meet that all things should be handled in writing and the State of the case so written to be made by Demand Answer Reply and Duplick or double Reply even to a Triplick and Quadruplick and besides all this there were delivered up such pieces probatory as might serve to fortifie and maintain the case on the one hand with the Confutation of the same on the other hand they of the Netherlandish Company also making their Demand against the Demand of the English and delivering the same over by way of reconvention or contrary Demand for the fraiting of four Ships wherewith the Netherlandish Companie upon the earnest Request of the English Companie had accommodated them amounting to thirteen thousand nine hundred pound Starling In so much that the foresaid Peeces being delivered to the said Committies to do right therein the Englsh Commissaries in their vote declared that it was their opinion and sentence that in stead of all what was demanded by the English East-Indie Companie to wit not only the recalling of the Netherlandish Troops out of Bantam and the Territories thereof but moreover and above to deliver up the Castle and City of Bantam The Netherlandish Companie was only bound to reestablish the said English Company in Bantam so and in such wise as was demanded by Monsieur Chardin in the Hague and to settle all things in state as it was before the Warr and the Damages and Reconvention or contrary Demands should be reserved But the Committies of this State delivering in their Advice every one of them in order did understand and declare that forasmuch as the decision of the case which must be judicially determined did depend upon the veritie of Fact which the English Companie had charged the Netherlandish Companie with and in special that the said English Companie were by them driven out of Bantam of which they could not produce the least proof that therefore the said English Companie ought to have their Demand and Conclusion made and taken up against the Netherlandish Companie denyed them and the said English Companie to be condemned to satisfie the Netherlandish Companie for the Fraighting of the four Ships which they demand by reconvention by which because of the cessation of voices the case being fallen into the terms which they were in according to the convention of agreement of the year 1673 / 4 must come into the hands of an Arbitrator or Compromissarius to the chosing of whom by the foresaid agreement the time of a Month was prescribed but the said Committies for the Decision on both sides not agreeing for although the English Companie were plantif in convention yet the English Commissaries did not propose a Super Arbitrator so hereby the whole case according to an Act passed and subscribed on both sides was left in the hands of his said Majestie and your Highnesses to be determined by you according to the contents of the foresaid Agreemtnt And this is the reason why the said Mr. Skelton Envoy Extraordinary made the foresaid Memorial and Address to vour Pu. Highnesses to doe justice in the case to the Subjects of England Whereupon it must needs fall under Examination whither the complaints which the English Company have and still doe make of the business happened at Bantam be grounded on such solid Reasons as to oblige the Netherlandish Companie so to resettle them at Bantam as they were before the War for more then this was before denyed to be due to them by the English Commissaries themselves and that with reparation of Dammages and Interests which they pretend to have sustained by the Netherlands Company Now to make this case to appear more clearly forasmuch as since it was first presented to your Pu. Highnesses by Mr. Chudly Extraordinary Envoy and afterward more amply pressed by Sr. John Chardin is now wholy altered and quite of another face as also that the Netherlandish Company hath recovred further proofs for the Confutation of what the English Company did bring in and maintain therefore it will be necessary to dive somewhat deeper into the matter The Case is this Sulthan Agon formerly King of Bantam and Father of the present King now reigning having resolutions both in respect of his age and other considerations to disinvest himself of the Government and lead a still and private life he made over his Kingdom to his Eldest Son retiring himself to Turtiassa a place of pleasure about six miles from Bantam and seated a mile from the Sea there to spend the residue of his dayes free from publick affaires His Son seated on the Throne and having the Government of the Kingdom in his hands forthwith sent Ambassadors to Batavia accompanied for the further Splendor with a train of about 300. persons to give notice to the Government there of his access to the Crown and also to reniew their ancient Alliance sending also Ambassadors to England where they were in such manner received as that those of the East-Indie Compagnie by their Letter to the said King of Bantam in July 1682. written about two years after the yong King was come unto the Crown say that such honor was given to his Ambassadors as if they been sent from the greatest King or Potentat of the World adding in the said Letter that they did with joy understand that God Almighty had brought and invested him on the Throne of his Kingdom of Sourosoan that is the Kingdom of Bantam with the good wil of his Father And furthermore his Majesty of Great Brittain sent away the said Ambassadors with presents to the young King their Master accompanied with an honourable Letter to him all which in the Process is produced and in which he is stiled the famous and Illustrious Sulthan Abdul Cahar Aba Nasar King and Lord of the said Kingdom of Sourosoan that is of Bantam adding moreover that his Majesty received the foresaid Ambassadors with all due respect according to their Character and with entire affection as coming from a Prince whose Person and Amitie his Majesty declared to have in very high esteem and unto whom he judged it necessary to send over his Agent or Envoy furnished with power from his Majesty and order from the English Company for to make a strickter League with the King of Bantam which testimony and proffer of Alliance was yet further reiterated in another Letter writ by the foresaid English Company from London the 17. July 1682. also produced in the Process By all which then it appeareth undeniably unto all that are impartial that the present King now ruling was acknowledged both by the King of Great Brittain and by the English Company as well in England as in India for the lawful Lord and King of the whole Kingdom of Bantam and as the Successor of his Father But forasmuch as the present King in the direction of the affaires of the Kingdom did not as it seems answer the expectation of his Father nor satisfy the humor of manie of his Subjects there
