the Honourable English Company Sirs WE received last Night your Protestation by which we understand to our great Admiration the Complaints which you were pleased to produce for the siezing of a certain Persian Boat rowing amongst our Ships which you pretend to have hired for the unlading of your Ship the Bengall Merchant as also accusing us for detaining the Goods for some time which were carried in her In answer to which ye cannot be ignorant how that this Port and Persian Bay hath been blockt up with Eight or Nine Ships for almost a whole year And although our Agents be attending the Persian Court to compose those differences Nevertheless our Men were Hostilely driven from the Coasts our Flagg thrown down and that according to report the Inhabitants of the City of Gombrone threatned us that we should be overwhelmed here in this Port with the Persian Sea Forces which things Nature it self teacheth us to prevent And forasmuch as it seems good to us to destroy all the Persian Ships yet it never came into our thoughts you should incur any Damage by it as you your selves very well know it was not done in the unlading or lading of the Ship Williamson who came and went although loaden with Persian Goods But on the contrary we offered Yesterday to your Interpreter David when the aforesaid Persian Boat was seized on sailing amongst our Fleet our Long-boats for your Service to unlade your Ship and for that very reason we were no hindrance at all in the least to your Affairs And that our Ships might be rendred secure from the imminent dangers of our roving Enemies who affirmed they sailed under your Name and by your Order But you seem to incline rather to accuse us very unjustly that we had seized on your Goods being two Chests of Rose-water rather than to accept of our kindness in offering our Long-boats The aforesaid Interpreter David took along with him those two little Chests with the same Boat which brought him from the Shoar whilest that sloop was carryed down to our Ship. And seeing the Case is thus you seem to darken the truth of things by patcht-up Fictions and forged Tales This your so ill-grounded and strange Accusations does not at all concern us seeing that even from the beginning of this Expedition we have patiently borne all those Calumnies by which we have been aspersed for some time by some of your Nation amongst the Persians And loseing Ground here in our Affairs especially by your promises to them That you with Six Ships will drive us from this Port and Castle of Kisim Concerning the which we can produce sufficient proofs and withal manifest we gave you not the least Cause But all things were carryed on with such apparent loss to our Company And moreover you did intend also to force us to suffer the Boats of our Enemies to pass and repass us safely Therefore we protest in the Name of the Dutch East-India Company That we will be Innocent of all such Damages Wounds Slaughters Losses and other Inconveniences which may arise from one Cause or other Dated from the Ship Blew Hulke at the Siege of the Port of the City of Gombroon 17 th May S. N. 1685. Your Most Affectionate Friends We the underwritten do affirm that the foregoing Protestation was Delivered Rehnier Casembroot W. Lycochthon Jacob Van Askerdyck Wr. V. Bullestraete Claas Meynderw S. Visnigh The Protest of Captain John Goldsborough against the Dutch Admiral Dated June the 1st 1685. WHereas there is a Treaty Marine between our Most Gracious Sovereign Lord the Most Serene and Mighty Prince CHARLES the Second by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. and the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the Vnited Netherlands to be observed through all and every the Countreys and parts of the World by Sea and Land concluded at London the First day of December 1674. In which Treaty there is Liberty for the Subjects of the King of England to trade freely to any Ports and Places in the World without hindrance or molestation although the said High and Mighty Lords the States General or any of their Subjects be in actual Hostility and War with such Ports and Places Now these presents shew that the Ship Bengall Merchant John Goldsborough Commander in the Service of the Honourable the Governour and Company of Merchants in London trading to the East-Indies arrived in Gombroone Road in the Gulph of Persia and in the Dominions of that King the First day of May 1685 where were Six Ships belonging to the Dutch Vnited Netherlands East-India Company riding before the Town of Gombroone Commanded in chief by Rehnier Casembroot as Admiral who pretended to be at Wars with the Persians and victoriously then rode in Triumph in the midst of a few Trankeys or Persian Boats which he had seized On Sunday the Third of May the said Admiral sent me word aboard our Ship Bengall Merchant and the same in Writing he sent ashoar unto the Honourable English East-India Companyes Factors in Gombrone That they being now at Wars with the Persians would not suffer any of the Persian Boats to help unlade our Ship To which I answered That the next Morning Boats were appointed to come off to begin to unlade us and that in each of them there would be an English Man whereby the Admiral or his People might know that they were Boats imployed in the English Service and I desired they would give us no hindrance or molestation in our business Our Factors from the Shoar sent off one to the said Admiral and his Council whom he found resolved to stop all Persian Boats from coming off to us On the Fourth of May Six Boats were provided by our Factors for the unlading our Ship of the Honourable English East-India Companyes Goods and in each of the Boats an English Man The First Boat that came off the Dutch sent their Boat from the Admiral 's Ship and seized and carryed her aboard of the Admiral with one of our Men named Thomas Morley in her and several Goods in her ordered by our Companies Factors to be put on board of our Ship. The rest of the Six Boats seeing the First Boat taken returned ashoar and those of them that were not put from shoar remained there and so we could get none off This Action of the Admiral and his Council was committed by them whilest Senior David was aboard with them he being Linguist unto the Honourable English East-India Companies Factors in this place and sent by them with a Letter to inform the Admiral and his Councel That these Boats whereof he had taken one were imployed in the English Service and by the Treaty Marine ought not to be hindred The Goods that were Laden in the Persian Boat for our Ship the Dutch took out and put into our Boat by force she being there waiting upon the Linguist Seniour David who seeing the
