbarous an Action Will you still allow those to be good Reformed Christians who make no scruple to cut the Throats of their Brethren professing the same Religion as they do for a little Worldly Goods and for their own private Interests This Tragical Story is so well known all over the World that there is not any Dutch man dares deny it Nay an Author of their own Nation one Aitzema in his Book entituled The Lyon-Combatant pag. 211 212 213 214 215. Printed in the Year 1661. gives a very large and particular description of it And he makes out withal how false and unlikely the Accusation brought in against the English was and confidently affirms that it was fram'd upon no other score than that they might have a pretence to put them to death seize into their own hands all the effects of the English Company and by that detestable imposture render themselves Masters of all the Trade of the Moluccoes Amboyna and Banda The same last-mention'd Author does in the same Book page 113. Relate another Story of a greater Cruelty which the Dutch exercis'd upon the English in the Island of Banda He says That the Dutch in order to their becoming Masters of that Island Massacred above Forty English-men and that after they had bound living Persons to dead Carkasses they cast them into the Sea and afterwards possess'd themselves of what they had which amounted to above Five and Twenty Thousand Pounds Sterling True it is that they are somewhat to blame who still reproach the Dutch with those two Actions and particularly with that of Amboyna since they have made a considerable satisfaction for it in the Treaty which was concluded between them and the Protectordome of England in the Year 1654. For the Parliament having enter'd into a War against them which amongst other pâ—etences had that of the Execution at Amboyna the Dutch gave the English several Millions of Guilders not simply to satisfie them for the damages they had caus'd them to suffer which could not have amounted to neer so great a Sum though they had taken away all the effects which they had in that Island and depriv'd them of the advantages they might have made by the Commerce of Thirty Years but also by way of Reparation for the Blood which they had Unjustly spilt and to blot out the remembrance of so barbarous an Action There would be a necessity of compiling a great Volume if it were my design to make a collection of all the Cruel Actions which the Dutch have committed in the Indies and elsewhere upon the pure interest of Commerce But I am apt to think that you will gladly spare me that Trouble and will think no doubt that I have said enough and haply too much upon a subâ—ect which is not divertive to you If then after a serious reflection upon what I have entertain'd you withal you find no abatement of the affection which you had for the Dutch I must acknowledg That your friendship does in steadiness and strength exceed that of any other person in the World And this gives some hopes that you will continue that part of it which you have promis'd me as I assure you of my ever remaining Reverend Sir Your c The Sixth LETTER Reverend Sir IT is no small affliction to me that I have given you an account of some things concerning the Dutch which certainly must have rais'd in you some disgust against me I am therefore out of a pure fear of feeding or augmenting it resolv'd to be very careful in waving to tell you any â—hing henceforward which may give you any perplexity in reference to them Nay I am willing to make you satisfaction for all I have already said to you I acknowledg therefore to humour you that the Dutch are as good Christians and as much of the true way of Reformation as you imagine them to be that is to say the best in the World Though it were so yet I do not think you have any reason to cry out Arms Arms as you do to excite and encourage all that are of the Reformed Persuasion in Europe to come in to their relief You know weâ—l enough that his most Christian Majesty is not engag'd in a War against them upon the matter of Religion but that the reason of his engaging in it was to chastize their ingratitutde to mortifie their violence and to teach them a new Lesson of paying him the respects they owe him and to keep within the bounds of modesty and reason Were it a War upon the score of Religion do you think that the one or the other Branch of the House of Austria that of Germany and that of Spain which are the natural Enemies of our Religion and which ever have been the cruel Persecutors of those who profess it would have openly undertaken the defence of the Dutch in this cause against the interests of the Catholick Religion of which they make it their oftentation That they are the Proâ—â—ctors and especially the King of Spain whom for that reason the Pope has honour'd with the Title of Catholick King But to shew you again how desirous I am to please you I will acknowledg also That this is a War of Religion Let us see whether it will turn to our advantage to raise an Army consisting only of men professing the true Reformed Religion and to bring it into the Servâ—ce of the Dutch Let us make a computation of all those who may be for us and of all those who in this case might be against us But I think it were better we never meddled with that troublesome discrimination which would only convince