A JUSTIFICATION OF The Directors of the Netherlands East Indie Company As it was delivered over unto the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the UNITED PROVINCES the 22th of July 1686. Upon the Subject and Complaint of Mr. SKELTON Envoye Extraordinary from the King of Great Brittain touching the affair of Bantam and other Controversies at Macassar and on the Coast of Mallabar and at Gamron in the Gulf of Persia Likewise a Justification in Answer to the seveveral Memorials lately given unto the States General by the Marques of Albeville touching Meslepatam and other Places in the Indies Translated out of Dutch by a good Friend for the Satisfaction of all such as are Impartial Judges of the matters now in dispute between the two Companies Printed at London in the Year 1687. To the High and Mightie Lords The STATES GENERAL Of the United Netherlands High and Mightie Lords IN obedience to your Highnesses Letter addressed the 30. May 1686. unto the Praesidial Chamber of the East-Indie Companie at Amsterdam being pleased to Command the sayd Companie in relation to your Highnesses Resolution of the same dato to transmit with the verie first an Information unto a certain Memorial presented by Mr. Skelton Envoy Extraordinarie of his Royal Majestie of Great Brittain unto your Highnesses the second of the said Month touching the Businesse of Bantam and moreover contayning complaints of what passed in the East-Indies at Gamron Mallabar and Macassar with demand of reparation hereupon the Regents or Directors of the sayd Companie of this Nation have with all due respect this to say First Concerning the first Point specifying the businesse of Bantam that although your Puissant Highnesses may verie well remember al what hath hapned and passed since the Month of May 1683 when first those Clamors and heavie complaints were made by Mr. Chudlie extraordinarie Envoy in the Assemblie of your Puissant Highnesses and thereupon soon after more fully dilated and deduced by Sr. John Chardin both viva voce and in writing Neverthelesse assuring our selves that it will not be unacceptable to your Pu. Highnesses that the sayd Memorial be again som what afresh reiterated the foresaid Regents of the East-Indie Netherlands Companie wil with permission of your Puis Highnesses make a short recital first of what in the beginning was don here in Holland by Conference and treatises and also afterward continued and further Progresse thereof made in England by the L. Ambassador Citters according to the order given him by your Puis Highnesses and consequentlie of the proceedings held in England by Committies on both sides and what further was acted in the same and so com to the Principal Matter to demonstrate as briefly as possiblie may be how unreasonable and wholie ungrounded those complaints are which in the beginning were so clamorous and then will fullie justifie the Goverment of Batavia in their management and proceedings in those affaires What Concerns the first Mr. Chudlie extraordinary Envoy by his Memorial of the 25. May of the fore-said year 1683 complained to your Puis Highnesses that the Government of Batavia had in a manner altogether extraordinarie outragiouslie delt with the English East-Indie Companie and by main force driven them out of their ancient place of residence at Bantham and that in so strange a manner that not any one Example a thing rather to be buried in silence then related of the like nature can be produced and therefore requiring that the said Netherlandish Companie should be obliged to draw back their Troupes out of Bantam reestablish the English there again and to make reparation of the losses by them sustayned But Sr. John Chardin before mentioned who by the foresaid English East-Indie Companie was sent hither in Commission did somwhat mitigate these complaints apparently because they were so horriblie extravagant and in stead of accusing the Government of Batavia as if they had driven the English out of Bantam did content himself to say that it happened through the suggestion and Counsel of Major St. Martin who commanded the Netherlandish Troups at Bantam in Chef and that it was he that disposed the King to put forth the English out of Bantam and although all he affirmed was without any proof but only grounded on a Conjecture yet that which is to be wondred at is that he would form a publick Memorial on so slight and weak grounds And although the Bewinthebbers were at that time unfurnished with such Elucidation of matters as is requisite not yet having then any of their Ships returned out of India and what they knew in the business was by Letters only sent in English Ships from England where the said Letters were held up some time the seals broken and opened and then afterward handed to the Correspondent of the Netherlandish Company at London notwithstanding they omitted not according to the knowledge they had attained to give your Highnesses Informations and Answers to their Complaints Whereupon your Pu. Highnesses having given an Answer to the said Chudlie and Chardin unto which the English Company in some passages of their Writing do appeal soon after with the good liking of your Pu. Highnesses a treatie began with the forenamed Chardin and the Netherlandish Companie and the business was so far avanced that on both sides a final agreement was assuredly expected whereas on a suddaine Mr. Chudlie and Sr. John Chardin pretending to have command and order from their King to put a stop to the business the foresaid Treatise here was unexpectedly broken of however was with consent of your Pu. Highnesses who desired nothing more then to compose and conclude if possible this matter in a friendly way continued in England whereunto the Lord Ambassador Citters was furnished with full Order and Power both from your Pu. Highnesses as also from the Companie here but hereupon the English Hightning their Demands and as appeared afterward even in their reply of which shall be spoken hereafter they avoued to have other designes intending to reestablish themselves at Bantam unto which end in the latter part of the year 1683. they prepared a great Fleet well manned to effect the same but this their design as themselves affirm complain that they might not put it in execution as being hindred by the now deceased King of happy Memorie hereupon this Treatise was stopt and no further progress made therein until at length it pleased his said Majesty to make way for the prosecuting of the agreement prescribed Anno 1674. between his Majesty and this State to wit that the differences should be determined and composed by Committies on both sides who to that end according to the foresaid Convention were to assemble together at London the which being also approved by your Pu. Highnesses there was erected a Tribunal Court consistng of eight Committies four on each part before whom after that the Parties on both sides had divers times appeared about the Praeliminaries and cases incident it was thought
weaken this assertion he confesseth that what he witnesseth thereof is not of his own knowledge but that he believeth it to be true upon the credit of persons of worth which of it self is enough to reject the same as also it is very observable what on this subject the foresaid Sr. Martin and others with him doe declare to wit that the Contest was not to dispose the King to the ejection of the English but to turn away the wrath and indignation of the King which because of their assistance of his Father and the Rebels he had taken up against them and thereby to deliver them from the loss of all their Goods yea life it self as out of revenge he had determined against them which also was so taken and acknowledged by the English Compagny at Bantam when by their Agent they returned thanks unto the Ministers of the Netherlandish Companie for their protexion But suppose the King had not been so incensed against them as hath been said and that he had not had design at all to be avenged on them yet the mere consideration of his security might have moved him to their ejection as beeing assured they assisted his Rebels and in apprehension that they as wel versed in warkely affaires might from England or Elsewhere reenforce themselves with ships and Soldiers besides the Perillous neighbourhood of their warehouse to his Castle his Father laying round about Bantam with his armie and keeping it yet for som moneths besieged and he as