had sent to the assistance of the King of Bantam had committed great violences upon the Factors Servants and Effects of the English Company at Bantam even to the dispossessing them of and driving them from their antient residence and Mr. Chudleigh then Envoy from his said Majesty to the States General says in the Memorial which he presented to them in the Month of May of the said Year 1683 that the King of Great Brittain his Master having understood by the complaints of his Company of Merchants Trading into the East-Indies in what an extraordinary manner those of Battavia had affronted and drove away from Bantam all those of the English Nation which had been setled there for so many years his Majesty could not avoid being sensible of such a proceeding without the Companies ever troubling themselves with verifying so black an accusation with which they have filled all Europe to prepossess it to the disadvantage of the Company of the United Provinces Sir John Chardin who in the year 1683 was deputed in the behalf of the English Company into Holland for the Affair of Bantam endeavouring to risco the said Company from the plunge into which the want of proofes had cast them thought of changeing the Byafs and instead of accusing the Government of Batavia for having drove the English from Bantam contented himself with imputing their going out of the Town to the suggestion and advice of the said Sieur St. Martin who 't is said had inclined the King of Bantam to turn the English out of his Country making use for proof of an Affirmative so ill founded but on a bare conjecture grounded only upon want of Charity which we shall prove upon the Examination of the principal cause it being enough to observe here by the by that the Circumstances upon which Sir John Chardin grounded his suspition are so little considerable that there is reason to wonder a Man of Parts should pretend to make use of them in a publick manner The Deputies of the English Company holding at present the same Language say in their Memorial which they have annexed to their demand that the Hollanders at Batavia have made and fomented the quarrels between the Old and the Young King of Bantam and in their demand that those of Batavia having made the young King fall into their Snares and drawn him perfidiously under their Yoke to compass to themselves the entire Trade of that Place exclusive to all others compell'd him to put the English out of his Dominions These Complaints are very terrible and at the same time very just if they are true but they are very black Calumnies and very unjust reproaches if they are false as they will be proved to be in the sequel of this Answer 'T is not that the Subscribers think that the Directors of the English Company are the Inventers of it God forbid but that they have only too easily suffered themselves to be led away by Reports ill grounded and sown every where with a design to blacken the Dutch Company and to render it odious But these Reports although they have no other Grounds but Lyes and Scandals have insinuated themselves into the minds of several Persons and especially of the Parties concerned by the means of Credulity Jealousie and Mistrust The Subscribers although they might intrench themselves in a bare Negative and keep solely upon the Defensive without advancing of any Affirmative which may oblige them to Justification and Proofes have notwithstanding proposed to themselves before the discussion of the Justificative Papers of the English Company be entred into to give your Excellencies a true Idea of the Affair of Bantam but not intending to leave their hold which is the Negative but only with a prospect of making their Defence the stronger as it will appear supported by the truth of Facts which are indisputable and which destroy and overthrow from top to bottom all that the Commissioners of the English Company have advanced Sultan Agan King of Bantam and Father to the present King finding himself too weak by reason of his great Age to continue to bear the weight of the Government yielded up the Kingdom of Bantam to his Eldest Son retiring to Turchaser a charming and delightful place about six Leagues from the Town of Bantam and about a League from the Sea to enjoy there an agreeable Repose and to finish there the remainder of his Life in quiet and out of the troubles of the Affairs of the Kingdom The Son having ascended the Throne sent Embassadors to those of Batavia as to his nearest Neighbours to signifie to them his accession to the Empire as he also dispatched others afterwards to the late King of Great Brittain of Glorious Memory who acknowledging their Character gave them such a Reception that the Gentlemen of the English Company themselves exaggerating the Honours which were turned to the said Embassadors here at London saying in the Letter which they wrot to the King of Bantam in the Month of June in the Year 1682 and by consequence two years after his coming to the Crown that they had treated his Embassadors in as magnificent a manner as if they had come from the greatest Prince of the Earth adding in the same Letter that they had heard that God with the