And you speak of it as if that refusal of their Forces had been very detrimental to the Kings Affairs and much retarded the Progress of his Conquests And yet it is certain in the mean time That all the best qualify'd Persons in the Councel of that Canton had promis'd to grant the Companies which the most Christian King required of it But One Factious person amongst them occasion'd the breaking of that Resolution upon this score that besides his being a man absolutely devoted to the Dutch ever since his reception of a Present from them when he sojourn'd in this Country he was out of hopes of getting the Command of a Company for one of his own Relations that he might make some advantage thereby But as to the Canton of Zurick I must acknowledg it to be powerful and that it might have rais'd several Companies of good Soldiers I know also That its Councel consists of Persons of very good worth such as have Wit and Honour Vigour and Constancy if the thing had depended upon them and they knew their own Interest much better than to have deny'd his Most Christian Majesty the Forces he had required of them But the mischief of it as you know is That they are not the absolute Masters The Sovereign Authority lies in the hands of the Councel of Two Hundred consisting for the most part of much Heat and little Prospect of much Obstinacy and little Reason It is no wonder then that the Ministers having enflam'd that multitude with the zealous Concern of Religion they could not be dispos'd to grant Forces to his most Christian Majesty though he should have no Design to employ them against the Dutch I must confess further Sir That I am very much astonish'd at your Undertaking to make a confident justification of those Two Cantons for their having deny'd Forces to the most Christian King as also that after you had blamed your own for their having granted a Regiment you should undertake to vindicate all it did afterwards either to have it recall'd or to prevent its being employ'd against the Dutch It will be no hard matter for me to make it appear to you That this Conduct of yours bâ—sides its being most unjust may also be very prejudicial even as to what relates to the interests of Religion You cannot forbear granting your selves to be absolutely unjust if you deny the demeaning of your selves towards his most Christian Majesty as you would have him demean himself towards you For instance If it should happen that you were attack'd by the King of Spain or the Emperour by the Duke of Savoy by the Catholick-Cantons or by some other Prince of the same Religion you would desire That his most Christian Majesty would assist you against them by vertue of the Alliance there is between you and him If the King should deny you the Forces you desired and alledge That he could not assist you being of the Reformed Religion against Catholick Princes you would complain of it and affirm That the Most Christian King does not observe the Alâ—iance he has made with you How then do you not see that the most Christian King has just cause of complaining That you are unwilling to supply him with Forces against the Dutch because they are of the Reformed Religion Do you not further observe That by your indiscreet Zeal you deprive your selves of all the Advantages which you might expect from the Alliance there is between You and the most Christian King by giving him just cause to deny you assistance if you should come to desire it of him If the Duke of Savoy should enter into a War against you upon the Pretensions he has to the Country of Vaud tell me Whether you would be so presumptuous as to desire assistance from the Most Christian King You would not have your Forces to serve his most Christian Majesty against the Dutch bâ—cause they are of our Reformed way of Religion though they are not your Allies By what Right can you pretend That the most Christian King should give you Forces to serve you who are not of his Religion against a Catholic Prince who besides his being in alliance with him has also the honour of being nearly related to him Besides you make but an ill acknowlâ—dgment of the Favour which the most Christian King did you not Two Years since when he openly undertook your protection against the Bishop of Basil who was going to give you some disturbance He had establish'd a Catholick Church upon some part of your Territories as he pretended that he had a right to do The Pope the Emperour and the King of Spain had openly taken his part by reason of the Concern of the Catholick Religion The most Christian King having been inform'd That he had not any Right to establish that Church upon your Territories sent a Message to him That if he did not restore things to the condition they were in before and forbear making any alteration he would openly grant you assistance against him You know Sir That the said Prelate standing more in awe of the most Christian King's Indignation than relying on the Succours of the Pope the Emperour and the King of Spain thought in his best course to renounce his Pretensions and to give over disturbing you If the most Christian King had done then what you have done at the present he would have been far enough from entertaining so much as a thought of protecting you being of the Reformed Religion against a Bishop especially in a Cause wherein the Interest of the Catholick Religion was concern'd You know also That the Emperour and the King of Spain who have a particular Alliance with the Catholick Cantons are oblig'd to assist them in case they should enter into a Warre against you or against the other Protestant Cantons Now it is manifest That upon such occasions you cannot hope for any assistance but from the most Christian King If therefore you would not have your Forces to serve his most Christian Majesty against the Dutch who are not your Allies meerly upon the score of their professing the same Religion as you do I do not see how you can desire the most Christian King to grant you Forces to serve you who are of the Reformed Religion against the Catholick Cantons who are of his Allies as well as you You know further That the City of Geneva is under the protection of France ever since the time of Henry the Third who granted it thereto against Philibert-Emanuel Duke of Savoy All the Successors of that King have continu'd their protection to the same City against the Successors of that ancient Duke who are the troublesome Neighbours and in a manner the only Enemies whom that Republick has any cause to fear You see then by this proceduce of Henry the Third of France and the Kings who succeeded him That though they were very zealous for their Religion yet they made no scruple of giving