yet by his auxiliarie forces having onely the sea open might if he were not verie circumspect bee again suddenly assaulted or at least the English remayning in Bantam by spying all opportunities make discoveries to the enemies so as in way of providence it was requisite for him to do what he did If the Letters brought in the Processe be reviewed it wil appear whither it be true as is imputed to them that they of their own motion did send succours to the said King yea so as thereby if their most injurious aspersion were true to get him into their Klutches or on the contrarie that is was don at the Great and instant entreaties of the young King after that al wayes of reconciliation had in vain bin attempted But forasmuch as this assistance and succour is thus averslie and after so odious a manner declaimed it will be necessaire to relate the same somewhat more fully and more clearly to discover the occasion and progresse thereof After the Rulers of Batavia had ripely consulted about the constitution of the affaires of the young King they thought meet as also hath before bin specified to proffer their service of Mediation between the Father and the Son to which end they wrote two Letters in civil and obliging termes testifying their purpose and affection in a way of frindship to accommodate and lay by their questions and differences and with that Intention sent thir Plenepotentiaries with Letters the one to the Father and the other to the Son in a Ship prepared to that end after that som dayes before by way of advance they had also sent three other Ships but considering those Plenipotentiaries went unto a place where the parties on both sides were in armes and not being certain whither they might meet with friends or enemies they therfore judged themselves obliged to put them into a posture of defence furnishing them with weapons in case of necessitie to make resistance to sueh as forgetting the right of nations especially in that confused state of things and the respect that ought to be given to publick Persons might possiblie attempt to lay hold on and injurie them and this is that fleet of Ships and Barcks which in these and other of their writings they so much enhance and make a stir about as sent to Bantam to land our Troupes there Our forefayd Plenepotentiaries having wayted some time for an answer from the old King received none and not knowing what properly the intention of these men might as be to them sent a good troop of men to inform themselves more exactly of the State of things but being a little advanced they met some Europeans who by an English Man enquired of them wherefore they came to intermeddle with the differences of the two Kings whereuppon being answered that they came as friends to procure a peace between the Father and the Son they soon perceyved the design they had formed agaynst them for forthwith they saw a great troop of men gathered together making readie some fire Ships and other vessels fitted for warre making a shew as if they would fal foule with us who verilie were to few in number to have thoughts to attempt any thing agaynst so powrful an enemie who seemed to come agaynst them which also they did and came to the deed it self shooting at us and with their Canons which were Managed by the English they much endammaged our Ships whereby they perceived that they not onely did not accept of our Mediation but also that they treated us as enemies upon which they of Baravia soon resolved by force of arms to deliver the young King out of this Miserie and the brinke of death and to this end to send a suffitient power of Ships and Men to this assistance which also had that successe as before is mentioned The assistance which the English gave to the old King whereby the displeasure and wrath of the young King was so kindled agaynst them even to their ejection out of his country is so notoriously known to the world that besides the proofs which the Netherlandish ComPanie have alreadie alledged they yet further could bring hundreds of convincing testimonies but let onely the letters of the young King which he sent from his besieged castle to them of Batavia be produced and you shal hear him complayning in these formal words What reason hath the English Captain to help to shoot at me without once laying to hart that he is resident in my Land and Zea this is yet worse that Mr. Boyer one of the English Marchants at Bantam causes my house to be shot at not once thinking that I desired the King of England that he might be Captaine in the English Lodge Irequest of Capitain Moor Speelman that he wil warn the English not to com on shore to shoot at my house and assist mine enemie also with powder forasmuch as he hath his residence in my Land but not in the Land of Sultan Agon the old King as also to perswade them not to follow mine enemie seeing they drink my water and dwel in my Land and that they close no more with Sultan Agon if Captain Moor have love for me let him be pleased forceably to Insinuate this unto the English that above all things they shoot not at my house nor betake themselves to Land. The which also in a following Letter to the Major St. Martin he further confirmed Beside the said King did afterward make often Complaints
complaints made had nothing to shew in way of proof Indeed had the English Company at that time rested satisfyed the Dutch Companie should have been obliged to perform the same how praejudiciable soever it might afterward have been to them But forasmuch as the English Company was then pleased wholie to reject and break of those transactions whereas we so desirously longed that they might be brought to a good end in England and for which as is said the Lord Ambassador Citters was fully authorised al the time that business of Bantam was in the termes as they were during the Negotiations and treatie with Mr. Chudly and Sr. John Chardin in the Hague and which the English Company also caused to be broken of whereupon it fals now to be enquired into whither the Dutch Companie since the case of things be wholie changed and of an other nature be still obliged to the same It is evident that at that time the State of the affaires of Bantam was not known namely whither the warr between the Father and the Son were yet remaining or ended if it were determined whither by an accommodation or by the Sword If by the Sword who of the two the Father or Son remained Conqueror and thereby become master of the Kingdom During which uncertaintie it can not be judged imprudencie that the Netherlandish East-Indie Company by whose forces the Son was delivered from his inevitable ruin and by whom he further was to be assisted so as not to fall under the oppression of his rebellious Subjects should interpose their credit and authority by the said King for the setling of the English in Bantam if he were Conqueror and with condition the English should yield no further assistance to the Father and in case the Father were Victor that then the English should imploy all their credit by the Father that the Dutch Company might enjoy a good Neighborhood with them and these Proffers of the Dutch Companie while things stood thus at an uncertaintie were the more excusable by the King of Bantam because they endeavoured thereby to prevent the succours which the English Company pretended to send the Father and also because at that time it was not yet known how far the English had made themselves irreconcilable to him During this uncertaintie of things the Dutch Companie made these Proffers yeâ— Sr. John Chardin himself projected an accommodation between both the Companies in which mention was made