consent of his Father had established and settled him on the Throne of the Kingdom of Surosoan that is to say Bantam But the People being accustomed under the Reign of the old King to a looser Government then that of the young King who kept them in subjection they began to murmur and at length took up Arms to throw off the Yoke having engaged in their Party by evil Impressions and Importunities the old King of Bantam whom they had taken out of his Retirement and prevailed with him to make himself Master of the Town and afterwards to besiege the Fort into which the young King had retired to save his Life who seeing himself upon the brink of the Precipice and within two fingers breadth of his Ruine dispatched Letters and Servants to those of the Government of Batavia to represent to them the sad Condition of his Affairs and to pray their Succours But the Gentlemen of the Government of Batavia being too prudent and too circumspect to embarque themselves in an Affair of this importance they thought it fit before they resolved upon any thing upon the sollicitations and instances of the Indian Prince to inform themselves of the Condition of his Affairs and even after having found that they were very bad and almost desperate would not resolve upon any thing notwithstanding in his Favour until they had interposed their good Offices for Peace which being despised by the Father who made no Answer to them they at length took up their Resolution of assisting the Son against the Rebels and to deliver him from the Oppression wherein he was which they had the happiness to Effect and to Re-establish him upon his Throne whereon
I Do hereby License this Book to be Printed and Published White-Hall March 6th 1687-88 SVNDERLAND Pr. An Impartial VINDICATION OF THE English East-India-Company FROM THE Unjust and Slanderous IMPUTATIONS Cast upon Them in a TREATISE INTITULED A Justification of the Directors of the Netherlands East-India-Company As it was delivered over unto the High and Mighty Lords the States General of the United Provinces Translated out of Dutch and Feigned to be Printed at London in the Year 1687. But Supposed to be Printed at Amsterdam as well in English as in French and Dutch. LONDON Printed by J. Richardson for Samuel Tidmarsh at the King 's Head in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange MDCLXXXVIII THE whole Treatise is such a tedious Rhapsody of Fictitious Fallacious Inferences and Arguments confusedly mixt with some distorted Truths spun out to an unnecessary prodigious length that it would be tiresome to the Reader to trace all the Prevarications Mis-Recitals and Sophistry contained in it By which the design of the Author seems to be not onely to impose a false belief upon the vulgar-well-meaning Subjects of those Provinces but even upon the Lords States General Themselves if it were possible Whether we have truly characterized the said Treatise we shall leave to the Judgment of the unbiassed Reader and have therefore caused it to be Reprinted after the Amsterdam Copy and Annexed hereunto And that we may not be guilty of framing a long Story without Coherence Verity or Proof of which we accuse the Author we shall in the first place expose to publick View and Censure true Copies of those Original Papers which passed between the Commissioners of both Companies at London Anno 1685. which will give sufficient Light and Confutation unto the Authors prolix and Erroneous History of those Transactions concerning the Affairs of Bantam And shall then proceed to detect his willful mistakes in other matters and his ill-grounded Arguments by which he endeavours to Honest many Injurious and Insolent Violations of Right done by the Dutch towards the English in India directly contrary to the Articles of Peace In all which we do profess the most Religious sincerity and to write nothing but what we know to be really true or believe in our Consciences so to be upon very sufficient Evidence without using that common Liberty which Advocates think they may innocently do viz. To put the best face they can upon their Clients Cause how bad soever it be which plea we shall be content may be admitted for the Authors Indempnity To omit Credentials and Speeches of Ceremony it was agreed that the Treaty should be managed in French and Sir John Chardin was the Interpreter The Lords Commissioners Decisors for His Majesty were For the States General of the United Provinces The Earl of Sunderland Lord Anth. Heinsius Councellor and Pensionary of the City of Delf Earl of Clarendon John Goes Lord of Absmade Consul of the City of Leyden Earl of Rochester Isaac Vanden Heuvell Councellor Earl of Middleton Adryan de Borssele Vander Hoge Senator of the Supream Court of Holland The Commissioners Instructors for the English-East-India-Company were The Commissioners Instructors for the Dutch East-India-Company Sir Joseph Ashe Baronet Governour The Heer Gerrard Hooft of the Council of Amster Sir Josia Child Baronet Deputy-Governour Jacob Van Hoorn of the Council of Flushing Sir Benj. Bathurst and Sir Jeremy Sambrook Kts Solom Van de Blocquerii and Adrian Paets of the Council of Rotterdam The First Paper of Business which the aforesaid English Commissioners Received from the said Dutch Commissioners Instructors which was Translated into English in the following words Viz. To the Honourable Seigniours Sir Joseph Ashe Barronet Governour of the English East-India Company Sir Josia Child Baronet Deputy-Governour Sir Benjamin Bathurst and Sir Jeremy Sambrooke Knights all Deputies of the said Company for Bantam Affairs WHereas the Directors of the Dutch East-India-Company do desire nothing more earnestly than a good Intelligence between them and the Royal East-India-Company of this Kingdom They also desire nothing more earnestly than to see an end of the differences which would trouble that Intelligence in case it was not from both sides endeavoured with