of the withdrawing of the Dutch Troopes out of Bantam and what each Companie should be obliged unto in those occasional accidents as are thereby specifyed But as it pleased the said Mr. Chudly and Sr. John Chardin very unexspectedly to break of those treatises which already were so far advanced and they also of the English Company on their part did reject the Proffers which not only your Puis Highnesses in their foresaid Answer to the Memorial of Sr. John Chardin had made But those also which the Ambassador Citters afterwatds did make in the name and upon the account of the Netherlandish Companie after that the foresaid Sr. John Chardin was returned into England and the English began again to bring in new Demands after they had very disdaingfully rejected the former hereupon the Netherlandish Company judged that they stood no longer bound to theirs especially when as somewhile after by tydings on both sides in Letters from the Indies it was signifyed that the Warr at Bantam was ended to the advantage of the young King who reobtained the Kingdom as possessor had taken the Father prisoner and subdued his Rebels so that consequently the Netherlandish Company had now no longer any ground nor pretext either to treat with the English about their resetling in Bantam as beeing Territorium plane alienum muchless to promise the same and the rather because the now reigning King having considered the conspiracies of the English with his Father and rebellious Subjects hath declared them his pernicious Enemies Seeing then from all what hath been said it clearly appeareth that the English Companie did rather chose to expect the uncertain Lot of Warr then to agree with the Dutch Company while it was time about their Setlement it is therefore reasonable that they now acquiesce and leave the Netherlandish Company unmolested as to their reestablishment It followeth therefore that it is wholy besides the purpose at present to make use or apply to their advantage the foresayd answer of your Pu Highnesses to the foresaid Memorial after they had rejected the foresaid Proffer and had determined not onely to reestablish themselves by force of Arms but wholie to becom the Masters of Bantam and to that end to set out a formidable Power of ships and Men at sea though their Entreprize as they themselves depose in their foresaid reply was stopt by his Majesty of happie Memorie not suffered to put forth to sea now this was the reason that they having formed being busie about this design that the Charges thereof might not be fruitlesse did not only reject the Proffers a foresayd of the Dutch Companie but made such Excessive Extravagant demands as the delivering up of the whole Citie of Bantam with the Castle although they wel knew that it neither would nor could bee accepted of us or in case they were accepted that then they had attaind to what they aymed So long then as the State of things was at an uncertaintie and it might be in doubt who of the twain father or son should have the upper-hand though the sonne seemd by far more likely to prevail neverthelesse the Netherlands Companie judged that in such a Constitution of things it could not be il taken that they entred with the English Companie into a treatic how they might after the best way procure a peace between the two Kings by interposing their credit and service of love obtain the reestablishment of the English Companie but al this being rejected by the English with disdaing and that uncertaintie which then was beeing brought to a Certaintie so as the whole businesse is becom of quite another Nature that the Netherlandish Companie should yet be bound to perform what they in the uncertain state of things did shew themself willing unto the Netherlandish Companie apprehendeth that it in justice cannot be required For first thereby besides other considerations they should certainly be made loosers of the sum of six times hundred thousand Ryxdallers which the King of Bantam by evening acounts is found endebted to the Dutch Companie and of which a Contract is made with him in particular in which he grants to their Company the Traffick in his Kingdom so long and until he shall come to be in a condition to repay the same to the Dutch Company But that which besides this deserves to be reflected upon is that the King of Bantam hearing a rumour that the English Company persisted in their pretence of resettlement in Bantam with the calling back of our Troopes thence
wrote to the Government of Batavia even after he had surmounted al difficulties that in case they should consent therein and withdraw our Militia from thence he should not be able to continue master in the work but be necessitated to retire to Batavia in hope protection should not there be refused him and thereupon besought in all humility that they would at no hand forsake and reduce him to such extremities but perform their word given him by solemn Contract And how should the Netherlandish Companie be officious to their re-admission seeing the English Company in their writings do so scandalously decipher him as namely that he hath with the approbation of all the world acted against the English Nation as an Enemie so unthanckful so barbarous with such antipathie from their Blood without any the least reason or provocation that his Majesty of Great Brittain without injurie to his honour may not rest till he have secured himself of that City and whole Kingdom until he have got reparation and that the sooner because he is according to their saying however he bear the title of King nothing else but a perfect Slave of Batavia and a Servant to their will and pleasure High words indeed also it is a wonderful Dilemma of the English Companie to wit if the Old King of Bantam have any right to Bantam and the dependencies thereof then the conclusion is most solid that the same is devolved upon the deceased King of Great Brittain of happy Memorie And if the right appertains to the young King as the Hollanders affirm then he hath acted by the approbation of the whole World against the Subjects of his said Maj. as an enemie according to what they have deciphred him Concerning the first member of this Dilemma being it is evident that the Old King of Bantam having given over his Kingdom to his Eldest Son the present inheritor thereof he now cannot afterward give it to another the conclusion that follows hence is directly against the English Company What concerns the second part of the Dilemma if it be the young King to whom this right doth belong and and that it be true that he had acted against the English as an enemy ungrateful barbarous and with antipathie to their blood without the least provocation as indeed may be drawn but nevertheless not to justifie the Demand of the English Company against them of Holland neither can any thing therefrom be concluded against the present King of Bantam in case he hath justly as he affirmeth testifyed his displeasure against the English But in the mean while we cannot let pass without taking notice that while they are pleased to heap up reproches upon the young King then they say he had acted against the Subjects of his Majesty as an enemie ungrateful barbarous with an Antipathie of their Blood without the least provocation further that he is unworthy of alliance with them but when the business is to load the Dutch and make them the Authors of their expulsion out of Bantam then they alter their strain and say that they could not so much as observe neither in the words or gesture of the King the least thing manifesting any displeasure against the English or that he had a design to make them depart out of his Connirie Here they name the present King a Slave of the Netherlandish Companie and in their Reply they say that the Old King when he sate on his Throne would willingly have been a Slave of the King of England and thereof would have made his triumph In their Reply they give the mentioned King the name of a pauvre Idiot a vile person une Chetive Creature c. And in their letter they wrote to him in March 1683. they styl him a wise King to whom they say they will send a person with the Title of Envoy or Extraordinary Ambassador with full power to conclude an everduring League and Alliance with him The same Title the King of Great Brittain giveth him in his fore mentioned Letter stiling him a wise and righteouss Prince On the contraire the English Companie in their Triplick call him a Murtherer and Contemner of the publick faith And how odiously the English Companie in their foresaid Letter annexing also what they wrote to Pangoran Diepa Penerat Chief Minister of State have deciphred the Netherlandish Companie and in what esteem we were alreadie with them even before the Warr of Bantam was kindled the Dutch Companie will referre to the judgment of the Reader It hath already been mentioned that the English Companie in their foresaid Demand did pretend besides the calling back of the Dutch Troopes the deliverie also of the whole Citie and Castle of Bantam or else as they said they would not make their residence there again But besides that the English Commissaries who were to decide the differences did as hath been said Judge that this their demand as altogether ungrounded and unreasonable ought to be denyed so it is a thing that doth sufficiently refute it self For before the Warr of Bantam the English Companie had nothing there but a Lodge and simple Residence without the least Territorial right The King after he had triumphed over his Enemies knowing that they had afforded all manner of assistance to them and not being at rest as fearing their future miscarriage and especially in this juncture of time while he was yet surroundred of Enemies causes them to dislodge Hereupon now the English Companie comes and demands the deliverie of the whole City and Castle having had nothing there but as hath been said a Lodge for Commerce and this they will have from the Netherlandish Companie who have no right at all to dispose thereof except they chase away the King that now is out of Bantam for to put it into the hands of the English and except they could make it out and to be agreable to justice that the Dutch Companie should threaten the present King to abandon and deliver him over to the will and mercie of his Enemies by remouving of their Troopes out of his Citie whereas we are bound by Contract to maintain and protect him should now falter in our word and falselie our trust a thing which may nor ought to be required of us But it is said that the Dutch Companies intent in this is to monopolise all the trade of Pepper and get it to themselves wholie and to this they ad that seeing the Netherlandish Companie having besides the trade of Cloves Nutmegs Mace and cinnamon al this would make them able to maintain a fleet to withstand the mightiest King in Europe But besides that there are so many other great countries in the Indies where Pepper may be had and to which the English Companie have acces as wel as the Dutch and that it is impossible the Netherlandish Company should get them all under their power command it ought to be called to mind that when we were in treatie here with
they have had advise by divers Ships niewly arrived of the injuries and violences the Hollanders have exercised against the English on the Coast of Cormandel under pretext of having warr with the King of Golcondach That they made themselves master of Metchalapatam after the same manner they ceased Bantam That they had prohibited the English eight weeks ago to Traffick there any more although they have had their residence and Magasin there eightie or ninetie yeares together and that the Magasin was built by the Company and that they bought the verie ground upon which it was erected as may be seen in the writing of the Governor and the Dutch Counsel at Pollicats That the Hollanders in time of peace did by main force Assault the Fort the English had built at Batancapas seated on the West-Coast of Sumatra to secure themselves the better of the Traffick in Pepper that in contempt they brake and tore in peeces the Pavillion of his Brittish Majesty where is was set up That they there pillaged the English And because it is apparent the design of the Hollanders is to appropriate to themselves by violence injustice and oppression the whole Trade of the East-Indies The said Companie hopeth that his Majestie with the first will applie such remedies as may praevent the continual invasions of the Hollanders A Letter of the Holland Companie from Pollicat written the 13. August 1686. St. N. to Mr. William Gifford Praesident of the English Companie and to his Counsel at the Fort St. George It containes in substance that the said Hollandish Companie hath bin evil treated some years since beyond the Coast of Cormandel as also the North Coast from Onixa unto Metchopotam by the Ministers of State and the Governors of the King of Gulcondach That they often required justice but to no purpose and for to revenge themselves of these injuries they had seased Metchopotem 16. July That for a marck of the Friendship they desire to maintain with the English Company they permit them to embarck in their own Ships out of their Magasins at Metchepotam the effects the English had there as also to take out in Barcks all the Provisions and all the Marchandises which shall com in their Ships to Metchopotam for to put them into their Magasins yet upon condition that they shall carrie none out of the Citie of Metchopotam to sell them to Marchants or to the Subjects of the King of Gulcondagh until the said Company shall have satisfactions The sooner to obtain this satisfaction they had resolved not only to hold the mean while the said Citie in possession but also to prevent that the English should not suffer any damage during these troubles they though it fit to advertise them to bring into their Magasins the effects they had in the Countrie and that within the space of 6. or 8. weeks reckoning from the time the Companie had seased the said City That they will also have that the English Company advertise theirs of all what they shall cause to be brought in to the end that by the good order they shall hold the inconveniences may be prevented which otherwise might befal the English. Answer of Mr. William Gifford Praesident and of the Councel of the English Company dated .... 