all imaginable care to suppress in the very beginning the seeds of a quarrel of which the progress though short should be able to produce an Evil which after having taken root it would not be easie to dissipate Now forasmuch as the Late King of Great Britain of Glorious Memory and my Lords the States General of the Vnited Provinces being desirous to provide the differences that should arise between both Companies should have no bad consequences have thought fit to Order the Remedy contained in the Treaty of the Year 1674-75 Upon which ground the under-written Deputies of the said East-India-Company of the said Provinces desiring that the differences about Bantam should be determined They do desire your Lordships to concurr with them and proceed upon that Foundation and to deliver to them a Copy of all the pretensions of the English Company touching the Bantam Affairs and also of the justificative Proofs and Deeds upon which they pretend to ground their said pretensions The under-written Deputies being resolved to pursue all the Forms required by Equity and natural Right And because they have been informed that in the Conference of Munday last there were some mistakes they have thought fit to express their mind by Writing and to desire your Honours to give Answer in the same manner Dated at Westminster 27 May 1685. Signed G. Hooft Jacob Van Hoorne S. V. Blocquery A. Paets The English Commissioners Instructors their Answer in haec Verba To the Honourable Seigniours Gerard Hooft Jacob van Hoorn Solomon vande Blocquery and Adriaen Paets Commissioners Deputed by the Netherlands East-India-Company touching the Affairs of Bantam IN Answer to your Honours Memorial of the 27th of May it is impossible for the Commissioners of the Netherland East-India-Company to desire a more speedy end of the Affair of Bantam than the English East-India-Company who hath layen under the Oppression of the want of their Residence and Trade there now for above three years besides the great Loss and Spoil sustained at the surprize thereof And the said English Company by us their Commissioners have humbly besought the Lords Commissioners Decisors appointed by His Majesty Our Soveraign Lord the King that the matter of the Restitution of Bantam to His Majesties Subjects may be first Discoursed and Adjusted It having been already consented to by the High and Mighty Lords the States General and the Netherlands East-India-Company that Restitution should be made thereof as appears by the Answer to the Memorial presented by Sir John Chardin at the Hague the 21th of May Anno 1683. And the only difference then remaining upon that subject was the manner of the Restitution So that to enter into proof or any long Debate concerning the manner of the surprize of that Place and of His Majesties Subjects Expulsion
together would have made up a Force more than double that of the Dutch Fleet in Gombroone Road. To let the World see how little the States General would suffer their Subjects in Europe to be treated after that manner as the Dutch Company would treat their Peaceable Neighbours in India Let it be remembred That when the Spaniards formerly blocked up Lixboa although the Spaniards had then a Land Army in Portugal yet did not the States send a Fleet thither not only to Force their Trade but also to take those Spanish Men of War that attempted to hinder it And when the King of Sweden lay before Dantzick with a Fleet of Men of War and had also at the same time Land Forces in those Parts yet did not the States send a Fleet from Holland and by force open their Trade there as justly they might do Now we say and we appeal to all European Nations whether we argue rightly or not That what is unjust in Europe is unjust in India and all the World over And on the contrary what is just in Europe is Universally so And that Action of the Dutch Companies at Persia is so much the more unjust in regard it was contrary not only to Natural Right and the General Articles of Peace between the two Nations but expresly against that Article in the Treaty Marine of 1674 provided purposely to prevent injuries of that kind as is well observed by Captain Goldsborough in his Protest before mentioned To proceed the English have now a War with the Great Mogull and a superiour force of Shipping and Soldiers by reason of that War than the Dutch have on that Coast in the common Course of their Trade What then Do the English endeavour to hinder the Dutch Ships from Loading or Unloading in Surrat River or Swally Harbour or from the use of the Natives Boats No all Nations know they do not nor ever did attempt to offer such injury to any Christian Nation in Amity with them But the Dutch Advocate peradventure according to the Liberty Men of that profession take will say the English durst not do it because the Dutch were stronger than they on that Coast which if it were true as it was not would argue nothing to the prejudice of the English because all Christians in India will avouch the English never offered injury in such a case to French Danes or Portuguez or other Friendly Nations which are confessedly weaker than the English are in India But that the Dutch are Universally so injurious to the English in other places as they were at Persia and much more where they have the least hopes of putting the English by the Trade of any Pepper Port will manifestly appear by what they did on the Coast of Malabar For which we shall according to our avowed Truth and impartial Management of this Controversie produce true Copies of the Original Papers viz. The Extract of a Letter from Callicut Dated the Fifth of May 1684 Signed by Mr. Thomas Michell Mr. Joan Bâ—râ—iston and Mr. Daniel Ackworth Agent and Council for the Honourable English East-India Companies Affairs there YOUR Honours of the Fourth of May by the Scipio Arrived the Third November and accordingly complyed with your Honours Commands in taking the good