1686. written to the Hollands Company at Pollicat It being in substance That the English Company are not ignorant of the design the Dutch Company now hath in making themselves Masters in Metchapotam That they could wish that the ruinating of the English Commerce were not the main end the Hollanders now a long time had practised these tricks Particularly at Bantam and since at Chimatra but that the Hollanders were as yet to be responsable unto them That they have remarqued that the Hollanders in all their Treaties they make with the Indian Kings and Princes have endeavoured to exclude their Companie from Traffick in their Countries and Ports That this design is now discovered and resented in Europe that their presumption is to great to imposer Lawes to the English in such a manner that now since they are possessors of Metchapotam they will have the English to comport themselves as to their commerce there according to their pleasurre But the English are not obliged to follow their order That the House and the ground upon which their Magasin is built is an heritage acquired by their own money That upon these grounds they counsel them to act with discretion and agreeing to justice That they in the mean while will continue to traffick as formerly and counsel the Hollanders not to interrupt them least they should attract sad consequences contrarie to their interest A Letter of Mr. Samuel Pots written to Mr. Clement du Jardin and to the Council Indraponna the 23. Sept. 1686. It containes first a Relation of the state of some of the affaires of the English Company Mr. Pots remits them to a certain Paper of 26. July to be informed of the cause of his voyage to Batancapas and why he took with him so much of the Companies effects He gives reasons why he did not wayt for orders or command before he undertook the voyage that it was because the two Sons of the Emperor and the Mandarins had extreamly pressed him to hasten the voyage as much as could be lest the Hollanders being advertised of the design of the English should settle themselves there before and so the English be frustrated of their entreprise He departed as he saith from Indraponna 16. July taking with him forty men Domesticks and Soldiers going with them to Pagason to meet there the two Sons of the Emperor Manuncabbo who wayted them to go together to Batancapas being in all 2000. there to settle the English That after 5 dayes voyage they arrived with the Emperor and the two Princes and that the Emperor had bid the English to settle themselves there That three dayes before they arrived the Hollanders had settled and fortified themselves there upon a Rock on the other side of the river notwithstanding that the Emperor and the Mandarins had commanded them to retire telling them that he had given the Countrey to the King of Great Brittain to set the English Companie there and that he had never given permission to the Dutch to reside there That the same day of his arriving at Batancapas the Hollanders had sent him a Protest counselling him to take good heed of the Malayans because they complayned that the English had wronged them by setling at Bancola and at Indraponna places which they sayd had formerly bin given unto them That at the end of two dayes he sent them another Protest That the day after his arriving the Emperor and his two sons arrived and themselves planted the Pavillion of the King of England That the Hollanders had fortifyed themselves as much as they could That during the 3 first weeks there was no opposition of the one or other part although the English did often presse the Mallayans to
fall upon the English. That the Hollanders seeing that after all their perswasions the Mallayans would do nothing forced them to retire further up into the Countrie about three miles towards the North with design as the Emperor and his men believed to wast the Countrie the Houses and especially the City of Batancapas That to prevent this desolation the Emperor and his two Sons had drawn back their forces except 60. or 70. Mallayans whom they left there for to cover the works That after the retreat of these Troopes the the Hollanders in Batancapas the day after beeing the 23. August on a Friday and on the Sunday had shot with their greatest Canons at the people as they came to the Market in hope to make them afraid and no more to supply the English or to bring them any more provisions That a Canon-bullet with two points striking a tree neer the Pallisado of the English Fort burst asunder in two pieces That the day after they had dispatched Mr. Samuel Worly to the Hollanders to know of them the reason wherefore they had shot at the Magasin of the English and their men and to tel their commander they would send a peece of the Bullet of the King of England and inform him of the affront they had don to his Subjects but the Commander not being then present Mr. Worly had don the message to another Gentleman that had the command in the absence of the other the said Officer should have answered that he much wondred they should make such a work of one or two Camon shot and pointing with his finger to divers Peeces not far off from him should have said behold there a great many which shall be shot of and not fayling of his word the same afternoon 21. August he made two shot more after the same manner as before That the Mallayans being affrighted the greater part which remained with the English deserted them That the Hollanders being advertised hereof embarqued in their Chalops the Mallayans with a number of Dutch Soldiers That they fired continally their great Guns while they were in their Barqs and at length having set foot on land they with furie assaulted the small number of Mallayans which were for the English set on fire their Pallisado and having put to flight the said Mallayans they fell upon the English which were at the Entrance of the Pallisado That a certain man named Mackolon an Officer of the Hollanders told him that except he sought to escape the Mallayans would kill him That not fearing their threats the Hollandders had commanded the Mallayans to assault the English but the Mallayans testifying their dislike by refusing to do it the Ensign-bearer set himself in the front forced an entrance into the Fort being followed of some Mallayans and about 40. Hollanders That these Troopes were no sooner past the Pallissado but they said to them and the other English that if ever they entred more into the Fort they might expect nothing else but to be fallen upon That at the verie same instant the Dutch Soldiers and the Mallayans began to plunder carrying away all they thought was of any worth and gave it into the hands of their Commanders and while they were thus pillaging the Dutch Soldiers in contempt brake and tare in pieces the Flag of the King of England which was set up there That after all these Violences the foresaid Officer by order of the Commander prayd him to retire on the side of the Hollanders promising in the name of the Commander they would restore the Marchandise Effects Silver-work Canon and all what might appertain to the English and what should be found in the hands of the Mallayans That he thereupon going to the Commander named Mackabon he instead of performing what was promised answered him he could do nothing in it and that what the Mallayans had taken was justly acquired and they could not be constrained to render the same however as for the Canon he would endeavor they might be restored But coming again to him after he had ordered men and a boat to take in the Canon there came some of his men and said that in case we would have the Canon the Mallayans pretended to have 500 dollars for them Seeing then too appearently that in this and in all other things the English were meerly deluded he embarqued his Soldiers and men that were left and returned to Indrapanna the 25. August High and Mightie Lords WE have received your Puis Highnesses Letter and therewith your Resolution of the first of this present with an insertion of the Memorial presented to your Puiss Highnesses with an annex by the Marquis of Albiville Envoy Extraordinarie of his Royal Majestie of Great Brittain which said Memorial containeth Complaints against the transactions and doings of the Ministers of the Netherlandish Companie at Maslapatnam upon the Coast of Cormandel and at Batancapas upon the West-coast of Sumatra with their Request of reparation concerning which your Puiss Highnesses require information by us We may not omit High and Mightie Lords to propose with all