and wholesome Advice of Mr. Charles Zinzan which at that juncture of time was very acceptable to us by reason of the great Disputes we then had with the Dutch about Shipping off Pepper at Tanor Penany and Chittuah the two latter places they had for some time before blocked up with several Hoves and other nimble Boats which rowed to and fro impeding the Natives so well as us from Shipping off any Goods at the fore-mentioned places nor do believe we had been able to have gotten the Pepper from Penany had not the Scipio touched there Yet for all that the Dutch hindred us to their Powers by underhand dealings with the Third Rajah c. by Bribes which so far prevailed that we could not get leave to ship off any Goods until Mr. Thomas Mitchel went and made our grievances known to the Samorine and Second Rajah telling them of the ill consequence which usually followed if they suffered the Dutch to block up their Ports in this Nature and that we came only as Merchants to trade in their Country and not to dispossess Princes as the Dutch did which the King of Cochin hath woful experience of being no better than their Slave With these and many other Arguments did at last so much prevail with the Samorine as he gave us an Order to Ship on Board what Pepper we had in readiness but withal desired us not to carry the Ship to Chittuah for what Goods we had there he would take care of and when we were gone would contrive means whereby to carry it to Callicut Upon which condition with the advice of Mr. Zinzan brought the Ship to Callicut where and at Tellichery compleated her's and Successe's loading therewith having taken out of the former one Chest Treasure only and of the latter one Chest Treasure and Fifty Piggs of Lead which we advised the Honourable President c. Soon after this the Samorine complyed with his promise by giving us Opportunity of bringing our Goods from Chittuah by sending for the Dutch which lay at the Rivers Mouth to Penany pretending earnest business and how desirous he was of keeping a fair Correspondence with them Upon which they all came ashore thinking to have compleated their designs at once But the Samorine soon put a Guard over them pretending that they might not by any means go on Board before he had spoken with them and so put them off for several daies In the mean time we sent our Boats which lay ready for that purpose and brought away all our Pepper and Cassia Lignum we had ready When the Samorine heard that we had compleated our business he sent to the Dutch and told them that they might now go about their's which they did without any audience from him At the which the Dutch were highly affronted and immediately withdrew their Factory from thence and now give out that they intend to declare Wars against the Samorine who lyes ready with a considerable force to receive them what the event of it will be God knows Extract of another Letter from Daniel Ackworth at Tellicherry Dated the 9th of December 1683. THE Dutch being now Masters of Bantam doubtless will be a great impediment to the Honourable Companies investments here upon the Mallabar Coast they not sticking to give out that it shall cost them a fall if they are not also Masters of all this Coast For setting aside Callicut and Tanor two places where the Honourable Company have Factories all the Coast along to the Southward of these two fore-mentioned places they tell us it belongs to them though it be no such thing that for the future if we make any Contract with the Merchants to the Southward for Pepper
which and the previous Right before mentioned which the King of England hath to that place The English after having drank His Majesty the King of England's Health with the Prince of Orange's the States General 's and the two Companies left the place peaceably telling the Chief they had no Order to make War but to leave the Right of that place to be determined elsewhere which ought to be by Commissioners on both sides in Europe according to the Treaty of 1674-75 But one Circumstance is fit to be added viz. In treating with the Oran Kayes aforesaid at Fort St. George The English President asked them seriously whether they were under any Obligation to the Dutch Which they positively denyed assuring the President c. that the Dutch had no Residence in their Country not so much as a Factory House or Lodge as was most true at that time And for further certainty of their Allegiance to His Majesty said If there were any scattering Dutchmen in their Countrey they would cut their Throats before the English came thither But the President told them That would be an abominable Act in the sight of the true God whom they Worshipped being Mahometans and that the Dutch were the Companies Friends and Christians and therefore he would have nothing to do with them if they offered any violence or hurt to any Dutchman that might be in their Countrey upon any occasion And this is the very Truth and the whole Case of Pryaman as the English do a vouch upon their Faith and Allegiance to God and His Majesty to their Knowledge or Belief And how contrary this is to the Dutch practice in all times any indifferent Reader of any Nation will easily judge But not to let this special Matter of Fact pass without some Testimony upon Oath We have added true Copies of two Affidavits relating thereunto Viz. James Jenifer's Affidavit made in London the 22th October 1686. JAmes Jenifer Second Mate and Purser of the Syam Merchant lately come from the West Coast of Sumatra makes Oath That upon their Sailing from Fort St. George they went first to Pryaman as they were ordered by the President and Council of Fort St. George expecting to find an English Garrison there but on the contrary they met with a Dutch settlement of one Factor as Chief and about Thirty Soldiers Whites and Blacks That Mr. Potts landed with about Fifty Men well Armed of which Men under Mr. Potts this Deponent had the Command That when they came up the Pallisado Gates were open which they entred with their Arms ported no Centinel checking them and that the Chief after they were entred within the Gate met them and askt whether they were Friends which they said they were and the Dutch Soldiers whispered the English in the Ear and told them they had no Bullets in their Musquets and that if the Chief contended they would shoot nothing but Powder desiring the English to do the same for that they were willing to surrender Upon which this Deponent told Mr. Potts if he would give leave they would take the Place presently which Mr. Potts denying said he had no Order to begin a War. This Deponent further saith that the Dutch near Indrapora hired several Mallay Soldiers to surprize the Sloop William and gave them for so doing ten Dollars each Mallay who accordingly did attempt it in the Night and killed two of her Men and that they were set on by the Dutch appeared by the Confession of one of the said Mallays who was seized upon who confessed and declared that they were instigated thereunto by the Dutch and had the Reward aforesaid This Deponent further sayeth That upon their departure from Fort St. George the President and Council gave them the Proclamation for Proclaiming the Succession of our Soveraign Lord the King's Majesty now Reigning in the English Factories upon the West Coast of Sumatra That accordingly he saw His Majesty Proclaimed at Indrapoura with great Solemnity all the English standing bare with their Swords drawn while the Proclamation was read and the Emperour or Sultan and Seven Kings likewise with their Creses drawn and a multitude of the best of the Native Inhabitants in the like posture after which many Volleys of Shot were discharged by the English Seamen and Soldiers on Shoar and all the Guns fired aboard the Ship Syam then in the Road. This Deponent further sayeth that the Dutch had landed near Bencoolen a great many Soldiers most Blacks in the Name of the Young King of Bantam of Four Ships from Batavia with Order to force the English from Bencoolen Upon which several of the English being sickly did retire from the place aboard the Ship but the Chief Mr. Bloom would not stir from his Charge But the said Black Soldiers did not come on to force the English as was expected whether hindred by their own Fear or their Inclination to have the English stay there which is the desire of all the Natives both Javans and Mallays this Deponent cannot resolve but heard that upon such halt of the Black Soldiers the English return'd again from their Ships and remounted all their Guns and resolved upon their Defence And further he cannot say Sworn the 22. Octob. 1686. Before Sir John Moore Signed James Jenifer Stephen Elliot's Affidavit made in London the 30th October 1686. STephen Elliot Marriner aged Twenty One Years or thereabouts maketh Oath That he was one of the Marriners in the Service of the East-India Company in their Sloop the William which was lying at Anchor near Indrapora upon the West Coast of Sumatra That this Deponent went on shoar with the Master of the Sloop in the Evening about the Month of Octob. 1685. And that the same Night as this Deponent was informed by the other Marriners that belonged to the said Sloop there came on Board them several Prowesfull of Men armed with Clubs c. Which the said Marriners perceiving immediately leapt into the Sea and swam on Shoar they being Lascars Natives of India leaving on Board only Three of their Company which were in the Cabin viz. One English-man named Clemuel Ringstead one French man named David Jennett and one Lascar which three Men were immediately murthered by those that came on Board and cut to pieces in a most inhumane manner Soon after the English East-India Companies Factor Mr. Ord who was then at Indrapoora discovered two of the Mallayes Natives of the Island of Sumatra who were of the number of those that assaulted the Sloop as aforesaid by having found some Armes on Board the Ship which belonged to them And Mr. Ord examining them with lighted Matches betwixt their Fingers They confessed that they were employed by the Chief of the Dutch Factory residing at Padang And that they were to receive Ten Dollars each Man for destroying the People in that Sloop And that there were about Fifty Men that came upon that Design These Mallays that so entred the Sloop took away some
the latter Treatise they say The Netherland's Company has with a few inconsiderable Potentates or Princes made Contracts over a privative or seclusive Traffick of some kinds of Wares which their Countrey did yield but if the English Company should maintain this to be an unlawful thing they must condemn their own doings and so as it were pronounce sentence against what themselves have done in former times and of which many Examples may be alledged Now if the English Company have made such Contracts sometimes without and sometimes together with us when we were in a near League Anno 1619. And some years following as may be seen and will appear in the publick Testimonies and when the English Company had such Contracts with us together then according to their sentiment it was lawful and good But now the Netherland's Company do the same without them as having no Communion or Fellowship with them in the least in the Indies ought they not to call to memory that in former times the English Merchants had the whole Traffick of the Caviar which Rushland or Muscovy did yield and to come yet closer to them have they not made in the Indies and yet daily seek to make such Contracts especially on the Coast of Malabar To which we answer with Truth and Impartiality First That when that Treaty was concluded between the Dutch and English 1619 in the peaceable Reign of King James the First it was managed in England on the Dutch's part by that Worthy Incomparable Person Hugo Grotius and we believe with an upright intent in him and the High