dutiful respect to your Puiss Highnesses that forasmuch as the said Appendix is in effect the contents of such Letters which the English Company as they pretend have lately received out of the Indies divers particulars are rehearsed in what manner the things they complaine of were there transacted of which we by reason our Ships are not yet arrived tho expected everie houre cannot have perfect knowledge may it therefore please your Puiss Highnesses not to conster it amis that we deferre the same a while however we say aforehand that the said complaints as they are proposed in the said Memorial are of two parts First against the conduct of our people in their actings at Maslupatnam And secondly upon the West-Coast of Sumatra with the wrong don to the English at both places As to the first we apprehend that by the information we â—â—d the last year out of India and by another hand setting aside what we are yet exspecting we want noe matter fully to justifie the transactions of our people there and to demonstrate the ungroundedness of the foresaid complaints And what concerns the second namely that by force we should have hindered them that they could nor might settle themselves in the Countrie of the Prince of Indraponna nor build Forts where they pleased whereas that Prince according to what they affirm had made over that Countrie to them although we can not directly discover the perfect state and constitution of that business vntil the Ships which we dayly expect be arrived nevertheless we are able by the information which we had the last year concerning it to affirm from the contents of those Letters that the English by reason of the unhealthfultness of that countrie and the mortalitie it brought upon their men with other difficulties were entended yea did actually prepare do depart thence so that we thought to have mentioned nothing more nor
fidelity they had sworn and the Contracts they had made with them yet the Dutch Company upon their submission and laying down their Arms in March 1686. did again receive them into favour making a strickter Contract with them and that for the future they would according to promise remain in their fidelity Obedience and Submission to the Netherlandish Company and henceforward respect and obey the Governour at Badang being the chief place of the said Company on the said West-coast without ever declining upon pain of being declared Enemies and brought under the everlasting wrath of God over them and their posterity and besides with this condition that all the Gold Pepper and other Wares their Countries yielded or which were brought thither should only be and remain for the Netherlandish Company they paying the ordinary price for them as by the foresaid Contract in the keeping of the Dutch Company is more at large to be seen which was agreed on 15. March 1686. being many Months before the English Company according their own confession came to Batancapas And no sooner were they come thither but endeavoured to mislead the people of Batancapas and to draw them from their Fidelity and Obedience but wel knowing what kind of People they were and how little to be trusted they erected a Fortresse in their Land but were by the Netherlandish Company according to their own saying prevented by building a Fort there also While things were in this state it happened that some of the Nadias that were fallen of with their men did in the presence of six English as Enemies set upon us in the foresaid Post and drive our men a Canon-shot out of the Fort among the Inhabitants by which as was reported four of the foresaid Inlanders were slain but as in such times and cases of that nature all are not alike mutinous and of the same mind thereupon they who remained faithful went out against them that were fallen off to drive them from thence and made themselves Masters of the English Fort and except it had been for our intervention they would have murthered all the English in their retrait but whatever they left behind as they desired by their Letter was as much as possibly could be not only restored to them but what is more at their Request we provided them all manner of provisions of meat and drinck c. for which also in their Letters dated the 22. and 26. August 1686. they were very thankful unto us as we can shew by them in the last of which Letters one of their men wrote that he was come there to wit to Batancapas with order to see whether Note this well he could have the Canon pieces which the Malayers in the Assault had found in the Fort to be restored to him but seeing that they demanded too much money for them he would go back to Indraponra and make report thereof to the Commander in Chief In which it is worthy of observation that in the foresaid Annex belonging to the forementioned Memorial of the Marquis of Albiville they say that the same day they came to Bantam our Ministers sent them a Protest and withall counselled them to beware of the Malayers with a Complaint these are their own words of the Injurie the English did to us namely in that they came to settle themselves at Batancapas and at Indraponra also places both appertaining to the Dutch Company and that two dayes after our men had sent another Protest The case then standing thus actually as is said the question will be from which of the two Companies the English or the Dutch the Action doth arise and which of the two hath cause to complaine In case the Netherlandish Company had according to their expectation received in their Ships that last arrived out of the East-Indies all the particulars and Informations belonging to this matter they would not have fayled to make their just complaints to your Puiss Highnesses in a Methodical way but forasmuch as the Letters of the Government of Batavia specifie that they must first wait for the Arriral of their Ships from the West-Coast the Netherlandish Company must defer the same to a fitter opportunity However by what is already said it doth sufficiently appear by what force violence and intrusion those of the English Company have acted against us both at Indraponra as also at Batancapas and elsewhere and that consequently we have abundant reason to require reparation and Satisfaction of them That which the English Company alledgeth against this so as it is contained in their Annex to the foresaid Memorial of the Marquis of Albeville consists in this First the Emperour of Maniarbohaer should have conferred and setled that Countrey upon them and had to this End sent up two of his Sons to establish the English there Secondly that they by vertue thereof having built a Fort there we in a time of peace had by violence assaulted them and this only for the securing of our Traffick in Pepper Thirdly That we had disdainfully trampled upon and torn the Pavillion of the King of England Fourthly That out of the Fort we had shot at the Inhabitants of Batancapas and at them that brought their Wares to Market And lastly that our men had rob'd and taken away all the Marchandises Effects Silverwork Canon and whatever they had there What concerns the first point it is manifest that the Netherlandish Company for many yeares hath had and still hath the Dominion in and over the Countreys where Batancapas is seated That this Authoritie and Dominion is now again lately in March 1686. conferred upon them with most advantagious conditions and are thereby setled in the peaceable enjoyment thereof So that they had not any lawful Right to instal and deliver up that Countrie into the hands of the English For as to the forementioned Emperor whom the English stile the Emperour of Manicabo it is true that up or in the midst of the Country of Sumatra which are Lands of Manicabo a certain Prince or Emperour doth reign But that the Prince ever came into the lower part of this Country and as they pretend established the English there shall while the world stands never be proved by them For it is certain that that Emperour never hath been in those lower Countries also in former times those Lower Countries were subjected to the usurped Authority of that Queen Seehini whose yoak long agoe they have cast off and given over themselves unto the Dominion of the Dutch Company who have taken upon them to protect and defend them against all Opposers whatsoever However according to our late Letters it is true that there appeared in these Lower Countries two young Lords stiling themselves Princes who also by some were acknowledged for such but cryed down and rejected by others as Counterfits But suppose they had been true and Lawful Princes yea the very Sons of the Emperour which can never be proved yet what right and Authority could