and Mighty Lords States that imployed him in that Negotiation But how the Dutch Company immediately upon the Conclusion of that Treaty contrary to the Lords States upright intention turned the use of it in such a manner as we believe the Dutch Company would not have us remember though it be upon Record in many Printed Books as to screw the English by Force and Fraud out of all the Trade of the Spice Islands which is of more Value and Advantage than the whole Trade of India besides 2. To come nearer and close to the Question We say it is lawful for the Dutch or any Nation to make such exclusive Contracts and to secure the performance of such Contracts by a Fort or Factory But if any Prince or People having made such Contracts with any Nation suppose the Dutch and the Dutch do not build any Fort or Factory in such Princes Countrey nor it may be come in Seven Years after to buy his Commodity or will not pay him for his Commodity but at lower Rates or in Truck for worse Goods or for any other Cause grow weary of such Contract and the English be invited or come thither purposely to bargain with him and by his Consent he being Lawful Soveraign do build a Fort or Factory in his Countrey We say in such case if the Dutch do by Fraud or hiring of Cut-throats Black People or by open Force endeavour to destroy the English or any other Nation so settled such Practice is a violation of Natural Right Destroyes the Peace established by Treaties and is of the same Nature as open War. 3. To make use of the Instance mentioned in the aforesaid Treatise Page 27. True it is the English had by Contract formerly the sole Traffick of Caviar in Rushia by agreement with the Emperour of Vosco but suppose as it happened the Emperour grew weary of this Contract with the English for any Cause just or unjust and that he had sent for the Dutch and agreed with them for all that Commodity for the future We say with submission in this very case it would have been notoriously unjust in the sence of all Christian Nations for the English to have made War upon the Dutch for that sole Cause 4. We say in Fact That notwithstanding the lawfulness of making such Contracts the English did never attempt to hinder by Arms any Nation from Trading with any Company or People whatsoever where they had only a Factory how great soever that Factory were 5. We say the English where they have a Fort did never attempt to hinder any Nation from Trading with any People out of the reach of their own Guns much less from Trading with any Prince upon the same Island or Continent that had Sovereign Power in his own Dominions in whose Dominions they had neither Fort nor Factory 6. We say the English did never deny the Dutch Refreshment at any of their Forts but have often entertained them when missing the Cape by bad Weather they came to St. Hellena in great Extremity and were relieved in all their wants with the same kindness as they could have been by their own Fathers or Brothers But the Dutch have often though not always denyed the English Company Refreshment even of Water when they have been in great distress as particularly and lately the Ship Pryaman at Porcat when there was on Board her many Passengers Men Women and Children ready to perish for want only of that cheap but necessary Refreshment Water as appears by Mr. Thomas Michel's and Captain Vnkettle's Letters of 5 th Feb. 1686-87 wherein the Expressions against the Dutch Cruelty are so harsh that we forbear to recite them in terminis but the Originals are ready to be produced Page 27. They take upon them to know very particularly and specially what Powers and Authorities His Majesty now Reigning whom God long preserve has granted His present Priviledged East-India Company but they betray their Ignorance therein in giving so lame an Accompt of that matter which for their better Information we shall assure them there is no Power or Authority whatsoever to the Exercise of Soveraign Power in India under His Majesty or otherwise that was ever granted to the Dutch Company by their present or former Oct-troy but His Majesty hath been graciously pleased to grant the same Powers to His present East-India Company for the good and benefit of His Kingdoms His Majesty having observed by His great Experience that it is impossible for His Subjects of the East-India Company to support the English Dominion in India against the Continual Unwarrantable Designs of the Dutch except the English Company be Armed and intrusted with the same Extent of Power and Authority which the Dutch Company have and may lawfully enjoy from and under their Sovereigns the High and Mighty Lords the States General Page 29. They bring up again that Trifle of an Argument which hath been bafled a Hundred times in former Debates and is fit only to be urged to Women and Children their Words are If then it deserve to be judged Injustice Violence and Oppression in us by lawful means to seek in one and the other Countrey out or beyond Europe to get and appropriate to our selves the Trade thereof Then we know not how possibly the English can be judg'd blameless considering what they have done in Carolina Virginia New-England and elsewhere