they have to establish the English there muchless to make over the Country unto them or what appearance of Truth can be imagined they should have don the same It is certain never any of the English Company have been up in those Highlands with the Emperour no not any of Netherlandish Company themselves notwithstanding they have lived more then fortie yeares upon the Nether-Coast That those Princes should have Order and Power from their Father to do this is not so much as affirmed muchless proved by the English Company it self And although it could be proved yet it must come under examination whether that Power and Authority could be stretched so far or not Yea be it how it will it is enough for the Netherlandish Company that we according to the confession of the English themselves not only were there before them but also that three dayes before their arrival we had fortifyed our selves yea as they say upon a Rock Add to this and which indeed is wholie deciding in the subject case that in the very Letter the English produce and annexed to the Memorial of the Marquis of Albiville and to which he refers himself it is said that those so named Princes did declare that in case the Hollanders should establish themselves at Batancapas before the English that then the English should be frustrated thereof Words verie remarkable from such by whom the English pretend to have obtained their right espetially it being so fallen out as they said If notwithstanding the Emperor of Manicabo might pretend any right to those Lands and declare that we did keep them in our possession unlawfully which we suppose shall never be yet then it would be a question to be decided betwixt the Emperor and us and not with the English The second point is also without any ground of truth to wit that our men should have taken that Fort by violence from them the English themselves affirm in a certain Letter annexed to the foresaid Memorial that our men did diverse times incite the Malbayers and urged them to fall upon the English. Moreover that one Mechelen whom in their foresaid Annex they name Muchalon Commander in Chief of our Men there should have said to the English and warned them to save themselves otherwise the Maleyers would fall upon and kill them But that the English not regarding those threats at the last our men should have commanded the Maleyers to fall upon them indeed Of which if they should be required to bring in their proof it would be far to seek but on the contrary it is a certain evidence that our men did endeavour their preservation Hoewever we deny not that our Maleyers that is such of them as remained on our side fell upon the other which rebelled against us and took in the Fort they yet held in their possession It is worthy of Observation that the English themselves confefs that not so much as a man of them was kild in that action because we prevented our Maleyers with all our might hindring them from doing it but suppose it to be true tho it be not so that our own men had taken the fort from the English what can be justly said against it might we not drive them out of a Fort which in dispite of us they erected in a Countrey that belonged to us and that right over against the Fortresse we had made there before and after that by two Protests we had warned them not to do it but would not at all listen to us So that as instead that the English take this up a matter of Complaint and accusation against the Netherlandish Company they ought to have been thankful to them for their kind and mild dealing with them yea so far as to deliver them from eminent danger of death and ruin As one Samuel Bats who at that time commanded the English together with John Becton in their Letters have truely acknowledged And in case one of our Soldiers did as they affirm in disdaing tear in peeces the Pavillion of the King of England altho it is not true for according to the Letters thence received the English themselved pulled down their Flag which surely is more likely to be true because they apprehending the great danger they were in would not let the Flag come into hands of their Enemies But suppose it were don by an English Souldier what blame can be imputed to the Netherlandish Company in this Why did the English expose the Flag of their King in such manner in the Territory and Country appertaining to another Is it not a thing known that a strange Flag is not respected in any place whatsoever That our men according to the contents of the fourth point should have shot out of the Fort with their Canon is true But it was don not before but after that the Rebellious Maleyers had assaulted us as Enemies And put the case they had not done it yet are we not for this responsable to the English Company Was it not free for our men to deal with them that had revolted and became Rebels as they thought meet Surely if we had dealt more rigourously and in an hostile manner with them they had sufficiently deserved the same The spoiling of their goods they make mention of in the fourth point the Netherlandish Company denyes to have been done by their men If it was don by the Maleyers as in such occasions is ordinary and therefore our State is not responsable for that besides whatever we had preserved of theirs was restored unto them again as apperars by the forementioned Letter in which the English complain not that our men had taken their Canon but acknowledge it was don by the Maleyers and that it was yet in their possession If then the Maleyers could take and carrie away the Canon how much easier was it for them to carrie away other things So that hereby is a clear and unanswerable proof that our people did not intermeddle with that business muchless that they should be guilty of the spoile made And besides all this the foresaid Bats in the forementioned Letters only desireth that we would endeavour to get into our hands and send him his Books and Writings as also two men that were run away with one Moor together what provision of meat and drink they had left without in the least mentioning any other thing as well knowing it was not remaining in our but in the hands of Maleyers neither is it to be imagined to have been of any great importance for in such a place where the inevitable danger was foreseen dayly by them and where they had their Chalops and Boats lying neer their very wals to put in whatsoever was of any worth it is not easily to be believed they left any thing behind them they made any great esteem of but only what they willingly would part with and also whatever the Dutch Company could save or get out of the hands of he Maleyers was