the English Commissioners would have reason if the Affair concerning the Restitution of Bantam were determined by their High and Mightinesses and the Company of Holland not to ingage themselves in a long Suit being able to make an end of the Affair without breaking their Heads with so many Disputes but as these Gentlemen have been mistaken in writing of a few Lines as it appears by their Answer of 27 th July to the Memorial of us the underwritten of the 19 th of the same Month where the word of Decisors at which they are so angry is not to be found but that of Negotiators is used 't is not much to be wondred at that they should be mistaken in the Explication of the Answer of the States General to the Memorial of Sir John Chardin to which they refer in their Demand Their High and Mightinesses love justice too much to have been willing to dispose of a Town that did not belong to them and to which they had no right It is true that they offered not only not to hinder the resettlement of the English in Bantam from being obstructed either by the Dutch Company or any of their Subjects but also to further it themselves and to make the said Company to assist them in it which is far from that which the Deputies of the English Company say in their Demands But it being important to prove here that the English Company cannot at this time take hold of the Answer of their High and Mightinesses no more than of the advances which the Company of Holland made in the year 1683 towards the accommodating the Differences which the War of Bantam had made to arise between the two Companies who must have recourse to what passed between Sir John Chardin and the Deputies of the Dutch Company on the subject of the said Differences It is certain that at that time it was not known in what condition the Affairs of Bantam were Whether the War between the King of Bantam yet lasted or whether it was ended and if it were determined whether it were done by a treaty or by force of Arms if by Arms which of the two the Father or the Son remained Conqueror and Master of the Kingdom It being also less known whether the Son in case that by the Auxiliary Arms he was resettled in his Throne had not granted to the Company of Holland in recompence of their Assistance some right in Bantam by virtue of which they might have been able to dispose of the reestablishment of the English in their former Residence Besides that the Dutch Company might reasonably promise themselves that the King of Bantam who owed his Deliverance from the Oppression in which he was to the Auxiliary Arms of the Company would not be displeased that to be assured that the English would never assist his Father against him they had engaged to cause the English to be resettled in their former Habitation which Consideration would not have place any more after that the Father was reduced under the Power of his Son. In these uncertainties the Dutch Company made some Advances and Sir John Chardin drew up a project of Accommodation between the two Companyes wherein it is spoken of the withdrawing the Dutch Forces from Bantam and of what each of the Companyes should be obliged to do in the Cases therein specifyed But it having pleased Mr. Chudleigh and Sir John Chardin to break up somewhat abruptly the Negotiation which was already very far advanced and that it pleased the English Company to refuse all the Offers as well of the States General as those which the Embassador Citters made here in London in the Name and on the behalf of the Company of the United Provinces after the return of the said Sir John Chardin the last Company did not think it proper to follow the Negotiation with which my Lord Embassador Citters was charged upon the foot of those offers which had been despised and by which they were by consequence no more tyed especially when in the latter end of the year 1683 they understood by Letters from India that the War of Bantam was ended with advantage to the Son who remained in possession of the Kingdom of Bantam the Father being made Prisoner and the Rebels Power overcome without however having granted to the Dutch Company any Right by virtue of which they might be able to settle the English again in Bantam To what purpose is it then to alledge at this time the Answer of the States General to the Memorial of Sir John Chardin after that they have publickly refused their offers and proposed new Conditions which appeared to their High and Mightinesses so much out of all reason that they would not so much as allow them to give so much as an Ear to them as it appears by the Resolution of their High and Mightinesses quoted B. How can the English Company then imagine that excepting at present the offers which they refused two years ago the Dutch Company should think themselves obliged to it after the change of Affairs which hath happened at Bantam Have not they declared that after the said change the Treaty could not continue any longer upon the foot of the Offers which they had rejected with so much disdain And although they had not declared it was it not a thing visible and evident of it self to conclude a project which supposing a perfect uncertainty of the Affairs of Bantam contain causes which at present cannot happen Besides it is not to be conceived how the English Company after having chosen themselves the way of decision in pursuance of the year 1674 and 1675 and prest for this Effect the Nomination of the deciding Commissioners can at present make use of the offers and projects of Accommodation which they themselves caused to be broken off and which besides has nothing of Common with a judicial discussion in which the two Companyes are at present engag'd and from which they can't dismiss themselves to return to the Treaty but by a Common Consent the underwritten Deputies of the Company of Holland having proved at present that neither from the offers of their High and Mightinesses nor those of the said Company of Holland the English Company can infer any thing which is capable of making good their Demands we will now pass to the second point which is that of the justice of the Complaints of the English Company and will Examine in them first their Nature and in what they consist and will consider in the second place the strength of the proofes which have been delivered to the underwritten to make them good As to the first point the English Company had represented to the King of Great Brittain of Glorious Memory as it appears by the Letter his Majesty wrote to the aforesaid Lords the States General dated the 23th April 1683 that the Sieur St. Martin Commander in Chief of the Dutch Forces and Ships which the Government of Battavia